Maddie Takes Manhattan

 

Madeline Fretz - I knew what would happen once I saw this puzzle on Christmas Day. I've been to the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, New York City twice prior (once for Spring Break 2018, once at the start of 2020), but now I would be going again. On my first trip, we took a train, on our second, we took a bus, but this time we'd be going on an airplane. I have previously been on planes to Orlando in 2013, Key Largo in 2016, and Las Vegas in April, but this would be the first time I’d fly to NYC. Santa gave my sisters and I headphones, suitcases, and jackets since we would be flying there anyways.

I just got home, and I’m sharing some pictures from this trip just for you, I know this is a Sprout blog, but don’t worry, there’s a bit of Sprout in this post. I promise.

We stayed in the Lotte New York Palace, which is where Season One of the show Gossip Girl was filmed. Here’s the amazing view from our room!

Holding up the world!

This is Radio City Music Hall. Barney LIVE! in New York City filmed here in 1994 and Elmopalooza, the Sesame Street 30th anniversary special, in 1999.

At an iconic train station I don’t know the name of.

Me with the huge ornaments by Radio City.

Pizza!

Me with a milkshake at Max Brenner.

This is me with my mom with a light show.

My sisters and I saw the Statue of Liberty on a ferry to Staten Island.

This is me with a sign at the largest store ever(?) and the home of the thanksgiving day parade - Macy's. I had to go to the bathroom, so we went there, and even rode the world's oldest escalator.

Us with the pretty views of city lights at Roosevelt Island, where took a tram both to and from.

…and finally this is me with 30 Rockefeller Center, where they filmed The Sunny Side Up Show as of 2014.

Other things my family did on the trip were the following: Dad and my sisters saw The Music Man on Broadway (on my first trip, we saw Wicked, on our second, we saw Frozen) while Mom and I went to the M&Ms Store, Dad and my sister Abbie went to trapeze school while Mom, Ella, and I went to Strand and Max Brenner's, and we went ice skating, though I didn’t want to, and I had hot chocolate. 

Overall, great trip, even though New York is not my kinda place. Ya know, too cold, too many people, a lot of walking…

My Week with Kindness Counts: The Song

 In 2013, Sprout welcomed new Sunny Side Up Show hosts Tim Kubart and Kaitlin Becker by having them on the float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The song they sang? A new original song called "Kindness Counts," a song about kind acts.

In 2014, Kubart, Becker, Chica, Dennisha Pratt, and Carly Ciarrocchi made a music video using the same song with real kids, and boy are they good singers?

The house-like set from the music video was inspired by two things - "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child and the opening to A Different World.

Here are the lyrics for those curious:

Help your Mom zip your zipper

Kindness Counts!

Find you Dad’s missing slipper

Kindness Counts!

Make a special birthday card

Kindness Counts!

Or grab a rake, clean the yard

Kindness Counts!

Lend a Hand, Get it Done

1

Then 2

Then 3

And 4

Every little bit needs a little bit more

Kindness Counts!

Meet the New kids on the block

Kindness Counts!

Let your friend know they rock

Kindness Counts!

Helping Mom to Walk the Dog,

Kindness Counts!

Pucker up and kiss a frog!

Kindness Counts!

It comes in large amounts;

Give it a try, you’ll multiply

You’ll see!

Every single act of kindness,

Each little thing you do

We’ll add it up to show the world

That is kind to me and you!

Kindness Counts!