Foxes

Yikes! Last night I met the rest of the fox family- mom, dad, and four little babies.
At least I think four, maybe more they wouldn't stop moving to be counted.

Anyway, I came out around 2 to get Lenna some water and interrupted their party. They were having a grand old time on our deck, lounging on the picnic table, playing on the slide, etc. When mom saw me she quickly ushered the babies back into their nice safe den----

Under the deck.

Apparently, they have been our guests for several months while mom settled in and had her babies then nursed them until they were big enough to run and play and venture out on their own.

I was trying to decide if I should be afraid or not. They are pretty small, but from what I have read they can be dangerous. They could carry diseases like flea, rabies, mange, distemper, etc. They also eat small animals, like cats, which could definitely be a problem. And they say they only attck people when they feel their young are threatened- like when a three year old boy decides to reach under the porch to retrive a ball, or a little girl bends down to pick flowers, or a family comes in late from the movies and interrupts the deck party, etc. (those last examples were my own invention, if you couldn't tell).

The ladies on the phone at the places who would not help me seemed to think I was over reacting and that I should just leave them alone and would be fine. When I called the trapper companies, they all seemed alarmed and warned me to stay away, not disturb them, and to bring in the cat ASAP. In fact, the one dropped what he was doing and came right over to investigate to make sure we woudl be ok waiting until dark to catch them with traps. I decided to believe the trappers and panic and lock my kids and cat in, only use the front door, and warn the neighbors, who were actually on their way over to tell me they had seen a fox in the area and to look out for the cat and children in the evening.

The county will not help us get rid of them- they specialize in dogs and cats. They referred us to the department of natural resources, who claim the foxes as a resource to be protected. Unless they attack my kids first and I can prove they have rabies, then they will move them.

They told me to leave them alone until the fall when the babies leave the den to make their own homes under the neighbor's porches. And in the mean time to keep my children and pets away from them. Did she not hear me say they are under the porch, under the door we use several times a day, where the kids play, where we cook and eat? Turn the entire back yard and patio over to the fox family until the fall? Or just sit around and wait for them to make someone sick or attack my kids. No thanks!

I called some trappers. Most wanted between $400 and $500 dollars to set traps for a week and move the foxes. I finally found a guy and his nephew who offered to do it for $100 if they could catch them on-site. Otherwise, they wanted $200 to trap for a week. He couldn't get under the porch to remove them, so will have to set traps. So big bearded guy with pick up truck was hired. Funny, when I called he asked me to leave my number on voice mail and call back later, as he was in a swamp catching a wild hog at the time.

He told me that the Sierra Club would adopt the babies and take care of them until they could be released into the swamp park here later, and that mom and dad fox would be able to fend for themselves there also. I figured that was better then having them sent to a zoo or put to sleep.

You see, I have nothing against native wild life. I feed the birds and brake for squirrels and turtles. I just don't want to share my home with them. Which I don't think is too much to ask, really. There is a vacant wooded lot with a pond two houses down, one empty right across the street, and three retention ponds right around the neighborhood. I am more than happy to share those with the fox family instead! However, they chose to settle in underneath us, so out they go!

I will let you know how the adventure continues. We hurried and bought the cat another collar and tag, since he managed to loose the last one in a matter of days. The trapper said he was required by law to turn over any trapped pets with no collars to the pound, even if my six year old is holding the trap crying her eyes out and claiming the inhabitant is hers. So I thought it best to be proactive in preventing such an occurrence and paid for a new collar and tags.

So one more chapter for the critter capers. Next move, we are getting a condo, with a landscape company, pest control, and no wild animals included.

A Day in the Life

When it rains, it pours! In adventures, and posts of course. It is feast or famine in that department. Hope you can keep up!

We have been keeping busy. Lenna finished school this week and now we all have a week off before we start preschool and gymnastics camp for the summer. I thought I would spend it catching up on housework: can you spot the living thing?

Instead, we will spend it at the clinic.

Lenna is recovering from strep throat, chronic nose bleeds (there is nothing scarier than answering a cry at 4 in the morning to find your child covered in blood. Nothing!) and a muscle spasm in her neck that makes it very painful for her to turn her head. She is on muscle relaxers that hopefully will solve the problem before she needs physical therapy, antibiotics for strep, and had to get blood drawn Friday to check her platelet count to check for a clotting problem that might be causing the nose bleeds.

