TICKS!

I am putting off my running today. I don't know why I am having a hard time getting out the door, but I am. So, I'm blogging!

If you have ever had a conversation with me about ticks, you know that they FREAK me out, totally!! As somewhat of a justification, a boy in my class in high school died from a tick bite (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever). Doesn't that justify my freak-out-ness?? Anyway, it was such a beautiful day yesterday and our friends the Gordons came over to play. The boys had a great time outside. JohnJohn was teaching Sam and Eli how to be pirates! It was quite amusing. He would lead them down through the woods and tell them things to do. They all had sticks they were making into swords. Every once in a while John would get frustrated because the little boys weren't listening very good to him. He said, "well, they are listening, but they aren't doing everything I say!" Oh, he is getting a little glimpse of his future life as a parent!! Anyway, we stayed outside a while then headed inside to eat lunch.

The kids played a few minutes after lunch and as they were playing I noticed a bug on Sam's ear. Once I realized it was a TICK, it was ALL I could do to calmly tell Ashley there was a tick on Sam's ear. IT ALMOST CRAWLED INTO HIS EAR!!!! So, Ashley calmly removed the tick and disposed of it---come to think of it, I don't know how she disposed of it. If I remember correctly from my childhood, don't you have to burn them or something crazy like that? Well, I didn't see any burning, so I hope Ashley knows a better trick than me!!

So, the prowling into E's hair began. He was fairly patient with me, but I had to keep calling him back several times, just to be sure! As the boys were playing in the woods Ashley and I even had a conversation that we thought it was too early for ticks, chiggers, etc. I guess we were wrong. I want my boys to have fun outside, but I seriously need to work on this tick issue!!

Now, I am dragging my lazy self out the door to run my 3.5 miles today. I hope I make it...