A Dream

After discussing the impact MLK had, Vanessa shared her dream for the world. "I wish that people would like other people." It really is that simple, isn't it? When we stop thinking only of ourselves, it seems to come pretty easily. It saddens me that she recognizes the dislike. I pray all of her dreams come true.

Cutup

Zane: "I'll cut you up in small pieces. I use my sword and cut, cut, cut."
Mommy: "But that will hurt me."
Zane: "I still love you but I will cut you up. But I love you because I love you. . . . Mom, I'm just pretending, so I cut you up, but I love you."

He has a funny way to show he loves me, huh?! But isn't Zane's mean face so darn cute?! I love that he's such a cutup.

Interpretations

A few months ago Zane started making circles for heads and lines for bodies and appendages. This picture is of Zane and his friends.

Zane seems to be more focused on trying to stay in the lines than Vanessa did and does. Vanessa's art usually demonstrates her nonconformist ways. Zane likes to follow the rules that don't really matter a little more than she did.

We have gone through phases of iPad art. Vanessa made this picture about two to three months ago on her daddy's iPad. She loves that she can send something to the printer from another room. We have rules though, so as not to get carried away. :-)

Vanessa wasn't very impressed by this finished piece of work. She was frustrated that the only lady she could find was too tall proportionally. I love it and think it's great. Vanessa loved the lady's outfit and Vanessa placed a basketball with her because she just knows she would like to play basketball. The houses and sun are made from paintings she cut shapes from. A very creative collage.

Vanessa leaves random art everywhere. Her desk drawers are full of her works. Sometimes she wakes in the morning and begins drawing at her desk. She's quite expressive with all of her work. Her Hello Kitty is pretty special to her.

I just finally took this down from the kitchen. She made this nine months to a year ago. I loved it extra much. It was random and she whipped it out in under a couple of minutes. Do you know what it is? That's right, a tomato bird. You guessed that, right?! :-)

Zane always wants to try what Vanessa does. See Baby Moses in the basket in the water? He's the black blob. :-) He can tell you all about it.

And another favorite -- using oil pastels. One of Vanessa's many self portraits. She's wearing her hand-me-down Rock Star hat, her hand-me-down dress with leggings, and her battered Snow White princess shoes.

Vanessa also has a fine way for describing art and artists, like she has been able to do with music and composers. (She was quite impressive with her sharing of the The Nutcracker and Peter Tchaikovsky based on how her music teacher presented the studies to her.) A few months ago they studied the Mona Lisa. What impressed Vanessa most was how the Mona Lisa was stolen. She created a picture to show what she would do with the Mona Lisa if it was given to her to keep safe. Vanessa drew a staircase with her walking up the stairs, to resemble the stairs in our house, and she hung the Mona Lisa at the top of the stairs. She told me that it would be safe there because we keep our very old family pictures there and they are safe.

Last month they studied Vincent Van Gogh. Vanessa doesn't like me to leave off the Vincent, although she accepted the explanation that when you say something is a Van Gogh, people know it's Vincent's. Anyway, she was very impressed by him and his art. (Which is cool because he's always been one of my faves, perhaps because I have a soft spot in my heart for the troubles he faced.) She says that Starry Night is her favorite. We scrolled through many of his paintings and she claimed she also liked the Sunflowers and Irises as much as I do. Vanessa is a problem solver and wants to fix people's hurts. Her comment when describing what she learned about Van Gogh was "Van Gogh was really happy when he painted. He should have painted more instead of cutting off his ear and then shooting himself in the gut to die two days later." Unfortunately we had to talk about why someone might go to such measures.

Interestingly her learning about the self-inflicted harm Vincent Van Gogh did to himself coincided with her learning more about Martin Luther King. We discussed his dream and how MLK helped to bring equal rights to many. A few hours later on our way home from the library, Vanessa was telling me about a nightmare she had that involved her Furby. She went on to tell me how she changed the nightmare and continued to explain that her dream was not like MLK's dream. Then she said "You know a white man shot and killed MLK. His name was James Early Ray. He didn't like Martin Luther King." We went on to talk about how she was right but I wanted to make it clear that it wasn't only because he didn't like him. We talked about people who fear change and feel threatened because they think their way is the only way. She clarified "Well, and we shouldn't kill people. Only God should decide when someone should die."

Chock-full of Sunshine

Zane still uses his little potty in the upstairs bathroom.
"I peed a little. . . . I have to pee taller to be more. I can pee a lot and make it so high!"

Right now he insists on determining amounts with everything. "Higher. Higher. Higher. Wow! That's a whole lot!"

