Back in the Saddle ... Courtesy a Dead Sea Animal

It's been a month since I last blogged, but it's not for lack of material. I've just been lazy about getting it all down on paper (or on screen as the case may be).

But since it's spring break, I have a little extra free time ... so I'm attempting to get back in the saddle.

We just returned from a few days at Myrtle Beach. Not surprisingly, spending so many hours with the kids wielded a bevy of memorable moments.

Yesterday, Julianna insisted on a last visit to the beach to search for seashells. And as I walked with her toward the water, a small sea urchin washed up with the tide.

The urchin (or "sea urgent" as she calls it) was dead, and with LJ's empty bucket, Jack scooped it up and rinsed it off so we could take a closer look.

I would have been happy to launch it back into the sea, but Julianna had grander plans. She immediately bonded with the urgent, named it "Spikey" and carried it back to the hotel room.

Once there, she lined her bucket with tissues and gently placed Spikey in his new bed. Then, she surrounded Spikey with three of her favorite shells ... to keep him company.

Julianna requested (and was denied) permission to take Spikey out to dinner with us, but this morning, she was more committed than ever to her new buddy.

After being reminded that Spikey was now in urchin/urgent heaven, Julianna told me that "dead things have feelings too ... Spikey is my friend and I just want to treat him the way I would want to be treated."

Apparently, the golden rule includes making "Spikey and me" signs for everyone in the family and then forcing us to take pictures with the rotting ball of thorns. (LJ refused to pose).

Spikey made the trip back to Raleigh with us and now has a permanent home in a Tupperware container. Julianna has placed the container on display on the console table in our foyer so that "everyone can see him as soon as they come into our house."

She also plans on bringing Spikey to show and tell at school as soon as possible.

Spikey would not have been my first choice for a spring break souvenir. But at least I didn't give in and get her one of those t-shirts ... the one that says:

My mom went to Myrtle Beach and all she got me was this lousy dead urchin.