The definition of MORON

mo⋅ron  [mOE-Ron]

–noun
1. a person who is notably stupid or lacking in good judgment.
2. Psychology. a person of borderline intelligence in a former classification of mental retardation, having an intelligence quotient of 50 to 69.
3. Anyone who ends up digging post holes 'cause they were on the wrong side of the fence.

Well, we were about through with the hog pen. We had gotten the 8 large posts in the ground. and 20 small ones. All of the panels were set up against the places they were going to be nailed.

We had worked it where the majority of it was being nailed on the inside. Because when a pig (or anything) roots or leans against a fence, you dont want them leaning on/ pushing the fence away from the posts. Your staples are more likely to pop out, which means you in turn will be chasing said livestock from Hell to Breakfast. Where as if the fence is on the inside, the posts on the outside and your staples are on the inside, they aint puttin the pressure against them.

Well, when you are making a square, there will be some that have to go outside. (on the large corner posts), and on those we made sure the small posts in between were on the outside so we could nail to the inside of them.

This worked out well, until we got to the dido that BR put in it. The wire was crooked, had a bow in it, and just generally looked like hammered dog poo. So, while I was in the house searching for my hammer and gloves, he pulled up those.

I finally found my hammer. That I had asked him a dozen times if he had seen.
It was with all his other tools. Right beside the drill and drill bits that we would need to put up the gate. I never did find my gloves, These are the ones I keep in the door of my truck. Cause I never know when I am going to end up doing something nasty and need them. BUT being lazy ole me, when I used them building fence last time I brought them in the house and laid them down. And I do remember seeing Rayley putting them on Bows feet so he could walk around and look like a duck.

Anyway, I loaded up the drill, the drill bits, and my precious hammer and started down. I wouldnt need my gloves, all I was going to be doing was hammering. I shouldnt get a splinter or pinch my fingers with the wire. My hands would get pretty dirty, and my nails would be broken, but oh well.. they wash and will grow back.

When I got out there we proceeded to nail up the panels. No problem. He was inside the fence, I was outside, I would lean against the smaller posts he was nailing into. My shoulder is bruised from him wacking the staples and the post wacking me. No matter how hard I tried to lean into it, it was still brutal.

Then we get to the one he pulled up the middle posts on. We nailed it to the large posts and went to the next one.

Then it was the gate. they come with these very large screw/ hinge things. you have to screw them into the corner post. No problem. that went very smooth. You can screw them in our out more or less to adjust the drag on the gate (the height at which the gate sits or doesnt sit on the ground), and how close the gate is to the post.

This is the smoothest and easiest we have EVER installed a gate. And we have done MANY gates.

Then it was time to reset the new posts.
BR was inside the fence, he was digging the post hole for it. and I was walking around, double checking the staples, and adding a few where I thought more were needed onthe posts that had to be stapled on the outside.

I kinda felt sorry for him having to redig this hole. But, the other two times we had done it he had used the auger on the tractor. so in almost 30 postholes, he actually only manually dug the one when we broke the pin. So digging these two wouldnt kill him. I mean dont get me wrong, he had to clean the edges up, or shave off a few more inches of dirt on most of them. and clean out the holes. But no actual digging except the one.

BR called me over and asked me to eyeball the post he had just sank and tamped into the ground.

I went over and we discussed it still being kinda wonky looking, but decided that if any pig complained about the accomidations we would simply shoot it, skin it, and cook it.

Then, BR went to get the staples, since I was on the outside I would hammer them in.
Then it dawned on me. and I opened my mouth.
One day I will learn to keep my big mouth shut.
But at this point I wasnt comprehending that I had just screwed myself.

So, I asked BR why come the fence was on the outside of the post.
"I dont know..." he replied
Then he pulled up the post, handed it to me and I tried putting it on THIS side of the fence. While I was dropping it in, I felt the tender skin rip on my precious little hand. and I felt a searing pain. I looked. I had a splinter the size of a landscape timber embeded in my palm. and the bad part was, it BROKE about 1/8 of in inch in and I couldnt get it out!

I kept favoring my hand, it hurt like the dickens. But was trying not to be a baby.
SO, I had throwed the post into the hole.
It was too close in. it would have to be dug out. So, I pulled it up and threw it down. My poor hand was throbbing at this point.

THEN he proceeded to hand me the post hole diggers and told me to make this hole a little bigger. I ended up digging the hole to double the size. Basicly digging my own post hole beside his. And it was 2 feet deep! In clay!

We set that pole with me doing all the shoveling of the dirt and tamping of course- cause the fence was between him and the post, and he couldnt get to it to tamp, and he nailed in the staples.

THen we moved down a few feet and he said "go ahead and dig right here"
So, me, being the ditzy blonde that I am, went at it with gusto.
Till about the 4th time he gave me direction on how to dig a post hole. Then it dawned on me. I was a mo-freakin-ron.

But, I finished digging the hole. I was favoring my poor hand. wondering at which point I would have to get stiches when I was digging out this pine sapling later with a pocket knife and tweezers, and BR said "GOOD LORD, what is wrong with you? why are you favoring your hand?"
"I got a splinter"
"let me see you big baby"
"Dont poke it, it hurts"
"titty baby"
so I showed him my hand. Not really wanting to hear his crap.
"oh, that is a pretty good one.. "
I almost fainted.
Then he said "but you can still work with it, lets finish up"
So, my dumb self started making sure my hole was clean.
In the post went, I shovled in the dirt (and this REALLY didnt feel good on my poor sensitive palm), and then I had to tamp it. tamping involoves an old axe handle, or something simmular, where you hit the dirt pretty hard to make sure its packed. We were using a shovel. turned upside down of course.

When I was done I looked up at BR, he was holding Bow, who had been screaming and getting into everything. He kept getting in or getting out of the pen and then wanting back in. or emptying out 5 lbs of staples on the ground. He would play for a little while, then want to be held.
So I looked up at BR, holding this snot nosed little brat and asked him just how in the hell I had managed to get screwed into all of that work while he stood there.
"luck of the draw I reckon" was his awnser.

So, BR stapled the wire up and I picked up my toys and headed to the house. He said he was going to make sure there was enough staples and Rayley stayed to hand them to him.

When we got to the house, Bow went right to sleep. He was wore out. BR came in, had some lunch and then went back to work.

