Our home for the next two weeks is actually pretty nice. It's a great spot, and it's completely surrounded by trees (when you are going camping with Moo-Cow and the gang it's best to have no other sites too close because a marshmallow fight can erupt at any time). We've also got an incredible view out over a nice big pond, and we have a picnic table and fire pit. What more could we possibly want?

The first thing we did when we got here was set up our tents. I'm sharing the medium tent with Ryan, while Keby, Moo-Cow and Kiweenie are sharing the big tent and Ramses and F.W. are sharing the small one. Rhetorical said as a bear he'd be embarrassed to be caught sleeping in a tent and then he walked off into the woods. We each picked our spots, argued a little over who got the rockier bits, and within a few minutes had our tents set up. Well, almost all of us did. Despite having only two poles and a small tent Ramses and F.W. had a hard time figuring out how it all went together. I'll share some of the pictures I took of them as they worked it out.

They are already having trouble roughing it and we've only just arrived! I can't wait to see how the gang reacts to the camping life over the next couple of weeks. I think they'll do okay. I know they have a lot of great activities planned for us all, and who wouldn't be happy spending time in such a great spot! Well, whatever happens I'm glad you could join us for some camping!

Jingshan park is located directly across the street from the Forbidden City. The hill in the center of the park was built from the dirt that was moved to make the moat around the Forbidden City, and it is said that it was built to protect the palaces from the evil sprits that blew across the land (the spirits were most likely the dust storms that can still be a problem in the city now).

While it was once a relaxation garden for the emperors, it is now a park that anyone can enter…and many do! We went on a Sunday and the place was filled with people! Around every tree were small groups singing songs, people practicing calligraphy by writing on the sidewalks with large brushes dipped in water, men and women twirling large colorful ribbons while dancing, and people playing games, exercising, and even a woman doing tai-chi with a sword!

We loved walking around and watching everyone. There was a mixture of people from all walks of life and of all ages. In fact, some of the most active people we saw were in there seventies and eighties! Nobody seemed to feel self conscious or embarrassed about how they acted or moved either. We even saw a businessman, who was walking with his wife, suddenly break out into a little dance as he passed one of the many stereos blaring music. Nobody even looked twice. It was really inspiring to see such an active culture and I wish there was a park at home like it.

After we people watched for a while, we walked to the top of the hill. Even though it is the highest point in Beijing, the hill wasn't that hard to climb. Along the way to the top we passed by a bunch of different pavilions. They represent one of the five tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, acrid and salt. There used to be a copper Buddha statue in the middle of each one, but they were stolen in the 1900's.

At the top is the Ten Thousand Springs pavilion, and from up there you could see all of Beijing. We could also see the whole of the Forbidden City and we realized just how far we walked the other day when we toured it! Standing on that hill observing modern and ancient Beijing at once with the sounds of singing groups drifting up from below, we really realized we were in an all round amazing place!

The Great Wall was originally a series of small, separate walls created by the independent countries that made up the area that is now China. When China was unified under the first Emperor Qin, in 221 BCE, he ordered the small walls be connected and the Great Wall was born to protect China from enemies outside its borders. Yet, as people all throughout history have discovered, building a wall doesn't necessarily keep out those you are trying to keep out. The Mongol leader Genghis Khan famously said, "A wall is only as good as its defenders," and then went on to attack China.

In the 1400's, after the Mongol attack, a Ming dynasty emperor ordered another 600 miles be added to the wall, and rebuilt older sections to be more secure. It is said that it took over 100 years to re-enforce it and tens of thousands of workers died under the cruel working conditions.

The part of the wall that we visited is between 23 and 26 feet tall. It's made of mostly granite and is very strong because this section was seen as strategically important for protecting the city of Beijing. The guard towers are the length that two arrows could fly apart, so that every part of the wall could be defended from them. This part of the wall is also incredibly well preserved. In some parts of the country the Great Wall has crumbled away to ruins.

No one knows exactly how long the Great Wall is, but estimates range from 1,500 to several thousand miles. Oh, and despite what you might have heard, you actually cannot see the Great Wall from space. A Chinese astronaut confirmed that in 2003.

For the past few years we've had a new Easter Day tradition. Ryan and I head on over to a friend's house (Beth & Michael W.) for a little dinner and some very competitive rounds of Egg Battles! That's not the official name but that's what happens. You pit your eggs (hardboiled and decorated of course) against other peoples eggs to see which one has the hardest shell.

It's a pretty simple game that basically consists of
two people choosing eggs and trying to crack each others egg by smacking them together. One player is the smacker and one player is the holder. The holder puts her egg in her fist with only a small bit showing at the top where the thumb and pointer finger meet. The smacker then smacks one end of her egg against the holder's and whoever's cracks flips their egg around and uses the other end. Once both ends of your egg are broken your opponent gets it. The person who has the most eggs at the end of the egg battles is the overall winner.

Of course even though it is a simple game everyone has their strategies and favorite techniques. Here is a video of Ryan and I battling. Notice my technique of rubbing the top of the opponents egg before I smack it. Considering I lost this one, I don't know how good that technique is.

Those of you who have visited the MCFC Music Hall might already know the name of Christopher Staknys (the official MCFC composer). Well, Ryan and I finally had the pleasure of meeting Christopher, along with his mom Audrey, in person! Within minutes of meeting them, we watched Christopher give a perfect performance of two very difficult pieces on the piano and then we got to hear a string orchestra perform a piece he had written. It was amazing!

So how is an 11-year-old able to compose so many great pieces of music and play them so well? Well, he might be young in age, but he has an impressive resume. Here is part of the brief overview he gave us of his life in music so far.