"Hey! Why does Vanessa's look taller?!"

Zane is building his early understanding of capacity. But it may take a deeper exploration to accept why the following won't work.

Zane: "I want to be a baby again!"
Me: "Why?"
Zane: "Because I want to try and fit into your belly again."

A week or so later, Zane: "Mom, I told you I want to go back in your belly. . . . Put some food in there too, in case I get hungry. . . . I'll be so cute."

On grey and dull days, his sunshine is always overflowing.

Shopkeeper

Vanessa often entertains herself by creating shops. I walked by her the other day and she was creating a recorder shop. Her rough draft sign explained that she had seven different recorders. Sizes 1 to 7. She's a great sales lady -- she demonstrated the sounds each make and explained how the sound depends on size. I bought all seven.

I have also discovered signs for a shoe shop, a book shop, a hair accessory shop, a card shop, and a pet shop.

Caught

A treasured gift

in my heart

fills a rift.

Will never part.

~Love, Mom

"It's beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart."
~ Oscar Wilde

The Love Bug (Updated)

Just before Valentine's Day, we were struck by a stomach bug.

But first, is it appropriate to fill out valentines in your underwear? It is at our house, I guess. :-) Vanessa had several different ideas for cards, some of which were frighteningly complicated. We could have done them but I didn't feel our sanity and time were enough. We had one plan to make pretty felt envelopes but that was too much of my idea and not enough of Vanessa's. And then she didn't think placing stickers on the candy she wanted to share was enough, so she chose to fold cut paper to adhere the stickers to and tape the candy in. Zane taped all her candy for her. She used a redecorated Swiffer refill box to collect her valentines. What a neat use, right?! We like reusing them as storage tubs too.

Then the big day came at school, but Vanessa fell ill. She cried and cried, begging to not miss, so we compromised by riding down to the school before the start of the day so I could run in her box and valentines. She was reassured that her friends could still share. I took a picture and Mr. Harris promised to tweet a picture too. Mr. Harris also sent a small packet of candy. One of her favorites. She waited to indulge but was tickled by the gesture.

How sweet is this?!

Mr. Harris' Class ‏@HarrisWoody  10h

We were missing an absent classmate during our Valentine's exchange. http://pic-collage.com/_OAZg0Eyv  pic.twitter.com/cMJDJRJyjz

We started MAD LIBS and found it to be fun.

Zane painted hearts mostly with his new favorite color, black. And he made love bug/monsters to spread his love.

Reminder for V-Day:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

~1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Techniques

Like Bob Ross, Zane is mostly patient with everything he does. (Note: Did you know that Bob Ross was not fond of his bushy fro? So they say. But he knew business and that his trademark fro was important for his line of art supplies.)

Zane also doesn't like to get marker and paint on his body, so I don't have to ask him to shed all layers of clothing like I did with Vanessa. Vanessa was always more interested in painting her body and using paper as way to get paint supplied to her. When it came to finished art, we often had to wash it away since it didn't make it to the paper. She also still paints frequently but because she's carefree about it, she sometimes strips but almost always puts on a smock. :-)

Zane wanted to tie string together to continue his string of beads, but he got frustrated by the gap it placed between two beads. One string is satisfactory and it's almost as tall as him. :-)

He gets lost in stacking blocks and had one tower up to his shoulder before it crashed. But he's patient with that too and starts all over again to get it to the same height just one more time.

And I've heard that Grandpa has been helping the grandkids practice their flips. Zane is excited to show us!

His castles are fit for a fairy, with a dinosaur dragon and all.

He constructs a cadence and plays it over and over on many instruments.

He brings new meaning to naked chef. 

Zane catches fish his way and Vanessa catches her way, but sometimes their lines cross.

Vanessa prefers to build thrones for her Furby. If she makes it just right, Furby goes to sleep and stays asleep.

She's thoughtful in making notes and pictures to tell of her love. She can call for me to stop what I'm doing any time to share.

She uses ten frames to count and organize 100 sequins for a project she wanted to make for her 100th sparkly school day.

She adds useful gadgets to constructions for reasons she deems important, like this wheeled valve to release air into her building.

Only Vanessa and Zane can employ their personal techniques, without another achieving mastery, making each so lovingly unique.

Electrically Charged

It's that basic.  Is there really any question as to why the balloon is attracted to Zane? Sometimes I feel incredibly stuck to him.

Zane was wondering what happened to his balloon. I had to laugh when I spotted it on his back. The camera cued him to its location.

