The grub has grown to about 4 inches now. One of the boys says it looks like the things from the movie "Tremors". I really don't want some man eating, vibration feeling grub with a bad attitude around this house. I have visions of this grub hatching into a huge beetle, similar to the one I battled upstairs a few months ago. Caleb holds this grub and talks to it. He is much more chatty with it than he is most people we meet. Perhaps if people wore bug outfits he would be more inclined to speak to them.
Caleb loves bugs, we have a huge spider web on the side of the house that is home to a daddy long legged spider. I had to take down a lot of the webbing the other day when a well intentioned child threw chicken scratch into the web. Caleb was sure I would kill the spider, I gently shooed it out of the way and took the food loaded web down. I noticed the spider is already busy building a new one. I also noticed that spider is getting big. I am not really afraid of bugs. After three sons it is hard to be afraid of much of anything.
Andrew and Evan and even Caleb feel I am very unfair for not allowing a scorpion in the house. I can't stand scorpions, no way to warm up to them. They said they could always sneak one in. Not happening I have a radar for these things. Should one get in the house and escape I would not handle this well. One house evacuated, tented and sprayed. I don't care who's pet "Fluffy", the scorpion is.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Happy Birthday Emma
Emma is 8 years old today. Emma is our fourth child and first daughter. She has decided to have strawberries and cream for her birthday as we don't eat sugar in our house. They are allowed cake on their birthdays but she said she would rather have a healthy birthday. I am so proud of the young lady she is growing up to be. This is her day, and she has the day off from school work. Happy Birthday Emma.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sleep deprivation
When we bought this house we were thrilled that it was one of only three houses on a deep cul de sac and surrounded by a high block wall with a business park next to it. We liked this because, one our kids could play more and not bother as many people, two not as many people could bother us. Down the one side of us is a nice grass area with huge pine trees, then a building with various businesses.
This has always been great until five nights ago. One of the businesses alarm keeps going off, all night long. The people get there around 9:00 A.M. and turn it off. We have been up for hours by this time. My poor husband goes to work at 5:00 A.M. and returns home at 7:00 P.M., twelve long hours of work two hours to drive back and forth. I don't know how he is doing it. I am ready to kill someone, the kids are at each others throats and no one is in a good mood. I called the business, a realtor's office, and explained that we could not carry on this way. The woman was very nice, and apologized. She told me she would have to call the owner so he could call the alarm company. That didn't work at all, towards bedtime last night that darn alarm was blaring again. Hubby called the police, nope sorry nothing they could do. I would like the number of the alarm company, this way I can bug them all night long.
I think that if this alarm continues tonight I am taking the kids over first thing in the morning and we are camping in the office until something is done about that alarm. This is the time of year the ac is off, windows are normally thrown open. Now we are sealed in like a tomb and still can hear that alarm all night long. Tonight will be night 6, I feel that by tomorrow morning there is going to be an extreme danger in mood swings around here. Yes a sit in will work out just fine. I tried the be nice over the phone thing, now I will try the be nice in person thing. Be warned, if this does not work it will get ugly. Two adults and five children lacking sleep is not a pretty sight. The third adult sleeps on the main level so hears nothing. Not only will I park kids in the office I will bring their school work, let them try and teach five cranky sleep deprived children.
This has always been great until five nights ago. One of the businesses alarm keeps going off, all night long. The people get there around 9:00 A.M. and turn it off. We have been up for hours by this time. My poor husband goes to work at 5:00 A.M. and returns home at 7:00 P.M., twelve long hours of work two hours to drive back and forth. I don't know how he is doing it. I am ready to kill someone, the kids are at each others throats and no one is in a good mood. I called the business, a realtor's office, and explained that we could not carry on this way. The woman was very nice, and apologized. She told me she would have to call the owner so he could call the alarm company. That didn't work at all, towards bedtime last night that darn alarm was blaring again. Hubby called the police, nope sorry nothing they could do. I would like the number of the alarm company, this way I can bug them all night long.
