Narnia

Last week we finished The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.  I don't know exactly what it was, but something about this story really spoke to the kids.  The absolutely loved it!  As we were nearing the end of the book, Harrison asked, "What are we going to do for our party?"  I shrugged and said maybe they could dress up as their favorite character in the book.  They immediately got to work on their costumes.  Harrison had me buy him a foam sword ("They're at Target, Mom.  In the front."  How did he know that?) and he made a shield out of cardboard so he could be Peter.  Chloe spent the day as Lucy.  She adored Lucy.  I think the idea that a little girl like her could be so important was empowering for Chloe. 

(Look what I found in my yard this morning!)

Reading this book to them at bedtime worried me a bit.  It's all edge-of-your-seat action and life and death situations so there wasn't ever a good stopping point.  I'd end each night with " . . . and we'll find out tomorrow if they lived."  Neither of them seemed to have trouble sleeping, though.

The movie (the new Disney/Walden Media version) is one of the most beautifully photographed films I've ever seen.  (Of course it was filmed in New Zealand which is #1 on my Dreamy Places to Visit List.)  It's also very scary, even for me.  When you read the book, your imagination can decide how scary you want something to be.  With the film, they had to actually show it.  Tilda Swinton as the White Witch makes me feel scared inside.  (Let's be honest: Tilda Swinton as herself makes me feel scared inside.)  When I asked Chloe if the movie was scary, she said, "Just a little bit."  She said the only scary part was when they almost drowned in a water rapid.  That part wasn't in the book, so I think it surprised her.  Overall, they both loved Narnia.