Dec
23
Excepting a few short outings here and there, I’ve basically been holed up in my house since last Wednesday. That’s a long time to be stuck inside a less-than-2000-square-foot space with unlimited access to baking supplies. Totally unrelated piece of trivia, did you know that it’s possible to gain five pounds in a week?
I would have thought that being housebound this long with the kids would have made me Homer-Simpson-something-something crazy by now, but it’s been . . . well, I do so love to complain, but truthfully it’s been kind of nice. Really nice, actually. The boys seem to have reached some kind of awesome stage where they aren’t so enormously different in ages and abilities, and I keep catching them just sort of contentedly hanging out. I can’t quite describe how it makes me feel to see them playing together or listen to Riley’s happy chatter interwoven with Dylan’s babbling. There needs to be a whole new language for that sort of joyous, heart-expanding goodness; it eclipses all things.
Before this snowbound business I had been feeling kind of sad about Dylan, about how he’s growing so quickly and entering into the realm of knowing what he wants and not being afraid to complain about it, often at ear-splitting levels. Where did my good-natured little baby go, I kept wondering, but oh, he’s still here. It’s easier to see it when life isn’t so rushed, that’s all. When we don’t have to run around all crazy in the morning getting everyone out the door, when evenings aren’t a stressful mess of hurried meals and tired kids and exhausted parents.
My mother and aunt were going to come for an early Christmas last Saturday, but we had to take a snow check. Now it’s unclear whether JB’s parents will make it, they’re battling their way up I-5 but last we heard they were in Salem and going about 30 MPH. We may be on our own for the holiday, and while that’s a bummer, we’re certainly not the only ones — I have coworkers and friends all over the place here in town whose family plans have been completely derailed by the weather.
We remain optimistic about the possibility of hosting a big family meal, though, and have picked up our Giant Hunk O’ Ham. No matter what, we’re certainly not lacking for food around here (see also: five pounds). And thus it’s time for that classic holiday game played throughout many cultures this time of year . . . CAT OR HAM?
Which weighs more, our cat?
Or a bone-in ham?
The rules are simple: you place your guess in the comments, I’ll randomly pick a winner from the correct guesses, you win an Interesting Prize.
You should know that 1) we did get Cat to stand on the scale with her full weight, and 2) my scale only measures to the pound.
CAT?
OR HAM?
** Comments closed! CAT OR HAM data being compiled now . . .**
Comments
-
My product review site:
[
Gotta go with the Ham!
Definitely CAT. You can’t house that much evil unless you weigh at least 12 pounds. :)
tough one! I’m going to say CAT.
wish I could say the same about being stuck at home in this awful weather; it has not been fun for us. it ALMOST makes me wish that my 19mo old had a brother to entertain him – almost.
I’m going with the ham.
I’ll go with “ham”.
Totally cat.
And down the road here in Olympia, I’ve been stuck inside with my two kiddos (4 years old and 7 months) and let me tell you, I am definitely going Homer-Simpson-something-something crazy.
Happy Christmas!
Cat, fo sho.
MERRY CRIMMUS!
If you stuck marachino cherries on toothpicks in the cat I think Cat would weigh more. Sans cherrypicks though, I say Ham.
(come on Haaaaaaaaaam!)
(and Ha! to all the suckers that have reversepsychologied themselves into going with Cat!) :D
I was going to declare ham the winner but then I decided to use my super human observation skills to note that the photos are not taken from the same distance. The picture of ham is slightly closer to the camera making the ham appear bigger which fools the brain into thinking it’s heavier. Your Jedi mind trick won’t work on me! Alas, ’tis the cat!
Cat. If I win, is my interesting prize getting the cat to do my Christmas shopping for me? (The ham is welcome to do the shopping too, I’m not picky.)
Hmm…Cat!
BTW, pic of bird is really cool…and that one of Dylan in his hat. How sweet.
HAM! No, wait, CAT. NO, I’m going with HAM, final answer.
HAM for the win, baby!
