Tag: events

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Solo Dadding at Mountain Jam

This one was intimidating. Assumptions had crept in as I planned and envisioned our spring and summer adventures. I expected to have more support, a co-parent, to teamwork on grand excursions. I thought things might be getting easier. After 16 months of having my parental assumptions repeatedly blown up one would think that I should be used to this; or better yet, that I would give up on assumptions and the future. But I can be a slow learner.

Cap the dissolving of expectations with waves of grief and a busy unschool schedule, and I wasn’t feeling up to the task of four nights of festival camping. Especially since this music festival, Mountain Jam in Bethel, New York, would feature bands that had significant ties to memories of my late wife, Mary.

Screw all that. I have slept in tents since I was an infant, attended day-long festivals since I was a preteen, survived the riots of Woodstock ’99, logged thousands of hours alone on the road with my sons, and honed my situational intuitions over those many hours. I set my back straight and climbed into our Dodge Caravan with confidence.

The road smoothed and eased before us. The trip was shorter than expected. Somewhat miraculously, an online friend spotted us as we drove by her camp site and hollered. The rain came down and the van got stuck in the mud, but, with help, we got the tent up and had ourselves set for the first night of music before sundown. We continued to find the right people at the right times. Friendly staff and volunteers, helpful young people, generous vendors, fun and engaging performers, and very special families made for easy going days and nights.

Above all, I was reminded of how good my sons are at this. They made friends, charmed adults, and carved their own unique experience out of the weekend’s offerings. For my own part, I simplified personal obligations and expectations, enjoyed as much music as I could consume, and let myself have a whole lot of fun. We stayed up late, danced and played recklessly, and took care of business when circumstances called for it.

I came away from the weekend with my shoulders back and my head high. Our story seems impossible, I saw that in many faces as I told it to new friends, but there is an immense power in mastering an impossible task. Or just in taking it on and failing, as I have many times.

God bless and thank you for reading,

Jason

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Upcoming Lego Building Events

My sons and I are super excited as we’re heading to Detroit to support State Championship LOAD Robotics representing Delaware at the Lego FIRST Championship. LOAD is a rookie, all-home-educated team that fought hard in regional and state competitions to earn their place in Detroit. As friends and fellow Lego Maniacs, we are so proud of their accomplishments and hope you consider supporting their fundraising efforts. Without the backing of a school or robotics club, they face additional challenges in funding their registration, travel, and accommodations.

Locally, there are always opportunities to get children (and some adults) in front of a pile of bricks.

The Rachel Kohl Community Library, in Glen Mills, PA, has it’s next Lego Club on Friday, April 19th.

You’ll often find us at Brandywine Hundred Library on Mondays, 3:00-5:00 PM, for their Lego Lounge program. Themes are provided with learning resources, but free building is also encouraged. A relaxed, drop-in atmosphere always produces fun creations.

Hockessin Public Library’s long-running Tuesday Lego Club is where my sons first got a taste for the colorful bricks. From 4:30 to 5:30 PM it’s all about exploring one’s imagination with lots and lots of pieces.

On Wednesdays, head over to Claymont Public Library for their Lego Club, 3:30-4:30 PM. The facilitators are enthusiastic and there are always surprises.

On Friday, May 3rd, at Brandywine Hundred Library there will be a Lego Storytime for ages 3 and up from 10:30-11:15 AM.

Route 9 Library & Innovation Center’s Lego Club happens the first Monday of each month, 6:30-7:30 PM.

My son might be more excited about May the 4th Be With You than his own birthday.
At all Lego​ Stores:

Tantive Make and Take
May 3-6: Come in to your local LEGO Store to build your very own Tantive model then take it home, for free! Registration is on a first come, first served basis and quantities are limited. Registration begins April 15 in stores only. The building event is intended for ages 6+ at store discretion.

Bear Public Library will hold their Lego Club on Saturday, May 18th, 2:00-4:00 PM.

Join Appoquinimink Public Library on the third Tuesday of the month for LEGO construction challenges and free play with LEGO blocks of all shapes and sizes. Next meet: May 21, 6:30-7:30 PM, registration opens April 23rd.

