Boys and Their Critters

An Afternoon of Critters

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ~ Genesis 1:21

It seems that the Roosters are studying insects this week in school.  On the way home, I was told that insects have six legs and three body parts and that a cockroach is a very big insect.  Now, I love being a "boy mom," but there are a few things related to boys that I just can not handle.  I am sorry to say that insects make the list.  I have tried not to scream and go crazy in front of the children when I see a critter with six legs, but it is all I can do not to go nuts.  I totally dislike bugs! 

How bad do I dislike these creatures?  Maybe this little story will give you some insights.  When the Colonel and I were first married, he would often go on military trips out of town for a few days at a time.  I was fine staying alone.  I lived alone in college, so I wasn't afraid of being alone for a few days.  However, there were often times when the Colonel would return home to find an over-turned Glad ware bowl in the middle of the den floor, in the hallway or maybe on the bathroom floor.  The first time he returned home to find a plastic food contain in the middle of the den "I some some 'splaining to do," as Ricky Ricardo used to say to Lucy.  So, much like Lucy, I too had a ridiculous story.  The food container was over-turned in the middle of the den b/c there was a bug under it that I was too afraid to kill.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I could get close enough to the creature to put a plastic bowl over it, but I wouldn't kill it.  You see, I can't stand to hear that crunching sound that comes with bug killing.  I was also afraid that I would miss the bug and it would be roaming around in my house and I would be clueless as to where it was.  The way I figured it, at least I knew where it was if I had a food bowl over it.  The first time the Colonel heard my explanation he just walked away shaking his him.  I'm sure he was wondering what in the world he had gotten himself into.  However, he soon learned that when he returned from a trip and found a stray plastic bowl on the floor, he had the job of exterminator. 

Well, today was a tough day to be a boy mom for me because the boys wanted to LOOK for insects outside and CATCH them.  I will tell you I was so NOT into this adventure.  An adventure that actually began in my car on the way home.  The pictures tell the story of my afternoon. 

 

It seems that on the way home Nick found an insect in my car.  The first thing I thought of when the child said, "Mom! I found an insect in the car and we are studying insects in school" was that Rooster had found a roach.  (If you could see the inside of my car, you would know exactly why "roach" came to mind first.) 

 

Thank goodness it wasn't a very big insect and actually one that I can handle.  The little creature Nick is trying to get to "look at the camera" is a Ladybug.

 

Yes, I can stand Ladybugs because they really look like a tiny tomato and you can't see its legs.  If it shows some leg, then I freak. 

 

Now this is John Ryan explaining that while he was climbing onto the deck he saw something orange that was this long.....

 

and this tall and went into the crack in the brick.  Really?  It was THAT long and THAT tall?  And to quote my child, "It wooked weally gwoss."  Lovely!  And you want ME to look for it? 

 

 

And this would be the creature he was describing!  Yes, a skink.  I have to agree with John Ryan:  They are really gross!  While I am okay with those little green garden lizards, skinks are another story.  I dislike these things, too. 

 

I will say that the only reason I tolerate these reptiles is because they eat insects.  They also like fruit, so if I have fruit that is going bad, I'll throw it around the brick trellis for the skinks. 

 

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?  Whatever it is it is sure to be interesting if the Roosters are involved.  There is never a dull moment around here.