Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!

The other day, I walked into the kitchen to find this:

"What is it?" An egg; soaking in vinegar.

"Why?" Because, one of my children had decided to make a Naked Egg.

I wasn't sure which one, because weird things tend to show up in my house. Which led to this post.

It's no different then walking into the house one day to someone holding up a ziploc bag to my face and asking me, "Who put the snake in the freezer?"

Or walking into a dark house after a long day…thinking I'd quietly set my stuff down on the counter and then relax for a moment. Only instead, something jumped onto my chest and scurried across my shoulder; hopped off and ran across the counter and went through the window back into the boys room.

It was Gordo, the chinese water dragon, escaped from his cage.

Then there was the escaped hamster that showed up in my room in the middle of the night. You can read about that one, here.

I've been known to be sitting here, minding my own business…and have one of the boys walk up to me with a spider in an empty medicine bottle. Or a scrorpian.

Or a tarantula wasp. Don't worry…it was already dead.

 As for myself? I've been known to make green eggs and ham. I've taught my children how to color carnations with food coloring (and splitting the stem to make them have multiple colors!) I've had no problem making…and then serving, chocolate covered meal worms to the Talented One's birthday guests for his 16th birthday. I don't mind bringing home lollipops with crickets in them; and I am not afraid to pick up a horned toad.

From my own childhood, my mom and dad instilled the love of wildlife. Mom was always taking care of some strange creature; from birds to a fawn to baby bunnies. Dad…well, he was more of the *catch a lizard and freeze it so it goes into hybernation; then let it warm up and run free* type of guy.

I'm not surprised anymore when my children bring me something they've caught. I'm not surprised to find a creature in my freezer. And I'm not surprised when they tell me about some new pet they'd love to have.

I'm not surprised when the dog brings a bird into the house; and I'm not afraid to ask my friend to help catch it!

And sometimes that comes in handy. Like yesterday when I had a crying 5 year old at work. He needed a distraction. And my stories of creatures are always fun!

I love the adventures of motherhood and typically, can handle what they throw at me. Rattlesnakes, not so much, but I am able to remain calm when my children are caught in the moment.

Lions and Tigers and Bears? Not yet…but it wouldn't surprise me!