God bless and keep building,
Jason

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Looking for a Sign

Tonight I’m going to my first concert without my sons since my wife passed away. I’m feeling strangely ambivalent and wonder if I’m so worn out from emotional purges that I don’t have much left in the tank. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

Or maybe it’s the calm. Having recently gone through some seismic psychological shifts, I’m feeling ready for a new chapter. While moving piles around I found Get Well cards that Mary never got to read, funeral home to-dos I’ve yet to do, and the looming stack of condolences that might demand my attention. But none of it controls me today. It’s just stuff.

Among the stuff I also found a Time Out Chicago from when Mary and I went to Lollapalooza in 2008. A quiet sign and reminder of how much music meant to us individually and as a couple. An unbroken thread stretching back through my memories to well before I met Mary. One that continues on with my sons and on for me as I find my new way in the world.

God bless,
Jason

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Lego Monthly Mini Build

The Lego Monthly Mini Build gives children, ages 6 to 14, a chance to visit a Lego Store, build a unique model, and take it home for free!

First, you must join the Lego VIP program. It’s also free and offers bonuses on purchases and access to events like these.

Then, you can go to this link and register for the next month’s build starting the 15th of each month.

The process has gotten very easy as you can choose your appointment time within a two-day window, avoiding mad rushes and long lines.

The builds have seasonal themes and often include special elements that are hard to find. 

Our first mini build in 2014. Modifications come quickly.

Not only have I found value in the new, free pieces, but this gives you an opportunity to take your children to a store full of wonderful things to buy…AND NOT BUY ANYTHING. Now, I can stop by the Lego Store with my sons and they don’t have an expectation that we’ll be making a purchase. I’ve found that this habit has been of benefit in many stores as I have set and followed through on expectations.

God bless and happy building,
Jason

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Pirate Adventure Day!

My little pirates have been plundering the riches Brandywine River Museum of Art for a long time. The Museum introduced us to N.C. Wyeth’s illustrations for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and we read the Scribner’s Classics edition to them. It provided one of my first home education breakthroughs. Having introduced them to the characters, settings, and plot of the story in this simplified version, I ventured on exposing them to the original text. We were already adventuring and spending a lot of time in the minivan, so I borrowed the audio book and took to the high seas. Every time I stopped the playback to review and make sure my toddlers were getting it, they cut me off, “Yeah yeah Dad, could you hit play?”

Billy Bones Jr.
The pirate spirit.

This set a pattern of exposing them to literature using junior editions of Robin Hood, graphic novels of The Time Machine, and film adaptations of Shakespeare. Each of these abridged retellings has flaws, sometimes significant (“Sorry son, everyone actually dies in the real version.”); however, therein lies the real surprise. My boys become hunters and detectives, tracking down the mistakes, analyzing the changes, and assigning value to the different choices of each author, illustrator, and editor.

And that began before the very first Pirate Adventure Day!

Discovering traditional discipline techniques.

The adventure comes alive and the stories step into the real world. Hedgerow Theatre Company brings a fast-paced and fun Peter Pan to the stage and Pirates of Fortune’ s Folly bring knot tying, pirate speak, and maybe a tug of war!

Get yourself to the Museum on Sunday, November 4th, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm for this worthwhile and FREE event!

Schedule:

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Pirate Crafts

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Photo Ops and knot-tying with Fortune’s Folly Pirates

11 a.m. and 12 noon
Performances of Storytime Peter Pan by Hedgerow Theatre 

First Sundays for Families at the Museum presents free, hands-on workshops designed to engage visitors of all ages in creative art activities and performances. No registration necessary.

God bless,
Jason

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Weekend Picks: October 19-21, 2018

Blue Ball Barn at Alapocas State Park

Friday, October 19, 5:00 to 8:00 pm
Stone Shakers at Foodie Friday
The weather looks perfectly autumnal for a family-friendly night of fun tunes and great food at Blue Ball Barn.

The October Foodie Friday features food for purchase from WiLDWiCH, KOI on the GO, and Nude Food. These three food trucks will be competing in a $5 small plate challenge. Vote for your favorite at the Delaware Center for Horticulture table, who are joining us as this month’s partner non-profit organization. The Friends of Wilmington Parks will be selling beverages to wash down your snacks while you listen to the Stone Shakers Band play a variety of unique covers of classics and original songs.

