See... I was right... Mother's do know what they are worrying about!

 My boys made it back safe and sound from their big Canada Float Plane Adventure.  A fun, exciting time was had by all.    No one was injured in the making of this adventure, but if you read my blog

Please don't let a bear eat him it wasn't for lack of my worrying.  They got home, relaxed a little and then broke out the pictures.... And lo and behold THERE WERE HATCHETS!  I just knew it, I knew there would be.

AND BEARS!

AND SCARY DEMON MOOSE!

AND THIS....Wait for it... is a picture of my 13 year-old son getting a 15 minute "briefing" before he goes up in the UNCERTIFIED FLY AT YOUR OWN RISK. aircraft and FLYS IT ALL BY HIMSELF!

Thank the heavens above their host was also in the plane, but Zack flew it by himself!  

I am so glad I didn't go on this adventure!

Turtles, turtles everywhere

Lately I've been a little down on humanity.  People letting their pet rabbits go because "I see wild rabbits all  around so I'm sure my PET would love to be free." Or "I"m just going to run into the grocery store for ONE minute... my dog will be fine in the 90 degree heat!"  Fuckers...

But on my walk yesterday, two different times I saw people (women) stop in the middle of traffic or pull over on the side of the road to save turtles.  That's what I'm talking about people!

Heartbreaking

My dear friend's mother died today.  I can't tell you how sad this makes me. It was not unexpected, but it was sudden.  I feel helpless and heartbroken and at a loss as to what to do to help my friend through this.  I just keep imagining what I would be doing or what I would be feeling, but that just leads to sadness and I have to stop myself.  Is there anything that helps in a situation like this?

I do like this stage of my life.  Kids are getting older and more self-sufficient.  Money and our finances are not as critical as they were in the beginning of our life. And I'm not as consumed by other's opinions as I use to be. But getting older in turn means that my loved ones are getting older... I don't like it when I realize that this stage of life is also the stage when these sorts of events are going to be more and more common.  Parents and loved ones get older and frailer and things happen. I don't like that.

Every time I walk out my door and look over at her house my heart breaks, thinking about what she's going through.  I think it's struck me particularly hard because my mom has been visiting this week.  When you grow up in and live the military life - you get use to your family being far away. Visits happen yearly if you are lucky.  You always miss them, but you learn to make your life locally and survive on phone calls and email.  It's sort of like a scab, you know you have a wound but it's grown over and just sort of a shadow in your mind.  The missing is always there, but it's not immediately painful and sad.  Then something happens, usually a visit, and it makes you remember how much you love them and how much you miss them and how sad you are to be apart so much. The missing and sadness  becomes sharp.  Or something even more tragic happens and you really do realize that it's all so fleeting.  That you need to spend each day being thankful for your family and friends, close or far, and never let them doubt your feelings.  It seems so cliche, but cliches are true for a reason.  Hold your family and friends close and make sure that when you go to bed tonight - they all know how important they are to you.

Hassenpfeffer anyone?

Once again... a moment of weakness and we have a new addition to the Hyzy House.  The story goes... a coworker of Brenna's found this "precious" bunny in the gutter during a storm and brought it home, but for whatever reason couldn't keep it and apparently shelters only keep bunnies for 3 days before the bunnies get an all expense paid trip to bunny nirvana.  Well, those of you that know Brenna can hear the horrified, outraged screams from where you are...

Understand that most of this was taking place as I was driving down to Philadelphia with the Crew team.    Texting is a wonderful and horrible invention.

Then the words that almost sealed my fate came vomiting out of my mouth... "If you can't find anyone else to take it, it can come stay at our house for a little bit."

So, Hassenpfeffer came to live at the Hyzy House Animal Hotel...

He is a sweet bunny and very obviously a pet, very calm and docile.  Loves to be held and shows no fear whatsoever of people or the dogs.  The kids love playing with him and holding him and for one brief weak moment I thought it might be fun to have a little bunny, but we all know how this story ends... After the 2 week honeymoon period, the kids won't even remember we have a rabbit and it will fall to mom to clean, feed, water and exercise little ole' Hassenpfeffer!  I've heard this story before... it's the Hyzy dog story, it's the Hyzy snake story and trust me I don't need a Hyzy rabbit story!

I continue to inject the word "fostering" into our conversation at every opportunity.  And my children continued to pretend that english was not their first language and they didn't have any idea what I was talking about...

