Every year around this time Steve and I watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy to celebrate our anniversary (ok, this year we threw a party, too, and ate a ton and drank... everything in sight; but usually we're all middle earthen and low-key.)
Due to party and visiting family and plague we had to postpone this year's screening until a few days ago and - after considerable debate - we decided to ask Patrick to join us; a decision which has changed the viewing dynamics considerably. First, we can only watch it in chunks because the window between the twins falling asleep and Patrick himself curling up like a potato bug is not huge. Also, we have to stop every ten minutes to explain what's going since our initial response ("Just wait! It all becomes clear in the next scene!") proved to be a filthy lie. So we explain a lot. Then because Patrick has never seen the movie we can't just fast forward over the boring and/or annoying and/or repulsive parts (like everything Treebeard says or 98% of Gollum or Frodo's entire trek through Mordor - fine, I like Rohan and Helmsdeep and the scenery of New Zealand* and the part when they light the beacons. Achshuwee I could just watch that scene over and over again for twelve hours. That's it. Oh! And Aragorn. Snuuh.)
Anyway, responsible parents don't let their kids stay up more than, say, two hours late on a school night just because they themselves want to watch a movie so I have to go or they'll start without me.
Look! Caroline has taken to wearing a tasteful pearl choker with everything. She's like a young (very young) Jackie Kennedy. Or maybe a short (very short) Julia Child?
You can barely see the necklace as she... I don't know what she is doing. Centering her qi? But it's there with the penguin footie pajamas (Edward calls them his Zippies. I think it is adorable.)
And here she is about to go sledding.
What I particularly like about the styling here (and the bipedal Georgina Chapman agreed with me) is that the clever use of accessories (fleece hat, matching mittens, pearls) enables her to take her pink snow bibs from day to evening. All she has to do is change from snowboots to snowpumps and she is red carpet ready.
OOOOOH! Damn it! The finks! They've slunk off to the basement and I can feel the floors trembling from the fires of Mount Doom. The traitors have started without me.
* I sighed and said, "I really want to visit that place."
Patrick said, "Mom. It's pretend."
I said, "I meant the location. I want to go there."
He said, "I knew what you meant and I can't believe you still think New Zealand exists."
Edward calling his footie pyjamas "zippies" calls to mind the fact that, despite theoretically being Adults with Real Jobs (and a dog-child in my case), my brother and I still refer to fleece jackets as "fuzzies." A fuzzy has a zip front and might have a hood, but only regular sweatshirt pullover items are called hoodies.
Posted by: Meg | January 07, 2013 at 09:13 PM
LOVE the pearls, so very tasteful in a woman her age : )
Posted by: winecat | January 07, 2013 at 09:18 PM
We just returned from a trip that included New Zealand and I basically booked us on the Lotr tour of the country (short version). It was divine. I highly recommend it!
Posted by: Erin | January 07, 2013 at 09:19 PM
You can go there! They have tours of the hobbit houses and the scenery that isn't CGI is still there for your touring pleasure. You can even spend the night in one of the hobbit houses I think. It doesn't seem expensive until you look at the airfare to New Zealand. I might as well start with a teaspoon in the backyard and hope I end up somewhere close when I get to the other side...
Posted by: Kelly | January 07, 2013 at 09:21 PM
It's crazy how she looks so adorably her age and yet, so decidedly NOT, at the same time.
Posted by: bp | January 07, 2013 at 09:32 PM
I googled potato bug and believe you are referring to what I would call a "roly pollie" (sp?) bug, apparently aka pill bug. Because the *other* sort of potato bug, which I didn't know existed (and which is apparently entirely harmless as long as you are not a potato, and very shy, and actually sort of cute) is HUGE and kind of scary-looking. OMG.
Thanks for the entomology lesson. Really, I mean that (I do!).
Posted by: Alexicographer | January 07, 2013 at 09:37 PM
Should I tell you that Australia is far superior to Australia? All there are in NZ is men, sheep and hobbits.
Actually a friend of mine did the whole middle Earth tour and was set up with some LOTR reenactment fighting gear. It looked wonderfully fantastic.
Posted by: Lizzy | January 07, 2013 at 09:39 PM
My 6 years old just told me England and Germany were the same country. She looked really sure of it. I am sure I'm not teaching geography right.
Posted by: Ellie | January 07, 2013 at 09:40 PM
Darn. My snarky comment at Kiwis came out wrong! Blimin crikey.
Posted by: Lizzy | January 07, 2013 at 09:41 PM
She looks very Jackie Kennedy in her sledding ensemble. Love it!
I say if Patrick doesn't think New Zealand exists, he doesn't get to go on the family trip you'll obviously take.
Posted by: Jesabes | January 07, 2013 at 09:41 PM
We introduced our kids to the LOTR trilogy this past year after my husband read the entire story aloud to them. Then they read The Hobbit together in time for us to see that in theaters as a family. I was surprised how enthrall end they all were. They clearly have their father's geek gene. (The eldest was in utero when I saw Fellowship in the theater.)
Posted by: Missie | January 07, 2013 at 09:44 PM
We, too, watch LOTR this time of year. Usually we decide it's the best possible hangover cure, to loll on the sofa on New Year's Day, taking Advil and eating bacon while watching others toil to save Middle Earth. It ends up taking several days, but it's as good a way as any to welcome 2013.
Posted by: Lauren | January 07, 2013 at 10:03 PM
I think she's a brilliant future neurosurgeon. My boys' neurosurgeon is brilliant and talented and wears pearls ALL the time - even with her scrubs and during surgery.
Posted by: Andrea | January 07, 2013 at 11:01 PM
Ha ha maybe I should send him a postcard from this fictional country. I think you can get hobbit stamps at the moment so perhaps you could convince him that it's our Prime Minister. If you ever do head out this way we have a spare bed not far from the studios
Posted by: Clare | January 07, 2013 at 11:13 PM
Too funny - the annual LOTR trilogy is also our Christmas/New Year's thing. In fact, we owned the DVD set before we actually owned a DVD player. Unfortunately, this year, we got only half-way through the first movie (and I agree re: the lighting the beacons bit - by far my favorite scene in the entire trilogy) - but we're sort of half-heartedly waiting to see the Hobbit first (must find a babysitter!!!)
Posted by: Brainy girl | January 07, 2013 at 11:52 PM
For your car-listening pleasure, I still recommend the BBC LOTR adaptation - our brood had no trouble with the films at all because they had been adequately prepped. (And there, too, Aragorn is very, very sexiful.) The person who has trouble with the films is me: "Well, *that's* not in the books!" I keep saying, primly. I've ackshuwee never been able to finish the third one.
Oh, and now that you can use YouTube, you must MUST watch Saruman doing the Mr Tralolo song. "Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous." Indeed.
Posted by: Annette | January 08, 2013 at 01:38 AM
Well that explains the sense of unreality I've been experiencing lately... It's funny watching the movie when you live here because not only do you recognise lots of the actors from various local soaps but you also find yourself thinking "hey, that bit of scenery doesn't connect with that bit so they can't run through both like that!"
I like the beacons bit too, and the charge of the Rohirrim, and Boromir.
Posted by: Jacqui | January 08, 2013 at 02:14 AM
New Zealand doesn't exist. It is now known as the East Island of Australia. Quite handy; it's where we keep our sheep. In return they send us crap actors.
Posted by: Kez | January 08, 2013 at 03:39 AM
*Islands.
Like Lizzy, I stuffed up my Kiwi-baiting snark. Damn.
Posted by: Kez | January 08, 2013 at 03:41 AM
Major parts of LOTR send me to sleep, but the lighting of the beacons ... ah! I don't know what it is about that moment but my chest tightens and I want to cry and go fight a Viking at the same time. (Which I believe is the exact effect that scene is meant to have.)
Viggo as Aragorn ... eh. Miscast. Aragorn is not an antihero; he's a king in waiting. (But if you find Viggo a bit, ahem, attractive, make sure you catch him in "A History of Violence." That will knock your socks right off and into the laundry! LOL!)
Posted by: Hetty Fauxvert | January 08, 2013 at 04:21 AM
ahahahah. Nea Zealand does sound kind of made up...I'm assuming you set him straight? did he believe you?
