If I could have my very own Elm Creek Park I think it would be heaven (without ticks of course).  Saturday we went to the Halloween walk in the woods.  It was beautiful.  After days and days of rain and cold we had a sunny day with no rain and the temperature was perfect for an evening walk in the woods.  The kids got dressed up in this year's costumes: Gandolph, Robin Hood, an owl and a turtle.  Before our walk began we went inside the nature center and played some games.  We played ring toss on antlers, velcro tic tac toe, a bat matching game, bat roulette? for candy, raced worms, and ate worms (well half of us ate a worm- I'll let you guess who).  On our walk we met and visited with bones, a mole, a skunk, a squirrel, a turtle, and a woodpecker who told us about their life in the woods and gave us treats.  I learned a lot I didn't know.  After our animal visits we came to the top of a hill to see down below a deepening blue sky over a small lake with gentle ripples and a long bridge going across lit by jack o lanterns.  We crossed the bridge and sat near a fire and snacked on popcorn, cookies, and cider.  We heard there were fire dancers so we headed for the show -WOW!- is all I can say.  After the show we went back inside the nature center and my turtle showed me the turtles...and frogs...and snakes they have inside.  They do have dangerous snakes in Minnesota!  I knew it.  We also got to see a real owl they are taking care of at  the nature center- he can't hunt very well because he only has one eye.

It was a wonderful Saturday.  I hope you enjoy the pics (even though they don't do justice).

Happy Columbus Day!  It snowed all day on Monday.  I'm hoping this is a fluke thing and the weather warms up again.  We haven't had fall yet.  We had a cooler summer, a September with a few days in the 80's and them bam, it's winter.  Most of the trees' leaves haven't even changed color yet.  So, with an English accent (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) Winter came. Spring came. And then gave summer and autumn a complete miss and went straight into winter.
Other random things going on- everyone seems to finally be well and now my oldest has a lot of homework to do today, but I can hear her tap dancing in the kitchen instead, hmmm.
I have been working on Halloween costumes.  Everyone finally settled on one of their many ideas:  last years gnome is this year's turtle, last year's Maxwell Smart is this year's Robinhood, last year's Indy is this year's Gandolph, and last year's butterfly is this year's owl.  I'm almost done and soon I will post pictures.
Have you ever read Robinhood?  We checked out a shortened for kids version at the library.  That is a very "boy" book!  They beat each other up and then make friends. I think that sums up every chapter.  My kids loved it.  Guys.  Now we are reading a book called "Freddy and the Men from Mars".  It was written in the fifties so it's been kind of fun.  We've read one chapter and there are silly rhymes and references to "commies".  It should be a good one. 

My sister's son's school class had a snail olympics (blog-Keeping up with the Jones).  I think it is the coolest thing.  I am very excited to find my own snails and try it out. -Maybe if the ground thaws. :)
PS I fixed my comments WOOHOO!!! Now you can go back comment on everything I've ever written. YAY! I've been waitng for months. :)

Why We Got A Rat in the First Place

I see the good in my husband's love for animals, but I don't have the same comfort level. I have to admit I have a hard time repressing the "fight or flight instinct" when I am surprised by a spider crawling out of my cereal bowl when I pour the milk on it for example. Yes, that really did happen Friday, and no, I didn't kill it. I screamed and made my kids catch it and throw it outside.

To encourage my children to be more like their dad instead of me and because it can be hard to ignore the pleading eyes of the ones you love, I gave in to getting a pet rat. It all started when my daughter was in kindergarten. Maybe because everyone called her "little mouse" or maybe because her baby blanket had pictures of rats playing jazz instruments. Whatever the reason, she wanted a pet mouse. I said if she wanted a pet mouse she would have to do a lot of reading about how to take care of a pet and all about the pet. I figured if she was serious it would be a good place to start and if she didn't want to put in the research I would know she wasn't serious and maybe the idea would go away. She very soon after brought home books from the school library about pet rodents. Of course since she couldn't read to herself at that age, I also became educated on the subject and every book said rats are the best. I happened to meet a handful of people who had pet rats at one time or another who could say nothing bad about them, except they have short life expectancy of 1-5 years. To me that was a bonus.

So after 3 years of being asked and avoiding it by buying stuffed animal or toy rats or mice instead, we decided the desire of owning a pet rat wouldn't go away. We got our daughter a rat for Christmas one year.

I learned that even though rats always seem so scary and gross and have a naked tail that is kind of creepy and pink beady eyes, they aren't that bad. In fact they come in nice colors and only have pink beady eyes if they are entirely white. They love being played with, they can learn their name and come when you call them (if they want), and they don't bite unless you stick your finger in their mouth or have something very tasty on your fingers unlike all other rodent pets. My kids and the neighbors have loved taking our rats outside to play in the sandbox and love building sand castles for the rats to play in. Rats are also very easy to take care of and cleaning the cage is manageable. I have to admit I would highly recommend them, especially as a first pet.

