Sunny Days

I still can't believe how warm it is today!  This weather has been weird, but quite lovely, so I'm not complaining.  😁

I would say the hamsters enjoyed the sunshine, but truthfully, they actually prefer the dark.  The only reason they were even awake was because I was cleaning out their cages.  They all seem to have accepted the routine of being woken up on Mondays for a cleaning, treats, and maybe some pictures.  😊

Tarmund's nails were getting stuck on this bed while he was trying to eat his treat.  I made sure to trim them after these pictures.  For all you non hamster owners out there, yes, you gotta trim their nails just like you would for cats and dogs.  I've definitely gotten better at it over the years, but it's still a struggle.  I haven't been able to train any of my hamsters yet the way I have trained my cats.  It is SO easy for me to trim the cats' nails thanks to repetition and treats.  In case you haven't figured it out yet, treats are the key to making ownership of any pet approximately 1 billion times easier.  Take the time to figure out what treats your pet likes!  😊

Fili and Kili are still my pickiest eaters, but they are learning to like more of the treats I offer them.  So far, they both still like walnuts the best.  😊

Wooden Box

I recently spent some time cleaning up and organizing one of the offices at my church and ended up coming home with this wooden box.  I'm not entirely sure what use it will serve me, but I'm happy to report that it has been approved by the hamsters.  😂

Laurelin is such a darling.  I love to spoil her!  ❤

Tarmund seems to be aging so much faster than Laurelin, even though he's half her age.  He's definitely showing the signs that he might not have much time left.  His hair has lightened, he's slower and a bit wobbly at times, he's thinning out some, he's not grooming himself as well, and he sleeps a bit more than he used to.  I'm fairly certain that living to a ripe old age just isn't in the cards for him due to his poor genetics.  But I'm also certain that he'll never lose his spunk or his desire to attack with all the fierceness he can muster anything that is unknown or new to him.  😁😂

These two sweeties are as happy as ever.  I'm also incredibly close to giving up on trying to tell them apart anymore.  They seem to get more and more identical by the day.  There is still a bit of a size difference and I think the bigger one is Kili.  

Minnie Mouse

Happy Halloween!  I hope you all have a fun, safe day today!  

When I was brainstorming what costumes to do, Minnie Mouse never made any list.  I'm not even sure when I thought of this, but as soon as I did, I knew it was one I wanted to do.  Why?  Well, back in 2015, I dressed up Tarcil as Mickey Mouse.  In fact, the ears and that picture of the Disney castle in the background are the same ones from all those years ago!  😍

Mulan

Mulan is another Disney movie that I really enjoyed growing up!  As frustrating as it can be that Disney is remaking their old classics, I'll admit that I was initially pretty excited when I heard that they would be doing a live action remake of Mulan.  However, I haven't actually seen it and I heard it's pretty terrible, so I'm not sure if I will see it.  I also don't have Disney+ so I don't even know if I could see it.  Oh well.  

I really didn't think that Laurelin would fit on this little bench.  I was shocked that not only did she fit, but that she stayed on it for so long!  She's such a sweet girl!  ❤

Pocahontas

I was very behind on getting costumes made for this year.  I almost decided I should skip it because I didn't think I could pull it off, since I didn't even start until Monday.  😬  But I am SO happy that I pushed through and made it happen this year!  I only made 3 costumes because I truly didn't have time for more than that.  But even with the bit of stress from the pressure to get this done on time, I enjoyed every minute and easily remembered why in the past, I would make a dozen costumes.  I just love doing this so much!  According to the info I have from when I got Laurelin, she is now 2 years old.  I really didn't think I'd even have the opportunity to dress her up this year, but I sure am glad that she's still around!  I love her so much!  💗

I picked Pocahontas because as a child, I really loved the Disney movie.  Now that I am older, I know that movie is far from accurate, but even now, I can still enjoy watching it.  After all, it's nice to be able to slip back into a world of make believe with happy endings.

Pumpkins

The forecast says 78 with no rain for Thursday!  Ahh!!  I realize that it's only Monday so there is plenty of time for the forecast to change, like a lot, but for now, I'm definitely thinking about painting the kitchen... again.  😅

Laurelin was extremely happy to get this broccoli and decided that she absolutely needed all of it.  However, as you can see in the last picture, it didn't quite all fit in her cheek, but she didn't seem to mind.  😂 

Tarmund liked the broccoli too, but he also seemed pretty interested in the pumpkins.  I'm fairly certain he bit one of them before I was done taking pictures.

Fili and Kili were not interested in the broccoli so I had a difficult time getting them to sit still enough to get some pictures.  They enjoyed exploring every little crevice they could fit into.

Brown Blanket

The older I get, the more I want to find balance between planing and spontaneity.  By nature, I am a planner, and Joe helps me be more spontaneous.  This weekend was a great reminder that some things are better with a bit more planning.  Thanks to painting on a whim, I've accidentally turned our kitchen into a Smurf's hideout.  I said I always wanted a blue kitchen, and I now definitely have a BLUE kitchen.  😅  Ah well.  We'll change it eventually.  😁

Laurelin is such a sweetheart, and I am SO happy I still have her!  I truly didn't expect her to live this long, but I'm so glad she's doing so well for her age.  I didn't think I'd have her around for another Halloween, but it looks like I could be wrong!  So I guess it's time to consider a costume or two for her.  Any suggestions??

Ah Tarmund.  He'll always be my stereotypical grumpy old dwarf hamster, but I love him!  Whenever I see pictures from when I first brought him home, I'm shocked at how grey he got.  He still spends a lot of time awake during the day which I think is so cute since all the other hams only get up during the day for a quick drink of water. 

I'm admittedly a bit obsessed with these two.  I think the main two reasons for my obsession are that they are the smallest hamsters I have and that whenever I hold them, I have two little faces to kiss.  Also, I refer to them as "the boys" so much that I've caught Joe calling them that too, which makes me happy.  😊