Clash of the titans

Archer received a Monopoly game with electronic banking for Christmas, and ever since, he's been obsessed with the classic board game. He plays on Noel's iPod touch every day, and he made his own version with a paper board and cut-out Community Chest and Chance cards called "Monopoly With Lower Prices."

On Monday he asked me if he and I could play a Monopoly game on Saturday. I said sure. Since then he's reminded me of our board game date several times.

This morning he bounced into the kitchen after breakfast. "Mom," he said, "are you really good at Monopoly?"

"I'm okay, I guess," I replied.

"Well, I seem like a master at Monopoly," he boasted. Then he bounced off down the hall.

In a few seconds he had returned, eyes bright with excitement.

"This is going to be like the Super Bowl!" he enthused.