We have some pretty exciting news at our house. Well. Exciting news if you’re one of my kids. I wouldn’t say that I’m excited. Maybe coping is a better emotion to describe how I’ve been feeling the past few weeks. :) If you’ve read my blog for a while you might remember my daughter Addison’s never ending, desperate pleas for a Bearded Dragon. Because of her severe allergies and asthma any pet with hair/fur is out of the question at our house so she has been obsessed with getting a lizard (yes – you heard me right – a lizard) for years. She has been begging me non-stop and I have held so firm in my “no!” Even when she did hours of research and then wrote a 5 page report on Bearded Dragons and how well she would take care of one.
Even when she decorated my room almost every day leading up to Christmas last December begging for one. Even when she had all of her friends begging and pleading with me to get her one. I just couldn’t do it. Have a lizard in our home!? Hanging out on the furniture!? Eating CRICKETS!? (Yes – you heard me right – they eat live crickets.) I was so sure it was a phase that would pass with her but she was persistent and never gave up.
At the end of May when she turned 13 and begged me yet again to please let her get a bearded dragon for her 13th birthday, I caved. I just couldn’t be strong anymore. Without even thinking I just said “ok.” And then I gasped because I knew I couldn’t take it back! Addison cried tears of joy. Ellie and Kole jumped around the room and cheered. Kenny patted her on the back and told her “see.. good things come when you work hard, are persistent and never give up.” (Thanks for that one babe. Really appreciated your support on this.)
So as soon as we got back from our summer vacation, off to Petsmart we all went! She picked out “the one” the second we got to the store and I’ve never seen her so happy. She cried again when we were checking out. Real tears streamed down her cheeks. Then she hugged me and whispered thank you so much mom. I have to admit.. her reaction made me tear up a little too. I couldn’t believe we were crying over a lizard! But when you love your kids you do crazy things.
Kole is the official Godfather of Addison’s new pet and especially loves helping with the crickets. Addison is obsessed and has been with her new pet every second of every day for the past few weeks. The two of them do everything together and when you see one of them you see the other. He’s usually hanging out on her shoulder.
I had a few rules of course. Addison does everything from cleaning the cage to feeding to everything. (She really is doing great job taking care of him.) AND.. he’s not allowed on my couch or my pillows.
You can see how well things are going so far.
Meet Peaches Pina Colada. Proudly sitting on my velvet pillow watching TV with Ad. Oh my word. I have to admit. As much as I hate him (and I do hate him).. he’s kind of growing on me. Addison is already begging me to let him be in our next family picture.
I am NOT caving on that one.
Although that’s what I said about letting her get a Bearded Dragon so if you get a Christmas card with a lizard on it..
Oh the joys of parenting. :)
{Reflected Diamonds Rug/Ceramic Multi-Color Side Table/Rattan Round Tray/Square Handled Planter}
*affiliate links used
In other more normal non-lizard news (ha).. I was so happy to hear from some of you who liked the new outdoor furniture I shared yesterday! I had a lot of questions coming in about the other items in my picture so I linked the rug, ceramic side stool, rattan tray (which is such a favorite btw.. it’s on sale so I bought another one!), and my beautiful new navy planter vase above. I keep moving these few items around because they look good in every room in my house! A good thing but also not because I move things so much nothing ever looks “finished.”
I also had lots of pillow questions. My outdoor pillows are from Pottery Barn but they are several years old (I bought them when we first furnished most of our back yard.) I’ll link to some similar options at the end of my post that would give you the same look for those of you who are interested. Most of their outdoor pillows are on sale right now too so bonus. :)
I might need to look for myself now that Peaches has decided to takeover my navy velvet pillow. I’m still in shock and may never recover from walking in on that scene.
Also in IG stories I shared how I was debating moving this corner plant in my mudroom and putting up some new hanging baskets I bought instead. I got so many questions about the baskets!
For anyone else wondering who I didn’t get a chance to answer, you can find this triple hanging basket set HERE. I absolutely LOVE them and knew the second I found them on-line I had to put them somewhere in my home. Perfect for kids to drop their papers after school or to organize anything really! I’ll share a pic once I have them up. :)
{Gold Cup Victura LTT Sneaker/ECCO Soft Vll Lace-Up Sneaker/ECCO Soft Seven Sneaker/Chunky Wool & Jute Rug}
Ok – N sale favorites for men! The first thing I always check out is the shoes that are on sale. I took a quick pic of a few of Kenny’s long time favorite shoes above (yes these shoes are nice and worn out). :) I usually get him one new pair every year at the sale and he’s good to go for awhile. He loves the Ecco sneakers (they look great with jeans and are really comfortable) and they are on sale for a great deal right now! Below are a few other favorites.. either things I ordered this year or favorites my husband already has and wears often. :)
1 – Slub Stripe Long Sleeve Henley 2 – Slim Quarter-Zip Pullover 3 – Check Button-Down Sport Shirt
4 – Smartcare Traditional Fit Stripe Dress Shirt 5 – Stadium ID Athletic Shorts 6 – Carlsbad Performance Shorts
7 – Stripe Long Sleeve T-Shirt 8 – Millerton Hooded Waterproof Jacket 9 – Gold Cup Victura LTT Sneaker
10 – Soft Vll Lace-Up Sneaker 11 – Chacabuco 15-inch Laptop 30-Liter Backpack 12 – Spicebomb
Enjoy the rest of your day and if you have any coping tips for living with a lizard (still can’t believe this is my reality).. I’m all ears!
