Monday, March 17, 2008

How to overcelebrate a minor holiday

1. Put little green footprints leading from the window to the landing on the stairs.

2. Fill a pot with gold foiled candy and rainbow Skittles, with a box of Lucky Charms.


3. Feel sorry for the teachers who have to deal with these kids on their breakfast sugar highs:


4. Dress your darling kids (and yourself, sorry Zeeny!) in lots o' green.


5. For dinner, invite friends to share in the feast of Corned Beef and Cabbage, Irish Soda Bread,
and Lime Jello with Gold Nuggets (pineapple chunks). (Click on the dishes for links to the recipes).

6. Make these ridiculous leprechaun ears (thanks, Betsy), so your kids can look like this:

7. Set the table in all the green WalMart has to offer

8. Since in the their sugar-induced coma your children probably learned nothing at school, provide them a "Charming Math" worksheet, where they go through bowls of Lucky Charms, sorting and adding all the marshmallow shapes they find.


9. Finish off your pointless holiday celebrating with this yummy treat: Pistachio Dessert:

10. Thank your mom for all these fun holiday traditions; ridiculous amount of work...fun memories for everyone.

52 comments:

Tristan said...

Wow now that is a holiday!! That pistachio cake looks yummy!

I always see you comment on the some of the same blogs as I do, so I thought I would check out your blog! Beautiful family!

rachel said...

Oh my gosh! I think you outdid our family!! My husband would be jealous. In fact, I think I'll show him this post.
Kudos to your St. Patty's Day celebration! I'm "green" with envy!

♥Shally said...

Okay, everytime I read about how you celebrate holidays, it makes me feel like CRAP!! :) I need to be better...

You have so much fun!

Anonymous said...

Jessica you are so great!! I just wish you would post what you were going to do for these holidays a day or two before, so I could do them too. Now I am going to have to just keep track of it all, and do it next year!! So next year I will be a great mom.... after I watch you for a year and get all the great ideas. But for now, my kids got jipped (however you spell it.) Misty

Hazen5 said...

Love it! I am so copying that next year! Your kids are so "Lucky" to have you for their mom!!!

Jeanelle said...

This is the best idea - what a fun mom you are. Love the math worksheet with the lucky charms! Oh and I live in one of the Seattle suburbs. Have a great night!

Audry said...

I have to say that I never realized that St. P day was a holiday that was actually celebrated. In my home growing up I was lucky if I left the house in green. Some years I even tried to play the I have green eyes card which didn't work. But now that I have grown up and made it to the blogging world I realize that people actually celebrate small holiday like St. patty's day. Go figure.

SusieQ said...

Wow. What fun and cute ideas!! I thought I was doing good when I baked some cookies with green chips in them for after school snack.

mahina said...

i found you from bridget's blog. i had to come visit and see what your family did for green day. i love it! makes my day seem very lame! i need to try a bit harder!

your kids will have such great memories!

elizabeth scott said...

Jessica you are such a chef!!!! That dinner looked amazing! I miss living close enough to enjoy your holiday and Sunday meals! I love those leprechaun ears and Lucky Charm game!Looking forward to seeing you soon! So LUCKY to have a cute sister in law like you!

Margaret said...

Wow! Amazing! I'm speechless.

Kate said...

How cute is that? I'm going to remember these ideas for when my girls are a bit older! Thanks!

Jenna Marie said...

Hi- I just joined the Blogger Buffet, So I found you from there. I love your ideas! You seem like such a cute little mom. I made a green dinner and had a family night on "Going Green" meaning- helping the environment... but this is Amazing!! I loved the rainbow and pot of gold for your kids in the morning. Where did you find the lucky charms worksheet? My husband is a teacher and this would be really cute for his kids next year. Anyway- I love to meet new people on here... So much fun.

Mique (as in Mickey) said...

And you say you're not crafty. Or don't enjoy the process. Liar liar pants on fire.
Your fam is lucky to have you. That's a lot of work!!

