The force is with us....again

We are now well into the month of May, and I feel as if I am just landing on smooth tarmac after a very bumpy airplane ride.

In the past few weeks we have celebrated two birthdays, one on May fifth (yes, I have a cinco da mayo baby!) and one on May 10th. Grandpa has been out from Chicago for a ten day visit. Baseball, swimming and soccer are at an all time feavered pitch. End of school year activities are crowding the calendar and work continues to flow in through the cable line in my office. Throw into the mix a new computer and a car that was in the shop for four days and there you have it - one very busy agenda! All you can do is grab the reigns and hold on for dear life!

But, we are all smiling and keeping our sense of humor. Lately, and I don't know how this all came about, our family has this silly little quippy, smart-alecky banter thing going on. Anytime, anyone makes an inane comment about anything, someone will pick up on the comment and turn it around in a very nonsensical way. For instance, tonight I made salmon for dinner. The kids arrive in the kitchen, "What's that?", they ask. I reply, "I'm broiling salmon." Then someone will say, "YOU'RE a salmon". Or, "That looks like a mighty, fine peach your eating". Hold your breath, count a few beats and inevitably you will hear someone pipe up with, "YOU'RE a peach." I don't know why, but it has become part of our weird family lingo, that we all find so very, terribly funny. (I guess you have to be here...)

Anyway, now that the birthday parties are over, the computer is humming along and the car is operational again, life can resume its normal brisk pace. We are left with a couple pieces of cake in the cake pan and a pile of birthday presents to be sorted through and enjoyed. And, yes, judging by the boys' haul this year, Star Wars is definitely upon us again. Between the two of them, they have received the motherload of Star Wars toys. We can't wait to go and see the movie that is due out later this month and to keep us in the busy until it does, we have two new laser swords, a talking Darth Vader helmut, three, count them three, lego star wars naboo fighter jets, a Tie Fighter and a X-wing, not to mention a whole slew of obi-wan kenobi action figures.

In fact, at the moment, all three of my kids are out on the back patio reinacting a star wars duel with their very cool new laser swords. Laser swords so cool, that they light up blue and red and make very theatrical light-sabery noises. They are giggling and laughing. One of them calls out to the other, "You know what? There are a lot of Wookies in the new movie". Silence. And, then the inevitable response. "YOU'RE a wookie!"

May the force be with us!