Be sure to take a walk through the Blue Ball Barn to visit the Delaware Folk Art collection and to learn more about the origins of the property. Inside you will also find local artists displaying and selling their handmade creations. This is a great opportunity to get a jump start on your holiday shopping and find some truly one-of-a-kind pieces from Delaware area artists. Featured artists include Eric Zippe, Tim Gibbs, Nicole Kristiana Studio, and Connie Newby.

$5 entry fee per adult, gate fee is waived for this event. Family and pet-friendly. Kids 16 and under are free.

Lums Pond State Park

Saturday, October 20, 12:00 to 3:00 pm
Harvest Hayride and Crafts at the Nature Center
Join us for a fun afternoon of hayrides and fall crafts at the nature center! Cost is $5 per person which includes a short hayride and nature center crafts. Park entrance fee in effect. Please pre-register by calling (302)368-6989

Battery Park

Sunday, October 21, 11:30 am to 4:00 pm
Tour or Sail the Skipjack Sigsbee
This weekend New Castle welcomes the Skipjack Sigsbee.
11:30 am to 1:00 pm free deck tours, with a family friendly sail from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. $15 for children, $25 for adults, $20 for seniors. Bring your own food and/or beverages.

God bless,
Jason

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Minifigure Swap Monday

Rule #1 when visiting a Lego Store: Be kind. Okay, that’s the rule everywhere, but it can really pay off when you treat the staff well. They can give you the dirt on events, new releases, and tricks to maximize your time in the store.

Sending mixed “kindness” vibes.

Minifigure Swap Monday occurs at every Lego Store on the third or fourth Monday of each month. It goes on for the whole day and children 6 to 14 can bring in their own minifigure to trade with the store’s collection of loose figures. For this trade, a “minifigure” is defined by five parts: head, torso, legs, accessory (back piece or something carried by the fig), and hair or head wear.

Figures are traded in-whole and you can often find great additions to your collection (we recently acquired some Harry Potter characters).

Jor-El is not comfortable with magical beings.
You may bring home some madness.

Tip: Don’t bring damaged, dirty, or poor condition figures to trade. Your figures will go into the collection for someone else to find. Your never-played-with, duplicate policewoman might just be the fig someone else is looking for. Again, be kind.

Happy trading,
Jason

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#BJJLife

Three-and-a-half years ago my sons won a month of classes at Elevated Studios Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu. With six youth classes available per week, we were able to sink our teeth into the discipline and see if it was the right fit. But after watching co-owner and lead coach Stephen Plyler instruct for 45 minutes, I was all but convinced that we would be staying.

An introduction to Brazillian jiu-jitsu.
White belts earned.

With varying paths, my sons have thrived at Elevated. They’ve watched Stephen train at the fantastic Balance Studios and achieve the top submission of the evening at Philly’s Fight to Win 81. They’ve grown in strength, maturity, and community. When they lost their mother to a sudden illness, Elevated stepped up to support our family in spiritual, emotional, practical, and financial ways. The Roll for Zerbeys was a truly fun and uplifting experience for us and all who participated.

#BJJFamily
No Mercy
Just a little deeper…

Now these boys are taking an opportunity to tests their skills and do some good. Both are competing and fundraising for Tap Cancer Out’s Grappling for Good Tour at United Sports in Downingtown, PA, on October 27th. Click on that link to donate and be assured that pictures and stories will be forth coming. Please also consider attending and supporting their efforts on the mat.

God bless,
Jason

Header photo credit: Mark Likosky

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Northern Delaware Weekend Highlights September 28th-30th, 2018

On Friday night, 8:15 pm, Longwood Gardens will debut their latest Illuminated Fountain show, Be Our Guest, featuring themes from animated movie classics such as Aladdin, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and more. Timed tickets are required and members can enjoy extra savings at GardenShop, The Café, and 1906 as part of Member Appreciation Day.

At 2017’s Taste of Trolley, the Community Art Project was a big hit for this Elevated Studios student.

On Saturday, 1:00 – 5:00 pm, the 4th Taste of Trolley will see many of Trolley Square’s businesses open their doors and show off why this is such a popular Wilmington neighborhood. Beer, wine, and spirit tastings will be paired with small plates and many businesses will participate in the Retail Scavenger Hunt.

