Ewwwww

gross! I'm not sure if I mentioned that I HATE REPTILES! I hate them with a passion, Doesn't matter what they are snakes, lizards etc. Knowing that we were moving to the south I had been warned that they have all kind of eebie jeebies here. Not fun! Ok, I can handle my share of bugs. I dont like them, but I can tolerate them. I'm not sure if I told you the story from a week or so ago about the lizard I had a run in with in my garage. Well he was a slimy black snake-like looking lizard that was fast as heck. I was moving boxes & he darted out. I about had a heart attack right there on the spot. I tried to coax him out into the yard. Yeah, he was having nothing to do with that. So our dance continued with each other for a few days. I finally get him out this one day, after cutting off his tail twice, and he runs back in the garage. I'm furious! So I resigned to the fact that it wasn't gonna happen. Chapter two...hubby is home on the weekend & we're going through boxes & moving things all around. The lizard pokes out. I'm yelling at my hubby to Get Em!! Get Em!! Hubby tries to sweep him out the door. I'm on his back like a shadow. Well, once again the lizard darts for the garage & my hubby tries to block him with the broom but I'm so close he cant get him without knocking me out with the broom instead. Once again...the lizard is victorious! So since that day he has remained in the garage & we haven't seen him since. I know he's in there lurking, laughing at us.

So lets move forward to yesterday. Travis comes be boppin in the house after school & says there is a snake in the grass by the front door. I'm freakin out! I'm asking him, "Are you sure it's a snake & not a lizard?" "I thinks so Mom." So I yell at him not to go out there until I get my flip flops on (seriously not thinking....flip flops...really???) I slowly step out the door & Travis points to where he is. Yep! it's a freakin snake. It was rather small for what I expected...too much tv I assume. He didn't move at all. He just laid there in the grass all creepy. Me being the scrapbooker that I am had to grab the camera. What else was I gonna do?? Surely you didn't expect me to catch it or kill it. LOL So I grab the camera & get close enough to get good pics...it's always about the good pics. Hahaha So I text my daughter & tell her that there is a snake. She asks me to take a pic on my phone. I thought ok...he wasn't really moving all that much so I would try. Well, I am pretty blind & cant really see on my phone. I tried & tried to find hin in the viewfinder & just couldn't do it. I even bent down trying to get close enough. Crazy girl! We decided we couldn't do anything without the hubs so we went inside. Yeah, by the time hubs got home the snake was nowhere to be found. I finished the night by telling hubby that I would be entering & exiting our house by way of the garage & would not be checking mail anymore. LOL He laughed at me. I seriously do not like those creepy things. He said it was probably just a garden snake & it would take care of all the other bad things that are around. Ok, well I'm still not going out there.

Moving forward to today. Hubs took a pic in to work & asked some of the locals if they knew what type of snake it was. They weren't positive but one guy thought it looked like a rattler. WHAT????? They have those here? YES they do. So I decide it's my mission to do some internet searching & find out what this snake was. Well lo & behold....its a dang Pygmy Rattlesnake. Oh yeah, I was bending down in its face taking his pic like he was a covergirl model. Lets just say he is number 5 on the list of 6 deadly venomous snakes in Arkansas. Once again, welcome to Arkansas! Hahaha So I'm hoping we ( I say we loosely meaning hubs) can locate him & possibly relocate him to the woods. I really dont want him hanging around having more lil snakies in my yard. Oh & with my search I found out our little lizard is a skink. Gross in every part of their being. So we will be the Great South Reptile Hunters here. LOL

On to other current events....We are heading up to the Ozarks this weekend to check out Eureka Springs. I am looking forward to that. There is supposed to be a castle in the middle of nowhere up there. Also, there is a mini Golden Gate Bridge as well. So when I get back I am hoping to have all kinds of neat pics to share.

I almost have my banner done. I have to string it & it will be ready to list. It came out so darn cute. I will post the Etsy link once I list it. Here is a lil sneak peek of the banner & a small glimpse of my Halloween tag book.

Have a wonderful weekend. ~Toodles

Life Keeps Moving

without me keeping up! Hahaha Where does the time go? I just cant seem to keep up with all the day to day things that need to be done. A lot has happened in the last few months. I'm not even sure where to begin.

A few months back I bought a few lottery tickets. Now mind you, I dont usually do that. About my 2nd ticket in I scratched it & could'nt believe my eyes. I had won. It was so exciting! We took a trip to the lottery & what fun that was. We ended up winning a car but taking the cash value instead. We have a great car that I wouldnt trade for the world. If you cant tell....I love my car. LOL With that being said....we were able to pay off some bills & take a vacation to see our two kids that are'nt with us.

We went on a three week adventure. We travelled to Arkansas first to see our daughter & scope out the area for moving. (Yes, we are moving) We checked into housing & employment & everything looks great. Hubby is trying to get on with one of the women's prisons in the area. We found a house & it looks secure at this point. Will be heading south the end of July. While on this vacation we drove over to Memphis, TN & saw all that it had to offer. What a blast that was. So many cool things to see...Davies Plantation, Graceland, St. Judes Hospital, Beale Street, Neely's BBQ, Underground Railroad Museum & last but not least, the Gibson guitar factory. Our son Travis even got to march with the ducks at the Peabody Hotel. The Duckmaster invited him up to the roof to see their sanctuary which is usually off limits. He was on cloud 9.

After leaving Arkansas, we headed up to Oklahoma to visit the bombing memorial. WOW is all I can say. It is a beautiful memorial & just so sad to think of the tragedy that occurred there. We then headed up to Colorado to see our son Taylor. He is stationed there. It was our first time seeing his base. It is so beautiful up there. I would move there in a heartbeat. Pikes Peak still had snow on it in May. I thought that was just crazy. If you ever get the chance to go you have to visit the Garden of the Gods. Amazingly breathtaking. After our quick (too quick) visit we headed home. I think it was the best vacation we have taken by far.

So you see, we have been super busy with all of our travelling & getting ready to move. I am so excited though, at the prospect of having a craft room & finally getting to sew again. I have missed that so much.

Everyone have a wonderful & safe Fourth of July! Will keep you updated on our latest adventures in life. :)

~Toodles