After he went I went around and picked up his drill, and hammer, and bits, and such and put them away. So we could find them next time. I swear, he has sat string for the weedeater on the counter before, and then the NEXT summer, a YEAR later, when he needed it, got mad because it wasnt there anymore. I ended up getting a 5 gallon bucket (its camoflauged, I won it at the wild turkey banquet, and has a seat cover on the lid) and setting it under the counter where he stacks his stuff, so I could clear it off every once in a while and I just shove it in there.

But the pen is done. Till it dawned on me that we hadnt built the lean to yet. I will have to get the tin and some lumber to build that next week.

Oh and I did finally get the splinter out. it was huge! at least a half inch, and as big around as a pencil. Okay, not a full pencil, but as big around as the lead. and not the lead in a mechanical pencil either. (BR asked me that, when he asked if I ever got it out and I told him yes).
I ended up having to split the entire length of it with a knife, and dig it out. cause it didnt just go under the skin, it went in at an angle and was pretty deep.

I am almost certain it was pert near poking out the other side. But BR said I was full of it.

I got an award!! Lemonade Award

A VERY nice lady awarded me with this honor.
Eboni has a great blog with lots of great recipies on it. I have made a few of them, and they are true down home cooking. WELL worth your time :)

I am awarding:
1. cakewrecks because I never fail to laugh when I go there! If you think you are the only person to ever get a screwed up cake, you HAVE to go and see. Her sense of humor is great and the content is .... sad... But I promise, if you dont gasp "OH MY GOD" at least once, or laugh your rear off, you need a sense of humor implant!

2. a mom today My mentor on making money on the internet. She has taught me so much, and makes me laugh all the time. A mom of 4, and a soon to be new Grandma, she has a sense of humor and grasp on life that many people envy. But of all her sites, this one, about her experiences as a mom is great.


3. Firehouse
A look inside a REAL firehouse. Sheena and Rick will keep you in stiches, while telling you about the real dangers they face. These are true heros and a true family.

4. Jane4girls She feeds herself and 3 teenage kids on LESS THAN 800.00 a YEAR!! She is a coupon and deal finding Guru, and even if you feel you dont have time to coupon, checking out her blog can motivate anyone! Or at least make you jealous beyond belief!


5. Queen B This blog I am nominating because, it makes me LMAO. In a sick, and twisted, sort of way. I think we ALL know a woman like 'her'. And if we dont, we should. They make us look NORMAL!!

6. My Direct Sales Audrey can teach you ALOT. everything from HOW to be a better salesperson, or more interesting and needed person in general, to how to be organized (she is the GOTO tupperware gal). Her blog is worth checking out if you want to learn more about selling your product, or your image.

7.


8.


9.


10.



I will be nominating 4 more people shortly. Right now real life calls and I cant finish. I despise real life sometimes. But just getting these links to these 6 has taken from 5:30am to 10:30am.

I need a petition to get high speed internet. Or need Hughes net to offer me a free dish in exchange for advertising.

But I promise I will get the others on here tommorow.




When you post your award, please:
1. Put the lemonade logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate 10 other bloggers who you think demonstrate good attitude and/or gratitude.
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Comment on their blog to let them know they have received this award.
5. Link back to this post and the person whom you received this award from.

a square peg in a round hole.

Gosh, its been a long time. I swear I have meant to come in and post. But its been a busy week. I dont know from what. Cause I have NOTHING to show for it. BUT it must have been busy, cause I havent had time to come in here. :)

not a whole lot has been happening. I did spend the last part of last week baking a cake for my mother in law. She loved it by the way. Since I made her cut it and eat it, she wants a picture blown up of it so she can hang it on the wall. She is a bubble off plumb.

That only took me two days. Then Saturday we spent the day driving to Lousianna to get our Taxes done. My Mother in Law Martha and I did that is.

Its not a bad drive. Its about 40 miles to the border, then 40 miles or so past that. BUT, once you cross the Sabine River into Louisianna the speed limit changes. HEre in Texas its 70. and 75 is the norm. my truck runs best anywhere from 76-78. So I try to accomedate it as much as possible. (hey, it keeps the injectors from rusting up. I swear it does).

BUT, once you cross that bridge you are sent into a world that is awful. Just AWFUL. the speed limit changes to 55. I kid you not. I drove for over 20 miles before I saw another soul. There was NOONE in front of me. Noone behind me, it was a flat road, no hairpin curves or switchbacks. Just regular driving and you cant go over 55. I tried. very hard. I would even set my cruise. Next thing I know, I would be going 80 again. I didnt know it was possible to count the leaves on the trees while driving. But if you are required to drive 55 you can.

And I think I know why they have decided to torture people in this way. Folks over yonder are too stupid to drive faster. They would be sitting at a crossroad, see me coming from a mile away, and then right about the time I would creep up on them, being passed by all manner of flying insects, they would jump right out in front of me. And, had I not seen it with my own eyes, I wouldnt belive it was possible in this day and age, with modern cars mind you, these people would manage to jump out in front of me, then they would slowly build up to 15mph. then 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50.

Yep, they wouldnt HIT 55. and it would take miles for them to reach the top speed of 50.

On the way back I was in a line with about 6 other cars from Texas. the closer we got to the border, the faster we would get. I know they were thinking the same thing I was. That if they didnt get back to the homeland fast they would end up having an anurisim.

When you could see that limestone Texas in the distance, everyone gas choked it.

Not 5 miles on the Heaven side, we all of a sudden slowed down to 50. I kid you not. we went from pert near 80 miles an hour to 50. We were trying to jump out and go around, but couldnt ever get a clear shot. And for some reason this ... person.. wouldnt get over on the shoulder to allow us to pass. This is something you DO in Texas. If you are incapable of driving the speedlimit, then get OVER. Its just the nice thing to do.

SO, eventually, one by one we all manage to get around this person. And what do we see as we pass? A Lousisanna licence plate. Wouldnt you know it. Its bad enough these people drive like mor-ons in their own state. Then they cross the border and act like they own the road over here.

I wonder if they ever made it to their destination. I cant imagine how long it would take to drive across the state, or even get to a good sized town driving that slow. I mean from Orange (75 miles south of me) to El Paso, is further, than from Orange to Chicago. I kid you not.

