Tick or freckle?

My grandma wanted a smaller dining room table and I coveted her real wood (as opposed to my semi-fake wood one) dining room table.  It was a three day weekend.  So we swapped.  My dad loaded my dining room set up in his truck and my parents headed to my grandmas.  Me, the hubs and the kids loaded up in the family suv and went.  (Leaving a very empty space in my dining room)

My grandma lives about 3 hours away and in the country.  Well, she lives in "town."  Her town has less than 700 people, a post office and a gas station.  Everyone has lots over an acre and no fences.  There is no stoplight.  It is tiny and quaint. 

My grandma has a huge unfenced yard.  The kids looooved playing in it.  But they got down and dirty.  They're kids so there is technically nothing wrong with this.

The dog also loved being in an unfenced wilderness.  However, we kept her on her leash.  That is until 9 pm and the thunder rolled and the lightening began to strike.  And she wiggled her collar off, thus losing her leash.  And off she went.  The hubs was putting the kids to bed and missed it.  So me and my mom ran after the dog.  For thirty minutes in the dark and in the rain my mom and I chased after the dog through one backyard after another, through rough terrain in flip flops.  We lost sight of her.  The hubs got the car and he and I drove for an hour looking for the dog.  Finally we found her...she took off again and the hubs took off after her on foot.  By now it was pitch black and pouring down rain.  I took back off in car after them.  Finally the hubs wrestled the dog back in the car.

We drove home today, arriving before my parents.  We all sort of collapsed on the empty dining room floor.  And I spotted it...a TICK on my leg.  Ewww.  But completely warranted, I suppose seeing as I traipsed around the country.  So, we all stripped down, the whole fam, in the dining room and searched for ticks.   The game of "tick or freckle" ensued. Syd had one in her ear.  Now she keeps saying "Ah!  I have another one!" and is panicky.  Owen says "incsects!!!!"  Nonetheless, between the four of us we found 5 ticks.  Yuck.

I heart my grandma.

But I am seriously staying away from the country for a while.