Lights, Camera, Popcorn

This past weekend, Frances and I had a “girls’ afternoon out” and headed to the movies.

Winnie the Pooh!

Now is probably the time to confess that I am not a big movie fan.  Sometime between law school and today I stopped watching them (unless they came highly recommended, usually by Will, or I found myself accidentally watching them while doing something else…like writing this blog!).  I’m not sure why and I really wish I could learn to simply enjoy movies for what they are—entertainment.  But as it stands today when I try to watch a movie, my mind wanders to everything that I could be doing if I weren’t watching it—folding laundry, reading, taking a walk, enjoying time outside, or a million other little things.

But there is nothing like a three-year-old to change your perspective on everything—even activities you thought were a waste of time.

Popcorn and an Icee the size of my head.  It was a good day!

Frances was excited from the word “go!”  She loved the ticket booth, raced over to the arcade games (Pole Position!  My favorite when I was little, too), and marveled at the tacky neon light displays.  To her, they were the most beautiful things she has seen since the flowers at the botanical gardens…and they were PURPLE!  But Frances was most excited about the popcorn.  Both she and George beg for popcorn on a (nearly) daily basis and the fact that it was essentially a requirement to watch the movie made the theatre better than Santa’s workshop.  At least on this day.

Thankfully Frances also loved watching the movie (a close second to the popcorn) and it was the perfect film for a three-year-old.  It was just over an hour and as G-rated as they come—nothing scary to facilitate the dreaded nightmares and plenty of slapstick moments to induce giggles.  I have always been impressed with both kiddos’ abilities to sit still and become genuinely engrossed in things I assume will bore them.  Frances was so captivated she insisted we stay until the credits finished rolling (of course, she did have a couple of handfuls of popcorn kernels left in her bucket.  Maybe she was afraid that no movie meant no popcorn.  Smart girl.)

We met up with the boys afterwards for Mexican food (everyone’s favorite!). 

The restaurant is directly across from a frozen yogurt shop, which of course we had to visit, and both establishments surround a grassy courtyard perfect for after-dinner craziness.  Doesn’t this place just scream “RUN AROUND AND GET OUT THE REMAINDER OF YOUR SATURDAY ENERGY!”

It sure did to me!

Have a great week everyone!