J'net said...

I am SO glad those fun family traditions live on in your sweet little family!!!
I actually had a violin play-in...swim party for my violin kids today since most of the island is out of school for the next TWO weeks!
We had "GREEN FOOD" and played
fiddle music for the "Jig" effect of St. Pattys Day!
Tell your mom I ALWAYS think of her fun green stuff on this day!
Jake loved this day SO much he and Camille got married on it!!!
Luv, A. J'net

Annie said...

I bow before your holiday energy. (I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!)

gab said...

You were right. This did not disappoint. I am completely impressed and munching my own Lucky Charms as I type...

Lauren in GA said...

You are a fun time, lassie! Uh, I am trying to sound Irish...I am not calling you a dog as in, "What is it girl, somebody is trapped in a well? Show me where, Lassie!"

Your lads and lassies look great! I love the ears! I especially love the math sheet! So, fabulous the whole celebration :)

Hollyween said...

Jessica, you are the world's greatest mom. Maybe Levi could come over one day and pretend that you're his mom because I suck.
I'm trying harder next year for St. Patty's Day!

Bridget said...

YOU ROCK! Can I just tell you, you are one of my mom idols? I need to write these things down so I don't forget for next year. But I guess I don't have to since we'll be neighbors anyway.

Lindsey said...

Truly astonishing. I am not sure if we can hang out b/c I would never go to all those lengths! I am no worthy!

zeeny said...

The reason I am such a st.patty's day scrouge is because i was deprived as a child. I really need to start doing more fun stuff like this...I guess I just need to put a little more thought ahead of time into it! M came home from school so excited about the day so I felt a bit bad about not getting into the green spirit!

day in the life of a prince said...

Wow, you guys know how to make every holiday as fun as Christmas!!!

Christie said...

I am beyond impressed with your mad Irish holiday skillz. But I have to ask, DID YOU COLOR A RAINBOW ON YOUR WALL? Tell me it's not permanent, girlfriend.

Meridith said...

Paige wants to come to your house for St. Patrick's Day. I didn't do much of anything to celebrate it except we dressed in green. You go all out. The dinner looked fabulous. See you really soon!! Yah!!

Jenni said...

Thanks for the ideas! My kids expect every holiday (no matter how minor) to be filled with celebrating. I have had a difficult time meeting thier expectations as of late. I agree... post pre holiday with holiday plans to help us all out a bit. Any ideas for May Day? I got in trouble for missing that one last year. Love your blog! I have been reading it for months. Thanks for encouraging us blog jumpers to make ourselves known.

Ilene said...

Here is the title of my comment: "How to know you have been influenced by Jessica/Page and their maniacal holiday rules and traditions:"

Me and my children were all dressed in green. Also I THOUGHT about doing something Irishy and creative with dinner (I promise you that is a HUGE improvement). Luckily, we had dinner at the in-laws so I was off the hook. Whew.

I need to take baby steps.

Paige said...

Totally fantastic. You outdid yourself. While you were eating your delicious green dinner we ate chocolate coins. I think your meal was better. But I am totally doing the Lucky Charms thing next year. Good idea.

Laurie said...

I'm with Mique--how can you say you aren't crafty and then come up with this?

We all wore green (except Jake who protested vehemently, so he wore blue with green on it) and had green pancakes and gold leprechaun coins.

Gabe made a leprechaun trap in Kindergarten. I had a difficult time explaining to him why he didn't catch one. (What is this school teaching?) He settled for telling Dan it "was a TERRIBLE idea" to set the trap up like he did.

Kelsi {John, Jake, Georgia, Naomi, Alice} said...

wow! You really do go all out. I'm impressed. My son wore a green shirt, it felt sufficient... maybe next year I'll be a little more fun and creative! :) Thanks for the ideas.

(friend of Heather, Mo of Geese)

shauna said...

I am crying green tears of jealousy. Ditto what misty and audry said. And ditto all the nice compliments 'cause you really know how to make life fun.

