Friday, October 3, 2008

PSF- The Pet Surprise

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek


A few days ago I took the boys to the pet store. I wasn't planning on buying anything. Just trying to waste some time while we were having our open house. It is always fun to look at cute, cuddly, little animals so I thought it would be a good idea.

Maybe not so much. The boys wanted one of everything that they saw. The mice, the gerbils, the guinea pigs, the rabbit, the frogs, the birds, and the fish all seemed like perfect pets to them. They begged and pleaded with me, told me how fun it would be, and promised they would take good care of their pets. Being an animal lover myself it is always hard to say no and walk out of the pet store empty handed. The baby guinea pigs were so cute I almost gave in. But seeing how we are in the middle of trying to sell our home I was able to stand my ground. Until yesterday.

When the boys woke up from their nap they had a surprise waiting for them. Not only had grandma stopped in for a visit, but she had brought a little gift for them as well. I may have let it slip to grandma how much the boys wanted little critters to take care of and she just couldn't disappoint. Grandma had brought each of the boys their very own little mouse. And I must admit they were adorable. And the boys were beyond thrilled.
To be honest I was thrilled too. I used to have tons of little critters growing up. I had mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds, dogs, cats, ducks, chickens (and we lived in the city!), turtles, frogs and fish, and I loved every minute of it. So, I was pretty happy for my little guys and their mice. Especially since the mice were fake. That part made me really happy. The mice were actually just little cat toys, but they looked very real. Grandma is a smart lady who knows how to please both the boys and me at the same time.

The boys squealed and jumped up and down, clutching their new pets in their sweaty little mitts, and thanked grandma at least a zillion times. Those little mice managed to keep the boys busy the rest of the evening. The boys zoomed them in their trucks. They carried them in their pockets. They even read them books.

And right before bed the boys and I took stacking cups and cotton and made cozy little beds for their mice so they would be warm and snuggly all night long. We piled on "the big bed", stacking cups in hand, and read Halloween books with the mice safely tucked into their new homes.
It was a great night.

50 comments:

Debbie in CA : ) said...

GREAT story! Adorable pictures! Clever Grandma. ; )

Win-win-win!

I just love happy endings. (*sniff*sniff*)

tiarastantrums said...

love the story - you are so brave to let those little mice in your house!!

imbeingheldhostage said...

Aren't they adorable!! I want me some of those kind of pets. I really thought you had lost your mind, you had me going. :-)

Corey~living and loving said...

This really made me smile. :) My daughter has several cat toy mice. soooooooooo fun! Love the pics!
Happy PSF!

Cecily R said...

Grandma is BRILLIANT! Those little critters are the perfect pets! I love it!

And the look on their faces in that last picture is pure joy!

Rachel said...

That is adorable! I'm so glad you said they were fake, though -- mice give me the heebie jeebies!!!

My PSF is finally up!

Anonymous said...

I was flipping out until you said fake. I couldn't imagine you being okay with real mice running around with three little men.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

okay, you had me totally going. That last picture still has smiling! You got the best pet of all! I must say Grandmas is a GENIUS Kat!

Weeksie50 said...

Your little guys are so stinkin' adorable..

Bren said...

Oh my, those look so real! Grandma is one smart lady. Your boys are just the cutest! Joey's smile in that last shot has me grinning!

Lindsay said...

oh that's too cute! and what a brilliant/wonderful grandma!! Your middle boy looks scared...what did you do to him?! LOL.

AutoSysGene said...

Oh, sounds like grandma is a genius! I love their little homes!

Unknown said...

OMG! Aren't they too cute!! The mice AND the boys!

Anonymous said...

One brilliant grandma + 3 perfectly adorable boys (those eyes!!!) = very happy mama. Glad for you!

Amy said...

Good luck girl! Obviously after my week's adventures, I am over the whole rodent thing right now ;-)

dawn klinge said...

Awww...what a great Grandma!

Kristen said...

Half way throught the story I was like "is she nuts"??? Selling a house and 3 new mice!!

But, what a perfect ending! And yes, what a smart Mama you have there!

Just think, in your new home, there will be so much room for you all, that you could probably have chickens too! :) hee, hee!!

Happy weekend friend!

Robyn said...

Your kiddos are the cutest! I love the fake mice that is great.

Scrappy said...

That is one smart grandma!
So cute. I love the little beds. :)

Kelly said...

