dogs, cats, birds and kids

Chris went deer hunting over the weekend, and we had an eventful weekend without him. It was general conference weekend, so I didn't have to worry about going to church without him, and I recorded the sessions to my DVR so I could watch without so much interruption. I did some more unpacking and took some pictures.

Yesterday morning I was going out to the car when something caught my eye. I was in the covered porch, and I had seen some frogs and other little creatures in there before, but when this little bird flew up at me, I just about wet myself! I'm not sure how he got in there, but he seemed OK.

I grabbed my camera and immediately went into bird-watching mode (something I've been doing a lot lately). Looking for markings and noting size, shape, etc. This little guy is a yellow-rumped warbler. My cat decided to try to give me a hand with things. She didn't seem interested enough to be a threat, so I took a picture of her with the bird. I ended up having to scoop the little thing off the window sill and release it out the door to get him to leave. And within a few seconds he was perched just outside the door again. Apparently we're friends now.

I took these this morning. Our silly cat thinks she can be inside whenever she wants now. Every time we move we let her spend more time inside so she won't run off. It has worked well, she has moved all over the northwest with us over the last 9 years. She is great with the kids, never scratches and they can catch her. Conner loves to stare at her, but this is the first time I've caught her snuggling with him while he was sleeping in his car seat. She likes to nap in his car seat, too.

Bianca loves the new place, but she doesn't like that I take her outside on a leash all the time. We don't have a fence up yet, and she has made a break for it a couple of times and has been found rolling in manure and other gross things. She likes to sit on a couch or the bean bag and gaze outside--I can just see her dreaming about running wild and free.

Dallon and Conner snuggling with Bianca.