Let the Games Begin!

Madison started out the day on the right note, with piano lessons at Funderful World of Music. The classes are great as an introduction to music and the piano - especially designed for kids Madison's age. She really likes this class, and her teacher as well! The class moves along from one activity to the next, with frequent visits back to the piano to explore the different keys. Today we were discovering the difference between high notes and low notes, and doing a lot of rhythm exercises as well. We need to get Madison a pair of sunglasses for the next time she's in a photo near a keyboard.

Today is the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rabbit - and we say goodbye to the Year of the Tiger. Because of church, we'll wound up working quite a bit today. But after this upcoming Sunday's service, we'll have a nice, big celebration at Ye-Ye's house. Great Grandma is even coming! They've already gotten the place decorated, and we'll get some Chinese food and have ourselves a wonderful time! Look for the post here. But until then:

新年快乐!

Today at church, part of our "work" involved setting up this huge Roman Colosseum play set. Madison, Brock and Daddy had a lot of fun playing with this thing as we were setting it up in the display case. Part of the job means getting to play with toys sometimes, and by gum, if we have to do it, we'll do it I guess!

Let the Games Begin! We're doing a series called "Gladiators" soon, all based entirely on the book of Romans. There was a lot of research into this one, but Daddy enjoyed every moment. Here's the series description and banner:

Friends, Romans and Countrymen: Lend us your ears! All roads lead to Rome this series as we hop on our chariots for an amazing journey through the book of Romans! There's a gladiator inside each of us, and every Roman knows we have to follow orders from above and fight like a champion. When in Rome, we do as the Romans do - so suit up with the full armor for KidPak Adventures: Gladiators!

Tonight we had a fun bedtime story. I'm going to write it down here and see if I can remember it. DO keep in mind that Madison is part of the creative process, adding in her plot points from time to time. I think it may be fairly obvious in this particular story when that happens - you'll also probably easily deduce what movie we watched tonight before bed!

Once upon a time, Princess Madison and Princess Belle were in their library at Belle's castle. No one else was in the castle, because Beast was out with Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and the others in order to pick up some Valentine's Day cards a little early. You have to get them early and not at the last minute, or all the good ones will be taken.

Anyway, Belle and Madison were having such a splendid time together, when all of the sudden a ginormous sock monkey came crashing down the hallway and picked up the two princesses in order to carry them away.

Madison had a big bag of popcorn she was munching on at the time, and cleverly thought to drop some of the popcorn on the ground as she was being carried off. The effect of this was simple: she'd leave a trail of popcorn wherever she and Princess Belle were being carried off to.

When Beast arrived back at the castle with the others, he roared with anger! But one of his servants called out to him.

"Master!" Cogsworth cried out. "I have found a handwritten note!"

Indeed it was! And on this note was written a letter from the giant sock monkey, asking for ransom! In order to free Belle, Beast would have to give the giant sock monkey five hundred fresh bananas!

Meanwhile, the giant sock monkey tied Princess Madison and Princess Belle with lots of rope to a tall tree on a very high hill. Oh my! The sock monkey laughed like crazy, and marched off.

Back at the castle, Beast was desperate! He did not know what to do. That's when he heard a voice call out from the top of the castle:

"There's no need to fear! Underdog is here!"

Flying overhead was a beagle, dressed in a shirt and a cape. It was Underdog! Beast shouted out to Underdog: "Can you find Princess Belle and Princess Madison?"

"Don't you have a cow - I'll fly out and find them now!"

And just like that, Underdog flew over the castle and looked around for clues. Sure enough, he used his extraordinary vision and spotted a trail of popcorn that went off into the forest. Faster than you can say "humahumanukanukaapua'a," Underdog followed that trail over the river and through the woods and straight up a large hill, atop which there was a mighty tree. And tied to that tree were Princess Madison - and Princess Belle!

"I'll untie you beauties from that tree - and soon, my friends, you will be free!"

Underdog always spoke in rhyme. He just does that for some reason.

So he gnawed at the ropes as best he could, and soon Belle and Madison were free. They shook themselves off and turned to walk back home when suddenly there he was, the sock monkey! He was right there in front of Belle, Madison and Underdog.

"You'll never escape now!" the giant sock monkey threatened.

"Why do you want to kidnap us?" Belle asked.

"Because I like bananas," the sock monkey told her. "I want bananas!"

"You shouldn't act like a meanie-head," Madison said. "If you ever want something, you need to ask for it nicely!"

"Do you mean that?" the sock monkey asked.

"We don't need to fight," Underdog said. "Madison's words are right!"

And just like that, the sock monkey stopped acting so mean. "I'm sorry," he said. "I won't be such a meanie-head anymore. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course," Princess Belle said.

And so the four went back down the hill, through the woods, and over the river and back to Belle's castle. Beast was pretty upset to begin with, but when Belle and Madison calmed him down, everything seemed to work out okay.

"Can I have some bananas?" the sock monkey asked politely.

"Of course," Mrs. Potts told him.

And together, they all had plenty of bananas to go around. They ate banana nut bread, banana cream pie, banana milk shakes, banana souffle, and even fried bananas. It was a marvelous banana feast that everyone enjoyed!

So the sock monkey learned that we need to ask nicely if we want something. And everyone had a nice day at the castle, and lived happily ever after.