Easter with Big Mike and Laurie

Egg dying gave Baby Aodh-gg a new game: Duck, Duck, Chicken! Since about 9.9927% of eggs in Northern Ireland are brown, we obtained some white duck eggs to complement our stock of hens eggs. But I forgot and left the duck eggs out of the fridge for several days. In the interest of food hygiene, we decided to sort out the duck eggs and eat the chicken ones. Thus, duck, duck, d-u-u-u-u-ck, CHICKEN! We will try to get you a video clip of Aodh-gg enjoying this easter game.

On Good Friday, L'Arche walked across town to the 174 Trust on the Antrim Road (North Belfast). Big Mike and Laurie joined us and enjoyed a picnic in the spring sun outside City Hall.

Easter morning comes EARLY to the Shively-Blinns. This year we were at Lady Dixon Park for the sunrise service just before 6. The primping happened after breakfast. This photo doesn't do justice to the springy attire exported by Dannette but anyone can tell me how to manage my camera settings and get 3 children to look in the same direction all at once is welcome to help me out for the next major dress-up day.

Now we are experiencing the emptiness of the nest after having grandparents around for 2 weeks. Octavia finds everything despicable and is 'cold' or 'hot' or 'hungry' or 'tiiiiiiiiired' no matter what we do. Noah is in his room crashing the Hot Wheels around and moaning about the necessary clean-up job. Aodh is...sleeping like a baby, when his bottom teeth aren't making him howl. Scott and I are washing all the laundry that backed up when the washer broke down on Wednesday. Ah. Real life. It's hard to take, at least for the next 6 days till the other grandparents arrive!

Busy Day

I've been busy today.
I ate.
Woke up just in time to miss Kristin Flory's departure.
Ate, changed. Ate.
Went to Tesco to cry about a lack of Green & Black's Easter Eggs.
Napped in the car.
Woke up. Changed my pants. Napped on Mama's lap.
Ate. Puked.
Tried to hold onto my keys.
Skyped Joe Rooney. He was scary so I howled. Then fell asleep while eating.
Pinned Mama to the Big White Chair.
Woke up in my little rocker.
Watched Raymond watching me.
Ate.
Got weighed by Michelle. 7.1 kg. My hands and bum nearly froze off and Michelle has a scary laugh.
Put on a new nappy.
Ate.
Stood on Mama's lap waiting for Brother to come home. Drooled.
Smiled at Brother and tried to entice him into coming near my face so I could use his nose for a teether.
Had no luck.
Whined in my chair while Brother made biscuits and mama helped him.
Ate.
Slept on Mama's lap.
Watched them eat dinner. Thought about touching a biscuit but my hand wouldn't move.
Changed my drawers.
Went to the library. Got my own library card and a book bag!
Put my jammies on.
Played with Octavia. Scratched her face. Moaned a bit.
Ate.
Went to Bed.

You Don't Want to See the After Pictures

Here is the cake for Noah's sleepover birthday party. Chocolate from the cake mix Grandma Amy sent. And, yes, those are eggs on top. Not Easter eggs but fried eggs, gummy fried eggs. This party was fantastic from my viewpoint: Noah made the cake. Noah made the salad. Scott put the frozen pizza in the oven. Scott turned on the Charlie Chaplin DVD. Scott went into the front room at least 5 times between 9 and 12.15 to threaten the children with eviction to separate beds. I fed Aodh, enjoyed a bit of ice cream, got my teaching supplies ready, read my book.

The main characters in this comedy (well it was a comedy until about 5 this evening when tragedy struck. "Hark, what dread in Noah's eyes is kindled! By Heaven's merciful light! Let it not be fatigue!") were Finn, the birthday boy himself, and Alma. They thought there might be a burglar in the street, which caused them all to lose sleep and wonder. Overheard on my way to bed: "Maybe we should go to that house and ask if anything was nicked!" (Finn)

By the way, Noah got The Guinness Book of World Records 2009 and a telescope!

More theatrics

Jeeves announcing attendees to the Royal Ball.

If I May Be So Bold...

We just returned from the highlight of the school year. According to me. That is, The School Play. Noah and his cast members in P5, P6, and P7 have been working, working, working since Christmas on the production.

The basic storyline is familiar. beautiful young girl persecuted by wicked stepmother and ugly stepsisters longs for the ball and the bling, the soon-to-be king. But this production had so many wonderful twists and turns. For example, Jeeves the Butler. Jeeves with his straight back and and regal bearing, not to mention his ringing voice and elephantine memory. Yes, Jeeves is better known as Noah. But with the powdered wig and the faux English accent some (Tatie) didn't recognize him. In addition to Jeeves, we were enthralled watching Toaderina (Noah's friend Clark) as a very Ugly Stepsister, the Prince dressed as The King (as in Elvis), and my all-time favourite, Sadie. Sadie was played by some guy named David who "is alright but sometimes tries to argue his way out of it if he gets in trouble."

The play had romance, prejudice (eg. Lady Muck was from 'Ballymena, hey' and if you don't understand that you don't live in Northern Ireland), a bit of violence and jam tarts. What more could we desire? I was hating this week and now life seems grand. That is the power of theatre. In this case, the magic was worked by a group of 9,10 & 11 year olds supported by a few dedicated adults. Noah tells me I can see it again on DVD. I can't wait to part with the £10 required.

Happy Paddy's Day

It was a hoolie at the L'Arche Allotment today. Many people sporting green, Octavia and Aodh Emmanuel Patrick among them. This once was Aodh's hand-knitted 'Paddy Jacket' now more of a 'Paddy Shrug' but the hood works a treat still. The spuds went in the ground and a bbq ensued with our friend James's homemade veggie burgers. Noah did not use the campfire fork to eat his meal....

Leprechaun Hunt

Noah and Octavia got licensed to hunt leprechauns at the Ormeau Park on the weekend. They didn't find any but Baby Aodh got a daffodil faintly smelling of treasure. (Yes, Sharon, Aodh's sniff is just as lovely as a daffodil's.)