Everyone loves Chippy. But Cole has an agenda.
The reason he's feeding Chip in this shot is because he wants a lizard of some sort. I'm really a bit hazy on it, because every time he mentions the word "newt" or "iguana" my thoughts completely glaze over with the knowledge that I'm going to have to break his little heart eventually. Why? Ain't no lizard gonna be livin' in my house. Not happening. (I hope Coley doesn't decide that today, of all days, is the day he's going to start reading Mom's blog. And Aidan, don't you tell him I have no plans to ever get him a lizard! Remember, your birthday is tomorrow….right? That's what I thought.)
So he's been trying to prove that he can care for a pet. Ergo, the reason he is feeding Chip. That effort lasted two days. If it were up to Coleman, Chippy would be starving right now. And here's the fact: if he can't spend three-and-a-half minutes giving Chip her tasty morsels of deliciousness, he's not going to handle a lizard living in his room.
IN OTHER NEWS:
1. Thanks, Max. For cutting my hair, removing the mullet tails and restoring my inner peace.
2. Day three of sugar detox and I'm fairly certain I would sell one of my children for a little can of full strength Sprite.
3. I am reading the newest CK idea book, Computer Tricks for Scrapbooking, and I gotta say, good book. Great stuff by Jessica Sprague and many other talented scrapbookers who make me want to embrace the hybrid girl in my soul. Serious. It's good stuff, man.
4. Did I mention I got my hair cut?
Patti says
the HAIRS look adorable as usual which of course sends me into my tailspin of “I wish I could wear my hair short”…so, when are you coming to play at our playground Miss Cathy??
Jen says
how is it that you have gained this ‘supposed’ weight, yet none of it shows in your tiny little face and SINGLE chin?!?!!? So not far…really I can’t stand women like you who can still take pictures from the chest up and look amazing. I gain 2 meesly lbs and it looks like i’ve stuffed my cheeks and neck with peanut m&m’s…oh wait…I probably did…
still lookin good sister…
Jennifer says
Love, love, love your hair.
The sugar thing will get better, but in the mean time, I’m feeling your pain. Been there, done that. It ain’t fun.
Laura Reaux says
“…I’m fairly certain I would sell one of my children for a little can of full strength Sprite.”
Hahahahaha!
Your hair looks great. 😉
Maria says
I have so been there. The sugar issue. I had to give it up last Fall because of a “pre-diabetes” diagnosis. I figured, for me, not doing something about it, would have been, oh let’s just say irresponsible. So I did. I gave up sugar. And pastas. And white bread. It has been hard. Specially at the beginning. I was so Starbucks addicted. Not so much the coffee as the sugar in those lattes. White chocolate mocchas to be exact. Those venti type that carry within them about 800 calories per drink. I can say it’s gotten a bit better. I don’t crave sugar as much any more. And note when I say “as much.” I guess the crave will always exist. But as long as I realize that a healthy life is much more important than the brief moment of happiness you can get with a little sugar high, then it will all be okay. Good luck to you too. We need good luck on this one. As well as good bives. Good thoughts. You know, anything that can help us beat that sugar monster crave, LOL!
robin says
well cathy ….you look so cool. Max did a great job. Looks great!!
susan opel says
Lookin’ pretty snazzy, you lizard-hater! 😉
annie says
I have to second Jen that you still have a gorgeous cheek-boned face is spite (or should I say sprite?) of the supposed weight gain. And your arms too? Willowy looking. Not fair :). Hair looks great!
Jen Donnelly says
I was just going to say that the “five” “extra” “pounds” you claim to be suffering from work in your favor- you look even younger than usual in that little B&W you posted. We should all be so lucky, my five (times three) extra pounds just make me look and feel dumpy and old.
So, if nothing else, you are hiding it well. And that’s worth a lot right there, you know?
nicola says
love this pic
you and Dan sure breed cute kids (Cole I mean, ya don’t get credit for Chip!)
Rhonda says
Your hair looks great! Dude, I had no idea that your had your blog up again and for 3 months? Where have I been?
Tina says
Love the hair…been trying to convince DH that since he doesn’t play with mine, neither should I have to…
On the subject of lizards…due to the fact that A) we have four boys and B) DH has adamently refused to get DS#2 a snake (although I think HE is caving…I am not!) we have anoles. Not too bad for lizards and it is REALLY cool to watch them eat, which I honestly think is why these are still alive…this DS is almost 8 and he is taking excellenct care of them. Just thought you should know 😉
Linda says
now THAT is one CUTE haircut – I got the mother of all butcherings a week and a half ago…I STILL look like I just signed up for the Army with a High and Tight. it’s PATHETIC…I’ve been wearing a hat every day. I can’t find anything CUTE, though….
kelli says
I’m with you on the lizard. My son says he’s going to get a tarantula someday and he’s going to carry it in his pocket. There’s no way a giant spider will ever come in my house.
I love your hair too.
And I think you are teasing us with the comments about the new book! I can’t wait. I keep looking for it even though I know it won’t be at the store for awhile. Wishful thinking.
Ashley Schultz says
Your hair looks great Cathy. I find myself smiling as I read your blog – you’re a great writer. Thanks for sharing your life with us.
suetreiber says
I don’t think it would take me three days to get that far. If I lasted a day it would be a miracle.
suggestion- totally up to you whether or not you are up for it- hermit crabs are fun and a low maintence pet. They only need heat, humidity, & a little food every now & again. My kids love them.
Jody Ferlaak says
Funny. I would think Cole would just be happy to have you as his mom…who needs a lizard?! He’s got Green Day and adorable felted bags to keep him happy. =) Happy early birthday to Aiden. I hope she wasn’t secretly wishing for a lizard too. I don’t care what anybody says, and the fact that it really shouldn’t…but the truth is ‘Hair matters much of the time’. =)
Maegan says
Your hair looks awesome. Great cut.
As for the sugar detox, it really does get better. Give it about a week and you will be fine. I am totally OK without sugar until I have some. It may as well be crack. Stay strong!!!
suzanne says
I could give up sugar for a YEAR before I could give up salt for a week. Sad, I know.
With the sugar detox, PURE cranberry juice diluted 4:1 with water and use Stevia. It totally helps meet the sweet need.
Salt…there is no substitute for.
Love the hair.
You ALWAYS have great hair.
kim in Camas - ScrapToMyLu says
Hair cut looks great! Wish I had the guts to cut mine off……or I wish I had cheek bones to support such a cut.
I just told my son he could have a hampster IF he cleaned the litter box for 2 months…..he thinks it’s going to be easy. he he he
Heidi says
LOL – Totally with you on the lizard thing. Plus, if Mom’s never said, “not in my house, but when you move out, go ahead’, what incentive would they have to *ever* move out? I love my kids, but really don’t plan on doing thier laundry forever! Right?
BTW, love your blog and your work – thanks!
Susan says
Earlier this month I was surprised to notice that you share your birthday with my son (who thinks his birthday was the worst ever since he didn’t pass his driver’s license road test that day). Now I see that your daughter and I share a birthday too. If only these coincidences would include that I could carry off that super short hair cut as well as you do. Enjoy Aidan’s birthday and don’t back down on the pet lizard…3 cats and 1 dog later my (now 17 year old) son still has to be threatened/bribed to help with pet care.
Kass says
oh I did the sugar detox last year – I quit drinking Coke (I drink the sugar free now) and I have total respect for addicts of any kind who go cold turkey. It’s hard work and I swear I was a total MESS. It gets better – takes about a week I think. The key is to stay off the sugar – try to minimise it. You’ll be OK. I am giving you the thumbs up from here in Melbourne.
Kimberly L.C. says
Yeah… not having a lizard/snake/spider in my house ever. Sorry. No can do. If they want a dog, fine. I’m with ya sister.
Love the haircut and hate you just a bit for not having a double chin, despite the “supposed” weight gain.
Good luck on the detox. I’m off caffeine and fast food now… so I feel your apin. Geez it’s hard!
Paula says
C’mon live a little – my 11yo daughter has saved and saved to get her dream pet. Cuddles the baby python came to live a couple of weeks ago. I was like you at first and said there was no way I’d have a snake in my house – but he’s the cutest little thing (well he is at the moment because he’s still so small LOL). My DD walks around the house with him wrapped around her wrist like he’s not even there – too cute. There are a couple of photos of him on my blog – go on have a peek LOL
Melissa S-E says
My daughter has a leopard gecko. Not too bad. Crickets once every 2wks… done. 🙂
Susan Wesely says
I am LOVIN’ your hair! I could never do that with my crazy curly hair. And the glasses complete the look. So stylin!
I didn’t know that you were cutting out sugar. (I may have missed that post) I am on day 8 of trying to cut out the sugar. It’s hard! And those damn girl scouts on every corner is not helping the matter at all! I have a left over box of Thin Mints in the freezer from before my no sugar diet. Sometimes I treat myself to one a day. Better than my old habit of one sleeve a night. But still, not cool when I am trying to eliminate it entirely from my life. I did fall off the wagon on day 3 and ate about a dozen of those suckers. I was on such a sugar rush I was practically running laps in my house. Please keep us posted on your efforts because I could use the support right now.
~M~ says
Your hair looks great!
My best friend has had an iguana for over 10 years. She found it wandering as a baby in the oak svannah nature center where she was an educator. Well now… an iguana cannot survive in an oak savannah! No idea how it got there either. So she took it home. It was small and bright green and quick then. I nominally named it “Penelope” but usually we just call it “Iguana.” We are surprised it still lives but I guess she takes good care of it. She bought it a big glass front cage and she feeds it fresh dark greens like kale and occassionally…strawberries.
And then she took her kids to Italy for 3 weeks last summer to visit the husband’s family. Apparently in the mountains live all sorts of little lizards in the wild. Very cute and little. They came home and the kids…wanted some lizards. Small ones they could take out and share with their friends. So. Guess who runs to the pet store every week and buys live crickets for them? Yep. But these lizards live in The Boy’s room and HE has to do everything else for it.
