Interpretation by Connor

Connor is constantly telling me a story.  Nine times out of ten I just nod my head ‘yes..mmmm...ok, that's good’.   There isn’t a time when he isn’t telling me something, so I tend to tune him out.  Today he told me the entire plot for a movie he wants to make while I mopped the floor.  

The problem is Connor’s writing skills haven’t caught up to his mind yet, but when they do the world better watch out for his storytelling ability.  Today while Carlee napped I sat down with him, printed off 10 famous works of art, and typed vigorously as he told me about them.  He seemed to enjoy my undivided attention, and needed no encouragement from me to develop a story.  

I promise you I didn’t change any of his wording (and as you read you will understand that I wish I could on some).

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli

depicting the goddess of Venus.

C:  "This is called Angel World.  It's about this bad guy who takes away the gold and the angel has to get it.  The prince tries to fight the king, and he wins and the gold is given to the angel."  

(me) What is that she is standing on?  

C: "Oh she is standing on the lily pad with her family.  They are happy she found the gold."

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci 

C: "I think she is a specialized predator.  She is the boss of the airport.  She is going on vacation at the airport.  When she gets back from vacation she helps the G.I. Joes.  She is called in to jump out of the helicopter before me."

Water Lilies by Claude Monet (250 oil paintings)

depicting Monet's own flower garden

C: "This is Jaws part eleven.  This is where the action takes place and the creatures are under the water about to attack."

The Night Watch by Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn. 

It depicts a city guard moving out, led by Captain and his lieutenant.

C:  "This is called Regional River.  Here people are battling over the river.  It is a special golden river and people are battling who gets to have it."

The Scream by Edvard Munch,

 depicting an agonized figure 

C:  "This is Frankenstein, he is moving his head around hunting for a guy...no one is allowed on this bridge because he is hunting.  He stays on there for days and days until the towns people end up with plan."

The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer

C: "This is a girl who dreams of dancing in the opera."  

me: what happens to her? 

C:  "Oh she starts to dance and she wins in a competition."

The Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo

depicting the biblical creation of Adam

C:  "This is Magic Mike." 

me:  What do you know about Magic Mike!!!?  

C:  "I saw the commercials on tv and we talk about it after school." 

me: really, you talk about it? 

C:  "Yes"  

me: well don't talk about it anymore.  I think this painter wanted to show that this is Adam and this is God.  

C:  "I think Adam needs some tightey whiteys (insert Connor's hysterical laughter)."

Guernica by Pablo Picasso 

depicting the tragedies of war and the suffering on civilians

C:  "This is called Swamp Creatures.  Its a scary movie.  A man goes out in the street and is attacked with ten or nine people.  They are attacked.  There is one boy and one girl left at the end who throws a firecracker at the bad guys and they all blow up."

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci 

C:  "This is an old Jaws movie.  This where they are thinking of how to kill the shark over dinner in the movie."  

me:  Does this look like Jesus from the bible stories to you?  

C:  "Oh yes, Jesus is talking about how to kill the shark over dinner!  That dinner is good."

The Starry Night by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. 

C: "This is called “Skylanders”, jets and planes and helicopters are about to come out all over the village.  You can’t see them because of the clouds."

Connor got mad I didn't show him any helicopter pictures so I found this one for him, I'm not sure if its real, but it is certainly a cool picture.

Battle Shark By Connor 

C:  "There was an army team getting ready to fight.  They were getting ready for battle when a shark team was called to go in with with them.  They were up against a bad helicopter shooting off bombs, so they had to be as quick as they can.

The army knows this man is in the water.  The Army comes and rescues.  But when the army man goes down the shark almost rips him up, but the helicopter pulls up in time."

Happy Thanksgiving

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 

-James 1:17

I am thankful for the tradition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade- I was so happy Connor loved watching it as much as I did this year!

I am thankful that my son survived this attack (that he documented on MY camera without asking... again).

I am thankful that for that inquisitive mind.

I am thankful for Dramatic Stars.

I am thankful for chocolate pie.

I am thankful for the "Make Your Own Food Pyramid" Plate.

(chocolate cake trumps turkey, right?)

I am thankful for four generations.

 



          I am thankful for my Christmas Decorator Assistant.

(even if he did take 5,000 MINUTES to plug in the freaking lights!!! I tried hard to tap down my need to check off the agenda)

I am thankful for the Castle Marathon and my fuzzy blanket.

I am thankful for chocolate pie.

I am thankful that my daughter didn't break her leg while dad watched the Redskins (hoping for a win)!

I am thankful for Babysitters entertainers.

I am thankful for smiles.

I am thankful for the Family Photo at the Air Show

(where mom has thin legs, dad has hair, and Connor is the only one with a clean shirt).

 

I am thankful for road trips.

I am thankful for chocolate pie.

I am thankful for sleeping babies.

I am thankful for awesome hair accessories.

I am thankful for students who teach, students who learn.

I am thankful for chocolate pie.

I am thankful for Churkey.

I am thankful for photo booth... when I'm running late and forget to get ready at home... right before the bell rings for morning class.

