A turtle, a snake and a mouse

I will start with the less creepy. I found a turtle just down the street from our house the other day. 


What luck! Jackson loves turtles. We took a few pictures and then decided to move it down the ravine closer to water so it wouldn't get hit by a car, (when I found it, it was trying to cross the road.) 




Did I mention it was a snapping turtle? And it wasn't too happy with all the attention.


Mitch had the idea to put the turtle into this bin to carry it, which was a really good idea, because it snapped in the few seconds it took to pick it up and move it. And I mean snapped. Like I think it could take off a finger if it wanted to.


Some of the neighbor kids came along with us. The turtle was very popular.










Yep, we found a snapping turtle.  That should be just about enought excitement for one day.  But wait...it get worse.  Much worse.  Like I almost don't want to say, but I kind of have to.  It is a good story, and far be it from me not to tell a good story.  So here it is.

That same day, I came downstairs and Asher is sitting by the couch all bright eyed.  "There's a snake under the couch mom!"  He seems really excited about this.  And I just brush him off.  "No there's not I say."  and I thought nothing of it.  A little later I am talking to Mitch and as an after thought I told him that the boys think there is a snake under the couch.  He said they had told him too, but there was not snake under the couch and they should stop telling stories.  I went downstairs again, and Asher is in the same place with his hands under the couch, still all bright-eyed and excited.  "Mom, there is a snake under our couch and I felt it.  Did you know that snakes are not slimy they are scaly?"  Okay, I think I might believe him now.  At this point Mitch is also thinking that he had better look into this "story."  By the way, I hate snakes, hate them, hate them, hate them.  Mitch picks up the couch and tells me to look.  I am cowering on the stairs.  I don't want to look.  But I figured we needed to clear this thing up once and for all.  so I peer around the corner.  I see what looks like a strand of my yarn and I start to relax.  And then it moves!  I screamed.  And ran in the other room.  (Mitch figured out that scream means yes.)  Mitch then got a net and captured it and took it outside.  The boys were delighted.  They were so proud of what they found, and took it proudly to all of their friend to show off.  I was not quite as excited and even a little embarassed.  I later asked Asher how he knew there was a snake under the couch.  Here is how he tells it.  "I came inside, Lily was in her highchair and the snake was curled [coiled] up on the carpet in front of the couch.  I tryed to catch it but it went under the couch.  I kept trying to catch it but it got away."  To think we almost didn't listen to him!  I could have been watching TV that night and suddenly had a rude awakening at me feet.  I now ALWAYS have my feet up when on the couch.

And then there is more.  Things have to come in threes right?

We also had a mouse!  This one is so embarrassing because it was my friend who found it.  The very next morning, my friend was over and asked where she could throw out her little guys dirty diaper.  I told her we keep a garbage just out the door to our garage.  She steps out, and then quickly stepped back in to tell me, there was an alive mouse in the garbage.  I was horrified!  I was also so happy that Mitch was home to take care of it.  Of course, again the boys thought it was so cool.

So that's it.   We are done.  No more creatures.  I think we have had enough.