That is just too adorable!! What a great idea!

Karen Deborah said...

You really got me. I was thinking she doesn't want to move if she's getting pet mice! And then wowzers, FAKE and so cute! We had a pet rat once Liza Jane Ratigan. She was dometically bred and very tame her favorite foods were pancakes with syrup and bananas. We know because she would stick her hands out of the cage like a little begger to ask for bites. Animals are amazing. Stuffed animals are no work, PURFECT!

Mom24 said...

Very, very cute. Unfortunately, I don't think I could go there. We've had too many of the unwanted variety while we've lived here. lol.

OHmommy said...

That grandma is one smart woman. So cute!

theflyingmum said...

How stinkin' cute is that?! Grandma = GENIUS!!

Anonymous said...

What an awesome idea. That is definitely the best kind of pet. Way to go G'ma!

Cyndi said...

I love those kinds of pets! Very little upkeep. And, won't scare off prospective home buyers!

Chris said...

That shot of the mice houses is great.
So are fake mice.

Molly's Mom said...

Excellent idea, grandma! And cute pictures, mom!

Mary Beth said...

That is one seriously awesome grandma! I love the idea of fake mice:D

Blessings From Above said...

Those are adorable...and I totally would have thought they were real!

CC said...

Now THOSE are my kinda pets!!! Unfortunately, I think I have more of the real NOT PET ones in my house again....

Anonymous said...

wait a minute.

hold on...

let me go back and reread this.



OKAY..

so THEY'RE REAL?!?!?

kewl. my boys would LOVE this.

Kat said...

Lindsay- He does look scared, doesn't he? He was just trying to be extra cautious with his lil mouse so he was concentrating. ;)

Amy- I was actually thinking about you when I was contemplating getting a hamster the other day. hehe

Candy- Nope! They are FAKE! Aren't they cute?
I'm sure we'll get some little critters eventually, but not when we are trying to sell our house. :)

CissaLynn said...

Awwww! Absolutely priceless!!! I LOOOOVE it!!!!!!!! :) You are sooooo funny 'cause I thought they were real, too, until you said "fake." lol!!! :) What an awesome present from grandma!!!! :)))
Btw, your pic of the boys was adorable!!!!

JEWELGIRL said...

vERY CUTE pET iDEA WITH OUT THE
MESS!!!!!!!

Kelley said...

Hmm, I could probably handle that kind of pet even though I HATE mice with a passion (we built a house a few years ago, and had a HORRIBLE mouse problem for a few months. Still gives me the willies to think about it. *shiver*)

lime said...

wow, we got mice for my daughter when she was about 5 but i don't think i would have been brave enough to let her carry them around in a cup like that.

they look so happy though.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

The best kind of pets! So cute.
You had me going I thought for sure they had live mice!

Anonymous said...

How cool that your parents let you have all kinds of pets - I'm still processing the idea of ducks hanging out in the city :) - and how perfect of grandma to come to the rescue all around on this one. Win and win and done. Grandmas rock!

And they are so cute. Your boys and the mousies. :)

painted maypole said...

cute!

Hilary said...

That's truly adorable but nothing beats the grin on that first kidlet's face. And go Grandma!

Wendy said...

Well, if that's how they wanted to play with them, it's probably a good thing they weren't real! Smart especially since you're trying to sell your house. Some people get freaked out by mice, even pets in cages.

Anonymous said...

Aaawwwww I remember having mice and rabbits growing up. I want to get Meggers a mouse but I don't think Daddy would let me. Great idea to have grandma get it though..lol They're super cute! What did they name them?

Life in the Crazy Lane said...

Aack! We had gerbils when I was a kid, and they reproduced like crazy for years and years. You are one brave lady!

Life in the Crazy Lane said...

And then I read the part again that said they were fake. Ha ha!

EatPlayLove said...

my 5 year old wants a pet so desperately! Maybe I need to find a fake mouse. LOL.

Unknown said...

My boys would lose it (as in love it lose it!!) What a cute pic of them with their new furry friends!

Stephanie said...

That is one of the best compromises I have ever seen in relation to pets and kids! Great job!

ewe are here said...

I love the picture of the three of them holding their new little pets...

...although I have to admit that I'd kill anyone who bought pets for my kids without clearing it with me in advance.

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Wow! You are brave....there will be no mice in my house!

Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson