EWWWwww!

mole cricket

Have you seen one of these? I had never seen a mole cricket before I was confronted with one in our house in Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea, as I stumbled into our darkened bathroom in the middle of the night (this was sometime early this year...maybe Jan?). Jamie was gone on an overnight flight, so it was left to me to deal with the large dark jumping thing--if I wanted to make the bathroom safe for use! Happily, I didn't have my glasses on, so I couldn't see it very well :) Bravely I found a shoe, took care of the thing, scooped it up on the end of the fly swatter, and threw it in the burnable trash can!

A couple of other times one has made its way into our bathroom. Jamie offered to show me their really neat front legs--just like a mole, for digging, but I never really wanted to take a look. I didn't get a good look until last week, when I came across this photo as I was looking for pictures to show to a homeschool group we were speaking to. This fellow really is quite a marvel of God's creation, even if he is not one I'd like to meet again in a dark bathroom!

PS-Jamie feels that I should add they are completely harmless...I'm just being melodramatic.

Bear Woods Blue

Thad likes talking to his teddy bear, Bear Woods Blue

Lake Pepin

On our way home from visiting some folks in Minnesota a couple weeks ago, we were able to drive by the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum in Pepin, Wisconsin. The museum had some items from the time period of the books, and other things.

Jamie & Lisa at Lake Pepin (Thad was sleeping)

I remember reading in the book, Little House in the Big Woods, the Laura was surprised at how big Lake Pepin was...I was surprised too! You drive past it for miles!

Lake Pepin

We also stopped at the "Little House in the Big Woods" Wayside ~ which was just a house that had been built to commemorate the book. There's not much for "Big Woods" anymore, as the land is mostly farmed around there, but it was still neat to see...the house was really small!

Lisa and Thad at the "Little House in the Big Woods" Wayside

And, as we continued on our way home, we drove by this cute little school house, which appears to now be someone's home.

cute schoolhouse in Wisconsin