Princess Pillbug and the Pop-Up

Yesterday we had to make a trip to the other side of town to check out a tent trailer that was available to rent for our Outer Banks vacation this summer. It was such a long drive, but we have friends on that side of town that we rarely see, so I decided to stop there for a visit first.

The girls had a blast playing with their friends and I realized it's been awhile since we've hung out with these friends when I noticed deeper voices, leaner faces, and the oldest girl was just too cool to play with the younger ones. My friend, Martha, and I hung out in her kitchen and on her front porch. We talked about vacations and summer plans and the new addition they want to put on their house.

My youngest and her youngest are really good friends. They roamed all over the yard finding long-abandoned treasures. Both the girls have been through their princess stage with a fascination for all things pink and sparkly, but they also share a love of all things creepy-crawly. L came running over to show me a roly-poly she had fund a captured. She was then absorbed in examining the beautiful dead moth by picking it up and peering closely at it's head. We then noticed an enormous black snake coming down the trunk of a tree in their front yard and my friend's daughter ran within 3 feet before we could stop her. Yes, it's cool. No, it's not poisonous, but don't get so close anyway.

As we were going down their long driveway, L sat in her seat shaking a yellow plastic egg. Something rattled inside. "What's in the egg?" I asked suspiciously.

"Bugs," she replied very happily.

I slammed on the brakes. "You have roly-polys in that egg?!?"

"Yes."

"Open your door and throw them out!!" So she obediently opened her door and tossed the egg out into the grass. I did make her get out and set the poor pillbugs free.

I wish she'd stick to pink and sparkly.

On the other thing, the tent trailer didn't work out. It was too difficult to open and set up, it was missing some important pieces, and it was simply too small to sleep 6. So if you're in the Charlotte area and you happen to own a pop-up tent trailer and you wouldn't mind renting it to us, please let me know.