Easter-Birthdays 2012

We've just finished a CRAZY busy weekend, full of church activities, birthday parties, and family time. It started on Friday afternoon, when Chris and I went to rehearse for the Good Friday service, which took place that evening. Our church had a clown/mime service for Good Friday, with one of our visiting priests (Father Leo) acting the role of the clown, Tug. Chris and I worked with a talented harpist, Suzanne, to provide the background music.

When I was a teenager, I formed friendships with a few special women from our church. Suzanne was one of those women. She and I actually took a clowning workshop from Father Leo when I was in high school. (Of course, my clown name was Rainbow, as I was obsessed with rainbows as a teen.) It was a beautiful, moving service, and it brought back so many memories of my teen years. Of course, it was especially wonderful to make music with Suzanne again after all those years!

Saturday morning my sister and I took our dad out to brunch at Seasons and Regions to celebrate his birthday. After that, I rushed home to get everything sorted out for Kieran's birthday party, which commenced at the movie theater. We went to see "Mirror Mirror" with five of his school friends, his cousins, Nicholas, and my brother's girlfriend's son, Reign. Although the movie had received mixed reviews, we all enjoyed it. Nadine and I chuckled at the fact that Julia Roberts is now the stepmom instead of the leading lady. I liked the fact that Snow White saved herself instead of relying on the prince, but unfortunately she didn't get to rule the kingdom in the end because the spell over her father was broken and he returned to take his place on the throne.

At the movie theater

Next we took the kids home for play and pie...I ended up driving Kieran and his five school friends in the minivan, and it was my first "minivan mom" moment. It was fascinating to listen to their conversation and to be the only adult in the car. Kieran tends not to spend a lot of time with his friends outside of school...I'm not sure why but from what I've heard this is more typical with boys. He always enjoys them when he sees them but he doesn't request get-togethers with them either.

Kieran and Cece in a rematch of their spicy competition

Singing happy birthday and getting ready to eat frozen lemon cream pie
(Kieran's a lemon freak)

He liked the pie so much he decided to put his face into it!

With his friend Kayra (and the Sasquatch claw Kayra gave him)

With Annika

With Logan

With Colleen

Saturday night we got together at my parents' house to celebrate Mike's, Kieran's, my dad's, and my mother-in-law's various March and April birthdays.

Mike with his mum

The birthday crew

So glad to see my bro so happy!

For Easter, we had an egg hunt at home, followed by an egg hunt at church and Easter services, followed by brunch and ANOTHER egg hunt at my parents' house!