Giving Mom a stroke....or "How to make her screech"

THIS --- is what I found on my steps to the basement this morning (which now, looking at this photo, need to be painted -- "note to self"!). Now, remember, that I get up b/t 1:30 - 2 am each day to deliver 350 or so newspapers, so it was in a sleepy stupor that I stumbled down the stairs to

grab some jeans & a sweatshirt out of the dryer this morning. The lizard is not real, but a very yucky, realistic feeling, "wubber" lizard that someone (Curtis) brought home from the treasure chest @ school a few weeks ago. If they have no yellow or red lights for behavior each week, then the 1st graders get to pick something out of the treasure chest on Fridays. The chest is full of donated old toys, fast food toys, and other misc. junk. I remember cringing a little when I first met this lizard, b/c he is kind of gross looking.

The fact that this guy was so strategically placed on the stair to be peeking out like he is, is proof that someone was trying to freak me out. I'm going to guess that the owner of this lizard is the one who placed it there. It's totally in his personality & corny nature to try and scare someone like this. I'm a little surprised that the cat did not have a little more fun with it during the night, but honestly, after I recovered from my initial shock and sharp intake of breath, I had to laugh. Only in a house full of boys would something like this be a common occurrence. I knew that the lizard was fake, but to almost step on it @ 2 am, is still a little surprising. I did not screech, scream, or otherwise loudly react, but, again, there was quite a sharp intake of breath and then some eye-rolling and sighing. Ahhh -- BOYS!

I'll need to think about plotting some funny revenge on afore mentioned middle child.....he totally deserves it!! ;) HaHAAAA!!