Oh, and while over yonder we went to a Dairy Queen. It was just Martha, me and Bow. We ate and as we were leaving I got Bow a malt. Well,[strike] Dumbdumb [/strike] Martha GAVE Bow his malt. to walk out with. I told her not to do it. But she didnt listen. Again, I said "dont do that!" and she said "aww why not, he's cute"
WHen he got it in his hands he took one look at it and headed for the back of the place! After 3 steps he did a face plant in the floor and chocolate malt went everywhere.
This woman raised 4 kids. How did she NOT see this catastrophe coming? It doesnt take a rocket surgeon to know that a one year old is going to fall. usually quickly.
I simply picked him up, and toted him out. she came out a few minutes later with a new malt- and said that the girls that worked there said there was no charge, he was too cute for words and they hoped he enjoyed it.


Sunday BR wanted to find a place for a hog pen. So we did. And he said that he would build my chicken coop finally. We will put it beside the hog pen.

THen today he decided that since no oil had been called in, he would just go to town and we would get the material to build it. So, we spent all day working on that.

We had some 6X6's left over that didnt burn in the old house. They are 80 years old. We have been saving them to put in the new addition, but decided to use them as fence posts. Since they are 16ft long we had to cut them with a chain saw, so we did that. No problem.

We had bought some hog pannel, So we are not stretching wire. Thats a plus, EXCEPT when you are using panels, they are NOT forgiving. You have to drill the post hole in the exact place that you need to put it. and make sure that you are not too far in or too far out.

We were putting down 8 of the large posts. Then will go back in with 3 inch posts and put them every 4 feet between the big posts. The pen is NOT square. By design. BR decided to make it an odd shape, I fiqure its cause he decided making somehting NOT square was easier than trying to make it square. It aint. But its 20 ft on the front, and the other sides are all 32. The pannels are 16 ft long and we have a 4 ft gate on the front. And it makes a dido on one side, I am not real sure why, I think its just for the fun of it.

When we went to town BR was rushing me in Tractor Supply. Asking why I was walking around, waht I was looking for. Typical man questions while shopping. I told him I wasnt sure, but there was SOMETHING we were not buying. Finally I gave up, went and paid for the hog panel and we went to Lowes. Then we realized that we hadnt bought a gate. I kid you not.

So I called to find out the price. Tractor Supply had been almost 20.00 cheaper on hog panel then Lowes. Well, they made up for it on the gates. 35.00 more. Of course we had already paid for our staples at Lowes and I had to go back in and buy the gate.

I also went by the feed store. I needed horse feed. and told her I would be buying chickens this year and asked when she needed my order. She said "now". They are already getting in chicks.

NOw, if you have never had chickens, there are a few things you need to know. First of all. you buy baby chicks. like 1-5 day old chicks. And they are pretty fragile. They have to stay warm. You cant just put a bowl of water in there. They will drown in it, and they have to have a special food. Plus, like all birds they dont discriminate when they poo. and dont mind walking, laying, eating or dying in it.

Thats another thing. Sometimes, baby chicks will just die. no reason. just die.

Oh and they have to stay warm. and I dont mean ' nice 70* warm' I mean like 95* with a heat lamp warm. But NOT too warm. cause they will bake. you cant warm up part of the cage and let the other part be normal temp. cause they will get to one part and freeze to death, or in the other part and bake.

These things really are DUMB. You've heard the saying "aint got the sense to get in out of the rain?" that came from a chicken. Cause baby chicks will look up at the sky if it rains and drown.

OH and there can be no breeze blowing on them. Yep. I am serious.

Plus, with their constant chirping, they are a HUGE draw for preditors. Snakes will come in and eat a whole brood in just a few minutes. I have had that happen.

Or minks, skunks, coons, coyotes, you name it, they will come.

SO, you have just a few options. I have had a coop in the past. and sucessfully raised chickens. I have also sucsessfully lost entire coop fulls of chickens. In just a single night. Adults, babies, roosters, ... you name it, they have been killed.

Anyway, your options.
You put them in a cage, in a coop (you cant let them just run loose, they have to be put in a small enclosure with a heat lamp), heat lamp, water, food, and protection from preditors.

or you bring them in the house, in said cage with all the periphinaila listed above. and some damn good candles. Cause chickens are nasty. and stink. And they NEVER shut up.

I have done both. I have a better survival rate in the house. But this house is so small. and I have too many kids. and I DONT want Bow to let them out. He DID let the Rabbit out more than once.

Well, its pretty cold out, and I just dont want them to freeze to death. Plus, I dont have electricity ran out there yet. I will be getting them soon, but not just yet.

The first year we moved here Amanda brought the kids some chicks for Easter one year. She fiqured I would be getting a coop soon, and I really was. I wanted one. Its just not been in the budget. well, we put them under the porch. In a cage. 2 nights went by, and the kids went out to feed them one night.

I had played a clown at the school all day and was in the shower. BR was in here in his recliner napping. Next thing I know, Brett and Matt bust through the door, screaming at me in the shower (they ran RIGHT past BR) to get my gun.

I had enough paste makeup on to choke a horse, it was running down my face, plus my hair had that spray color in it, that was running down my face, I was tired and hot and just wanted my shower. I couldnt see anything.

BR followed them in, and finally got out of them that a snake was in the cake with the chicks.

then he asked where Rayley was.
"watching the snake"

They had ran IN the house, and left a 1 1/2 year old Rayley outside with the snake.

When BR got out there she was kicking the side of the cage saying "supid nake, supid nake" (stupid snake).

He killed it, but it was too late for at least one of the bittys. after that I sent them to Amanda's and told her I would just have to wait.

Speaking of Rayley. While I was in tractor Supply today, they had their Christmas stuff on clearence. There was a board game about farm life. Well, while I was making supper she remembered it. She asked if she could go and get it. I told her it was dark. She said "I dont care, I aint scared of the dark"
I just looked at her.
she is better than the boys, but I have never sent her outside alone at night either. The boys wont even go to my room after dark, will NOT go to my bathroom, and still insist on taking a bath in THEIR bathroom, right off the living room with the door open.

So, she goes and gets on her jacket. Putting it on upside down. The waiste was up around her neck. Then her shoes and she was leaving.

She walked out the door, then came right back in and said "its dark out there"
So, I hit the door lock clicker for my truck and off she went. It turned on the interior lights.

She went out, got the game and came back in. Not scared at all. when she came back in, I tried to send one of the boys out with a bag of trash. There was NO way they would even think about it. They wouldnt even put it on the porch. I told them they should get down on their knees and bow down to her. She was more of a man then they were.

