St. Patrick's Day 2015

St. Patrick's Day

Okay, remember the woman that posted on Facebook constantly about how much she hated Valentine's Day? Well, she was back in full force on St. Patrick's Day. She was irritated by all the posts from people in their green and their revelry. Good grief. So, of course, I felt compelled to post multiple pictures on both FB and Instagram. I get it. The holidays aren't your thing. Okay. But why do you feel the need to poop on everyone else's parade? If people are having fun, enjoying life, being festive, and you don't feel that way...scroll on by. Why do you feel the need to post your negative comments? Annoying, but no surprise. I get it that life is hard, stressful, painful, and what have you...BELIEVE ME... I KNOW! But for the most part, happiness is a choice, not always...sometimes really horrible things happen and you just can't be happy... or you have clinical depression or something like that...but for the most part it is.

One of the greatest gifts that my mother has given to me is the ability to find joy in the little things of life...the simple pleasures. That is a life skill that has served me well especially since life hasn't always gone my way and I have had to adapt to a lot of things. It is also a life skill I am REALLY hoping that my children inherit. It makes life so much better. Be silly once in a while, don't take yourself too seriously, have a sense of humor, find joy...even if you have to look really really hard. Put on a leprechaun hat and dance an Irish jig once in a while even if you aren't Irish...which I am thanks to my Miley side of the family. Or don't...and that's okay. You don't have be negative on every social media site you can find. That said... The Johnsons had a good time.

I decorated three days prior, scrounged up green outfits for the kids, painted little girls nails (and mine) a horrible shade of green, bought food for an Irish feast, green lunches, and Lucky Charms for breakfast, took the kids to get shamrock shakes after school at my most hated McDonalds, ate our feast, wore silly hats, danced to Irish music, watched Darby O'Gill and the Little People and had a good time. This year there were no leprechaun traps set the night before (which I hate) and no leprechaun antics (which I also hate). Although Bryn did make a trap for school and they set it there. Hooray. Some years are particularly festive like this one and some aren't quite so much but we always do something to celebrate. I enjoyed reading a lengthy group text from my siblings and mom about what they were all doing to celebrate too.

My kids really enjoy green lunches especially since their normal lunch consists of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat, a piece of fruit, pretzels, and water every.single.day. Pure junk food on St. Patrick's Day doesn't hurt anyone and they love it. Even my high school senior who never eats lunch these days and my middle schooler who only takes a package of cheese crackers or a granola bar for lunch (too busy socializing) wanted green lunch too. Reilly left the house super early for seminary and I hadn't made them yet so I brought hers to school for her. My kids like to be surprised so I have to put them in brown bags and staple them closed.

This year's contents:

I set the table and made homemade bread, tons and tons of boiled veggies and cabbage (my kids LOVE them), corned beef  (for me and Tyler), a rainbow fruit platter and dip, my grandma's green punch, and Trisha Yearwood's Key Lime Cake. It was good. My family likes their veggies doused in malt vinegar and horseradish cream. Me too!

We put on our funny hats and blared the Irish music...

Here is the picture I wasn't allowed to post on FB or Instagram but WAS allowed to post on the ol' blog and, thank goodness, because it is clearly awesome.

Crazy eyes and all!!

Reilly had to work and missed out on most of the festivities...a sign of things to come. Graduation is only about 2 months away. Wow. See, having to adapt to things right there!!

Anyway...hopefully you all had a good St. Patrick's Day or didn't. Either way we can still be friends!! :) Tyler refused to wear green during the day and I still love him. But don't be annoying on FB, okay?