Rant about Ants

I hate ants! They have given me so much grief every summer we've lived at our townhouse. Well that is only two summers but hey they are the worst little beasts ever! Let me explain. Last summer it was dusk outside and I was chatting to my neighbor just outside my door on the sidewalk. I had been talking for a little while and then I felt them....bite bite bite! AHhhhhh the worst pain! Now let me give you a little detail on these ants that live here, they are RED and very little. Smaller than the normal small ants. They have a killer bite that my body has a bad reaction to. First they sting really bad and then within minutes they swell to about the size of a nickle then swell to about the size of a plum. I got bit last summer 11 times by these beasties! All over my toes and ankles! I was rubbing creams on them all day and couldn't sleep at night because they throb and itch so bad! Well after a week they finally stopped itching but red little pus bumps formed and stayed for a couple more weeks. The dots stayed for a few more weeks after that. Horrible experience and so I have been very cautious since those 11 bites. However I guess this summer I haven't been cautious enough.

My ant story begins once we got back from Oregon. I was upstairs in the hallway and picked up a plastic bag. Bite bite ahhhhhh! I look down to see little black ants all over my bare feet! I screamed and Anthony got the vacuum and we started vacuuming tons of ants. (Little black ant bites are not that bad they only sting at the beginning and then itch a little but after a day they are just little marks that don't itch.) So these ants decided to make a trail from the inside of my wall to the other wall across the hallway. After some major vacuuming and bait poison they finally left the hallway after a few days. Well they didn't leave the house they found their way downstairs across the floor a huge trail. I swear they just popped out of thin air because I was sitting on the couch with no ants on the floor then I look and see an ant crawling on the couch! Then to look on the floor to see it covered! By this point I was freaking out because I was determined not to get bit again. Anthony and I went and bought some bug spray and sprayed our whole house and outside. The ants died instantly and haven't come back. We have been ant free except for every sidewalk around and all the grass outside. On Monday I was taking Tilly out and saw my next door neighbor. They have two dogs that are Tilly's friends so I let Tilly off her leash and let them run around. I started talking to neighbor and looked down and realized ooops too late I was standing on an ant trail. Little black ones so not too bad but I got bit four times. Dang ants! Then yesterday I went to take Tilly out again and was watching my feet and stamping. I saw no ants so I step to pick up Tilly's business and bite bite! I could already tell from the bite that this was no black ant attack. I was so angry. Two seconds and I get bit by stupid little RED ants! Once on the toe and once on the ankle. Last night was hard to fall asleep because they itched and throbbed so much and lets add that I can't sleep very well anyways being pregnant. I wake up at 3:40am and had to get up to rub itching cream all over them just so I could fall asleep again. My ankle has been swollen, throbbing all day and itchy. I just have to rant about these dang ants and can't understand why they bite me! I am getting afraid to go outside and told Anthony I want him to spray bug spray everywhere outside. I have officially decided I hate ants more than mosquitoes and I hate them pretty bad. So to ALL the ants outside LEAVE ME ALONE!

 Here is my bite about 1 min after it bit me. 

Here is the bite today. It is from my cell phone so not a very good picture but see the huge red area that is swollen? It itches and throbs so bad and it has gone down a little.
Yes that is an ant bite. :( Imagine 11 of them. I'm so glad it was only two this time!
 I might just have to wage war on these evil creatures! 

A quick trip that happened to take place in Oregon

Oregon is beautiful! I loved every minute of it and enjoyed our trip! We stayed with Anthony's little sister Kelsey and Kasen his brother. It was really fun to see a place so green and spend time with them.  

Our first day there we cooked hamburgers and went on a little walk around their neighborhood, to the park and to see the schools. 

The next day we went to the mall and I bought some new kicks because I needed better shoes for all the walking we were planning on doing and I'm so glad I did! 

We then stopped by a river to have an Ice cream picnic! 

Kelsey and her boyfriend Tanner! It was fun to meet Tanner and have him with us. 

It was pretty hot outside and Kelsey decided to jump in the freezing water! 

Soon everyone followed except me so I just took pictures.

  

See I was there! Oh and my little belly was too!

They had fun but I was glad I didn't get in once they got out soaking wet. We didn't have towels either so they had to air dry but I don't think they got dry by the time we got home. 

The gang! Anthony, Kasen, Kelsey, and Tanner!

The next day we drove to the coast. In Forence they had Sandboarding and the guys all did it. It was really fun to see because I had never heard of it before. It looks hot in these pictures but it was actually cold and really windy. 

Did I mention that I even went down a little hill? haha it was so fun! 

I have never been snowboarding so it was a fun experience. 

After that we drove to Honeyman's lake and the guys Sandboarded some more and went swimming. The water was actually pretty warm but it was cold because of the wind. 

Anthony has a really bad farmers tan from working outside in 

Texas all summer but he is still so cute!

Kasen in the Sand! 

After the lake we went to the coast and saw the Ocean! 

It is beautiful but I was surprised at how cold it is and windy. 

Then we found Hobbit Trail and hiked down to Hobbit Beach! 

I loved every single minute of this trail and was fascinated by all the trees and beauty. 

I don't think pictures can show just how amazing it was. 

Once we got to the beach we found this beauty of a lookout! Perfect spot for a fire and dinner. While everyone hiked back up to the car to get supplies I got to sit and enjoy this beautiful world. The sun was hitting the waves and the fog was coming up out of the sea. I love the Ocean. I just wished that it was warmer but it was still amazing to be there. 

Me waiting for everyone to get back just looking out over the ocean. 

Before our fire and after once Anthony and Kasen got it started. 

We ate hot dogs and a fire wouldn't be complete without roasted marshmellows and starbursts!

Anthony said that it was one of his top five moments in life! It was pretty spectacular!  

The next day we relaxed and went to the Saturday market. Hippies, Dreds, Tie dye, and people everywhere. It was awesome! I enjoyed seeing all different kinds of people and cool things people were selling and the music playing. 

We also went to Off the Waffle for lunch and it was delicious! 

The last day we were there we went on a bike ride along and over the river.

 I did pretty well and didn't get too tired. 

Thank you Kristy, Kelsey, Kasen, and Gracee for letting us stay with you! 

We had so much fun and would love to go back and visit again soon!