Dear Kid,

Have I told you how much I love my Fitbit?

Not only is it purple (win!), and data-ful (win!), and mine (win! win!), it has encouraged me to make some small but important changes in my life.

For example, I now go to either the first or third floor to use the restroom (I work on the 2^nd floor). Not only does this give me all those lovely extra steps (win!), I get an extra flight of stairs (win! win!) each time I have to pee.

Between my bladder (tiny) and my coffee habit (large), this has added an extra 1,000 steps a day to my step count which amounts to (exactly) 11.5 calories.

If I had taken the same amount of time to sit, Jabba-the-Hutt-like, I would only have burned 10.2 calories, so you can see how this is changing my waistline dramatically.

Not only am I bounding (gazelle-like) up the stairs, I’ve taken to walking through this door rather than that door on my way to the restroom. By taking this door, I add 27 steps (win!) and I walk right by the candy bowl (it would be rude not to help myself to a piece [or two] as I walk by).

So by becoming more fit I have gained 6 pounds, worn out three pairs of shoes, and developed a small but insistent blister on my left foot.

You might think I blame my Fitbit. But I don’t. Not at all.

Because it’s purple (win!).

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

In honor of Star Wars Day (“May the Fourth be with you”) I have found some very interesting Star Wars facts.

In fact, My Friend The Internet almost passed out from overwork when I asked about weird Star Wars facts, because it turns out there aren’t just a lot of weird facts there are gazillions of weird facts. And there aren’t just a lot of site talking about the weird facts there are gazillions of sites talking about the weird facts.

Do you know what you get when you multiply a gazillion by a gazillion? Of course not, you’re on summer break.

A gazillion times a gazillion equals an internet saying “Really? All this before 7 am?”

Because there is so much out there, I will share only a few fun facts about Star Wars. (You’re on spring break so you have plenty of time to go visit all those sites on your own.)

An army of Wookiees was originally intended to help out on Endor in Star Wars: Episode VI Return Of The Jedi, but Lucas opted to use a smaller furry animal instead. And so the Ewok was born. Strangely, the word ‘Ewok’ isn’t actually mentioned at all in the film.

Yoda is the Sanskrit word for warrior.

The phrase “I have a bad feeling about this” or “I have a very bad feeling about this” is said in every Star Wars movie.

Every single Clone Trooper was computer animated (thanks to CGI for cutting the costume budget).

In Episode 1, the personal communicator used by Qui-Gon Jinn is actually made from a resin cast of a Gillette Ladies Sensor Excell Razor. Don’t cut yourself while speaking?

The sound of the TIE Fighter engines is actually the sound of an elephant call mixed with the sounds of a car driving on wet pavement. (I am in awe of whoever thought of that.)

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was labelled “The Doll House” when it shipped to theaters, and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones was labelled “Cue Ball” when it shipped to theaters.

It took 10 puppeteers (using both hands) to operate Jabba the Hutt.

Chewbacca’s look was inspired by George Lucas’ dog Indiana (guess where the name Indiana Jones came from?).

Every Star Wars film has been released the week after George Lucas’ birthday on May 14.

And because you’re on break, you have plenty of time to watch the long version of the trailer for number VII.

Happy Star Wars Day,

Love, Mom