Too close for comfort...

The fire season was unreal this past summer in Idaho.  We were a kindling box.  It seemed like there were fires burning everywhere.  This one hit a little too close to home.

Fire/smoke plume that could be seen from our front yard.  Less than a mile away.

Ash was actually raining down.  Kind of freaky.

The smoke did make some amazing sunsets though.  Can't say the same about the air quality.  We were at orange for weeks.  Not just because of this fire, but also for the ones burning in the mountains north of us.

This was taken by the MHAB firefighters - just up the road from our house, by the interstate.

How close the fire got to structures.  That's the hotel that my parents stayed out when they came out for Trent's baptism.  The firefighters worked hard to make sure no structures were damaged.

Awesome picture.  Again taken by the MHAB firefighters.  A slurry drop.  The plane buzzed past our house to do the drop.  The kids thought it was awesome.  I was a little panicked.  

Least to say, it was a reminder to get our 72-hour kits updated and complete.  The feeling of being unprepared isn't a good one.

Good Quote

I pass by this picture every time I go to the fitness center (which isn't as often as I would like to right now).  But I think this applies to anything and everyone.

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." - Steve Prefontaine

Bad Hair Day

The Day Hannah decided to give herself a haircut.  She was so proud of herself, until her mean mama let her know how cute it was not.  And of course, this is the kid that doesn't have a lot of hair to begin with.  It's so thin and fine.  The upside to it all?  I guess, is at least she didn't hack at the roots or the bangs.

The frown says it all.

Clean cut.

Almost a whole foot.

Mama was so mad, that she had to walk away.  Mostly due to the conversation she had just had with Hannah the day before about not using the scissors.  But wait!  Aleana swoops in and saves a sad little girl.  Crazy hair will make anyone smile.

Sesame Street - USO

Sesame Street came to Mountain Home Airbase a while back, and we thought it would be fun to take the kids.  The tickets were free and it was for a 30 minute show.  I debated whether or not it was worth the drive for just 30 minutes.  

When we walked in the gym, the USO was passing out patriotic bandannas and light spinners that featured Elmo.  As you can tell the younger two thought they were awesome.  I thought it was awesome that my kids got something cool that I didn't have to buy.  Thank you USO!

Aleana looked THRILLED to be at a Sesame Street Sing-along concert :)  It's kind of fun to torture your kids a little.  Goodness knows we have to endure this stuff, so should she.

Love this pic.  The look of wonder and joy.  Makes the drive and crowd all worth it.

Can she be more cute?!?

Trent hemmed and hawed about having to come to a "little kids" play.  But here's the proof.  He secretly enjoyed it.  See how he's trying to be sly about playing with the "baby" toys.  

And Elmo has entered the building...

This was the sour look Trent gave me most of the time.  He's so good at it...but we know he secretly enjoyed it. haha

It was a little difficult to get the Sesame Street characters, this was as good as I got.  They sang and danced the whole time.

Sure do love this man because he's man enough to take the kids to Elmo.

The lamp post pic.  Again, Trent with his sour look.  He would be perfect for the Addams Family.  Maybe he's in the right family ;) 

I tried to get in on the pic action, but Luke was done.  He wanted his light twirly thing.

All in all, it was a good time.  And 30 minutes was good.  I don't know if I could handle much more singing and dancing with high-pitched Sesame Street voices blaring through the speakers.

My feelings on it all...

As we all know, President Obama was re-elected yesterday.

Disappointed? Yes.

Surprised? Not really.

Am I scared?

In a short answer, yes. But in all honesty, I think I would feel a little fear either way...

I have to ask myself, can one man make enough of a positive difference in a society where the cultural and social norms are declining? Where the change that is chanted is questionable?  No.  Certainly not when there is unwillingness in the masses.

I strongly believe one can't legislate morality. That is something society as a whole dictates everyday.

One can't force charity. The idea of helping the less fortunate needs to come from the hearts of men. It can't be determined from the laws of a government.  specifically if it is the same governing body that is riddled with corruption by the very power of the people that give it breath. What can occur by trying to force good-will however, is an increase of greed and an enabling of self-entitlement.

Then begs the question: can one man cause a nation to fall/fail? No, not one man.  Not in this case anyway.

The determining factor of whether this republic nation thrives or fails is up to its people.

And there you have it: The root of my fear.

