Family Reunion

Taking your child with special needs to family events can be a little nerve wracking. There are so many things to think about ahead of time and so many things that you can't control. I don't always have the ability to know all the details ahead of time in order to be able to make adaptations or make it more "Tyler" friendly. Some activities really don't work and sometimes we have to respectfully decline ( which I end up making excuses for, like we are busy that day or we have something else planned. It seems I can't just be honest) because there is no way to make the activity enjoyable or physically possible. Physically possible, not just for him but for me. For me meaning I can't carry him that long or I I can't find a way to adapt that activity to him and help him do that activity. He is almost to big for that darn stroller and he is getting to be just to darn heavy.

A few weeks ago we went camping down at my parents house. He LOVED camping. He associates grandpa with camping and fishing so when you mention grandpa, grandpa's house or going out he asks about going fishing. We were invited( do you really have to be "invited" to a family reunion in which you belong!) to the Labrum Family summer get together/reunion.

This year we went to Cold Springs Trout Farm in North Ogden. Because it is a trout farm there is more than plenty of fish for everyone. You pay per fish that you catch. You can't catch and release for the integrity of the ponds and you just have to feed the fish for them to start biting. I was really looking forward to taking Tyler because they had places that kids could fish. He LOVES fishing and carries around his fake ( and his real one if we let him) fishing pole all the time.

My parents were driving up early and had to make a few stops and so I asked my sister if she would like to ride with me. We left in plenty of time to get lost ( but we didn't!) and got there before most of the family. It was really easy to find.

We couldn't hold Tyler and his need to fish back any longer, so we went ahead and got a bucket and a pole ( they offered you a pole at no cost!) and went to town. Aunt Nicky was a trooper and was fine with helping Tyler. A little girl was standing by us and she was feeding the fish and Ty was catching them.

My cute sister.. and Ty's Aunt Nicky Mouse

His face is priceless and he gets so excited. We caught 3 fish quickly and thankfully grandpa and grandma got there soon after and Ty was able to take Grandpa around. Ty was so excited. As soon as he saw grandpa he asked him to go fishing.

My dad helping Ty fish. SEE I told you his face was priceless.

We ate lunch and I was able to visit with my Aunts. I haven't seen all of them for almost 2 years. ( A side note: I LOVE my Aunts. My dads sisters are seriously so great. My Aunt Mary and Aunt Luanne showed up at the hospital after I had Tyler. Though there was no baby for them to see they still came. I always feel welcome with them. They both wanted to know about Tyler, how he is doing and everything inbetween. They were and are so understanding and accepting of Tyler. My Aunt Mary even came up and saw Tyler when he was stuck in a incubator. My Aunt Linda Labrum is such a sweet lady and Oh my Aunt Kaye.. Honestly, there was NEVER a sweeter lady. I LOVE her.) While I was visiting with them Nicky and my dad had walked back down and were fishing. We all walked back to the pond and Ty had caught WAY to many fish ( that you can't throw back) and was laughing so hard as he did it. He was so funny. And everyone else was behind him laughing as we tried really hard to NOT catch a fish. We were relived when the few he got were able to come off the hook. He has the biggest joy of just tossing the pole in the water. ( We have a video so you can see him.)

Thanks mom for the video!!

When you are ready to go you take your fish to the shack there and they gut them and filet them. You pay per fish and it is calculated on the length of the fish. They charge a small fee for the filet but WAY worth it. We ended up spending way to much for the priceless look on his face. But not enough that I didn't mind handing over my card.

It was a great day. It seemed VERY handicapped friendly. It isn't hard to get to the ponds. There is no major hills. It is grass but a wheelchair would easily be able to be maneuvered. You can put up chairs on the grass and sit or just sit on the ground. There is shade and water to drink. You can also bring in your own picnic. You can rent the pavilion for pretty inexpensive. Best of all you get a kid with LOTS of smiles.

*My dad is the fish grandpa and Dallas' dad is the campfire grandpa. We had a campfire there on the 24th and Ty asks all the time for a campfire. Like EVERY TIME we see Grandpa Brown. *

24th Holiday Weekend- Camping

The long awaited camping post.

Dallas and I have been contemplating taking the toot camping. We have gone back in forth to try and figure out exactly how, where, when, and if it would work, how it would work type questions and then the actual execution to MAKE it work.

We were so lucky to have my parents come to our rescue. They offered their trailer for us to use this past weekend. Let me tell you, that was by FAR the most luxurious camping trip I have EVER been on. They had it set up so we could use the ....... AIR CONDITIONING! Seriously! They had a bed made up for Tyler and we were pretty much all set up.

We left here after a busy packed morning to get to the EC to unpack our stuff and figure out where we would be. While we went up to the mountains with my dad my sister and mom took Tyler and the other cousins to the local pool.

We were able to stay in the Joe's Valley campground. My parents pulled up earlier that day so my dad was giving us the main tour of how things worked and how to use the air and the TOILET. ( Yep no Port a potty for my butt!) We were so excited.

( my Handsome Hubby!)

