Living Pretty With Your Pets: Dimples & Tangles
Hi there! I’m so excited to be here at Julia’s today. We’ve known each other through our blogs for several years, and despite only meeting in person once, I’m so glad to count Julia as a friend! From the start I’ve been a fan of her glam yet refined style, attention to detail, and of course we’re fellow black and white lovers. Her DIY skills leave me in awe (I mean come on… CUTTING A COUCH IN HALF to fit down the stairs? Who does that?), her styling is flawless, and I enjoy her travel posts just as much as her decorating. Thank you so much, Julia, for inviting me to talk about our furry friends today!
We are a family of 4, plus two feline members. My husband and I had a previous cat most of our married life, but she passed away when the kids were in Elementary school. She was good for them to learn responsibility and a strong work ethic in helping take care of her, and we loved having her around, so it didn’t take long for them to start asking for another. I wanted to take a little break since we were about to hit summer and it would be nice to go on all of our summer travels without making arrangements for a pet. Well, after about 6 months my husband started taking the kids to Petsmart “just to look.” You know what that means.
After a week or two they came home from a visit telling me all about not 1, but 2 brothers, and somehow got me back up there to have a look. We visited and interacted with them both, but came back home to discuss it a little more. A few days later we went back for another visit (knowing we had made up our minds to adopt them, but the kids didn’t know), and as we chatted around the cages we told the kids that we could take one home.
The kids were SO excited, even though they probably had a feeling that’s what would happen!
Her happy dance when she heard the news…
And, since they were already 6 months old, had always lived at the shelter and never been apart, how could we take one and not the other?
This is one of my all time favorite photos, just after we arrived home from picking them up.
Since they were used to such a confined space, we kept them in the laundry room for the first day or so, so they could get accustomed to roaming around. It was quite entertaining the first time we let them out, to watch how cautious, yet curious they were about their new home.
Despite taking a few days to adjust to their lives outside of a cage, they didn’t waste much time making themselves right at home.
After bringing them home, we decided against their ridiculous shelter names (Rumble & Bumble…) and starting brainstorming famous duos that would make cute names. Although we came up with a pretty lengthy list, we settled on names that the whole family was happy with. It’s so funny that as it turns out, their names really do fit them perfectly!
We don’t know for sure, but we imagine Chief is the big brother. He ACTS like he should be large and in charge, but really, he’s a big baby. He does muscle his way in on top of his brother whenever there’s food involved, but other than that here’s how he spends most of his time.
He’s a big lug, usually only interested in going outside for a few hours to prowl around in the evening, but we never have to track him down. He’s always ready to come back in by bedtime. He’s my son’s cat and gravitates towards him and my husband. He enjoys the comforts of home and will full out roll over and want you to rub his belly, just like a dog.
And, he occasionally makes a good prop. Way to work for your supper there, Chief.
Scout is Emily’s cat (and mine). He’s the one who LIVES to be outside. We will let him out in the morning, and many days won’t see him again until it’s time for bed.
There is a creek and wooded area behind our house, which means we have a pretty good amount of wildlife. He’ll prance around deer like they’re nothing, and he’s our explorer/hunter. He catches quite a variety of creatures, but thankfully doesn’t leave those gifts for us at the back door too often.
He occasionally likes to curl up on the couch after he’s worn himself out outside, and he’s often my late-night blogging buddy.
These are the gentlest, most laid back cats I’ve ever been around. They never nip or scratch at anyone, and put up with just about anything (as evidenced in Chief’s previous football uniform picture).
No matter where they are they have a super sonic sense of hearing, and come running when they hear the clink of a spoon in a bowl that they might be able to lick…
Our guys just turned 4 on Valentine’s Day, so we keep telling the kids they better be ready to take a buddy with them to college!
Thank you so much for allowing me to share a little about our family today… 2 and 4 legged! I would love to meet you over at my blog sometime, and I’m crazy about Instagram if you’d like to follow along there. Thanks for having us over today, Julia!
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I so enjoyed Jennifer’s post. Don’t you love her adorable daughter’s happy dance and face when she found out they are adopting?
And I love them snuggling up with her in bed, on the sofa and eating some ice cream. That’s what owning a pet is all about.
Certainly makes me adore Jennifer even more.
I already love her unique style and home. She certainly walks to the drum of her own beat and that’s what I love about her.
I have told her numerous times that I think she is the Queen of table settings and she never disappoints with her gorgeous vignettes.
Let me show you what I’m talking about:
I’m so jealous of her peacock mirror. I’ve wanted one for quite some time.
And of course I love her below entry vignette with the large disco ball.
Click HERE to see more and please pin from her website.
And the below table setting is one of my all time favorites. I just adore that centerpiece.
Click HERE to see more.
She’s so talented! Go pay her a visit by clicking HERE.
Oh and with all her gorgeous green accents above, I have to quickly share the little accent I just bought and shared on Instagram so I’m sharing it here too (click HERE):
Isn’t that little pineapple tumbler adorable? You can find it HERE and that box will go on my desk or bookshelf.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Tschüß
i just love jennifer and i had no idea she had pets until you told me she was posting for you! love the story of these cats and they totally seem like my kind of cats- easy going and laid back and run to the clink of a spoon (i might do that, too).
I didn’t know she had cats for a long time either. They need to be on her blog more often 😉
Love a good adoption story, and great decor shots are always improved by a pet! Love the shots of your cats snuggling – we have two dogs and one cat, and my dogs both love the cat and are terrified of her. She definitely runs the house.
That’s awesome that she runs the house and I agree that they improve the decor.
Julia, it just warms my heart to read stories of people who love their animals so much. How much better their lives are with the pets in them. Thank you so much for this “Living Pretty With Pets” – I always love them! I loved reading the story! I’ve put Dimples and Tangles on my favorites and look forward to reading everything this talented lady does! Thank you again Julia, you continue to make my day with all your posts.
And you make my day with your sweet comments. I never really know if people like this series as much as decor posts because less people comment on it. But when I don’t post them for a while, then people ask me about it. So there have to be some fans out there 😉
Littermates are so sweet! Our last two were littermates; it’s the only way I’ve ever managed to have cats that actually like each other 😉
Love these kitties babies and Jennifer of course!
I also didn’t know Jennifer had cats and they are just like our cat Turtle, we also got him at Petsmart after learning he had always been a feral cat. I think he misses being outside too, he’s always trying to get out but we have a pack of wolves very close to our house so I can’t take the chance. He acts just like Jennifer’s cats! Another fun post Julia!!
Maybe you want to share your story one day? ???? Jennifer was afraid she’d have to pull her story because Chief didn’t come home last week and she thought that the coyotes got him. Thankfully he’s ok. We have a fox in the area who killed some outdoor cats and it scared me to death with poor Monkey going outside. ????