January 7

That dog has got to go!!!! What happened to the, "Don't spank her, she's just a puppy!" from three weeks ago, you ask? I'll tell you what happened. Three weeks ago I didn't lose my lunch (or my temper) when she pooped on my rug. But today, today was a different story. We have been trying to kennel train her, and she does well usually. We have only had about one accident a day on most days. I have wood floors in my entire house, except for two rugs in the living areas. Usually, when she has an accident, we clean it up, disinfect, and remind ourselves that she's just a puppy, and a pretty small one at that. But today, when Caleb stepped in her poop (on my rug again! GRRRR!!!), after walking all the way across my (almost) freshly mopped floor, meanwhile smearing smelly poop everywhere, and grabbed my kitchen towel, I lost it! Forget on the verge, today I have been pushed right over that proverbial cliff! And I am screaming the whole way down! And obnoxiously gagging. Repeatedly. I asked him what he was doing and he nonchalantly said, "I got poop on my foot". Like no big deal. He could handle it -- he was just cleaning it off with my dish towel. Seriously? Seriously? You have got to be kidding me! I have like 19 containers of baby wipes, one on nearly every surface in my house and this boy walks all the way to the kitchen dragging his poopy foot and gets my kitchen towel. I tried to take a deep breath and remember that this is only a six year old boy, but then the smell coming into my lungs was so toxic that I literally didn't care how old he was, or what he was doing. I guess I'll have to add that to the list of things I need to apologize for today. No, I am not done yet. This made up a large part of our day. So then poor little Claire comes walking up. Smiling, of course with her beautiful baby blues. She has poop on the top of her hand, on her fingers, on her pajamas, on her leg, and by the time I got it off her body, it had made its way to her belly and the back of her head. So as I continue violently (okay, dramatically) gagging, like my kids do when I spray ACV in their mouth for backtalking, I tell Kalyn to call her dad and tell him to put an ad in the paper. Puppy for sale. So, I put the dog back into her kennel, give the babies a bath, send all of the kids upstairs and mop the floor again, and clean no less than nine spots on my rug with lysol with bleach. Fun times I tell you. Really, what was I thinking? I am so NOT an animal lover. I have five kids under the age of 8. I homeschool. I help run my husband's business. Did I think I'd ever not have enough to do already? She is cute though. Especially when she chases the leaves blowing in the wind. See? Don't you agree?