;)
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So I guess we can say “welcome Peaches”! Is it a HE or a SHE? A female I guess, with that name ;)
Addison is looking very very happy at pet’store… Make me crying a little too!
I don’t know if I could do the same for my kids. Lizard INSIDE the home? There are already so much in my garden and flowerpots!
My husband and two kids have allergies with fur pets, so it could be my dilemna one day…
I wish you all happy times with your new crew member!
And hurray for the new outdoor area, so cool!
We THINK it’s a she but we don’t really know yet.. ha! She wanted to use Peaches for a name so badly so if it’s a boy we will call him Mr. Peaches. ;) Thank you for your sweet comment and well wishes! I need them.. ha! :) xo
Oh my gosh. You deserve Mom of the Year for this! 😮
I’ll pray for you…😉
Ha ha.. pray hard Jenny! I might not survive this!
Wow! I know how hard that was, but us moms do the craziest things because we love our kids. You are a great mom! He’s kinda sorta cute in a lizardy kind of way, I guess. I think you were smart to set down the taking care of it rules. I’d give him that one pillow and then just buy another one to replace it. On the plus side, you don’t have to sweep up hair and all the dirt and leaves that dogs bring in (says she who swept the house yesterday and had to stop repeatedly to get the dog hair off the broom). He won’t bark at the mail man or people he doesn’t recognize coming up to the house and give you a heart attack. And the look of joy on their faces is priceless! Good luck, Mom! Thanks for sharing your pretty sitting area and the clothes for your hubby. Good to know he gets a goody or two, too! Hope you have a good rest of your day! Hugs!
That’s totally what I’m thinking I’ll do Jeanne.. give him that pillow and replace it! Oh my word. Nice job pointing out the positives but wow.. a lot of downside too.. ha! Hoping I survive this!! xo
You are so brave – a lizard in the house!!
We had similar allergy issues with our youngest daughter but we ended up with a fish tank. Not sure how long it lasted but after two tragedies (first the heater malfunctioned and managed to fry all the fish. The second tragedy was the end of the fish tank when the tank developed a leak and leaked fish water all over the floor.) Our oldest daughter pleaded with us to let her have a cat live in just her bedroom. Uh…no.
Best wishes with the lizard!!
Beverlee!! I am cracking up! Oh my word.. what a fish disaster! That is crazy and I so don’t blame you on putting your foot down on the cat. Kids! Oh my word.. they might kill us! ha ha.. Thanks for your well wishes.. I need them! xo
Erin! My son, Jack, had a bearded dragon named “awesome” for over 4 years! He loved it. Awesome just went to heaven a few months ago. Jack would love to talk to Ad about Awesome.
Love,
Ginny
Oh my word Ginny! I didn’t know that! Ad would love to talk to Jack all about Beardies.. she’s obsessed! So sorry to hear Awesome is gone. I hope Jack was ok with that. I know I would be.. ha but Ad would be devastated!
Oh my goodness Erin, you are a better mom than me. There is nooo way I would let a bearded dragon in our home. But, I have to admit, a bearded dragon on a velvet pillow watching tv is pretty darn cute. Its definitely living his best life.Hahaha!
I like to live on the boring side & we adopted a dog. Lol She’s adorable though.
Your husbands response was just great. Lol & you had me teary eyed with your daughters joy. Gosh, our kiddo’s get us everytime. Its amazing the love we have for them. Keep us posted on Pina Colada. Next we will be reading you 2 are cuddling. Ha
Living his best life.. ha ha.. I’m cracking up! He definitely has been. Addison treats him like royalty! I wish we could get a dog.. I could definitely see me caving and cuddling with a dog but this lizard!? I don’t know. I’m trying but it’s not easy. So true.. the things we do for our kids! I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about Pina Colada in the future. ;)
You are such a good Mom! No matter how much I loved my children…reptiles were never allowed….fur yes…scales NO. I knew I had made the right choice when my adult son told me that he had allowed his son to get a pet snake and OF COURSE, it escaped…..never to be found! I still keep my eye out for that snake whenever I go over to my son’s house.
I have to admit…your bearded dragon does have a cute little face in a lizard sort of way.
