St. Patrick's Day

 It was a glorious and warm day for a parade this year:

 

Cora was insistent on making a leprechaun trap, and we spent a lot of time researching just how to do it. Then, the night before St. Patrick's Day she started to reconsider. What if the trap made the leprechaun mad and he didn't leave a treat? What would she DO with a leprechaun if she caught one?? Annaliese picked up on her sister's anxiety and starting crying that she was afraid of leprechauns and didn't want them to come to our house. She begged me to leave a sign on the door that said, "No leprechauns allowed!" Finally, we got everyone to sleep and calmed down that all would be fine...

 

 

On St. Patrick's Day morning, the girls approached the trap with great trepidation. Much to their delight, the leprechaun escaped and left a shamrock shaped donut with sprinkles for them to share.

 

 

 

Annaliese thought the leprechaun's standing trick of peeing in the toilet and turning it green was H.Y.S.T.E.R.I.C.A.L.

And of course, we had to have friends over for a corned beef and cabbage dinner. Cora and I even made enough homemade Irish soda bread for her to share with her friends at school. All in all, it was great fun to celebrate our Irish heritage!

St. Patrick's Day cuties: Abbey Clare, Cora, Liese and Clara

And last but not least, some really cool family history items my cousin shared with me. I'll have to try to get some Malone, Kelly and Hoolighan family relics to share next year.

The Hogan family tartan. Hogan name means "young".
Clan motto: "Fulminus instar" translated means "Like lightning"