Warning: It's Not Pretty!!

I'm warning you before you read too far- there could be disturbing content in this post.

What you are about to see should in no way cause you to decline invitations to dinner at our house or to reschedule play dates for your children. And those homemade cookies- I swear- they were restaurant quality. Really, I promise- it's ok.

This was found in our bathroom this morning.



Luckily (thankfully), it was found while I was walking the dog at o'dark thirty. Jon informed me when I got back that "big brown" had been apprehended so I didn't need to worry. Are you kidding me???? No need to worry?

Ed, our friendly pest control specialist, will be in my driveway at 7:50 tomorrow morning. I made Jon get "big brown" out of the trashcan so that I could show Ed what we're dealing with and make sure that whatever ammo he's got in his truck comes into our home and infiltrates EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY.

I am a freak about bugs. A FREAK. I can kill most small insects without issue....it's the big ones that I find alarming. This one may as well been a squirrel it is so enormous. Had Jon not been the one to find it, I would have had to put a cup over it, slide a magazine under the cup and carry it outside to free it and probably enable it to breed by the gazillions and crawl back into my house and begin the whole cycle again. Clearly, Jon has no issue with large bugs.

The whole pest control drill is that Ed will pull into my driveway at 7:50 and wait until 7:58 to get out of his truck, walk up the sidewalk, put his special booties on and ring my doorbell at exactly 8am- the time he's scheduled to perform my service. He comes 4 times a year and I can tell almost to the day when his last dose has worn off. Never before have we had "big brown" in residence. I'm counting on Ed to ensure that we keep it that way- which is why I've saved the evidence.

I'm quite sure he'll appreciate my fervor around pest control.

In other family news, Gypsy failed Puppy Class. I know, I know- you thought I was exaggerating about how awful she was. Because I have been known to do that in some cases....but not this one.

This is a picture of a Puppy School Reject.



You may be wondering whether the outfit worn by my sweet husband had a negative impact on Gypsy's grade. It's hard to say. There is a distinct possibility that she may have concentrated more on her puppy skills had she not been distracted (as I was) on his black dress socks with crappy tennis shoes and paint spattered work clothes.

It's truly a struggle.

On a happy note....because there is always something positive if you look hard enough...



Cooper has found a renewed love of basketball and has been going outside to practice after homework each night. He's anticipating the start of his 1st organized sport- and we are thrilled. At first he cried, but we talked through it and he decided that he really is pretty good and if they give him a cool jersey that he might really have fun. HOORAY!!! Sign ups begin on Thursday.

I have a final random thought about my front door. I've got a wreath for fall that I adore. Up close it's so great- berries and gourds and pine cones- perfect for fall. The issue is that from the street, it looks totally random and not at all the look I'm trying to achieve.



Do I need to add a huge bow? A different wreath? No wreath? Just a bow? Is it just fighting too much with the bricks?

Part of what's throwing me may be that the American flag hanging next to the door isn't really working from a color standpoint- but my sister-in-law is doing this grass roots effort to have every home in the US fly a flag for 9/11 so I'm doing my part.

Anyhoo- suggestions are always appreciated.

Only 2 days until the weekend!! Whew!