Picture this. The kitchen is clean. The dishes have been put away, and the Thanksgiving tables -- which served eighteen on Thursday -- have been taken down. On Saturday, Tim and Jessie were privileged to fly with Randy Dilena and his ten year-old daughter, Amanda in one of Randy's two Cirrus planes to Monterey for the day (However, that's another story). Niki and I then picked up Tim and Jess at the San Carlos airport just in time for the last Stanford football game of the season. So far so good?

After church on Sunday, prior to a two o'clock performance of Handel's Messiah, we stopped by Laurel Village for a coffee, a tea, some soup and a book. Tim got some Peet's tea for me and coffee for himself. I went straight to Rigolo for soup for the girls. Then, together we walked down to Books Inc. for a copy of C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia).

We highly recommend the hardback version by HarperEntertainment with the large, easily readable print.

Lucy Opens The Front Gate to The Land of Narnia

On December 9th, "Narnia" the movie comes to the big screen for the first time in a full-length film - thanks to Disney Pictures, Walden Media, director Andrew Adamson, the actors Tilda Swinton, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell and James McAvoy (to name a few) and the voice of Liam Neeson (to name one of many).

In preparation for seeing the film, City Church of San Francisco's Director of Children's Ministries Rachel Pelander has encouraged us to read C.S. Lewis' book out loud to our children.

On December 2nd, parents and their kids from our local church community will meet at Rachel's home to dine on Turkish Delight and hot chocolate, and to discuss the book before seeing The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe together on the 9th.

To further prepare ourselves for the next two Fridays, we have also ordered a copy of the DVD C.S. Lewis & Chronicles of Narnia - The True Story of the Author of the Classic Tale which will be released on December 6th.

Aslan

This will be the fourth time our ten year-old has read C.S. Lewis' second book in the magical Narnia series. It will be the third time we have read it together, but the first time I have done so with our seven year-old.

Given the speed in which all three of us read today we will have no trouble getting through this 189-page book by Friday.

A World Class Setting to Read a World Class Book

The Sunday after Thanksgiving was a day for cozy cashmere sweaters, any type of UGG boots and warm shearling coats.

While the sun was shining in San Francisco, the air was crisp and cold.

As Tim took our Golden Retriever for a rollerblade ride along Crissy Field, the girls and I found the perfect picnic table near the Warming Hut.

With a world-class view in front of us, we dug into our world-class story about Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter's first adventure through the Spare Oom and War Drobe into the Land of Narnia.

The icy snow-covered world of Narnia was quite a contrast to the view of sailboats on the San Francisco Bay on Sunday.

As we always do when we read aloud, we each took turns reading a few pages. Sometimes we read an entire chapter before handing the book to the next person.

It had been some number of years since Jessie and I last went on this vicarious adventure together. As a result, many of Lewis' words appeared fresh on the page.

Lucy & Mr. Tumnus

I had forgotten how hard Mr. Tumnus, the Faun had cried, and how easily he asked Lucy for forgiveness.

But I remember the illustration of the inside of his home like I had seen it yesterday.

Seeing this image again today made me all the more intrigued to see director Andrew Adamson and screenwriter Amy Peacock's adaptation of Lewis' story in Big Picture form.

Tilda Swinton as Narnia's White Witch

How magical the land of Narnia has looked in the recent trailers.

But how will screenwriters Amy Peacock, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely bring Lewis' words to life?

I can't wait to see the superbly cast, brilliant Tilda Swinton (aka Rosetta, Ruby, Marinne and Olive in the last film my brother produced called Teknolust). Tilda has taken on the role of the White Witch, Jadis in Narnia.

According to NewKerala.com, Tilda will not be taking her kids to the film, which portrays their mother as the epitome of all evil. Honor and Xavier have no desire to see the film in which they encouraged their mother to play the role of the White Witch.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has given the film a PG rating for "battle sequences and frightening moments". However, that won't help the actress, who turned forty-five on November 5th, entice her seven year-old twins to attend the premiere in London or any other showing.

Eric Braxton, who saw an advance screening with Joel Siegel and the director, Adam Abramson, said this about Tilda in the role of Jadis:

She's scary as hell in the understated way that will give your kids (and maybe even you) nightmares. And she's got style to boot!

Looking On The Bright, "Warmer" Side

Narnia producer Mark Johnson said, "This movie really is ... about empowerment and about kids ... taking charge of their lives."

William Moseley (Peter Pevensie) and Anna Popplewell (Susan Pevensie) were asked by Sci Fi Wire about the deeper meaning of the film. "You've got to change yourself before you change the world," Popplewell said.

Moseley said:

It's down to respect for others and respect for yourself, and the choices you make affect you.

For me, personally, I felt that it was a moral battle: all about morality and [how] the path you choose defines who you'll be.

This afternoon, as I soaked up our world while reading about another, I couldn't help but question how we get from this world to the next.

Thanks to C.S. Lewis we will likely ponder that question with our fellow daughters of Eve and sons of Adam on December 2nd.

To learn about the adventures of the Pevensie children, please explore:

This Saturday, December 3rd at 8pm EST, the Disney Channel will air a significant "Sneak Peek" at The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "preparing for winter with Christmas" living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC