New Addition(s) to the Family

My kids and wife have been after me forever to get some sort of pet.  I have strong allergies to most dogs and cats as well as a strong distaste for sharing my house with them.  So we have had a lot of fish in the past few years.  But no matter what, my wife is always successful in somehow killing them.  LOL  It's quite funny and a running joke in our house about my wife and fish.  It's unintentional of course and she tries really hard.  So after many a fish being sent to a better place - we decided to take a break.

Well report cards came out a week or so ago and our two older kids (Boy 7, girl 5, girl 3) did really well so I promised them we would go out and celebrate.  So this past Friday night we went to Skyline for family night.  Kids eat free, they have games, and coloring contest.  And best of all, kids eat free.  For those that don't know, Skyline is from Cincinnati.  Cincy style chili, coney dogs, etc.  So the kids have fun and the "question" comes up.  "Daddy, can we get a pet?"  Ok, let's go see what we can find.

So we head across the street to PetSmart and start looking around.  More fish?  Nope.  That would be cruel.  Snakes?  Wife about rung my neck on the spot. :evilgrin:  Rats?  Oh no, my wife was about climbing the cart trying to get away from them and they were in cages.  LOL  So we finally get to the gerbils and I am checking them out.  And there is this little gray one that is just going nuts.  Running around, jumping, climbing, running in the wheel, and just having a blast.  It was actually entertaining.  So I bring the kids and wife over and they are checking them out.  Everyone is interested.  A very nice and helpful young lady answers all our questions and then asks if we want to see one.  So my wife spends 5 minutes trying to pick one up and hold it, but gives up.  These things are FAST!  So I grab one and am holding it, it is doing ok then jets for my sleave!  It got about half way up my arm and I caught it's long tail and slowy dragged it out (only after it pee'd on me).  Kids thought it was hilarious running up my sleave.  And I actually found it entertaining.  So we decided it was so much fun we need two!

So we ended up going home with Smoky (gray one) and Oreo (black one) and spent the entire weekend laughing and being entertained.  These guys (or gals) are big partiers and love the wheel.  Good thing we bought the silent one.  Also the ball you can put them in and run around the house in was hilarious!  Kids thought it was great.

So kids got their pet, all is well in the Stryker house, and dad is a hero.....for now.

P.S. As a consolation prize, I ran next door and bought Gwen Stefani's CD.   I love Gwen, but that's a blog for another day.