Something's Bugging Me (aka our "Pets")

We acquired three new "pets" this past Friday.  Two praying mantises from the yard and one black widow that was hanging from the ceiling in the garage.  The spider was kind of scrawny- maybe because it wasn't too smart with hanging from the ceiling as opposed to building low to the ground?  I'd rather it be there than surprise me from behind something, though!  It's since eaten three different other spiders and a fly.  Here's something interesting- I think their webs are messy because they simply trail webbing behind them everywhere they go (that's what it appears this one has done), and she cleans her web out.  She's cut out everything from her web that's she's finished eating.  Yesterday she had the fly and two spiders that she was working on, and today they're on the floor of her jar and she's by herself (and very fat and sassy looking- bleahk).  When we're done looking at her, we will kill her.  I wanted the kids to see what a black widow looks like, so that they come and get David or myself as soon as they see one as opposed to trying to pick it up or play with it.

 

We had a brown mantis (Nancy) that we let go, because it wasn't eating. It was rather skinny. We kept a large, fat green one (named Dinah after a praying mantis we read about in a story) who has an insatiable appetite (crickets, grasshoppers, a centipede, moths).  She is in our butterfly enclosure.  Last night she had one moth and was eating it when Amelie put another one in.  She kept the munched on one in one foreleg, and quick, grabbed the other with her other leg.  Then she had dinner and dessert (or a side-by-side comparison of the same product). We've found her to be a messy eater- she drops a bug (even if only slightly eaten) if she's full, and drops all sorts of parts on the bottom of her enclosure (legs, wings, etc.).  The kids are starting to have trouble finding adequate food since it's cooling down at night, so I've already prepped them that we'll have to let her go if they can't adequately supply her needs.  I offered her a small piece of ground beef last night, but she wanted nothing to do with it (the mantis in the story we read ate some raw meat when bugs ran low).

 

Today the kids caught lots of crickets (cloud cover equals warmer morning, which equals more bugs running around in the morning).  I may post some photos, but for now, here is a drawing by Silas.

 

This Week: A Girls' Tea and a Phasmid (Leaf Bug)

Amelie got to enjoy the blessing of some fun girl time at a tea for some sweet girls...

 

...a lovely time was had by all- especially with the sweet treats that were served!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, we saw this guy in our garage as we were leaving for meeting.

It is a leaf bug, also called a phasmid.

 

Silas and Amelie were able to catch it today while it was sunning on the sidewalk out front.

We enjoyed a look-see, and then it was released back into the "wild."

(Bugs and invertebrates that the kids have caught and tried to keep captive tend to (a.) Die or (b.) Eat each other. Since he was the only one, he probably would have fallen in the (a.) category.)

Ian - A Belated Birthday Collage

Josiah- A Belated Birthday Collage

7-Year Old Humor...

Makes me laugh...  even the sun is shocked!

What we did to celebrate 10 years...

August 21, 2014 - 10 Years!!!

Psalm 37:5

Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.

 

 

Downside to Parenting

One of the lesser-known downsides of parenting...

...smell-testing animals to see if they absorbed your toddler's overnight "leak."

BLEAH!

Our Favorite Flower- Our Dahlia

 Our big, beautiful dahlia...

Thou art worthy, O Lord,

to receive glory and honour and power:

for Thou hast created all things,

and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 4:11

If plants could eat children, this one might try!

More Precious Moments

The moments we, as moms, will remember (or otherwise intentionally blank them from our minds!):

The Baxter Kids Make an Announcement!

Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

Psalm 127:1

God is the author and architect of life...

 

 

 

Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127

Check out http://www.gracefamilybaptist.net/sermons/2013-09-gods-gift-children/ for a good message on Psalm 127.

19 months and growing...

Rachel is now 19 months old, and growing, and growing.... and so are her gross and fine motor skills.

She has now acquired the ability to ascend the inside walls of her pack-n-play for a quick descent on the exterior walls, in order to escape nap time.

She has also found a new love for markers, from which she can now detach the lids.  Yesterday she got into washable markers and colored on a page of Mommy's Bible, which was sitting on the table (red, black and blue!).  She took the red and proceeded to decorate the front of the white dishwasher, and also marked a cushion on the couch before being apprehended.

Today, all was quiet... everyone was playing trains- or so I though. Rachel was actually participating in another individual artistic encounter. She discovered that by standing on a stool that had been temporarily moved in front of the office desk, she could reach the container of PERMANENT markers.  Apparently, she is going for an Amazonian tribal look... it was almost exact enough that I at first thought she had been decorated by an older sibling.

Amazingly, she didn't decorate the desk or her clothes!

Daddy will be along shortly with the carpet and upholstery wet vac!

Our home has been invaded...

Our home was invaded today...

...by small men in uniform.
Everywhere I turned, they had taken up tactical positions. 

They scaled our grain buckets, laid out an airfield in front of our art cabinet, and were in battle formation in front of the back door. 

I accidentally stepped on one.  He broke.  Their commander in chief was sad when I pronounced him beyond repair and accordingly discharged him from duty (threw him in the trash). 

Apparently they can be overcome.
The threat of the vacuum cleaner caused for a quick retreat.

They re-established themselves across the middle of the living room just prior to bedtime.

We will see if the battle has advanced by morning light.
If they become too much, Hoover will once again oversee a retreat.

2014... Happy New Year!