Ice Breakers

Digging out was extra hard this time. We piled shovelfuls for sledding and igloos. It made for a tired and relaxing evening.

Bill Nye -- That Guy (with addendums)

After "the debate" I went on a hunt in my basement for any Bill Nye videos I had in my possession from when I taught in the public classroom. I'm usually one to easily agree to disagree and accept that we can learn from anyone, whether they are followers of Christ or not -- that God can reveal to us what He would have us to take from the interactions or relationships. I've always liked Bill Nye's presentations for kids. I've always disagreed with him on how we came into existence, but this never stopped me from embracing his way of reaching out to children with certain science concepts . . . until 2.4.2014.

On 2.4.14, I recognized some dangerous ground that I would like my children to avoid, because I am their parent and want only the best for them, and I truly believe it is the responsibility of parents to guide and direct our children to walk in truth and what is right. Bill Nye's ridiculing tone, his sales pitch (using fear mongering to insist he needs your money to further science, so you can't fall prey to Mr. Ham's belief cause you won't be willing to contribute to science), his disrespectful and constant glaring at Mr. Ham (as if the debate was a boxing fight and perhaps he could intimidate Mr. Ham into rejection of our creator), and his fumbling and tasteless attempts at humor to distract listeners from the topic and to fill his time, among other things, changed my opinion on my seemingly innocent possession of his videos.

After becoming a parent I realized how highly I regard role models in my children's lives. I can't support someone who stoops to such low levels to make a point that is based on humanistic opinion and without verifiably uncontaminated proof. As Mr. Ham emphasized, if you want the Creator to reveal Himself to you, He will. God has already been revealing Himself in creation, history, the Bible, and through His son Jesus Christ.

In my journey in this world, I have to accept that there will be some who have no desire to submit to the truth and will of God. Submission is a scary word for many, like they are admitting to weakness and as a result lose all respect from others. (I think that's the fear, right? That we lose respect from others if we make an admission of weakness?) However, in time I have learned to respect more those who admit their weaknesses and lean on God than those, say, who reject and claim they are result from molecules colliding cause that's what makes sense to them.

Thankfully Mr. Hamm also shared the number of reputable scientists who lift up the belief in creationism. We will likely begin to seek out lessons and videos by these scientists instead of someone who seems to easily choose the much lower road in presenting his points. I can only imagine that upon concluding their time together, Mr. Ham told Mr. Nye that he wants only for Mr. Nye to experience God's love. It's a free and grand gift, so what could be deemed wrong with that? I can also imagine Mr. Nye's sarcastic chuckling in response: "Gee, thanks."

Are we really so humanistic and pretentious to insist God give us all His answers and reasons why at this very moment, rather than to rely on faith in Him so we can grow stronger in Him? If you are a parent or caregiver or educator, are there times when you want the one relying on you to have faith in some of the choices you make for them? Why wouldn't God want the same? It's evident that we don't have all the answers. But God gives answers in time, and He's done that for me, so much so I can say without question all things come from Him.

As Hoda and Kathy Lee pointed out and discussed with Franklin Graham in the 4th hour of the Today Show a few months ago, there is less known about Julius Ceasar than there is about Jesus of Nazareth. Why is it then that everybody tends to believe Julius Ceasar easily but not in Jesus? My conclusion: some people don't want to hear the truth for fear their call in life here may change.

My impression of Bill Nye has changed tremendously, because I didn't get the sense last night that he wants what is best for you. To my children, seek out those who want only the best for you.

Addition: This article is neat. Although I don't agree with the author on many things, he hits some nails on their heads: The Bill Nye-Ken Ham Debate Was a Nightmare for Science

And then here's wisdom shared by my brother: Unfurled Sails. When I think about what set me off to feel the need to share my thoughts for my children to read one day, it was the false labeling Mr. Nye was doing -- those who know me well know that I can't stand for people to use labels as excuses and to degrade others. The assumptions and gossip behind mislabeling spread like wildfire, causing others to have a distorted and an inaccurate understanding for what particular groups and people believe.  Evidence for my intolerance for mislabeling goes all the way back to a post I made on here when Vanessa was 2 or 3. Thankfully my brother did really well summing that up for me. :-)

Warped

These are like a year old. (I can tell from the sleeper Zane has on.) I was reminded of them when I went to send Adam an email at work and my Google drive relinked to them. I bet we have a hundred or so with Vanessa and Zane. The iPad can be so much silly fun! Fitting for our warped sense of humor.

Schoology

Vanessa visited Hogwarts for a friend's b-day. Zane used the opportunity to further advance his understanding in optics.