Dylan, Hayley, and the "Terrible Turtle"

Dylan & Hayley

As I mentioned before, the day wasn't over yet.  Not long after the "Great Bathroom Rescue", I heard screams of horror coming from Sam's room, but before I can explain the screams, I must go back to the beginning of the day.  

Early this morning, (those of you who know me well understand that this could be anywhere from 9am to 11am) Duane (favorite uncle) arrived with a bucket of tadpoles that he had saved from a rapidly drying mud hole.  Three of my children were away at summer camp, another was at grandma's, and the remaining two were still sleeping, but my "extras" and I lovingly transferred the new family members from their big, yellow bucket to their "Sterlite" tote in the shade, and all was well with the world...until we heard the screams...

The Terrible Turtle

"Kelley, Kelley!  The turtle is eating the tadpoles!"   What?  "THE TURTLE IS EATING THE TADPOLES!"  Huh?!  The turtle is in the house, and the tadpoles are outside.  How is this possible?  I decided that I had better investigate, and much to my horror, I discovered that the turtle was indeed eating a tadpole!  At which point, I started screaming...  "Who put the tadpoles in with the turtle?!"  No response.  "SAM...?!"  "It wasn't me!" came his reply.  Then I noticed a funny look on my husband's face (you know, the dude who hasn't quite given up flexing).  He appeared to be trying to hide behind his laptop screen.  I turned my death glare on him and shrieked, "DID YOU PUT THE TADPOLES IN WITH THE TURTLE?"  He blanched.  "FIX IT!"  I screamed.

With the speed of a man who has recently had reconstructive knee surgery, my dear husband hoofed it into Sam's bedroom.  My extras, Hayley, the reptile lover (who, when I referred to the tadpoles as reptiles this morning, corrected me by saying that they were amphibians) and the youngest, Dylan, were extremely distraught and pleading with us to do something.  What they wanted was for us to stop the carnage.  What they got was my husband's best Darwin impression (survival of the fittest and all) and a helpless shrug, because the remaining tadpoles had taken cover under a rock and could not be reached by the rescue net.

The Tadpole With Legs

My husband retreated to his laptop.  I remained with the children and tried to explain food chains and survival of the fittest, etc., while Hayley sobbed about the "terrible turtle".  Then I saw him...the tadpole with legs.  How could he?!  I thought.  The tadpole with legs?!  What was my husband thinking?!  Incredulity gave way to resolve.  The tadpoles MUST be saved!  Out came the rescue net, and I am pleased to report that, after a brief "water rodeo", all of the tadpoles were saved...well...all except that one...