They just agree'd. and said they had no desire to die in the dark. They are such babies. LOL

so, tomorrow I have to go grocery shopping, and then, we have to work on the pen when he gets home from work. We got 7 of the big posts in the ground. and on the 7th one, the sheer pin broke in the dang auger. (can I tell you how much I LOVE an auger that runs off the tractor? its a GOD SEND)

So, BR dug that one by hand. The post hole diggers that we had to buy today (GGGRRRRR) did an 8 inch hole. So, he dug down 2 feet. It went quickly. I was suprised. So he went and got this HUGE post. They are a 6X6, 8 feet long and I swear they weigh so much I can barely pick up one end. and I toss bales of hay or sacks of feed all the time. I pick up my kids and they weigh about 60lbs. So, he is grunting and brings this thing over. (he used to BENCH press over 300 pounds, its not like he isnt strong), so, he drops it in the hole. and it just sits there.

its a 6X6. in an 8 inch hole. and it wont go in. Cause you cant fit a square peg in a round hole. He had to dig it out some more.

OH, and we were lucky, we did it on the right day. We had extra dirt. I HATE digging post holes and doing it when the moon is wrong and you end up with not enough dirt.

Dont know what I am talking about? well, if the moon is full, or maybe when its waning, (I never can remember, which is why I get excited when I have extra dirt), and you did a hole, you wont have enough dirt to fill it back up. I kid you not. Even if you put a post in that takes up most of the space where the dirt was. I am NOT kidding. Try it. take a tarp outside, Dig a hole, put all the dirt on the tarp and then try to fill it back up. You very well might have too much, or not enough. If you do it when its full, or waning, or waxing, or whichever, you will have TOO much dirt. Luckily, that is where we were today :)
We still have the 21 3inch posts to put in. and then nail up the panels. Then get feed and water troughs, and we are ready for some hogs. OH and build a lean to, cause they will need shade. They sunburn very easily.

I will be putting the chicken coop on the side of the hog pen. My goal is to be able to let them loose during the day. They can scratch around the place, and help keep the hog pen clean.

Then put them up at night. But I dont know how that will work. Darla has never seen a chicken. Duke has, but might start chasing and killing them if she is doing it.

I might have to build them a yard, fenced in and covered.

OH and I found some plans for a smoke house. made out of hydite (I know thats misspelled) blocks.

We need to get all this done. The 14th is when we start planting taters. And there is still some plowing to be done.


Oh, and here are some pics from Martha's cake.

I was disapointed in the writing. I wish I had gotten it even.. maybe next time.



Here is my drawing



and the first of 3 cakes that I am cutting and shaping



HEre it is with the crumb coat. Do you recognize it yet?
NO, its not a dress. OR a diaper. although Rayley was DETERMINED it was a diaper!


Here it is with the colors!
recognize it yet?



And me writing on it. Just to prove that I didnt pay good money for this monsterosity.

well I didnt pay good money, unless you count the icing (7 tubs.. I think, maybe more) 7 cake mixes, 6 vials of coloring paste, and a new spatula to smooth it right, (remember the baseball cake?... well, come to find out there is another way, and it involoves paper towells. ) LOL




Whoo-HOO!! after 16 hours. or was it more?? I dont know. I know it took me 2 full days to do it... anyway, after all that time, here is my FINISHED PRODUCT!









While I was uploading these photos, my great aunt called me. She needed to get her TV off the game channel. Not the game show network, the GAME channel.

I had just went over there last week. She had gotten it on input 2 somehow.

Just the next day she called me, she had done it again.

Tonight I spent over 15 minutes on the phone ( I know, cause I looked at the timer), trying to just get her to turn off the direct TV box. Now up until last week I had never even seen direct TV. I have dish, Great Aunt Etta has dish, My grandfather has dish. So, I can fix theirs. And do often. Luckily MIL got direct TV the other day and so I got to see the remote.

So, I told her hit the back button. She couldnt find it. So then I decided it was time to just turn off the satalite box. I told her to turn it off. So she keeps saying she was pushing it. Come to find out, she was pushing the off button on the TV. We went through this for 15 minutes. I never could convince her to turn off the box. Which I thought was the best thing. just start it all over. it wouldnt come back up on the game channel.

BUT SHE NEVER GOT IT! I swear, there should be an age limit on technology.

She just kept turning off the dang TV.

I even told her to sit down and do it all from the remote. No go. I could hear her creaking and groaning while getting up to hit the OTHER green button. the one on the SONY.

I am going to put lables on everything!

I need your help

I was approached to submit one of my blog posts to this website:

http://www.blognosh.com/submission-guidelines-faq/


They said to pick one, any one. and I honestly have tried, but I am not sure.

So, will you pick your favorite? Either let me know which one and I will send it, or you can send it yourself.

whichever one made you laugh the most.

*smooch!*
Thank you!

I needed a laugh.

I am in a VERY bad mood today.
At 4am or there abouts the alarm went off. Since I had went to bed before midnight it woke me up. After a few minutes I woke up BR. I dont know how he can sleep through this. He hit snooze, so I tried to doze back off. I didnt have to be up until 5:15.

9 minutes later, it happened again. And this time it kinda woke up Bow, he went back to sleep, and I tried. Of course, my mind started thinking, for some reason baseball is bothering me this year. I just have a feelings its going to be a crappy year.

The next time it went off BR got up. So I was blessed with the most agervating thing in the world. His box fan hitting me squarly in the face. You would think that after 16 years I wouldnt mind this slight annoyance. But I hate it. TOTALLY despise having this fan on. The noise, the cold air, and the sore throat and clogged up nose that it gives me every morning.

How do I know that the fan is to blame?

THere have been times when I didnt wake up with a stuffed up nose and a sore throat. When BR was working a job in Alabama and I was not subject to the torture of constant whirring and tornadic force winds blown into my face. The time he was driving over the road, and most recently, the 2 years that he worked nights and I slept on the couch. I was able to wake up, with no scratchy dry throat, no cold nose, and best of all, there was no sound of plastic blades being spun at 87 MPH.

But now he has went to days. So, I am back in our bed. And as much as I love my husband, I despise his fan. And the sad thing is, he cant understand why on earth anyone would not like his fan. He doesnt get that its annoying, that its what stuffs up my nose and makes my throat sore. He says I am crazy. Or maybe he just doesnt care. Maybe he thinks its cute to make me suffer. I dont know.

