On Friday, Dave and I hired a babysitter so we could take a ride on the motorcycle. With the weather in the 80's, it was the perfect way to kick off the long weekend. We took the backroads to Norwell, and stopped off for an early dinner at our favorite new find. It's an Irish pub called The Tinker's Son, and the menu is filled with all sorts of authentic Irish food that we are eager to try. It will take numerous visits to work our way through the extensive menu.
We shared a generous garden salad and an order of corned beef hash cakes. I didn't think I'd like the hash cakes, but much to my surprise, they were similar to crab cakes! We dipped them in a Thousand Island type of dressing and they were perfect.
My entree was a fried fish sandwich (eh, so-so... I should have tried something more adventurous) and Dave got the same thing as last time: baked macaroni and cheese, made with blue cheese and mixed with slow cooked short ribs. This dish is to die for, although we both agreed that it would have been better in the winter rather than on an 80* summer afternoon!
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On Saturday morning, we made our annual trip to the fairgrounds for the Spring Pow Wow. We crowded into a hot teepee for Native American Storytelling, which all three of the kids got into this year. Liam was quite fond of the stuffed animal props they used, especially the bearskin and coyote hide. He "woofed" his way through many of the stories, and his enthusiasm seemed to give the storytellers a bit more energy since he was clearly enjoying their performance.
We then claimed our spot outside the perimeter of the performance circle, and ate our lunch while the Native Americans, dressed in full traditional costumes, performed various ceremonial dances.
Liam at his first Pow WowAfter a few hours in the sun, Liam started to get antsy so we called it a day and headed home for his nap.
Later in the afternoon we went over to Kim & Eliana's for a backyard cookout. As usual, we had a fantastic time and they doted on our children. Liam had a fantastic time toddling around their yard while the girls and I played croquet, and Dave grilled. After our meal, Eliana brought out all of her manicure items and proceeded to paint the girls' fingernails and toenails. It was probably the happiest moment of their entire day.
Then the girls asked if they could paint Eliana's nails. What a treat that was! Thank goodness they were outside.
Next month, we are attending a SURPRISE 40th Anniversary Party for Kim and Eliana. In anticipation of that, I snapped this photo of them and will have it framed as a gift. (Also pictured in the photo is Kim's sister, whom the kids refer to as Aunt Jeannie.)
This morning we invited friends over to watch the Memorial Day Parade, which passes right in front of our house, and then makes its way across the street to Veterans Park for a ceremony.
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On Sunday, our friends Kate & Ryan invited us over to their house on the lake for an afternoon of swimming, eating, and backyard games. It is a 10 mile drive, if you use the main roads. Dave decided to take the bike (with the girls in the bike trailer) and use backroads.
I arrived at the party after Liam's nap, and they still hadn't arrived. Since they had left 2 1/2 hours ago, I was starting to get a bit worried. Dave had called me when they were about 2/3 of the way there, so I expected us to arrive at about the same time. As the minutes ticked by, and I was unable to reach him via cell phone, I got more and more nervous.
Then our friends started to become concerned as well.
Finally, nearly 3 hours after they had left our house, they arrived at the party. Apparently Dave had taken a wrong turn and ended up in Plympton! Luckily he had his wallet and was able to stop off at a convenience store to buy the girls a Klondike ice cream bar!
The last time they had this party, we left the girls with a babysitter and rode the motorcycle over. None of our friends had kids then, so it was an "adults only" party.
The atmosphere this year was completely different! Since the last party, almost everyone there had become a parent for the first time. There were babies all over, all of them between 6-19 months old. Amanda and Eva were the oldest kids there, and they enjoyed playing with and "babysitting" the younger ones. The party was fun, but a bit chaotic trying to keep an eye on all three kids.
Dave and the girls ventured down the long steps into the lake and said the water was really warm. It was all fun... until Amanda came out of the lake with a bloody foot. She had stepped on something sharp and the blood was everywhere. The next day, I found a huge gash on Eva's foot as well!
Liam and I stayed in the yard, where the younger set had a pool party. At one point, we had 6 babies in the pool... boys wearing diapers, girls completely naked. The biggest challenge was keeping the kids from drinking the pool water, which probably was more like a "potty cocktail" by the time they were done. (There's a short video of this posted on my Facebook wall, taken by my friend Jennie.)
Liam and his girlfriends, drinking in the pool**
On Monday, I attended an early morning Zumba/Toning class while Dave ran errands with the kids. Later in the morning, some friends came over to watch the parade with us. It was nice to get the old gang together again. (Amanda went to Preschool with Katelynn and Alex, when they were all just 3 years old.)
Liam, Katelynn, Amanda, Eva, Alex & AnnaIt was a very short parade, just 15 minutes from start to finish, but the kids all enjoyed playing together before and afterward. And I am grateful that we only got about 6 pieces of candy tossed to us, because we are still eating Easter candy!
The afternoon was lovely and leisurely... sunny, hot and no plans for the remainder of the day. We had an evening cookout with Omi - chicken, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes and rice.
There is an electricity in the air now, with the official start of summer just around the corner. Topless jeeps, with kayaks and surfboards strapped to the top. Music blaring from open windows. Motorcycle engines echoing from all around. The smell of cookouts in the air.
No doubt about it, we are approaching the best time of year in our little beach town, when the weather is finally warm enough for the beach and the tourists haven't yet arrived.
Which reminds me, I need to get over to Town Hall and buy a beach sticker ASAP!
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