Jenibelle said...

My children are green with envy. Holy Dublin! Did you paint on your walls even? My kids want to be adopted by a fun mom, they were thinking Celia or Paige, now there bucking for you. Like I said, they are tidy and Jeff is old enough to babysit...they'll walk to Washington just to get a "fun" mom. Let me know.

Anonymous said...

Jess,
Your green day looks fabulous. We copied you and had a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow with little footprints. Carter asked all kinds of questions about leperchons.
Brooke

Lisa-Marie said...

Okay, I'm trying to get caught up (not gonna happen) from our ten day trip, so I'll comment on all TEN posts I read of yours here. Forgive me if I forget anything.

First, I LOVE reading your love story. Your hubby is a talented writer and I'm hanging on every word.

Your green day looked like tons of fun. We spent the day in our van traveling. Not fun.

I'll keep commenting even with the annoying "letter thing." I always get them wrong on the first try. What's wrong with me.

I LOVE your book. What amount of time fits into 66 pages? How often will you have to be getting a new book?

I'm sorry about Braxton. What a cutie. I hope that his family is doing well. I hope that they (and you) feel more and more peace everyday.

Adrianne said...

Good job making me feel like a total loser. But I just don't feel like Mario is an appreciative enough audience to go to all the work. So at what age will Gabe start noticing so I should start getting motivated?

Danna said...

Oh my gosh! That is seriously impressive. How does anyone ever keep up with you? If you want to see how we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you can read my post yesterday. Yes, now that I read yours, I feel like a total slacker. Maybe I will take it up a couple notches next year...

Stacy said...

You stole my blog, since your dear mother put on the same event at our house on Sunday, but for about 35 people! You are definitely your mother's daughter, right down to the leperchaun feet! Anyway, I guess I don't have to blog about it now - I can just refer my readers (all 2 of them!) to yours!

Lorena said...

I think you won since yours included homework and 37 comments.

P.S. I almost bought those Wal-Mart plates, but I couldn't get past the beer mugs on it...

Amy said...

Wow you have such great ideas! I totally feel slightly silly and shamed that with the last name of Ferguson I didn't even remember to wear green!
Apparently no one (myself included) cares that you do comment verification. I would follow suit however I really need those 1-2 comments....it makes my life complete ;) (just to make sure because I think the last time I commented it was about how people don't always get jokes when they are typed. That was meant with mirth and funny sarcasm, and I really like comments)

Amy said...

Scratch that. I have comment verification and no longer feel self-consious about the fact that I get no comments! Cheers!
Amy

Celia Fae said...

I heard about your celebration all of the way over on my blog. You Are Legend.

D-dawg said...

Jessica you win for mom of the year. WOW that really is the way to celebrate. Kids love it and they'll always remember how much time you put into making them happy. Good job!

Anisa said...

Way too ambitious. Maybe I'll get there next year!

bloggingchristy said...

Thanks to your inspiration, we actually also did some St. Patrick celebrations (I am planning on doing a post about it). The kids likes it and I'm hoping to one day do the holiday thing as well as you!

Melissa said...

Wow your holiday sounded like ours except we celebrated it on Sunday with your Mom lol!

Erika said...

WOW!! I had no idea you could even celebrate St Patty's day. What great memories for your kids!

Jill said...

You are too cute! How fun. Those kids are lucky to have such an awesome mom :)

TexasTwinsTwice said...

soooo fun! you guys sure know how to celebrate a holiday!

Erin said...

So cute--too bad I didn't even realize that it was St. Patty's day until I saw about the 15th person dressed in green at the gym. Um, duh Erin.

Also, are those beeeeeeeer mugs on you St. Patty's plates?! ;) LOL Maybe it's Irish Cider instead.

Tammy said...

You are truly amazing, your enthusiasm is to be envied by all. Your family is so lucky!!

Jenny-Lynn said...

Yay! Good for you!! I love over celebrating minor holidays myself!

Bestapk4u said...

kolo