Once you become a parent the party days and nights out end. It’s ok because your kids become your entire world and focus. Date nights and occasional outings can be fit in here and there and are so healthy for a marriage but the less mature care free days of the past are gone.
St Patrick’s is a big drinking holiday and despite my Irish name and heritage I don’t go crazy on the “big day.”
The day started with a struggle to get the kids in green and to cooperate for a photo before the boys headed to school. I even left a Spider-Man shamrock shirt out for Shane which he refused to wear (seriously he loves Spider-Man!) but compromised on another green shirt. Reese slept in super late because she was up and wide awake at 2 in the morning. So we got pics of 4 of the 5 together. Close enough!
For our festive evening I actually tried making vegetarian corned beef and cabbage for the second year in a row using seitan in place of the beef. I forgot to buy potatoes to have with it and didn’t feel like making yet another trip to the store so it was close enough this year.
I can’t cook at all so this was extremely adventurous but it came out ok. Chris and Shane both had some so guess it wasn’t that bad or at least fairy edible. I’ll admit I liked the cabbage over the seitan but for a once a year dish it sufficed.
I made this while watching the five kids solo right before Chris got home from work so I was half keeping an eye on Bryce and Alice in the kitchen and half focusing on dinner. So once again we settled on close or good enough!
When I was grocery shopping earlier this week I went all in on a festive meal for St Patrick’s day. I found Guinness potato chips which if you like Guinness beer are amazing! I got Guinness beers for Chris and I to have. I got a shamrock cookie decorating kit for the kids which we didn’t even get to because both our sitters that day brought treats for the kids.
I spent the night watching the NCAA Tournament until I fell asleep. Thankfully I was awake to see #16 FDU pull off the amazing upset against #1 Purdue.
And this was enough. This was my perfect, simple St. Patrick’s Day with my family. No crazy outfits or excess drinking or going out. Just a good time at home trying a dish I make once a year.
While at least half of Hamilton was at the parade this afternoon I was over in PA at my nephew’s birthday party. And I don’t care that I missed it. I have kids and I’m over drinking at parades. Maybe I’m an old fart now or a party pooper but this is what I am. I don’t party like a rockstar, I party like a mom of five. And that’s ok by me.
#partylikeamom #stpatricksday #closeenough #goodenough #vegetariancornedbeef #cornedbeefandcabbage #guinness