AND on top of that, he will not turn it off when not in use. SERIOUSLY. it almost hurts his feelings that I dont like this fan. And to be fair, its not his fault. He was raised with one in his face. Each of his siblings has to have one in their face going. and each of their spouses hates them as much as I do. Not a single one of them can sleep with out this confounded contraption sounding like a helicopter trying to take off in the night.

I can get up and turn off the fan when he gets out of bed. But thats not the point. and like when he was sleeping days and I was sleeping on the couch, if I went through the bedroom and turned it after he got up, or left, he would act exasperated at having to turn the dial and start the blades to turning. Plus, there are times when he doesnt wake me up when he gets up. So, I wake up later, having been subject to this annoyance in my sleep and the clog and sore is that much worse.

And GOD FORBID, the day when it wont start back up. Yes this has happened, more than once in our 16 years. It runs for days, or weeks, and then I just cant take the noise/wind speed/agervation any more and I turn the dial off. When he comes back in to go to bed, or just walks by and its not on, and he turns the dial, and it wont come on. It has given up the ghost. You better hope its the time of year when fans are on sale. Cause you are making a midnight run to walmart. Again, his siblings are the same way. And their mother. I love her to death, but this fan thing is the most agervating habit you can give a child.

I have tried to buy quiet fans too. NOPE, that aint gona happen. And finding a noisy, vibrating, box fan is getting harder and harder to do. Because the normal, quiet loving public is more and more demanding a fan that doesnt sound like a prop plane taking off.

Sorry, back to my morning. So, He got up. Leaving the fan going. So I got up, turned it off, since when he is out of bed it blows RIGHT in my face.

I laid back down, Bow snuggled back up to me and then the cat, who I am starting to really dislike as much as the fan, jumped up and tried to lay down beside Bow. Not a problem. I dont care who she lays beside. Rayley had a cat as a baby that laid beside her and she couldnt sleep if the cat wasnt there. Seriously. when that cat was ran over (someone left the door open and out she went- yet with this cat, I can throw her out the door and she will tear down a wall to get back in) she diddnt sleep for weeks. Anyway, Fido (yes, thats the cats name.. she fetches) was bound and determined to sleep beside Bow. Which is fine, except her fur was tickling him, and he was finding her distracting and was trying to bite her. He loves this cat. HE can body slam her, pick her up and tote her, bite her ears, it doesnt matter, she searches for him and puts herself in harms way. I have tried to stop it. I have taken her away from him, she just jumps down and goes back to him. She seeks him out.
So, her laying beside him was keeping him up, and I had about 30 minutes before I had to be up. PLUS, I really would prefer he stay asleep for a few more hours.

So I picked her up, and put her off the side of the bed. 2 seconds later she was back. Again, off the bed, a third and a fourth time. Then, I fet her jump BACK up. but she was at my feet. That was fine. No problem. I really dont mind her in the bed. at long as she stays at my feet. I mean this cat was BORN in my bed. UNDER the covers. against my leg. NOT a good way to wake up at 4am. But thats what her mom did. (another VERY GOOD CAT, but again. door got opened and I never saw her again.)

But instead I feel wet on my leg. Since she is NOT pregnant, I knew what she had done. So, I jumped up, grabbed her and threw her out the door. I am fed up. Finding that she has soiled dirty laundry is bad enough. or even clean laundry that she has found stacked up. It doesnt happen ALL the time, but its happened enough that I fed up with it. To be honest, I am fed up with all the bed wetting around here. Its CONSTNANT. and I am just tired of it. I know that kids cant help their bladders. And it heriditory. So, I get that its not their faults, but when I have to start every day by washing at least one set of sheets and blankets, it is just agervating. Or what ever Bow pees on. He can get a diaper off, and much prefers it that way. or when the diaper doesnt work and you have worse than just some liqued to clean up.... But for her to pee in my bed is the last straw.

Of course I had to get up. Had to get Bow up. who was bright eyed and bushy tailed, and stomped out here. I have woken up the boys, gotten them started on getting ready and luckily, Rayley decided to wake up too. She was asleep on the couch. I dont know when she got there, but she told me I had just missed O'Rielly and hoped that I had recorded it, since noone will teach her to use the remote.

Of course she wanted to go to daycare, and couldnt understand why she cant. So we had a drama queen moment when the boys left. Bow is proceeding to tear up the living room and the damn cat managed to get back in the house when I let the dogs out. She is currently hiding under my bed.

Oh and when BR came through after his shower to finish getting dressed, he turned on the ceiling fan here in the living room. We hadnt been in this house 2 weeks and one day while I was at work, he went and bought this ceiling fan and installed it. I have gotten better about a ceiling fan, and will occasionally turn this on one, trying to keep the AC off. But, today was NOT the day. Of course, some of my aversion to a ceiling fan might be physcological. I had one fall on my head when I was in 8th grade. Ruining a peach cobbler that I had been begging for and crashing the glass kitchen table that I was sitting at. I still have the scar on my hand from the flying glass.

Back to that damn cat.

I have had her ancesters for years. They NEVER had these behavior problems. They didnt sleep in my drawers, they didnt find clean clothes and pile up on them. They didnt sleep on top of my dryer where clothes were stacked, or in my iron pile. and they NEVER pee'd ANYWHERE except a liter box. but she has simease in her. maybe this is why?

My grandfather brought the matriarch of this cat family with him from South Texas. A small, black tortise shell, tailess cat. The ugliest thing you have ever seen. And sweet as a bowl of sugar. My first of her offspring was Ugg. that was Rayleys cat. Then we had this ones mom. Again, a wonderful cat. The most annoying thing she ever did was follow me from room to room with her babies. They were hours old and she brought them in the living room. Cause this is where I came. It took me the longest time to make her quit bringing them to me on the couch.

Anyway, Since I am in such a bad mood. I thought I would blog about something that would make me smile.

When the boys were little, I mean like a year old and two years old. Me, my grandmother, grandfather, Great Aunt Jean, BR and them, went to a mexican resturant in Hondo, Texas. It took a big table, and of course neither boy was very close to BR or I, they were sitting beside someone else.