Andrew has a strange but painful blister on his hand, I noticed it Wednesday as just a red spot but today it developed a large fluid-filled blister that he is protective of and winces when I touch and has just started itching. I think it is poison ivy- it is the worst on is right hand, but has splotches on his left wrist and thumb as well. I don't remember a time when he had access to pick a poison ivy plant, but I guess he did! It seems to be getting better.

I am doing well, putting peanut butter on everything in hopes of adding those calories, and am scheduled for an ultrasound on June 13th. Doctor can't find anything wrong with me or baby, so we are just ignoring the weight thing until next month.

Mike is very busy at work earning another medal for things he can't tell me about, getting his transcripts in order to get his degree by the fall if he is discharged, and taking the summer off from school. We are enjoying having him home in the evenings again for a little while.

Swimming lessons start tomorrow! I am excited to have access to the Y child care facilities and a prenatal yoga and water aerobics class. And of course the pool will be nice this summer- whales are most comfortable in the water!

We saw two turtles yesterday- one tiny box turtle trying to cross the road that we picked up and put in a safe place, and our big snapping turtle friend from last year. He was in the same spot and everything! I think he hibernates in the storm drain and was just waking up. Anyway, we just drove around him. I didn't want to lose a finger or get peed on on the way to church.

I have to find time to get the cat to the vet for his rabies shots this week.

This just became more important since we had a new visitor last night- a big gray fox! I heard scratching and thumping on the back porch around 3 and went out to find him just finishing off the cat food. He just sat there and looked at me, like I was interrupting his meal. I was scared- that he might run in if I opened the door to scare him away, that he would eat the cat, that he has made himself a home very near here and my kids are in danger in the yard, etc. I flicked the light a few times and he wandered off to the yard, but returned several times in the next few hours to try to scratch through the cover of the sand box (smelled like cats, or kids?), and then to give me nightmares by scratching at the kitchen window, where I had left the bag of cat food. I guess he could smell it or see it and was hungry. I was so scared he would get through and come running through the house. The cat still will not go out the back door or on to the deck, Mr Fox must have left his scent or something. Mike and I were too sleepy last night to think of taking a picture, but will have the camera ready if he comes back tonight. We have been instructed to get rid of the food and scare him away with loud annoying noises if he comes back. I am sure the elderly neighbors will appreciate our efforts at disturbing the wildlife and their sleep.

Who needs a zoo? We have a back yard. Cat food seems to be the secret, if any of you would like to have your own zoo, too!

Make a Splash

This week marked the end of my first year of employment at Hayden's. And my first year as a working mom. And Andy's first year of preschool. It was an interesting mix of emotions. I was relieved- the summer means a lighter schedule, less planning, and more time with my kids.
It also meant saying good-bye to ten little kids who I have come to love this year- hoping they will go on to good things happy times. Wondering if I made a difference for good, if they will remember me if we meet in the store in two years. It was interesting to see so many children from different backgrounds and the challenges they face.

I am amazed and saddened at how resilient young kids can be when they have to- like the little girl who is stuck in the middle of a bitter custody dispute, whose only constant was her grandmother, who is being forced to move two states away to be with her mom's latest flame away from grandma and anything she knows. I remember some days when she came to school and spent the whole day on my lap, alternating between bravado excitement regarding her new dad and sobbing uncontrollably for no explainable reason. That is one I wish I could keep close for a while longer!

And of course the five little Mormon kids who I got to sing and play with like it was just another primary day, who I knew had parents who loved them and I would see again next week in the foyer- those were easy good-byes!
Anyway, the last day we had a party by the pool. Parents were strongly encouraged to come with their kids to keep them safe in the water, and thankfully many did. Unfortunately many didn't come to swim so the paid help (me) had to get in the cold water and try to keep everyone afloat. No drownings! Here are some pics, you might see a few familiar faces!

Milestones

Lenna finished her first full year of school this week. It was bittersweet, of course. I am proud of her and amazed at how much she has grown, but really, who likes to see their kids growing up?

The last week they had a little show. They sang several songs to us in front of a background they had made themselves, with a lot of help from the class aid Mrs Smith, who is an amazing artist with construction paper and scissors. After the concert they were presented with their memory book and we watched a slide show of the year's pictures. I couldn't believe how grown up she looked when comparing the pictures for the first day of school and the last day of school. They don't do a formal graduation type thing here, they each were able to walk across the stage when their name was called to get their book.

