Remembering Veterans and "NO MORE SHIRT!"

We had such a lovely holiday yesterday.

We lounged in bed until about 7:30am (a MAJOR luxury! hahaha). Mr. J kindly made some yummy omelets which the children devoured, leaving me to scrap the edges and scrounge for some last bits of cheesy po-ta-toe. Oh well! At least I got a well deserved BREAK from making BREAKFAST. Thanks Hun!

Usually on holiday's my hubby excitedly informs me of the 'games' the Cucamonga Ward is hosting down the hill in the hopes that I'll be SO EXCITED to drive down and watch him, chase the kids around the cultural hall, and hold small time convo with the other ladies cheering their men in church ball. Is it just me or am I the ONLY one who thinks cheerleading is HIGHLY over-rated???? I'm COOL to just kick it! I know, B-O-R-I-N-G... but seriously unless I AM playing, it's no fun... and you REALLY don't wanna see me play! hahaha!!

Luckily there were no games down the hill (silent HOORAY!). So Mr. J suggested we pick up lunch and take the kids to the park. Our little monkeys were SO excited and got ready. We picked up our trusted pizza pie and some drinks and headed to a park across town. The kids brought their balls and were eager to get some playtime on the field. So when we arrived the two oldest and Mr. J headed to the field. All I could hear were squeals of delight as the kids proudly defeated their father in making goals or touch downs. I settled the two youngest in the toddler swing chairs, gave them a big push then sat in my chair to start my hundredth beginner beanie. After a few minutes my little Moe cries to get down and play on the other playground 'Funnies' (what he calls the slides/ forts/ bridges/ poles...etc). So I pull him out and place him on the sand to play. Meanwhile my Miss Em seems content to pump herself on the swing.

Ahhh...Perfect, I think.

I'm enjoying the warm, sunny NOVEMBER day. Counting my blessings while knitting away when all of a sudden....

"WWWWwwAAAAAAaaaaAAAAAaaaahhhhh!!!!" I hear my little Moe let out this blood-curdling scream.

Immediately I SCREAMED for Mr. J then RAN to grab my baby. For a second I thought he hit his head or fell from the playground. I'm freaking out because I have NEVER heard him scream like this before when suddenly I notice, A HONKIN' HUMONGO RED ANT on his shirt... and then another one... and another... and another. Then there are a dozen crawling up his back and into his hoodie. I frantically pull EVERYTHING off, shaking his hair, his shirt, yanking his diaper off his bum and dust/wiping EVERY crevice and fold, all the while SCREAMING for Jared to run up the hill to rescue us. Once I got Moe visibly clean of all the NASTY, MEAN red ants, I grabbed a blanket to wrap around him to keep him warm and tried to apply some ice cubes to the bites I could see welting up beneath his skin. Red and raised. I wanted to cry for him because he was in that 'FAKAOFA/I-just-want-my-mommy/if-it-didn't-hurt-this-bad-I'd-suck-my-thumb' CRY.

Mr. J finally makes it up the hill to inspect the bites. Confident that Moe is not allergic he gives him a macho rub on the head and says "You're alright dude!". So typical. I try to rub more ice to provide a little more relief then na'a him. His crying begins to subside. I was so sad for my little man. I slowly take the banket off and put on a fresh, new pair of pants and socks and then I try to slip on a new shirt over his head.... and the SCREAMING starts again with an added "No Mommy...NO! No More Shirt!!!!". I tried to assure him that his shirt was clean and there would be no more owees. Yeah, he didn't believe me AT ALL!

that was YESTERDAY...

Well guess who's running around SHIRTLESS, deathly scared of another attack of KILLER ANTS if I slip a shirt over his head. Yeah, Mr. Moe. Poor guy! So if by chance you see this little man shirtless you now know why.

Other than that, we had a LOVELY holiday!