definitely NOT one of my favorite things

I got bit by a grasshopper.

I'm not sure I thought that was possible. I realize grasshoppers eat grass and such, and that in swarms they can cause mass destruction, but I don't think I ever thought a grasshopper would turn that destruction my way.

I was wrong.

A grasshopper hopped into our living room this morning. Noah screamed like a scared little girl and jumped on the couch. (Keep in mind that our living room was occupied by four little girls, none of whom screamed.) Once he calmed down, he spent the next half hour trying to discover, from the safety of the couch, where the grasshopper was, and wondering if Bob was going to eat it. I think he really wanted Bob to eat it. Then he saw the grasshopper again. He screamed like a little girl again. Then he ran into his room (with Abbey close behind, again, NOT screaming even though she IS a little girl), slammed the door, and refused to come out as long as the grasshopper was still in the living room. He almost peed himself because he was afraid to go to the bathroom--afraid the grasshopper was secretly stalking him and waiting to attack when his pants were down.

I assured him repeatedly the grasshopper wouldn't, couldn't hurt him. I attempted to reason with his unreasonable fear. I, of course, was radically unsuccessful. Finally, out of boredom or perhaps curiosity, he agreed to come back into the living room. Guess what he found?

He screamed like a little girl again, pointing at the innocuous, yet rather large, grasshopper. But finally I, too, saw it, so I snuck up on it, grabbed the grassy-looking hind end, and proceeded to take it to the front door and throw it out. This is kind of a big deal for me because I'm not all that fond of touching bugs, except maybe ladybugs. I have, however, grabbed a grasshopper in this manner before with no ill effects.

But do you know what this particular grasshopper did? First it kicked at me with its feet, which was no big deal. But then it turned around and started gnawing on my thumb with its little mandibles or whatever. And it kinda hurt. I hoofed it to the front door, flung it open, and shook my hand with all my might, hoping to God the thing wouldn't jump on my face and start gnawing. As soon as my hand was free, I slammed the door.

And now I've learned my lesson. Noah was right: grasshoppers are evil and to be feared, and the next time I see one, don't be surprised if I scream like a little girl and quarantine myself in my room.

More of my favorite things

I'm currently on a low-glycemic diet for a weight-loss study at Baylor. ("But, Amy!" you say. "I didn't know you were overweight!" Oh, you're too kind.) During this diet, which, by the way, is something I could do long-term (with exceptions; after all, a girl needs a cheese enchilada every once in a while), I've found several very good friends that help me retain my sanity while helping me lose the flab. ("But, Amy!" you say. "You're not flabby!" Oh, go on.)

Friend #1: Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate cookies. Seriously. Good. Stuff. And, perfectly legal--I eat one a day.

Friend #2: South Beach Deluxe frozen pizza. Seriously. Mmmmm.

Friend #3: 100% Whole Grain Wheat Thins. Who knew? Not as good as Pringles (or in my case, Light Pringles), but a darn good substitute.

Friend #4: Dove Dark Chocolate. I already love dark chocolate, so to find out I'm allowed 1 or 2 a day makes me happy.

I know this isn't great blog fodder, but when I was eating my cookie yesterday, I realized how much it's become one of my favorite things and I wanted you to know about its chocolaty yumminess. And, for those of you trying to eat healthier, I thought I'd share so you, too, can eat well while eatin' good.

Wow. Two blogs in one hour.

I highly recommend accidentally waking your children up in the middle of the night.

I just went upstairs to turn the girls' alarm on, and Chloe was about to fall off her bed, so I gently rolled her over and pushed her farther onto her mattress. In this process she sat straight up, leaned over the other side of her bed and said, "Eww."

Thinking she had seen a bug or something, I looked where she was looking. Nothing.

"What is it, Chloe?" I asked.

Laying back down she said, in a very offended and slightly tattling tone, "Halle just stuck her tongue out, put it on the table, and picked up her *mumble* with her tongue."

