Hey Mark, how about:

A triad of mice A triad of mice Visualize them running Visualize them running...

Like it????

Ah, Paul--the midwest! Chicago? Dayton? It's all so clear now.... Midwestern vowels are the flattest (not open) of all, perfect for singing folk and county music, though, or my favorite--seriously--Bulgarian folk music. But unless you are singing those you can open up the vowels a bit and solve your problem I'm guessing. Mark described perfectly how to hold on to that open vowel and tag on the 'ee' sound at the very end of the note. You can often leave it off entirely, and somehow the audience's ears will fill it in subconsciously.

Have fun playing with it.

--En