We then headed back to catch up with everyone to go to the children's parade. We didn't care much about the parade and Ty was not having the waiting in the heat so we took him to the park to wait for the dinner to start.

During the festivities of the 24th they always have a lamb Fry. It is YUMMY! But after a day of swimming, driving and hot, Ty is not exactly the best behaved kid. So Dallas and I just ate our food and decided to take off and head back up the mountain.

It was going to be just the three of us that night and we were really excited. To set up Tyler with this camping trip we gave him books with Little Einsteins camping, we talked about fishing, watched shows with fishing and really just hyped it up. My parents found the perfect spot for Tyler. LOTS of dirt and rocks!

(see my happy kid!)

We sat and watched Tyler play and throw the dirt and rocks. He was having the best time. We went in and let him chill out a bit and then Dallas started a camp fire. I brought him out and it was like Christmas for him! The pictures that were in his book were ALIVE and he could see them and he LOVED them.

(Sitting like a big boy in his camping chair!)

We stayed out for an hour or so and then put our tired little munchkin into bed. He slept soundly till about 3 in the morning. I then just moved over into his bed and he fell back to sleep.

We didn't wake up till after 9 the next morning but after we got up Dallas took Ty outside to show him what our plans were. We were going to go FISHING. I stayed inside and got all of our breakfast going.

After eating we were a little slow getting going. We knew my parents and sister and her kids were coming but didn't know when. We knew where they were headed when they did. So instead of waiting we packed up our lunch stuff and headed to Potter's Pond. When we got there Dallas tried a spinner and it didn't work so he switched it and FIRST throw out with the right lure he caught a fish. Ty LOVED it.

Ty stood right by his dad the whole time doing exactly what dad was doing. Ty later came to sit on my lap and we threw out his lure a few times and did what dad was doing. He kept saying "fishing pole" and then when we asked him what we do to the fish he said we "eat" them. He had a blast.

Dallas helping Ty close to the lake.

"We caught a fish!!"

Watching his dad. Everything D would do Ty would follow.

He started to get more and more brave and would go stand super close to Dallas. So I would get more and more nervous. He didn't care. Dallas pulled a chair up to the edge of the lake and I stayed back a little. SO nervous. I heard Dallas scream "don't move, don't move" and realized that Ty had gotten a lure in his eye. How much in his eye would be the kicker. Some how it just barely touched his eye and a little blood came out and then nothing. Ty was ready to go back to fishing with his dad. ( I have a problem with getting lures in other peoples bodies. I once caught my brother's ear. In order to get it out it had to be pushed through. Lures have a catch both ways. It is a bad deal. Especially for "special" eyes like Ty's)

After a few more fish Ty kept getting closer and closer and I couldn't watch anymore so I pulled out my book. Not even 2 pages into it I hear a splash. Ty had fallen in the water. He got the top of his head and was just nice and wet. We soon decided that we would pretty much be about done fishing.

During the fishing trip Tyler did what Tyler does and threw EVERYTHING into the lake. First started with a Dr. Pepper can which I followed till it got to a bank. Then we were wearing hats and he took it off and OFF it went into the lake. Dallas saved it by "catching it." He started throwing the fish net in but luckily the on edge parents got to that before it went in.

The best thing about the trip : Seeing Dallas do what he has always wanted to do. Have a great time doing something that he loves with Tyler. Tyler LOVED fishing with Dallas. He sat on his lap, he talked to D and he understood everything that we were doing. ( In fact all day today he has asked for his fishing pole and to go fishing.) Those two are best buds.

On the way back down we went passed my mom and dad and decided we would stop for a few minutes ( in which my child didn't get his way because we said we were going back to camp so he cried) and swapped sandwich stuff for who ever needed it and then they headed up to fish some more and we headed up to lay down and get Ty to take a nap.

We were expecting them to come for dinner but we weren't sure when that hour would be so we just kinda hung out and ran the air conditioner. Everyone took naps and then Tyler and I went out to gut the fish. Yep, I gut fish!

Ty was not that happy but he hung out till it was done. I didn't even get a picture of our fish after their heads were cut off. We went back to camp and threw rocks and just hung out. It was perfect.

The rest of the crew finally showed up and we started our dinner. Hamburgers and fish and tinfoil dinners. Tyler was able to play with Koy and Kayden and Lexi was all over the place. They had a great time. I was glad they did.

When everyone left we went to bed and all of us slept amazing again! We did run the generator out of gas. I guess not everyone can have snow blowing when they are camping.

While we were waiting for everyone to come for dinner. He had SO much fun!

Ty's version of "running" ( did we mention he can JUMP!)

Determined to play and PLAY hard!

Breakfast the next day and a dirty trip back to Lehi. It was just what we needed.

Dallas was totally unplugged for the entire weekend. No Internet, no phone no nothing. It was just what the wife ordered. We were so thankful that Ty enjoyed it.

* For those out of state, July 24th is a Utah holiday and a Church holiday for the LDS church. It represents the first day that the pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley from their trek west!*