the toad in the toilet

it's true, my parents had a frog (or possibly a toad, not certain) in their guest bath toilet.  They found this out when they returned to Florida about three weeks ago.  They heard it croaking at 2 am....it was a tiny little thing.... a white baby....and then it GREW....it would disappear and reappear...they'd flush it, and it would come back.  And sure enough, while we were there, their guest appeared.  I have to admit, I'd give a couple of curtousy flushes, just to make sure there wasn't a "toad on my tush." 

well, all of a sudden, last night, Fairy Girl screamed and ran out of the bathroom....although that toilet lid had been closed, somehow that froggy magically found its way into the bathtub!  I guess he served his purpose and was done living in my parents' toilet;)  So, my parents' new hero, their son-in-law, was able to successfully capture this poor guy.  He then walked him about two blocks away, released him onto the golf course, where he happily hopped away to freedom in the great outdoors, not in the sewers.  I think this is the first time he ever saw daylight!  I couldn't imagine living, you know, where he was living;)

but then, something very strange happened.....as we were driving home, going through The Villages, right next to us was this Divine Sign...what is the Universe (or said toilet toad;) trying to tell us?  My hunch, he misses my parents and wants to return home:)

Sunday Happenings.....

male bonding:)

Watching three deer in my backyard as I listen to a barred owl and a nearby tree frog, and watch big dragonflies wiz around, as a baby lizard crawls around my chair.....
I live for this stuff 

Beautiful Sunday sunset....
grateful for Blue Heron Medicine

Side note: he just flew right past me....honking ... First time I ever heard one, very funny and low pitched honking sounds


Returned home to find two toads in the driveway... I couldn't pull all the way in...had to run in for a flashlight and start nudging them along with a tap with my foot ... The first guy hopped right in front of my front tire to hide

sweet dreams:)

random happenings between today and yesterday:

hit our favorite park on the island.  I no longer have to watch my girls so closely...but I'm so happy they still play Barbies:)



got ourselves a new Himilayan Salt Lamp (we have two tea light salt lamps, this is our first one with a light bulb:)


Nothing to jolt you out of a peaceful meditation than little Green Guy falling out of the sky and down your shirt 


after two weeks off, back to piano lessons:

Piper and I were just (quietly) sitting on our patio, when this gal hopped over to say hi:)  There's a staring contest going on on my backyard.....any bets on who win? 
 

my morning greeting committee

My morning greeting committee....this would be in my family room;). Gallon size ziplock bag to the rescue....after a few attempts....did you know they can HOP! . First time was into my shoulder and in my hair....

Tropical Storm Andrea and the Frogs

So, we had our first named storm of the season...Tropical Storm Andrea...came up from the gulf, making land fall in Cedar Key, Florida (an ADORABLE sea side town, where J and I spent a night, in a room that is OVER the gulf!).  Of course storms are very unpredictable, so I know the powers to be want people to be ready for anything.  So, I was...I folded my chairs down, brought my cusions in, and took down all of my windchimes  (guess what, NO wind...I did that for the last couple of hurricanes, and it worked like a charm;)  So, I just went out to hang my wind chimes back up, and the wind literally picked up so they could sing:)

Anyway, there was a lot of rain...which I'm sure is expected in tropical storms (I still say, tropical storm warnings sound WAY more cool then blizzard warnings;).  But, J and I were sitting under our covered front porch...it had stopped here (raining all around us according to the radar though)....and we were enjoying the frogs!  Andrea brought out the best in the Carolina frogs; and wow, what a symphony!  There were a couple of tree frogs in the "pond" garden on my front porch going at it, too.  I just love the frogs.

And apparently they love me:D

Since the rain had stopped, I Piper and I got a quick walk in, enjoying the frogs, and toads hopping around; trying VERY hard not to step on them; enjoying the symphony of a huge variety of frogs.  I love when the rains stop, just so I can hear the happy chorus of frogs!  Later, I decided I should try to let him out, in case it rains again (Pipers don't like going out in the rain;)

When ... in hops this guy...he was fast and cute and VERY difficult to catch (notice all the Piper hair stuck to him;):

I decided to release him on he front porch.  And later I went out to check on him to make sure he had left.  And as I was walking in, I felt the cool slippery something beneath my foot (thankfully I hadn't stepped down all the way, and glad I wasn't wearing shoes!!).  I looked down and a baby toad was blending in with my welcome mat....I shook him off:

and when I checked on him later, not only was he back on the welcome mat, but, but he had a friend.  And they were clearly headed in my house:)  So, I moved the welcome mat off to the side, to save the toads' lives and all:)

And then, on my patio, here was another green tree frog guy....this time I learned and did NOT open the patio door (and I check before opening the door now:)



I mean, how often do you get to see the bottom of a frog...we do, all the time:) 

The End
p.s., don't they have the cutest little butts!!! ;)

scenes from my home from last evening....

frogs and fire!


isn't this a cool photo!!  He's climbing up our back family room window, which faces our woods...and the sun was setting...giving us this very cool illusion of the frog climbing the trees :D

ok, so this is obviously not a frog; but my gnome didn't want to be left out :D 

ahhhhhhh, peace...my forest was ALIVE last night...wow!!

when the weather's warm, there are always at least three greeting us from our front porch:)

took Piper for an evening stroll, being VERY careful not to step on the toads on the road:)  As I was saying the forest was ALIVE last night, as were the ponds...heard a wonderful symphony of Carolina Frogs....I personally only know the tree frog, barking tree frog, squirrel tree frog, and the Eastern Narrowmouth Toad (they are LOUD...they got into my girls' little kiddie pool last year;)...and the bull frogs (where where very active at the ponds)...I'll have to learn to identify more frogs...we have SO many!

