I’m So Lame

Really.   I feel so lame.   I am a stay-at-home mom and can’t consistently write a blog post to save my life.   I am blessed to have my children’s three surviving grandparents live within 15 minutes of me and can barely juggle my 3 children’s schedules, and one of them is only 15 months old!

Anyhow, I wanted to write briefly that I am really looking forward to all that Cleveland has to offer in the summer…assuming summer ever actually shows up here.    I want to take the kids to Blossom for an Orchestra concert.   I am once again stalking the Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s website for their summer schedule so I can once again sign up our almost-8-year-old and now his 4 year-old brother for Jr. Ranger activities so they can add badges and patches to their super-cute Jr. Ranger vests their auntie got them.   I want to take the kids out to Put-In-Bay to drive around on golf carts and maybe to Cedar Point.   I am excited the oldest is now old enough for Classroom Antics’ LEGO Jr. Robotics Camp and will be returning to Camp Invent (put on by the National Inventors Hall of Fame).   And then there’s our usual places to go in the summer, like the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Akron Zoo,  Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Museum of Art to visit, and places we haven’t visited yet, like Holden Arboretum, the Soap Box Derby or a Cleveland Indians game.   Yes, the boys and I get around in the summer.   I love living somewhere where it is so easy to get out and do things!

Where are you looking forward to going in and around Cleveland this summer?

I miss hearing from my Cleveland mommy friends!

Until next time…whenever that may be.

 

 

Awesome Super Bowl Recipes

Awesome Super Bowl Recipes

I accidentally came across this blog in search of a dip that a friend of mine used to make which can be found when searching “Aunt Judy’s Bean Dip”.      My advice is, if you already have high cholesterol, you may want to avoid the following blog.    Otherwise, go check it out, particularly the recipes tagged Football Friday:

http://www.plainchicken.com/search/label/football%20friday

 

If you are searching for last-minute recipes for tomorrow, there are some great ideas here.  I personally may try the “white pizza dip” recipe tomorrow.

The Common Core in Cleveland

Ok, so I know I haven’t written on here in a very long time.     There are so many fun things I would love to write about.    Like last year’s fun trip to Mr. Kringle’s Inventionasium which I think I just saw now has tickets on sale.    Or the really cool leaf wreath we are making with my 3 year-old’s class at school.    Or the things I have learned over the course of three childbirths, because our third son was born on New Year’s Day this year, which helps to explain my absence from this blog.

But, what I am going to write about, very briefly, is my limited experience thus far with the Common Core.    And I am writing this because it is unfortunately very difficult to find a non-political conversation about this topic.     I would like to open up a conversation here, for those living in and around the Cleveland area.     I want to hear, whether you are a teacher, or a parent, what you think.   

My current concern is basically this.     My son goes to a good public school.   We moved to our particular suburb for the school district.   In my son’s second grade class there is a boy who has been tested to have a 140 IQ.    He clearly isn’t dumb.    To test “addition and subtraction fluency” they have been required to take timed tests since the beginning of the school year.    On the first test, an addition test with 100 problems, the boy scored a 75/100.    On a subtraction test a few weeks into the school year, the boy scored a 65/100.     My son had similar scores.    On both my son’s tests and this boy’s the teacher wrote, “Keep practicing.”    What this actually means is, keep practicing at home, as with weekly homework they are expected to practice addition and subtraction facts at home.      My husband and I now have to do flash cards at home, which neither of us ever remember having to do with our parents when we were kids. 

My husband has several very well educated, intelligent colleagues in similar school districts.   With children in different grades.    And all of them have said the same thing.  “We are signing our children up for Kumon because they are not learning their basic facts at school.”

I am really hoping this isn’t the experience people are having everywhere, but it has come up in conversation often enough that it concerns me.     If it now falls on the parents to teach their children basic math so that the Common Core test requirements can be taught in school, I’m fine with teaching my kid.     But what happens to children in the Cleveland Public Schools, or other urban areas, or even in the suburbs, where the parents aren’t supplementing their children’s educations, either for a lack of interest or a lack of time?    We are doing these children a huge disservice by trying to “raise the bar” with the Common Core.

What have your experiences been?    I think some of the Common Core teaching has been implemented long enough for many of us to have an informed opinion now.   Positive or negative, I would love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Lorelei

Cuyahoga Valley National Park 2013 Summer Schedule

I have been stalking the CVNP website to sign up our oldest for the Junior Ranger classes. The 2013 Summer Schedule is finally out. So many great activities for adults, kids and families! I love the place.

Click to access CVNP-Summer2013-SOE_v9-final.pdf

Perspective

So my last post was August 1, 2012. Yikes. Well, since then, baby boy #3 has joined our household. This week I was given an amusing insight into the difference in perspective between pre-baby women and post-baby women. A pregnant-with-her-first-child friend of mine made this comment to me on Facebook:

“How are you handling all your boyz? Are you able to make it to the shower? I need to hear the baby boy scoop from a professional!”

Pre-baby woman’s definition of “shower”: a party where you have time to socialize and have adult conversation, get gifts, eat yummy food

Post-baby woman’s definition of “shower”: something that involves water and soap and on really good days, shampoo

PlayhousesSquare Cinema at the Square Groupon

I had just posted about PlayhouseSquare’s Cinema at the Square Series for the summer and then today came across this:

http://www.groupon.com/cleveland/deals/playhousesquare?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=grouponcle&dl=t31337

If you are planning on heading downtown for a show, I suggest you check out the Groupon for half-price tickets, with three days left to buy.

