Seriously???

About a month ago the kids and Daniel found a pretty big bull snake. I told them they could go ahead and put it in Pac-man's (our deceased frog) tank. I still do not know why I told them they could do that. So we had it for about a week and then while I was on the trek it escaped! Poor Shana was here keeping the kids when it got out. He had pushed the top off the tank and just slithered away. They tore the house apart and looked everywhere. They couldn't find it. When I got home from the trek they told me it was out somewhere in the house. So I started in one end of the house and began looking for this stupid snake. I looked in every toy bin, every drawer, under every bed, behind every dresser, every single little space possible, I looked. I could not find it. So I was hoping that it had somehow gotten out. But in the back of my mind I knew it was somewhere in my house. It was hungry too because it had not eaten since the boys caught him. So I went to bed every night just knowing that it was in my house somewhere. Everyday when I was cleaning I was on the look out for that stupid stupid snake. At the time Luke was in Pennsylvania and he told me, "they come out at night when it is dark and quiet so some night when you are caring Kooper up to bed you are going to step on him." Well that about freaked me out so guess what? Kooper slept with me for the next 3 weeks. But in the middle of the night I did turn on all the lights and sneak in to check on all my other kids to make sure that it hadn't curled up to one of them. This went on for sometime. Then one day I needed to go to the grocery store and Kali was asleep so Kyron stayed with her and I took the other 3 with me. I was just about home when I got a phone call from Kyron.

Him: Mom, I see the snake!!!!

Me: Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Are you kidding me? WHERE!!!!!!!

Him: I am sitting on the couch watching TV and he is by the back door.

Me: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh well get him, hurry Kyron catch him. You can't let him get away, hurry just grab him and throw him outside!!!!!!

Him: Ok Mom, where are you?

Me: I will be there in like 3 minutes. Do not let him get away. OMGOSH!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

In my mind I was thinking, who can I call? Who can I call to help me? Luke is gone, Dad is out of town, my mind was blank. I couldn't think of anyone to help me. Plus most guys are probably just as scared as I am of snakes. I didn't think I was too scared of snakes until one was loose in my house! So I called my little brother Tim in California. He gave me a few instructions but he wanted to stay on the phone and hear everything. So I walked in the house to find Kyron standing in front of the fridge. He had tried to catch it but it slithered to the kitchen and went under the fridge. So for about 2 hours we sat there and waited for it to come out. We had flash lights looking at him under the fridge watching his every move. The boys had pokers and sticks trying to push him out. We had moved the fridge as much as we could. We could see him for sure though. I was on the counter filming it with my video camera and screaming everytime he made a move. I was so afraid that he would get out and that he would be lost in my house again! Obviously he was comfy here. Tim was on speaker listening to the whole thing. Then all of a sudden he started coming out. We waited until he was all the way our and then Kyron made his move. He threw a towel on it but it didn't do any good. I was standing on my island screaming at poor Kyron. It was huge! It was striking at him. He was not happy!! He was going all over my kitchen floor trying to find a place to go. Kyron kept trying to throw a towel over it but it did not matter the snake was too fast. Kyron opened one of the drawers and grabbed tongs. Really tongs??? He was trying to get a hold of him with some tongs. This whole time Kason was outside trying to make some sort of concoction to catch him with. Well it was a little too late for that. I was still on the counter just screaming. There was no way I was going to catch it or even try it catch it. That was the boys job. I was yelling at Kyron, "just catch it. Put the tongs down and just grab him with your hands! Come on Kyron, get him hurry!" The snake suddenly disappeared under my dishwasher. I was so frustrated! Kyron looked at me after I had been screaming at him to get the snake and said, " Why are you yelling at me? I tried my best Mom, so you do it now." Oh I felt so bad!!!! I said, "I am not yelling at you, I am just yelling cause I am kinda scared. I am so sorry!" Then he looked at me and started laughing. He said, "I think you said a bad word Mom!" I said, "I am so sorry, I am freaked out. Now we are never going to get this stupid snake out." So we laughed for awhile then we were like, crap what do we do??

Oh yea, remember Tim is on speaker phone listening to the whole thing. He later said it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. He hadn't been that entertained ever. He was loving it. We were all screaming and yelling. WOW!

All of a sudden a thought came to me! Duh, call Daniel! He is the one who caught this stupid snake for them in the first place. Why I hadn't thought about him before I don't know. So he ran over and pulled the dishwasher out. NO SNAKE! What the crap!! There was a little hole that went down into our crawl space and so that was the only place he could have gone. We got our flash lights and went under the house trying to find him. We couldn't find him. So there was nothing else we could do. How was I ever going to get this snake out?? So for the next 2 weeks I worried and worried that he had found his way back into our nice cozy house. We searched and searched. No sign. The kids would try and scare me all the time and say they had found the snake, when they never had. They just got a reaction out of me so they loved scaring me.

