Clear out the cobwebs and take the rugs out for a good beatin' ... here comes a new post!
I don't know if you realize this, but there's a preeeeetty big holiday coming up on Monday. A holiday that, for most of the world, involves pounding green beer until leprechauns start dancing around the bar, kicking peanuts and dropping serious rainbow-happiness on all the "Irish for a Day" drinkers. I'm talkin' Saint Patrick's Day, people. It's a big deal in my family. Not for any of the above reasons, but because it is the feast of Saint Patrick and it also happens to be my father's birthday. For that reason, there was always corned beef and cabbage, rarebit, soda bread, a green cake, some chocolate gold, and plenty of stout on our family table come March 17th. Along with some Irish steppin' and plenty of rollicking sing-alongs. Now that my parents live halfway across the country (boo on that mess) I can't be there to celebrate with my dad, but I can bring some of that St. Patty's Day awesome to my little family. Here's how the Thompson family is going to be going green next Monday, and I don't mean reusable shopping bags, folks. ERIN GO BRAGH!
You can check out these ideas, plus a few more over on my St. Patrick's Day Pinterest board.
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The Breakfast
We don't eat a lot of sugary cereal at our house (see: none) but when I saw this idea over at Thoughtfully Simple I immediately knew I had to do it. Can you think of any more awesome way to wake up on Saint Patrick's Day (especially if you are under the age of 3?) Nope, didn't think so. Mega Bonus: she has a printable to go along with this delicious treat, that is perfect for my littles.
Mom o' the year award? I'm comin' for ya...
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The Crafts
I love a good craft. BUT, I don't like one that involves seven different types of pipe cleaner, colored pompom, glitter-all-over-the-carpet mess. I also prefer ones that my toddler can do mostly on her own, and don't involve a lot of "coaching." If I want to do a craft, I'll just go ahead and do it by myself, mmkay? I found a few good ones floating around, but here are the two I'm pretty sure will be happening. They are both shamrock crafts, which is not only great because they're pretty and green and a symbol of the Emerald Isle, but also because Saint Patrick was supposedly the first to present the three-leaf clover as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. It's such a good way to introduce that concept to young children (while letting them get all green-paint-messy-happy.)
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I remember doing this with my preschoolers back in my teaching days. Easy, fun, minimal "stuff" needed. Boom! This post from Learn Play Imagine is a good how-to (plus pretty pictures! Yay!)
These shamrocks are going to be the "fancy craft," AKA the kids do the painting and then I do the rest. I intend to send them of to Papa Bear (what the girls call my dad) for a birthday surprise. Mom, if you're reading - ssshh! No telling.
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The Books
I bought this book by Eve Bunting to use at my former preschool job. It's cute and has enough Leprechaun mischief for the girls to get their secular Saint Patrick's Day fix. I also really enjoy the watercolor artwork.
My favorite book of the day is by far this gem by Tomie dePaola. It is a gorgeous way to introduce this wonderful saint to your little ones. You just can't go wrong with Tomie dePaola, amiright?
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The Coloring Page
Because I am a firm believer in there being a coloring page for every single saint, and that said page should be colored by my children on their feast day. We're going with this one from Catholic Playground.
I can't wait to get this colored up and on my fridge!
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The Sensory Fun
I've got a thing for sensory bins. They are quick, cheap, and can entertain my two girls for hours. HOURS, ya'll. And they are eeeeeasy. Step one: get a base component. Things like dry beans, pasta, rice, and even dry corn kernels work great. You can even get fancy and dye your rice or pasta or whatever so that it color-coordinates with your theme, but I'm lazy so I usually just go with stuff as-is. Step two: hit up the dollar section of Target. You know all those tempting bins of holiday themed goodness? You can actually buy it and put it to good use! Whoo-hoo! The Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, Dollar General (seeing a pattern here? Cheapo deluxe, people) are all good places to look, as well. Just throw those little treasures in small plastic tub with a couple of scoops and/or small buckets and you are golden. I found this one on Pinterest, but I think I'm going to try to come up with one my own. Stay tuned!
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The Food
I love corned beef and cabbage. Like, LOVE love. It is salty, earthy, and dynamite the next day on a sandwich with some whole-grain mustard. Drool. My mom and dad have perfected this dish, and I am feeling all the sad feels right now because I know I won't be getting any this year. I also happen to have married the ONE PERSON on planet earth who doesn't like corned beef and cabbage. Why did I marry him, you ask? He didn't ask on Saint Patrick's Day.
But, hey! It's not all sad leprechauns over here! Instead of corned beef and cabbage, I'll be serving up some delicious Potato and Leek Soup, along with cheesy Welsh Rarebit. What is rarebit? Oh, only a little, toasted, cheesy piece of heaven right here on Earth. If prepared correctly and eaten with a pint of Guiness it will change your life. You'll want to eat it every day. And I wouldn't blame you.
Oh, and remember the Lucky Charms from breakfast? Well, I won't want the rest of the box just sitting around tempting my children after Monday, so I'm turning rest of it into this!
Check back on Tuesday for the step-by-step on our Irish Feast!
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The Movies
We watch the same movie every year for Saint Patrick's Day. Mostly because it is a beautiful movie, with lots of gorgeous scenery and music plus a totally family-friendly and uplifting plot. But also because it is my mother's favorite movie of all time. And she likes to say the title with a goofy Irish accent. And we like to poke fun at her because of how silly she gets about this darn movie. In all seriousness, though - if you haven't seen this yet you should do so immediately. So good.
-BONUS ROUND-
Okay, so this technically doesn't have anything to do with Saint Patrick's Day, but I'm SUPER DUPER CRAZY LADY EXCITED about it and it happens the day after St. Pat's - so I must share nooooow!
I'm getting a new couch on Tuesday!
Isn't she just bee-you-tee-ful?! I found it on overstock.com and, thanks to a coupon, my awesome husband, and my crazy-awesome mother-in-law, it is being delivered to my doorstep on Tuesday. I've wanted a purple couch since, I dunno, FOREVER, and this one is precisely what I've always wanted. For always and ever. (Can you tell I'm excited?)
And, just so I don't come off all "we just buy new couches willy nilly because we like ALL THE STUFF," let me tell you that we really need this couch. We moved our giant brown sectional with us last August and it does not fit in our apartment. Literally. The chaise can't be attached to the other two pieces or it takes up the entirety of our living room. So it sits, all alone and unloved in the girls' playroom, taking up space and functioning as storage for clean clothes I don't wanna fold or put away. This couch is just SO BIG, ya'll. And it's started to fall apart on us. Plus, it eats stuff. No, really - things go missing for weeks in this couch. I once lost our Kindle in the couch for a few days.
This is what I pulled out of it tonight.
| Rando toys and junk and stuff. Eew. |
Have any fun Saint Patrick's Day Ideas/Traditions/Recipes you'd like to share? Leave them in the comments - I'd love to check them out! :)
