Living With Rodents (and I'm NOT referring to Pico & Cocoa)

So, we have had a little issue with mice and rats. I know, it's absolutely disgusting, but our house has a crawl space and we think they live under the house and they come in through our broken doggie door at night because they love the dog food we leave out in self-dispensers. Usually, once we discover the problem, it's taken care of quickly but the rodents seem to be getting smarter and smarter and avoiding our traps. It gets tricky with small dogs, too, because you want to catch the mouse or the rat, not the pup! Anyhow... a few days ago we noticed droppings again (it's been a few months now since the last occurance) but haven't had any success with our glue traps. Well, the other night, Daniel and I were in our living room and we both see a mouse scurry across the room behind our TV stand. I grab a flashlight to investigate but can't find it. So I open the little door underneath the TV and there is the nastiest rat I've ever seen clinging to a speaker. I scream and run for the couch. The rat runs behind our ottoman - and then to our piano. So far we've pulled the TV stand out and the ottomon, now the piano. I can see it huddled inside the back of the piano and Daniel goes to get his knife. What is he going to do, stab it?? Get real. So we chase it from the piano, across the room and it's under our couch now. You know, Sandy will chase and kill cats and squirrels but would she help with this stinking rat? Of course not. I think she was preoccupied watching us scream and jump from furniture to furniture. Okay, so now Daniel is holding a knife and my tennis racket - ready for battle, a tennis racket? What is he thinking? He tells me to chase it out again. I do - he yells - and WHACK! He actually catches the rat with the tennis racket! Such skill!! I had to take a picture and now you can live the experience, too!

Here is our living room in total disarray!

Here is the amazing catch!

RIP you filthy little thing!

Visit from one of my favorite BYU roomies...

Shawnee was my freshman roomate in the dorms at BYU, and we enjoyed living together for many wonderful years after that. Seeing her again made me miss her terribly!! I'm pretty sure she's the best friend/roomate anyone could ever know... and I'm so lucky she was mine!

We met up with Shawnee and her family at their condo and they cooked the most fabulous fish tacos... we've made them twice ourselves since. We had a great time!! Thanks Tom and Linda!!

Here is the cute Collins family!

We were so glad they made the trip down to St. Cloud to see our town/house and have dinner with us. We had a great time!

Shawnee took this picture of our little family - where was Sandy??

Friday Night Lights

So our Friday nights consist of Harmony High Football games. Daniel and I have a neat tradition - Philly Steak Subs before every game. I always enjoy the games, more the people watching than the actual football... my dad would be so proud (yeah right!) Anyhow, these pics are from this last Friday. The theme was "lights out" so we all wore black. Unfortunately, we lost. Lights out on us I guess.

The Hogs Loved It...

So after school yesterday I met up with Daniel before I headed home. It was about 4:30 and he said he was starving and asked if I planned on making dinner. He told me he'd be home around 6:30-7:00ish which gave me plenty of time so I told him yes, I'd have plenty of time to make something. So I, being the thoughtful wife that I am, decided I would try and make him something Peruvian because he loves Peruvian food and I just never make it. So I boiled this pot of chicken, corn, potatoes, carrots and onions with an interesting array of seasonings, along with rice, "papas fritas" (french fries) and a fried egg to top it off. Well, in my defense - Daniel didn't get home until 8:30 (the trailor pulling his bobcat got a flat, he had to unload the bobcat, temporarily fix the tire, swap out another trailor, drive back to get the bobcat - it was a disaster for the poor hungry man) so the "stew" reduced quite a bit in the extra hour and a half. When he got home, I dished up his plate - it didn't look that bad - but as I awaited his response I knew it was disasterous. His reply... "It tastes a little bit like soap." Ouch. I made an emergency run to Dairy Queen for some real food, all the while feeling like a total failure in the kitchen. I just cannot do Peruvian! Daniel was as sweet as could be about it, though, and complimented me for my thoughtful efforts. When I saw him after school today I asked him if he still loved me even if I couldn't cook Peruvian and he enthusiastically replied "Of course I do... but the hogs loved it!"

88 Years and Still Tickin'!

Grandma Fernley

Grandpa Fernley

I've been thinking a lot about these two lately since I've missed both their 88th birthday parties. I enjoy the time I get to spend with them when I'm home and I hope they both know how much I love them! They are such a big part of my life and I'm truly lucky to have them as grandparents!