Hello Monday... we meet again.

I am pretty sure there is no better way to start a Monday than getting an early morning text from your boss saying we are closed, so we aren't working! Not that I don't like my job, I actually really do. I work for someone I actually like (which is a big deal for my experiences here with people), the work itself is easy enough and I get to put a little of my OCD to work with the reorganizing we have been doing. Not to mention, I get to bring the kids with me when I need to. They get to just hang out and play while I work. But lets face it, no one likes ending a long weekend with having to get up on Monday and go to work, so it was pretty awesome. I actually thought I was dreaming when I woke up this morning about the message I had gotten from her, so I check again, haha. Now I'm just enjoying a cup of coffee while the kids play and make unnatural amounts of noise before we really kick off our day.

Christmas went well! The kids of course got spoiled rotten. Christmas brought something else though that I was not expecting. Two things actually. First off, Grace all of a sudden decided to start going on the potty. She went every time except during naps. It has continued since then too. As soon as she gets up in the morning she tells me 'I gotta potty mommy!' So we run to the potty and she goes. I don't want to get too excited about it, but I am very very hopeful that this time is THE time! The second thing is nothing short of a miracle. Most of you know about the troubles I have had with Harley and his screaming when I have him on the leash. When I say screaming... I mean just that. Here is a video from a couple months ago:



So as you can see, I'm not exaggerating. I had been at a loss for how to correct this. He acted like he had been beaten his whole life, which is not the case! I brought him home at 7 weeks from an amazing home that I know he was never abused or neglected. It was partially my fault because I didn't start leash training right away. Keep in mind though, he does the same kind of screaming even if he just thinks he is in trouble or is being forced to do something he does not want to do. 'Pain in the ass' does not even begin to cover it. Little by little I have worked with him, but I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere.

After the kids went to bed on Christmas day, I felt brave. I decided to take Harley for a walk. I was definitely prepared to have to come right back in when the screaming got too intense. When I got home outside, I leashed him and off we went.

No screaming.

Who is this dog?? Surely this can't be MY Harley! We went a few blocks and the whole time he was just excited and happy. A few times he would try to run ahead and the lead would whip him back when he got to the end, but he still did not scream, he just laid down on the ground and looked at me all confused. I thought maybe it was a fluke, so I took him again last night and this time we went even farther. It was no fluke. We had another amazing walk, probably almost a mile. I am floored. And extremely thankful. It is amazing how a simple, peaceful walk can be so amazing.