Brett was across the table from us, Matt a little further down on my side. Everyone was talking and the kids had been given crackers. I think BRett was given chips, cause we fiqured he could handle them, But Matt was still a baby of sorts, and just given crackers. Next thing we know, the waitress screached and pointed at Matt. She didnt speak english, but she was very upset. So we all looked. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, he had his fingers in his mouth and was smiling. She kept saying "baby hurt, baby hurt" and finally she showed us, She picked up the hot sauce, they sit out a dozen of the little bowls of hot sauce to dip your chips in. And when she did, he reached up wanting it. She said "no no baby, hurt baby" and he started to cry. He started to babble to Brett.
Brett started to holler to give it back. He wanted it back.
Matt continued to holler/babble to Brett and Brett continued to say "give my brofer back his hot stuff"

See, Matt didnt talk to us. PERIOD. he talked to Brett. Till he was 3. Brett would translate. and occasionally after about 2, Matt would say a few words every once in a while, but for the most part, anything he wanted to communicate, was done THROUGH Brett.
By now the waitress was motioning to us that he was eating the sauce. She put it close to him again, and he reached out and grabbed some on a finger. Right into his mouth it went. Well all the noise had caused quite a stir and everyone was staring. I am sure they were thinking what bad parents we were. Then when he put it in his mouth and smacked his lips, noone could belive it. THe waitress just looked kind of shocked, said "he like?" and when we nodded our heads, kind of in shock too, she said "he have?" we said "why not" it was half gone anyway.
Brett just said "I told y'all so" and went back to eating and talking.

to this day Aunt Jean still cant belive he loved it so much, she had said it was too hot for her to eat. Of course it might be cause when he was a newborn, we were staying in a hotel with a mexican resturant in it. THE BEST resturant you have ever ate in, and we ate there every night. Now he wasnt eating it, but he was still nursing. and I didnt hold back on the jalapanoes, the sauce, or anyting.

ANyway, once everyone calmed down, and started smiling again. Putting away the cell phones they were calling CPS on, we started to enjoy the company and appitizers. when the food came BRett said something. AUnt Jean asked him what? She is a little hard of hearing. He said it again. I wasnt paying any attention, I was arguing iwth my grandmother about something, and finally Brett said "I WANT MY FORK-N-KNIFE", VERY loudly. Not a big deal you say? well, very very fast, I want you to say "FORkiNKNIFE" with a southern accent.

Yep, the whole place gasped, out came the cell phones ready to dial CPS again, and people just stared. Finally BR said "he wants his Fork and Knife."
"YES FORK-N-KNIFE" said BRett.

a collective sigh, a few giggles, and I was again relieved.
Maybe this is why I dont get all excited when they do something mo-ronic. Why nothing really shocks me. You just get immune to it.

This story always makes me laugh, and has been told and retold so many times that everyone with in a 150 mile radius has heard it. It was one of my grandmothers favorites before she died. And Aunt Jean just retold it to us the other day.
So, aside from the fact that I have to put my bed clothes in the dryer, and still havent decided that we wont have 'suprise stew' for dinner, I am feeling a little better.

Thank you.

Hello, My name is Michelle

First of all, let me appologize for my neglect and lack of communication. I have been suffering from a terrible ailment. Not a physical ailment, but a mental one. A dependacy if you will. I am ashamed to admit that I have become an addict. I have been sucked down into the deep black hole of dependancy. Not being able to function, not caring about showers, food or any of the basic nessesities of life. Instead I have sunk into a deep unfunctional dependancy.

And in doing so, I have not blogged, I have not checked emails, I have not been to the message boards I frequant or help to moderate. I have done nothing but sat here and fed my addiction. One mouse click at a time. You see, I was challenged to a game of Gems Swap II and I took the bait. All that night I played this mind numbing game. Never making it past level 1. I played until my mouse hand was LITERLY asleep. I couldnt feel my fingers, my eyes were crossing and my husband was wondering if I had fallen prey to a romantic liason on the world wide web.

So, I drug myself to bed, where I lay dreaming of colorful baubles, that taunted me and danced around. In singles and doubles, but never getting close enough to another of their ilk to make a line of 3. In my dreams I did everything I could to make them gravitate to each other. Begging the pink hearts to gather round the other pink hearts. THe green squares to please find a match. And so on.

The next morning I woke up to get the boys to school and had to get back on the computer. I even got Bow back to sleep so I could. He didnt even fight me. And after that, there was no stopping me. I HAD to get past level 1. Finally, the vixen who had introduced me to this fun and exciting new world let loose a secret. She told me that I had to turn the back grounds of them gems white. From Black. Meaning each space had to be touched by me. OHHH, the gradure. I was now able to advance. I got to level two. Then Three. I was on FIRE!

I even got to level 4! the feelings were amazing. There is no pause button, so once the clock starts you are up against it all. I started challenging other friends. And it felt so good when someone would take the bait. I was in a phycadelic world of beautiful baubles and bringing my closest internet friends in with me. We were enjoying the heediness of a great game, lamenting when we were just one black square away from the next level.

THen THEY started to cuss me. and call me names. It was awful. I had given them this wonderful pastime, to enjoy and bask in, and in my mind I also knew that I NEEDED them to be addicted. With out them, I had noone to challenge. But, none of them are able to tear themselves away either. THey are hooked. Same as me.

As dawn came, on my second day of play, I continued. I would get so close to level 5. Only to be thwarted by one measley square. But I kept plugging along. You become a person in a trance. Having to continue.

Next thing I know, Rayley wakes up. She comes in and sets beside me. Her first words are "Mom, I'm Hungry, can I have some cereal?"
"yes baby, let me finish this round"
"okay, is it fun?"
"yes baby. and agervating. " I said as I fouriously clicked
"so you are getting rows of 3?"
"sure am"
"then what?"
"then I get to the next level and do it again"
"ahhhhhh"
she watched a few more minutes. enjoying having me to herself and watching the pretty jewels.
then, out of the blue I hear " So, you have to turn all the squares white?"

I had spent HOURS trying to fiqure out why I couldnt advance. HOURS. it took this kid 5 minutes.

I did eventually get up and get her some food. and I picked up a few things. Promising myself that if I did a little work, I could go right back to playing my game. and play I did.

Its not like this is my first addiction. I have been addicted to caffine since I was knee high to a grasshopper and cant get off it. I am still struggiling every day with my cigerettes. But, this is just as gripping, just as soul sucking, and gives me as much if not more of an adriniline rush, as any of the other vices I might have.

This was days ago. And then BR chose to take Saturday off. Not on purpose, but his truck needed work and they didnt get it done till that evening. So he couldnt go TO work.
He actually wanted me to leave the house. Wanted to go to town and get a bite to eat.

He asked the kids where they wanted to go.
GOLDEN CORRAL!!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, when we go to a buffet I have to wait on them hand and foot, constantly getting up and getting them something else. THEN I have to pay for the food!

