Can I talk about Luke some more?

CHIMNEY'S
Originally uploaded by BeanTipton.

It never ceases to amaze me how agile Luke is. You cannot tell from this photo, but he's wielding that lightsaber like a real Jedi. Ok a 4-year-old Jedi (ok Padawan, Justin!), but still he's really good at it. I know his daddy is proud of his keen and intense focus on Star Wars. And amazingly, as much as I like to joke about Justin "forcing" Luke to like Star Wars stuff, Luke is a proactive Star Wars enthusiast. However, if he's playing, you must refer to him as Luke Skywalker, not simply Luke.

UncleIansWound
Originally uploaded by BeanTipton.

Check out the wound he inflicted upon Poor Uncle Ian. I heard Ian yelp from inside the house. Damn, that boy is strong. And this isn't the first time we've witnessed his strength. Now, of course we have to tell Luke not to hit people with his lightsaber, and it was an accident, but I think Justin was just so proud of how well Luke was fighting his oddly competitive Uncle.

So, our lazy Fourth of July consisted of a Tipton-family trip to Gardnerville, NV. It was fun. I wish that Jane would let me help more, but she's hustles around the house cooking, cleaning-up, watering plants and keeping busy with house stuff that I kind of spin in circles following her around. The Tipton men (and boy) have an easier time just watching TV or watching Luke. It's funny for me to witness a patriarchal home. I didn't grow-up in one. My mom would serve dinner to my dad and he would watch TV while she cooked, but that's about where the stereotype stops. I never felt like my dad was the only head of the house, maybe in name only. Tip is clearly the man of the family and wearing the pants - the only pants. That's not to say there is anything wrong with their household, it's just different. Personally, I prefer a more equal-status home (as ours is), but there's something safe and secure about the Tipton house. That is, unless you are playing Trivial Pursuit.

Make no mistake about it. Ron Tipton does NOT like to lose Trivial Pursuit. He hates that Justin nearly always wins. I think he hated it even more when Jane and I teamed-up and beat the whole family in a rousing game of the 90's edition. There is snarling and the gnashing of teeth. Wow. It's something to see. I think it might be something better to miss, at times, but that's neither here nor there.

Luke has been DYING to go fishing, so grandma and grandpa concocted a fishing excursion - just for Luke. Of course, I forgot the camera. That's OK, it was windy and we weren't able to stay very long. I spent a leisurely afternoon in the camper shell of Tip's truck, sipping Fruit 2 O and perusing Jane's stash of People. Now, I know more than I should about Tom and Katie (soon to be Kate a la Scientology's suggestion).