To catch a leprechaun

First you get out your trap that you made the year before and "fix" the top so that a new leprechaun can fall into the trap. Consider it a shame that you don't have the correct shade of green tissue paper and try not to obsess about it too much. I can't get over how cute the ladder is that we made for this thing. Sure we copied it right out of a magazine, but it is just so cute!


Load up the top of the trap with leftover flutterfetti from last year's production of Beauty and the Beast. Maybe I really do save everything. My excuse is that it was still in the hat and I am sticking to it. I told the kids I think next year we should paint some rocks gold.

The kids woke up on the morning of St. Patrick's Day to find the trap in disarray and green footprints leading up to it!

I was so frustrated with Hailey last night I really had second thoughts about the footprints. I wasn't feeling the "good mom" vibe and didn't feel like putting much more effort into anything - let alone leprechaun evidence.

This morning I was reminded why I do what I do. She ran into my bathroom while I was getting ready to come downstairs and was so excited about seeing those green footprints. At one point while they were examining their "treasure" she told me that today was her "best day ever". Sometimes the little things are so worth it. I will remember this morning for a long time.

They might not have caught the leprechaun, but they each got seven gold chocolate coins. A better deal in my opinion, because what in the world would we do with a leprechaun?

Hailey's vow to swear off candy didn't even last a full twenty four hours. She had been to the dentist the day before and had to have three cavities filled. She didn't like it much. She decided that black olives were taking over the spot in her heart that was once reserved for candy.

There is nothing better to wash down chocolate coins than some yummy green milk! Evan was the only kid that would drink it.

I kept telling them to just close their eyes and drink it and they would never know the difference. No luck. Spencer told me he didn't want to drink milk with food coloring because it might not be good for him. Maybe not son, but do you have any idea how many junky things you eat that have food coloring in them? How about your precious Kraft macaroni and fluorescent cheese?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!