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Run Dad Run, Battle Creek and, more importantly, Arcadia Brewing Co. 21 June 2007

Posted by Obi-Mom Kenobi in Dad Windu, Obi-Mom Kenobi, Padawan Learner, Travel.
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A couple of weekends ago, Dad Windu ran in a local 5K race as part of his company’s wellness and promotional programs.

This is pretty unusual, considering that – unlike my friend Qui-Gon Jinn who likes to run and run and run and run some more – he hates to run. HATES to run. But it helps keep him healthy and he gets to be a team player, so everyone wins. Since they start these things so blasted early (9 a.m. on a Saturday morning people?), Padawan Learner wasn’t out of bed yet when Dad Windu left so we didn’t think PL Boy and I would be there to see it. But as luck would have it – or perhaps it was just poor planning – The Boy forgot to turn off his alarm clock and it woke him just a few minutes after Dad Windu left. It took a bit of hustling to get both of us dressed, quick breakfasts eaten and drive over to the start/finish line, but we got there just in time to hear the start and see a wall of people race by.
After staking out a spot on the curb, the first runners started to come by around 14 minutes later. Now, I don’t know about you, but I can’t even imagine being able to move that fast, for three miles, without mechanical gears somehow involved. A wee bit later, Dad Windu came by and PL, as is his habit, jumped in and ran along to finish with him. It may be hard to identify him among the others, but he’s the one in long pants and a long sleeve shirt – in a race – on a hot June morning.
After returning home, we got a call from our friend Mr. Sunday Morning Doughnut Buddy inviting us along on a mini-trip to Battle Creek for the Cereal Festival. Well, as it turns out, they actually hold this “Breakfast Cereal Festival” in the morning, starting around breakfast time, and not around 1 p.m. which is when we got there. His dear wife Mrs. Sunday Morning Doughnut Buddy suggested we head over to the Leila Arboretum to see the children’s garden. Well, that sounded nice, but before any further discussion could be made, Mr. SMDB said, “Ya know, Arcadia Brewing Company is right.over.there…” So there was really nothing else we could do but go in for a pint before heading off to the Children’s Garden.

Jango & Boba Fett, Mr. & Mrs. SMDB, PL and me

After trying out the Witsun (Mrs & I), the Cocoa Loco and the London Porter (the he-folk), and a round of soft drinks for the under-aged members of our group, we headed over to the Children’s Garden. Only to find out that it was closed for a wedding – a most unfortunately dressed wedding, by the way. We had already seen at least two other wedding parties out in the general gardens so, realizing that Battle Creek was apparently closed to our ilk, we headed back home. At least it was a beautiful day for a car ride.

A Den of Homeschooling Moms 29 March 2007

Posted by Obi-Mom Kenobi in Educational Theory, Obi-Mom Kenobi.
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Here is a picture taken last night of wonderful group of homeschooling women that I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know. From the left is me, Lisa, Irene, Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn and Anna. Getting together once every month or so, we meet (where else?) at a nearby bookstore’s coffee shop.

What really makes getting together fun, is that we all homeschool very differently. While we’re all homeschooling for academic reasons, none of us do so in quite the same way. To a one, we use what’s best for our kids and ourselves. We drop what’s superfluous and try out different things until we find what works best. Here’s a rundown on the six of us there last night (a few of the others couldn’t make it).

One mom goes over a list of “topics to be covered” and “books worth reading” with her son each fall and lets him set his own pace and agenda. She helps when requested, but mostly lets him learn in his own way (as he has requested). Another mom uses a standard “boxed” curriculum but substituted a different math program. Her husband teaches the boys Latin and, soon will begin teaching, Greek. One mom is quite hands-on, learning by doing. She has been known to tap maple trees and raise chickens (in the city, no less). Another mom follows the traditional school year with her boys quite closely – because their family goes sailing for the entire summer! (We’re all quite jealous.) Another mom’s house is a wonderfully eclectic combination of a library, a teacher supply store and a mad scientist’s workshop because she orders, finds and uses a wide variety of materials in her homeschool. She’s our go-to mom for book ideas. And the final mom is graduating one of her daughters this fall. She’s our light at the end of the tunnel sometimes. It’s been delightful watching her oldest daughter get accepted to several excellent schools and receiving a full-ride at one of them and a significant scholarship at another.

We’re not alike in any personally identifiable ways, outside of being white females. We have different ages, temperaments and backgrounds. We have different hobbies, religious convictions, political beliefs and income levels. Our activity schedules rarely overlap. Our children are also as different as children can be. We are simply mutually respectful and genuinely interested in each other’s lives, and that is enough.