My Mouse Problem, Part 4!

I still have a mouse problem. How do I know? And why has this turned into a mini series? Please, no part 5!

Ken has a turkey fryer that he loves. He uses it at Thanksgiving and maybe one other time during the year. He fills it up with peanut oil and fries us up a deliciously moist turkey!

He doesn't enjoy cleaning it though. He has a habit of leaving the grease in it all year long. Then he dumps it out just in time to use it. I think it's a little gross but it's too heavy for me to dump and I guess I just think it's his mess, he gets to clean it.

Yesterday, Justyn said, "Hey Mom, I think there's a frog in Dad's oil." Note: We live in Idaho and it's April! I doubt it's a frog!

I went and checked.....and about puked. I could see the beady eyes, long slimy tail and a big bloated body and it was definitely NOT a frog! And since it was in 30 quarts of oil, it was floating just below the surface so it looked kind of creepy-ish!

Ken is out of town for the week. When he left on Sunday, I noticed that the traps were set but they had no cheese in them. I asked Ken to put some food in them before he left. He laughed at me and said, "And if you catch something, who's going to dump them?" Good point! However, when Henry came walking out of the garage on Monday holding a set trap in each hand, I decided to ditch the traps.

So, back to the big pot of oil. We managed to catch mice, even without Ken's cheese, so now who's going to dump the dead mouse?

Since they didn't have to touch it in any way, I sent the boys out to dump it by the road. They came back very proud of themselves. They had paid the little 5 year old boy across the street 2$ to dump it. And instead of one mouse, there were 3 mice in the oil!

We put the pan back in the garage for Ken to figure out what to do with it when he gets home this weekend. Today, Shaelynne came in and informed me that we had caught two more mice over night in our pot of oil. There was just a little oil left in the bottom of the pot, just enough to drown 2 more mice. YUCK!!!!!

"I hope that we never loose sight of one thing:

that it all started by a Mouse."

~~Walter Elias Disney

Here's the recap:
The mouse house trap things didn't work at all for us!
The traps have been pretty consistent at catching the mice.
When the traps slowed down, we put out one of those noise things, with the traps still set, just in case.
We have the bar bait but if Henry can find the traps, he'll definitely get into the traps and that scares me.
And the pot of oil, 5 mice in 2 days! I'm thinking we will put water in it tonight and see what we get in the morning.

Now, I have a question. I was telling Ken's cousin about our newly found trap system. I told her that I was a little miffed about it though because now I would have to throw away the turkey fryer. In total seriousness she told me just to bleach it clean and use it again, not for trapping mice but for cooking turkey in it! The thought of that makes me ill but maybe I am being a little bit of a priss here. Is it worth buying another one after finding 5 dead mice in it? What would you do? Let's take a poll! See my sidebar to cast your vote!



P.S. I'm looking for a CAT!

From Storm Clouds to Rainbows

Thanks to all of you who made the switch over to here.

As I grow up, I am realizing that there are alot of subjects that people don't talk about. I can understand this a little but I also believe that if I know something that could help you, than I want to share that with you, whether it's information that you can enjoy or learn from. I should probably be more private, but I'm not. What you see is pretty much what you get.

Several months ago, I was visiting with one of my children. Without much thought, I asked a simple question, and the answer I received soon became the beginning of the biggest test of my life so far. Little did we know, we were headed into a storm that would hit us hard and shake us to our very core.



Someone I knew and trusted very much, had come into our home and violated my child while I slept soundly in my own bed. I suddenly found myself with two questions, How did this happen? and Why did my child not tell me about it immediately?


The next couple of weeks became a blur of interviews, examinations, counseling, questions and many, many tears. So many lives would be affected by one persons choice and when the dust finally began to settle, there was much damage that had been done.




Yesterday, for us, it finally came to an end. The legal system, when combined with faith and prayers, worked for us! For those on the other side, it is the beginning of change and the hope of healing. I believe that the best outcome for all was reached. Now we can begin to pick up the pieces and rebuild. Sadly, there are paths that may never cross again in this lifetime, but hopefully, all will find peace and comfort as we now wrap ourselves in the arms of the atonement.

When you walk through a storm,
Hold your head up high,
And don't be afraid of the dark,
At the end of a storm, there's a golden sky,
And the sweet silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown...

