The Goliath Bird Spider and Vanessa Hudgens in My Living Room

Today we were nagging the girls to clean their room, and somehow that prompted the memory of the Goliath Bird Spider we had in our living room a few months ago.




I was in the kitchen (like a good wife,) Studmuffin was helping me (like a good husband) and suddenly Bookworm screamed at the top of her lungs. "Spider! Spider! There is a giant spider in the living room!" We continued on with our duties....

She came dashing into the kitchen, sobbing and gagging and choking..."Th-th-there is a-a-a-a-a--a giant TARANTULA in the living room!!!"

"Where?" we asked.

"U-u-u-u-nder the p-p-pillow!"

Studmuffin decided to forgo dishes to play the hero role....

I heard a gasp and a "WHAT THE?????"

I came around the corner to check it out. I found Studmuffin standing at a safe distance (aka across the room) and Bookworm continuing to shake from head to toe and sob. I looked at the sofa pillow, which was laying on the floor, and sure enough, under the edge, you could see a giant spider. I jumped approximately 8 feet in the air.

And nothing happened.

I continued to stare, Studmuffin maintained his distance, Popcorn joined the scene and added her own weeping and trembling to Bookworm's.

And still nothing happened.

We began to be suspicious. I mean, once calm sets in, rational thinking begins again. How exactly did a giant tarantula get in our house? How did it escape notice until it decided to hang out under our pillow? Why isn't it trying to hide from us? How did a Goliath Bird Spider make it to Oklahoma? Was brought in on some imported fresh produce? Dangit! I knew I should have listened to my mother and paid closer attention to where my food comes from! It probably came in on my avocados!




Wait a second....

That's not a Goliath Bird Spider!!!









It's Vanessa Hudgens!

Not the real Vanessa Hudgens, silly!

It was Bookworm's High School Musical Barbie. She had left it on the floor, someone threw a pillow on top, her dark curly hair hanging out the side. In the exact shape of a spider.

A Goliath Bird Spider to be exact.

Now, can anyone tell me why my children tend to jump to conclusions and have a bent towards dramatics?

And, no, the pictures obviously have no relation to the post. My nephews are here this weekend, and I just had to share. Do they look like they're having fun, or what? You can't decide if they are having so much fun they can't stand it, or they are scared to death. We went near the shore for lunch, and the kids got out to swim. There was a crane near the shore. Notice how close he let them get to him before he finally left! And he caught a fish while they were watching him!

We got a new tube because ours got a tear near the valve where we could not patch it. We got a smaller one, because our old one was fine for us, but too big for them. Unfortunately the next size down is almost too small for them. Plus, it has a tendency to sink down in the front when you start. My oldest nephew was the only one strong enough to lean back enough so it immediately planed out. Bookworm refused to ride the tube after she did not lean back the first time, took a little dip before it popped up and planed out. She was done done done when that happened. Stick a fork in her, she's done, and she's "never getting on that tube again!"

*sigh*