What gets my butt out of bed faster than anything? A kid screaming my name in the hallway with puke projecting from his mouth, that's what! Ty was "slightly" ill last night at midnight. At least he missed the carpet that still smells of vomit from earlier in the week when his little sister had some GI upset. He puked on her, instead. But she slept on (that girl sleeps like a rock).

After all was said and done and the puke bowl placed strategically by his adorable little head, I hear a screech from outside. Doug came bounding from the bedroom (I'm now on the couch since the boy is in my place in the bed). "I think Oreo (the cat) is being eaten by a coyote" he says. What does any good pet owner do? She rolls over and goes to sleep because she's REALLY tired and the cat has claws. But not Doug. Oh, no. He investigates. Turns on all the outside lights. Goes for a walk around the place. And then gets a LADDER and CLIMBS THE TREE to rescue the kitty!!!! Did I mention its midnight????

The cat wanders in five minutes later through the cat door. Unscathed.

The scuffle must not have been so bad because Oreo ventured outdoors a couple of hours later and brought back a mouse. Rewind to the part about me sleeping on the couch. I then get to listen to Oreo chase a mouse around the house, my blanket pulled up over my head, fearing that the mouse might climb up on the couch and under my blanket. Ackk! I'm too afraid to get up to take care of the mouse because its dark and what if I step on it. Ewww. I spend the rest of the night having mouse dreams. And puke dreams. And now I'm really tired.