Change of plans

Right about now, I should be posting beautiful photos of the Rose Parade floats from the after-parade viewing...but I'm not. We missed it this year. The day began by waking at 3 am with a congested toddler. After going to bed an hour later, I awoke at 6 am with a fever of 101 myself, again for day 2 :( We all had that stomach-flu thing just before Christmas, then we were well for a couple days, then this nasty cold/flu that we all have. E3 is currently on antibiotics, and eye drops since the infection spread to his eyes... spent 3 hours at urgent care on Sunday, yuk.
Chocolate Chip the hamster was very sick this morning too, we brought him to the vet, but he didn't recover. He is now buried next to Snowflake. Three pets have passed away since Stuntman left, and he never even met two of them :(
We are done with hamsters.
The girls were not surprised, a little sad, but not surprised, when Chocolate Chip died. They realize that hamsters don't live long. We thought about adopting a cat, but we don't think Sparky or Roxie would like that much. They've never met a cat face to face, and at their ages, I don't think it's a good time to start. The only cat they know is the neighbors... the one that sits just out of their reach on the other side of the fence and cleans itself, stretches and ignores the dogs as they bark frantically at it...evil cat. We're keeping our eyes open for a young, small dog to add to our family.
I think the schedule that I was keeping finally caught up with me. I rarely get sick, but the last few months, I have caught everything that the kids have brought home.
I don't usually do New Year's resolutions, but this year I resolve to get more sleep. It's taking a toll on my body... I need more that 5 hours a night. I'm not sure how I will be able to do my job, take care of the kiddos and the house, but I'll figure out something.

He has no idea how lucky he is

Chocolate Chip, the hamster, is staying in my office for a few weeks.
My mother is visiting from Minnesota and sleeping in the girl's room. Hamsters are nocturnal... Grandma is not... so therefore, Chocolate Chip has a new temporary home. His cage is placed inside a baby playpen... I have no shelf or table space available in my office, it's a bit of a mess... I'm sure a fire marshall would have me fined, or arrested.
Sparky stepped into my office tonight and began sniffing and trying to reach under the playpen. Then I see a flash of black and white on the floor. I fly out of my chair, grab Sparky, and drag her out of my office.
Little Chocolate Chip is sitting there , out in the open, looking at me.
That hamster really has no survival instinct, but he is soooo lucky.

SuperHamster

The girls, E1+ E2, brought Snowflake to the hamster races at the local Petco. Snowflake won all three of her races and was champion! With this honor the girls won a $10 Petco gift card which we immediately used for purple hamster bedding. Snowflake doesn't have plain old beige woodchips at the bottom of her cage. She currently has pink bedding and when that bag is finished , it'll be replaced with purple. The races weren't even close. As other hamsters were at a standstill or slowly moving backward, Snowflake was cruising! What a hamster!

Snowflake

The girls brought home a hamster today! I have to say, it is very cute. They named her Snowflake. The first one they chose looked a little sick, and not wanting the drama that a sick hamster would bring, we chose a different one. Or could I say she chose us. It was the only one the associate at Petco could catch. He was awfully afraid of hamsters to be working at Petco.
What an energetic little thing. She had chewed through the cardboard box before we reached home.

I hope the dogs never come face-to-face with Snowflake. Not sure if they would be friends.