Let's go to the movies!

Have you seen any good movies lately? Well? Have you?

I'm dying to go to the movies. So I would love your recommendations. But you should know that I try not to watch anything terribly depressing. And I can't handle rated R movies. Even PG-13 movies are sometimes a little too violent or profane or racy for me. I'm what you might call a "sensitive" viewer.

In our pre-baby days we used to go to the movies about once a week. Sometimes we'd even catch a double feature. We love movies. We'd get a big popcorn, eat the top "layer," and then mix in a box of Milk Duds. Penn would have a Diet Coke. Diet, to make up for the popcorn and duds, obviously. :) I've had to swear off sodas in movies for a couple of years. I hate having to take a restroom break, mid-movie, you see.

When I was about six months pregnant with Nicknack we went to see King Kong. Worst movie ever for an expecting lady. So sad. So stupid. So LOUD! I felt like I was committing child abuse. And the loud parts just kept going on and on and on. First, the damsel is being chased by King Kong. Then a dinosaur. Then two dinosaurs. (Or was it three?) Then she falls over a cliff or something. But she's caught by giant vines. Only she's still not safe, because the dinosaurs have fallen, too, and they haven't given up on getting her. Then, she's landed in some kind of marsh full of giant bug-like creatures. Or were they snakes. I can't recall. It's all fuzzy now, so please excuse me if I have the details wrong. I had my eyes closed for thirty solid minutes of the movie, anyway.

It got so loud that, at one point, I left for a few minutes. There was just so much screaming and roaring, and I felt it was scaring the baby. He suddenly became super active. Penn and I tried to muffle the noise with our coats, but I just knew his eardrums and little heart were scarred for life. It was my first attack of parental guilt.

Also, I am the type of person who cries at just about any movie. Or television program. Or song. But this movie was especially sad. And I had pregnancy hormones to deal with. I was literally blubbering (snottily), by the movie's end. The whole drive home I was still crying. "Poor (sob) King (sob) Kong (sob)! How could they be so heartless? Why is the world such a cruel place? He was just lonely and wanted someone to love him! (SOB)" Meanwhile, my husband was berating himself. "What was I thinking taking YOU to a movie like THAT. We should have just walked out." He felt so bad.

Anyway, it was the worst experience I've ever had at a theater.

We saw a lot of movies while waiting for Nicknack to arrive. And then he did. And we've been to four movies since. That's IT! One movie a season!

Last summer we saw Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and Superman. (Both not my favorites, by the way.) At Christmas-time we caught Night at the Museum (cute!) and a few weeks ago, Blades of Glory (a few laughs, and featuring my favorite comedian, Amy Poehler).

But summer is just around the corner. For me, summer officially begins when my mother gets out of school. She's an elementary school counselor. Public schools in her district still have a couple of weeks left! Doesn't that seem like a late finish? Penn and I are counting down the days until she is free. Not only will we get to enjoy more of her delightful company (and that of her wonderful husband), we will benefit from her babysitting services.

During the year, she and my stepdad live about two hours southwest of us. They spend the summer at their ranch, which is two hours east of us. So we're never very far away, since we live smack dab in the middle of their residences. But when school is in session, mother is more busy and stressed out than during the summer months. And we get to visit a lot less.

I adore my mother. And her husband is a treasure. I'm so amazed at how God worked it out so that Nicknack could have a fun, godly grandad. You see, Penn's dad is wonderful, too. He is a man after God's own heart. But...he's 88. So he's a little less spry and active and chatty than he once was. And the grandpa on my side of the family isn't all that interested in babies/children. And he's not a believer. So I'm so grateful that Nicknack has my stepdad for a grandpa. He had two boys of his own (now grown) so he knows all about babies and little boys. He is, hands down, Nicknack's favorite person (other than Daddy, OF COURSE) to play with and spend time with. He's a kid at heart, a mans-man, and all around good guy. He has been a great influence on the three of us (Mother, Penn, and me) and will be a wonderful role model for Nicknack. By the way, what do your children call their grandpas? We have a grandpa (Penn's dad) a grandad (my dad) and... I'm not sure what to call my stepdad.

Oh my gosh! How did I get so far off my original topic? I just wanted to ask if you've seen any good movies lately! I always do this. If you're still reading, hang in there. I'm almost finished.

My POINT is that we have babysitters all summer. And we intend to see a ton of movies. So what do you recommend?

We are SUPER excited about the new Harry Potter movie. We plan to see it on the IMAX screen! I know HP is somewhat controversial among Christians. So I respect your opinion if you don't feel Harry is appropriate viewing for you or your family. I understand. There are a lot of things that I feel convicted about that I know could be a stumbling bock for me, but that might be fine for another Christian. So I hope you won't be offended or worried when I tell you that we love Harry Potter. Whenever a new book comes out my mother, stepdad, and I get our hands on a copy asap and start reading. Mother and I are the bookworms, so we race ahead while he is still in the first few chapters. Then she and I have to WAIT to discuss it with him, while he catches up to wherever we are. It just about kills us! Last year I made the mistake of reading it in one day - by staying up half the night. I deprived myself of a weeks worth of fun. Next time, I plan to pace myself. Whenever a new Harry movie comes out, the four of us (Penn isn't a reader, but he loves the movies) traditionally see it together. Which reminds me, who are we going to get to babysit while we all go see Harry Potter? Thank goodness for my kind mother-in-law!

So what movies are you excited to see this summer? Or have you seen anything lately, that you'd recommend? Or if you aren't a movie buff, is there a great fiction book you'd like to recommend, instead? I typically read only non-fiction and I'm trying to break out of that mold and read something for fun this summer. I'm not taking classes (YAY!) for once, and I just want to see a few good movies and/or read an entertaining book or two.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions, if you have any!