As of today, I admit, the outlook seems dismal and bleak. The "people" have spoken. I feel a little of my hope being stamped out.

How do I ensure that my children will be able to enjoy the same freedoms that I have?

I feel powerless.


So what next?

While those feelings are very real and natural, I think I can do better. I remember reading an interview from a Holocaust survivor. While I can't recall his statement word for word, the jest of it still hits home. When asked how he managed to survive in such dire circumstances for so long, he simply answered by saying, "Hope". Hitler could take away their homes, their livelihood, their food, the clothes off their back, their children, and ultimately their lives. But he could not take away their hope, for it lived in a place that cannot be reached without invitation.

That statement rang true to me the first time I read it. I have reflected over those words throughout my life thus far. No matter the circumstances, I can have hope. And it can't be taken from me without my permission.

I decide to have hope.

One of great things about a poem is that it can describe one's emotions with less words (well in this case anyway). And since I have a tendency to be full of opinionated words, I will end with this poem to convey what kind of hope I intend to have and to instill in my children.

"Two Frogs"

Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl,
One was an optimistic soul;
But the other took a gloomy view,
"I shall drown", he cried, "and so will you."

So with a last despairing cry,
He closed his eyes and said "Good-bye."
But the other frog with a merry grin
Said, "I can't get out, but I won't give in!

I'll swim around till my strength is spent.
For having tried, I'll die content."
Bravely he swam until it would seem
His struggles began to churn the cream.

On top of the butter at last he stopped
And out of the butter he happily hopped.
What is the moral? It's easily found.
If you can't get out - keep swimming around.


Not sure if I will hop (hope) out of the bowl of butter, but I will keep swimming. I will keep hoping (hopping?) for the things that are good.  For the sake of my children.  And my sanity :)

A few more projects complete...

 It is not a secret.  I love doing crafty things.  Its very cathartic for me.  And sometimes it becomes too much of a distraction.  So I told myself I would not start anything new, until I get everything done that I have already started.  I still have a few more projects to go - but I am getting there.  These are the things that I have finished over the last 10 months, in my "spare" time.

1. The coolest fabric ball ever! 
 I found this project pattern on a blog last year, when I was searching for Super Saturday ideas.  I book-marked it with the intent of making one for Luke for Christmas.  Well, it didn't get finished in time for Christmas, so he got it for Valentines Day (barely).  He loves it.  I also made one for my dear friend's little boy Elias, and for my little Hannah as well.  The pattern was easy, the instructions were clear.  There is machine sewing involved, but there is also quite a bit of hand sewing.  It was a nice project to do while I was catching up on some of my TV shows. :)  It is also a great project to use up all that scrap fabric.  Mis-matching colors work real well on this.  The pattern can be found here.

Elias' ball

Luke's

Hannah's

2. Framed Love Letter:  
I saw something kind of like this on a blog that I follow.  Although hers was actually a pillow, I really thought it was a fun simple idea.  She had a scrap of white fabric, and then drew horizontal lines on it.  She then used her sewing machine and sewed a few vertical lines - to give the fabric texture and make it look like a sheet of lined notebook paper.  When I saw it, I thought "what a cute idea", but I didn't really want to take the time to draw out the lines.  And its not that it would take all that much time to do, but it would really bother me if I didn't get the lines straight or evenly spaced.  It just wasn't worth the frustration I knew it would cause me, so I put this craft idea on the back burner.

Fast forward a few months, I found myself at Goodwill looking for white shirts for one of my kidlets.  Much to my surprise, I came across a white,  lined - perfectly spaced - already there shirt.  And it cost me a whoppin' 25 cents.  When I finally got around to it, I machine sewed the vertical and top lines, and embroidered the lettering.  I loved the way it turned out.  I gave it to Trace for Valentines Day - as my love letter to him (cheesy I know).

3. Faux Embroidery:
This is one of the projects that I picked out for Super Saturday.  I liked it because it was low cost, easy, and not too time consuming.  Basically you need muslin, a black fabric marker, and crayola crayons.  I bought the pattern from Twin Stitchers - they have some of the cutest embroidery patterns - and they are e-files.  I can purchase it and download it to my computer in less than a minute.  You trace the pattern onto your fabric (muslin is thin so it was easy to see - no back-light needed).  Then use the black fabric pen and trace over the lines on the fabric. The last step - using crayola crayons (they work the best - smooth and washes the best) - outline and color where you want.  Easy peasy.

