Lightning McQueen v. Mumble Happyfeet

Well, Happy Feet finally made its way to our local dollar theater last week and, being the only recent animated film we had yet to see, we hightailed it over today and caught the early afternoon show. The consensus, among my family at least, is that Cars was ROBBED at the Oscars.

We bought Cars on DVD the day it was released and for a while it seemed like it was playing in one continuous loop, but we finally took a break for a while. But just the other day we popped it in and I marveled all over again at just how hilarious it is. We find enjoyment not just in the out-and-out jokes but also in some of the looks on the cars' "faces" or subtle action taking place in the background of a scene. We love that movie!

Happy Feet, on the other hand, felt like a movie in two parts. We liked it just fine, but the transition from cute, funny flick to environmental sermon was pretty abrupt. I realize its message was important, but ask anyone in our family and they will tell you, the Oscar for Best Animated Feature definitely should have gone to Cars!

Remember how I blogged previously about experiences every parent should be forced to endure before receiving their parental badge? I've got another one for you. It is well-known that Sawyer is crazy for construction equipment and I will tell you what, it is beginning to take its toll on me! This is one phase he doesn't seem to be outgrowing! Whenever we are driving anywhere, Sawyer absolutely must name EVERY moving object on the road (with the exception of cars and vans, oddly enough). For example, it would not be uncommon to hear the following on an outing:

Sawyer: "Mommy, look! A tractor trailer! Mommy, look! A police car! Mommy, look! A city bus! Mommy, look! A backhoe! Mommy, look! A Wal-mart truck! Mommy, look! A FedEx truck! Mommy, look! A UPS truck!" (He occasionally slips back into an old habit and calls that one a VBS truck.) (Ha ha--you thought I was done, didn't you?! Oh, but no.) "Mommy, look! An ambulance! Mommy, look! A schoolbus! Mommy, look! A car hauler!"

Okay, I don't know about the highways where you live but if they're anything like ours, the previous exchange can take place in under two minutes. Now, as if that verbal assault on the ears were not enough, there is one little piece of information I left out--I am required to acknowledge each of Sawyer's revelations as soon as he makes them and if I don't, his voice rises in a crescendo that brings all other conversation to a stop. "MOMMY, LOOK! A SCHOOLBUS!"

So this is what the conversation REALLY sounds like:

Sawyer: "Mommy, look! A tractor trailer!"
Me: "Wow! A tractor trailer!"
Sawyer: "Mommy, look! A police car!"
Me: "I see that police car!"
Sawyer: "Mommy, look! A city bus!"
Me: "Yeah, yeah, it's a city bus."

You get the picture. I actually find myself laughing sometimes, wondering how long it would take me to start wanting to throw myself out of the car if we were to embark on a cross-country trip! But I know exactly what he'd say: "Look! An ambulance!"