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never walk alone...

My prayer for all of you.... Please, trust your instincts and be cautiously suspicious of everyone. Talk to your children, don't doubt the promptings you feel in your heart. You're the Mom! It's your right and duty to protect the precious ones that surround you.

And maybe, because of my story, there will be one more mother who will know more than I did, and one less victim.

God Bless,

Touched by Angels

I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
bringing something we must learn
and we are led, to those
who help us most to grow if we let them
and we help them in return...
It well may be
that we will never meet again
In this lifetime so let me say before we part
So much of me is made of what I learned from you
you’ll be with me like a hand print on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have rewritten mine, by being my friend
-"For Good" from Wicked

I found this quote over on my little sister's facebook page. I love it.

One thing that I have really struggled with is saying good bye to people I love. I grew up on a small farm in a community where I didn't experience a lot of change. My world was very constant. I lived in the same house my entire life. I went to school with the same friends all of my school years. I don't remember alot of friends moving away, at least not in my circle of friends. In fact, sometimes we took our constant, never changing friendships for granted and had to create silly fights with each other just because we didn't know how to appreciate the blessings that come from having true friendships. We could fight today because tomorrow we would still all be together and we had plenty of time to make up. I think I must have believed that time stood still in my little hometown.

I have been out of high school 15 years now. I have moved many times and have met and loved many people. Some we have moved away from, some have moved away from us. Most I have not seen since. I remember when we lived in Oxnard and Hubby did his internship for Smuckers. We knew we were only there for a couple of months but we met a family that we connected with immediately. The day we were leaving to go back to school, Hubby went over to say good bye to them. I couldn't go with him. Not because of anything important but because I couldn't say good bye. They were a military family so they were temporary also and I knew that I would never see them again and that was too hard for me to accept. So I stayed home and cried and cried while he went over to thank them for opening up their hearts and lives to us. To this day, I have regretted that decision. I missed the opportunity to let them know how much they meant to me. I have not spoken to them since. I don't even know where they are. I found a picture one day of them and I cried knowing the reality of us seeing each other again in this life was almost zero. Yet, I'm so thankful for their friendship and I'll love them forever. They came into our lives when we needed them the most.

When we were at BYU, we lived in family housing. Our whole ward lived in 5 buildings that were all right next to each other. It was like one big happy family. At the end of each semester, families would graduate and move away and it felt like part of my family was leaving. It was hard for me because I knew I would never see most of these friends ever again. I would look out my window and see a Uhaul tuck and I would cry. Yet I have so many memories of conversations, kind acts of friendship, hours spent sitting on the hill talking and watching our children play together, or just bumping into each other in the stair wells. So many people from that ward influenced my life forever and I am so thankful to have rubbed shoulders and shared those brief years with them. AND, I tried really hard to go and say good bye to friends when they would move away. (Honestly, I still was really bad at it. It is just so hard for me to say good bye because I just get way too attached to people.)

Since we have lived in Idaho, we have lived in 6 wards. In my wards, neighborhoods, or social groups I have met people and made friendships that were answers to my prayers. Many have moved away and our paths may never cross again but once again, I am thankful for friendships that have once again, changed my life forever.

I remember visiting with someone one day and we were talking about how interesting it was that within a matter of a few months, so many of us all moved into the same area, influenced one another's lives and then as quickly as we were all put together, we all moved away. This person's comment was, I'm para phrasing here, "Isn't it interesting how the Lord works. He moves us around to where we can do the most good at that time in our lives and when our time is up, he moves us somewhere else. At that time, I was sad because my happy little world was once again being uprooted and that meant I would have to stretch and grow all over again, but I have thought about that conversation often since and I feel like my perspective on life is slowly growing and rather than wishing I could live in my selfish world where I want to surround myself with all the people I love so much, I realize that if I had never been forced to say good bye, I would have missed out on so many hello's! (Ha! How was that for a good line:)

As I look back at all the people that I have been blessed to know and love, I realize that each friendship was perfect for me that time in my life, and no matter where our roads lead, my heart will be forever changed and I am a better person because of them. The Lord loves us all so much and he knows what we need at different times in our lives to build us up or give us the strength and support that we need to get through those trials at that time. Then he moves us on so we can touch and be touched by others. We really are clay in his hands.

