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In May, Atticus ran his first half marathon. He'd run the distance before, but had never signed up for a race. A dear friend, who runs a couple of races a year, asked if Atticus wanted to run with him, so he tried it and loved it. Then he ran another half a couple of weeks ago. After we cheered his start, the girls and I went out for donuts and coffee. To my credit, I walked a lot that week. Really. I blame my aversion to running on bad knees that run in my family. (So to speak.) At least, that's what I tell myself ever since that time when I tried to run and my knees hurt.
Anyway, now Atticus has plans for a third half-marathon in the fall. I see more coffee and donuts (and walking! Really! And podcasts while I walk!) in my future.
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My Brave Writer Kidswrite Basic class ended on June 16th, and I miss those kids! It was a fantastic and fun six weeks. I'll be teaching Kidswrite Basic again from September 25-Nov. 3rd. Registration for that session opens on July 31st.
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Ramona's been busy and so was happy to get some down time the last few days. She helped with skits and music for VBS, took a cake decorating class, had a fun week with the Missoula Children's Theater, and did some citizen science one morning at a youth discovery camp. Whoosh! Time for a good book.
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Speaking of good books, Betsy has been revising her NaNoWriMo novel from last year. She's expanded it to about 72,000 words and I can't wait to read this first in-depth revision. I'm so happy for her!
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Speaking of revising, Anne-with-an-e has been helping me revise our books shelves. It's the Summer of the Great Bookcase Declutter. We're trying to be ruthless. It's not easy, but we've sent at least a dozen grocery sacks of books out the door. We are proud of us and we usually reward ourselves with an iced coffee and some reading time.
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Speaking of reading time, I need to pull a book post together. I recently read Marilynne Robinson's Gilead for the first time and it's become one of my favorite books ever. Beautiful.
4 comments:
Sounds good all the way around!
I gave away 11 bags of books on Monday and since then two more books have arrived in mail that I apparently bought. Send help!
"...that I apparently bought."
Ha! Yes, that how it happens around here, too, Tabatha! :) Apparently I can't help you ... it would be the blind book addict leading the blind kindred spirit. :)
Hi Karen,
I am considering signing up for The Writer's Jungle online next spring, but I was wondering about the format of the class. Is it the parent who is writing, or learning how to implement the projects with a student throughout the class, or something else altogether? I watched Julie's overview of The Writer's Jungle today during summer camp, and I am having a hard time envisioning how the class would work. My oldest is turning 8 in January, and she has very little experience with writing instruction and tends to dig her heels in against any idea that is not her own generally. I am not sure I could get her to play along. I would so love to take a class with you, though! I contacted you years ago when I was gravitating toward the Catholic Church (I have been Catholic for 3 years now!), and I have your rosary book and Style, Sex, and Substance, and I LOVE them!! I am also really curious about your book about sharing your faith, as I also come from an atheist background and have lots of family and friends who are not believers, but I avoid any direct discussion of faith with them.
Thank you!
Tess
Hi, Tess!
Wow, how lovely to hear from you again! Thanks for your questions, and for all your kind words. How wonderful to hear that you've found your spiritual home!
Re. Brave Writer, if you want to email me at kedmisten@bravewriter.com, we can discuss more about the class, but here's an overview:
The class runs for six weeks. I work directly with you, the parent, and I also provide feedback for your child's work. I address the feedback directly to the children, but you are the filter. What you share with them is up to you.
I post an assignment each week and how you implement it is up to you. The first week is simply introductions, a discussion of your biggest struggles or concerns, and a fun communication game. Other families are taking the course at the same time, and you all have access to each other's assignments, as well as to my feedback, so you learn from a variety of examples.
The class is designed to help you, the parent, grow into and gain confidence in the role of coach/partner/writing teacher for your child.
Your daughter might be a little young for The Writer's Jungle Online, so if you do take it, just remind yourself to be patient with her very short assignments, and don't be discouraged if she isn't ready for all of the assignments. I encourage you to know that, at this point, the class would be mainly for *you* -- for you to learn techniques and ideas that will help you (and her) down the road. 7-8 is still VERY young -- don't be the least bit discouraged at this point. I don't even call them "reluctant" writers at that age. They are simply YOUNG writers! :)
There's also a really fun class called Story Switcheroo. I don't teach that one, but it's designed for 5-8 year olds.
Email me, and we can talk more!
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