April Fool’s Day

Big Sister came home from school yesterday with a scrap of white paper in her hand and headed out to the deck. It had been almost two hours since school let out in which time we stopped first for an impromptu congratulatory mini shopping spree (say that three times fast!) and then a second stop for a pizza, resulting in kids who were more than a little tired. Little Sister cried (over tiredly) and self-exiled to the shower in order to regroup (and cleanse her aura).

As I readied the plates to intercept pizza, I heard Big Sister shout something like “Sloop Lo-Fairy” over and over again. Nonplussed, although I do get the need to blow off steam, I counted eight or nine of the calls and asked her upon entrance if everything was, ahem, okay… She hurried past me and grabbed a sharpie, scribbling down something and asked me to videotape her as she recited it into a mirror. At this point, I grew skeptical of the level of sorcery involved in our Friday night.

I took the paper and laughed as I read the instructions then shifted my gaze to her sweet furrowed brow. She took the paper from me and reread it, looking for clues until her face beamed into a bright smile and then her shoulders slumped disgruntledly. Many thanks to our pal Mrs. Murphy for making a memory neither of us will forget…

Bird Watching Homework
It’s that time of year again, when the rare and beautiful Sloof Lirpa bird migrates to our area. One day out of the entire year which happens to be April 1, birdwatchers all around the world look forward to catching a glimpse of the Sloof Lirpa. Your homework is to try to see the Sloof Lirpa bird for yourself. The Sloof Lirpa has a very specific call and usually appears once the call is made. Here are tips for catching sight of the Sloof Lirpa.
1. Stand in your front yard before the sun goes down and yell Sloof Lirpa very loudly three times in a row.
2. If that doesn’t work, try spinning around in a circle while you make the call, that way the call is heard in all directions.
3. If that still doesn’t work, try flapping your arms like a bird while you spin around and yell Sloof Lirpa.
After step three you should definitely be able to see the Sloof Lirpa in your very own yard. If you are one of the unlucky ones though and you have not been able to see the Sloof Lirpa, write on the back of this page SLOOF LIRPA in all capital letters. Then, hold it in front of the mirror and smile.