Stifling back laughter, and now aware that she was not, in fact, fully awake, I asked, "She picked up what with her tongue?"

Chloe sighed, a bit exasperated that I was not properly attending to Halle's offensive behavior, and replied, "The rice that we're having."

I reassured her that all was right with the world and came straight downstairs to blog about it. This, by the way, fits very well into my "favorite things" category.

For your derision diversion

While this picture doesn't necessarily fit into the "favorite things" category I'm attempting to blog in, I was strongly reminded of it when I saw these pictures from Andrea, especially the last one she posted. I thought it would take forever to find this picture, but, nope--I shuffled right to it in the very large stack of pictures I have stored in a photo box. They are all supposed to go in albums at some point, but for now they'll just go in the photo box. And the blog.

Brooke (L) and me (R) dressing up, circa 1986 (we're 6).

This is my growing-up house, by the way, and...geez!...I had completely forgotten about that blue shelf/mirror thingy by the door. Wow, man. Memories.

*Fun fact #1: the rocking chair in the lower right of the picture now sits in Noah's room, but with a fabric seat. (Is this correct, mom? Is that the same rocking chair?)

Fun fact #2: Did you know "curtsey" is a shortened form of "courtesy"? Found this out by reading Alice in Wonderland. Alice courtesied to...well, to someone, I can't find it now. Anyway, thought you ought to know.

If I go missing in the next few days, you should start your questioning with Brooke.

These are a few of my favorite things

Remember this post? Specifically the bit about the recycling? If not, go on and read it. Heck, read it even if you do remember. It's pretty interesting; I even made myself laugh (although, admittedly, that's not hard for me to do.)

There was supposed to be a semi-accompanying post relaying how that lovely blue recycling bin got washed away in a flood some time last spring, but it never got posted. I think I have a picture on my phone, though. Oh, I do...but after spending 10 seconds on it, I decided I don't feel like trying to figure out how to email it to myself so I can upload it so you can see it. Sorry. I'll just briefly(ha!) tell you the story. Last spring, on March 30th, to be exact (got that date from the phone picture), we had a flood. I mean a real-live, honest-to-God flood. Waco Creek runs right behind our house, and on March 30 (goodness, almost a year ago) it rained a wholllle lot in a very short time. The creek flooded, covering the road and ALL of our backyard, right up to our laundry room in the back of the house (where all of our stuff was stored from this event), and probably some water got under the house too. Aaron had to park his truck (don't mention his truck to him right now; he really misses it) and walk through thigh-high water to get to our house. Anyway, in all this water, our city trash can and our lovely blue recycling bin floated away, never to be seen again. We pillaged a trash can from a group of 'em somewhere near our house and I dutifully called the city and was placed--AGAIN--on a waiting list.

About two weeks ago, since I NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THE CITY (and because I had the time), I called them and asked if they had any lovely blue recycling bins. Whaddya know? They did! Apologetically, the lady told me they only had the big 90 gallon ones. Perfect! says I. So I went to pick it up. And now we get to a few of my favorite things.

Favorite thing #1: My lovely blue recycling bin. It's big.

Isn't it lovely? And blue? And big? And, in a roundabout way, green?

Favorite thing #2: my car

Do you see how the big recycling cart FITS in my car (with all the seats folded down)? Isn't it lovely? Sorry 'bout the butt end of the cart, by the way. But I sure as heck wasn't going to take the cart out and turn it around and put it back in just for a picture. Actually, I probably would have, but I didn't think about it at the time.

Favorite thing #3: My lovely blue recycling bin. It's big.

Do you see this recycling?

And this recycling?
That's three weeks' worth of recycling after the city didn't pick it up. For three weeks. Lots of recycling laying around the house.

And it all fits in my lovely big, blue recycling bin!


And it makes me warm and fuzzy and happy inside. And that's why these things make the list. More to come...