At least at home I can throw it all on the table and they can sometimes get their own! But if I DO have to get it, I dont have to walk a country mile to do it.

So, I picked the mexican food joint. Matt did second that, and BR promised Brett he could get what ever he wanted at the resturant.

So, everyone dressed, I played a quick game while BR took a shower. and then we headed into town.

The kids were SO good at lunch. The waitress kept on completmenting them. And they really were good. YEs ma'am and No ma'am. and no fighting, and we laughed and honestly, we had a great time. We didnt have to get on them a single time.

One time, Rayley looked behind us and saw a print of some mexican musicians. It was a typical scene, Dusty street adobe buildings, and they were standing in the street wiht all their instruments. A lady was leaned out a window of a building and Rayley looks up adn says "Look mom, the 5 muscateers". ROFLMAO. Oh well, at least she can count..

Once we left there we went and spent some time at BR's parents. Of course, my mother in law has became adicted to the games you play on the satilite. So she was playing scrabble when we got there. We played a few word games. and visited. Then we came home and I played a few games on my own.

Today was just a lazy day. BR and the kids did go out and fix some part on the tractor. We are getting ready for planting season. The taters go in the ground on Feb 14. So we have to disk up the field they will be going in this week.

Hunney (my grandfather) called and he and I were discussing the placement of the few things we are planting. Taters, Corn, peas. NO SQUASH!! of course, nothing goes in till the taters come up, but we were discussing the rest of the field and if we needed to disk it all up, or leave some of it in pasture so we could put a heifer on it.
BR was over here steady talking. Asking me questions and gesteruing wildly. Then when I hung up, he got exasperated. So I asked why. He said that he was wondering where the corn was going to go, are we planting enough for the cows too, or just us, and shouldnt we be disking up the whole field, and that the horses and a few cows wouldnt need the other two small pastures and .... blah blah blah.

I explained that Uncle Gerald was putting my corn up near his pea patch, that only the taters would be down here, then that land would go fallow for summer grass. He said that he needs to know all this. I am not sure why. He will be working 12-15 hours a day. usually 6 days a week. The planting Uncle Gerald will do. Simply cause even if I show up with the tractor he will still do it. He just LOVES it that much. I will be helping him. Of course we will do alot of the disking. or at least most of it. and then I will end up doing most of the picking.

But When I explained that I wasnt even really privey to it all, that Uncle Gerald had picked the best places on the land for the crops I wanted, and basicly he would just tell me where and when to show up to do what ever grunt work he wanted me to do. Thats just what he does. which is fine. This man knows and has forgotten more about planting than I will ever be able to learn. But BR said I had to understand his point. He is getting his information from the 'dumbass chain'. First it goes through a senile, deaf old man, talking to another senile deaf old man, deciding stuff that niether one is listening to the other on, and is passed to a blonde, who then tells him half of it, before interjecting with a story or going off on a tangent, then following up a little while later with more tidbits. And GOD FORBID, if he doesnt have his english to blonde dictionary handy.

And I understood. Hunney and Uncle Gerald are senile, old and deaf as a post. The both of them. And they will agrue. Like the other one even listens. Its like watching 2 kids arguing over a toy. Except usually the knotheads are both on the same side. they just want to argue, and its easier to argue with someone who you think is wrong, then it is to listen to them.

As far as me and my blondeness. He should be used to it by now. I mean its been 16 years. heck, he should be used to THEM by now. and he is. But being a Byerly, he has to bitch about something. its in his blood.

I just wish that BR had time to learn all this from Uncle Gerald. Cause we are all aware that my memory SUCKS.

Oh today the boys also decided to shoot again. I had some old apples that I offered them and they couldnt wait to shoot them.

And we DID refrain from telling them the story of William Tell. THank GOD. Cause they were wondering who was gona hold the apple while the other shot...

Brett wanted to have a contest. So they did. and Matt got it first!!






Then on the LAST round, cause it was getting way too cold, Brett finally got his arrow in an apple.

They were 21 feet out. We are fixing to move them back to 10 yards, but this is pretty good.








Oh and Matts boots FINALLY came in! Matter of fact, Friday was a banner day for him. His boots came in AND he got Bulldog of the week. Of course, the goal is for each kid to get bulldog of the week at least once during the school year. and since we have been in school for around 20 weeks, it makes sense that he should get it now. Brett got it the first 6 weeks, before he screwed up too badly. But at least Matt did get it this soon. Last year Brett got it like the month school was out! she had already went through the class once, then started over, and he finally got it.

Anyway, it doesnt matter how he got it. I am still proud :)

But, all in all, I think he had a pretty good weekend. and he LOVES his boots. He is so thrilled!!

And I had to include this picture of Rayley. She just looked over at me and was cute as a spotted pup. She was up on her daddy's tractor and I took the picture while she was berating one of the boys for something or other. I didnt get a smile.


These are her new Fat Babies. She is so proud of them. And Her clothes are by barbie. Even the cap.
The second one is her hiding from Bow. She fiqured she would just blend it I reckon...




Now, if y'all will excuse me, I have a challenge I must meet. Now, dont judge. You would be adicted to. or you might be... Its on facebook. if you need an invite just shoot me an email......

LEvel 5, here I come!!

DRILL baby DRILL!

Today I had to be at the school at 7:30. we had a 'coffee with the superentendant' meeting. He wants to get support to build new schools. It was an informative meeting. And I really belive that he listed to me when I was talking about the kids at least being able to wear jeans. I dont mind the polo shirts. I dont like anyone telling my kids that they dont dress good enough, but I can compromise.

He does sound like a pretty down to earth guy. and to be honest. NOONE has ever came in and asked questions or asked for input before.

But I will blog about all that later.

When I left there I had an appointment with the dentist. Now I dread going to the Dentist. But my dentist is a sweetheart. Matt is a little in love with her, and I have known her all her life. Her daddy was my vet. He is one of the best men I know.

I went in and told her I had one tooth that was just flaking off. It was right in front. And showed her the 3 in the back on bottom that were either broken in half or worse. They took Xrays and she pointed out a few more cavities. We decided to do just the front tooth today.

I dont do shots well. I can give blood all day long, but stick something in me and I cant take it. She is so sweet. The whole time she is telling me she is sorry. And she is honest. She will tell you its gona hurt. LOL

Once we were waiting for the numb to get there, the assistant started trying to match. She kept getting differnt colors. She even called for a second opinion. I asked her if she didnt just have a coffee and nicotine color.