I think that if this alarm continues tonight I am taking the kids over first thing in the morning and we are camping in the office until something is done about that alarm. This is the time of year the ac is off, windows are normally thrown open. Now we are sealed in like a tomb and still can hear that alarm all night long. Tonight will be night 6, I feel that by tomorrow morning there is going to be an extreme danger in mood swings around here. Yes a sit in will work out just fine. I tried the be nice over the phone thing, now I will try the be nice in person thing. Be warned, if this does not work it will get ugly. Two adults and five children lacking sleep is not a pretty sight. The third adult sleeps on the main level so hears nothing. Not only will I park kids in the office I will bring their school work, let them try and teach five cranky sleep deprived children.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
DO NOT HUMP
We ran across several items of mystery while cleaning out one of my dads backyards. The first one was good for a laugh. It was two signs with the phrase, DO NOT HUMP, printed in large block letters. Evan asked if my parents were hippies, this was worth a great deal of laughing on my part. Hippies? My parents? LMAO not likely, in fact they were first in line to complain when some hippies moved in down the block. I saw no problem with these strange new people but what did I know, I was only about 6 years old. I noticed the other day the signs are in the boys room. I asked what they intended to do with these signs. Evan said his sisters will want to date one day and he will simply tape these to their backs. I can see the future is going to hold some serious fights between three over protective brothers and two no nonsense sisters.
Another mystery was a very strange grub. This was a little white fellow about half an inch long found under a board. Now having three sons I knew this grub would be coming home with us. Home he/she ( how does one sex a grub?), came. We looked at the grub tonight he/she is now three inches long. My husband and I are thinking this is a palo verde beetle grub, (mentioned in previous post). Caleb thinks he is just wonderful. I had him put into a plastic critter keeper with a good lid. Should this prove to be anything not mom proof he/she is secured.
The third mystery was a suitcase and wooden box in the old wooden shed we tore down. I asked my dad about it, he had no clue. We opened the box first to find various items, keys, photos, makeup and some jewelry. The suitcase had some of the same photos and a whole lot more. Two birth certificates, tons of letters, photos and cards. No one in the family knows who these people are. I know this one was named Kimberly Davies and her baby was named Jennifer Davies. I know Kimberly had a rocky start, ended up a single pregnant mom at a very young age in the 70's. I will try and keep up on this mystery as the houses get finished and rented out.
Another mystery was a very strange grub. This was a little white fellow about half an inch long found under a board. Now having three sons I knew this grub would be coming home with us. Home he/she ( how does one sex a grub?), came. We looked at the grub tonight he/she is now three inches long. My husband and I are thinking this is a palo verde beetle grub, (mentioned in previous post). Caleb thinks he is just wonderful. I had him put into a plastic critter keeper with a good lid. Should this prove to be anything not mom proof he/she is secured.
The third mystery was a suitcase and wooden box in the old wooden shed we tore down. I asked my dad about it, he had no clue. We opened the box first to find various items, keys, photos, makeup and some jewelry. The suitcase had some of the same photos and a whole lot more. Two birth certificates, tons of letters, photos and cards. No one in the family knows who these people are. I know this one was named Kimberly Davies and her baby was named Jennifer Davies. I know Kimberly had a rocky start, ended up a single pregnant mom at a very young age in the 70's. I will try and keep up on this mystery as the houses get finished and rented out.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
North versus South
I have lived on the southern end of Nevada my entire life. I did live on the northern end for three years in my twenties. My dads family is from the northern end. I have spent my life traveling back and forth for visits.
My husband and I have spent almost our entire marriage treating this end as a temporary thing. Saying we would move north when we could. We have always made friends easily enough but knew they would be temporary. Knowing we would move north soon. Our last house was treated as temporary as is this one. That is the way it has been until about ten months ago. I finally decided it was time to settle in. The children are involved in their things, the girls in girl scouts. The boys have their friends and activities. My dad came to live with us seven months ago and discussion of moving north came up again. I tried to ignore it. We have people here we love, activities, a life. The problem is we hate this end of the state but love so many people here. The traffic is a nightmare getting from one side of town to the other can take over an hour. Just three years ago it took twenty minutes at the most. Crime is going up yearly. We just had a purse snatcher jump our wall. His mistake was I was outside with my kids. I picked up a piece of re-bar and told him to go right back where he came from. He dropped the purse into the backyard. The dogs made quick work of it. The heat is a bit too much for us too. Still hitting 100's in September.
