Critters...They Rhyme with Licks...

I'm not even going to grace this post with a picture, because what I am about to talk about would just gross you out.

Now, we really like it here in NJ, we were really excited to move here.  The people in our home Ward are awesome and they have already embraced our family as if we have been here for years.  But our part of town holds a dark disgusting secret....

TICKS.

Yes, ticks.  Apparently the area we live in is pretty infested with them.  It is terrifying and invokes my gag reflex just at the mention of them.  I hate spiders and I hate roaches.  But I will take them on if they mess with me.  Ticks on the other hand, I want nothing to do with.  I can't even say the word without vomiting in my mouth.

Since living here Theo has found 3 on him, and Tobie 1.  Just today at the park, Hannah said she had a crab crawling on her leg.  She flicked it off before I could see it, but that's what a tick would look like to a 3 year old. 

It just gets worse, tonight while I was making dinner the girls (Miriam, Emma and Hannah) were freaking out about a bug on the floor.  I thought it was no big deal and just told them to stay away from it while I finished what I was doing with the food and then I would get to it.  When I look over Emma had a lego and was hitting this bug on the floor.  As I got closer I saw this enormous gray bulb.  It was a huge fat tick that must have fallen off my dog, and my kids where messing with it like it was a roly poly!!!  I was MORE than grossed out!!!  Especially since they had managed to make it burst open and blood was now on my floor.  EEEEWWWWW!!!!

After family prayer I gave Friday a quick stroke on her back and felt ANOTHER TICK!  Theo and I went at it with a paper towel and pliers. 

I ain't gonna lie, I'm a little more than just freaked out here!  I'm scared for me, for my kids, for Theo!  All that was going through my mind when we first moved into our new house and I learned about our lovely tick issues was; "Lyme Disease, Lyme Disease, Lyme Disease".  Theo got some stuff you can put in your yard that's suppose to kill and repel ticks, but there are so many trees around here I'm thinking it might be like throwing a bucket of water at a forest fire.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to get rid of ticks around their property I would be MORE than willing to hear them out!!!  And please hurry before my paranoia turns into irrational behavior and I'm stripping the kids down to check them every time they come inside from outside and burn their clothes....and yes, I have already thought of doing that. 

Please save my sanity and my wardrobe bill!