And now my small circle of friendship just got bigger. I'm not limited just to who I can see out my front window. Through blogging and the world wide web, I have found old friends and met new ones and I love it!! The best part is, I don't have to say good bye anymore. Actually, my friend Julie just ended her blog for good and now I really miss her! I guess no matter how fancy technology gets, I'll still have to accept that people will continue to come and go out of my life. I'm still holding out though for the time when I can surround myself in heaven with all my favorite people! So, be watching an invitation.


I was walking home from school on a cold winter's day
Took a shortcut through the woods and I lost my way
It was getting late and I was scared and alone
Then a kind old man took my hand and led me home
Mama couldn't see him, but he was standing there
But I knew in my heart, he was the answer to my prayers

When life dealt troubled times and had me down on my knees
There's always been someone there to come along and comfort me
A kind word from a stranger to lend a helping hand
A phone call from a friend just to say I understand
Ain't it kind of funny at the dark end of the road
Someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope

They wear so many faces
Show up in the strangest places
Grace us with thier mercy
In our time of need

Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love

Alabama, "Angels Among Us"

What happens when the weather hits 65 degrees on a Saturday and it's blue skies and no wind for the first time this year?

You get sun kissed on your cheeks and nose!

The neighbor kids across the street played ball all day in their yard while their parents planted flowers. The neighbor next to us mowed all the dead tips off of his grass today and now it is a beautiful rich green. I want to run barefoot in it. The boys down the street shot off rockets while somewhere nearby we could hear the motors of some dirt bikes. The sights, sounds and smells of Spring were everywhere today.

My kids rode their bikes all afternoon around and around the neighborhood. The tops of their hand are bright red from the sun and their cheeks and noses are rosy red. I love it! Their skin is so fare that the first sun of the year quickly brightens up their faces. My little A took a bath tonight. When she came down to blow her hair dry, she said sadly, "Mom, I took a bath but my face is still red. Do I have to bathe again?" I said, "It doesn't wash off, honey. It's kisses from the sun." Now she's embarrassed of her red cheeks and nose. Soon enough she will turn tan and that will mean long, dry, hot Summer days. But for now, I'm happy to enjoy the weather one season at a time.

Welcome to a Beautiful Spring Day!

Change!

Today I cut my hair!

Still Sore

(If you haven't read yesterday's post yet, read it before this one.)


This morning Z was making pancakes for breakfast. He was very proud of his work. He made the comment that he was a great cook. J then had to add, "Yeah, better than Mom!" In my defense I said, "Hey, I'm not that bad and besides, I'm going to teach you to be better than me so I can retire and you can do all the cooking." S piped up with her two cents: "How can you teach us to be better cooks than you? That doesn't make any sense. You can't teach what you don't know!"

Nice!.....Where did she come from and who asked her anyways?


She's a tough one and now I feel challenged!!!! My new goal: Become a GREAT cook!

Funny K! Not so funny Mom!

Funny:
Tonight I made Egg McMuffins for dinner. I had piled the cooked eggs on a plate while I was busy cooking the bacon. I turned around and K's face was all yellow and she was holding an uneaten egg up to her mouth. I counted what was left on the plate and decided that 3 eggs were missing. Hubby admitted to eating one so that left the one in K's hand and the one on her face. Since she hadn't taken a bite out of the one in her hand yet, Hubby took it away and told her she couldn't have seconds. We both went back to what we were doing and a moment later looked back to see K eating the egg. Hubby said, "K, you can't have seconds. Those are for dinner." K started to cry and said, "I already ate my second. This is my first!" We let her finish her first!



Not So Funny:
The boys wanted pie for dessert. Let me preface this by saying, I do not make pies! But, I figured I could handle this tonight since I had two pre-made pie shells in the freezer and a can of apple pie filling and a can of pumpkin pie filling. What could go wrong? It's just open, dump, cook!
When the apple pie was cooked, the boys decided that a crisp topping on top of the apple would finish the pie off perfectly. Easy enough. I put it back into the oven to cook the topping. Yep, started it on FIRE! It didn't turn so well.

That's okay, there's still the pumpkin right? WRONG! Forgot to add the sugar! OOPS!

The French Vanilla ice cream was really good though. No cooking required.

Julie, you're on for Thanksgiving pies again this year!