St. Paddy's Day

So we were down at Gary's parents' house last weekend and they were saying that they wished they could remember how they celebrated the holidays with their kids when they were young. To avoid that fate, and to remind my dear offspring of the good times we have together, and to prove to myself that sometimes I DO get it right, here's how we celebrated St. Patrick's Day 2010:

1. The night before I stayed up late making crepes with green food coloring for a nice, easy, verdant breakfast the next day. Then I decked the house with large, sparkly dollar store paper shamrocks to surprise them when they woke up.

2. Maggie's lunch box contained green gatorade, green M&Ms and a note on a green shamrock telling her how much I love her and wish her the top o' the morning. If I was a really cool mom I would have cut her peanut butter sandwich into the shape of a shamrock, but, I just didn't get there. And that's okay!

3. Soph and Spence played with green play dough while having a green smoothie as a mid-morning snack.

4. We invited friends over for a green taffy pull... only I accidently undercooked the taffy and it turned into a green goo fest instead! The good-natured guests didn't seem to mind though, as everyone just grabbed fists of the thick sugary syrup and shoved it into their mouths. I'm still finding traces of it on my tablecloth and on the floor... and behind Spencer's ears...

5. At dinner we went around the table and talked about the things we are lucky to have in our lives. We did drink green gatorade for the bevy but we did not have corned beef and cabbage for dinner, although my family always did growing up and I like the dish myself. I just didn't think I could push the non-adventurous natives' appetites that far, so we had spinach couscous and parmsan chicken instead. Someday...

Tidbits

Just a few snapshots of life in the Larsen household:


This is how we survive and thrive on Saturday mornings. The kids get to watch a movie while Gary and I sleep in, and this chart (which I post the night before on the fridge) lets them know exactly what their chores are. Each has a box so they get checked off as they are done, and they all have to be completed by noon to earn participation in the afternoon's fun activity. Works like a CHARM!

Spencer was running a fever this morning, so while I made food for a friend's birthday party, I let him and Sophie sit on their bean bags and watch a movie. This is how you really know your kid's sick:

Spencer doesn't take naps any more, so when he fell asleep this morning at 10:30 AM, I knew I was in for it. Wish me luck tonight - he's got the barky cough as well. Rats!

Good morning goats: this is the sight I saw on our back patio when I woke up this morning. The neighbor's goats busted out and joined us for a cuppa before returning to their abode. Only in the country...I'm just really glad they didn't poop before they left! As it is, my cats are leaving me "offerings" on the back doorstep (various mouse parts) and that's plenty gross. At least they're ridding us of vermin and earning their keep!

Sophie and Spencer got to go to the fire station on a field trip with Sophie's preschool - she is always so obedient and attentive, a great little student! And a potential fire fighter as well! :-)

QOTD

"Perhaps you and I have lived with this miracle too long to be properly appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again. Knowing this, it is hard to explain those who even today would question the people's capacity for self-rule. Will they answer this: if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else?"
- Ronald Reagan

Spencer's Prayers

When Spencer starts his prayers, it often sounds like he's saying "dear Harry Potter" instead of "dear Heavenly Father." I think we need to work on his enunciation, unless he really is praying for a Nimbus 2010. Which he might be. He can forget the Firebolt though because it ain't gonna happen - we don't have that kind of gold...