I am thankful for surprises for my birthday!!

I am thankful for chocolate pie....

and

for

good 

friends

whom 

I 

can 

laugh with

and

love!

Happy Thanksgiving Friends

All Planes Don't Land in Georgia (my new self help book)

For the first time in his life, Connor is having a real problem.  He has encountered a child who is driving him NUTS.  Connor isn’t a communicator about his personal life.  He is a “how was school today? fine” person.  Recently these statements have been cropping up daily:

Mom (this one child) thinks (child) knows everything...(child) told me all airplanes land in Georgia!! No matter what, (child) wouldn’t listen me tell that there are airports everywhere!  

Mommmm, you don’t understand (child) always lies when I tell an adult, likes to hit me for fun....Mommmm (child) makes my stomach hurt when (child) yells and is going to come over to play, (child) tells the other kids they are going to jail, (child) says is my friend and then gets mad and tries to make the other kids mad at me, etc. etc. etc.

When I reminded him (this child who is younger and smaller) seems sweet and excited to see Connor, he says, I don’t understand how (child) is so nice in front of other people and so mean when we are alone.

It just seems everything this one kid does rubs Connor the wrong way.

I went ahead and gave Connor the bad news-  he will encounter an “all airplanes land in Georgia” person for his whole entire LIFE.  I don’t know how to tell him that I deal with people on a daily basis who believe that “all airplanes land in Georgia” and there isn’t a darn thing that you can do to convince them otherwise. I deal with people who love me in front of the boss and shoot me laser death stares the rest of the time (unless they need something of course), I deal with people who confide in me one minute and then they are soon telling something “juicy” about ME to someone the next minute.  I don’t know a single person who hasn’t a. shown these behaviors  b. dealt with them from others  c.all of the above.

 I hope this is Georgia?

It’s like I told Connor...learn to deal with this now, and you will be better equipped to work with others.  I gave him some parent friendly advice (better than get drunk and punch)-

1.  Play somewhere else and when you can’t play somewhere else 2.  pray about it  3.  tell (child) that you won’t tolerate bullying  4.  always be kind but stand up for yourself  5.  tell an adult if you all are putting hands on each other  6.  (most important) LET IT GO! Who CARES if someone thinks ALL planes land in Georgia!?  7.  Cling to your family and friends that truly understand where planes land.  
Of course he stared at me like only a young boy could, but we’ll keep working on it.  

This is all from Connor’s perspective, and I feel it best he learn to deal. I’m glad he is talking to me about it (even if he doesn’t listen).  I wish that as an adult I could always remember to not let those “All Planes Land in Georgia” people bother me to the point I get an ulcer.  I wish I could let the “Planes Go in Different Directions to Different Locations” people help me.  I've got it narrowed down into a self help list.

“All Planes Land in Georgia” people:

-friends who don’t speak unless they need something

-friends who gossip about what they think they know about you

-friends who don’t support you

-friends who don’t have concern for how you are doing

-friends who have negative things to say behind your back

-friends who allow the negative things to be said 

-friends who aren’t honest with you

-friends who care more about bringing you down, so they can be brought up

-friends who aren’t there for the boring moments but only there for the exciting moments

“Planes Go in Different Directions to Different Locations” People Who Matter:

-friends who are really busy but still make time to send you an email, text, a note, a joke....to let you know they are thinking of you

-friends who share secrets over cold chinese and wine and never speak of it again

-friends who tell you that you are great (when your not), tell you how great you look (when you don’t), tell you that you are special (and they mean it)

-friends who watch the children so you can get a minute, bring you dinner just because, invite you out for a breather...

-friends who make a Voo Doo Doll out of the people who can’t love you for you.

-friends whom people wouldn’t dare say a negative word about you in front of,  because if they did they would get a tongue lashing of their lives

-friends who are honest about what is going on to help you not hurt you

-friends who turn to you for comfort and vice versa

-friends who are there for the weddings and baby showers, but also there for you to vent first couples argument and help with the challenging diaper changes
-friends who will humbly get on their knees to pray for you just so your baby won't cry, so you will get through the financial strain, because they love you.


Use this information wisely my mentees and get the heck out of Georgia.

Happy 8 Months Carlee

Happy Eight Months Carlee 

 -You are crawling all over the house, but your already bored with that.  Your goal now is to pull up, and if you can’t do it you get fussy.  

-The steps seem to be the only place short enough for you to accomplish the goal of pulling up.  You’ve scaled the second step.

 

 -You now use the pincher grab- forefinger and thumb.  You pinched my nose this morning.  

-You love the finger food- sweet potato stars! 

-You still don’t sleep well.

-Your babble talk seems to be very intentional.  I have determined these four phrases mean...

Baba- Mama pick me up I love you.

Baba- Brother come make me laugh.

Baba- Bottle, please.

Baba!!!-  I hate my freakin’ life!!!

-You wave bye bye.  We all have to say good bye like this now: “baieeee byeee, baieee, byeee” (add dramatic waving of adult hand).

-You have hair like a rock star!  

We Looooovvveee you Carlee.