Glee, Bowling and Happy Campers

We recently discovered The Glee Project. We'd apparently been living under a rock and had never heard of the Glee show. I don't think the kids are old enough to watch it but they have been loving watch the Glee Project. Steve and I have been watching season one on Netflix. The kids had some Christmas gift cards they hadn't had a chance to spend so we made our way to Target this week and Evie purchased Wii Glee Revolution. What you might not know about me is that I sang in choir in high school. I am SO excited to play this game as a family.

Ainsley tried to get in on it too, using the Wii remote in place of the microphone. She likes to do everything we do. So cute! 

Then she crashed. Our ENT wants us to try having her sleep with the cap on more now that she's wearing her cap all days. She's made it 2 hours, but I think it's going to be a long time before she can sleep comfortably breathing through her nose/mouth.

Since our life is not typical we have to look for fun where we can find it. It's harder for us to do many typical things people do during the summer. And considering how much the kids have been fighting I think they are bored. Steve had the brilliant idea to go bowling as a fun outing for the whole family. So he arranged to take the day off. There is a really nice bowling alley in Bellevue.

Ainsley wanted to partake in the fun. We always do our best to let her try to participate even when it's challenging.

I had to positioned her hands and pushed them, pushing the ball down the lane.

 Luckily it made it down the lane every time. And we all clapped for her.

  

Then the food came. Assorted gourmet mini burgers with blue cheese and smoked applewood bacon for me. Chicken nuggets and fries for the kids. Mmmmm. That's when we lost her.

For a girl that doesn't eat table food she sure likes to try. Who wants to bowl when there are french fries and ketchup to dip them in?!

The kids made a big fuss about having to use the bumpers. I guess it feels like cheating, but come on?!  And yet Adrian was still VERY upset when he didn't do as well as he'd like and he wasn't even in last place. That poor kid HATES to lose.  Evie and Adrian are both playing soccer this year and started practice this week.  Life is going to get very busy. I hope it helps teach Adrian how to be a good loser. Or it's going to be a very lonnngg season.

This is the bar and bowling alley.

Afterward we went to the arcade next door.

I love this one. I guess Ainsley wasn't sure what to do with all these tickets.

She even had to "play" air hockey.

At the end we fed our tickets into the counter. All 1262 of them.

It was so dang funny to see Ainsley crawl off to the prize counter. She can move really fast when she wants to. I don't worry about what people think seeing a (nearly) five year old crawling in public. Of course the prizes are mostly junk. The kids ended up opting for balls and candy.

Ainsley got a foam sheep stress ball and she was so happy!

I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the amazing Chihuly glass art at Lincoln Square (the shopping center where we parked.)

I think this fountain is made of sheets of plexi-glass but it could be glass.

The next day we had to do some last minute shopping for items the kids needed for camp. Then we had to LABEL EVERYTHING, as per camp instructions.

It takes HOURS for two kids. And last year it made us late so this year I was determined not to repeat our mistake.

It was a nice drive to the middle of nowhere.

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge. That means you are getting close.

When we arrived there was a very very long line to drop the kids off. We were not late this year but kind of wish we were.....not really.

Muggle bug check. Did I mention it's HARRY POTTER camp?

They recreated the arrival at Hogwarts. First years went across on boats. Second and third years waited for the Night Bus. That's Evie and Adrian waiting by the road. 

The camp across the lake on the hillside, where they performed the Sorting Hat Ceremony. Steve and I dropped off the luggage and it was wonderful to hear the cheers of the kids. There is a palpable excitement there. We always leave a little jealous. Lucky kids!!!

Here are a couple pictures I downloaded from the Camp Colman SmugMug site.

Evie's cabin.

Adrian's cabin.

Adrian dueling some other wizards. Oh the fun they will have.

And the fun and silence I will have. It's just me and Ainsley.  Of course I will miss them but Saturday will be here before you know it.

Steve and I are going to be working hard around the house digging out and replacing the wood chips under the swingset, aka. the swamp, and hopefully starting the play house renovation (using the existing shed). Being a grown up is exhausting. I want a real vacation.