The Yard

Dun, dun, dun!!! Well we'll probably be getting some yard this year. And the reason why I say some is because we have a little over 2 acres and we can't do all of that this year. We'll probably add on a little every year. So it will be nice to have a yard, but living out in the country has other disadvantages!

Rattlesnakes. And no, I'm not joking. There is a TON of sagebrush out here, we live right by a firing range (also an Army base), neighbors are a good distance away, and there are a lot of critters (a polite way of saying it) around here. That equals snakes, and not just any snakes - rattlesnakes! I can deal with snakes, I don't mind them, but hello - these are poisonous snakes.

I was looking forward to this summer, but not now. I've been having nightmares about the kids getting bitten, or myself and not being that close to a hospital and the list goes on and on. I'm really getting anxious about it. It's scary. Really scary! We've been looking online at ways to reduce the population, but it still doesn't relieve my fears. We'll probably be getting a couple of cats and probably 2 dogs. The cats to kill the mice and anything else around to take away the food source and the dogs to warn us about the snakes. At least you can hear a rattlesnake, but you can't hear a baby rattlesnake - they don't have their rattles yet - so they are the most dangerous!

Our neighbors keep saying that it's all about teaching your children and awareness about snakes, and yes, it is that. But I have an almost 4 year old and a 14-month old. Yes, I can explain basic stuff to Josh about snakes and to not turn over rocks - but I'm still scared to death, because little kids can't fully comprehend how dangerous these snakes really are. I don't know, maybe I'm not giving them enough credit. But I just think it's going to be difficult.