3/17 and random throughts

 Happy St Patrick's Day!!!

     I love SPD.  We aren't really even Irish but I just love it. (You'd think with our kids having been name Emily Rose, Michael Patrick and MaryEllen Grace we were Irish through and through... sorry NOT)  I think I got into the day when I was teaching Pre-School when we lived in VA Beach. 

****Cute story warning feel free to skip****

 I loved exploring various cultures with my class each month.  So when March rolled around my creative juices were flowing.  There was a small foot bridge that separated our school from a park.  Every day I had my kids stomp across the bridge making sure the Leprechaun living there would be awake on 3/17.  Why there was a leprechaun under there~ thank heavens they didn't ask LOL.  Finally the day approached and we were ready to find the leprechaun and his magical pot of gold.  In preparation we painted baby jars green b/c  you have to store your gold in something Green.  Well while we wre gone don't you know the leprechaun visited our class and left magical while powder in our treasure jars with a note.  All we had to do was add milk to the jars, shake it and we'd have a special treat.   The white powder turned into Pistachio Pudding!!  Of course I continued this with my own kids.  We added making traps for the leprechauns and I wish I had pictures of some of the things they'd come up with.  I think they were just as disappointed there was no Leprechaun as they were with no Santa!

***back to the blog***

    Usually by now I would have baked 2 dozen loaves of Irish Soda Bread.  Dyed various foods green and planned a wonderful menu.  So I'll admit it feels a bit weird not having done any of that.  Granted most of that has to do with my limited mobility but still.  Also not being home for the holiday is the real reason behind most of the non-happenings.  Though all is not lost as Friday the entire brood will be joined by the wonderful McSweeney's for a full Gaelic St Patrick's day celebration (maybe I should warn the neighbors) 

     Anyway I am sitting in a hotel room watching TV killing time  until tomorrow when we get Emily. But I have to tell you it was one on the nicest rides.  I really enjoy the drive to Mobile.  Which is basically I-10 for all but 1 hour of it.  We saw a family of deers feeding on the side of the road.  And spring has definitely sprung on all the farms we passed.  I don't recall being that aware of so many calves before.  Yes we were speeding by at 75 mph but they were so sweet just the same.  And then the landscape.  I really wish I was able to take pictures of some of the trees.  There is one tree in the middle of this meadow and it is dry white with its branches forming these beautiful upward reaching arms.  Unfortunately speeding by doesn't enable photo ops.  I think one time I'll make this drive without a time crunch so I can just stop at will.  You know that day would wind up being rainy or overcast or there would be no great landscapes that I notice...

    So we are spending the night in Pensacola, just over an hour from Mobile.  It is 1am CST, 10 pm Alaska time and the kids are getting ready to head to the airport for their return.  Emily just called and said it would be easier to meet us at school than the airport~I'm a bit bummed as I was going to make signs to wave at her, maybe she figured that out LOL.  Truthfully with the walker that will be easier but definitely less fun. So until tomorrow