I just found this very cool websight identifying the frogs native to my area, by looks and by sounds:
http://srelherp.uga.edu/anurans/index.htm 

and finally, after our little stroll, we came home to this guy hanging out on our patio door (and apparently using it as its toilet :D)  I wanted to open the screen, without letting it in the house...so I gently nudged it with a stick, when it proceeded to hop onto my shoulder.  I confess I squealed a tad ;)

Life with Froggie tales, to be continued:)

Crazy Beach Boutique

So, the girls and I had one of our Girls' Day Out...and while driving around we noticed that one of the more up scale resale shops was gone and replaced by a new shop called Crazy Beach Boutique.  Now, the name alone was enough to peak our curiosity....so we attempted to go there on Monday... it was closed..bummer:/

But then there was Wednesday...I had more last minute bracelet orders to ship out at the post office...which meant we had the opportunity to once again drive past Crazy Beach Boutique...on the way home, I almost didn't stop... almost

But the girls and I are SO glad we stopped...we love this place....LOVE!!!!!  It is still a resale shop...and quite frankly, I'm not usually a huge fan of resale shops...but this one is different....this one has a very particular theme, and a full time decorator/designer!!!!!!!!  I had a nice long chat with her, because this place is amazing, and fun, and inspiring, and happy!!  It is now owned by the Off Island Cancer Thrift Shops (which we have a few)...but they were given a building of their own....same cause...different look...and did I mention this place is happy and fun!!!!!!  I of course snapped a few photos (surprise surprise:D) But my photos will NOT do this place justice....did I mention this place is uber cheerful, and fun????!!!!!  I'm sure we will be back, often!  Think of all (the junk,) ahem, "treasures" we never knew we needed!!!!

And now, for your grand tour......

 



And now for the loot we landed.....


That's right, I really did buy this GIANT moon necklace:D


welcome to our newest frog edition...we figured the happy tree frog on the left should balance out the mean-looking bull frog on the right;)
ribbit, ribbit

This Weekend in Review....

This was a VERY special weekend for the girls.....they've LONG had dreams of riding on their very own float in a parade.  Apparently riding on my band floats did not count.  But this past weekend, their dreams came true!!  They rode on a float with the Okatie Youth Ballet in our town's Christmas parade!  See, dreams really DO come true ;)

And following are just some random snapshots of my weekend; between a Sunday morning hike with Piper and our beautiful backyard:



I have a secret love affair with my clothes line;)


First year harvest on our Meyer Lemon tree...they are ready to be picked!

 

While I worked in the Bling Shop, the rest of the clan took a very long bike ride on the bike train! (*I LOVE that there are palm trees in so many of our photos; that's kind of cool:) 

 
This is my hiking partner; he's pretty cute:D


my favorite little, across the street from our subdivision hiking spot!

 
I LOVE the pops of fall berries!


After my hike, came home greeted in the driveway by this cute toad:D

And we managed to squeeze a campfire in too (outdoors;)  A GREAT weekend was had by all!

It's Just Another Manic Monday

I do NOT like to over-schedule my girls.  I do NOT like to over-schedule ME.  That said, some of MY rules are meant to be broken, on occasion;D

Backtracking (not related to the "over-scheduling":)

Grandma and Grandpa were here! 

 and the girls had a knitting lesson with Grandma (**the note is to further assist my little leftie...apparently it is challening for a right-handed knitting teacher to teach a leftie;)

 We shopped!!!  (Fairy Girl received her very first gift card/ shopping spree!  this took awhile...Target has a LOT for a 7 girl to choose from you know.)

We dined....

It was ITALIAN!!!!

Ok, so we dined...lots, until we ran out of food or food inspiration...and when I stopped feeding the grandparents, they took off (to quote Grandma J: "if you stop feeding the strays, they leave:D"

We cheered on the Pack

AND THEY WON!

!!

So, as I was saying, when we stopped feeding the grandparents....they left:D
And then we met our homeschool group for an equestrian field trip.  Here's the cool thing: on Friday we went to Hilton Head to hit the Farmer's Market (where we plan on having our own stand!!  As soon as I can build up some bracelet (and other goodies, soon to be announced;) inventory!  It's amazing that I'm not keeping up with the demand!  It's all good...working on my craft "studio" as we speak, so I don't have to share with the homeschool room, and keep setting up and putting away....photos to follow......
Well, anyway, I digress.....when we were at the farmer's market, Fairy Girl kinda sorta got bit...by a horse:/

 the story of MANIC MONDAY:

And ironically, today, we had a field trip to an equestrian farm with our local homeschool group.....but, no life-long fears, as you can see she jumped right in and is brushing the horse.  (Little Miss Angel, on the other hand, kind of steered clear;)

We were starving, so we hit Panera's, something different for us;)

there was a pumpkin cookie!!!!!!!

After the pumpkin cookie, there was  our weekly yoga class...(not pictured, as mom participated:D) 

 But I DID get a shot of their Chinese Ribbon Dancing!

 

And then there was art class, with a professional artist.

And they created these adorable bags!

And then they went to their very first ballet class! 

(they will be in leotards soon....this sort of just came up:D)

They will perform in the Nutcracker in December!

first glimpse of our NEW bigger camper!!!!  (ignore the mess, was in the process of transferring our goods from our old one)

RIBBIT....RIBBIT

Carryon