China Camp 2014 – Day 1

China Camp 2014
Me being silly with Dani (click to see album)

We got up in the morning and got the big girls off to camp. Nadia was surprised to find that she was moving to upper camp so her and Amelie would be in two different parts of the building and on two different activity tracks, but she was very excited to be with the big kids. When I dropped Amelie off I saw that one of her teen counselors was the Dani that gave us the idea for our Dani’s name last summer. After that Dani, Mike and I headed over to Target. Dani needed a couple of new outfits since we had given away all the 2T clothes last year before we knew we were going to adopt again. I am thankful we also got some hand-me-downs from friends at church, but she still needed a few things to get through the summer. Dani made us laugh and laugh trying to get the clothes on while we were doing our other shopping.

China Camp 2014

We went to lunch at a pizza place called “Top That Pizza” and my little foodie split a pesto chicken pizza with me that was so tasty! We picked the big girls up and waited for Mike’s sister Sharon, Jade and Karsten to arrive. They were driving down from Missouri once Jade got off work, and then we were going out to eat at Fuddruckers since they were offering .99 kids meals! Nadia and Amelie had a great time at camp and told us about their day while we waited. Nadia liked Kung Fu and lunch. Amelie liked the bounce house the best.

China Camp 2014

China Camp 2014
Nadia, Dani, Jade, Sharon and Amelie after dinner.

China Camp 2014

China Camp 2014

After dinner we returned to the hotel for the girls to get ready for bed and then spend some time visiting. Nadia loves to draw with Karsten, and I know her wish to become a good artist came from all the drawings he did with her at China Camp 2 years ago. We had a great time laughing and talking until the girls were just too tired and had to go to bed.

China Camp 2014

*A highlight of the afternoon was when Dani saw Nadia put her rainbow loom bracelets on the ottoman and worked her way over to it and pulled herself up. We all clapped and cheered for her since it was the first time since the cast was removed that she tried anything like this!

Off to China Camp 2014!

2014 Shirts - Captain America
Toy & Action Figure Museum (click to see album)

Two days after Dani’s cast was removed at Scottish Rite we headed north to Tulsa for China Camp 2014 and we had to take part in our usual tradition of stopping in Paul’s Valley, OK.  We started at Boomerang’s Diner next door to the Toy and Action Figure museum. Once we were fortified with fried pickles and burgers we headed next door to see what was new in the museum.

Kids meals at Boomerangs, next door to the museum
Kids meals at Boomerangs

Toy & Action Figure Museum - 7.9.2014 Toy & Action Figure Museum - 7.9.2014

Nadia and Amelie immediately asked for a photo with Lego Movie Batman!

Toy & Action Figure Museum - 7.9.2014

Toy & Action Figure Museum - 7.9.2014

Dani and Daddy waiting on the big girls.
Dani and Daddy waiting on the big girls.

Toy & Action Figure Museum - 7.9.2014

TMNT Display at the Toy & Action Figure Museum
The girls were WAY more excited about the TMNT items this year now that we watch the show.

Toy & Action Figure Museum - 7.9.2014

Dani’s first time riding the on the Batmobile. She wasn’t very sure of it and wasn’t stable at all since she still wasn’t strong enough to sit up on her own.

Lego Display
This year they had a very cool Lego set up that we had fun looking at.
Toy & Action Figure Museum - 7.9.2014
I love to take a silly photo each year 🙂

We had a fun time again exploring the museum and seeing what new items were out. I like to spend time looking though the Batcave to see what’s new and looking at all the things I have seen before. It’s also great to see if anything has moved or changed in the diorama that takes up almost an entire wall when you first come in. The Lego display had a bunch of really neat stuff and I took photos of most of them. There was a KISS display that made Nadia ask, “What is the deal with that guys tongue?” HA HA! The girls didn’t play for a long time in the costume area this year, but I think it’s because there happened to be so many other kids. In the past they have been mostly alone. The manager took our family photo once again and remembered us from our prior yearly visits.

Toy & Action Figure Museum - 7.9.2014

Once we arrived in Tulsa, ate dinner and got settled at the hotel we went over to Target for treats and supplies. Nadia said, “Look how hungry I am!!” After our Target run we had to get the girls to bed because China Camp started the next morning and they were SO EXCITED!!!

Amelie’s yearly hand check up

July 8, 2014

The day after Dani’s cast removal we had Amelie’s 1 year hand check up at Texas Scottish Rite so we loaded everyone up and headed over there. We started in radiology and this time Dr. Oishi  gave us a photo copy of them.

July 8, 2014

I know a lot of people have wondered what her hand bones look like and so I was glad to have this as a reference. Right before we started the appointment a person from the media department asked if we were willing to have Amelie filmed for a project they were putting together for the times Dr. Oishi travels around speaking and teaching about the work they do at Scottish Rite. We said of course and in they came with the camera. Dr. Oishi said that she is doing well and has good movement. He also said that there was no reason to do another surgery on the left side at this time. There was a possibility of removing the webbing to make the fingers a little longer, but he is worried that the middle finger will just hang there because it doesn’t have a longer bone in there. Right now it is sort of attached to the ring finger and she gets some use out of it.

He told her that she did a great job for the video and we wouldn’t have to come back for another year! Yippie! Once that was finished we bought some popcorn and headed outside to check out the new playground remodel. It is awesome!

July 8, 2014
July 8, 2014
July 8, 2014

After they had a good time outside we headed home relieved that surgeries for this year are behind us.

Thankful Thursday

  • For cookies
  • For Art Camp at church
  • For our church
  • For friends
  • For A/C on these hot Texas summer days
  • For a comfy bed to sleep in at night
  • For books