St. Patrick's Day 2014

The Leprechaun came on Monday. Normally the Leprechaun makes a big mess around the house and then the kids have to clean it and their reward is the hidden candy that the mess maker left behind. That's it in a nut shell. It sounds more enticing when you're actually involved in it.

This year, it was slightly different. Maybe Leprechaun was tired. Maybe Leprechaun was out of motivation to do much but think a nap. Maybe Leprechaun is in the middle of studying for finals. I don't know, just thinking of possibilities here.

Amazing Grace came home to find her shoes hanging from hangers in her closet, her special baby blanket was hanging off of her prom dress, makeup brushes were rearranged, a bottle of wine with a snowman decoration was on her pillow, and a note on her mirror said that the Leprechaun loves her.

Blondie came home from school to random Tupperware and wine on her bed, her hair straightener on the piano, and some of her britches hanging off of Ginger Girl's lamp.

Ginger Girl had the dish drainer, Tupperware, and the jar of silverware spread all over her bed and a note on her mirror about the Leprechaun thinking she's pretty.

The Leprechaun left a bottle of sweet cherry wine, 2 glasses, and this note on hubby's desk:

Hubby said he likes our leprechaun.

Leprechaun also put all of hubby's vitamins on top of the printer, hung flowers off of his computer monitor, and put a bowl of vegetables next to his computer.

There were notes on the other mirrors in the house, including the one where Leprechaun poured out his love for Boy Teenager, and they all ended with the same word: smooches. The mirror notes were just a tad creepy, but I guess that's how leprechauns roll. They don't know that watching people that are unaware it is going on is creepy and not socially accepted 'round these parts. Someone found Christmas decorations in the bathtub when they went to take a shower. The family picture set on the TV, far from where it had been, with a note from him stuck to it was a nice touch. It took almost an hour for the kids to find the note from the sneaky, creepy mess maker, but they knew there had to be one since he's always left a note.

There was a plate on the couch with a loaf of bread, the family-of-8 sized bucket of peanut butter, and a knife. Everyone blamed Blondie, since she has always been in deep love with pb sandwiches, until she got home and was very indignant about it not being her that left it there. "I don't make sandwiches on the couch! The Leprechaun did it!" What a sneaky, sneaky little leprechaun to do something that would easily be blamed on someone else. 

Boy Teenager didn't get any surprises in his room because last year he got a wee bit unhappy at Leprechaun and said he didn't have time to clean a mess someone else made. I don't know why he grumbled at me. As if I did it. But hmm...I've heard those exact words about not cleaning up after someone else before...oh, yeah, I've said them to him. 

While I made dinner, I had the weirdest kids hounding me for, of all things, the raw cabbage I was chopping. 

Extra Daughter,
so weird.

Ginger Girl,
just as weird.

2 weirdos.

Amazing Grace,
grossed out  by weirdos
but wearing green.

It took the kids an hour of searching before they found the candy that the mess maker left and then all they had to do was drool until the corned beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, 2 styles of cabbage, and cranberries were done. It was worth the wait. As was my Guiness.

I loved that Boy Teenager talked to Ginger Girl about catching leprechauns and how sneaky they are. I loved that Extra Daughter laughed over the things Leprechaun did, with as much enthusiasm as Ginger Girl had. I loved that each child wore green without me telling them to & each child stood, waiting with fingers ready to pinch, until the next child took their coat or shoes off to reveal their green. I loved the fake disappointment when no one got be a pincher. I loved that when Ginger Girl came home from school & I was waiting for her with fingers ready to pinch, she ran to her room giggling & from behind the shut door yelled, "I'm wearing green socks!!" I loved that everyone came home waiting for the ritual of mess, treats, and big Irish dinner, excited to celebrate the holiday of our people. Hubby isn't Irish, but he gets a pass because he was smart enough to marry a woman who is. He doesn't like Guiness, but he loves the rest of the dinner & laughs at all the things Leprechaun moves around the house.

Hubby did ask why we call our Leprechaun a boy when we don't know for sure. Ginger Girl laughed at him & said, "Leprechauns are only boys. There can't be girl leprechauns." She thought he was so very silly for asking such a question. The facts of human biology have not caused her to stop & think about how that is possible & I'm willing to do anything to keep it that way.