Sadly today everyone had to head home.
Dad, Anita & Grandma left first.
Then Luke & the girls headed out.
They had a 9 hr drive.
Which meant that we got to stay and play with Lyndsay & Baby K
And then still drive and get home before them!
Oh wait, Brooke's flight was at 1:30am!!
So technically she left first...if that's even considered "today".
So Lyndsay & Kyrrigan came over to the hotel
and played while we loaded up.
Then we went back to her house for lunch.
And to get the turtle ready for his move to Arizona!
Yes I said that correctly.
Me, who doesn't do pets,
Just took on a pet turtle.
And truth be told.
I was supposed to bring him home 2 wks ago.
But I'm an awesome pet owner and it slipped my mind.
We were 15 minutes down the road
and something was bothering me that I must have forgotten.
BINGO!
I hurried and texted Lyndsay
"OMG I'm a horrible pet owner already! I forgot the turtle!"
She texted right back
"Ya we already noticed"
Oops. Fail.
So there was NO way I was forgetting him this time!
I got the wrath from the kids (and sitter's kids) the 1st time.
So let me back up and give you some history about the dang turtle.
If you read my blog, you'll recall that Lynds found a turtle a couple yrs ago.
I thought it was creepy and the weirdest pet ever.
Until I saw how much my kids loved it!
And my opinion really changed when I found out how low maintenance they are.
And then I was sold when I found out they hibernate all winter.
YES!
That is a pet I can handle! lol
So I half jokingly/half seriously told Lynds that if they ever found another one that we wanted it!
C'mon what are the odds they'll find 2 turtles in their lifetime?!
Well about a month ago I get this picture text of a turtle
with the caption
"Look what Aaron just found!"
Oh no,
anxiety and excitement swept over me.
Do I really have to commit to a pet??!
I was hoping to start with an earthworm and then maybe move my way up!
So I showed the kids and they were ECSTATIC!
How could I say no?
So I told Lynds we definitely wanted it!
And that's how the Turtle came about.
So we all loaded up in the car
with the turtle box fairly and equally placed in the middle of the carseats.
Then we started our trek home!
Soon we were back at the Hoover Dam.
Exhilarating view from the road.
Before too long the kids crashed out.
I looked back and my heart panicked a bit.
Good thing we didn't bring a snapping turtle home.
Taylee would have definitely lost some digits!
Just as I ready to turn on some music to jam the remainder of the drive,
I heard rustling and clawing coming from the box.
I looked back and the dang turtle was standing there staring at me.
My skin crawled.
I had childhood nightmare flashes of creepy animals attacking me.
I hurried and reached back and salvaged Taylee's hand.
And tried to shake the box so he got back down on all fours.
Great timing No Name Turtle.
Wait until the kids fall asleep and I'm helpless
before you decide to make your escape and strangle me.
So while still manging not to panic and stay on the road,
I tilted my rear view mirror all the way down so I
would monitor the foreign object in the backseat.
Finally he relented and just hung out his "window".
Phew.
I won that battle!
But then he got bored with his view and started causing a ruckus again.
And then the scratching of the cardboard box woke up the kids.
Strike 2 Turtle Boy!
Good thing my kids aren't scared of animals at all.
Anden was still half asleep and just shoved him down back in the box.
Taylee popped open her eyes and immediately went into her motherly voice
"No no no baby turtle you can't stand up in the car"
I just started laughing.
So why am I creeped out with this thing if they aren't?!
We finally made it home with all fingers and toes attached.
The kids ran straight to the backyard to introduce Mr. No Name to his new kingdom.
The turtle immediately started chomping away at the grass.
Sweet, that cuts down on my new broccoli bill.
The kids wanted to play on the sandbox digger.
So I told them to keep an eye on the turtle
while I went and got the last suitcase from the car.
I was gone 3 mins.
I heard them giggling away through the screen door.
My heart swelled thinking ahhh they're actually playing nice together.
I came around the corner.
My jaw dropped.
Mom: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
(while analyzing the scene that Anden is the only one dry and clean!)
Anden: {innocently} "Taylee wanted me to do it."
Oddly, I believe him.
Anden didn't think it was so fun after all.
When Taylee playfully heaved a wad of wet sand in his face.
So I taught em the good ole fashioned way to clean off.
They got sprayed down with cold hose water.
And yes,
the turtle took advantage of their antics to escape.
We found him all the way across the yard.
His little legs were about to give out.
He's back "safe" with us now.
And yes,
Taylee's shirt is still soaking in bleach.
No comments:
Post a Comment