 4. Hannah's baby blanket:
I started this blanket when I found out I was going to have a little girl - back in 2007.  Then life got in the way, and I wasn't able to finish it.  I had two more rows to go, and then it needed a border.  Well five years later, I found this unfinished project in the bottom of one of my bins.  But I couldn't, for the life of me, remember how the pattern went.  There is no love lost between me and the art of crocheting.  I LOVE it...when somebody else makes it.  I appreciate the time and talent it takes.  I just don't have much of either.  However, I have a few friends who are very talented when it comes to this fine art.  So I asked one of them to help me finish it.  She figured out the stitch just by looking at it, and put a border on it for me.  It turned out beautiful.  Hannah's a tad bit too big for this now, so I think I will save it for her, when she has kids.

5. FHE Chart:
Honestly, I have made a few of these in the past...but I either lost the pieces, or our family has out-grown them.  So, I kind of just gave up.  Then I got a phone call from a friend, who was out-of-town at another friends house.  And they were gettin' their craft on.  She called and asked if I would be interested in one of these.  Heck ya!  So she brought the material home and let me get my craft on.  I loved the way it turned out - the color scheme and fonts of the vinyl lettering - and I have it hanging prominently on our living room wall.  Now we have to actually use it, no excuses - haha.

Learning isn't just about school.

Trent most certainly keeps us on our toes.  He has lots of energy and curiosity.  I wish I had a quarter of either one, just so I could keep up with him.  

This school year was fun and a little challenging for him.  He has been going to the GT (gifted and talented) program - and thoroughly enjoys it.  It's a great outlet for him to think and ask questions.  He gets to participate in lots of hands-on projects, which seems to be where he thrives.  He loves his GT teacher.  The challenging part comes mostly because of his regular classroom setting.  He gets bored and he doesn't see the point of busy-work.  It certainly posed challenges for me and his teacher both.  

With that being said, we had a few problems with his teacher, and some of it was heart-breaking for me.  I have always believed in having open communication with teachers, especially with Trent's teachers.  I know he can be challenging.  He asks lots of questions, and can't be won over with lazy answers.  If it wasn't for another parent in class approaching me about some concerns she had (following what her daughter had told her), about how Trent was being treated by his teacher...I would have never known.  I had been in contact with Trent's teacher fairly regularly and had gotten the impression, with the exception of few bumps here and there, that everything was fine.  But, after the conversation with my friend, and a few talks with Trent, I realized it was anything but that.  

Basically what it had boiled down to, is that the teacher had been singling out Trent, and making him stand in the middle of the classroom, during math meeting time.  Math meeting time was a classroom activity done on mats on the floor, in the back of the classroom by the white-board.  It wasn't a one-time incident.  It had been happening everyday...since before Christmas.  I didn't talk to my friend until the end of April.  Christmas to April...everyday, standing in the middle of the classroom, without ever having a chance to earn back the privilege of participating with the rest of the class.  Does anything about this situation sound right?  I get having to deal with consequences if my son misbehaves.  If he can't sit still, I understand.  But he was banished from math meeting time.  The teacher had told him he had to stand there until the school year was over.  He was written off.  And even worse, is that the students would look at him and tell him "You can't sit here.  Teacher said.  You're not not allowed to be with us".  She not only singled him out, but she had created an atmosphere where other students were allowed to say comments to him.  

When I asked Trent about math meeting time, he just broke down into tears.  Not the "I'm in trouble" kind of cry, but the hurt and alone kind of cry.  How could I be so out of the loop?  How could I have not known what was going on?  Why, in the 2 parent-teacher conferences we had, or the 1/2 dozen phone calls between me and the teacher, was I not informed of the situation?  How am I supposed to help him with his behavior if the teacher doesn't tell me when something is wrong?  And the worse part?  Trent believed he wasn't good enough to sit with the other students.  Heart. Breaking.  I felt I had failed my son.  How could I not have seen this?  What questions did I not ask?

After getting the information all together, I sat on it.  I sat on it for almost two weeks.  I wasn't sure how to handle it.  How much of my emotions were valid, and how much were due to "mama-bear syndrome"?  I had really liked Trent's teacher up to this point.  I didn't want to be the mom that comes in, ready to defend my son, if he did something wrong.  I believe in being fair.  I believe that teachers have one of the hardest jobs out there.  I respect what they do. 

