Critters

Creepy crawly things play a vital role in our lives here at the Roper household.  They consume much of our waking moments.  All three of my little boys just love anything wiggly or gross.  Braden most strongly feels a closeness with creatures most of us shrink from.  Take a look....

Braden catches these gigantic caterpillars and carts them around all day.  They go everywhere with him, and he's so proud of himself when they become his "pets". 

Check that thing out!

Water snakes, garden snakes, any kind of snake.  We caught about 10 snakes so far this past summer.  The boys find them in rivers, camping, and in lakes.  This one they found in Grandma Sylvia's back yard and apparently it bit both Braden and Dalin but they wouldn't let it go.  The poor snake.

If you look in the very middle of this picture you can spy the little lizard.  Every time we go for a hike or go to the "beach" at the reservoir we find tons of lizards.  Fortunately for them they're quick and so we don't catch one very often.

And here's a favorite...grasshoppers.  Braden likes to find the "biggest ones ever" and he's not satisfied with the puny ones.  There's a huge field right next to our house and so we get a TON of grasshoppers.  I can't count how many of these guys have met their doom at the hands of my boys.  Landon is enamored with them and gets so excited when Braden gives him one.