The Importance of Being Ernest (in your art)

I and the teachers I work with are required to give a speech upon various topics at our school's upcoming conference. My subject is: The Importance of Art in the Montessori Classroom; the speech will also include my teaching plan for the art classroom this upcoming year.

So far I have stumbled upon some really awesome websites that have good ideas for building creative thinking skills in the students through various projects and teaching methods. And lots of 'this is how art is beneficial and these are the skills that it provides'. I have found lots of 'this is what works in my classroom' and am now trying to find some more scientific reasons for why it works.

Also trying to find some 'ice breaker' type exercises to use at the beginning of the lecture to demonstrate the use of art as a communicative and critical thinking process. This part has proven hardest.

This subject has gotten me thinking about what art is and what makes its value.
More on 'What Art Means to Me' later....

It was like the Red Wedding, but... the opposite.

This is the first time I am updating as a married woman.

The past few months have flown by with the engagement, wedding plans, and all that goes with celebrating the day that pushes me into "the world of hens" as Landon calls it.

There was a lot that happened that made it wonderful, there was much that happened that could have caused a panic in my heart, but in the end with a wonderful family and devoted friends we made it to the day and back down the aisle after hearing those words "I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Miller".

Some of my favorite moments were when Trevis gave me good advice, being married just last year and when one of Landon's groomsmen came to wish me well and he almost didn't get past the girls who stood between me and the swirl of downstairs guests. I loved standing with my Daddy arm in arm waiting to walk out and I loved that the moment I reached the end of the walk I couldn't look at Landon because I knew the tears behind my eyes would flood. So I glanced at him once, smiled at Pastor Tim and starred at my flower girls in a nervous, frozen state. I did look up at him when he said his vows, which was my favorite of all favorite moments.

I love that I danced with both my favorite people. It was sweet and I didn't mind if it was David Bowie and unplanned or if anyone was watching or not. It was the most beautiful, memorable day of my life, married to my bes fran, surrounded by friends, family and handmade hangings, all stuffed with sweets and singing along to Tilly and the Wall. Magic.