Just call me Diego....

This morning we found a baby Mockingbird under the bushes in our backyard. 

Usually when I find a bird on the ground outside I look straight to Daphne, our one million year old mutt, because she is the Bird Killer. 

She looks vicious, right?

She might have not been the one to cause it this time.  Reason 1, I can't find the nest to put this chirping baby back into, so I don't know how she would have. 

Let's get things straight, I am completely co dependent and seeing poor baby animals unable to fend for themselves creates huge amounts of anxiety. 

We scooped the baby bird up(with gloves, of course) and went searching for a nest to put him back into.  We found not one stinkin' nest.

Anxiety going up.

We found a plastic container and lined it with paper towels.  Put the bird in there and put it back under the bush where the bird was.  We witnessed the mama bird trying to feed it when we first saw it out of the window, so we figured she would keep feeding it if we just kept it in the same spot. 

This is before creating the fake nest

We were right.  Score 1.

Anxiety coming down a bit.

While I had R playing bird spy at the window so that earlier mentioned Cold Blooded Killer Dog wouldn't maim the poor thing, I looked up every number and contact I could find for our county.  Good news: found 4 hotlines or direct numbers.  Bad news: hotline is automated and direct lines didn't answer.  

Anxiety moving right back up.

I finally heard back from the rehabber (as I was told) and she said she wouldn't be home for awhile.  Have me a number to call, they didn't answer.

Seriously?!  I am trying to save a life here, people!!


I made lunch for the kids while staring out of the window the entire time.  Finally, I get a call back from the rescue place.  He told me I had done everything correctly. 

What?  Just call me frickin' Diego. 

The only thing we needed to do was to poke holes in the bottom of the container and then put it up higher in the hedges away from Killer.  So, we had take the baby bird out again, create a fake little nest and put him in the middle of the hedges.

We watched the mama bird feed him when he was under the bush and we waited for her to find him higher up.  She did. 

All is well right now in the bird rescue world.

Nestled snugly in the hedges

Charlie Chirpy

He's pretty darn cute, right? 

Let's hope it stays this way because I don't think I can handle the suspense.

Bragging about your kids never gets old....

G had his Belt Promotion testing on Saturday to move up to the next level in Tae Kwon Do and he did so good!  Yes, I am biased....but he did perfectly.  He also had a blast, which is even better. 

He was so proud of himself.  I am so happy that he has found something he loves.  We are so used to being a soccer family that I forget there are other sports out there....he has had more fun with TKD than he did this fall with soccer.  Of course, we are still a soccer loving bunch so we will have to make time for both.
On another note....anyone getting any spring cleaning done?  I have to confess....we just found some snow gear (still wet) hanging out in the car from our Spring Break trip...needless to say they are drying right now and I am hoping that the mildew smell goes away in time. 
Something about this weather always makes me want to garden and sit outside in the hammock.  I can not do both at the same time.....so we chose to swing in the hammock this weekend.  I did pull out the leaf blower, if that counts. 
We also discovered a cardinal nest in our flower bed this weekend.  I feel like a 3 year old as much as I am going to the window to check on them.  Cardinals happen to be my favorite birds....my grandmother would always point them out to us and tell us to make a wish on the male Red Cardinals.  I still to this day make a wish every time I see one and I tell my kids to do the same.  A little wish never hurt anybody. 

Look closely....there are little Cardinal eggs in there.

On a completely different note.....this week is the STAAR testing for both of my bog kids.  Raise your hand is you hate standardized testing.  (MY hand is raised and waving wildly right now)  These tests drive everyone crazy, especially the teachers.  I don't know how they handle all the stress.  My daughter, is a horrible tester.  I am not saying she does horrible ON tests, I'm saying she doesn't handle tests well.  She is one smart cookie but when it comes to tests she lets the stress outweigh her knowledge.  My oldest, on the other hand, doesn't ever worry about a test.  In Texas, the STAAR test has taken on a new weight of it's very own.   I take the approach of telling my kids to think of the test like any other.....
STAAR testing is Tuesday and Wednesday so send up a special prayer for students and teachers.
Well, the weather is gorgeous and it's about time for me to go outside for about the 10th time today....so have a wonderful rest of the week.