Beginning this week the blog format will be simplified. We're going to go with less writing and the same (or more) pictures, so that the primary blog author will have more time...for life's moments. 💖
Over the 6 1/2 years that the blog has been published, the Arc of Abilities has flourished, yet a lot of our weekly activities are the same from year to year. And that's ok, because we love our routines! Our families are very familiar with our many and varied activities by now, so we don't think such a lengthy narrative to explain our photos is necessary. 🤔
So, moving forward, we're going to summarize each day's adventures, and then dump in all the photos we took that day! On occasion, if we feel a picture needs further explanation, we'll provide it. The next week's agenda will still be at the end...so be sure to keep scrolling to see what's up for each week! ✅
Here's a recap of our Happy Birthday, Kevin and Alexis Week!
Tuesday, October 24
Today's highlight was wrapping up the fall session with the master gardeners. They helped us create a beautiful keepsake that will become part of this year's holiday family gift, and then they worked with us to plant bulbs in a large pot. We do that each year at the end of the fall session, and when spring rolls around, we have a beautiful pot of flowers! We also checked our onions, garlic, and sweet potatoes, and determined we will return in a couple of weeks to harvest the potatoes. We gave the gardeners our thank you notes, and a donation from The Arc, and then enjoyed Hawaiian banana nut bread and pumpkin bread that we provided for a snack! Thank you, master gardeners, for another wonderful season of learning and fun. Our time with you is special to us. We hope to see you at our center for a visit over the winter, and we look forward to a new spring session in 2024! After our session with the MGs, the weather was lovely for a brisk walk followed by lunch at the garden.
Wednesday, October 25
We began today volunteering in the JRES library, and then we volunteered at Grove Christian Outreach Center! We were busy at GCOC bagging food donations and sorting items that had been in goody bags for their recent 10k event. Heike shared postcards she brought for our collection from her trip to Germany, and Laura added another one from her travels to Shenandoah National Park! Before lunch, we made some Halloween decorations, and then put them and some others up for Tracy's Disability Awareness Trick or Treat event, which is this Saturday. The hallways look good! After lunch, we welcomed our friend Laura Beach for a delightful laughter session with a Halloween theme! She reminded us that laughter is good for our respiratory, circulatory, and immune systems, and that it's just plain fun, too! Thanks for spending time with us this afternoon, Laura! We had fun pretending to try on Halloween costumes and laughing at each other's antics. We sure felt better after the session!
Thursday, October 26
What a fun time we had at the Watermen's Museum with Mike today! We made masks out of colorful leaves and twigs we found on our nature walk. Mike told us about the Green Man of Scotland (a mythical person) who is often depicted as a face made out of leaves or other foliage. We put our own spin on it!
Thanks, Mike! As usual, we had a blast with you!
After our visit with Mike, we enjoyed a relaxing lunch at the picnic tables by the York River, and then played bocce. Annmarie didn't eat alone, she just found a table to herself after eating and grabbed a few minutes of quiet time before friends joined her!
We visited York Hall where downstairs there is a nice history museum we had not seen before. We learned that there used to be a bottle factory in Yorktown before WWII! We didn't get a picture, but there was a cruise ship docked in town today, and lots of tourists riding the trolley, so we got extra steps and just kept walking. It was at least 75 degrees, and it seemed like summer was back, without the humidity!
Friday, October 27
Happy Birthday, Kevin and Alexis! What a wonderful time we had celebrating them after a productive morning of work at Eaton. We were treated to a pizza luncheon by Eaton (they like to do this for us quarterly), and it included a beautiful birthday cake for our friends. We were also celebrating our friend James, who retired in the spring, but he wasn't able to be with us due to a little issue with his knee. We missed him, but enjoyed seeing Jorie and Russell who were able to stop by, along with Kim, Mark, Rosemary, and a few other Eaton friends. It was a great day!!
First, we worked!
Tracy, Kayla, Laurie, and Rachel from Parks & Rec stopped by to celebrate with us, too!
With Tessa looking on, Devin delivered an eloquent speech to thank Eaton for this wonderful luncheon!
We will say goodbye to October and hello to November next week. Here are our plans:
Tuesday: Happy Halloween! We will stay at the AFCC today for our annual Halloween Party! We'll dance, make crafts, play games, and enjoy Mummy Dogs, Baked Beans, Chips, Candy Corn Fruit Cup, and Oreo Mummy Cookies for lunch! Costumes welcome, but optional.
Wednesday: This morning we will update our calendar and begin room decorations for November. After lunch we will take a post-Halloween hike at Newport News Park. Lunch on your own. JRES Cafeteria is serving Popcorn Chicken Bowl or Hot Dog.
Thursday: Today will be a Movie Day! We'll also learn about our skeletons with a lesson from Mystery Science. Lunch on your own. JRES Cafeteria is serving Domino's Pizza, Deli Sub, or Chef Salad.
Friday: It's Pet Supplies Plus day, so please wear your PSP shirts! We'll also work on Thanksgiving craft decorations and celebrate National Sandwich Day (today) and National Deviled Egg Day (yesterday) with grilled cheese sandwiches, deviled eggs, and fruit for lunch. We'll have Snickerdoodle cookies for dessert as we also celebrate National Cinnamon Day (Nov. 1). Yum! We'll have yoga, too, so dress to stretch!
Hope to see some of you at the Disability Awareness Trick or Treat event on Saturday here at Abram Frink from 9-12! Look for Carol and the Arc of Abilities table!!
Enjoy the weekend,
Lisa, Carol, Nan, and the AoA Gang
