Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Okay, is St. Patrick's day really a day worth getting it's own blog post?  We celebrate it, sort of...  Yes my husband and kids have Irish blood in them, but there won't be any corned beef and cabbage going on here.

We usually celebrate it by trying to find the "tricky" leprechaun who has left green foot prints, green milk, green toilet bowls and messy green grass everywhere (although we don't have green grass yet in Minnesota).  By the end of the day the leprechaun feels bad for all the messes and usually leaves a treat or small toy as an apology for all he has done.  It's something fun my kids have always really enjoyed doing, even now when they are old enough to know who the tricky leprechaun really is.

This morning I TOTALLY forgot it was St. Patrick's Day until I saw something on Facebook (and crap-e-oh-la we are out of green food coloring).  I reminded my son to wear his green today, his response:

Son: Why???
Me: Do you want to get a bunch of nasty tight pinches from your fellow classmates?
Son: No, I don't have to worry about that because if someone pinches me they will get sent to the principals office.

What the What??  How could that be?  That's the fun of St. Patrick's Day at school- you either hide the green you are wearing so when someone pinches you, you get to pinch them 10 times because you are indeed wearing green, or looking for that clueless classmate who forgot and pounce on them with your snappers...  Times have changed.  That is no longer acceptable. Dang, what has happened to the good old childhood fun of pinching unsuspecting classmates??

I was thinking of going on about how deprived our children our by the coddling and things we are so afraid of now (like heaven forbid your child lose and NOT get a trophy anyway).  BUT, I decided why jump on that bandwagon- why not accept that this is how life is for them.    I remember my parents always saying stuff about how easy we had it as kids, how we were spoiled because we had things like a dishwasher, microwave etc.  I hated hearing that as a kid.  It wasn't my fault I didn't walk to school both ways up hill in the snow or that I got to take a hot shower whenever I wanted (literally my mom took a luke warm bath once a week- yikes the stench, especially because she lived on a farm).  Is it a rite of passage to express (guilt) to your kids about how times have changed?  I don't know about rite, but it sure is easy and heck it's my reference point.

But instead of gripping to my kids about it I decided I'd stick with our fun way of celebrating St. Patrick's Day here at home (I tried to pick up green food coloring but interesting enough Target didn't have green- only pastel colors, so I got sprinkles and frosting, I'm not even going to think about the mess) 

and let them enjoy the way they know how to celebrate-..... although I'll still sneak in a pinch as soon as my son takes his shoes with the green laces off.

Double Digits

Aaron is in double digits now.   I just don't know where time has gone.  It seems like yesterday he was this little bundle and now he is a 10 year old!  Here are some of my favorite pictures and Aaronisms that I love!

Aaron: I want to go to University of Minnesota for college, that way I'll be close by and can visit you and dad every weekend.

Look at that face!  It's so cute!!

Aaron: Mom, did you know that a cow produces 120,000 gallons of milk in their lifetime...  (the boy loves random facts)

Aaron singing along to "So long farewell" from Sound of Music and when Liesl is saying goodnight to the crowd and approaches her dad,  Aaron sings "I'd like to stay and have my first chow mein"  (instead of and "try my first champagne"- he does love his chow mein!)

Aaron after he lost his front tooth says to me: "mom, excuse my language.  I sound funny with my tooth out"

Aaron at age 7 (on a Saturday morning, right before time to do chores):  "I am not cut out for cleaning"  (Can I get an AMEN!  I'm right there with him)

Happy Birthday to my sweet and funny Aaron!

Busy week!!

I have been swimming in a sea of BUSY this week.  I started working for my husband's company (The Emotional Investor) on a regular basis in January- and this week the workload has really ramped up.  I do social media relations for him and it is so constant sometimes it can be overwhelming.  I realized my goal of a weekly blog was going to be shot if I didn't do something today (so soon into the new year).  As I was thinking about it I looked at my dining room table and thought this totally describes my week.  So here it is folks, my messy "office" /dining room table with what my week has consisted of.

Chess Board- I have played chess almost ever night with my 9 year old son.  Yes he beat me in 4 moves- I'll blame it on my distracted week... and his mad chess skills.

Pile of papers #1- the pile close to the chess board is for some volunteering I am doing at my son's school.  It has been fun, but thank goodness it will be over on Tuesday!!

Pile of papers #2- some administrative stuff I need to do, but hired my daughter to do- total cheap child labor works for me (at least in my house).

Computer- of course the ever so important computer where all work magic happens.

Laundry- clothes laying all around drying because I realized I should have done laundry two days ago, but finally found time this morning (and remembered).

Newspapers- unopened newspapers.  I think they'll just end up in the recycle because I don't have time to read them and they just keep piling up.

Cups/plates- all my water drinking and snacking that has taken place while working.

Sticky Notes- I am constantly writing notes for things I have to do.  My husband keeps trying to convince me to do an electronic version, but I like the physical post it notes (especially the ones with the pictures of a big eyed frog)

Sweat band- If you look closely you can see my head sweat band I just washed.  Yes I use it- but only when I'm working out at home (or rocking out to some 80s tunes).

Mess- The table is a mess which is indicative of my house.  My whole house is just a mess (except my closet which I love that it is my clean place to stand and take a deep breath).  I need to do some serious cleaning and pull in some of the kids for that cheap labor I was talking about earlier.

Jay asked if I wanted to go out tonight .  ummm YES!!    I need a good Friday night out and we both agreed NO WORK talk... we'll see how well we do with that.

Have a good weekend and please take time to RELAX, I know I will!