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Keepin’ It Real – St. Patrick’s Day

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keepin' it real2Occasionally a reader or mom I know will say to me, “Your Happy Buddies are so lucky to have a mom like you!” or, “I’ll bet it’s just so fun living in your house!”

These kind of comments usually make me cringe because if y’all only KNEW! 🙂

There’s one other comment, though, that really gives me a twitch and that’s, “Do you do ALL of the ideas you post?”

Mommies, hear me out.

I’m just like you (with the exception of fairy wings and an absurd amount of glitter).

I am busy, overwhelmed most of the time, forgetful, easily given to impatience, I serve chicken nuggets for dinner more often than I care to admit, and my house is forever looking like something akin to what’s happening on the bottom of my oven.

I seriously finally broke down this week and cleaned our bathroom because it was becoming hazardous to our health.

When I do get a spare minute to craft, either the Happy Buddy is at preschool or he is deciding that he doesn’t want to do any of the crafts I suggest.

He’d rather just sit with a piece of paper, a glob of paint and a paintbrush.

So, with all that said, NOPE – I definitely do not do all of the ideas I post.

I like gathering a million different ideas and putting them all in one place with the hopes that as my buddies grow, I will have a constant source of inspiration whenever I may need it.

Also, Happy Home Fairy celebrates the fact that every family is DIFFERENT.  What works for some, may not work for others.

And that is always changing as we start and end the various seasons of motherhood.

For example, I know for a fact that as much as I would have loved to dye the Happy Buddy’s cereal milk green for St. Patrick’s Day, he never in a million years would have eaten it.  In fact, he probably would have looked at that bowl as if the world he knew had betrayed him.

But some of you dyed your Happy Buddy’s milk green AND maybe even streaked their hair green too.

And they LOVED it (and I am so happy that I helped you find a fun idea!)!

Maybe one day it will work for the Happy Buddy, but right now his little 3-year-old-heart needs stability with that daily bowl of cereal.

You have to know your kids and then you also have to know your limits, too.

I’m not going to break my back making a big fuss over something that the Happy Buddy will probably forget in a few seconds.

Case in point.

It’s the night before St. Patrick’s Day.

I realize that the Happy Buddy and I had talked a lot about making a leprechaun trap but it was now bedtime and we never actually got around to making one.

So I slap some green socks on the Happy Buddy and whisper that maybe a leprechaun will visit us anyway.

I wasn’t about to spend an hour using paint to draw tiny little leprechaun footprints all over the kitchen counters – although absolutely awesome (as seen HERE), but I dug through my bin of holiday fun and found a few things.

keepin' it realI hung a St. Patrick’s Day banner.

keepin' it real3And I made a small rainbow of M&Ms on a shamrock napkin with a sprinkling of shamrock confetti all around.

DONE.

Something fun for the Happy Buddy to wake up to – something easy for mommy to put together at the last second because, to be honest – even with my blog to keep me accountable – I almost completely forgot!

As you can see, nothing fancy or spectacular goin’ on over here. 🙂

You know what else, though??  Even though I love holidays and all the ideas I share on this site, I have noticed that a lot of our happiest Happy Home memories are not the holiday crafts or holiday decorations, or grand holiday traditions, but they are found in the tiniest little things in between the holiday magic (which don’t require a website for help).

It’s when I snuggle my boys a little longer before bed, or read them an extra story, or take them on a long walk, or start a tickle fight, or randomly shout, “OH NO!” in the house and then when I have everyone’s nervous attention I say, “Mommy loves you!”

🙂

So, there you have it, friends!

Just keepin’ it real and keepin’ it simple.

– Julie xoxo

Fairy Thoughts, St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day
15 Comments

About Happy Home Fairy

Julie Brasington is a Preschool Director, wife of a South Florida Worship Pastor and mom of 3 boys. She writes at Happy Home Fairy where you can find easy craft ideas, FREE printables, simple recipes, holiday fun, thoughts on raising kids, and encouragement for moms.

