Pet doodlebugs

Autumn cracked me up yesterday when I picked her up from school. I walked into her classroom and one of her teachers, Ms. Deana, was having a serious talk with the class about something. Autumn was sitting to the side with her bottom lip sticking out, obviously pouting, but oblivious to whatever Ms. Deana was saying. Her other teacher, Ms. Rachael, told me that she was really upset because they had been playing with doodlebugs on the playground and she had wanted to bring them in so she could take them home. She and some of the other kids had named the mom and dad and decided which ones were the brothers and sisters. She had apparently become very attached.

As soon as Autumn saw me, she got out of their circle and walked toward me crying. I really tried not to laugh, but it was so funny that she was so upset about the doodlebugs. She pouted about it for a good thirty minutes after we left their school until she learned that we also have doodlebugs at our house. We found a bucket and filled it with 20+ doodlebugs that we found under logs in our backyard (a.k.a. the cut-up tree that fell during the hurricane and Corry is saving for firewood... right smack in the middle of the backyard). So Autumn was a happy camper again and once again has some pet doodlebugs to care for.

I remember liking to play with doodlebugs in elementary school and loading up my backpack only to release them (accidentally) in the school bus. I also remember loading some up in my backpack and them making it into my classroom closet. I don't remember the outcome of that occasion, though! So, I do at least understand the fun in collecting them!

Oh, Autumn also told me that another name for doodlebugs is "Holy Poly." I'm pretty sure she has it confused for Roly Poly unless the ones they found on the playground were holy since they were at the church!

On the hunt...

I had to include the shiny black patent shoes worn while collecting doodlebugs!


Admiring their new pets...