Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Our Snake Story
We got an invitation to go camping up at Roosevelt with some friends over the holiday weekend. It was our first trip out this year, so we were all very excited. For those of you familiar with Roosevelt, we went up just west of the Wilbur-Keller ferry.
It was a long hot drive there but the most exciting part about it was taking the ferry across the lake. At first the kids were a little spooked by it, but once we got going they thought it was pretty cool.
At long last we arrived at the campsite and joined several other trailers already there. It was beautiful to be camping right at the top of the beach. However, this was VERY different from our normal camping experiences. We're typically the "backwoods" type of campers, where there are forest trees, shades, streams, etc., while this was hot, dry camping - in rattlesnake country. Yes, I said rattlesnake.....
Our friends have been camping here MANY years and have never seen a rattlesnake. Leave it to us to be the first! The first night there the kids were all running around exploring and getting to know each other on the beach as most of the adults were gathered around the campfire socializing. I soon realized that I hadn't seen Hunter in quite a while - he finally showed up with his Nintendo DS in hand. I told him he couldn't have that out on the beach - that it was for in the trailer only. So we walked back over to our trailer (where he had been just minutes before) to put it away.
Just as we were approaching the trailer, we heard a "rattle" RIGHT in front of us. Now it was dark and we had no flashlight, but we could see where we were going because the moon was very bright. As soon as I heard that "rattle", I could see him too - right in front of us less than 2 feet away. I grabbed Hunter's hand and immediately backed-up and turned and high-tailed it outta there!! Once back at the fire, I said "there's a snake!" and someone said "no it's just a grasshopper". I repeated, "no, there is a snake", so the men set off with flashlights in hand and came back 5 minutes later with.... a rattlesnake. It was 4 feet long 9 years old (based on his rattles). They eventually killed it.
I was in shock after this, and just wanted to go to bed. The kids were freaked so we stuffed towels in the sink, etc. This was not the best way for me to start the weekend - with a near death experience - and I hate to think of all the other ways it could have turned out. I constantly was thinking of all the "what if's" and other questions... What if Hunter had set him off earlier? Would he know what to do? What if it had bitten him? What if he's bitten me? Will there be others? Will they get into our trailer? Do they come out during the day too?
The next day I was reassured that they do NOT come out during the day - they typically only come out after dark to warm themselves on the hot sand. Eventually we were able to relaxe as the weekend progressed and to have some fun. But once night fell, the kids and I were in bed. Some may have thought that I was being a party pooper, but seriously, I never go to bed that early - especially when we're camping. It was the fear of future snake encounters that sent me packing to bed once the sun went down.
It was a long hot drive there but the most exciting part about it was taking the ferry across the lake. At first the kids were a little spooked by it, but once we got going they thought it was pretty cool.
At long last we arrived at the campsite and joined several other trailers already there. It was beautiful to be camping right at the top of the beach. However, this was VERY different from our normal camping experiences. We're typically the "backwoods" type of campers, where there are forest trees, shades, streams, etc., while this was hot, dry camping - in rattlesnake country. Yes, I said rattlesnake.....
Our friends have been camping here MANY years and have never seen a rattlesnake. Leave it to us to be the first! The first night there the kids were all running around exploring and getting to know each other on the beach as most of the adults were gathered around the campfire socializing. I soon realized that I hadn't seen Hunter in quite a while - he finally showed up with his Nintendo DS in hand. I told him he couldn't have that out on the beach - that it was for in the trailer only. So we walked back over to our trailer (where he had been just minutes before) to put it away.
Just as we were approaching the trailer, we heard a "rattle" RIGHT in front of us. Now it was dark and we had no flashlight, but we could see where we were going because the moon was very bright. As soon as I heard that "rattle", I could see him too - right in front of us less than 2 feet away. I grabbed Hunter's hand and immediately backed-up and turned and high-tailed it outta there!! Once back at the fire, I said "there's a snake!" and someone said "no it's just a grasshopper". I repeated, "no, there is a snake", so the men set off with flashlights in hand and came back 5 minutes later with.... a rattlesnake. It was 4 feet long 9 years old (based on his rattles). They eventually killed it.
I was in shock after this, and just wanted to go to bed. The kids were freaked so we stuffed towels in the sink, etc. This was not the best way for me to start the weekend - with a near death experience - and I hate to think of all the other ways it could have turned out. I constantly was thinking of all the "what if's" and other questions... What if Hunter had set him off earlier? Would he know what to do? What if it had bitten him? What if he's bitten me? Will there be others? Will they get into our trailer? Do they come out during the day too?
The next day I was reassured that they do NOT come out during the day - they typically only come out after dark to warm themselves on the hot sand. Eventually we were able to relaxe as the weekend progressed and to have some fun. But once night fell, the kids and I were in bed. Some may have thought that I was being a party pooper, but seriously, I never go to bed that early - especially when we're camping. It was the fear of future snake encounters that sent me packing to bed once the sun went down.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Hunter's 6th Birthday "Pool Party"
It just so happened that Hunter's birthday weekend was also our first weekend without any dance events, thus our first free weekend of the summer. We discussed this with Hunter - "Would you like to stay home and have a party? Or would you like to go camping for your birthday?" His response was, "Can we go to that place where there's a jump for my bike?" "Yes, we can try" "ok, let's go camping!".
