the #1 reason not to have a kiddie pool (aka why no one will ever come play at our house again)

So last evening, Ben was taking way too long to mow and trim. After about an hour an a half I went to find him just to make sure that he wasn't a victim of heat exhaustion. I have to admit i was a little peeved because I had the children all day and I wasn't in the mood to bathe them and get them ready for bed all by myself. I grabbed Ellie and with Izzy in tow we stormed outside. There was Ben by the play area in the back where the pool is with a rake, a shovel, and the stinky trash can. He could tell I was mad but he quickly said "I've got a situation here". Then I watched as he put a looong snake into the trash can with the rake and threw it with force down the hill towards the woods. That is only the 2nd time I've said "oh Sh.." unapologetically in front of a child (the first was when Isabella peed through her swim diaper onto my upholstered chair 2 minutes before we had to leave for swim lessons). Ben said it was a copperhead and that it was pretty aggressive when he cornered it. I am not happy that he thought he could handle the situation (let's call varmint control next time please) but I am glad he found it and not me or the girls. I think I would have died on the spot. He thinks it was attracted to the water in the pool. So goodbye pool for now. We were going to take it down while we were away anyway, but it just might not go up again until Ohio.