Really, my only problem with the whole event was that Lenna was so excited to go that morning she was up before 7, completely dressed in clothes she picked out, with her hair done herself. Lenna owns probably a dozen dresses that range from long to short, casual to dressy, brand new to three years old. That morning she picked her favorite- one she has been wearing since it was too big three years ago. It is faded, worn out, has a cut in the hem from a scissor accident, and is about two inches too short. In fact, I am fairly certain I packed it away in the give away box two weeks ago but she dug it out for the occasion. Now what was I supposed to do? Tell her she didn't' look good enough for a program and force her with tears and fighting to change into something I liked, or let her go how she was proud and confident? I voted for the latter, and hope in ten years when she is looking back that she will thank me when I explain why she was dressed so poorly that afternoon.

So here is to a great school year now over, a confident and under-dressed kid, and a lifetime of memories!

Going to the Zoo

Last week I was able to go with Lenna's kindergarten class to the Columbia, SC zoo. Her class had an amazing turn out for chaperone's- enough for each adult to only be responsible for 2 kids. Lenna had a good time. We played until lunch, then had a picnic before returning to school. It was interesting to see Lenna around her friends and teachers. it is a whole new side of her personality. A little more reserved at times, silly at others. Definitely way more social than I ever was. Here are some pictures.


Up close and personal with a giraffe
A penguin porthole
By the penguin tank
In a hollow tree, like Toucans

Waiting to get in.
Lenna and her buddy for the day, Sariah.
Teachers Mrs Jones and Mrs Smith
Mackenzie, Lenna, and M's little sister, who thinks Lenna is fabulous!
Ostriches and Zebras

A PS to the below post

I think that the Doctor's reasoning was this: the least they like women to gain is about 20 lbs. The typical schedule is to gain 1/3 of weight in the first 20 weeks and 2/3 the last. Since I will be 20 weeks next month, that gives me one month to gain my 1/3 of 7 lbs.
Anyway, he told me not to worry about it too much. The nutritionists job was to do a calorie count to make sure I was eating enough or if I was and was just really active ( I guess chasing 4 and five year olds all day then a three and six year old all night can burn a lot of calories) and to make sure my thyroid wasn't wacky. After the ultrasound they would know for sure if the baby was growing on track and would know if I need to worry or not with protein shakes and all that. For now, I just have to feel guilty every time I have to write out exactly how many peanut butter m&ms I eat in one sitting and notice that I only had like one serving of veggies yesterday- things like that.
Don't worry, I have no plans on eating trays of doughnuts anytime soon. In fact, I could barely get down one at Lenna's school yesterday morning, and I was thinking of this post the whole time!

The Doughnut Diet?

So I went to my 16 week pregnancy check up yesterday. The baby seems to be doing well- my stomach is growing, the heartbeat is strong, my vitals are good.

I did however get in to trouble because I have actually lost 3 pounds so far in this pregnancy. Quite a mystery! I eat the same as I did before I was pregnant, perhaps a bit more because I don't cut off the snacks like I used to do, and had no problem packing on 30-40 pounds for the first two. So now I get to find the time to visit with a nutritionist every month and keep a food journal etc to find out why I am not gaining weight. I may have to break down and start paying a baby sitter, as I am bound to run out of favors to ask if I have to start going to double appointments!

I tried to argue that maybe the baby sucking the reserve fat from my thighs doesn't have to be a bad thing, but the doctor disagreed. So I am logging my eating habits (too much sugar, not enough veggies, and its only been one day!) and the doctor is running a thyroid test to see if it is maybe that. I am hoping it is, for that would explain the weight issues, the crazy exhaustion, and the hormonal mood swings that bounce me from totally depressed (Lauren I cried for like four hours after your class, you opened a gate!) to amazingly laid back and everything in between.

Until then, I have to gain 7-10 pounds in four weeks. Krispy Creme anyone?

