We got ants in the mail.

The swimsuit purchase has been confirmed as a positive choice after a conversation with my sister via Skype. So now I have two swimsuits to take to Hawaii, which apparently is a necessity according to page 22 of our guidebook...which is as far as I've gotten in the vacation planning so far.

Sunscreen is also on the list of important items to pack, and I quote, "at least SPF 15." SPF15!!! Does that even do anything? It's hardly worth the money to buy SPF 15, right? Or maybe I'm a sunscreen nazi who regularly purchases the highest SPF I can find in a store and then reapplies it as often as I can think about it during the day. I think we currently have a bottle of SPF 45 in the closet and a newer bottle of SPF 60 because they keep coming out with more and more potent stuff to shield ourselves from the deadly sun rays.

Although, now I hear we might die from lack of vitamin D because of ALL THE SUNSCREEN we smear on ourselves every day, thus eliminating the vital nutrient we are supposed to be receiving from the sun. It's a complicated, confusing world we live in.

Speaking of complicated. My favorite nephew and his mom made cookies together just for Aunt Erin and Uncle John while they were visiting my parents. My mom mailed off the package to us and we received the box yesterday complete with a lovely card my sister made for us, pictures of sweet little D "helping" make the cookies, and a tin full of cookies...and ANTS!

ANTS, ANTS, and more ANTS!!! The little tiny black ants that come from indoor environments, though most certainly not from my parents' house. And suddenly I realize there are ants all over the kitchen table! Even today I found ants crawling out of the trashcan and around the kitchen sink.

Alas, we had to dispose of the cookies that D worked so hard to make for us! So sad.

Yet, the whole idea with the card and the pictures? Too, too CUTE!

I can only conclude that the ants came from the post office while sitting waiting to go on the truck. I at first thought the post office should owe us something for the ruined baked goods, but cookies my own favorite nephew helped make himself are priceless. So, Post Office, you can keep your money! I might retaliate by mailing all packages with UPS or FedEx from now on.

Hmmph. So there.

But I still smile every time I look at those pictures. There's something so special about your sister's child.

Maybe it's a good thing we don't live next door (as I sometimes wish we did) because I would probably spend all my free moments over there with him, and my sister and brother-in-law might start disliking my constant presence or start asking for some reimbursement for rent and utilities.

No. I wouldn't be that intrusive. I think.