One time I was in, getting the OTHER front tooth done, and when she got done doing it, she wasnt happy with the color adn redid it! I have always thought that was very nice. Concidering I dont have perfect white teeth. They have so many 'white' fillings that they are hard to match, plus, they are stained slightly.

So, she went to drilling the tooth. I fiqure she had to drill out at least a quarter of the bottom and side. It amazed me that it started breaking while I was flossing, yet she had a 3hp grider with a drill bit on it with 60 grit paper and was vibrating my whole head and it didnt break off more.

Then all of a sudden something popped off and went flying behind her. It was the cord to the drill. She said she was done with it anyway.


I guess thats a good thing. Then she got a finer grit and went back to drillin. I couldnt see a whole lot, I had my eyes closed. Now usually I will go to sleep while she is working on me. seriously. I mean, I have 4 kids, dental work (once the shot is over) is pretty painless and laying down with out a kid on me, talking to me or poking me in the head, is a good chance for a quick nap. But today I was wide awake.

Of course I couldnt see cause they put this bright light in your face, I think its so you dont open your eyes and stare at them. I am sure they make some funny faces.

She kept calling for 'cure' and peeling stuff off. I dont have a clue how it all works, like I said I try to sleep most times, other times I am so blinded that it doesnt matter.

I just wish that you could get your teeth done with out your nose going numb. It was PLUMB up to the top of my nose.

Once I was done, I got the privledge of paying. TWo and a quarter is what the receptionist told me (another girl I went to school with). and the cavities in the back will be 310.00 when I go back in a few weeks.

when I left I went and got Bow. I looked in the mirror to see my new tooth and realized I had an elvis snear going on. SO not only was I numb from my lip to the bridge of my nose, I had a lopsided smile that made me look sinister or like I had just had a stroke.

But I went to rescue Martha anyway. When I called her this morning and asked her to let Rayley come to daycare for a few hours so I could go to the meeting she said that was fine. I told her that I was going to the school and Lowes but was going to cancle the dentist, since I didnt have a babysitter for Bow. She said to leave him. I didnt fiqure it would work, but the other workers started saying they wanted him to stay too. So I did. well when I showed back up, she was toting him, and he looked pitiful. He looked sick, had a runny nose and was just so dejected looking. She said he didnt play at all. and told me that "he is NOT a day care baby!" Oh well. LOL

But I really dont think he felt good. he clung to me the whole time I talked to her.

Then I headed to the library. I couldnt find the book I needed, the card catalog was on computer now and both were taken and I couldnt get anyone to wait on me because they were in the back watching a TV. Now I know why the last sticker on my card was like 04.
Finally I got help, got the book I wanted and started up front. Again, they were in the back. I just wanted to check out and ask about another book. It wasnt on the shelf, and I wanted to know if they could interlibrary borrow it. She just looked real fast, said "we aint got it" and told me they were due back sometime next month. walking away.

HA. I'll teach her. I will bring these back ON TIME, so they dont get a single nickle of my money! Poor Bow had ALMOST fallen asleep on the way over. Martha had said he was soo tired, he kept nodding off, but he would wake himself back up.

THen I had a mystery shop at the local hardware store. Of course Bow DID fall asleep while we on our way there.
I walked all around the store, inspecting, looking for names, the normal snoopy stuff. and true to form, everyone I passed smiled. well, I would smile back. and then they would get this look of pure pity. and it dawned on me. I was doing the elvis snear/stroke victem smile... CRAP! Next time I want a sticker that says "I was good at the dentist" so folks wont think I am a seriel killer or something. I mean my whole face was numb, the bridge of my nose which made that one eye feel kinda wonky too. So if I get that sticker that says "I was a big girl at the dentist" or "shhhhh my tooth is asleep" then folks will know. Cause you dont walk by people in Texas and not smile.

No, I am serious.

really. and yes, EVERY PERSON. you are walking down an isle and someone is coming towards you, you smile a big smile and nod your head, or say "how ya doin today?"
or "how's it goin?"

Its just the way it is. and its a HUGE habit. I cant NOT do it. I can be talking to my kids in my devil voice, words clipped, anger dripping off, threatning to dismember them limb from limb and explaining the process in gorey detail, so mad that steam is coming out of my ears, but if I pass someone I will smile and nod my head. offerin up a 'how do' . Its just what you do in a polite society. To be 'that person' who doesnt smile is .... just awful. and its not people you know. If you KNOW them then you ask about their momma, or thier kids. or if the rumor was true and they ARE getting a divorce.. (just kidding. well not really... LOL) and you expect to spend at least 5 minutes talking. if not more.

So, to have to make myself NOT smile, I just felt awful. I felt like I was being the rudest person in the store. Next time I need my sticker...

And the pity looks were NOTHING compared to the "well aint you just hoity toity, too good to give a howdo" looks... those just cut right through you.

OH and I also needed one of them stickers that said "tooth under construction, no hot/cold foods for 3 hours" or "no sucking on straws for 3 hours" or "Tooth pulled, NO eating" Cause I never can remember the rules. ....

Once we got home Bow was not real happy. He really does feel bad I think. and I hate it. He came in here and sat in my lap, then all of a sudden, he got down, went and got in my bed, pulled up the covers and laid down So I got a pillow and brought it back in here and covered him up. He finally went to sleep.

Then about 45 minutes later, he woke up, slid off the couch, and left the room. I got up to follow. he was in my bed, and grunted at me, then patted the pillow that was left. So I laid down with him.

He went right back to sleep. I really am convinced he doesnt feel well. But no fever.

Of course he eventually woke up, and I was trying to cook supper. So he stood under me and screamed the whole time. Once the kids got home he played with them.

But when BR came home he ran strait to him and WOULD NOT get down. BR even had to change out of his uniform while holding the kid. I refrained from saying " FUN AINT IT? "

Rayley got to stay at Daycare all day. She just thinks that she is sooo big when she does that.

Now she is asking me question after question. I swear this girl is wound up tighter than an 8 day clock.



And because Matts homework this week was a short story about a girl with a trantula, both boys spent 2 hours BEGGING me for one. Then when that didnt work, they switched to a snake. I am NOT buying a reptile, and there are VERY Few things in this life that will make me commit murder but a spider is one of the things that will. And honestly, if one day the only thing between me and a spider was one of my adorable and loving children, whom I have pledged to give my life for, I would push them towards it and run like hell.