Green Jello

Now We Are Six

 

When I was One,

I had just begun.

When I was Two,

I was nearly new.

When I was Three,

I was hardly Me.

When I was Four,

I was not much more.

When I was Five,

I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

A.A. Milne

Happy Birthday my dear little one, yes six is a good age to stay at.

I bought him an old copy of Now We Are Six for his birthday, and I think my husband's family thought I was weird. Oh well. Six is hard for me; like he crossed some invisible hump that makes him a "kid" now and not a little boy. Know what I mean? We have the Batman birthday party this weekend, I promise pictures. I'm going to attempt a Batmobile cake - old school with the red pinstripe. Wish me luck...

 

Kindergarten Assessment #2

For those of you who are reading about this for the first time; we decided not to send my son to Kindergarten last year because he has a Summer birthday and felt he was not ready. Our school district has a Kindergarten assessment that takes place in the spring. According to them, they use this assessment to balance out classrooms and adjust their curriculum to meet the needs of the incoming students. I don't like assessments or anything that assigns a number to a 5 or 6 year old before they have started school, but that's another post.

I was interested to see how my son would do this year, since he finished another year of preschool and is now reading. Imagine my surprise when his scores were basically the same as last year. For reading readiness the possible score was 102; last year his score was 54, this year 65. I'm not disappointed in the number he received, just curious as to why it hasn't really changed. I'm not bragging about his ability to read, but he does read. Not chapter books, but most of the words in any early reader book. My guess is this is just a number written down by the woman who met with him for 20 minutes. Maybe her coffee was getting cold, or he was tired that day. What bothers me is this number concerned me last year. It made me wonder if he was ready for Kindergarten, and that is why testing and assigning numbers like this is bad. I know my son and I think he is smart...yes, I am biased, but I let something like this make me think otherwise. I don't like that another parent received this letter today and is now fretting over their child's score, when it is not accurate. I hope that by discussing this here, another parent will feel better or understand this process more.

At the end of the letter it states, "You may wish to work on any skills identified as below the expected level during the summer months." So, are we supposed to cram them with letter sounds and sight words in the next 6 weeks? Make sure they are frightened of school and testing? I think there is more to Kindergarten readiness than reading; can they separate from Mom? Can they put on their coat or tie their shoes? Can they hold a pencil? Know their address and phone number? Are they prepared to be tested until they can no longer think?

Your thoughts? Does your school have Kindergarten assessments? Am I going to survive this without bursting into tears in the Target school supply aisle?

Parade + Rain

 

We had a rainy 4th of July, but we were troopers and braved the weather for our local parade and fireworks. It was still good, even wet.

 

 

There was plenty of candy and dogs. For some reason, the wacky religious group that is around every year screaming something about damnation & holding amusing signs, was not marching this year. I missed them. We also had an odd shortage of politicians, but why should they get wet when we already had our elections?

 

 

The kids were tired all day, but managed to stay awake for the fireworks. We were sitting behind a group of teenagers, and as soon as the fireworks started, ALL of them pulled out their phones and started clicking pictures and texting friends. I don't understand all this texting. I'm sure if I was a teen, I would be texting too, but it's strange to see.

 

Miss Tink did not have a fun holiday...she would like the boom boom noises to stop and does not care about matchy holiday socks.

I'm sorry posting here has been scattered. I have no idea why, except that I feel like I have nothing to say. I'm in a holding pattern. I can't seem to shake the bit of depression I feel about Kindergarten this year, and with his birthday this week and our anniversary...ugh. I haven't bought his present yet, which is weird for me. I asked him tonight if he could have anything he wanted, what would it be? He said a BB gun. Huh? I told him he's a little young for that, and what would he want besides a BB gun? He wants a house as big as ours with a port-a-potty on the ceiling. I will work on that.

I hope you had a great holiday.

Batman Invitations

 

We have a Batman birthday party coming up. True to form, I am waiting until the last minute to prepare for it. I made these out of card stock and used a silver pen to write the details of the party; "The Joker escaped from Gotham City Jail...Batman needs your help." "Please R.S.V.P. to the Bat phone." I amuse myself this way.