 But this is my son.  

He is hurt.  Could this type of discipline have far-reaching effects on his self-esteem?  I just couldn't wrap my head around it all.  And I was ticked.  

After I simmered down, I decided to meet with the teacher.  I figured I should get her side of the story before going all "bat-crazy".  I didn't tell her why I wanted to talk to her, but just that me and my husband had a few questions to ask her about Trent.  When I arrived at the after-school appointment, she was already apologizing about math meeting time.  Apparently, since I didn't tell her what it was about, she decided to ask Trent what was going on.  I hadn't even made it through the door, and she was apologizing.  That felt a little odd to me.  Odd, as in - a kid who just got caught and was apologizing - kind of odd.  We had a very civilized conversation.  I didn't go in there accusing her of anything.  I just asked questions, trying to understand her point of view.  And she explained what was going on.  Trent had a hard time sitting still.  That was it.  He couldn't sit still, so he had to stand, away from the other students, away from math.  But she couldn't answer why it had been happening for almost 6 months, or why he never had a chance to earn his privileges back.  She acted like that was a novel idea or something.  She explained to us, that she had no idea that the other students were saying those things or that Trent felt the way he did.  She also said it had never occurred to her to call me, as she thought it wasn't that big of a deal.  But how could a teacher, with a masters degree, who has been teaching for some 11 years not be aware of what was happening?  I felt lied to.  I felt she was placating to us, to "make things right" and get us off her back.

But, I was willing to let things lie.  She had heard our concerns and agreed to change her approach with Trent, to allow him "back in the fold" so to speak.  I wasn't satisfied with her justification, but whatever.  The school year was almost over, and he would be getting a new teacher.  I didn't want to be the mom that all the teachers talk about and groan over.  

And I was just fine with it, until a few days later.  All the students were having a rough day as far as behavior goes.  And the teacher was reaching her breaking point.  It was then when she announced "I am already having parents that have issues on how I discipline...you will all stand in the middle of the classroom and miss math meeting if you don't stop" (not exact wording...but something like that).  We were the only parents who had a problem with her.  It was her way of letting Trent know who was in charge.  The kicker was, Trent wasn't one of the kids acting up.

That comment wasn't professional.  It wasn't appropriate.  I get that she's human, and tired and overwhelmed.  But the fact of the matter is, she's an adult.  She was put there to teach.  This wasn't some small random blurt.  It was intentional, just as a little kid is when she throws a temper-tantrum.

So, I went to the principal.  She was shocked.  She had no idea and promised to get to the bottom of it.  She was actually in tears when she had realized what impact it was having on Trent.  (I am still skeptical as to how real those tears were...my first instinct is to say yes, they were real...but this whole situation has left me a little skewed about teachers/school).  She called in Trent and apologized on behalf of the school.  

I am not sure what, if anything at all happened, with the teacher.  I didn't want to seem like the bitter parent who is out for blood.  I do plan, however, to contact the principal after this new school year has started, and follow up on the situation.  That way, I won't have to worry about the teacher taking it out on Trent, which is sad I think, that I have to think that way about a teacher. 

The lessons learned?:

1. Not all teachers are created equal (I already knew that, but this was a whole new level of knowledge gained on my behalf).

2. Ask Trent more questions.  He not a kid who talks about emotions.  He keeps it all inside and is hard to read.  But he's sensitive.  And smart.  I need to ask the hard questions, because he has a hard time expressing himself with words.

3. It is okay to speak out against a teacher.  It is my right as a parent and a mother.  And I will do it again, this time, without hesitation if I have to.  And I will follow the same pattern again.  Go to the teacher first, and if needed move higher up.

4. Not all teachers are like this.  I have to keep reminding myself of that now.  It's been 3 months and I am still angry... It is amazing how one bad experience has left me jaded and guarded about who I trust in the education system. 

Throughout this whole experience, I have to say I am proud of Trent.  He can test my patience to no end, but he can hold my heart in a split-second's notice.  He has so much going for him.  He amazes me with his knowledge of the world, and his never-ending drive to know more.  He might not be able to sit still, and he might not like busy work...but I have a feeling that whatever he does in this life, he will be too busy to sit still and have more important things to do for this world.  No busy work required.  

I am so proud of him, and the strength he has.  Keep up the good work kid!

