there's a mouse in my house!

We had such a great weekend!  We started Thursday off with Belle having a fever and staying home from school, but by Friday afternoon she was bouncing off the walls.  Ethel was sick on Thursday and Friday, so Abby was home from school- not so happy!  Uncle Ben saved us by hanging out on Thursday and Molly came and took Abby to her utopia (school) for their half day on Friday. 

Friday night Belle and I joined a friend and her two kids (Kris, Natty & Leo) for classic movie night at their house.  They're practically neighbors (5 min away in the country = neighbors)  with a girl close to Belle's age, and I can't believe this is the first time we've done this.  The movie was really good, as I like old classics, but the highlight was the "intermission".  About halfway through the movie we heard scratching noises coming from the laundry room.  I need to back up here.  Neither of our husbands were there as Andy was home with Abby and MA and Jon & Nik were camping.  Leo, at 4, was the sole testosterone in the room.

Back to the scratching...  I asked if she had a cat because it kind of sounded like a cat sneaking around ( FYI I don't like cats).  She said no, so we figured it was a mouse.  Mice are commonplace in the country, so we're not particularly surprised; but nonetheless shook up because we don't have our big male friends around to take care of any critter that shows itself.  We know they can be around, but actually seeing them is a completely different animal (pun intended). 

SCRATCH... SHUFFLE... SHUFFLE... SCRATCH!  YIKES!  Then she says, "Well, Jon did say that he put two traps out the other day, but when he went to check them... one of the traps was gone."

 "NO WAY!" I say.  So... let me get this straight.  There is a mouse down here pulling a trap behind him because he's caught in it!!!!!  "Probably," she says.  I'm laughing at the thought of it... until...

"There it is!!!!" I shriek (as the intermission starts).  The mouse is stuck under the buffet/desk (I don't remember what it was because I wasn't paying attention the furniture above the critter) about two yards from where I was sitting!  I'm screaming because it isn't one of those typical mice appearances where they run across the floor so quickly that you might be able to convince yourself you were seeing things and not have to deal with it (I tell Andy so he can deal with it, but pretend I didn't see it so I don't lose my mind and have nightmares of mice in my bed).  It was stuck, so we had to deal with it.  Since neither of us are "warrior princesses" when it comes to small rodents, going anywhere near it wasn't going to happen. 

At this point Kris still hadn't even looked at it.  I sat there screaming and she just shook her head refusing to even look in the general direction.  I'm just laughing at the thought of someone watching us.  To top it off we had to make the kids stay away from it!  Belle and Natty wanted to make a new pet of it.  Unbeknownst to me there were visitors upstairs visiting Kris's dad who just had foot surgery (which is why he couldn't battle the thing himself).  Thankfully, the guests included a male species who didn't find small rodents as fierce as we did.  He moved the chest to set the mouse... and attached trap... free! 

What was he thinking?!  Now it was like one of those pitiful animals who had lost its back limbs and some psycho vet made a contraption with wheels to replace the back legs like prosthetics.  It was dragging the trap behind it!

It just sat there in plain view (for me and the kids to see as Kris still didn't want to "face the giant")!!!  I was so kind as to give her a play-by-play of every detail in a high pitched screeching voice.  She especially enjoyed the part where I felt the need to give her details of the mouse's size being larger than a mere mole or shrew.  We sat there staring at it as Natty rushed around the house looking for a camera (I had visions of  winning America's Funniest Home Videos).  I didn't even have my phone for the Kodak moment!  Boy, were we a sight! 

Thankfully Garrett showed up with a camera phone to capture the event, take it outside, and set it free... to come back in the house (I told Kris).  He! He!  What a fun evening!  There is something unsettling about a mouse in your house, but something completely hysterical about one in someone else's!!!

please talk...

My girl LOVES school, but doesn't want to discuss it when she gets home. I wonder if it's because it's her private world or if she doesn't feel like anything special took place that needs to be rewarded with a conversation.

She's soooo..... me

If you get a chance to read my last entry on my other blog  Welcome to my world  you'll see that my frustrations with her are often my frustrations with myself.  I don't often feel the need to talk about certain stuff.  Sure, life affects me more than I let on, but sometimes it takes me some time to process stuff before I want to talk about it.  Belle is just that.  She'll all of a sudden randomly start talking. Oh how often my husband will look at me and say, "Where did that come from?"  I just finished processing something and I HAVE to talk about it right away!

 I'm totally "Random thoughts with Allison!"

As I work on getting to know her better, I find that I'm getting to know myself better.  In many ways it's like counseling myself when I have a discussion with her.  I leave our conversation with her and finish it in my own head.  It's a weird form of self talk.

First week of school 2nd grade

the three 2nd grade girls

Belle has eight kids in her class and a brand new (recently graduated) teacher who is super sweet and adorable.  To say the least the kids adore Ms Flesvig.  I wish I had more of an idea how school is because it is so her world, and she is hesitant to let others into it I guess.  She likes to leave it there and rarely talks about it.  I would wonder if she even liked it the way she is so tight lipped, but being ready to go before I get up tells me something.  I had to call Krista Harju to see what Nik says to make sure it's going well!

Belle and Therese

Today was her third day.  When I got up at 6:40, she was already dressed and downstairs eating her breakfast.  We "let" her have cold cereal on school days.  It's a treat for her because I "make" her eat big breakfasts on the weekends and during the summer.  To add to the "treats" in her mind she's been begging me to ride the bus and do the after school program!  We've decided to "let" her ride the bus from time to time on the way home (basically whenever Ethel decides to take Abby home early).  That seemed to subdue her for the time being.  The afterschool program will happen on occaision if we have an appointment to go to.  She also liked that possibility.  She's so funny like that!  Who would've thought that riding the bus and going to daycare were special treats!  Thank God she is like me and easily amused!

first day of school... 2nd grade

It's funny how excited I am for Abby to go to school, but I want to keep you here.  I guess I know Abby will be happier there, but you and I could have so much fun here.  Maybe next year when MaryAlice is bigger and can do more stuff.  I know it's where you want to be, so I console myself with that.  You are such a good friend that school fits you to a "T". 

You set your alarm, packed your lunch and laid out your clothes all before bed last night.  You woke up at 6:14 (or so you said because we all know I wasn't up yet) and were pretty much ready to go by 7.  I thought you would lose your mind waiting until 7:30 when Ethel picks you up!  I can't wait to hear about your day!