I do need your help with ideas for games. I want to use the villains from Batman as the theme. I was going to freeze Batman & Robin and have the kids use squirt guns to unfreeze them...because evil Mr. Freeze put them in the freeze chamber. Ideas? Thank you.

Guess who went to Seattle?

Aaah

 

I am frustrated with the photos I took while the dog and kids played in the sprinkler. I was too far away because I was afraid to get my camera wet and I should have set something different...just not sure what. The water is more in focus that anything else. Do you know why? This is why I need a class or at least to spend some time learning what I am doing, rather than winging it.

 

I played around with the colors on this one and I kind of like it. This dog is crazy.

Pegward & Bella

 

"Oh Pegward, you dazzle me."

"I know, but remember...we can only go to first base."

 

"What do you think Mr. Freeze, should we attack now?"

"No, Mad Hatter...their love is melting my frozen heart."

I have some more work to do on these, but I am impatient and wanted to show you them today. I hope you had a nice weekend.

Traveling Edward made it to his first destination...

The Book Club & Edward & Facebook

I wanted to start the book club again, and I am going to make an effort to post about the book in a timely manner. Since Target had the book on sale, I wanted to read The Host by Stephenie Meyer in July and Everything that Rises must Converge by Flannery O'Connor in August (this is the book from the season finale of Lost). Want to join me? They both look good, and now I feel organized.

Edward is off to visit Brit - the list so far (I have not checked this for accuracy):

Tracey

Crystal

Sarah Eliza

Visty

Amy S.

Carrie

Tracy

LJ Herbert

Lina

Laura

Christine F.

Heather

Mellie

Melissa S.

If I missed someone or spelled your name wrong, please let me know.

I am having a mild panic attack over the fact that the Facebook account I use to stare at old high school people had the account settings so that anyone in my network could see my public ramblings and photos. It's only 1.6 million people...so check your settings if you only want "friends" to see what you have posted. How do you feel about Facebook? I have mixed feelings. It's nice to find people from school, but it makes me feel like I have to make an effort to appear cool. I am not cool. I could lie and discuss motorcycles and put a profile picture up with me shooting a gun (I've seen many), but it seems narcissistic. Maybe we should leave it for the young and hip.

Things of Summer

 

We have one more game of T-ball! They handed out game balls this Saturday; this one is from the game my son got hit with a bat and caught his first fly ball. The look on his face when he caught the ball was priceless. He looked at his mitt as if it was magic.

 

Our new caterpillar pets turned into moths. I know no one likes moths, but they are cherished in this house. Each one is being released with love. They do have cute fluffy heads.

 

We found two peepers, which are being released today. They are smaller than dimes. I don't want to keep them because I'm afraid they might not survive in our care.

 

Miss Tink and her new friend. Welcome Summer.

Love is...

 

...not saying a word when your wife poses an Edward doll and takes a picture of him at The Olive Garden. You have no idea how cracked this made me feel, but I did it for you, and to get over my fear of taking pictures in public. Edward was worried that I was hungry and he wanted me to eat this breadstick.

 

Edward ordered a mini beverage. I did have a moment when I wanted to shrink under the table and die, when the waiter noticed the doll and said, "Is that who I think he is?" "Um, yes." "Thought so." Oh my, taking pictures in a restaurant is one thing, being caught by the waiter who knows exactly what I am doing is another. When I put him away, he noticed and asked where Edward was, I told him he was not behaving. My husband wanted me to ask if the waiter would take a picture with Edward, and I should have because it would have completed this post, but I was too chicken. Then we took Edward to the park to find a spot for Bench Monday...

I will have the list this week, I am trying to figure out where he is going first and then off he goes. I wanted to find him a mini Barbie suitcase, but didn't have any luck. I hope you had a nice Father's Day and first day of Summer! 

Vintage Photo Friday

 

For Tracey's Vintage Photo Friday. This is one of my Dad's relatives from Denmark named Lara. Love that name. You have to study this photo because of its perfect vintage charm - she is wearing a babushka, knitting, and look at how cozy her home is, you can almost smell the bread baking. They were farmers and the women were tough, probably could knit circles around us. Have a great weekend.