This is a "photo" we asked someone to take of us when we met Christopher and his mom Audrey. Click on it to see what happened. (L-R: Audrey, Becky, Christopher, Ryan)

"I learned to play violin at age 4. Began to write music at age 6. Sang solo part in Lithuanian song at Boy Singers of Maine Holiday Concert age 8. Played flute in school band - (helped to appreciate flucorder!) – also played recorder. Wrote a symphony when I was 9. Won Laureate Prizes (2nd and 3rd place for solo performance and piano concerto) at International Piano Competition, "Music Without Limits" in Lithuania Aug 2007, 10 years old."

Christopher was a little reluctant to list all that he’s done because he didn’t want to sound self-centered or braggy (which he in no way is). But we don’t think it’s bragging, it’s being proud of your accomplishments.

Christopher doesn't just hide away at home and play music all the time though. He says his favorite activity after music is reading (his favorite author is Homer who wrote the Odyssey and the Iliad) and he plays sports (tennis, baseball and skiing are his favorite).

Christopher also loves animals. In fact his pets have even been inspiration for his music. He's dedicated a symphony to his cat Tiger, and he had a pet rat Bartleby that "wrote" his own music. (Christopher said Bartleby just ran up and down the keyboard, but it was very musical.) He now has a chinchilla named Nutmeg who helps inspire Christopher, and is a big Moo-Cow fan too! (Nutmeg is obviously very intelligent.)

Christopher also likes to help music lovers young and old. He plays for resident at a nursing home, and volunteers at the local YMCA preschool program.

It was really great that we could get together with Christopher and Audrey. As a special treat for other MCFC fans he let us videotape him playing some of the Moo-Cow songs he's written! (You can see video of two of his performances below.) We are planning on releasing a CD of Christopher’s music as well as book of piano sheet music, so keep your eyes out for both of those in the future!

Christopher playing the MCFC Theme song.	Christopher playing Adorable the Oracle Theme.

When I was a kid, I dreamed of the many things I wanted to be when I grew up…an airplane pilot, Olympic gymnast and movie star to name a few. But last week I got the chance to be something I never thought I would ever be. I was a model.

No, I didn't dress in fancy designer clothes, and no I didn't fly to New York for the shoot. The wardrobe was my winter coat, and the location was our front yard. Okay, in the pictures to be honest you really can't even see my face. But I DID stand around while things in my pockets got photographed. And that's basically all models do, right? Stand around and get photographed? See, I was a model.

I was modeling our new MCFC Felties! We have these new craft kits where you can create your own Moo-Cow stuffed animal. We supply directions, patterns, felt, stuffing and string. All you need is scissors, a needle and some glue and the desire to make something cute! They really are cute (maybe I'm a little biased) and easy enough for even sewing novices (like me).

So, how does this relate to modeling? Well, we needed some pictures of the finished Felties for the packaging. My coat just happened to have exactly four pockets, which is the same number of Felties we have to show off (We have kits for Moo-Cow, Ramses, F.W. and Kiweenie right now with
more to come later). We took our little felt friends outside and photographed them all over the grounds of MCFC Headquarters.

Here are some of the behind the scenes pictures....

Here's Ryan setting the Felties up on a cool tree stump that is behind MCFC Headquarters.

We took the pictures just in time, because here is the same tree stump the next day!

You can learn more about MCFC Felties here!

*Cough* *Cough*

Sorry, I have a wicked bad cold. Stuffy nose, sore throat, the works. It was probably because this past week, we went down to New York City for the fabulous Book Expo America. We go to different conferences and publishing events through the year, and I gotta say Book Expo is quickly becoming my favorite. I went by myself last year, and had so much fun, that this year Ryan came along with me. Our friend Erick Chase, a fifth grade teacher, MCFC teacher advisor and writer, came too. Also Ramses and F.W. invited themselves along, but pretty much did their own thing the whole time.

The best part of the expo is the books. The books, the books, the books, the books! Hundreds and hundreds of books all for free. The only thing it can be compared to is trick-or-treating in a really good neighborhood where everyone gives out full sized candy bars.

Along with the books come many of the authors who have written them. I love meeting and talking to authors. One part of conference was dedicated entirely to book signings. Most of the authors had a long line, and I couldn't spend too much time talking to them, but I still had some interesting encounters.

One author, a Chinese healer, signed my book and then he put his hand to his chest and was quite for a moment. When he opened his eyes he said he put healing energy into my book. Do you think it would help me get rid of my cold? I should find that book!

Another author told me she got into New York City at 3 a.m.! I was talking to her only 5 hours later. I think I would be exhausted, but she was very awake and happy and I saw her running throughout the expo the whole day.

Some of the authors seemed a little cranky. I can't blame them, some of them were signing books for hours, but still...

With so many people at the expo (in the thousands) Ryan and I were bound to know a few, but we ended up running into a lot of friends. It was such a surprise. If the publishing world was a 100-pound bag of rice, we are basically a flake of dust at the bottom of the bag. That is, we are very, very, very small. And yet, we knew a lot of people. Some comic artists, some authors, some publishers. I even ran into a friend from another kids magazine, and a cow that blogs about comics named Bully. I told Moo-Cow about him.

ACCHOOOO!!! Now, if you'll excuse me I think I'll go lie down again.

Ramses & F.W. came to Book Expo with us, but went off and did their own thing. From the looks of the pictures on the camera, they didn't spend their time getting books (most pictures were like the one above, which they took out front of a fantasy book booth). Ramses did say that they sat at some tables and signed books. When I pointed out to him that only authors are supposed to sign the books he just gave me a mischievous smile and I didn't ask any more questions. All in all I think they had a good time.