(We will not replicate the game at our house with our dog. Because thinking about anything close to a 120-lb ham makes me want to run for the hills, gibbering.)
HAM! Said emphatically but with a note of uncertainty…
Cat…totally.
BTW, cat looks THRILLED to not only be on the scale but to be having his pic taken too…. awesome.
I say “cat” based on that perturbed why did you feed me that extra bowl of food before placing me on your scale look on his face.
CAT.
My cat is not as puffy as yours and he weighs 12lbs.
I must say cat.
Enjoy the White Christmas. I’m bummed in Indiana we keep going back and forth between ice and rain. We’ll take the rain, but just not quite as festive. And I do understand about being stuck and home and the sudden desire to bake and bake some more!
Cat.
And I would like to add that the Daily Piffle about Brandon Davis cracked my shit up.
Oh, I forgot to say–I have two boys, now 5 and 3… I am enjoying it more and more as they get older and interact more, it’s really sweet how they really care for each other and cracks me up to listen to them play together. Yes the age they are at is good and it only gets better! I’m glad you’re able to appreciate it now. (Insert cliche about going so fast, blah, blah, wipe tears here) ;-)
HAAAAAM!
I am going to go with our furry friend the cat.
That was such a great mix of pictures: darling children and sweet knit hats and unusual close-up of bird and amusing expression on Cat’s face.
I say Cat. You look great, Cat, don’t change a thing.
Cat. Maybe he gained some pounds too.
Ham. Also, being snowbound is sounding really good right now as I try to clear up work so that I can get to the business of bouncing around the family for the holidays. (We have no kids, so we’re the ones who travel and balance. We’re looking forward to when we can claim we’re staying home for the kids’ sake.)
Ham!
Totally Cat! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Speaking of packing on the pounds, I used your chocolate chip cookie recipe last night – and after over a year of searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe (not too fluffy, but not too flat – chewy, not crispy – not perfect looking – easy to make) I do believe I have found it! Those cookies are SO. GOOD. I added caramel bits to them, and I think I died and went to heaven. Me and my ever-expanding ass send you our sincerest thanks!
Also, CAT.
I think Cat is bigger. I think cat looks like she weighs about 10 pounds and I don’t think you would have purchased more than 10 pounds of ham for six adults. :)
cat!
Cat.
And oh, those pictures are so adorable it makes me want another one (baby, not cat. or ham).
I think the answer would be clearer if your cat weren’t such a naturally slimming color.
I go with cat.
Cat weighs at least 10 pounds…so Cat!!!
Totally the HAM! ;p
I think cat.
ham! no, cat! no, ham! I think I’m definitely going with ham. Maybe…
Hope you have a very merry Christmas!
I say CAT
Merry Christmas!
That’s a very slimming angle, there, Cat! Slimming enough to make me vote HAM!
Unless you people get your hams from full-grown wild boars, I’m going with Cat.
Guesses:
Cat (17 lbs)
Ham (12 lbs or less)
I’m definately going with the Ham, since I have no idea what a cat might weigh because the state of Alabama seems to think that I would be an unfit mother to a kitten. WTF? Everywhich way I look there’s a 15 year old girl in cutoffs with a kid on her hip and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth… and yet I can’t adopt a cat?!
Hey, if your cat loses, can I have it?
I’m gonna go with HAM.
Dog
My guess: CAT!
And as always, what beautiful pictures! The boys looks just adorable and your outdoor shots make me wish I still lived in the Pacific NW (snow nuisance or not). Love!
I have been stuck in my house with restless teenagers since last Wednesday, and I am losing my mind. Fortunately my husband can get his car out, so we’ve been able to replenish the groceries. Because starving, restless teenagers, well, you just don’t want to go there.
I vote for the cat.
I pick Cat. They are sneaky, those frisky felines.
I’m going to have to side with Cat. But I don’t think it’s by much!
Cat!! I know ham is denser so the ham was tempting but I still have to say Cat.
Totally the cat!
I’ve got to go with Ham. I am impressed that you got the cat on the scale though.
Ummm, CAT?!