My SUPER GIFTED 5 year old =)

Those of you who know me well - must have laughed at the title I am using for my post.  Those of you who don't - I will explain.

I am a firm believer that all kids are gifted in some way.  I am not a huge supporter of the gifted testing, labeling, and classes that go on in our local schools (as you will definitely know by the end of this post).  Some reading this may say, "She is just jealous that her kids didn't qualify!"  Maybe that is a bit true.....nah! 

I never had my first child tested and last year allowed my second to be tested.  He didn't qualify.  When those scores came back I was like "What!?!?!?"  Those of you who know Jack must see what I see - he is strange, unique, super smart, and a way outside of the box thinker.  If that doesn't spell out gifted - what does?

Now Jack has entered third grade and aces everything that is put in front of him.  He has "gifted" students in his class that ask him to do their math for them.  Really???

Now maybe you see my side a little bit clearer after that example...maybe??  All kids are gifted in my eyes.  So, putting a label on them, giving them extra work, and making them leave their class to go to another room for the "Smart" kids only - is not going to make a kid any better than my child.  PERIOD.

I am going to get to my point about my title....but first another tangent:

• My daughter Emma who is 11 and in sixth grade may not get all A's (not that she isn't capable), but put her in a pool or on a stage and that is where she will shine.  Just don't ask her to spell or multiply while doing it.
• My son Jack who is nine and in the third grade may not be able to tie his shoes as well as everyone else, but he is one of the best mathematicians and artists I know.  Also watch out for him in the middle lanes of the pool as well.
• My next daughter Clare who is 6 and in the first grade may not be able to add without counting on her fingers, but give her a book and she can read almost anything.

Now back to the title.....My littlest, Joseph, is in preschool.  I had a conference with his teacher about how he is doing and his readiness for Kindergarten.  Both teachers on two separate days said to me how super smart he is, that he should be in Kindergarten now, and that they think he may be gifted!  Ladies - he is five!  I was so happy for him, but does that mean I will make sure he is tested next year so that he can get all that extra work and "recognition"....NO!

Joseph is a tolerant and amazing boy who will learn more from being around his peers that are all at varying levels than with a group of kids who are all "gifted".  We don't go through life with only "gifted" people around us all day long.  So I will clink my glass in honor of my "smart" and "gifted" kids (all four of them in my eyes) and then send them off to their traditional classrooms.  He and his siblings will be better off for it in the long run...trust me!

My opinion,
Marianne

 It is that time of year again and I can't believe it! 

It has been a long time since I blogged, and it is time to get on board again!  There are too many things that go on in my life to be absent in the blogging world.  These four children that I "cooked" for just about four  years of my life are absolutely amazing.  They may have caused love handles, stress, anxiety, and chaos to enter my life....but I would not be truly me without them.

To add to the insanity - if you know me, you know that I am not truly happy unless I am teaching and playing basketball.  I have gotten back into teaching.  They are not the third and fifth graders I am used to...but they are still very impressionable.  They  are three and four year olds.  Can you believe it???  I live it at home - why not use my knowledge and teach them?? 

Now I need to find how to add basketball into my life.  Jack is paying in a 3/4 grade YMCA team...that might be where I need to be.  Why not coach instead of play?

I am back and I can not wait to share something in the life of ME each day.

Marianne

Snow Much Fun

I live in Phoenix, Arizona and I am addicted to the warm weather!

There, I admitted it!  Today, January 8th, it will be 70 degrees.  I am in heaven.

With that said, in my eyes there is nothing wrong with a quick visit to WINTER.  After Christmas this year, we headed to Indiana.  It was a balmy 40 degrees most of the trip, but we did get one day where there was a dusting of snow.  It was beautiful and enjoyed by mt little men:

I have to give props to TaDa Creative Studios for amazing papers from their Frozen Tozen line that made this layout POP!  The colors of this collection are sublime and so great to work with.  In case you are just as in love with the papers as I am, here is what I used in my layout:

• I roughed up the solid side of the Mosty Toasty paper - heavily on the left side where I was going to highlight it.
• The reverse of the Mosty Toasty paper has fun lines that I used as part of my border on the left.
• I used som ribbons I got at Hobby Lobby to accent the border and then went crazy with my circle punch on a variety of the Frozen Tozen papers.  I was sure to capture the adorable bird on his skis in one circle.
• Next I edged the solid blue side of the Snow Plow paper for the big square.
• I backed my pictures with a roughed Tree Farm paper.
• Using my Cricut, I cut out the letters in the Mosty Toasty and Snippets background.
• I love using portions of the Snippets to accent things - check out the border around my tag at the top, the box around my "L" at the bottom, and the snow hill broder around the bottom picture.
• Never forget to use the stickers from the collections.  I used one in the middle of my "o" in "Snow" and in the center of my hand-cut snowflake.

Here are some closer views of my favorite parts of this layout:

Love, love, love how the birds on the sled turned out to accent the bottom picture!

L for LUKEN to brighten a spot on the corner

The highlight - making my own snowflake!