October is here again, so we are in full holiday mode around here. We have a calendar with Halloween/fall activities planned each day. So far, we're doing a pretty good job staying on schedule. Of course, it's only day 4!
Day 1 -- Spider cake (I thought we had pipe cleaners, but we didn't. Then, I went to the grocery store looking for chocolate licorice, but they didn't have any. So, our spider ended up with blue squiggly legs. At least they tasted good!) When we cut into him, green jello guts oozed out at us, and Ryan loved it.
Day 2 -- Halloween play-doh. Nikki raised her eyebrows a bit when I said pink play dough was all we were going to have to work with, but I think she forgave me by the end.
Day 3 -- Halloween origami. Yeah, I don't know how the purple flower and Ryan's Easter basket fit the theme, but they spent hours having fun with this activity.
Day 4 -- Today we went to a nearby park where they were having a spider learning activity. It was good to get out of the house, and we met some friends there. So it was a success even if it was creepy to read that North Carolina has between 400-500 native species of spiders. I was interested to learn what this spider is called. It's a humpback orbweaver spider, and a couple of weeks ago a huge one made a home in our garage. Julie is going to laugh at this story, but it's all true! I noticed him when I almost walked into his web going around the side of the van. They sit scrunched up in the middle of the web, and when I surprised him he spread his legs out and surprised me by looking like he was about to jump on my face, which I completely believe he would have if I hadn't jumped back. He ran up his web into one of my Christmas wreaths (Nate will be hanging those this year), and I forgot to tell Nate about him that night. The next day he had expanded his web to encompass my van. I crawled through the passenger side door to get in and called Nate to kill this spider when he got home. Of course, since his web had been destroyed when I moved the van, he had disappeared by the time Nate got home that evening. He didn't believe me when I told him it was the size of my head, but I told him when he saw this spider he would know it was the one. A couple of days later I noticed a big ugly web on the corner of the door going into the house. Sure enough, there he was sitting up in the corner of the ceiling. I know he was trying to catch me. But I keep reassuring my children (and okay, myself) that Dad killed him. He is dead! Just click on the picture, make it full-screen, and then you will have a life-size image of my spider. :) I'm not kidding.
5 comments:
Wait! So did he kill him? Because I'm never coming over if that thing is still around! Yikes! He is really ugly.
We've had 2 big wolf spiders run into the house this week - they've been waiting at the front door and as soon as it opened they've run in - but I did get them out! Lots of webs in the yard too - perfect for Halloween decor! :) BUT I haven't seen any as big as yours, and hope I don't!
So Gary got bitten by a Hobo spider and ended up in the emergency room. Luckily the drs. think it was a female, the least poisonous of ma, pa or baby. Then Jim caught one and brought it to work in a jar--he and Josh spent 2 weeks catching flies for it to eat till they forgot to give it water & it died. Then a friend (knowing of the demise of the hobo) brought in an ENORMOUS black widow (reminiscent of the "widow house"!), so they've been playing with her for a week. Gave her a moth and grandaddy long legs and yesterday a huge beetle (forgot to check today to see which one was standing!) They gave her water yesterday and she stayed on the tiny puddle forever, drinking it up. But you can keep your humpback orbweaver in Carolina!! Good luck!
That has to be the funniest story ever! Is it as big as the one you screamed about at girls camp that was about to eat you to? I think your scream could have been heard all over camp! I am so proud of you for taking your kids to the spider learning activity. You must REALLY love your kids because I know how much you HATE spiders. Thank you for sharing that story. It made my day!
Way to go on the Halloween crafts! I'm always so impressed. As for the spider story, thanks for the laugh. And I agree, you can keep that creepy spider in NC. Yuck!
Post a Comment