Nonsense From Wonderland

Today we cleaned out the praying mantis, and to our surprise, we found she had laid an egg sack on the screen at the top of the cage!!  I had to look up info about the sack and babies, because I didn’t think she could do that, being without a mate.  Apparently, they CAN have babies without the mate, and all of those babies will be female.  Everything says the mantis usually dies within a few weeks after laying the sack.  The babies should come out of the sack in the spring, so we will try to keep it going and see what happens!  I am hoping to let them go in our backyard.  I can’t wait to see itty bitty mantises!  “The Little Apprentice” has definitely a fun, interesting “pet” for our family.

Cousins, 9-17-08

A picture from our short but sweet visit w/Jason’s brother and family.  From l-r, Peyton (10), Austin (5), Aubrey (1), Brecken (6) and Jacob (3).  Such a cute group of kiddos : ).

I just love these sunny fall days.  The weather has been so wonderful here the last week.  I think we were in the 80s on Thursday!  I would gladly take this weather year round, and just have snow on Xmas Day.  I REALLY am not looking forward to winter.  Our summer wasn’t unbearably hot, so the thought of cold and ice is unsettling.

We rode the bikes to Breck’s soccer game this morning.  They have one more game next Saturday.  Peyton has his last football game on Wednesday.  Maybe things will calm down a bit for us, since we won’t have to be running here and there, to practices and games.  I am finally feeling back to normal–MUCH better than I was this time last week!  I’m crossing my fingers that because I got so sick early on, that I’ll be tougher for the rest of cold and flu season.  Just have to remember my vitamins!  I was bummed that I didn’t get to hang out doing much fun stuff w/my mom and sis, since I was in bed or lying down most of the time they were here.  Peyton is spending the night w/his friend Jace.  He was so excited!  Breck’s playing the new Batman Lego game on the PS2.  They’ve been playing it non-stop since they got it on Tuesday.  I’d like to do some reading.  We went to the library this morning and I got a few new things, even though I’m still trying to finish Eclipse.  I think I have 200 pages left.  I checked out two of the Disney Fairy books.  Yes, I am a child.  LOL   I just think they look so cute!

Brecken and Jason caught a praying mantis on Breck’s bug walk last week.  It is so freaking cool!  We have been catching flies and grasshoppers for her.  Watching her eat is just wicked.  Breck named her “Little Apprentice”.  I’m not sure how much longer she will live, but we’ve really been enjoying her.  It’s the first time I have ever seen one.  I honestly didn’t think we had them in Wyoming!  Peyton’s on a kick that he needs a bearded dragon, after a kid in his class brought his in.  I told him I don’t need one more thing to clean out or up after, so that he would have to be willing to take full responsibility for it.  I think he is saving his allowance, in the hopes he’ll get one.