Critter Capers

Some one who visited our house a few weeks ago commented that it was like living in the country, but close to everything. I agree completely! In fact, the advertising line the realtor who sold our house used was "quiet country living close in!"I love the view from the front window and all of the trees. The lots are fairly large, so our neighbors don't have a direct view in. Of course, with the trees and unoccupied space comes wildlife. I ran through the archives of a family board I have been posting on for a few years and came across these little gems:



A few from our apartment:


7/06

Our house is full of wonderful animal adventures. Andrew loves watching out the window for our nearest neighbor, the gray squirrel. There is a family of three white ducks who have began nesting in the pine straw out the window and keep Andy entertained.
Recently a family of three swallows has been drive bombing us every time we approach the front door. I couldn't figure out where they were coming from, since there were no ledges or eaves or nooks for them to be hiding in. Well, two days ago I had to take our welcome wreath down so the outside of the building could be washed. It is a grapevine wreath with some birdhouse cutouts on the front, but behind is hollow. I took it down and a pile of nesting materials fell out- leaves, pine needles, feathers, etc. I just made the bird family homeless, but I guess it was better than letting them get pressure washed. I put it back up and we are watching to see if they come back.



7/20/06

Turtles. There is a family cereal bowl-sized turtles in the pond, plus their quarter-sized babies. We enjoy watching them when we go to the pond. About a week ago I was driving out of our apartment and stopped to move a huge rock that had somehow tumbled into the road. It turned out to be a big turtle, about as big around as a dinner plate and about 8 inches high. It was headed for the freeway so I picked it up to move it back into the drainage stream that led to our pond. It pulled in his head and legs and peed all over me. I had rolled the windows down so the kids could see him, and they thought it was hilarious! I tossed him into the ditch and he scrambled off to the pond. Then we drove home so I could change and wash everyone's hands.



And after we moved into our house:



5/9/07

I think I should write a book about our animal misadventures. Who would have thought, living in the second-largest city in the state, that the wilderness would be giving us so much trouble?
So here are the animals we have at our new home:
Ants- an army lives under our house and lawn. I am still trying to figure out a good way to get rid of them. The good thing is that they have so far stayed out of the house. As long as they stay out of the house, I happy to give them the lawn.
Roaches, or croaches as Lenna calls them. So far they only wander in occasionally, but it is enough to give me the creeps. My first pay check is going to the pest control guy! Yuck. They seem to be especially fond of cat food. (poor kitty)
Birds. Nothing remarkable here, except the blue jay Lenna has adopted. He comes regularly down to steal the cat food. Lenna thinks he is just beautiful! We see him out there at least 4 or five times every day.
Squirrels- actually, these are the least trouble. Not like in TX when they tried to eat thru the ceiling. They are just fun to watch.
Mice. I didn't know we had mice, but I found a squished one in the driveway this week, so I guess they are out there somewhere, too.
And another turtle, he just visited the yard and then wandered off. He did scare the kids a bit tho.
And last but not least..... GIANT OPOSSUMS!!! Really. We knew something we eating the cat food recently because he is waking us up as soon as it is light for breakfast and his bowl is licked clean and sometimes knocked over. Last night Mike heard strange noises and went out to check and there was a huge opossum chowing down on the cat food- about midnight. We stood and watched it thru the door for a while, kind of stunned. I am not sure what to do about it. The cat was sitting on the picnic table just watching it, like "what is that and what do I do about it?" He tried batting at once or twice but the opossum didn't seem to notice. He looked like a professional trash can raider, about the size of a small dog with a long rat tail. Gross!! Mike jiggled the door handle a few times and the noise scared him off into the woods. The poor cat, he has been hiding inside ever since. I don't know what to do about his food. He will just have to learn to eat outside in the day time. I don't want to leave food out for the critters, and don't want it inside because it will bring bugs.

And later that week:

Today we added a new pet to our family for about 10 minutes. A box turtle (technically a tortoise) we found in the yard early this morning. We put him in a shoe box with some lettuce to keep him safe from the cat. It was about the size of a cereal bowl. He had one of those cool hinged plates underneath that completely closed to cover his head. Anyway, we put the box and the turtle on the kitchen floor while we tried to identify it on the internet. Lenna ran to carry the box in so we could see the markings. She got about halfway down the hall and started screaming hysterically! The turtle had given up hiding and stuck his head out and was trying to crawl out of the box and Lenna was not happy about it! I put the lid on and as soon as we found out it was a native turtle not an escaped pet we set him free in the back yard. I think he migrated over from the pond four lots over, he was pretty muddy. The first thing Lenna said after we stuck him in the box- "He didn't even pee on you mommy!" It was pretty funny. But they were scared of it when it started moving. Lenna said they are much more fun to just watch. She checked out a library book about turtles today to learn a little more so it wouldn't be scary next time. Hopefully he made it back to his home safe and sound. So that is our animal adventure for the week.



