Sleepover Camp and Enchanted Castle

     Caroline decided she was ready for sleepover camp this year and found a friend to go with her.  We dropped her off at Camp Manitoqua this morning.  She scored the top of a 3 level bunk and is rooming with her friend Claudia.  To her, this whole adventure is no big deal and she is ready to take on the week!  

*As I write this, a huge storm is rolling through but a friend close to the camp says they do not have much wind, only rain at this point.

So with Caroline at Camp Manitoqua and Mitchell at ESY (extended school year) and then camp with Tri-County SRA, I thought the other kids and I should do something they both enjoy - video gaming & exciting rides!

Steven has been asking to return to Enchanted Castle ever since we went there for a mother/son outing 2 years ago.  And a bonus came my way when I looked up the phone number online an a Groupon offer popped up - BAMMO!

Grace says this is one of her Best Day Ever days.

 Grace looks like a giant spinning in this teapot for really little kids.

Steven located his favorite game Animal Kaiser and met a kid who looked just like him playing the same game - weird.

 Grace acted 15, not 5, as she rhode the Catapult with arms up and everything.  That is her on the right.

And the play area had taken a few steroids since we were there last and Grace had a blast.  She ended her day shooting giant spiders in Jungle Safari.

Mario Cart

Steven received Mario Cart for Wii for his birthday.  It has become an huge hit with everyone in the family especially Mitchell.  We start the Wii and Mitchell immediately sits down in his blue Pottery Barn overstuffed chair that I am so happy we are getting use out of after months of it just hanging out by itself.  Anyhow, Mitchell plops in his chair and stairs at the TV in anticipation.  Occasionally he gets close to the TV and follows the racers  moving around the course map on the lower right of the screen but mostly he sits and oohs & aahhs and shreiks with delight as the cart kareems into the gorge or blows up after hitting a bomb.  We noticed right away how much he loved watching the game but he never requested it until last week.

Last Sunday Mitchell was getting a little agitated with nothing to do.  He kept walking around whining a bit and would walk over to his Dynavox and select the Toys folder but wouldn't pick anything.  Finally I got it & said "Mitchell you want to play Mario Cart" and he sprinted to he seat and giggled.  Unfortunately this means drop what you're doing and entertain me because I certainly don't want to play it, only watch YOU play it.  Oh, twist my arm, I'll put down the laundry and sit on the couch for a bit.  So when the fun was over I took a picture of the Mario Cart package and added it to his Toys folder on the Dynavox.  You see where this is going?  Many times a day now we are summoned to the family room to put on a show.  It's so hard to tell him no when there is so little he finds interest in.

If you pause the game for any reason, Mitchell will grab your hand to get your attention and walk to the TV and point to the CONTINUE button that is waiting to be clicked.  Last night he requested Mario Cart while Steven was playing Pokeman so I told him he had to wait a few minutes so he sat patiently.  Once Steven started shutting down the game but got distracted, Mitchell helped him out by pointing to the QUIT button on the screen while saying the word.  Who says video games are bad?  I just realized Mitchell can identify the words continue & quit, understand their meaning and say them as well.

I let them know at By Your Side that I added this to his device because if he sees they have it there he may want them to play it form him.  I was told they could work on him playing it, that is just really awesome.