Then one day I was cleaning out our closet under the stairs and Kason comes in with a serious look on his face and says, "Mom, you have to believe me when I tell you this, I am telling the truth, I am NOT kidding! I found the snake!" Of course I screamed and ran to get up high on a counter. I just said, "hurry get me the phone!" So I called my Dad..

Him: Hello

Me: Hurry Dad, get over here right now. We found the snake!!

Him: I think I could probably make it later today or tomorrow bahhhhhaaaahhhh

Me: No, I am not kidding Dad get over here.

Him: Ok I'll be right there. hahahahahahah

So he walks in to find me on my bathroom counter. He of course is dying laughing. Kyron and Kason have got a bucket and a pillow case for him. The snake was in my closet up on a shelf. How in the heck did he get in there. My Dad took one look at him and said, " you know last night he slithered through your bedroom, got in all your dresser drawers, climbed up on your bed, licked your face a few times, came into your closet and then sat here and watched you get dressed this morning." Seriously, how sick is that!! It just gave me the heebee geebees. So my Dad reached right up and grabbed him. He couldn't get him in the bucket or the pillow case because he was wrapped too tight around his arm. I was running around the house screaming. My Dad thought it was all so funny and he took his time taking him outside. Yes!!! FINALLY the stupid snake was gone! I could rest easy again.

Then it was time to pack to head off to California for our family vacation. It was late and we were trying to pack and get things together. Luke comes out of our bedroom into the living room and said, "Lin, come here." I said, "what?" He said, "just come here." I said, "what is it? Is it a mouse? Because I am not kidding I don't want to see it!" He just smiled and said,"just come on." So I walk in our bedroom and in his top drawer where all his swim shorts were, is the skin that the snake had shed. He had shed his skin in Luke's drawer!! I just about died right then and there. I crawled up on our bed and just freaked out a little. Seriously! He HAD been in all our drawers and ALL over our house! Who knows what he really did in our house. So lesson learned. We will never have a snake again in our house. I don't know what I was thinking when I told them they could keep it in the cage. I really didn't think he'd get out. Boy was I wrong!

101 things about me

A few years agoI was tagged with this and I never did it. So I just decided to give it a shot!
Here it goes...

1. I am the 2nd oldest out of 5
2. I have 5 kids
3. Not what I had planned
4. I got pregnant once on the pill once with an iud
5. I feel so blessed...now
6. I hate when people make comments about how many kids we have
7. I love candy (especially sprees)
8. If I drink soda, I drink rootbeer (laugh all you want)
9. I love to watch sports
10. I love seeing my siblings and their families
11. I love being with my friends too
12. I still watch soap operas, well just one (what?)
13. I actually have alot of trashy shows that I love to watch (when my kids area all in bed)
14. I am a sucker for romance
15. I love color (my house shows it)
16. I love to decorate (just wished I had more money to do it all the time)
17. I love being a stay at home Mamma
18. I love music
19. Wish I could sing
20. I love to go to concerts
21. I am a clean FREAK
22. Yep just a little obsessed
23. I love the sun
24. Not crazy about the snow or being cold
25. I have driven from AZ to Maine numerous times
26. I think I am pretty spiritual
27. I am a forgiver
28. I am a peacemaker
29. I love to go shopping
30. Without my kids
31. I love a new pair of pants
32. I am claustrophobic
33. I love surprises
34. I love going on dates with Luke
35. I love a girls night out too
36. I don't check my voicemail very often
37. So text me! I am a texter
38. I love to watch movies
39. I love a fire when it's cold outside
40. I love Christmas
41. I love naps on Sunday afternoon
42. I am always up for anything
43. I love playing games
44. I love to laugh
45. I do 2 loads of laundry a day
46. I tan easily
47. I love to be outside
48. I want to go to a Red Sox game at Fenway
49. I love to curl up on the couch with a book and a blanket
50. I love to be barefoot
51. But not pregnant
52. I am organized
53. I am a happy person
54. I love to work out
55. I love going out to dinner
56. I am not much of an animal lover
57. But I do love our dog, Roxy
58. I am a great french braider
59. I am responsible
60. I love to take pictures
61. Especially of my cute kiddies
62. I wish I had a pool
63. I am so proud of my husband
64. He works so hard for our family
65. He makes me laugh..alot
66. He is my best friend
67. I love having a big family
68. I have the greatest parents on earth
69. I am thankful....Everyday
70. I love to play slug bug in the car
71. I love hot dogs
72. I love outback steakhouse
73. I love going to the temple
74. I love hanging with my kids
75. I wish I could cut hair
76. I love Disneyland
77. I don't like being in charge
78. I hate speaking in front of others
79. I don't like big crowds
80. I am a caretaker
81. I worry about my kids
82. I don't like being alone
83. I wish I could walk around naked
(but having kids doesn't allow that often)
84. I am a hard worker
85. I love campfires
86. I don't wash my hair everyday
87. I love to take a super hot bath
88. I hate going to the grocery store
89. I love magazines
90. I love to dance
91. I love that my kids all have really long eyelashes
92. I am the greatest secret keeper
93. I am obessed with flossing
94. I hated my hair short
95. I love my Mom's carmel popcorn
96. I admire other people
97. Wish I could have a job in a hosptial just taking care of new babies (I LOVE babies)
98. Wish I could relive each of my kids.
99. I love rollercoasters
100. I get carsick on a straight road
101. I L.O.V.E. Ocean Spray Crangrape

