Our last pet.

There are just so many SO SO MANY reasons that we should not have pets at this house.  You would think that we would learn (well that Steve would learn... I know) but somehow we keep collecting these things.  I think and hope that this crazy turtle will be our last pet ever!

The story of our TURTLE. (so far)

12 days ago we finally received our turtle named Turtle.  The kids were so excited.  Mom was releived because he actually looked pretty easy, and Dad was of course as happy as the kids.  We brought him home in a shoebox.  He wasn't barking, pooping, or escaping, so all was well.  We get him home and make him a home.  I thought it was a nice home and that he would be really happy there.  I thought wrong.

The kids played with him all of the time.  He is a FAST moving turtle so you really have to keep your eye on him.  When I thought turtle I thought slow, and maybe even pretty dumb.  Apparently after the events of the last 10 days, I am the only slow and dumb thing around this place.

Day 5, I ask Carson to let the turtle run around and exercise (OK, so that sounds weird, but to me it made sense!).  He follows him around and then gets a little side tracked.  Maybe 10 minutes later I ask where the turtle is.  "UMMMMMM, I don't know?" was the response I heard but had hoped not to hear.

I freaked.  As bad as I hate these stupid pets, I end up being a little attached.  Besides, how on earth do you lose a turtle in 5 days?  I get all of the kids and we go on a massive turtle hunt.  One hour (YES ONE HOUR!) later we find the turtle in the neighbors yard, and he was actually pretty far into their yard.  He found the one hole in the fence that leads to their yard and bolted.  Kenna grabbed the turtle and jumped on her bike and brought him home.  I adjusted his cage a little to try to make him more comfortable so that he would like it here.  Everyone thought I made it look bad, but whatever!  It had a lot of shade and protection from the rain.

On day 6 his name was changed to San Diego by Coren.  He named him this because the turtle likes sand.  Makenna and Carson agreed that this was a good name because they couldn't tell if the turtle was a boy of girl.  This way it is either Sandy or Diego.  We wouldn't want our turtle to have a complex, now would we?  KIDS!

Day 7 we leave for Boise and leave DAD in charge of the turtle.  Was this too much to ask... Apparently it WAS!

Day 8 Dad calls Mom.  "The turtle is MIA, it escaped its cage.  I have looked everywhere, and I will keep looking." 

On day 10 we arrive home from our trip to a very happy Dad who says, "I found the turtle 5 minutes ago.  It was in Tim's yard (Our OTHER neighbor)."  The kids are happy and go about their day.

Let me just also mention that this turtle has been dropped several times, it bit the neighbor girl and just hung on her finger until it finally fell off from her shaking it like crazy, and it seriously spends its whole day trying to escape.  So, we are now getting chicken wire and making it a huge home in the flower bed.  I hope he/she is happy!

The moral of the story is this:  Don't judge a turtle by its shell.  Turtles are not slow, and not dumb.  

Note to self: NO MORE PETS... EVER!