Pets on Parade

Somehow the Nelson home has been inundated with your not-so-typical pets, despite my attempts to keep us "pet free" until we have a house and yard that can adequately accommodate a dog. Well, let me introduce you to our newest additions to the "family".

This is Larry---affectionately named by Abby. He lives in a jar.


Abby caught him about 3 1/2 weeks ago in front of our house. I told her she could keep him as long as she feeds him and cleans out his jar every other day. To my surprise she has diligently kept her promise by cleaning his cage and feeding him lettuce leaves. My job is to "babysit" him when she cleans. Heaven forbid he runs away or something!


Secretly, I wake up each morning expecting him to be dead. But nope, he is apparently as happy as can be living in his pickle jar. I swear, he is doing this to annoy me. Come on Larry.... cant you just chrysalis or something. How long can this go on? I have to say I am pretty proud of Abby and her ability to care for a "pet" so diligently.

So, after Taylor saw how awesome Abby was at caring for animals he decided to step the responsibility up a little. The other day we went into his office to have lunch with him and when we walked into the lobby he told us he had a really big surprise for all of us. As he took us back, I could hear chirping. And this is what I saw....
This was the point when mom went into shock and the kids jumped for joy! Was my warning supposed to be when I had gotten a text from Taylor the day before asking if I could ever kill a chick I raised???
Well... meet "Sella" (Parker's chick) and "Tweetie" (Abby's chick.) They live in a box.

Taylor knew that I would have a few qualms about these little guys, so before he got them he arranged to have Anne, a friend from his office take them when they got too big for our house. She has land and other egg laying chickens that they can befriend. I couldn't imagine what our elderly neighbors would do if we let the chickens roost on our patio!So Tweetie and Sella are now a part of our family. I have to admit they are pretty cute, but only because I know they will eventually will be going away. Everyday the kids and I clean their box and give them water and food. Sometimes the kids will take them outside and play with them. Ive included a movie of them "playing" with the chicks for your entertainment. Poor chicks....they probably have nightmares of huge Curious Georges sitting on them at night.