Saint Patrick’s Day

For Saint Patrick’s Day, I am talking to Curly about the actual Saint Patrick, we’re reading a few books about the saint and coloring some pictures that I found online.  However, the more entertaining activities are below…a leprechaun trap and green kettle corn.  Mmmmm.

Here is last year’s trap.  The stickers were Curly’s contribution since she was too little to do much creating. 

To catch the leprechaun, he will be lured up the colorful ladder then stand on the lid–which falls into the box easily, thus trapping the little guy.  Once he’s trapped, he has to give us all his gold.  Shockingly, we didn’t catch him last year.

This year’s trap is a Kleenex box covered with green paper (Curly is getting much better as scissors).  The top is decorated with rainbow colored Nuudles.  Nuudles are these awesome “foam” peanuts made out of cornstarch.  You can lick them and stick them to anything.  Technically, the package says to dip them in water, but licking is easier and more entertaining.  Tonight, the leprechaun will be lured under the box with shiny treats and he will hit the marker, causing the box to fall and trap him underneath.  Very sneaky, I know.  After we set the trap tonight and Curly goes to sleep, I’m going to paint little hand and foot prints all over the house and trip the trap (leaving a few coins and chocolate for Curly).  I’ll probably do a few other “tricks” like leaving green milk in the fridge, etc. 

Green Kettle Corn.  Delicious.  I used this recipe and added green food coloring to the oil.  Curly and I ate it while reading about the saint and she kept swiping the popcorn out of my hand before it got to my mouth.  She’s a sneaky little leprechaun (ha ha ha, I know, I’m hilarious).