Minecraft Piano Challenge

Here he is, the guy we made this morning.  Madison and Daddy went back to Lowe's to construct this masterpiece, which concluded the summer's projects with more of a whimper than anything.  This one was amazingly easy to put together, and only took us ten minutes or so.  Still, it's all about the together time, the construction, and the patch of course.  Daddy gave Madison the hammer for much of this project, and even gave her the nails to drive in.  We bent several, and had to ask for some replacements, but that's all part of the learning process, right?

Afterwards, Daddy had to do some work with that unicorn fish we're constructing at the warehouse.  That, and a trip down to Sterling on the Lake, a residential community where we had all kinds of inflatables and fun set up.  We had plans to do a skit, but there was a miscommunication with the DJ.  Translation:  the DJ left way too early.  But it still was a great day in that community, as there was a big slip and slide set up, and inflatables, and buckets full of ice just waiting for those folks who hadn't done the ice bucket challenge yet.

Daddy went to the warehouse to do some painting after this.  We finished our unicorn fish, just as a huge storm was rolling in.  The weather was so hot earlier, so this storm was more than welcome, as it cooled everything off marvelously.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Madison and Mommy were having a splendid day.  They watched the rain come down in buckets, although they weren't ice buckets.  Madison did her piano practice today, this time with a renewed sense of purpose.  You see, she's been inspired to take the MINECRAFT PIANO CHALLENGE!

This is something Daddy made up to get her moving a little faster with piano practice.  We don't own the game Minecraft.  It's probably past its peak as far as popularity goes, but all the kids have been playing it on their personal devices and their game consoles.  Last year, many were dressed up as characters of Minecraft for Halloween, and there are countless references to the game everywhere in pop culture.  So, with that said, Daddy promised to get the game for Madison if she completes her piano homework as shown on this chart he created.  So once done with each practice, she sprints into the kitchen to mark off her next day.  It's kind of like a Minecraft Advent Calendar.

We finished the Never Girls book tonight at bedtime, which puts the pressure on Daddy to go get that next one from the library.  These are popular books too, as evidenced by the fact that the library's copies were all out.  We have a hold on it, which is a nice way of saying we have dibs on it next.  These books have been captivating for Madison, who soaks in every word and listens very carefully to the stories being told.  She could read these books on her own, I believe, but at this point it's just a fun thing to do each night together.  Story time is one of those things I'd rather not have go away.  Besides, Daddy is enjoying the stories as well, for a couple reasons.  One of course is that they are a fun adventure to share with Madison.  But the secondary reason is that he's got his eye on a series at KidPak for the future, one where we visit Neverland for two months.  We'll take KidPak to the second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning, with all sorts of wonderful lessons.  It may have been mentioned here before, but Madison helped conceive a few of these bottom lines, Daddy's favorite being, "Think of a happy thought."  This will probably take place in January, but that's how far in advance we have to plan sometimes, and already we're amassing the different sources we can go to in order to get inspired by Neverland.  I don't think we'll be visiting the Neverland Ranch, but there is quite a bit to watch and read:

1.  "Hook"
2.  "Jake and the Neverland Pirates," a season of episodes
3.  "The Never Girls," seven of those books
4.  "Tinkerbell" movies from Pixie Hollow, five of those movies
5.  Disney's "Peter Pan"
6.  "Return to Neverland"
7.  "Peter Pan" (2003)
8.  "Finding Neverland"
9.  "Peter and the Star Catchers," eight books
10.  "Neverland," a television mini-series we haven't seen yet.

Recently, we revisited "Peter and Star Catchers," and each night a bit of "The Never Girls."  But in the name of 'research,' I know we'll be back in Neverland quite a bit in the coming months.

"You know that place between sleep and awake, the place you can still remember dreaming?  That's where I'll always love you.  That's where I'll be waiting."  Tinkerbell