Timeline of a storm (with dogs)

3:34 a.m. – Thunder and lightening begin; dogs wake up, begin running in and out of the house via doggy door. Jim and I wake up from the combination of noises.

3:48 a.m. – It starts pouring; dogs are completely enthralled and insist on running outside into the mud and then conveniently track it all over the carpet.

3:53 a.m. – Jim loses virtual coin toss (because he’s the boy) and has to get out of bed, bring the dogs inside and clean the mud off their paws.

4 a.m. to 4:56 a.m. – Dogs run around the house hyper as can be and yipping, annoyed that they can no longer play outside.

5:37 a.m. – Storm subsides, dogs finally pass out.

6:22 a.m. – Both dogs wake up and insist on going back outside and I let them. This was a psych out; I was convinced they had to go to the bathroom, they knew this, and played it up so they could go play in the puddles. I have given up on getting any more sleep at this point as alarm is set to go off at 6:35.

6:46 a.m. – I go outside and play in the mud with both of them, getting completely filthy but loving it. Bruno stuck his entire head into a deep mud puddle and then rolled around in the grass, spreading it all over himself. Molly laid down in the doggy pool (full of rain water) and was soaked from head to toe.

Needless to say, both of them will be outdoors all day and will need baths before bed.