Wild Things/Gordon Hall

The kids and I went to see "Where The Wild Things Are" this afternoon. It was an interesting elaboration on the book. There was a lot of depth to the movie. The makers created an interesting family dynamic between Max, his mom, and older sister. Max is the kid who no one pays attention to, which is just like the book, but he is the youngest sibling of two in a divorced family. The writers give you the reason why he acts out...he is confused, blames himself, feels alone as well as sorry for his mom since the divorce. It gives you an interesting back story on his current state of being...and then takes you to the island where the 'wild things' are. There is a similar disconnect going on between all of the 'wild things' on the island. It seemed every 'wild thing' was representative of all of Max's feelings. The 'ignored' one, the 'abandoned' one, the 'loner,' etc. I thought it was a great movie, though not totally appropriate for Benjamin. He had a hard time sitting still and took numerous potty breaks. Emily really liked it though I don't know if she fully understood the lessons in the movie. The artistry to create the 'wild things' was truly unbelievable. I hope the creators receive and award for them!

After the movie I ambushed the kids with an impromptu photo shoot at Gordon Hall. Gordon Hall is the historical white house that sits on top of rolling hills by our house. It actually used to be a part of the Underground Railroad. I would love to buy it and have it fully restored. It makes a beautiful setting for photos! Some adorable and some crazy...