Sadly, after a short life, our first rat, princess Amelia died. She was played with alittle too rough one day. We took her to the vet and the luckily the vet didn't think I was an animal killer and had caught her boys playing catch with a hamster once. My children can never forget this next part, EVER. If they ever say I don't love them, remind them of this instance. Because of Amelia's injuries she couldn't urinate on her own (the vet said this would eventually heal it self) and so the vet taught me how to assist Amelia by gently squeezing her bladder, and I did it because I love my children (I don't love rats that much) and because my husband was out of town. As soon as he was back in town he had to do it. Princess Amelia died a day or two later. There was sadness in our house and in the neighborhood. I realized that I am the type who needs time and cannot replace a loved one, even a pet rat. My kids wanted another one, but it took me ahwile to warm up to the idea. Eventually, I realized with a little coaxing from my neighbor (an amazing animal lover) that my son and his friend need to right the wrong so they could forgive themselves and have closure. My neighbor took them to the pet store to pick out two new rats, who we named Cinnamon and Cocoa. They were very cute and lovable. We have had them for two years this October. Cocoa has been looking old and frail so we were kind of expecting she wouldn't be around too much longer. Both Cinnamon and Cocoa had become a little less playful lately, kind of like grumpy old people. I am a little worried about Cinnamon because she is now alone and was less social than Cocoa. I'm hoping she doesn't pine away and die from losing her best friend. Oddly the first day after Cocoa was gone she was practically skipping around the cage...hmmm, suspicious. It could be she was nervous according to my animal expert neighbor. My two oldest are sad and cried a little bit. The second to last said "Why are you crying? Now we almost can get a dog." And the youngest said, later in the day when it was brought up again, "What? A rat died? We can get a dog!!!" :) I am warming up to the idea. Pets can be a good thing.

Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.





Wednesday our pet rat, Cocoa passed away. In honor I'm posting some pictures of our rats and dedicating this page to pets. All who have had pets they love know animals can be a testimony of God's greatness and His love.
To be honest I was never really much of a pet person growing up. I didn't always get the point of pets, I think they smell bad. However, I have a husband who loves animals (and people). He is very comfortable around all animals and even catches bugs inside the house to let them go outside. Living with someone who respects all creatures and life this much has caused me to do some thinking about it. Watching him and my children interact with animals has helped me understand that all of God's creations deserve our respect and reverence. I often think of the scripture I quoted above and remember that when a sparrow dies The Father notices and loves all of his creations. Having a pet can be a good thing.
Having a pet die can also be a good thing. It creates a teaching opportunity to learn and understand about life and death. It's good to remember that there is a place after this with God's creations and to remember that our families can be together forever. Pets passing on is an easier time to ask questions about life and death than when it is a person very close to us.
We believe that all people were spirit children of a Heavenly Father and Mother and that when we came to Earth we were given a body. When we die our Spirit leaves our body and returns to Heaven (essentially, if you want more details, ask me). My favorite way to illustrate this to children (I got this right out of our church's primary [for children] manual), is to pretend your hand is your spirit and your body is a glove. You then put on a glove and then remove it to represent your spirit leaving your body.
So, does this apply to pet rats? Yes, it does. Here's my scripture references.

1. Moses 3: 5, 7, 9
   5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, ^acreated all things, of which I have spoken, ^bspiritually, before they were ^cnaturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had ^dcreated all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ^eground; for in ^fheaven ^gcreated I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air;
   • • •
   7 And I, the Lord God, formed man from the ^adust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the ^bbreath of life; and ^cman became a living ^dsoul, the ^efirst flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word.
   • • •
   9 And out of the ground made I, the Lord God, to grow every tree, ^anaturally, that is pleasant to the sight of man; and man could behold it. And it became also a ^bliving soul. For it was spiritual in the day that I created it; for it remaineth in the sphere in which I, God, created it, yea, even all things which I prepared for the use of man;

THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

SECTION 77

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, March 1832. HC 1: 253–255. The Prophet wrote, “In connection with the translation of the Scriptures, I received the following explanation of the Revelation of St. John.”

1–4, Beasts have spirits and shall dwell in eternal felicity on an immortal earth;

1. D&C 77: 2
   2 Q. What are we to understand by the four beasts, spoken of in the same verse (John 4th chapter, and 6th verse of the Revelation)?
   A. They are ^afigurative expressions, used by the Revelator, John, in describing ^bheaven, the ^cparadise of God, the ^dhappiness of man, and of beasts, and of creeping things, and of the fowls of the air; that which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spiritual; the ^espirit of man in the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the ^fbeast, and every other creature which God has created.

Finding opportunities to teach my children, seeing my children find joy and responsibility with an animal, even a rat, and seeing a rat enjoy company and being cared for has reminded me that all creations are a witness of God's love.

1. Moses 6: 63
   63 And behold, all things have their ^alikeness, and all things are created and made to ^bbear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.
   

If you would like a bit of history or explanation about the book of Moses or Doctrine and Covenants or families being "together forever"please ask me or visit lds.org or mormon.org.

P.S. Just an update on our lives besides our rat incident- all 4 kids also had strep this week and two are still sick with something (flu like symptoms), Brian was called as High Priest Group Leader at church (which is really simply put the leader of the group of "old" men at church), and a chipmunk stole my sock and stuffed it in a hole near our rain gutter.