We are not doing well with the natural world...

Saturday May 28 we decided to take trip up to Oak Glen, a cheap, fun, family excursion...we thought! We had a great time and even commented that it was nice to be able to do that without the kids making us a miserable with their whining. It was a couple of miles round trip. The trail is marked with what birds to watch for, trees are labeled, nice ponds, a lovely stream, and noxious weeds. I even took the time to point out the stinging nettle. A couple of minutes later the kids were racing up the walkway when Seth decided to hop over a small curve, directly through the middle of a patch of stinging nettle. He landed on the other side, writhing and screaming. That was just the beginning...

The next day Josh woke up complaining that his neck was hurting. I assumed it was from the dodgeball with the neighbor the day before. He told me had a bump on his head but I didn't bother investigating any further, chocking it up to drama. Fast forward to Monday, he complains that it hurts even worse and the bump feels really weird. I finally decide to check it out. It is always a little shocking to see little legs hanging out of your kids head. Stupid deer tick made our inexpensive weekend trip much more expensive with a little trip to the ER because we left his head in Josh's scalp. I need to find myself a little scalpel set for future tick encounters.

On Wednesday, Seth's class had a super fun day planned. We had an assembly, awards presentation, picnic, and sprinkler party. Right after the picnic his friends ran up to me and told me that he had been stung by a bee. He was completely calm, more than usual actually, and told me he was fine. I didn't take him too seriously and figured it was their over active imaginations. I was clearly wrong. We have been teasing him that he has a "Popeye Arm!"

The next day when I took him to school I told the teacher that I was aware of his arm. She asked if I had given him an antihistamine. Of course that hadn't even crossed my mind. CPS really may need to be called.