5/17/07

Another turtle sighting today! On the way out to of the house this morning we found a huge snapping turtle trying to cross the road, very slowly! It was about as big around as a dinner plate and 7-8 inches tall. It looked like it had just emerged from his hibernation spot. Anyway, I tried to gently push it along with my foot to get him to run across the road. Instead of moving he turned around and tried to eat my foot. He was a fast snapper for a turtle. The kids were intrigued by his spiked tail- he was very dinosaur-ish. Anyway, he wouldn't budge, and I wasn't brave enough to pick him up (I wasn't in the mood to be bitten by a slimy snapping turtle) and I couldn't scare him off the road, so we just drove around him and hoped for the best. No sign of him on the way home, so he must have made it across.
The opossum came back the night before last. He was quiet this time, and didn't seem to be scared of me, he was watching me thru the window while he ate the cat's food. If it wasn't so rat-like, I might consider making friends with him since he seems to like it here. But I would rather have a snapping turtle.

And our introduction to fire ants:

7/07

We were visiting with the neighbor outside this afternoon. He was showing me how to turn on the sprinkler system and naming some of our plants, the ones hiding under the weeds. He also offered to loan us any yard tools we might need. I think it was a subtle hint that it was getting a little out of control! Anyway, while we were standing there I was attacked by fire ants!
I have five burning, itching, stinging bites all over my feet. It was awful! Andy got 2 between his toes because he followed me across the mound but I was able to save him and get his shoes off in time. Ouch! Now I know why they call them fire ants. The sad thing is, I just stepped in it walking by, so my feet were only there for a second or two. Imagine a child sitting in a nest for a few minutes, it would be tragic (actually, they recommend a trip to the er for more than a dozen bites). So we were scanning for mounds and found six others scattered around the yard. Our pest people only do house ants, we have to call landscapers to kill yard ants I guess. So now the yard is off limits to the kids until we get some poison out. The neighbor poured some ant killer in the mound we were standing on and said "welcome to the south!" It was not fun. So that is our new animal encounter.

7/16/07

I almost hit a deer on the way to church on Sunday. I didn't' know we had deer. We live in this little pocket of woods surrounded by housing developments and four-lane roads. It seems strange to have all these critters running around.
And we almost ran over a little box turtle on the way home today. We stopped to watch it run across the road into the brush.
And Lenna adopted a pet frog from the ladies at the library who caught it on the sidewalk. We are letting it go in the yard tonight before it dies (there is a shortage of live crickets and meal worms to drop in its tank- yuck!). So there are our new adventures.



8/25/07

Two days ago as we were leaving the neighborhood we nearly ran into a peacock! I have no idea what it was doing strutting along the road, but the kids enjoyed watching it. He wouldn't fan out his tail for them to see but he still was a beautiful blue color. I think maybe he was a pet that had wandered away or something. Once as a kid we lived next door to a peacock farm and they would jump the fence occasionally, I am thinking that something similar happened to that guy. He wandered off down a driveway so I am not sure what happened to him. We always look for him as we come around that corner now, tho! He has a friend who is all white.



I forgot to write about the time we went out of town for a weekend and Lauren and her boys came by each day to feed the cat. We left the food outside in a tote. Well, one night a very hungry raccoon came to visit and managed to claw through the heavy duty Rubbermaid tote to get the bag of food. He took off with it across the yard (maybe the giant opossum came along to help like in Over the hedge?) leaving a trail of ripped bag cat food bits. I was amazed at the depth of the claw and teeth marks in the plastic lid. It was a little scary. In fact, I think that Lauren's kids were afraid for the poor kitty's safety. After that we started keeping the cat food in the trunk of the car. We have since upgraded to an indoor bug-proof container and the raccoon has found someone else to bother.



So that was it for an animal crazy summer. Let's hope that this year isn't quite so exciting! My only regret is that we didn't capture any of it on film! It seemed we were always in the car on the way out to someplace so didn't have the camera or the time to run back and get it.

An Ode to Lawn Mowing

I found this in a message board archive from about a year ago.
I thought I would share it with all of you. Enjoy!

An Ode to Lawn Mowing

Oh mighty lawnmower, how I loathe thee.
Thy powerful roar echos through my head
The mess that spews from beneath thy frame
Seeks the small corners of all my clothes.

Oh mighty lawnmower, how I loathe thee,
Thy cohort in crime, the green grassy lawn,
Tease, and taunts with every pass.
The rain falls and the lawn laughs,
It's blades grow and spread with every drop.

