The Dog Days of Winter

The kids haven't had a full week of school since the middle of December. This winter has been a fun one all over the nation. From Facebook, though, I learned that there are schools that don't panic quite as much as the ones here do. It seems that despite the cold and snow, other kids get to attend school in winter rather than summer. Our kids, however, will be attending school half of June because they're stuck at home in January. And now February. Some of the days I concur were definite bad weather days. Like today. I wouldn't have felt comfortable with my kids on the bus with the roads as bad as they were. But the days they were home because it was cold? Seriously? Cold?! We have turned into wimps.

So today was yet another snow day.

Micah was in a particularly helpful mood today. He wanted to help with All The Things. I love that boy's enthusiasm and willingness to lend a hand. I only wish he'd be more competent. It's a shame, really. This morning he almost burned his hand trying to take a hot skillet to the sink after I made him an egg. I felt so bad for him. He just wanted to clean up.

And then a dog peed on the floor, so I was distracted with the clean up and letting out of the dogs and general frustration toward canines that hour. Micah decided to help, so he clipped a leash to a dog and led it around the house. Because that is one of the best punishments there is, apparently. When he let her go, I unclipped her leash and put it on Micah's shirt, just to be funny. (Hey, you've got to make your own entertainment when you're housebound for the 67th day in a row.) Micah thought this was hilarious, and insisted that one of the boys lead him around like a dog. We laughed, right up until he went to drink from the dog's water bowl.

We've had every kid go through a dog food eating stage, with the exception of Micah. Which is odd, really, since that boy eats everything. But not a single one has ever thought drinking from the dog's bowl would be a good idea. Micah didn't think twice about that, though. His tongue was millimeters away from lapping when Becky caught him and said, "Ugh! Not that!" So I had to get him his own bowl of water to drink from so that he could be a dog and lap water.

Clearly, the snow days are messing with us.

And then he poured out the rest of his water on the floor. I yelled at him like I yelled at the dog who peed earlier, and got yet another old towel to clean up the mess. Did he think he was making a mess like they did? Who knows! While I was mopping, Micah locked himself into a dog crate. I guess he put himself in time out for his bad behavior. The dogs were just as happy to be locked in with him, because we've all gone mad. It was Darla's crate, and she paced outside it until we let her in. That's what a good dog is, right there. When your best friend is in jail, you go sit with them.

Micah sat in the crate for quite a long time, pleased as punch with himself. I asked if he wanted out yet and he replied, "No!" Is it an acceptable time out location for future use? I mean, he put himself there voluntarily, so how bad would it be? Right?