So we planned on doing a fun "camping birthday" for him. As it turned out, this was not a "free" weekend for anyone else to get out of town, so it would have just been our family. Again, we discussed this with him - "We can still go camping, but it'll just be us" "That's ok" "There won't be any presents" "Can't you buy them all??" - lol..... "NO". So we negotiated with him to just stay in town and have a party, that way his cousins and friends could celebrate with him.
We threw together a last minute "pool party" the week before. I figured if all of his friends were in the pool, maybe he'd finally get in too. WRONG!! The boy wanted NOTHING to do with the pool! Regardless, he eventually got wet, just not to his liking....
This boat is from Grandpa Dennis. He gave it to us last fall, before he passed away, for us to give to Hunter. We hung on to it until his birthday, which gave it even more meaning - for him to have a gift from "Grandpa in Heaven". He even said that he knew Grandpa was watching him drive it....
Hmmm.... someone seems to be getting an attitude!!
Hunter thought it was fun do go around blasting everyone with his new super soaker, but finally got what was coming to him ~ a quick dip in the pool!! He was NOT very happy about it either!
So we planned on doing a fun "camping birthday" for him. As it turned out, this was not a "free" weekend for anyone else to get out of town, so it would have just been our family. Again, we discussed this with him - "We can still go camping, but it'll just be us" "That's ok" "There won't be any presents" "Can't you buy them all??" - lol..... "NO". So we negotiated with him to just stay in town and have a party, that way his cousins and friends could celebrate with him.
We threw together a last minute "pool party" the week before. I figured if all of his friends were in the pool, maybe he'd finally get in too. WRONG!! The boy wanted NOTHING to do with the pool! Regardless, he eventually got wet, just not to his liking....
This boat is from Grandpa Dennis. He gave it to us last fall, before he passed away, for us to give to Hunter. We hung on to it until his birthday, which gave it even more meaning - for him to have a gift from "Grandpa in Heaven". He even said that he knew Grandpa was watching him drive it....
Hmmm.... someone seems to be getting an attitude!!
Hunter thought it was fun do go around blasting everyone with his new super soaker, but finally got what was coming to him ~ a quick dip in the pool!! He was NOT very happy about it either!
Baseball Cake Pops!
Hunter's actual birthday landed on a Tee Ball night, so I made sure to sign up for snacks for the boys that day. Having recently discovered (and fallen in love with...) cake pops, I knew exactly what I was going to do - baseball cake pops!
I used Red Velvet cake this time, and they were DELICIOUS! My original plan was to make them all look like little baseballs, but the edible markers that I purchased didn't work too well on the cold chocolate, so we only did a few like that, and sprinkled the rest. Then we put them into little lollipop bags for the boys, and handed them out after the game. They were a big hit! The team even sang "Happy Birthday" to Hunter during their post-game huddle - so sweet.
I used Red Velvet cake this time, and they were DELICIOUS! My original plan was to make them all look like little baseballs, but the edible markers that I purchased didn't work too well on the cold chocolate, so we only did a few like that, and sprinkled the rest. Then we put them into little lollipop bags for the boys, and handed them out after the game. They were a big hit! The team even sang "Happy Birthday" to Hunter during their post-game huddle - so sweet.
Nintendo DS
With Hunter's birthday approaching quickly, we realized we didn't know what to get for him. He really needed a new desk, but we were having a hard time finding one that we liked at the last minute - that, and what 6 year old wants a DESK for his birthday! So we decided to go with electronics, hoping that our soon-to-be 1st grader would take better care of a Nintendo DS than he did with his Gameboy.
So one day before his birthday, we sat him down in the living room and presented him with his gift. Needless to say, he was a little surprised.... and excited!
The Birthday Boy!
Opening his gift...
He seems to be a little confused.
Hmmm... cool. (Shianne told him that he got to share her DS with her!)
Wow - a Nintendo DS box... what's next?
It's REALLY a Nintendo DS???!?!?!
YEAH!!!!
Checking it out...
One VERY HAPPY little boy!!
Both of the kids with their Nintendo DS's.
Happy 6th Birthday, my sweet little boy!
So one day before his birthday, we sat him down in the living room and presented him with his gift. Needless to say, he was a little surprised.... and excited!
The Birthday Boy!
Opening his gift...
He seems to be a little confused.
Hmmm... cool. (Shianne told him that he got to share her DS with her!)
Wow - a Nintendo DS box... what's next?
It's REALLY a Nintendo DS???!?!?!
YEAH!!!!
Checking it out...
One VERY HAPPY little boy!!
Both of the kids with their Nintendo DS's.
Happy 6th Birthday, my sweet little boy!
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