On the other hand. We think we like the cold better but lets face it we don't know. I haven't live up north in twenty years. We think 54 is cold. I read where the fog froze right in the air in one area up north. OMG! Fog can freeze? The northern end still has a smaller town feeling and very nice people. These are not however "our" people. Hubby is a state employee so he can transfer. He is testing for Department of Safety, still a state job. Snow is another issue. I have not driven in snow in years my husband has never driven in it. I have a son getting to driving age. Do I dare turn him loose in the snow? This will mean new warmer clothes, lets face it no way our "winter clothes" will ever make it in an area that gets below 0.
The kids have very mixed feelings. What about friends? How will we get to know people? Can we really play in the snow? Can we still be home schooled there? Will the dogs get lost in the snow? Can we have our own rooms? Can we have a club house? Can we ride our bikes? (This is something we no longer allow due to traffic.)
It comes down to North versus South, up versus down. Do we really want to pack the belongings of nine people and move?
My husband and I have spent almost our entire marriage treating this end as a temporary thing. Saying we would move north when we could. We have always made friends easily enough but knew they would be temporary. Knowing we would move north soon. Our last house was treated as temporary as is this one. That is the way it has been until about ten months ago. I finally decided it was time to settle in. The children are involved in their things, the girls in girl scouts. The boys have their friends and activities. My dad came to live with us seven months ago and discussion of moving north came up again. I tried to ignore it. We have people here we love, activities, a life. The problem is we hate this end of the state but love so many people here. The traffic is a nightmare getting from one side of town to the other can take over an hour. Just three years ago it took twenty minutes at the most. Crime is going up yearly. We just had a purse snatcher jump our wall. His mistake was I was outside with my kids. I picked up a piece of re-bar and told him to go right back where he came from. He dropped the purse into the backyard. The dogs made quick work of it. The heat is a bit too much for us too. Still hitting 100's in September.
On the other hand. We think we like the cold better but lets face it we don't know. I haven't live up north in twenty years. We think 54 is cold. I read where the fog froze right in the air in one area up north. OMG! Fog can freeze? The northern end still has a smaller town feeling and very nice people. These are not however "our" people. Hubby is a state employee so he can transfer. He is testing for Department of Safety, still a state job. Snow is another issue. I have not driven in snow in years my husband has never driven in it. I have a son getting to driving age. Do I dare turn him loose in the snow? This will mean new warmer clothes, lets face it no way our "winter clothes" will ever make it in an area that gets below 0.
The kids have very mixed feelings. What about friends? How will we get to know people? Can we really play in the snow? Can we still be home schooled there? Will the dogs get lost in the snow? Can we have our own rooms? Can we have a club house? Can we ride our bikes? (This is something we no longer allow due to traffic.)
It comes down to North versus South, up versus down. Do we really want to pack the belongings of nine people and move?
Happy Birthday Andrew
My first born is 15. I can't believe he is 15, I can't believe he survived to this age. His father and I sometimes wondered if he would. I look at him now and can't believe he was ever tiny. He was 7 1/2 pounds and 21" long at birth, now he is 6" 5" and 230 pounds. OMG he will be driving soon, our insurance rates will never be the same again. I will never be the same. He has the day off from studies, except his unit studies group, he is free for the rest of the day now. This year was simple gift wise, the Dangerous Book for Boys, an mp3 player and some music. Next year I know it will be hopes of a car, deluded hopes but still hopes. Happy Birthday Andrew.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Happy Birthday Caleb
Caleb turned 10 today. I can't believe he is 10. He wanted a chocolate cake from Costco, this is no ordinary cake it is the ultimate chocolate cake. The family calls it the sin cake, something that good has to be a sin, lol. He wanted a book from his dad and me, not just any book but the ultimate boys book. We bought him "The Dangerous Book for Boys". This book has things that boys love, how to do almost any boy type thing. He can learn about great battles, how to skin a rabbit, (ewwe), what to use for invisible ink, just about any boy thing. He has been reading it all day. For a kid that didn't want to learn to read and fought me every step he is really into that book. Happy Birthday Caleb.
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