Posted by: vanessa | January 08, 2013 at 05:57 AM
My 13 yo is plowing through the LOTR books because he wants to see the movies and we told him to read the books first (less explaining for us and hopefully more context for the violence). He's about halfway through the second book now.
Posted by: Katherine | January 08, 2013 at 06:50 AM
Apparently you watch LOTR the same way I do - with one finger on the fast forward for ll those boring bits. Too bad New Zealand doesn't really exist! lol
Caroline in pearls - priceless. And I love "zippies'!
Posted by: Elle | January 08, 2013 at 07:20 AM
We're with Katherine. Thus, I had never seen the movies until this Christmas break. But, oldest son read all of them and got to go see them as they came out. Next son took after his mother and found the books impossible to get into and had not seen them due to the "read the book first" clause. Youngest, ten year old son, read The Hobbit in a big gulp of reading early in the school year and loooooved it ("especially the songs!" thus proving their boredom levels to me). He moved right on the the rest and is about halfway through the second one.
So, he got to see The Hobbit in the theater and we all watched the first one just before Christmas. Figured 18 yo is now out of the read it first parental clause.
It was fine, but neither of the two of us now feel we made any mistakes in not reading it nor that we were missing a whole lot by not having seen it. It was fine, but I was glad I had knitting to do too!
Posted by: Jen | January 08, 2013 at 07:46 AM
You should take Patrick to New Zealand just to spite him.
And drink some lovely pinot noir. :)
Posted by: SarahB | January 08, 2013 at 08:11 AM
She's a less yellow and pointy Lisa Simpson.
Posted by: Crystal | January 08, 2013 at 08:22 AM
I love that beacon scene too. Including the bit at the end where Aragorn goes running in yelling about Gondor calling for aid :) In fact it looks like you and I enjoy and dislike most of the same parts of the movies.
I believe in New Zealand!
Posted by: Hillary | January 08, 2013 at 08:34 AM
If New Zealand doesn't exist I'm not quite sure where it is that we went on vacation last year. While we were not focusing on the LOTR you can hardly help but have places pointed out to you where filming occurred. My favorite was the forest that has the tree trunks with the faces on them - it was really amazing!
Posted by: MJ | January 08, 2013 at 08:44 AM
My entire family, sans me, are LOTR fanatics. And they always have to watch over the Christmas holiday season, while I sit in the non-TV living room sipping Merlot and muttering about the length -- wohmygoddddddd the length (and usually reading a good mystery novel). Whenever I ask them how far along they are, I swear that they respond, "Oh, we're on the 614th disc of the second movie. Gah!
And whenever I walk into the kitchen which is adjacent to the TV room (you know, to get some morsel of junk food to pass the time), freaking Gollum is ALWAYS on to squik me out (Preshussss!) It's become a family joke.
But I'm glad you guys have fun. And who knew that New Zealand actually exists.
Posted by: Beth | January 08, 2013 at 08:50 AM
I just love Patrick.
Posted by: Kathleen | January 08, 2013 at 09:18 AM
Aragorn? Dude. Boromir and Faramir are the true eye candy. Even if Peter Jackson did completely screw up Faramir's character and practically make him the bad guy instead of one of the biggest heroes of the book (BUT I'M NOT BITTER). And I skip Treebeard too. Yawn.
Posted by: Tracy | January 08, 2013 at 11:20 AM
I love the ents and can't believe the Treebeard smack-talk I'm reading here. Shocking. ;)
NZ is like Santa, I think: If you don't believe, you don't get to participate. Where will Patrick stay when the rest of you take a family vacation there?
My 9yo son devoured The Hobbit last summer and is currently reading FOTR. He is alternately smitten with the adventure and bored to tears with the backstory, esp. the storytelling at Elrond's house, which he likes about as much as I like Dostoevsky (=hate).
I hear there is tons of backstory in the Hobbit movie. I'm thinking that'll actually be a good thing for my kid, because it'll bring it to life for him and help him understand FOTR better.
Posted by: Tine | January 08, 2013 at 11:36 AM
I've always felt that if they could leave out Tom Bombadil (and thank the gods they did so) then they can leave out the Ents. Holy Jebus do the Ents bore me.
I also love the beacons. And Eowyn. And Eomer is hott hott hott.
