Bentley's First Christmas!

(WARNING: this post is completely ridiculous!)

Christmas 2010 was Bentley's first Christmas...let me enthral you all with his experiences (some good, some not so good!)

We arrived in Walnut Hill on Tuesday afternoon. He did excellent on the trip over and while I did a few errands in Pensacola...which might have included a two hour visit with old co-workers! Nevertheless, he did awesome! I finally arrived at my parents house and let the "bull out of the shoot." He absolutely LOVES being off his leash! He pranced around, marked his territory, and chased everything that moved!

Tuesday was by far our best day! Wednesday, he was ok...not the best behaved puppy, but he fared well. I spent all of Thursday afternoon baking and he never left my side. He can aggravate the mess out of me when he stays under my feet all day. However, we was the best vacuum I could have asked for that day. If I dropped something, he cleaned it up for me!

Moving on to Christmas Eve, Bentley decided to go on a little excursion. I was letting him run leash free because he was doing really good at listening. Apparently that all changed on Friday! We were out in the yard and he pranced a little ways down the driveway, looked back at me (I guess he was measuring his distance from me) and then just took off down the driveway! I was not prepared for a morning run...especially since I was in slip on shoes! I took off after the sweet little angel and when I rounded the curve in our drive he was no where to be seen. Well, it was going to end one of two ways and there was nothing I could do about it. I just so happened to turn and look over toward our neighbor's and there he was....sitting all nice and quiet between their house and the tree line. We had a nice "come to Jesus meeting" on our walk back to the house. He spent most of Christmas Eve in the pin...maybe next year he will understand the repercussions of being on the naughty list. I did let him out later on that day. I couldn't leave him locked up all day, I do have a heart, or as PKD so sweetly said to me "you do have a heart, it's not just a gizzard," plus I knew he still needed to run some energy off! However, things continued to spiral. My brother had just come in from feeding the cows and was giving me an update on Grace (my favorite cow; I will blog about her later on this week) when I asked "Is that cow shit on your pants?" Teasingly he called Bentley over to sniff it and of course he does! Although, he did not stop at sniffing, he decided it smelt so good that he needed to lick it too! Just FYI to anyone who is curious...dog breath that smells like cow shit is ten times worse than just regular dog breath. Denta Bones came into play on this incident.

Christmas Day was doozie...most of it is my fault. I will admit to my faults and take the blame when needed. I was the first one up on Christmas Day, not because I was ready to open presents (ok...maybe a little) but because cry baby was ready to go out. Maybe cry baby is a little harsh considering he is still a puppy. Regardless, I am the one who has him on a schedule. I like a little structure in my life and so by default he has structure in his. We went out in the blustery cold weather and by the time we came back in, daddy was up. Daddy and I drank our coffee, chit chatted and then I decided that Bentley needed to be a little festive since it was Christmas Day, so I proceeded to put a ribbon around his neck. That lasted all of about three minutes...just long enough for me to take a picture. To worsen this early morning activity, I decided he needed his picture made in front of the tree with the presents. Why, why, why do I do these things to myself? Of course, the picture shows a cute little puppy...the picture doesn't show the whole truth. Just remember that!!

My best friend, Courtney, was home for Christmas so I went to visit with her and her family on Saturday. I left him with mom and dad, but when I returned I knew it was bad when he was already put up. Apparently, he took a bathroom break in the living room floor. That of course did not go over well. Especially since I've been waiting on the whole Letter to Santa Scam of 1986 to take effect, when I asked for a puppy my dad will let me keep in the house in my letter to Santa. Santa was in no hurry to put a rush on getting my request granted. He and I haven't seen eye to eye since! Well, not only did he relieve himself, he also ran around the tree touching every ornament with his nose and he also decided to chew up my grandmother's gift. Not too bad...just needed a new wrapping job!


Then today happened. Sunday's for us was usually when all hell broke loose...or so it seemed. I remember years ago (I was 6 or 7) I had just learned what the word "piss" was and I decided to use it in a sentence...toward my mother...on I believe, a Sunday. I loved to dance in our living room and make up routines and I am sure she told me to stop dancing, turn off the music and get ready for church. This was when I used my new word...I boldly asked "Who pissed in your cornflakes?" I did not know the true extent of the words I had spoke...lets just say we all needed church that morning. Anyway, back to Bentley. He seemed to have picked up on our Sunday "no-no's." While I was getting ready for church, I heard my mother yelling...and she has been sick so I knew her yelling meant something bad! Come to find out, Bentley found a snag in the wall paper and decided to tear it off for her. I am sure he was just trying to help, but his helpful gesture was not viewed that way!

The question that remains is "Will we make it till Friday or will we be asked to leave sooner?"