BusinessWeek and The Sighting

BusinessWeek just came out with its 2009 list of The Best Places to Raise Your Kids. For Arkansas, Springdale was ranked first. (Yea, us!) Listed among the reasons for what makes us so special is Arvest Ballpark, parks, and nearby hunting and fishing.

(This is the picture they used of Springdale. By the way, does anyone know where I can find these snow covered mountains?)

And while all those things are wonderful, what BusinessWeek neglected to add to this list of perks is how a family (like mine) can be driving down the street in their neighborhood (like today) and, without even paying an entrance fee, can unknowingly drive upon a small wildlife reserve right there in a neighboring yard.

If you have a squeamish tummy, STOP READING NOW.

What we saw was not one, not two, not three, but FOUR of the nastiest creatures known to man. (Okay, maybe they're tied with 'possums, but still, chillbump nasty.)

Brace yourselves...




Chillbumps. Chillbumps. Can't. Even. Think. About. It.

But oh, yeah. I took some pictures because I KNEW Matt wouldn't believe me. I carefully approached the satanic beings (I just cannot believe were created by the almighty hand of God), took a few pictures with my iPhone, then literally ran back screaming to my Jeep. As soon as I slammed the door Estella yelled, "Lock the doors!" Smart girl.

I have just never seen anything like this. It was all I could do not to knock on my neighbor's door and with my hand gripping my chest ask, "Do you have ANY IDEA what is going on in your yard, Man!?" I think they were babies. They were scurrying around with their long little nasty faces looking for who knows what, and every so often they would peek up with their beady little armadillo eyes. OH MY GOSH. Chillbumps.

So, BusinessWeek missed out on this little perk. I'll never spend money at the zoo again.