Cinema at the Square Returns to Playhouse Square

Along with several classic favorites of adults, take the kids to enjoy this unique movie-going experience with these family-friendly flicks:

The Muppet Movie – Aug. 5th at 2pm

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – Aug. 12 at 2pm

Mary Poppins – Aug. 19 at 2pm

Tickets are $5.  For a full list of Cinema at the Square movies, visit www.playhousesquare.org/cinema

Half Off LEGO Camps Next Week

Here are a couple of deals on a Parents’ Night Out for tomorrow as well as two LEGO Camps taking place next week at Bricks 4 Kidz in the Brunswick/Medina area:

PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT

Friday, June 22, 2012 6:00pm – 9:00pm

HUGE DEAL!!! Kidz ages 4 to 12 years old can join us for our Bricks 4 Kidz Parents’ Night Out Party, and they can do it for 1/2 price.  Just bring a friend and split the cost of this 3 hour event.  Games, LEGO Building Time, Movie, Pizza and Refreshments.  The cost is normally $25 per child, tomorrow night ONLY is buy one get one free night.  Pre-registration is required online at http://www.bricks4kidz.com/ohio-brunswick-medina/ or by calling
(330) 722-2223 before tomorrow at 4pm, or until it sells out.

THE DEAL CONTINUES TO NEXT WEEKS CAMPS…

BRICKS 4 GIRLZ
6-12 Year Olds
Grab your Friends and come hang out with us for a girls-only week of crafting and creating with LEGO bricks.  Introduce your friends to our “Friends” as we get to know LEGO brands newest line of girl themed models.  We’ll do lots of other unique things with bricks from jewelry making to brick art and origami, with take-home projects each day.  And don’t worry…there are “NO BOYS ALLOWED!”  BECAUSE THIS WEEK IS ALL ABOUT THE GIRLS!

AMAZING ANIMALS
6-12 Year Olds
If you are facinated by the weird but true, wild and wacky, gross and yucky, then this is the camp for you! Spend the week discovering the zany biology of our animal friends. Each day we’ll explore fascinating facts about the animal kingdom, focusing on a “creature of the day”. Build a different animal model each day and fill your very own “Animal Grossology” booklet with crazy and cool facts you learn, complete with a picture of each model, to become a cerifified Bricks 4 Kidz Grossologist.

BOGO FREE
Both camps are BOGO Free next week only.  This means bring a friend and split the cost.  
The cost of camp is $160.  This can not be combined with any other offer and friends must participate in the same camp.
Registration and payments can be done online or by phone.  Mention the Bricks 4 Kidz email for the discount.

Easy Family Activities For the Summer

I am always amazed by my friends’ abilities at scheduling summer camps and activities for their children.   My calendar is a complete mess, I could really use some white out with the activities that are scratched out, rescheduled, cancelled, added, etc.     And I only have two.     But there are two programs I really love because they allow you to commit to a short period of time (only one morning), are ala cart so to speak, are inexpensive, and are family-friendly, meaning I get to participate and spend time with the kiddo and if I need to, the two-year old little brother can join us.

The first program we actually did last year.    It is the Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Junior Ranger, Jr. program.    I wrote about it here.  Each session is two hours and is $8 per child.

For details on this year’s programs, visit http://www.nps.gov/cuva/forkids/beajuniorranger.htm

The second I just found out about.    It is the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Family Discoveries.  Programs are 90 minutes long and cost $15 per person (Zoo members $10 per person).  Program fee includes admission to Zoo and RainForest.

You can find all of the info on the various programs here:  http://www.clemetzoo.com/education/familydiscoveries/

Are you aware of more programs like this?     If so, please share the info below in the comments section.

Until next time,

Lorelei

Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland’s® “Jazz for Kids”

Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland’s® “Jazz for Kids”

LOCATION:  The Children’s Museum of Cleveland

DATE: Saturday, April 21, 2012

TIME: Two Performances to choose from: 11:00 am or 2:00 pm

TICKET FEE: $5 per person for Children’s Museum Members
$10 per person for Non-Members
Infants 11 months and under are free

(Tickets include admission to one performance and full-day use of all of the Museum’s exhibits. Only those with Jazz for Kids tickets will be admitted to the performances.)

MORE:  This year’s family-friendly event is sure to be the best ever! Now in its sixth year, the “Jazz for Kids” concert is an entertaining and educational experience for families with young children led by pianist and Cleveland native, Joe Hunter and his friends. Enhancing the concert through hands-on interaction with the audience will be early childhood music educator Becky Ogden, guaranteeing that this event will get young minds
involved in and excited about jazz!

(Due to increasing attendance the Museum has decided to limit the number of attendees to ensure the best possible experience for all. Ticket sales have been limited to a total of 200 per performance.)

REGISTRATION: Advance registration is recommended and event tickets are required.

Purchase your tickets in person at the Museum, by calling 216.791.7114

or by clicking on one of the following links:

Buy tickets for the 11:00 am concert

Buy tickets for the 2:00 pm concert