Happy Light Sabers to you!

In grade school, a friend had free passes for the Return of the Jedi sneak preview and invited me along. I have some vague and not unpleasant memories of Ewoks, Jabba the Hut, popcorn, pop, and Twizzlers. I know for a fact though that I had not seen Star Wars or The Empire Strikes Back before that night and that, after the movie, I was not inspired to fill in the blanks.

Star Wars? Well, I'm not a hater. It's more like I just don't care. I feel kind of bored and tired and bummed out when I think about those movies. An unfair assessment, I know, considering that I've only seen one of the originals in its entirety, but I've just never felt up to really watching all three. My hubby is a huge fan, and I watched one of the "new" ones with him once as an act of love. Hayden Christensen's wooden performance didn't win me over or change my opinions about the franchise.

In short, Star Wars = just not my thing.

But now that Galaxy far, far away has become a galaxy very, very near. Let's take a peek . . .

The boys had been watching Star Wars movies with Daddy on Friday Night "Movie Night" so Santa brought them some action figures.

And some light sabers.

The first of many, many light saber battles was waged before eight in the morning on Christmas Day.

The enthusiasm for Star Wars continued to grow and while Daddy was off work around the holidays, the boys begged for more and more. They like to curl up on either side of him as the movies play, peppering the resident expert with queries. Little Bit in particular cannot stop the stream of questions: "Who dat, Daddy?" "Where his light saber?" "He monster?" "Where Luke? Where Luke?"

Grandma and Grandpa were in town for Bub's fifth birthday and witnessing the Star Wars mania, they told tales of vintage Star Wars figurines--dozens of them--that daddy used to play with.

But where were these action figures? Had Grandma given them to Daddy already and was it possible that mommy had lost them? Were they still at Grandpa and Grandma's? Bub insisted upon a follow-up phone call once Grandma and Grandpa arrived back in Indiana. They had located the action figures!

I was the mean mommy who made them wait to open the box until Daddy arrived home.

Look at the sweet suitcase they arrived in!

The secrets of the Force are being transferred from generation to the next.

Yoda, it is. Nice to meet you, Yoda.

"Dat Pin-cess Leia?"

Bub and the gang.

Pretty sweet how the storage trays flip over and become display stands.

I still haven't taken photos of Bub tucked into the Star Wars sheets Grammy and Pop got him for his birthday, nor photos of Little Bit with the bargain Star Wars toddler bedding I found for him after he kept trying to sleep in Bub's bed.

And I still haven't captured Little Bit's pronunciations on video: Hot Slow-lo, Chew Ba-Ha, R2R2, and Pincess LEE-a. I also need to snap some pics of the action figures loaded up in various toy vehicles, including Sweet P's little pink truck. Footage of Little Bit swaddling Chew Ba-Ha before settling in for an afternoon nap with the hairy guy might also warm your heart and give you a chuckle.

Little Bit's ability to turn any object into a light saber when his own is placed in timeout (for over-"enthusiastic" use, a daily occurrence) is also admirable. A broom can be a light saber or metal rods that go with the pack n' play or a spatula . . . most anything.

NTB, but Bub is so inspired by Star Wars that he has established a new greeting (or new holiday even). He dedicated quite a bit of time last week to crafting a "Happy Light Sabers!" banner.

I can't say for sure if Bub is proclaiming that these light sabers are happy or if upon seeing them and the banner's message, one is supposed to feel happy. Perhaps both? I'd like to point out, NTB, that there are 62 light sabers featured on the banner. Yes, I helped by making rectangles for about 50 of them and did the block lettering (and forgot the "T" first time around), but Bub did all the color work, all the stickering, and the detail work on the light sabers.

Note the Barney sticker. Does Barney know how to use The Force? For good? For evil? Discuss.

Bub says to me, "Mom, did you see I put a finishing touch with that exclamation point!" He's mine for sure!!!

I still haven't been able to sit through the movies in their entirety, but I feel as if I am absorbing them through osmosis. I may not love the movies, but I love seeing the boys and their daddy sharing this experience together.

And now I'm off to get my pitch ready for George Lucas. I think "Happy Light Sabers!" has potential -- animated series featuring talking light sabers? boy band concept? reality show featuring two little Star Wars junkies? What do you think?

Are you a Star Wars fan? What are the children in your life obsessed with these days?

Happy Light Sabers to all and to all a good fight (between good and evil and with light sabers)!