{That's for the Birds} **EDITED**

Are the rest of you as busy as I feel in the summer? Isn't summer supposed to be a break? I guess what counts as a break to the kids, isn't the same thing for all us mama's! I've got lots of things to share, but no time to sit down edit my pictures and type up a post, let alone to organize my thoughts.

But the kids say I have to share this little but of fun that we've been waiting on for awhile at our house.

We first noticed this Killdeer bird hanging out just to the side of our driveway almost a month ago. We mentioned how weird it was that it stuck so close. A few days later Derrick realized why, it had a nest with 4 eggs there. I couldn't believe how well they blended with the rocks, I'd look away and when I looked back they seemed to be gone. Day after day, she sat on the eggs, through the 100 degree temperatures and rain and hail storms.... it looked pretty miserable to me! I figured when the kids realized that there were eggs out there, that there was no way they end up hatching, but they surprised me and were very good not to bother them!
The dad also hung around, and every so often you'd see them trade places for a bit. If you approached the nest, the killdeer suddenly seemed to develop a broken wing. It struggled in front of you, as if it could barely walk, let alone fly with one or both wings drag pitifully on the ground, while letting out an earsplitting squawk! I had almost decided that the eggs weren't going to hatch, but when we pulled in today Carlie said she saw a little bird. I honestly didn't really believe her, since she's said that a few times before, but sure enough........ **four** fuzzy little baby killdeers that look like little miniatures of there parents! (One didn't make it, darn it!) **Guess what......the one I thought didn't make it really did!**YEA!
Isn't he adorable? I was amazed that they are running all around in and out of the nest! The kids were super excited and Miss Carlie had to call her dad at work to tell him all about them.
I guess we're just bird magnets around here..... just last week a swallow nest appeared on my front porch and before we could get rid of it, they laid eggs! I guess we have something else for the kids to look forward to now!** Ok, just one more bird story.....I'm not sure how I could have forgotten this one? Last month I ran downstairs to change the laundry and as I walked through the family room heard a loud scratching noise, yes, it did kind of freak me out! So, upon further investigation, I realized that it was coming from the wood burning stove pipe, and something was stuck in there. I called Derrick and he assured me he'd come home for lunch and check it out (lunch was like 4 hours away). When he finally got home and after some tugging and pulling guess what he pulled out.....a bird all covered in soot, who needs a chimney sweep!?!?!**