If it's not one thing it's another!

Oh my goodness! So our rabbit is surviving, and our turtle is still alive, so since we can't kill our own pets animals we've decided to kill wild animals instead! Not on purpose of course but for heavens sakes you would think birds would find a better place to put a nest other than a tree! Well in between all of the latest rain storms I mowed the lawn and did work around the yard. Well where we live we have a cherry tree that has grown completely out of control (previous owners lack of tree maintenance) well it's completely shutting out the lilac bush which is trying to grow so we decided to cut the lower branches of the cherry tree off so that the lilac could get some light. Well there's also a decorative pine tree that is growing in the backyard next to it that's out of control so with that one we cut the top off to level it out and hopefully get it under control. So I take charge of these outdoor projects and get the ladder and start sawing the top of this pine tree off. Well I get the top chopped off and go to throw the top onto the ground and as it hits the ground this baby bird plops out of this mound of tree top. I'm thinking oh &*^%. Because as I was sawing I checked the tree and there was no nest that I saw, well the nest was tucked right up against the trunk and on the side away from me. So I run in the house and get a shoe box and put the baby bird in and call Daniel and tell him what happened...I feel horrible! Well Lindsay shows up at this time and comes in the backyard with me and I say "at least it's only one" and she says "are you sure?" And at that moment I look where she is looking at there is another baby bird, I pick it up and see another one flopping around...CRAP there's now 3 baby birds, that are more than likely going to die because I chopped their house down and now the mom's not going to come back and I'm feeling totally guilty. I call Daniel and all he can do is laugh and offer condolences but thinks it's funny. I'm trying not to let the kids know so they won't be traumatized in any way because their mother is a BABY bird killer. Well the one Lindsay saw was dead, snapped neck or something but he was definitely not alive. The second one I found was more than likely not going to make it because it wasn't using it's one leg ( I think it was broken) so I knew he wasn't going to make it. So the first one I found was the only one who might possibly make it out alive. Well about 5 hours later the broken leg bird was dead. Now it's getting late and starting to sprinkle what was I going to do about this baby bird. I don't have a heat lamp to keep it warm. I am NoT chewing up worms and regurgitating them into his mouth so he was either going to freeze or starve to death, that or the neighborhood cats were going to eat him for dinner. Well Daniel said to leave him outside in the box and maybe (ha) his mother would come and get him. So I was consigned to leave him out in the rain in a box for the fates to decide what would happen to him. Well either his mom came and got him or he was eaten because the next morning I went to check on him and he was gone! no trace to be found of the baby bird. I felt awful about what happened I kept telling Daniel that I needed to talk to the bishop because I was a Baby Bird Killer. He tried to make me feel better by telling me they were just robins and that robins are a dime a dozen. but still I felt pretty bad.

Then to continue our saga Thursday afternoon we had a wind burst, that actually knocked down our neighbors(a few blocks away) three story tree. It was awesome. Well it blew and we had the kids come in. Well when Daniel went back outside to assess any damage that the wind had done he found splattered all over our driveway...Four robin eggs. So then he had to get the hose out and clean up that mess before the kids came back out to play and became traumatized over the eggs. We're not all that concerned about Carter's reaction- he's a boy, he's tuff, while Madison on the other hand is very dramatic to say the least and would probably cried over the loss of the eggs. So now watch out wild life here come the Tate's to destroy anything peaceful that you have.

Can anyone tell me why and when do kids start to lie. I just don't understand it. Last week Madison told a lie and she was grounded. So for Family Home Evening we talked about telling the truth and being honest and that lying was following Satan. (that's how Madison describes it...you're either following Satan or following Jesus) We thought she understood and had grasped the concept that we do NoT lie, and that you will get into more trouble if you lie. Well today she lied again, and of course got caught but what do I do. We've already talked about this. We thought she understood. We did a family home evening lesson from the church website and everything so that we thought even Carter would understand. Any advice would be great. I just keep asking why? Anyway off of the Tate house troubles.

I can NoT wait for this weekend I know it's only Monday but, it's the Fourth of July I love this holiday. We spend time away from all the hubbub and chaos, and go up to the cabin for a few days and go to the Oakley Rodeo! Love it! Our family is a huge fan we've gone every year for the past 15 years. We absolutely LoVe the bull riding! it's fabulous! then we will be coming back to watch the best fireworks (Clearfield) ever, the kids just think it's great and Madison is so funny because she's our child who rises and falls with the sun. Well keeping her awake for the fireworks is so hard and yet if (what do I mean if I mean when) she does fall asleep she sleeps right through the fireworks. She's like her mother can sleep through anything. We will definitely post pics of the weekend. And I also love singing the Star Spangled Banner, which sometimes it's a disappointment because we don't always sing it in church on the Sunday closest to the fourth. Well our ward will be singing it because I'm the chorister and I get to choose the songs.