Longer than Needed Story

I'm eating salami slices smothered with cream cheese and rolled up. Yum. Absolutely no nutritional value, but not bad for my blood sugars either. It's late. I should be in bed. It doesn't matter that for the last three nights the girls have gone to bed after 9 pm, they still emerge between 6:45 am and 7:15 am. Clockwork. Each day for kids has too much potential excitement to keep sleeping, though sleep might improve the general mood for the day. Tomorrow they won't go back to bed, they will come into mine. T is out of town and there is nothing as sweet as snuggling in momma's big bed--except that I am still up at 11:30 pm and won't want to open my eyes. K, if she is first will accept this and snuggle down, quiet and content. H, whether first or second will, snuggle next to me, wiggle, touch my eyebrows, twirl my hair, wiggle, then start giggling until I have to open my eyes. She won't want to stay in bed long, she never does, but tomorrow the excitement will be the tadpole.

Loosely inspired by the book Going on a Bear Hunt, I took the girls hunting today. I don't hunt for dangerous animals though, so we went frog hunting. We drove to the park out in *** with the Frisbee golf course. A large man-made pond there is full of frogs in the humidity of July. It wasn't sunny when we arrived so the frogs weren't as easy to see as last year. But they were there. This was our first frog hunt officially. We had an unofficial one last year when we first discovered the frog pond. The difference between an official and unofficial hunt is the equipment. We had a net this year and two shoe boxes which I grabbed in a last minute moment of not-so-brilliant inspiration. I should have searched longer for plastic boxes as cardboard and water are not a good combo. We made about five failed attempts before H nabbed something. I honestly didn't think she could catch those frogs as they are fast in the water. Turns out she didn't nab a frog, but a tadpole, a big tadpole that already had two back legs. Our commotion attracted a kind grandpa-type who then advised us on our hunt for frogs. He reminded me of my father-in-law who I know would have loved our frog hunt today, except that this man was smoking cigarettes and then throwing them in the pond! He said his name was Doc. After another four or five failed frog capturing attempts, Doc offered to help. He caught the frog. It was a beautiful, shiny green color. Oh my what squealing and giggling went on when that frog jumped. Frogs aren't so fast in the grass and once I started holding him, the girls calmed down and actually touched the frog. Eventually, H would carry him around but K never did work up the courage to do more than pet him.

We brought just the tadpole ( and a bunch of pond water )home with us and will return him to the pond when he becomes a frog. I am praying we don't kill him as the ensuing wails will seem endless. H knocked on five neighbors doors this afternoon until she found one home and willing to come look at her captive. She gets so attached to things. I wish I had a way to expose the girls to more nature, to more animals.It's invigorating. And I wish I could meet a nice old man at the park and not have every news story I've ever read about creepy old man criminals pass through my mind. Overall it was a good day. We had fun and did something different. But I am still ready for T to come home. Good night.