Crappy Situation

Spring was a little busy  for us.  We had to juggle our schedules quite a bit in order for me to coach track.  Tracy has been a great help in this department.  He got permission from work to go in early, so he could leave early.  He would then meet me at track practice and pick up the kids.  The good ol' swap-a-roo worked great, for the majority of the season, it was still too cold for the little two to be out running around for two hours.  This is after all, Idaho. On the days we had meets, it was the same way, although I was gone until 9-10pm.  It made for long evenings for Trace fixing dinner and putting the kids to bed, but he did it - with a smile on his face (most of the time).

On a particular track meet day, it was more crazy than usual, and I was running late (big surprise there).  I found myself rushing to get to the bus on time.  I grabbed Luke from his nap - and had planned to just throw him in the van.  Of course, as I picked him up, I figured that was a no-go, as stuff was oozing out of his size 5 diaper from every direction you can imagine.  I reacted quick enough.  I ran downstairs, used half a pack of  wipes before realizing that wasn't going to cut it.  I threw him in the tub for a quick bath.  Got him dressed and loaded in the van.  As I was switching off, I told Trace what had happened.  I also mentioned that I didn't have a chance to go back up to his room, but by the way the diaper was filled, I had a sneaking suspicion that there was quite a bit of aftermath from the before-mentioned explosion.  He said he would check Luke's bed.  We made the swap and I was on my way.

By the time I got home, the kids were asleep.  I was exhausted.  I went to each of their rooms and kissed them all goodnight.  Then I crawled into bed myself.  And as usual, morning came way too early for the likes of me.  Luke greeted me on my side of the bed, with his smile and hug.  I got up, getting the older two out the door for school, followed by my regular morning chaos of chores and messes.  Nap-time couldn't come soon enough.  As I brought Luke upstairs to tuck him into bed, I pulled back his covers and found this:

Yep, the aftermath.  Now, just to clarify, the dark brown thing on the pillow is the tail of the dog.  As it is a pillow pet of sorts.  But the brown mess on the sheet?  I almost puked.  Luke hadn't had a stinky diaper all morning, which meant... Yes.  Yes, he had slept all night in this.

There were drips. on. the. wall...how could you miss splatter of poo on the wall?!?

I called and asked Trace if he had checked Luke's bed before he had tucked Luke in.  He told me that he had.  I then texted him the pictures.  And true, Trace did check - but he later admitted that it was when he had turned the lights out already.  He didn't want to turn on the lights and get Luke all riled up.  Riled up he was not.  He slept like a baby...just not in the cleanest of beds.

Our poor kids.  It'll be a miracle if they can survive us :)

Awwwww....

These two crack me up.  They are inseparable...whether it is when they are playing and getting along or when they are fighting and going for the jugular.  As a mother, it is a joy to watch them...unless it is when I have to separate them during one of their going-for-the-jugular moments.  That can get a little crazy.  I much prefer the playing-and-getting-along part.

BOB

We have been without a car large enough to fit our whole family for over two years.  We took two cars to church.  Two cars to the movies.  Two cars to any activity where the whole family was required to attend.  If  there was an out-of-town family event, we either didn't go - or we had to rent a minivan (which isn't cheap).  One of the cars was great and new and recently paid off.  The other, well it's seen better days.  We bought that one when we got married, and it was used.

We had talked about what kind of car we wanted.  We wanted the ability to:

1. all fit in the vehicle, comfortably - with car seats.

2. Travel in comfort (no Tetris skills required).

3. Go camping, with all our gear, and drive on rough roads.

4. To tow a trailer.

5. Nothing too fancy - something that could handle the wear and tear that 4 kids can ensue.

What it boiled down to, is we really wanted a 4-door truck.  Tracy, of course, was all for this idea.  As was I, with one exception.  A truck would have the exact number of seats we needed to fit our family, with 3 in front and 3 in back.  Would it be too crowded for long road trips?  What if one of the kids wanted to bring along a friend?  I just didn't like the idea of already being maxed out, as far as seating goes.  I was okay with the gas mileage issue.  I was okay with off-roading issue.  But the seating availability, or the lack thereof, concerned me.


We liked some SUV's, but storage was a problem.  If I was going to pay as much for a SUV as I would for a truck, I might as well get a truck - with better storage.

