Dad and Violet watching some videos on the phone before heading next door for dinner.
Proof that Violet doesn't mind the carseat anymore. She is like a giant marshmallow mummy in her winter coat - her arms stick straight out and she can't reach down to pick up her toys when they fall to the front of the seat. Hilarious! (For us. Not so much for her.)
I'm looking forward to finishing up school today and starting Christmas break. Two weeks off, whoo hoo! The shopping is almost done, the wrapping hasn't even started yet, family is starting to arrive in town and I'm ready for this party to get started!
The snow baby sets out on her long trek across the kitchen floor.
(Is it just me or does Violet look like a fluffy pink buffalo in this pose?)
Aren't you going to pick me up already?!
. I was excited to read it, but more excited to get to the movie. It probably veered the most from the text of any adaptation we watched this year, but that's typical of a film made from a children's book. We purposefully picked a shorter book for December; it's tough enough to get through the holidays without the added pressure of wading through a brick of a novel. I really enjoyed the movie, in part because the main character is voiced by George Clooney. Yum. He really does make everything sound better.
. We always try to keep January's book short, although the language of the Regency Period made this a story that took its time. All of us had read the book before, so the only real debate was which movie version to watch, the BBC epic Colin Firth (rrrrowl!) edition, or the more recent Keira Knightly adaptation. We opted for the newer (and just as excellent in its own right) version.
, to coincide with the theatrical release of its movie counterpart. Alas, Violet was all of two weeks old and not theater ready, so this is actually the only book club movie I have yet to see. I had read this classic in my youth, but on the reread, I was surprised at how...bratty...Alice is.
. We all enjoyed our last Elmore Leonard book, Get Shorty, and we all looked forward to watching George Clooney in this one. Yum!
. This book is another perfect example of a book for children finding new life through the eyes of an adult reader. When I checked it out of the library, I stumbled on 
and came thisclose to whipping up some crumpets or porridge for our afternoon movie. I didn't, but it's the thought that counts, right?
. It was a nice, light chick read, perfect for the beach or a summer trip to England (where the story is set). Apparently British people (or at least our main character) are obsessed with a gummy candy known as Wine Gums, so my friend Joyce tracked some down and brought them to our movie so we could really get in the spirit. They were yum! (And can be found at your local Publix, we belatedly discovered.)
! In this instance, however, the movie far outweighs the book (in my humble opinion). As outlandish as the movie seems, the book is an even taller tale. But it was fun to read it hearing Tom Hank's voice in my head.
. This book was fascinating, not just because of the Michael Oher story, but because it included some pretty amazing football facts about how the game has evolved over time and really created the position that Oher was born to play.
is about the Holocaust, after all. But the book told the story from a child's point of view, letting us see the events of the time through a child's innocent, uncertain eyes. It was actually quite a beautiful story, and an excellent movie adaptation.
. Looking back, I'm realizing just how many books for kids we've picked. But for the record, Coraline is straight up spooky and I would think twice about letting you little one read it. The movie was pretty creeptastic too. Very Nightmare Before Christmas-esque.
. The book was great, but I preferred the movie ending. Sure, they went a little Hollywood with it, but in this case, I'll take it. I prefer my books/movies ending on a hopeful note. Both book and movie were excellent, although the movie has the added benefit of a great soundtrack.
