I Want Candy

 

We saw some cute salamanders in the lake when we arrived. The kids were pretty sure that we should catch them and keep them as pets. Jeremy met them halfway and caught two and let them keep them in a bucket for a day. And because my kids' hearts hold A LOT of room for animal lovin', they constantly got these little guys out and carried them around. They also named them. Everly called them "Salamandies" and I didn't correct her because it was so darn cute. When I asked what she named hers she smiled, her eyes twinkled, and she proclaimed "Candy Salamandy!". Cuteness. The very literal boy named his "Sticky Fingers" because...they have sticky little fingers.

We came back down to the dock the next morning to release the salamanders. And (spoiler alert), Candy Salamandy perished. We found her up by the grass. We think she crawled out of their safe bucket and failed to find the water a few inches away and instead began crawling the opposite way towards the lawn. She made it up two steps and past the bricks before her little legs couldn't take it anymore. The kids were sad for her, so Parker suggested they bury her. Then he insisted we make something with her name on it. Then he wanted to pray for her. Everly followed him around with a stern expression and took this all very seriously. Following her lead, Jeremy and I did as well. So we had a little service for Candy, rest her little salamander soul.