If you are all about passion, power, energy, and music- then you need to head on over to Cleveland.  That is where you will find the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.  Once you have been moved by a song, an album, you don’t forget it.  Most of us have a lifelong affair with the music that resonates with us, and for anyone growing up after 1940, chances are great that at least some of that music that moved you involves Rock and Roll in one form or another.

Music is in our very souls, whether you play, sing, or listen- it becomes a part of you.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum commemorates those great artists who left their mark in music, in a genre, in shaping the way music is played, and in all of us.
Not for nothing- but woman rock!  With this in mind, the Women Who Rock exhibit is now open with the focus on the soul-shaking, hip swaying ladies who have us singing along in our cars and homes.

Including ground-breakers like Tina Turner, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, and Madonna, the exhibit has put the focus on the woman who have molded modern music, helped shape both pop and modern culture, inspired clothing trends, and in general flipped the music world on it’s side.

Don’t worry- you can still see all your favorite bands as well- make sure you get a glimpse of the Beatles Sargent Pepper outfits, and the concert shirts worn by the brothers of the Bee Gees.  From the beginnings of radio right through to Aerosmith and Lady Gaga, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum lets you get that much closer to your favorite bands and songstresses.
This is a total must-see for anyone who loves music (and that’s just about everyone!)

Happy Rocking!

Disclosure- I visited the above location  free of charge in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own. 

This is a follow up about Lake Naomi.  Not only was it a lovely place, beautiful- au-natural rustic beauty and modern convenience met and created something wonderful- but it’s a little more.  Sometimes people just go above and beyond for your child, and you want to say thank you.  And because pretty much everyone at Lake Naomi was so wonderful- and for no reason, just because they were- I wanted to let you know just what a special place this is.  Not just a review of the property.  I want to tell you about a day, that by rights, should have been a day from Hades. 

I’d like to tell you a little story.  It begins with a little stuffed dog named Yodel.
As I had mentioned, I left early in the morning to tour the property, while daddy stayed with the kids. 
When I left, the kids would need daddy to change them into thier swimsuits.  Daddy can handle that- right?
Ummm…..
Well.   I came back about an hour later, and told them it was lunchtime, so please get ready to get out of the pool and get dressed.  I take Kamikaze to the ladies and Daddy takes Little to the men’s locker room- again, very clean.  Very convenient. 
When we get out of the car to go to lunch the car, I notice something is awry.  Where is Yodel? 

Don’t YOU have him?  Says my husband.  Um no- Yodel has to stay in the car.  Yodel is one of Little Man’s “special” lovey toys.  He sleeps with it- so when he wants to take it with him someplace, it has to stay in the car.  Duh. Where has he been the past four years?
kamikaze says that Little bought him into the game room, and Daddy says “oh yeah”.  I freak out- we had already left, and I am not really sure how to get back to the clubhouse.  Plus, we are meeting everyone at this time.  OK, it will be OK- I will just run back and get it.  Two of the managers we met called the Clubhouse to ask them to hold Yodel for me- but Yodel was not to be found.  They tried calling back several times.  No Yodel.  He was gone. 

Both managers were so kind- they both told me about times their own children had lost “special toys”, and even told me about toys stores in the area that may carry one.  They told me they would keep trying, and not to worry.  But I did!  LOL.  Daddy tried to find Yodel, without luck, and came back empty handed. 
Not so good.
Pause on Yodel- I’m coming back. 

We had lunch lakeside, as mentioned in the previous post.  I’m trying to pay attention, but in the back of my mind, all I am thinking is “YodelYodelYodel OhmyWord he is going to lose his mind if we don’t find that dog….”  But, I generally am “in” the conversation LOL.  OK, well.  Lunch is over, and Little Man and Kamikaze want to play in the lake.  Shouldn’t we go back and find Yodel?  My husband tells me to get a grip- it’s gone, let the kids play.  (Men- he has no idea what tonight will be like when Little realizes that doggie is gone!)  So the kids play.  They have a great time.  They play with some of the new Amloid beach toys that they just got.  They play in the water, they have ice cream- they have a blast.  Me?  Still worried. 

It’s getting late, and I wanted to take them to the pool before dinner.  We get back to the car- only to find that a tire has popped.  Like- completely.  Not some little hole- the tire has BURST.  REALLY????  OK.  So, we go to change the tire- but my husband left the extension for the tire iron at home.  Yep.  Can’t do it.  Then, when he goes in to call AAA, a chef walks out with a piece of pipe- slides it into the tire iron, and BAM! off pops the tire.  Cool- thank you, Mr. Chef Man!  I am super relived.  THANK YOU, thank you, thank you!

Do you LOVE the view of the lake in the background?

We go to the pool, and the kids have a great time.  Who wouldn’t?  Have you seen this pool?  My grandma really enjoyed herself as well. 
OK, time for dinner- the kids get showers in the locker rooms, and off we go.  The BBQ dinner was nice, it was before a talent show that the kids of Lake Naomi were putting on- and the costumes were making me giggle  🙂

But, now that we were back at the clubhouse……before dinner….I had to ask one more time- have you by any chance found a little stuffed dog?  No, but they had apparently been looking all day for it.  OK, thank you anyway….and I head off, because I just had to see for myself, I just had to.  I wander in all the rooms- and when I get to the game room- I SEE IT!  THERE HE IS, shoved into the vending machine- how did Yodel get into the vending machine?  I have no idea, but he needs to get out!  Little Man begins to freak, and while daddy and Kamikaze try to get it out, I run to the front desk- where the staff member is sweeter then I would have been with a frantic wacko mother, LOL, and comes in and takes the dog out for us.  I think I hugged her like, 5 times. 

Fast asleep- and not letting go of Yodel

By all rights, this should have been a very bad day.  A “special” toy lost, a burst tire, and my husband leaving a vital part of car equipment at home.  But there were at least 5 people who were extraordinarily nice and helpful, and I want to thank them, and I want to tell you- because if you are going to be stuck someplace, and a hot mess is going to happen to you- I hope it happens to you someplace like Lake Naomi, where people will be nice to you, and help you, and you won’t feel like you just had a bad day- you will just feel like you were blessed to end up where you did, when you did.

No one knew me from Adam.  They were just being nice, because either they WERE genuinely nice people, or because I was in their community, and that is what a community does- or I am guessing it was a bit of both.  Either way- again, I say THANK YOU to the staff of Lake Naomi.  If you are looking for someplace to go hang out with your family, you really can’t find a nicer spot, or a nicer group of people.