Dad, PLEASE......?

So we went to Farmington to get our taxes done on Friday. Relatively painless and we get a little of our own money back.

Afterward, we ran some errands and then, for a treat, stopped by the PetCo store to look at all the cool animals. We saw a tank with some "feeder" gold fish that were going for $0.12 each and started talking about getting some. Aquariums were only $11.00 so we figured that each kid could get 5 fish and we would still only be into it for less than $15.00.....
Well, one thing lead to another and the kids decided they would like something they could "Take out of the cage" and play with. Mason sugguested the Burmese Python ($125.00) would make a nice pet, but was shot down in a hurry. I started thinking about the $7.00 hamsters that were up in the front of the store. Wife and I had a hushed discussion about whether or not she could stand one and she went off to look them over again and see if they triggered the same feelings of revulsion she experienced with the white rats in the cage next to them. She returned shortly and thought one might be 'alright'. I was thinking "$7.00 hamster, $11.00 aquarium.... maybe a couple bucks for food.... still under $25.00, not bad for a bit of entertainment for the kids."
By the time we left the store, the total was more like this:


$7.00 Hamster
$11.00 Aquarium
$5.00 food
$6.00 waterbottle
$3.50 waterbottle holder
$6.00 exercise wheel
$5.00 bedding material
$10.00 little house to live in
$8.00 hamster book
$10.00 exercise ball to run around the house
Total.......... $77.00

We left the store and headed for home with CHEWIE in his cardboard box temporary home. During the two hour drive, he began to gnaw on the box to the point that Sara refused to hold it and we had to pull over to put him in the aquarium for the remainder of the trip. We are hoping he outlasts the 3 weeks that Freddy (the guinea pig) lasted.