This week has not been without it’s challenges.  It started out lovely with the 3 day weekend which included an overnight trip to Carmel and a toddler sleepover.  However, come Tuesday night, all hell broke loose.

I was trying to keep up my meal planning and was hard at work cooking salmon and salad.  My toddler was running around and playing as normal.  After I cooked dinner, I decided that SJ and I were going to sit down at the table and have a civilized dinner unlike what we usually do (eat standing, in front of the TV, or while running around like a banshee).  SJ was being quite good and I was pleased at my mothering skills.  No biggie I just came home from work, whipped up this fabulous dinner, and now me and my well behaved toddler are sitting at the table having a lovely conversation while we eat our veggies.  Yep, spoke too soon.  I get up to go get SJ his water that I assume he left on the floor in the living room when I saw a horrific scene.

Our guinea pig cage was knocked over onto the living room carpet, completely in pieces, with no sign of guinea and a toddler shoe in the middle of the shambled cage.  There was poop, hay, food EVERYWHERE.  The only thing I could muster was repeatedly saying, “oh no, OH NO, OOOHHH NOOOOO”.  SJ came running over and stood at the foot of entrance with an “oh shit I forgot I did that” look on his face.

Meanwhile, one of our dogs who is not friendly at all was chasing the guinea pig around and I couldn’t get him to stop.  The only thing I could do at that point was cry.  I stood behind our TV stand and just cried.  SJ came over, touched my arm with complete innocence and compassion in his eyes and signaled for me to pick him up with both hands in the air.  He gave me a huge hug and a kiss and I was filled with the magic that children possess.  How do they know?   The fact that children know when to be calm and when to offer love and support just completely puts me at awe.  They are so innocent and loving and it is just hands down the ultimate reason as to why we reproduce.  Their hearts are so full of love because that is all they know.

Once I got the crazy dog out of the living room, I noticed large clumps of hair and blood stains on the carpet.  The guinea pig was huddled under the dog stairs we have scared shitless.  That damn dog attacked him.

I called my husband hysterical and he came home and cleaned up the mess and examined the guinea pig.  He is okay but I don’t know that he will ever forgive us.  So now we are trying to figure out what to do with the vicious dog, as this is not the first time he has attacked.  He bites me and my husband all the time and he has even bitten SJ a couple times.  It is an incredibly hard position to be in, since we are so passionate about giving homeless pets a home (hence how at one point we had 4 dogs and now have 3 + said guinea pig).

I guess at the end of the day it was just another case of me taking on a little too much.  I try so hard to come home and then pick up the role of the perfect housewife and mother and it is just HARD.  It is hard to do it all and I don’t think humans are designed to do it.

Needless to say, last night we ditched the meal plan and got Panda Express instead.  I am not giving up on it, I am just recognizing when it is okay to stray from the plan and take a break.

At any rate, here is what the plan for this week was.

Sunday: This was when we had the toddler sleep over.  Our single dad friend came over with his twins and we ordered pizza.

Monday: Chili

Tuesday: Salmon (baked with olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika)

Wednesday: Planned: Turkey Taco Salad Actual: Take out

* Turkey Taco Salad is one of my top 3 recipes. Super easy, quick, and delicious

Thursday: Baked Chicken with potatoes and veggies (recipe coming soon)

Friday: Night off or my hubs might BBQ steaks.