Phewww done! I was on a roll, once I got started!
Give it a try....

Two peas in a sink

These two filled my bathroom sink up with water and lots and lots of bubbles!

How they ever fit in there together I'll never know!
Little stinkers.

They were all smiles and giggles.
Seriously cute though:)

12

Happy Birthday Kyron!

12 things I love about Kyron!

1. He LOVES babies.

2. He gives the best hugs.

3. He is a hard worker.

4. I never have to ask him to do his homework.

5. He loves to listen to music.

6. He's a little bit shy.

7. He was just ordained a deacon yesterday.

8. He is so sweet!

9. He's SO responsible.

10. He has never asked for a cell phone.

11. He is a bit of a Mama's boy.

12. For his birthday he just wanted to hang with his family.

Gotta love that:)

And they're off.....

For the first day of school! They have only been gone gone about an hour and I am already feeling a little lonely, as are Kooper and Kali. I have enjoyed them being home with me. I feel like summer break went by way to fast this year. Although I am a little excited to have my house a little cleaner while they are at school.

Kenzi was up before anyone else, just like always. We made blueberry muffins and had her all ready before anyone else was even stirring. She had her clothes picked out last night and her backpack ready for a week. She was so excited and was smiling all morning.

Kyron wanted me to walk him in to his classroom. He is starting his first year at the middle school. He is so nervous. He told me a few months ago that he is so sad because this will be the first time in his life that he and Kason will be seperated. Kason on the other hand could pretty much care less. He is fine by himself. I thought that was so sweet of Kyron, and not a bit surprising. When we went to open house yesterday he reminded me that he was nervous but a little excited. He got a locker and thought that was pretty cool.

Before school started this morning we had to run by Grammie's because she wanted pictures and hugs from the kids before they were off to their first day. Grammie and Amanda told the boys not to let the girls chase them. In the truck after we pulled off Kyron said very seriously, "I would never let them. I don't even like girls." I was thinking, please be true and keep it that way for a VERY long time. It was funny how serious he was about it:)

I told the boys to kiss Kenzi on the cheek in this picture and this is what they did. It was so funny! They wouldn't kiss her but they did hug her.

They are all in a different school this year. No big deal except the fact that they are alone. I still can't believe my kids are getting this big. I love them going to school and I love it when they walk through our door in the afternoon.

Double time

Kenzi has been dying to loose her two front teeth. She was the only girl in her class last year that hadn't. They finally started getting a little loose so she worked on them for quiet some time. On our way to California we stopped in the valley to get a few last minute things and stay the night with Nate. We were at Target and I was checking out when she said in a whisper, "Mom I just lost my tooth." I started jumping with excitement. I was so excited for her. It had been so loose that it didn't even bleed. She couldn't quit smiling. We got in the car and I snapped this cute little picture of her.Then, not even two hours later we were sitting in my brother, Nate's hot tub and I said to her, "let me just feel that other tooth. It looks like it is about to fall out." Right when I touched it it fell out. Again, I was screaming with excitement for her. Two in one day. It was so cute. I just kept telling her to smile because she looks so cute without her two front teeth. She couldn't wait to show Kyron and Kason. They were already in California so she had to wait a whole day to show them. When she finally saw them she just smiled and they noticed immediately. She was so happy to have finally lost her teeth before she started 2nd grade and before she turned 8. I just love this girl to pieces.