Meanwhile in Siberia

...we're enjoying the lovely Spring weather here in SiberIreland  (get it?  Siberia + Ireland = SiberIreland).  Yes, Spring has sprung in Ireland and honestly, I didn't know it was supposed to snow in Spring and reach below freezing temperatures for days and weeks on end!  But, like they say...every day's a school day!  So, welcome Spring, I can't wait to build a snowman...ya Dick!

In other news, we've reached the point where it's time to start reprimanding Isla because she's now at the stage of misbehaving and pushing and pushing to see what she can get away with.  Basically, she's trying to see if she can make her puppet parents dance.  I'll admit, I'm sure she does on some things, but I think Barry and I have been pretty good at keeping her reprimanding consistent.  Well, except for when we want to laugh at each other.  I mean, come on!  When Isla does something she isn't supposed to and Barry responds with,  "Isla, no!  Daddy beat!" well, what reaction and I'm supposed to have?  Baaaahahahhahhahaahah....DADDY BEAT!  How silly does that sound? I have to laugh, which makes Isla laugh which basically makes us look like imbeciles to our one year old.  So, "Daddy Beat!" has become a joke in our house now. 

Additionally, it seems as if Isla only wants to do things and get into things that will kill her.  That's basically what I mean when I say she's misbehaving.  She's trying to kill herself I think.  For example, she just loves the only accessible wall outlet in the living room.  She has even figured out how to remove the child proof cover and she has tried to see if she could fit a straw in the tiny little outlet holes.  Barry and I have become friggin' defenders of the outlet for most of the day.  Each of us taking shifts to guard the outlet and make sure it's not poked and prodded by a baby and her tools. 

When we're not defending the wall outlet, we're defending our television as she has grown fond of pulling herself up on the television stand and shaking it back and forth causing the TV to shake back and forth.  Now, if I lose my television and access to Celebrity Juice, well I don't know that I could recover from something like that. 

I'm away for now, it's only 12 hours until Barry and I put back on our defenders of the outlet and TV uniforms!  Happy Easter!

Walk on water...err...fire

Well...what can I say?  I'm magnificent.  Actually, I'm strong, I'm powerful and I'm magnificent!  Where am I finding all this new self-confidence?  I just completed a Firewalk last Thursday for charity (Children in Crossfire).  Basically, I raised a lot of money to walk my bare tootsies across
1,246 degree farenheit fiery embers.  And...it was so easy.  I didn't feel anything! I would so do it again. Prior to the 20 feet scurry across the embers, we went through a two hour "training."  It was more like a think positive and leave the negative pep talk.  There is no actual technique to firewalking other than walk fast and don't stop as you're walking.  During the two hour pep talk, one of the exercises was where we had to repeat that we were strong, powerful and magnificent five times.  So, now we all believe it (me and the other 29 firewalkers).  Of course, Barry has to endure my saying this all the time now.  I think he's enjoying all my new found self-confidence.  He hasn't rolled his eyes or anything while I'm telling him how magnificent I am...nor, when I tell him how I walked on water...erm...fire.  Here's a couple of photos of the actual firewalk area and then there's a video of me walking as if I'm holding two big rolls of carpet under my arm.  I don't know what that's about. 

 

My walk is at about 2 minutes and 15 seconds in the video there.  Also, I went and saw an awesome show on Friday.  Hofesh Shecter's Political Mother was the show.  Brought to Derry as part of the City of Culture designation and it was really amazing.  The music and the choreography was out of this world intense.  Here's a clip of what it was but to see it in person is the way to go.

 







 

 

How awesome is that?

 

Lastly, yesterday was Mother's Day here and I got spoiled by my one year old daughter.  She made me breakfast and bought me a pair of boots from Dorothy Perkins I'd had my eye on.  Then she made me homemade sugar cookies and homemade lasagna!  She's pretty talented for a one year old.  She was even so eager to spend more time with her mommy that she refused to go to bed at her bedtime and instead filled my ears with the joy that is her crying.  But, on the plus side to that, I technically get two Mother's Days because they don't celebrate Mother's Day til May in America there and I AM American so technically I do get two special days...right, Barry?  He's very supportive of this idea, too.  My little helper also helped me empty the dryer yesterday.  Yes, that's right...a dryer!  After two years of moaning I'm now the proud owner of a used dryer!  It was bought from half a gypsy couple we think but it works so far and it hasn't tried to sell my a recliner or rug and it hasn't robbed me yet...hmm...although it did steal a bit of pocket change...so so far so good.  I'll keep you posted on that.