St. Patrick's Day 2012

A little catching up needs to take place before I can blog about our sweet new "you-know-who" because our last family memories as the Firmage four are just too sweet to skip. 

Like St. Patrick's day.

This is how the morning started:

And my kids thought that was pretty darn cool!

Then we decided to do a small-scale scavenger hunt for Hallie that involved this little leprechaun Hallie made at school with her 5th grade buddy.  He's been holding our fridge up for a while.

I came into the kitchen and "gasped" telling Hallie and Chandler to come quick.

The leprechaun was missing!

And in it's place was a note: (Elon's handiwork)

He sent her to about four different places, upstairs and down, until at last they reached the hidden treasure:

There he is, dangling above Hallie's little window-well garden on the side of the house.

Isn't that such a sweet reaction?  It was well worth the nine-month-prego sprint I did in my slippers to get out the door with camera ready.

She ate this whole thing up hook, line, and sinker :)

Chandler on the other hand couldn't have cared less.

 And trust me, I didn't make him play with only green toys on St. Patty's day ;)


Then Elon took the kids on a walk to the playground, and I was lucky enough to be sitting out on the porch when they crossed the street home.  Check them out all clad in their green :)

Hallie came running ahead yelling, "mom, we're going on a picnic for lunch, at the park!" 

This was news to me, but what the hay, it was such a gorgeous day, I didn't mind packing up a few sandwiches and drinks to take to the park.

  

And it was packed!  

We had such a fun day.

That night Hallie took each family member's cup (yeah we have our own "special" cup that we use for a couple days before they get washed, otherwise we'd go through cups like tissues and I would go crazy.) and she filled the bottom with those chalky candy hearts left over from Valentine's day, and drew each of us a picture to go along with the candy hearts.  She said it was our St. Patrick's day gift from her, and I thought that was so thoughtful.

  

She then asked where her present was from us.

Hmmm.

Elon politely informed her that we were behind the scavenger hunt, and that it was our gift to her because we knew how much she loved scavenger hunts. 

Unfortunately this went over like a lead balloon because she really thought it was the leprechaun.

I sat back and watched Elon try and dig his way out of that one, and I think for the most part, it ended up okay.  She really knew it was us, but never wanted to be told that it was.  She totally loves to soak up the magic of such things, and I'm so glad she does.