By the time Sam and Frodo are schlepping through the endless mountains, I find myself hoping that Gollum will toss them both into the dead swamp.
Posted by: KeraLinnea | January 08, 2013 at 12:33 PM
It's definitely the time of year for a LOTR binge - something about dark evenings and a need to snuggle down under lots of covers while you watch!
Posted by: Carie | January 08, 2013 at 01:06 PM
We watch the trilogy every winter too. Usually when it is snowing outside and we have some good wine or beer on hand!
Posted by: Melissa | January 08, 2013 at 01:49 PM
Joining Tracy in the How-could-Peter-Jackson-DO-that-to-Faramir?!? school of thought. The man is honor personified (and very nicely personified at that). But I always want to skip Helm's Deep, like I do when I read the books.
Caroline is either doing yoga or dancing to "Walk Like an Egyptian."
Posted by: Genevieve | January 08, 2013 at 04:19 PM
Agreed! It is agreed! Aragorn is so yummy, I mean - Gondor calls for aid! Gulp, YUM. And when he throws the doors open after he falls during the Warg attack, YUM. My husband is reading the story to the boys right now, but refuses to let them know the end until they read it for themselves. He regrets having always known the ending & wants them to have that moment of "Oh!" I think it is time for a re-viewing for us as well, achshuwee! (I love achshuwee...my neice said that for years, too...and it has become part of our lexicon along with "My sorry".)
Oh! Oh! And! It is also agreed! Viggo in A History of Violence is also delicious(especially when there are stairs).
I am very excitable, apparently.
Posted by: reenie | January 08, 2013 at 07:02 PM
Tracy and Genevieve, I love you both and am so glad I am not alone!
Patrick continues to slay me and Caroline has more style in her tiny little pinky than I have in my not-so-tiny person
Enjoy the show!
Posted by: Chelsea | January 08, 2013 at 09:47 PM
My 11 year old is on book 3 of LOTR and her bestie is on book 2. They have epic plans of an all-day marathon of the 3 movies when they finish reading. I just hope they let me watch with them. :)
Posted by: tuesy | January 08, 2013 at 10:10 PM
ROTFL i'll be sure to let my Kiwi friends know that i have been informed of their treachery and will demand they tell me where they are REALLY from! ;)
Posted by: illahee | January 09, 2013 at 12:22 AM
I just wanted to jump on the Tracy/Genevieve/Chelsea bandwagon. My husband who has never finished the books never understands why I get so rabid every time we watch when they turn Diver Dan into the bad guy. Makes me cranky.
Also NZ is very nice, and currently very cheap as most of their employable population are employed in Australia while reminding us that NZ is the best country in the world.
Posted by: Jenn | January 09, 2013 at 05:16 AM
Snowpumps - HA!
Posted by: Heidi | January 09, 2013 at 10:04 AM
This! This is what watching movies is like with my son. I just want to hug him and beat him with a pillow all at the same time. Maybe he should wear a pearl choker?
Posted by: Lori | January 09, 2013 at 11:21 PM
I am very confused by the "Faramir as a bad guy" theme. I just don't see it; I think he is a true hero. I always want to find him sexier than I actually do, though. No such problem with Boromir and Aragorn, and even Legolas to a lesser degree. And Julia, those are my favorite scenes,too. Well, and anything in the Shire, because hobbits.
We have a long way to go before my girls will be ready to watch the movies, though, which means my marathon has been reduced to about half the movie any given year.
Posted by: Kim | January 10, 2013 at 09:40 PM
Kim, have you read the books? BookFaramir doesn't drag Frodo away from his quest to Mordor. He never would have been the sole survivor of a battle that killed all of his men. Whatever he is in the movies, he was so much more, and better, in the books.
Posted by: Tracy | January 11, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Well email me if you want a real post card for Patrick when I get back to NZ after this PhD here in Italy. That is in like 4 months time (FYI). In the meanwhile, I can vouch for it existing, though sometimes I would pinch myself and try to make myself believe I was really there.
Posted by: clare | January 20, 2013 at 10:36 AM
ps.. and now I see that there is another Clare with the same post card idea:) who sounds more able to send a post card from NZ in the near future:)
Posted by: clare | January 20, 2013 at 10:39 AM