The Zany Zukowski Weblog

We have the great blessing of the boys Great Grandparents. They live in Palm Desert California. They are in their 80’s and slowing down a bit these days. They are great people and very special to us! Just in case you don’t know the story here’s what makes them so extraordinary. My Dad’s parents had 7 children. My Dad is the oldest of the 7. My Dad’s mom died of cancer when Dad was 19 and his youngest sister was just 7. After her death someone in the parish set Grandpa up on a blind date. His date had 8 children and her husband had died as well. Long story short they married and only 12 of the 15 kids ever lived at home at one time. After raising so many kids, nothing ruffles their feathers, they are kind and warm and I hope mellow out just like them.

Even after all those kids, they still like seeing the babies. So whenever we are able to make the trek, we make a point to visit with Grandma and Grandpa LeBrun. 4 generations together! We enjoyed a light lunch and lots of compliments. The big boys even went swimming in Grandma’s pool! Here are the pictures of our lovely afternoon together!

Disneyland has a great ‘attraction’ or more like show with a lot of audience participation. Several times a day they host “Jedi Training” for young kids. We tried several times on our trip but coordinating our timing was a bit of a trick. On our last day in Disneyland we split up so Michael and the boys could go early to the “Tomorrowland Terrace” and get a seat for training. Theo fell asleep so Mom and Dad took Theo and his stroller to wander around and let him finish his nap. I joined Stephen and Freddy and Mike. After much anticipation and waiting the Jedi knights appeared. The chose kids at random out of the crowd for the training. Mike held Stephen up and they passed over him the first time. The second pass through the crowd Stephen got picked. We asked Freddy if he was interested, but he said no. Stephen wasted no time picking out a Jedi robe and training light saber. The kids were told where to stand and the training began. They learned how to ‘activate’ and ‘deactivate’ their light sabers. They learned left and right slashes, and most importantly they learned to duck! The Jedi instructors even quizzed the student on why it was important to duck, to keep your head! I couldn’t help but think how fun this was to watch Stephen play along with the Jedi instructors and what great photo opportunities. At this point Freddy decided he wanted to go up, but there wasn’t any more room for him. He was a little sad but content to be held. The instructors reviewed that the force is only to be used for knowledge and defense and never in attack. (mom’s around the terrace sighed with some relief)

But this is a Disney production and more was to come..

“There’s a disturbance in the force!” said the lead Jedi knight

cue star wars music dun dun dun don dun and in walk in two storm troopers and the stage begins rise.

The Jedi instructors quickly move the trainees off to one side and  the stage reaches is zenith, with both Darth Vader and Darth Mal!!!!! Out they strut in all their evil glory, their theme song playing, smoke wafting about and some frightened and elated young Jedi trainees! After some trash talk from Vader the trainees were ready to try out their new skills.

Stephen was in the line to match wits with Darth Mal. Darth Mal was right in front of us and would leer at the crowd and hiss. Freddy took 3 giant steps back towards us. I told Freddy he was safe and could make a mean face back, but he stuck close to mom and dad. Stephen’s turn came up and he was ready, right left, duck, and Darth Mal was defeated by Stephen! Darth Mal continued to battle other young trainees but to no avail. At one point another young trainee used the force against the storm troopers. With his hand left hand outstretched and using the force he pushed the storm trooper back, with his right hand outstretched and using the force he pushed the storm trooper back. And concentrating really hard he used both  hands and pushed back both storm troopers at the same time!

Darth Vader and Darth Mal quickly realized their error, walked back to their stage and decended out of the arena. Our young trainee became an genuine Padawan!

Yes we came home with two light sabers, but no major injuries from them yet, just lots of pretend play!

My parents have been itching to visit Disneyland since the day Stephen was born and if we still lived in California, it would have happened already. The whole concept of Disney is that it’s built for everyone, but we kinda wanted our kids to remember it. This year was THE year to go. Stephen and Freddy are at great ages and the right heights to enjoy most of Disney. My parents were beside themselves with anticipation and a little annoyed, it seemed, to have to wait to tell the kids until we were at the airport. Our fear was that there would be no sleep until we arrived and then how much fun would we’ve had? So in the days leading up to our big trip, it became harder and harder to not say anything about where we were going. We referred to our vacation at the beach and all the fun stuff we would do at the beach until we talked about the beach ad naseum. (In fact, it was I who slipped up in front of the kids, but thankfully mom caught my mistake and redirected the conversation.) The boys were excited to go to the beach and could no doubt feel our excitement for what was in store.

The big moment had arrived and mom and dad worked out some little something or another. We didn’t really know but we had our cameras ready. Dad pulled out an envelope and pretended to look inside.

“Uh-oh boys, we have a little problem.”

“What problem, Pa?” the boys asked.

“Well this says” looking at his paperwork “we can’t go to the beach house until Friday. Why don’t you go talk to Mimi.”

Stephen grabbed the envelope from Pa and looked inside, to see if he could spot some mistake although not being able to read himself, the paperwork was no help. Freddy was already standing by Mimi and Stephen walked over.

“Well boys, since we can’t go the beach” Mimi exclaimed “Let’s go to Disneyland!” And she proudly pulled out 3 red Mickey Mouse t-shirts purchased just for this momentus occasion. Well that did it, Stephen fell apart crying. Not tears of joy, but tears of sadness because this is not what he expected, and he wanted to go to the beach house. Isn’t that all we’d talked about for weeks and weeks? Playing in the waves and digging for sand crabs? What about the beach.

Daddy swooped in to save the day and held Stephen while he walked around and explained to Stephen that yes we would still go to the beach, and play in the waves and dig for sand crabs, but today and the next couple of days we would spend at the happiest place on earth. It took a little convincing but Stephen was slowly coming around. He agreed to go to Disneyland, but he was not wearing that red t-shirt!  Freddy was game to go to the happiest place on earth, and he put on the cool red t-shirt. Theo slept through the whole exchange.

Once we arrived in California, the kids were pretty excited to go, and finally willing to wear the matching red t-shirts. Enjoy the pics~

We celebrated the 4th with family. Michael had to work this year, but I can’t complain as he is a firefighter. Stephen and Freddy spent part of the day with Aunt Mary and Uncle Ed at the Parker festival where they got their faces painted and enjoyed some Italian ice. I think Stephen’s art work was that of a skeleton and Freddy’s was supposed to be a bat. I thought it was so funny that Freddy kept telling me that they put fire in his eyes. Whether the face painter knew it or not,  it was very apropos for Freddy to ‘have fire in his eyes’ as that seems to be the case with him daily!

Mom and Dad came down to our house, Mary and Ed and Liz brought the boys back from parker and we grilled up some burgers and hot dogs and were more than a little afraid that we’d get rained out. But the rain stopped just before dark and just in time to celebrate with some fireworks.