Lucky + Loved

My favorite time of year to be a Murray is mid-March.  Lots o'green and Guinness and bagpipes and corned beef and cabbage.  

Our "Irish" celebration kick-off every year is the Brookside Warm Up Parade on Snake Saturday.  After a good run of sunny, warm Snake Saturday's we were due for a cool and rainy one.  Luckily, it wasn't too cold and just a light mist.  A damp, gray day that actually reminded me of the weather during our first trip to Ireland way back in 2006.  So, although the party at our house wasn't able to spill out onto the back deck, the weather felt very authentic :)  And there's nothing more cozy than being inside my warm home on a rainy day with loved ones and a table full of food.

Fletcher helped me put the "PINCH" clothes pins on all of the forks/napkins.
He was clearly super proud of his accomplishment.

And the big boys helped me arrange flowers to look like a rainbow.

 We also glued lucky chocolate coins to shamrocks for our guests to take home.

 Mimi and our littlest leprechaun.  He sat around and did nothing except look cute ;)

At the parade Fletcher said all the noises were "too loud...it scare me".  

And Pop Pop thought that was hilarious.

 Waiting patiently to collect some candy!

We take up a lot of space :)

Milo getting some love from Uncle Sean.

If this isn't a Murray face!?!?!  Oh my goodness!  It's all in the eyebrows :)

Fletch and cousin Brandon.  Such handsome boys!

 On St. Patrick's Day I made these chocolate coin filled "poppers" for the boys using toilet paper rolls.

Max was missing in the AM because he got to spend the night with Mimi & Pop Pop.

 We had our traditional Murray breakfast early on St. Patrick's Day morning.
Our first year trying O'Neills Restaurant.

Fletch was so happy to see Max.  He missed his big brother.

Our clan minus the 6 O'Neals in Tennesse!

Max got his popper when we returned home after breakfast.  The little things make them so happy.

 While the boys were napping/resting later that afternoon I got a sitter and snuck out to run a couple errands and then meet Billy in Westport for an hour.  Always good people watching.  Plus it was a gorgeous sunny day.

 And we can't ever conclude St Patrick's Day without a family dance party.
We turn The Elders up loud and do our version of the Irish jig ;)

 Without a doubt, lucky in love.