Then all the "leads" Brenna had for bunny homes dried up - imagine that - but I was not daunted!  Word went out to Facebook, friends and strangers on the street, who I accosted and insistently offered a free, adorable, precious bunny until they ran the other way.

But I was not to be foiled and SUCCESS....  Hassenpfeffer has a new home!  The actual move-in date has not yet been determined, but he is going home!  Actually just up the street to a neighbors, who have bunny experience.  They have all the equipment - their bunny went to the great bunny hutch in the sky and they have been looking for a replacement and Hassy FIT THE BILL!

Neighbors - happy

Hassenpfeffer - happy

Mom - happy

Brenna and Zack - not so much

For a brief moment I was the best mom in the world and now I'm the worst.  It's my cross to bear.

Text and picture received from my 13 year old son!  My middle school teenage son!

I thought it looked a bit like a heart!

Please don't let a bear eat him!

My boys took off today for their 5 day Float Plane Adventure Trip to Canada.  John and his friend Brian have been planning this Father/Son trip for almost a year now.  They are going up to a place John went about 2 years ago.  

Here's the plane they'll be taking.  Apparently this gentleman built it himself using LOTS of duct tape (right up Zack's alley) and there are signs posted all over the plane that say things like  "not certified to carry passengers" or "this plane has not been certified by the Canadian government"  or the ever popular  "Passengers fly at their own risk!" Now when John went 2 years ago, I really didn't think to much about it - I mean after all he's a grown up, he's capable of saving himself and if he isn't well.... Hmmmm... his choice.  BUT... this time he's taking MY BABY out on this rickety bucket of bolts, on this death-trap from hell on the duct tape express... Say WHAT? Are you FREAKING CRAZY?

This is where they are going... podunk Canada.  No electricity, no Xbox, no Ipad - I'm not sure Zack knows what he's getting himself into.
I'm not sure Mom knows what she's gotten herself into.  This is the first time Zack has ever left me for longer than a sleepover. :o(  I've left him and gone places, but now the tables are turned and I find visions of bears, hatchets and child eating lake fish dancing in my head.  I find I'm ending each of my texts with either - Please don't let a bear eat Zack or Please don't get eaten by a bear!
Lord save me from myself.

What would you take? Make it good or I'm making fun of you...

One of my biggest fears is fire.  Not fire, in a fireplace or campfires or matches, but fire as in my house burning down.  When I was younger (as in 27 younger) - I use to lay awake in bed mentally rehearsing how I would get my infant child, two cats and a 110lb chocolate lab out the bedroom window when the house burst into flames.  For years I asked for one of those "hook to the window, roll down" ladders that you hid in your bedroom so you could escape out the window again when the house burst into flame.  Never got one and even if I had, I'm not sure how you carry down an infant, two cats and a dog.  It's sort of like the brain teaser where you have a chicken, grain and a fox and you have to get them all across the river.  But, none can be left alone, one will eat the other etc....  Because if you take the baby first, then you have to leave it alone on the lawn and the cats are running around the house, if you take the cats first then they'll run away the minute they are outside... already my mind is spinning!  But I digress and I believe have forgotten the point of this post...

So anyway, each morning I have about 12 different blogs that I read, I have them linked to mine so I can immediately see who has updated and who hasn't.  I discovered a new blog http://ohnoa.com/.  It's pretty damn funny.  ***Disclaimer - it's chock full of profanity, so if you don't find profanity amusing, this may not be the blog for you.  I, on the other hand, find it immensely amusing.  When I logged on today to read her blog imagine my HORROR and AMAZEMENT when I discovered that her house had burned down TWICE!  I can't even begin to imagine, nor do I want to as I'm sure that would lead to many more sleepless nights.  Her post was totally hilarious and I spent a good portion of my early morning laughing out loud and she linked me to another interesting site http://the-burning-house.com/ that I spent altogether too much time perusing.

Which leads me to the purpose of this post.... If your house were burning down... what would you take?
For me:

Kids (although now they are probably old enough and smart enough to save me)

Dogs (not smart enough to recognize me when I come home from the store and so obviously need saving)

Wish I could save the snakes, but their cages are too heavy and they don't come when you call them in the smokey, dark, flame ridden house.

Mr. Spock nutcracker (kidding! - that I'd save it, not that I have one sitting on my desk)

I'd want to save my photo albums, but I have too many and they weigh too much because I'm slightly obsessive about documenting.

Maybe the 45 year old plant I inherited from my husbands grandmother?
Oh and the laptop - then I'd have some of my pictures
But, honestly, with my kids, dogs and husband... what else do I need?