Yes-that’s right there really is a National Learn Nothing Day and it is today July 24. So let’s take the day off from learning today, give ourselves a break. It’s only one day-surely we can slow down for just one day to take it easy and learn absolutely nothing.
If schooled kids can take the whole summer off and do nothing, unschoolers can can take just one day.
(Did you even know there was a National Learn Nothing Day?-Well there you go you already failed! Try again!)
How will you learn nothing today? or any day??????? Good luck
My husband and I both grew up in Cleveland. I don’t think we thought we lived in such a rockin’ place when we were younger. Last weekend we went home for a visit. I love being a tourist in this city! So much to see and do!!
Friday we took the kids to our old favorite hang outs on Coventry (the Greenwich village of Cleveland). Most are gone now and the crowd isn’t quite so hippy but it was still fun. Playing at the playground and eating dinner at Tommy’s. We need a Tommy’s here in Clintonville. It would surely do a bang up business!!! Pretty Pleeeeeze???
Saturday we headed to the newly renovated and free Art Museum. It is awesome!!!
Then we headed to The Botanical Gardens. I can’t say enough good things about the Hershey Children’s Garden. We could play there all day.
Look –apparently Ginger has a twin in Cleveland
Saturday night we took my in laws to Sokolowski’s to eat. On the recommendation of Anthony Bourdain of course– we got in touch with our Polish heritage!
Sunday morning we boarded The Rapid and headed to the Terminal Tower for a view from the observation deck. It has been closed since 9/11 and is only open for a few weekends.
Just about everyone in Cleveland had the same idea! We waited in kine for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Ginger was not happy
The ride up didn’t get much better
But the views were so cool! Cleveland really does rock! The ethnicity, the history and the big city feel.
Thanks Cleveland! We will be back soon!
Here is what I am loving these days……….
Do you have Inspiration Overload? Um–yeah, I totally do! So I thought like a song that is stuck in your head–I would unload some of what is in my head and in my Google Reader these days!!
Child’s Play has a whole new place!
I will be using some of my mint to make THIS
If ever you can’t find me–look Here
I am all about dirty, hippie children!!
More inspiration at this pretty blog
And if you are looking for the perfect little cookie to make over this 4th of July Here are my favorite patriotic cookies
Or some patriotic jewelry and accessories!!
Happy, Happy 4th of July!!
Molly and her circus friends performed Saturday afternoon at ComFest. It was super hot!! ComFest takes place over three days. For so many it is the three days they look forward to all year. My son and his friends included. Our house is close to the bus that runs down to the park so we have had kids, many kids staying here this weekend. I am tired and looking forward to a quiet day tomorrow!
Here are a few more photos from the weekend.
Until next year—Happy ComFest!
I help take photos for the program of ComFest. I LOVE it. So many great photo ops!! From the beautiful to the down right odd–you can find it at ComFest!! Here is a sampling of last nights photos (Fri 6/26/2010)
Wonder what we will see today?!
Friday night we went to our local hoopers meet up in the park behind our house. So many awesome and talented hoopers to watch and learn from!
Hoops of all sizes!
And so many awesome and talented hoopers!!
Even a fire hooping performance!
And they meet twice a week!! Can you tell I am excited?! Everyone was so nice–I can’t wait for the next meet up.
Are you looking for a group to hoop with? Check out Hoop City. Click on the connect button and see if there is a group near you.
Happy Hooping!!
My two older kids learned how to hoop years ago. They have taken a few hooping classes and practiced on and off for years. They can do some tricks and walk around and keep the hoop up and going around effortlessly for hours.
These photos are from a few years ago at circus practice. I on the other hand never could get the hang of hooping. Even as a kid I just couldn’t get the hoop to stay up. It always looked so fun but I also felt self conscious that I couldn’t do it so I didn’t practice at it much. And just figured I was just someone who couldn’t hoop.
Now fast forward to this year. One of the great things about the internet and blogs is being able to see how other people live. I have been loving the new wave of unschoolers that have taken their lives on the road. I have been living vicariously through these families whose blog updates I anxiously await just to see what “we” are up to in our customized RV! I so wish we could pack up and go–live an adventure on the road. But alas-my family says NO! So as I sit here and dream I notice that many of these women have taken up hooping. They look like they are having so much fun.
And then Sara posted this giveaway and I entered thinking Molly would love a new hoop. But as I began clicking around her post I found that Lara and Superhooper were taking their hoops on the road and heading towards Ohio. Without a second thought I contacted Lara and invited her to Columbus. And with that I decided eff it I was going to learn to hoop. I didn’t care if I looked foolish. For three days my kids tried to teach me. Nothing. I watched countless how to hoop videos on Youtube and even checked a hooping book and DVD out of our library. I was dreaming about hooping. Then it happened!!! On day 5 finally I could keep the hoop up for a minute or two. And each day it gets easier and I don’t have to make such huge exaggerated movements to keep the hoop up anymore!!! YEAH for me!!
Ginger learned too. But she is learning much faster and is working on tricks already. She literally went from not being able to hoop at all to using 2 full size hoops in less than a day.
One of our hoops broke and with 4 hoopers and being down to 1 hoop we needed more…we had to have more! So we went to Lowes and bought our supplies. (There are instructions and tips all over the internet.)
irrigation tubing 160 psi 3/4 inch
3/4 inch connectors
various colors of electrical tape and duct tape (we found some metallic tape at a craft store.)
you will also need a hack saw and a blow dryer
Don’t be intimidated this is super easy
Measure your tubing –your hoop should come between your navel and your nipple. The bigger the hoop the easier it is. Mark it and cut it with a hack saw.
Heat one end with the blow dryer to soften up the tubing so the connector fits in easier. This only takes a minute or two. Once it is warm shove the connector in half way.
The girls wanted their hoops to make noise so we added rice to the tube
Next heat the other end and connect the tube together as close as you can get it. Then we wrapped a bit on electrical tape at this point to keep it together snugly.
Next–decorate your hoop however you want using electrical tape and duct tape. The duct tape is a little slippery and wrinkly for hooping so electrical tape is recommended but we used both.
As soon as we finished we went and hooped in the dark in the back yard! There just isn’t enough room in the basement for three hoopers—unless we stand on the furniture!
Looks like we are set now! The white hoop in the front is actually an LED hoop that my husband made for Molly for Christmas a few years ago. If you are local and are interested in joining us for free classes with Lara let me know!!! She will be here next weekend. Happy Hooping!!
