Land's End Hooping

Land's End Hooping

This photo of me hooping on the Maine Seacoast was published on hooping.org today!  And, my hoopin' friend is moving right near me!  She teaches hoop classes and I can't wait to partner with her to bring more hoopin' love to Noblesville (plus I can pick her brain about tricks...)

blissful summer days

It's been a great summer and we'll continue to celebrate it for as long as possible.  i'm writing about our trip to the Jack Johnson concert, it will publish in the paper and on my writing blog next Tuesday, then the following week about our Summer Soiree.

Here's some of what we've been up to:

We made homemade playdough, which is the BEST.  We our batch with natural dyes--one with beet juice, one with blueberry juice.  Cool!

On a lazy Sunday we walked downtown and had a treat at Alexanders Ice Cream...

And stood on the vent eating it.  In the pink leotard and tutu!

The kids picked flowers and let them go fly over the vent.

We also saw Jack Johnson Friday, and had our Summer Soiree Saturday.  A beautiful weekend!

the 'hippies cook with herbs' party

As a change from our 'I'm not a dirty hippie' monthly parties, my friend Cortney offered to do a cooking demo with fresh herbs and lots of fresh garden produce. It was so very good, and very fun.

OK, I love this. Cortney brought her own Compost container.  This is the mark of a kindred spirit!  I love how she wrote 'compost' on both sides--to prevent children (and adults I suppose!) from snacking out of it. 

Also, the next evening I had my bookclub meeting and we met at my new friend Linda's, who only lives a few blocks from me (so nice to be able to walk to friend's houses).  I was amazed by Linda's house and yard--which in 2 years she's changed into a beautiful, beautiful garden.  And then...in her house as you go through the kitchen into the dining room, there is a small room that you walk through.  It could be used as a little office or similar, it's a small cozy space, and Linda has made it her yoga room.  And as if THAT'S not enough, she has written quotes all over the walls in silver paint pen.  Hey!  I said, Me too!  She is another kindred spirit.  I love it.

calvin is TWO!

I woke up this morning at 2:30 and thought of Calvin.  He officially turned two at 1:30-ish this morning.  Two years ago he was born here, right here just feet away from where I sit.  I still feel so amazed and grateful for another homebirth and it was oh, so beautiful.  I tear up just thinking about it.  My first post to this blog here was his birth story!

I wore Calvin today in the Ergo.  He asks to wear his bike helmet...just like the big kids (who are, of course, riding their bikes, not riding on my back).  He's also got his doll I made him, little Calvie.  I love this boy SO much!!

rummage sale finds and bricks

I love thrifting, and I've found the BEST place to find a lot of bargains in a little bit of time (cuz driving around to what often amounts to piddly garage sales and often leaving empty handed is not something I do much anymore) are church rummage sales.  There are five annual ones within a few miles that I try to hit every year, and one of them ended today so it was fill-a-bag-for-$3 day.

Here are some glasses we got (perfect for our party!) and some stick things.  I don't think they're chopsticks, but they're wood and Calvin had a good time sticking them in the glasses.  I got a metal bowl and the milk glass vase (can't.resist!) and the two toned pink vase, all shown above.

2 prs. of jeans for me, a homemade felt lion headdress, a green 'dress up' shirt, a towel...

a woven bag, a visor, tops, pants and dance outfit for Lily, 2 shirts, socks, and pants for Eric, and books...

...shorts, 2 shirts and jammie top for Grace...

A wood red barn and farm animals for Calvin

And I got these vintage books--all from the 50's.  LOVE.  Noticeably absent of the word 'Disney', too...

and all of this for the grand total of....are you ready??

9 bucks.  Heck yeah.

And then, Eric and I wondered how many bricks are in our sidewalks?  We did some counting.  Well, lots of counting.

And some multiplying, and determined that there are approximately 4, 418 bricks in our sidewalks, plus the approx. 500 bricks in our backyard for a grand total of 4, 918!