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This afternoon was a different one. I made soup for about 90 people...okay, I exaggerate, 30. My freezer meal group has gotten its act together and we are meeting to trade foods tomorrow. I made hamburger soup. Doesn't sound exciting, but it is hearty and tasty. Great for a night like tonight. While the soup was a-cookin', Grace and I read like demons to finish our book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. She would read several pages and then look at the gorgeous drawings with me. Then I would repeat the process. Today, I did the lion's share of the reading. There was a reason for that: we wanted to go see the movie. Sarah read it a month ago and has been chomping at the bit to see it. I have a policy that we must read the book before we see the movie...a much hated policy that they always end up thanking me for. Grace and I were successful and the three girls ventured off to see "Hugo" way out west on a rainy night. The usual disappointment for character omissions and plot changes aside, the movie was visually beautiful. Everyone was just like I had pictured them in the book. Sascha Baron Cohen did not act like a perverted idiot...though that part of him does have it's place at times. What I liked the best was that G pointed out how the book and movie were different. She realized they cut a lot of exciting book parts out and combined things together. While she loved the movie, she loved the book just as much. That made the reading out loud for 2 hours today worth it. Next book up is "Wonderstruck" by the same author, Brian Selznick. The illustrations are equally, if not more, beautiful. I can't wait to snuggle up with my favorite second grader and "You read one page I'll read one page it" all the way through. Precious times....