How great this alliance, to torture mankind
Its lingered and labored for years on end.
They work as a team; each feeding off the other.
The lawn grows by leaps and bounds.
Its tall grass taunts the caretaker morning and night
Alas the steward of the lawn relents.

He trods out to the resting place of the evil accomplice.
There sets the lawn mower beaming in anticipation.
The starter is primed and the caretaker pulls the cord.
The mower roars for a moment, sputters then stalls.
A faint cackle is heard with the last spurt of the engine.

Once again the caretaker pulls the cord but only silence prevails
Again, and again he tries.
Slowly at first but frustration ensues.
The caretaker kicks the mighty lawn mower rocking it to its side.
A faint cackle is heard as it settles back to the ground,
The caretaker cries out in pain clenching his foot.

Determined to succeed he primes the mower once more.
He pulls at the cord and the engine roars.
The caretaker has triumphed, or so he thought.
The mighty lawn mower has been conquered or so it is thought.

Without victory, why would the caretaker return the next week
And grace the lawn mower with the same entertaining routine.
What's more the lawn mower knows what the caretaker does not.
Last week the lawn was busy and prepared well for this day.
The grass has been growing with lightning speed.

But there is more, a secret worth the wait
For it will bring many moments of amusement
In the far corner of the lawn a new friend has emerged
He has joined the caretaker's tormentors and will not disappoint.
The caretaker knows not what lies ahead of him this day
But soon he will meet a new Nemesis who taunts even more,

It is the mighty crab grass and weeds galore...

By Mike

Tagged

Nope, not one of those forwarded questioning things, but graffiti. By my 6 year old.

I was de-cluttering a dresser to do some furniture arranging and this is what I discovered on one corner.

It is a little blurry because I had to do some cropping and such to get it to show up, but there it is! I guess if someone is going to scrawl messages on the furniture, what better than "I love you mom"? And now I have a long-lasting sample of that cute beginner handwriting I love so much.

In other funnies, Andrew came out after church Sunday and told me "Mom, sometimes I am just too smart!" I am guessing he was quoting a teacher, but how could I argue? He is too smart!

Later that day he enjoyed some computer bonding time with Mike. He first came out to tell me he was the strike out king in the baseball game they were playing but that the game was "a little bit hard possibly!" Later I came to visit and snapped this picture and was reprimanded for talking too loud. "Shh mommy, my piggies are sleeping!" Andrew whispered to me while pointing to his very relaxed toes.

I have posted the link to the vacation photos my sister-in-law Tammy, took. A few of the kids at a family party and her home roasting marshmallows, then of their time at the beach and Busch Gardens. She is amazing with her camera. I took twice as many pictures and ended up with just a handful of "frame worthy" ones, you know the ones where everyone is smiling, looking at the camera, in focus, etc. Almost every picture she sent was dubbed "frame-worthy" by Mike or myself. Some people in our family give her a hard time because she is known for always having her camera ready and taking a million pictures, but she is really good at it! So thanks, Tammy for the pictures. She is also one of the few loyal readers of this blog, so you can post her your compliments and she will see them.

http://picasaweb.google.com/crossjannet/LennaAndyVirginiaBeach?authkey=N0jH6pP5vzk

She also spoils our kids with "not-for-any-good-reason-but-just-because-I-love-you" presents, which they love. Like this fancy dinner ware that has become a staple at our table. I even got Andrew to eat spaghetti by placing it on the Lightening plate. If only the trick would work for Lenna and vegetables, we would be in business.

A few random photos: Mike and the kids in the yard. We are hoping to get the glorious green abundance under control before it takes over the house. It would be easier if we didn't have to watch so closely for the poison ivy. Anyway, Mike had some big helpers, with their own little tools last weekend.

Andrew brought home this planter kit from school last week. We finally got it put together, Lenna did most of the work.

Next week we have a field trip to the zoo with Lenna's class, the kindergarten end-of-year performance, field day, and Andy's last day of school pool party. That should keep us very busy and perhaps give me more to write about.

Oh, and a PS for Lauren. You should make your Mike do his church-related calls from church. There I was enjoying a relaxing evening at home, check the caller ID to see your number and assume I am in for a nice chat with my friend Lauren. Then bam, the official voice of "Brother Marshman from the bishopric" comes on and asks me to speak in sacrament meeting. Not even a fair warning if you ask me!