The Sting and the Snow

Looks like snow to me!

There are many things that I love about Arizona.  The weather (for the most part), the sunshine, the pool in our yard, the friendliness of the people...but there is one drawback to having such a nice warm habitat, bugs like it too.  We have all kinds of creepy crawlies that most of the US have never had to deal with.  One of those is the lovely scorpion.  Well, after 6.5 year of cohabitation, my foot had its first encounter with a scorpion.  Not the way I wanted to start off my Saturday.  Jillian started crawling through the dog door and I tried grabbing her but she started kicking her legs.  Usually, if I keep pulling she hits her head and lots of crying ensues.  So, I let her crawl through and I went out the people door to grab her.  I am usually so good about wearing my house shoes (for fear of stepping on a scorpion), but I guess it was fate to not have them on so the scorpion had a 'fighting chance'.  I also guess it was fate for Jillian to hit her head because once the scorpion stung me I dropped/threw her and she landed on her head.  I don't remember letting her go, but I do remember seeing her land a few feet away from me.  Poor girl. My toe/foot hurt for a few hours and then it was numb for about 36 more.  Jillian had a pretty good goose egg and bruise but the bump was gone on Sunday and the bruise faded a few days after.  Even though Jillian got a pretty bad bump, I was glad that it was me that got stung.  I can't imagine trying to comfort a child who got stung.  Not to mention that it is possible to have an anaphalatic reaction to the sting.

A few minutes after the storm passed.

On Sunday, we had a cold front move through and the temperature dropped from about 80 degrees to 50!  BRRR!!! We got quite a few rain storms with thunder and lightning (much to Henry's delight), but we also go hail, and LOTS of it.  It literally looked like it snowed!  Of course, one the system passed the sun came out (since the weather is so nice and there is lots of sunshine) and the hail melted pretty quickly.  But Henry was able to play with the hail that accumulated at the bottom of the slide.  He was having so much fun picking it up and playing with it.  Then he realized it was cold and it made his hands hurt. We couldn't stay out for long (since another rain storm was blowing through), but atleast Henry got to experience what I am calling 'Arizona Snow'!

Lots of hail enjoying the slide!

Henry in his swing set

Tut Tut looks like....hail!