Oh my WORD JUDY!! It escaped in the house!! I’m dying. Yes.. a snake would definitely be the WORST! I want a no reptile rule too! Addison’s stubborn allergies make that hard. A reptile is our only pet option much to my dismay. Peaches does have a cute little face.. for a lizard! Ha! I’m trying. ;)
Hi Erin!
Oh, your post today brings back memories. When my oldest son was 11 he developed a fascination with bearded dragons. He talked about them, drew pictures of them, and begged for one for months. Finally my husband caved and took the trip to the pet store for the lizard and all the paraphernalia. BD (short for Bearded Dragon. I know, original right?) was a loved family member for years. My husband bred crickets in our house, which cut down on trips to the pet store to buy them, but I was not a fan of having a huge tub of live crickets in my house. Enjoy this new adventure!
Holly! Oh my word.. you feel my pain! And you’re so much better than me because you let them bred crickets! Ad wanted to do that too but I said that was crossing the line.. ha! But it is a pain to have to keep buying them! I love that you had and loved BD for years! I hope this little lizard grows on me. I’m trying but it’s not easy. ;)
He is kinda cute. LOL! The things we do for our kids. :-)
Ha ha.. right!? I think part of me is still in denial I said ok to this!
Congratulations on your new pet. :) My son begged for a cat for several years, and when we finally allowed him to adopt one on his 9th birthday he cried too and said “I’ve been waiting for this my whole life.” Ha! He really loves his cat and does a great job taking care of him; I think that making them wait can pay off! Enjoy.
Jill I love that! I think making them wait pays off big time. Addison has been SO good with her new pet and doesn’t complain one bit about the work involved. We knew what we were doing all along even if we didn’t right? Ha.. :) xo
Peaches Pina Colada is so cute! I love lizards. He looks good on the navy pillow ha ha :)
Ha! His days on my navy pillow have been numbered! ;) Thanks Natalie! xo
Awww, I got teary eyed when you said Ad cried tears of joy several times once she got her new pet. He is cute, but not sure myself how I would feel about having one running around my house. I know you have lots of pillows around your house, and my question is do you wash them, or can you wash them? Most of my throw pillow covers can be washed but I’m finding the really nice ones (indoor/outdoor) are not washable and spot clean only. I know you’re a “clean-y” and if you have non-washable pillows how do you keep them clean knowing everyone lays on it or it goes on the floor at times?
Hi Debbie! Most of my pillows I just “spot clean” .. I use a little dish soap on a towel and scrub any dirt that gets on them. :)
Thanks Erin. How do you get the stink off it? Most of the time it’s the smell that’s on it.
I’ve never had a problem with smells! So sorry I’m not more help on that one!
My 10 year old granddaughter has a corn snake named Pizza. (She thought his markings resembled pepperoni pizza). When I am at her house she frequently has him (her?) wrapped around her wrist. I’m thankful they do not live with me! Gives me the heebie jeebies!
I’m with you Sandy and I’m still adjusting to our lizard! Love the name Pizza though.. too cute. :) xo
I have been a lurker for months but when I saw you got a bearded dragon I had to comment. We had Yoda for 9 years, he passed a year ago and we just got a new one ( Redd) this summer. My 14 year old son is obsessed with bearded dragons.. We did not do this with the first one, he ate stinky loud crickets, but with our new one we are feeding him Dubia roaches ( not really roaches!) and they are silent and don’t stink! Highly recommend. We have to get ours at an exotic pet store here in Jersey but it is worth it!
Look to see if you can find a store that carries them near you.
Karen I’m totally looking into Dubia roaches! Addison had done so much research on Bearded Dragons and wanted to use roaches, but our pet store didn’t carry them so I’m figuring out where to get them. Thanks so much for the tip! So sorry to hear about Yoda (love that name!) but I’m happy your son got a new buddy to take care of. We’re in this together right? :) xo
I saw a picture of Ad on her IG with the lizard. I’m not gonna lie, I laughed. I thought, she gave in!!! I did the same thing Erin. Elle wanted a hamster. I said no forever. Then, I caved and we bought her one. She named it Scuttle. It was a love hate relationship. we Bought the big colorful cage. I forget what it was called. It chewed out of it so we bought a cage and it hung itself. I’ve never looked back. We have lots of lizards around here. Do you want me to bring you a couple when we come down. ;) Also, I wish that striped shirt came in different colors. I’m in love. I’m ordering it for Marty. xo
Cathy! I can’t believe the hamster hung itself!! Oh my word. That must have been so tragic for Elle! I remember having a fish when I was little and I wanted it to have a friend so I bought a second fish and the new fish at my original fish! I bawled and flushed the new fish down the toilet! Ha ha.. what’s childhood without a little pet drama!? ;) xo
This post made me smile. I too have a asthma/allergy kiddo so most furry pets are a no. We found a breeder in town who breeds hypoallergenic cats called Russian Siberians., and no they aren’t hairless . They are actually long haired but are missing the protein in the saliva that makes people allergic to cats. My daughter has no reaction too our kitty and he is a sweet addition to our family.