Oh and since I’ve known her she has also had…
– a pure bred beagle, found wandering lost in the street… and pregnant! with pure bred puppies! Still there, named Bailey
– then the 6 puppies a month later [all given to good homes now]
– an arctic fox named Bork, she saved from a fur farm [SMELLY!!! *retch*] [she died, sadly]
– a bunny her sister didn’t want any more [died of old age]
– a chinchilla named Chelsea her high school pal gave her as a bday gift [died of old age]
– 3-4 cats, all ferals she cared for that became tamed housecats [all have since passed on of old age; she has 1 left, Sammie]
– said iguana
– and lizards
– several fish
– took in the finches her dad kept after dad passed away
– darn finches had babies! [sadly the current cat got the babies one day last month… darn cat]
– a ferret named Louisa [had to find a new home when The Boy was very young]
– an injured squirrel — named Amber — found in the street and nursed back to health by The Girl
– an injured wild bird – named Grackle – found out of its nest, nursed to adulthood, taught to find food and then released back to the wild
Probably forgotten some…. hmmmm …
There’s a reason I used to call her The Poo Queen of Chicago. Between these animals and the baby diapers…wowzers. Lotta poo.
Rose says
Ok Sugar and Nicotine. Lord have mercy you are a strong woman.
Ok not for me, I am still wanting to bang my head on the wall and scream WHEN will I stop wanting a smoke?
I think I will just keep the sugar for now.
YOU go, so totally in awe of you.
Savannah Brentnall says
The sugar thing is hard, I know. I’m at the end of my yearly month-long sugar detox now. The secrets for me are Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s sugar-free lattes, and Xylitol. The latter is a plant-based sugar substitute that you can buy at health stores or online. It tastes exactly like sugar, and can be used as a one-to-one substitute in baking, etc. It doesn’t have the nasty aftertaste of stevia, nor the side-effects of splenda/sucralose. I was turned onto it by a chef/registered nutritionist who uses only organic, natural ingredients. It’s a life-saver!
Dorien says
Yeah, my boy wanted a lizard too, already picked one at the pet store, but no way I am going to feed life crickets and other insects. Not that I am scared of them, but hey, I had visions of al kinds of bugs on the loose in the room! (yeah mom, I’ll have it in my room and feed it every day…………….) I asked the sales guy if he had one of the same sort that was vegetarian, and I got the blank stare.
Instead we got a rat, just the cutest one ever, 7 weeks old, his home was my office and he had free roam of it (and we even potty trained it) Loved our little Hendrik, and after a while we got another one named Frederik. Hendrik died on Halloween two years ago, two months shy of 5 years (at a very old rat age) Frederik was old and lonely and died a month later. Now we own a parakeet, I am still missing the rats.
Maybe some day we will get another one.
Rose says
Hello Cathy, I don’t really know you, but I bought your Clean and Simple book and became so inspired. It has changed the way I scrapbook (for the better!). I got hooked on reading your blog until one day, to my disappointment, it was non-existent. I’m so glad that it’s back. I find it very entertaining – specially in between breaks where I work at the hospital. I do have one question…I too have a Mac but I don’t know how to change the font color when I write my blog – how do you do it? Thanks!
Tschoe says
ahhh sugar… isn’t that like the air we breathe ?
I had been trying to kick it, i was a diehard Altoid junkie… two tins a day sometimes.. loved the sensation of chewing them and ahhh peppermint! ok gotta stop because I don’t have any inthe house and its PMS week!!!! Where are my car keys ?
I lived thru twin boys.. no snakes, lizards, spiders and frogs … nope none.. get a cat .. their a good excuse because if they get out.. hmmm dinner anyone?
Cathy love the hair and what weight?
I love your blog , it brings a smile to my face everyday you have a new post!
wendy treseder says
Cute dog.
Cute boy.
Cute hair.
🙂
Tracy says
good luck with the sugar thing.
btw, did you know some lizards live a very long time? a very long, long time. check first!
Shannon says
I’m going in for a hair cut today. Isn’t it amazing how having the hair shaved off the back of your neck can make you feel like a woman again?!:)
Michelle says
Oooohhh… Love your haircut! Looking good Cathy!
So.. does that mean you can’t have Tim Tams right now???
Jen says
You are just so cute. Really.
wendy says
i have a lizard….well, my 11 year old does. it’s actually a very low maintenance pet. he hibernates 5 months out of the year. the other 7 you actually have to feed him live crickets however.
there’s always a trade off isn’t there?
good luck on sugar detox. it sucks. been there done that. of course, not now….now i’m going to dairy queen. i’ll think of you.
maryjo says
hair looks great, girlfriend!
love it.
btw, i wouldn’t want a lizard or anything of the sort living in my house either.
my son is only 5, but i know it’s coming….
thanks for always making me smile.
maryjo