The Continuing Adventures of Chicken Bean

Frank has had a story character in his head for many years, called Chicken Bean. I blogged about Chicken Bean back here (when Frank was just four) and Gus blogged (and Frank danced) about Chicken Bean here (when Frank was three!). Just this week, I think it clicked with Frank (who is now 7, for those of you who are struggling with the math!) that he is now capable of *writing* about Chicken Bean. He sat down very patiently for about three hours one morning this week and wrote and wrote and wrote. I think he wrote three pages of the story that day. Here is page one...



Gus helped him record an audio version of the story in the tree house the other day. Frank read the story and had Gus do sound effects and a few special voices. It really is sweet and funny. I'm gonna see if we can find a way of adding the audio to this post. It's also funny to hear Frank read his own writing because he gets a little mixed up on words like "treasure", which he had spelled "chreshr". The spelling is primitive, but I can definitely tell (especially in the audio) that he has picked up a bit about story structure from overhearing so many audio books that are primarily aimed at older siblings.

Frank the Defender

Originally posted on Chez VH, December 12, 2010 -

Bad guys and monsters shall surely flee...

Frank Fashions

After putting on a bright red Hawaiian shirt (complete with surfboards and palm trees) for a trip to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner a few nights ago, Frank confidently announced, "I look handsome in Venice."

Frankly Speaking on Religion

The other day I was talking to Kate and Frank (now 8 and 6 years old) about the difference between animals and people. I asked them if they knew what the difference was. Kate replied, "Animals can't go to heaven." Frank answered, "People are the only ones with two legs and animals just make noises and don't talk."

LOL.

Well, we talked a lot, about how birds have two legs like people, etc. and I ended up also asking them if they knew what a soul was. Kate said, "The soul is the part of you that goes to heaven." Frank concurred and added, "It's the Saint part." When I asked him what he meant, he said that "The soul is the part that goes to Heaven and when you get to Heaven you're a Saint."

________


I was reading a religion book to Frank this evening and asked him about what he can do with the body that God gave him. He answered: "You can live! You can run. You can love people. You can go to Heaven. And you can even jump."

:)

Bearing Gifts (An Old Favorite I Couldn't Resist Repeating)

This dates from May 2006, when Frank was just 2 1/2...

Frank really likes a statue of the Three Kings and the Holy Family that we've been leaving out all year round, rather than just Christmas time. He was playing with this today and pointing at the gifts the kings carried. He pointed to the first one and exclaimed, "Gold!" (I'm thinking, "Wow, he knows more than I thought!") Then he pointed to the second one, "Chocolate!"

Of course "chocolate" when Frank says it, comes out something like "Dah-dit".

Frankly Bored

Frank this morning: "When are we going to a party? It's too quiet around here!"

Truth is we have a little bug going around, nothing very serious, but one we're concerned about passing along to others, and so we've been keeping somewhat quiet at home.

Good news is I've done more read-alouds in the last two days than I have in the last six months (I think). Personally *I* enjoy a little downtime. :)

P.S. One more funny little Frank thing before I forget. It turns out that what most people generally call *mazes*, he calls *amazes*. Sigh. I love that kid!

Frankly Speaking: Defining Terms

Speaking to Ria:

"Trading is kind of like a good kind of revenge."

;)

Frankly Speaking: Couch Potato Edition

I was talking with Frank this afternoon about how food and exercise give you energy and make you strong. So I asked him what would happen if you sat around and watched T.V. all the time and only ate ice cream and soda. He answered:

"You'd get a terrible cold."

Frankly Speaking

"Mommy, can we have some egg noggin after dinner?"

About Town with Frank

Today I had Frank with me as I ran some errands, which included pointing out an apartment that John and I had lived in when Ria was a baby. Frank had a little trouble wrapping his head around this concept at first, but finally acknowledged, "Oh! You mean before we were made."

Thinking this was cute, I added a bonus question: "Who made you?" To which the answer was, of course, God.

Chit-chat proceeded for a few minutes until it naturally flowed away from theology and into (what sounded to me like) more practical matters. Soon I found myself asking him another question that flowed naturally from the conversation: "What are you made of?"

He proudly and confidently answered: "Nothing!" :)

Frank's Tidbits of Wisdom

Frank: "Mommy, do you know why they call Halloween 'Halloween'? Because we put pumpkins on the porch and the pumpkins are hollow."

Frank: "Mommy, do you know why little people have more birthdays than big people? Because if you have too many birthdays, then you die."