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Reader Interactions

15 Comments

  1. Nancy

    March 17, 2013 at 8:58 pm

    I heart this post!

    reply to this comment
  2. Susie Wilson

    March 17, 2013 at 9:14 pm

    I love how totally transparent you are. It seems like so many moms are trying to prove themselves to be the “best” or most “pulled together.” I love all of the ideas that you gather together, and because of your blog I have found and used ideas for Teacher Appreciation week, Pastor’s Appreciation Month, holidays, and my daughters’ birthday parties. You are AMAZING whether you do any of the things you blog or not! As a working mom I have so much guilt for not being able to be as crafty or “fun” as I’d like to be. It means so much that you aren’t afraid to admit the same thing, even as a stay-at-home mom. You rock, Happy Home Fairy!

    reply to this comment
  3. grammasheila

    March 17, 2013 at 9:16 pm

    Happy Honey, it’s the THOUGHT that counts!!

    reply to this comment
  4. Kim

    March 17, 2013 at 9:55 pm

    What a great post! Thank you Julie! Very encouraging! And it made me giggle. :O)

    reply to this comment
  5. Shara Zgabay

    March 17, 2013 at 10:16 pm

    Thank you for all the great ideas and for keeping it real!

    reply to this comment
  6. venicelmaxwell

    March 17, 2013 at 10:49 pm

    You’re awesome! Even though I’m obviously not a mom (not even close) I love reading your blog because I feel like it’s so you and I think you’re amazing 🙂 thanks for what you do!

    reply to this comment
  7. Janna

    March 17, 2013 at 10:59 pm

    Thank you for this post! I LOVE having all of the ideas that you share (and we definitely use a lot of them!), but I know that it is so important to not let all of the “good” things in life keep us from doing the “best” things (i.e. snuggling with our children and showing them how much we love them). Today I just let my kids have some rainbow treats, stuck a green smiley face sticker on them before we went to church, and they were happy as could be!!! 🙂

    reply to this comment
  8. Jodi

    March 17, 2013 at 11:02 pm

    I love love love your blog, and I love THIS post even more! Thank you for posting your honesty! P.S. I LOVE the m&m rainbow!

    reply to this comment
  9. Jennifer

    March 17, 2013 at 11:09 pm

    I love you!!!! U crack me up!!! Lol 🙂 xo

    reply to this comment
  10. Megan

    March 18, 2013 at 12:00 am

    {I just found your blog for the 1st time when I one of your St. Pat’s photos on pinterest. I was impressed by this page & your comments.} Very refereshing to see someone so honest (with herself & her readers) about what we can and & can’t do. Your family is lucky, not because you take the time to do the ‘extra’ crafty things for/with them BUT because you know when you shouldn’t so you can spend time with them. Very nice reminder to everyone that we can’t be ALL to EVERYONE – we leave NOTHING for OURSELVES.

    reply to this comment
  11. Karina

    March 18, 2013 at 5:39 am

    This is my favorite post ever!

    reply to this comment
  12. Linda Kinsman

    March 18, 2013 at 7:49 am

    I am so thankful your post was the first I read this morning. I feel better knowing I am not the only one that let St. Patricks day go by without a ton of energy put into celebrating. Thanks for keeping it real!

    reply to this comment
  13. lacyclan

    March 18, 2013 at 8:18 am

    Love it. It is good to know that the Happy Home Fairy is a normal mommy. I agree that it is the in between holidays that can be fun times. Just having dinner together at our stage of family life is a reason to celebrate, (when we all can be here at the same time). Thanks for being real.

    reply to this comment
  14. sylena

    March 18, 2013 at 8:33 am

    God Bless!!! Adore this post! xo

    reply to this comment
  15. Sadia

    March 25, 2013 at 12:01 pm

    I rarely comment on blog posts (the exception being recipes that I try), but I had to on this one – what a fantastic, real post. I’m a SAHM who’s constantly looking for crafts/activities, but realistically I always find that the days go by so fast that I rarely get any of them done! Your post made me feel so much better. Thank you for keeping it real, and for all your amazing posts!

    reply to this comment

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Hey there! My name is Julie, the Happy Home Fairy. I am married to a Worship Pastor, we have 3 boys, and I am a Preschool Director. I love sharing easy, fun ideas to help moms build a happy home! Here you will find simple crafts, FREE Printables, yummy recipes, stories about my journey to trust Jesus with my family, and encouragement for your mama's heart. You can read more about me HERE!

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