So we had MJ's 5th Birthday Party today... it went pretty smoothly and it was great seeing everyone who came. I got flex my new gas grill's muscles. My father-in-law was grillin (well, frying since he likes to use aluminum foil) his famous ribs. They took some time so I was on the other side grillin burgers and dogs as fast as I could.
I must have been at it for over 90 minutes straight until the demand went down. So, I was able to meet and greet and get some BBQ. The ribs seemed to evaporate as fast as they came off the grill, yes Lee is the rib master. I have one rib... one.
My cousin Michele and her husband Martin moved back to the US in November '07 after 14 years in the UK (where She met her lovely husband). But other than seeing them at their welcome back party, we haven't seen each other. I've been trying to get together with them and was delighted when they said they could come to the party.
Now a bit of background info... Michele emails me a few days before the party to ask what MJ likes... I told her Spiderman and Star Wars are his two main loves (he is my son after all). So she then asks if he had a lightsaber. I told her he had a few cheap plastic ones, that was about it.
So they drive up and as they are getting out of the car I see this four foot long box. Now I had conveniently forgotten about the lightsaber conversation... so I'm like what the heck could they have brought?
After eating soms great BBQ and cake, MJ has patiently waited for the grown-ups to be get their collective arses together so he could open his gifts. So he got some nice stuff, plenty of clothes and toys... my brother of course gives him the noisiest toy, a interactive EVE doll from WALL-E and my mother got him Lego Indiana Jones for the 360.
So then he gets to opening Michele and Martin's gift... and it's not a toy lightsaber, it's a REAL Lightsaber! Well, as real as you can legally get without consulting directly with George Lucas. The gave him a Force FX lightsaber! These are official replicas made by Lucas Arts - the same kind the Star Wars fanboys use to make their YouTube videos. It even comes with it's own display stand like some sort of samurai sword.
Ok, so I kind of geeked out a bit inside as I helped him open his lightsaber. It was pretty cool, I must admit. It quickly stole the show... and all of MJ's attention (and mine ;-). Michele said this was the first "toy" they ever bought... well, if they keep buying toys like this they'll be invited to every birthday party from now, including mine ;-)
Oh, and anyone who thinks I'll be sneaking downstairs at 1AM to play out the Darth Vader & Luke Skywalker duel from Empire Strikes Back in my underwear, that is utterly ridiculous.
Anyway, more pics on Martin's flickr site.
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