The Snakes Are Back...

Last night when I arrived home from work Luke said "look what I caught", I just knew, it was his first snake of the season. There will be many more to come! This place is loaded with snakes. After we bought the farm the man who sold it admitted to us that the snakes were one of his main reasons for selling this farm. As time went on I found several decapitated snakes on the property. Now I never have been fond of snakes but I would have never gone as far a killing them. I might have let out a screech when I come across them unexpectedly, but thats about it. However, Luke's passion for snakes has made me ease up a bit. The kids have a large fish
aquarium in the shed that I call their catch and release tank. Spring through fall you are sure to find reptiles and critters even a wounded mouse (inflicted by Annie, our cat) out there. I allow the kids to keep stuff for a couple days and then they must release them so they can return to their mommas. My nature boy identified this critter to be a "Red-Bellied Snake." I just looked it up in Luke's Amphibians & Reptiles of the North Woods book and from the sounds of it, I'd say he is right. The only interesting facts that I found about them was from July to August the mated females give birth to 1-21 young. That is an impressive number! Their diet is snails, slugs, earthworms and other invertebrates.








That is me holding the snake, Yikes!
Luke talked me into it. Like I said I am slowly warming up to these creatures.


Ok enough snake talk for one day! Everyone is holding up after the loss of Mag. We have all had a moment or two but I'd say overall we are coping well. Leah is going to be getting a kitten as I promised her one year ago after her kitten, Chester was hit by a car. I told her after Mag died she could get one and you know it, she never forgot.


On to my final topic before I call it a night. Earlier tonight I was talking to a family member and we had a brief discussion about daycare vs. staying at home with your children. His comment was in a nutshell that John & I could work more hours per week "like 40- 60" and "put our kids in day care but we choose not to." Nothing against day care because it is a must for many families and when our kids were real young they went to daycare a couple days a week. John and I both work part-time as nurses. He is an oncology nurse and has a 24 hour position and I am emergency room nurse and I work per diem, usually 24 hours per week. We both pick up extra time if needed. We raise our children, one of us is available at all times. I really do not know how people do it when both parents work full-time. It seems like there is always a field trip, a kiddo is home sick, someone forget their library books, teacher workshop, I could go on and on. We choose to be part time workers and full time parents! It is probably one of the best choices we've made! John is an awesome Dad and I feel that his presence as a parent is just as important as mine. No we do not drive $20,000 vehicles and we do watch how we spend our money but we are not hurting. We have debt just like most of the world but we a paying it off and we are not sliding backwards. We are all very happy with our lifestyle and would not change a thing. I do not think we will ever look back at these years and wish we had worked more. We will forever cherish every moment we spend with Luke & Leah.
Sorry about the soap box moment...goodnight all!