But then our other realistic option would be a minivan.  Beside the obvious "soccer mom" image that it carries with it, I didn't want to be crowded.  We love taking road trips.  We love camping.  And our biggest complaint over the years was lack of space to move around, and at times breathe.  We have traveled in Europe, crowded.  In Colorado, crowded.  In AZ, UT, WY, NE, and NM, crowded.  I wanted to enjoy traveling a little more.  And be a little less crowded.  Is that too much to ask?  Maybe.  The pro to a minivan however, was the gas mileage (when being compared to trucks and SUV's large enough to fit all of us).

Needless to say, we had been looking for awhile, with nothing to show for it.  Nothing caught our eye, and quite honestly we really enjoyed not having a car payment.  After much discussion we finally decided that a truck wasn't a right fit for us.  Neither was a minivan.  We decided to go with a whole new route.  A route that at first seemed very painful to the ego of a person who had never had the desire to own a van.  Yep - we decided we wanted a full-size van.  Gasp.  I knew realistically, it was the best option for us, but did I really want to drive around town in a BMW (Big Mormon Wagon)?  Oh the embarrassment.  Oh the vain-ness.  Oh the childhood memories seared in my brain.  Okay, those memories weren't all that bad, in fact they were good.  Fun road trips.  Good times.  Family time.  Hmmm - maybe that's what we want for our kids too.  Embarrassment and all.

Now came the next challenge.  When we went to the dealership, we found out that they rarely carried full-sized vans on  the lot.  If we wanted one, they recommended we order one (to the tune of 35-45,000 buckaroos).  Um, thanks, but no thanks.  They said they do get used ones from time to time.  However, they are usually stripped down - due to the previous owner using it as a work vehicle.  The dealership said when they do get them, they usually sell them pretty fast to someone who is in need of a work van.  So we just had to keep our eyes open.

It took about a year of searching.  One day, Tracy was taking the kids to get an ice cream cone - when he decided to go take a drive through our local car dealership.  And there he was.  It seemed too good to be true.  12 passenger van, previously owned by a large family.  Used, but in good condition (60,000 miles - a little higher than what we wanted).  Basic seats (that are removable), minimal bells and whistles.  Econoline Wagon 350. V8.  Great towing capability.  At a fair price.

We took it for a test drive, and much to my surprise - I really liked it.  I loved the space.  I loved the powerful engine.  And then my mind started racing about all the things we could go and see in this van.  Oh the possibilities!  Of course, that was purely emotional - but that's me.  That's how I I connect.  I wanted this van.

There were a few bumps in the road.  Someone else wanted to buy it, but couldn't get financing.  We couldn't finance it through the dealership because the van was considered a "commercial vehicle" and that was against the rules.  Although they couldn't explain why that was a rule at the dealership...anyway we had to finance through our bank and it took longer than we wanted (especially with our credit history of having to short-sale a house.  We can buy a house without a single problem, but to buy a vehicle?  No way).  But we got it all worked out, and on March 23, we became the proud owners of a van.  The irony of this whole thing?  It is the biggest car, with the biggest engine that we have ever owned, and it's by far the cheapest car payment we have ever had.  Awesome.


                                              Meet BOB.  Big Ol' Bus. 

What 2 quarters will get you these days

I decided to be a cool mom, just for once.  We never stop at the silly Walmart arcade.  Walmart sucks enough of our money through it's doors, and I refuse to give them more than I have to.  But I will, from time to time, all in the name of "coolness".

My kids love me.  

And small, cheap, 50 cent carousel rides.

Dairy Farm Preschool Field-trip

Every month, Hannah's little preschool does a field trip.  For April, we went to a Dairy Farm.  I have never been to one - I was kind of excited.  The kids were just excited to see the cows and say, "moo".  Besides the stench of cow manure - it was really cool.  I learned a lot, most of which I have since forgotten.  I can say it's mind-boggling to think about how much milk they go through on an given day.  Certainly made an impression on me.  The facility was really clean, and the guide was very good at answering all our crazy questions.

Of course every one's favorite part were the baby calves.  They had about 300 at the time we were there, and all were under 30 days old.  Hannah loved to let them suck on her fingers.  I wouldn't let them close to mine.  Nasty, slime-mess.  No way.

All the kids had a chance to feed them.  Hannah was a natural.  Not too many things scare her or gross her out.  She's a tough kid.

Luke was fascinated with them.

 

A cool place to visit and learn, even for grown-ups.