Dots of Life

Diabetes Camp 2011

to say that adison was excited about our first trip to camp huronda would be an understatement.  she had been anticipating this getaway for the entire summer.  she and anna had kept a countdown on the fridge for weeks.

adi and i set out monday morning, bound for huntsville.  from the moment we set out, adi was full of smiles and giggles.  the 4 hour drive was full of lots of conversation and some good tunes on the radio.  when we finally arrived... adi could barely contain herself. 

once we pulled into the camp, we were greeted by our camp counsellors who accompanied us to our very rustic cabin, then brought us to the main lodge to meet the other campers.  within minutes, adison had befriended some of the other kids and just like that... she was off.

 

the first little girl that adi made friends with was a little girl named cassandra.  cassie and adi have lots in common.  aside from being t1d they are both 7 years old, play hockey, love sports and singing and dancing and they are both the babies of their families.  once these 2 connected... there was no separating them... they were two peas in a pod for the next 4 days!

 
some of her other friends included emma, abby and anna.

the campgrounds are beautiful and rustic with a very muskoka feel.  the kids (and parents) were kept busy from morning til night.  the activities that were available to the kids were endless. adi especially enjoyed kayaking, canoeing, tetherball, rock wall climbing and visiting the arts and crafts cabin. 

 

 

 

she also tried out archery and agility ropes and she proved to be a master hoolahooper!

 

 

in the evenings after dinner, we also had special events... one night was casino night and one night was a cook off, where the counsellors had to eat what the kids prepared for them.  boy were those counsellors brave!  the kids loved it!  also, every night before bed,  we gathered with the other campers and the counsellors for a campfire and singalong.  the kids and parents loved this as well.  the counsellors brought out their guitars and some fun diabetes inspired songs.  all of the counsellors also have t1d and they were so wonderful with the kids.  they really surpassed all of my expectations.  i really can't say enough good things about them.

 

cassie and adi with some of their counsellors..

 

the food that they served was awesome... i don't think i have ever been fed so well!  meal time was also a nice social time, where the parents could relax and mingle and share their experiences and expertise.

 

at the end of our stay, campers were asked to fill out a survey and this is what adi had to offer...

did you have fun?  "yes, i did"

did you make friends?  "yes i did"

what was the best thing you did?  "playing tetherball with my mom"

what did you not like?  "no horse back riding"

adi was also asked to draw a picture of her favourite activity at camp... in the photo below you can see the picture of her and i playing tether ball (note to self... set up the tetherball set that has been sitting in the garage for the last 4 years)

 

personally, i think the best part of our camping experience were the connections and friendships that adi made with other kids.  other kids that were just like her.  spoke her language.  shared her experiences.  the second best, was the freedom that she experienced.  she felt safe at camp huronda.  she was often off with her friends, supervised by people who knew what to do. 

after we said our goodbye's, exchanged emails and made plans for the kids to meet up again next year (yes, adi wants to go for 2 weeks next year ON HER OWN (gulp), we set off for the long drive home.  i must admit that there were a few tears, from both adison and i. it was a great, uplifting and totally embracing experience.  but it didn't take long for my baby girl to get over it... just 20 minutes down the road, and this is what i saw when i looked back at her...

 

thanks so much camp huronda... for EVERYTHING!  we definitely made memories that will last a lifetime!

georgian bay 2011

 
our favourite summer tradition/getaway is without a doubt... our visit to the dunlops in parry sound.  every summer we are treated to a few days of "heaven on earth".  it is beautiful.  it is relaxing.  it is wonderful visiting with some of our best friends.  they spoil us, their hospitality is second to none and we are so grateful that they keep inviting us back. 

 

this year, we made sure to spend lots of time out on the boat on georgian bay.  we visited some of our favourite old places and discovered some new favourite places as well.   

 
 

mike and the boys made sure to get a couple of fishing trips in.  lets just say that this was a highlight for ben.

 

one day, on our way to snug harbour, we stopped in to one of elaines friends for a quick visit.  this is the view from her cottage deck... could you imagine!  i love it!

 

oak lake-summer 2011

one of our favourite places in the world.  a little jewel nestled just down the road in the splendor of the oak hills.  summer begins for us when the lake is "open".  we have been getting a family pass to the beach for the past four years now.  in the summer, it is our second home.  we have had such great times there, and i love that my kids will have summer memories that will revolve around life at the lake. 

 

 

 

 

as a teenager/young adult, my dad spent lots of times at the lake as well.  i have heard many a story about hanging out at the lake and drag racing down mudcat road afterwards.  when i was very little, my grandparents also owned a cottage on oak lake.  i can remember swimming there as a toddler... maybe only about 2 years old.  i love how oak lake is a part of our family history.

nowadays, we spend most of our time at oak lake with friends. ben always has a friend or two in tow when we head to the lake, and the girls almost always meet up with friends as well.  we have also made some great "beach friends" throughout the years too!  

 

 

this summer we had the pleasure of befriending a lovely family visiting from england.  we introduced them to oak lake and they too were hooked after their first visit. the picture above is of anna pearl and millie.  the next one is of poppy!

 

one of the perks of the kids being older now, is that i can actually sit and relax when we are there... read a book or visit with my friends.  though i still often find myself, just sitting and watching the kids play... i have fun watching them have fun!  and often times after supper the kids and matt and i head over for a coffee and a sunset swim.

 

the little canteen has the best homecut fries around so we often grab lunch or dinner there, but this year, we often brought our picnic basket filled with healthy snacks.  the payoff was that we ended our visit with an icecream cone!

 

our first swim of the season was at the beginning of june, while our last came the second weekend of september... another great summer at the lake!