I’m so happy you found something that works Erin! It’s hard when the kids can’t have furry pets like most kids do. I love that you are all on board with her cat. I’m trying to get there.. ha. :) xo
Oh my gosh, she is so funny! Wow, so sweet and also so funny that she cried! I can not imagine being that happy about a lizard. So I was totally thinking he’d just stay in his cage, but he just hangs out with her? Doesn’t he run and hide?! I can’t imagine all the places he could get lost in your house! Ha! Good job Ad, keep up the good work! I’ve been telling my kids if they keep their rooms clean for a year we can get a dog. We’ll never get one!
Ha ha.. that’s a good way to do it Josie! Especially if you know they can’t keep their rooms clean! Peaches hangs out with her constantly but she doesn’t let it loose in the house. It’s mostly on her shoulder! Trying to be ok with it all.. desperately trying. ;)
It all starts with a bearded dragon, and ends with a cat, dog, bird, bunny……..:) but pets teach our kids compassion and responsibility. I’m a fan of your new pet. Congrats. Soon you will be holding it and letting it sleep on your pillow. I’m telling you…..this is how it all goes….hahahaha
Ha ha.. you’re probably right Kelly! And it really is teaching her responsibility so yea for that. :)
Oh my gosh, my daughter also had a couple of lizards in her bedroom in a fish tank. Actually they were cute! Every day she would feed them crickets. She loved watching them eat. After a while she got bored with them. Mom had to take over. In the end the guy at the pet store let us take them back.
That’s usually the case right? I don’t think that will happen to Addison though because she has been so obsessed with them for years! I kept thinking it was a phase that would pass but it hasn’t yet. We’ll see! There is no way I’m taking care of it so the second she loses interest it’s going back to the pet store.. ha. :) And I know.. they can look almost cute sometimes!
Hello! This is my first comment but I’ve been reading your posts for a while. I love your stunning home and your kids are just too cute! I had an African fat tailed gecko as a teen and I found the secret to keeping the whole setup from smelling… Was the crickets. If u buy too many at a time they can die before you use them. If u don’t keep their container clean enough… They reek. My mother hated it but I eventually found the right amount to buy without any dying and cleaned the cricket cage before each “fill up”. I had one fat happy gecko :) the water dish can be stinky too so if she cleans that every few days you’re set!
Amanda I loved hearing from you! Thank you for your sweet words about my home and kids! So sweet of you. We are finding what you said to be EXACTLY true! You have to get just the right amount of crickets and stay on top of keeping the cage clean! Addison has been pretty on top of it and I think we are getting in a good rhythm. Best I can ask for right? Ha. :) Thanks so much for the advice! xo
My daughter went through the “lizard/frog” phase at about the same age. It started when she volunteered to “babysit” the science teacher’s classroom bearded dragon over school vacations. Then she went on to get her own collection of various creatures over the next few years. I wasn’t a huge fan, but they stayed in her room in a secure glass enclosure, and I never had to deal with them. If they needed to be fed while she was on a class trip or something, her little brother was up to the task.
HOWEVER…….Those crickets!!!!! Ugh, I really don’t like any kind of bug at all in my house. And those LIVE crickets were bought at the pet store by the bag, and fed to the creatures. Even if the creatures could not escape their home, the crickets certainly found ways out. and would turn up in random places unexpectedly. Like in my SLIPPER! or in the car while I’m driving. or just hopping across the bathroom floor in the middle of the night.
I realized the creatures needed to eat, but when the last one finally died, I was so happy to be done with having the crickets in the house.
I feel for ya! And I also admire you for being such a good mom and letting your daughter have the pets. Even if it means you might have to put up with the occasional cricket in your slipper, haha!
(My daughter, now grown and married with 3 little girls has moved onto more sensible pets. They have a cat and a dog.)
Sandra!! Oh my word.. I’d die. Your slipper!? That is seriously so creepy! We have definitely had a few crickets escape and it makes me so nervous! We’re looking into a few other food options at the moment and after your comment I think crickets might be a thing of the past.. ha! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! The things moms go through for their kids. Love that your daughter has grown up and bought sensible pets. I’ll hang on to that happy thought. ;) xo
We had similar issues with allergies and ended up getting a bearded dragon. The best decision we made. She is the best and so spoiled. They are pretty easy to take care of once you get everything setup. If you don’t like crickets, try reptiworms. They are easier and healthier to feed them. Ours loves to snuggle with us at night and watch tv.
Good tip Stacey! Thank you! Ours is pretty spoiled too. ;)