Saturday’s Fortify Music Festival at Fort DuPont in Delaware City, 1:00 – 9:00 pm will showcase local talent alongside major tribute acts playing the songs of The Police, Joan Jett, David Bowie, and Led Zepellin. Bands will include Montana Wildaxe, Kashmir, Steal Your Peach, Soraia, Nappy Riddem, Spokey Speaky, Joey DiTullio, and June Divided.

Taste_of_newark

With live music, celebrity chef demonstrations, and over 50 restaurants participating, Sunday’s Taste of Newark party proves to be a good time. 12:00 – 3:00 pm, Newark, Delaware.

God bless and have fun,
Jason

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Library Programs for Home Educators in Delaware

As the home education community grows, more organizations are reaching out to provide enrichment opportunities. This is obviously great news for those looking to educate their children outside of the school setting, but it also strengthens the broader community. When there are more places to gather for fun and learning, families are more likely to put down their devices and engage with their neighbors. We become better equipped to communicate with one another, constructively share grievances, and solve problems.

I applaud local libraries for creating programs geared toward the home-education community.

Brandywine Hundred Library

Homeschooling 101 and Homeschooling 101 Science Fun
Wednesday, October 17th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm: I am very excited about this pair of events for parents and children. A panel of home-educating parents will present information and answer questions about the process in Delaware. Topics will range from the details of Delaware’s laws and regulations and curriculum options to the wide variety of educational philosophies that are being implemented. This will be great for those who are curious as well as those who have already decided to take this journey. Home education is constantly changing and there is always something new to learn, no matter where you are on the path.

And, in true homeschool fashion, you won’t need a babysitter for children ages 5-12. Science activities will be available and children of all educational stripes will get to interact in a separate space during the program.

Art School for Homeschoolers
Tuesdays, October 2nd, November 13th, and December 4th, 1:30 – 2:30 pm: Exercise your imagination, creativity, and fine motor skills using various art media. Ages 5-12.

Book Club for Homeschoolers
Tuesdays, October 16th and November 20th, 1:30 – 2:30 pm: Dive deeper into a book through activities and discussion. Stop at the Youth Reference Desk for the current title. Registration is suggested. Ages 8-12.

Hour of Code with Minecraft for Homeshoolers
Friday, December 7th, 1:30 – 2:30 pm: Learn beginning programming and logical problem-solving with Minecraft. Ages 8-11.

Dover Public Library

Elements Home School Co-Op Teen Meet-up
New teen homeschool group: Beginning Friday, September 21st, Elements will host a weekly teen game/activity group for area homeschoolers. Teens will be meeting in the Teen Loft at the Dover Public Library each Friday from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Come play games and socialize with other area homeschoolers ( DE, MD, VA, NJ, PA). Drop-ins are welcome, ages 14 (or 8th grade) and up.

Frankford Public Library

Homeschool Show and Tell
Tuesdays, September 25th and October 30th, 2:00 – 3:00 pm: Bring in an item from home and practice your public speaking skills by sharing it with the crowd. Instruction provided. All ages are welcome to participate.

Laurel Public Library

Elementary Homeschool Art Class
Note: This program is currently full, but worth keeping an eye on for future iterations.
Art classes will meet every 1st and 3rd Tuesday from October 2nd – April 16th, except January which will be the 2nd and 4th Tuesday due to the New Years holiday (no classes in December). There is a limit of 12 students per class and you must be able to commit to the entire series as each class builds upon the next. Open to students in elementary grades. Registration is required.

Middle/High School Homeschool Art Class
Note: This program is currently full, but worth keeping an eye on for future iterations.
Art classes will meet every 2nd and 4th Tuesday from October 9th – April 23rd, except January which will be the 3rd and 5th Tuesday due to the New Years holiday (no classes in December). There is a limit of 12 students per class and you must be able to commit to the entire series as each class builds upon the next. Open to students in middle and high school. Registration is required. 

Homeschool Book Club
Thursday October 11th, 1:00 – 2:00 pm: Enjoy a new book that will include discussions and a fun activity. Open to students in 1st – 8th grade. Registration is required.

See you at a library,
Jason