Frankly Still Speaking and Speaking :)

Here are two funnies from Frank today:

This morning I found a large ugly bug behind the bathroom door and called for some assistance in removing it. Frank immediately piped up from the hallway that he'd take care of it and asked how big it was. I hesitated, but answered in my typically silly way, "Well, it's not as big as you." He answered with seriousness and just a hint of competence: "Oh, that's a daddy long-legs. They don't hurt you!"

Tonight Frank asked Daddy: "Daddy, can my dinner be for my lunch?"

I only just realized...

that when Frank says something about Christmas colors, he means Prismacolors!

Another Funny Story

I can't believe I haven't posted in a week! We are up to our eyeballs in school and activities (and helping proofread the upcoming issue of mater et magistra magazine) and I'm doing some of my keeping up with friends and family over on Facebook.

Anyway, here's the story, before I forget it...

Last month our family went to Mass with my brother-in-law and his family as we were planning on going to brunch afterwards. They sat in the row immediately in front of us (along with the Van Hecke grandparents). As we had a very tight spot (we were a little on the late side), my little girls moved up to sit with grandma and grandpa (admittedly, they probably would have done this even if there was more room!) and Frank wanted to get in on the act.

He walked around the other side of the pew and sat down right next to Uncle David. David related this story to us afterwards: He had whispered to Frank (somewhat in greeting), "Did your family come, or are you here by yourself?" Frank simply looked up at David and said...


"Nice tie!"

:)

Frank's Philosophy of Life

All foods are either "tasty" or "sweet". Sweet foods (which include such divergent selections as fried rice or macaroni and cheese) are not be consumed at night because they'll keep him awake. He did explain once that macaroni and cheese had too much sugar in it to be eaten before bedtime. Tasty foods, on the other hand, are quite safe before bedtime and, in fact, help him to go to sleep. These include things like salt and pepper potato chips and a wide variety of other foods that I can't recall at the moment.

Use Hyperbole wherever possible as in the following example:

"She's the naughtiest girl in the WORLD!"

Be optimistic:

"It's a really good thing I didn't drop my OTHER chopstick on the floor too!" (Overheard at a Chinese restaurant last night)

A Healthy Dose of Frank

Frank just walked in and showed me a baby carrot he was about to eat and explained, "I didn't ask for this one. You know why? Remember, I put some carrots in the fridge tomorrow and it's one of those."

Other recent stories:

From Ria: Apparently Frank gets frustrated when people interrupt him (who wouldn't?) and complains that they're "breaking the story."

Frank was talking with Ria and Gus about his bed. He said he'd sleep in his bed forever and ever. Ria asked him what he'd do when he went to college. He said, as if they ought to have known better, "You don't sleep in college!"

Frankly Speaking: Weather Edition

Yesterday, Ria and Gus and I were watching an apologetics DVD with some friends when Frank happened to walk through. Someone on the DVD was talking figuratively about the breath of God (I don't remember the exact context).

Frank looked up and casually remarked:

"When God breathes, it's a windy day."

Things Frank Said Today...

When hearing about a baby shower the girls in the family will be attending this weekend...

"Gus and I will stay home and take a bath."

After tasting Macaroni and Cheese made by Terri and Bernie...

"This is WAY too cheesy. That makes me stay up late cuz it has sugar in it."

Recent questions he's asked:

"How do we get to sleep when we're in Heaven?"

"Why can't I see my nose?"

"How did Jesus go up into Heaven if he didn't have wings?"

Question Frank Asks

In the middle of prayers tonight, he asked Ria what a soul is.

Recently he asked how Jesus went up to heaven when he didn't have wings.

What's less than zero?

How can we breathe underwater?

I'm sure there are others, but I forget quickly. Just wanted to jot some of them down.

Chicken Bean, the Movie

DSC_1470
Originally uploaded by Chez VH

Chicken Bean is Frank's imaginary movie, as can be seen in this illustration, drawn by the movie's producer and director, Frank. Ria kindly wrote in Frank's notes.

He specially requested that this be posted on the blog.

By the way, I still don't understand why the Nest Holder is the thing that holds the nuts, but I have determined that Chicken Bean has nuts just in case he gets hungry.

An interview with the producer/director:

Who is Chicken Bean?

Frank: He's shaped like a chicken.

Does he talk?

Frank: Yes.

Part of the storyline involves Darth Vader, who stole a rifle from Chicken Bean. "Save" (the short guy on the left side) took the rifle back and gave it back to Chicken Bean.