kids... and bugs

Yesterday was just FULL of fun around here! (where's that eye rolling smiley when you need one?!) My youngest son, Carter (he's finishing up 5th grade this year), went to Cedar Point with the choir... WITHOUT MOM! He was thrilled, I on the other hand, was a complete wreck! I couldn't sleep the night before with all the terrible scenarios running through my head... rides breaking down, roller coasters flying off the tracks, him wandering away from his chaperon and getting lost or stolen. Thankfully he came home unharmed, short only by one sweatshirt that he had apparently tied around his waist and then lost somewhere. Most of the day I spent my time sewing, working on some custom orders and watching movies. But late last night we had a bit of excitement to take my mind off the worrying for a few minutes... my 12 year old came up to me asking "what is this?" and pointing to a tiny black speck of something that seemed to be stuck to his chest just under the collar bone. It was seriously TINY, I have terrible eyesight and I just could not tell what the heck it was. So I drag over my nice bright daylight lamp reserved for scrapbooking and sock monster sewing. After inspecting the spot I decide that I think it just MIGHT be a tick!! EW! A TICK?!? GAH! (and people call me crazy for thinking WINTER is the best season. NO BUGS IN WINTER PEOPLE!) I've never actually seen a tick before, somehow we've managed to go all these years without picking one up. (knock on wood) And even though I can't actually SEE any legs or anything, I'm pretty sure at this point that it's a tick. Next logical step, of course... google "how to remove a tick". (what the heck did people DO before the internet?!?) So I drag Connor (and the daylight lamp) into the bathroom, get out the tweezers and tell him I need to take it out. Now, he didn't actually freak out or anything, but I think he may have been a little scared because he was downright adamant that it was NOT a tick. And no he didn't need me to take it out because it was nothing... nope, not a tick... nothing. Um yeah... I don't think so. I can just see me trying to figure out what to do about Lyme Disease! NOT HAPPENING! So I force him to stand in front of me and hold the lamp above my head so I can see the damn speck. I grab hold with the tweezers and pull it slightly away from his body like the instructions directed. Then I held it there... and we waited. It seemed to take FOREVER, though in reality it was probably only 2 or 3 minutes. And FINALLY the tick backed out and let go. Captured in my tweezers I popped it into a ziploc baggie and made sure it was well sealed (just in case Connor should get sick or anything, so we can take the culprit to the doctor with us). We washed the bite spot and both of our hands with soap and water then I proceeded to check the rest of his body while the boy tried (and failed) to escape the bathroom. After I dropped the tweezers into a pot of boiling water for good measure, I held the baggie up to the daylight lamp and sure enough... I could see microscopic little legs, the critter was squirming around in the baggie, probably wondering where his dinner had gone! After showing the boys (because you know they like that creepy stuff), I delivered the baggie to the freezer for safe keeping and everyone went back to what they were doing.

Yep... things are always fun around here with three boys. ;) 

On a MUCH happier note... I am finally getting caught up with my custom orders (only 4 more to go now). I made this guy late last night and he is definitely one of my favorites! I just LOVE the rainbow sock and his face totally looks like a frog to me with the green and yellow. :) 

Hopefully today is completely uneventful! ;)