{ Have you ever had one of those days....}

Meet Oliver (a few pounds ago, we have weight issues...).... and Bella...
when nothing seems to go your way...I am there and in order to release some of my stress, I must vent some. Lucky (or unlucky if you don't like to read) I am going to do in here. If you can hang on through the whole story, there is a prize for you at the end. Am I resorting to bribery....yes. yes I am. Now hang on, here we go............

My precocious son let our two rambunctious dogs out the back door this morning and they took there new found freedom and ran.....literally. Now I am going to draw you an ugly picture.....this isn't for the squeamish....picture it....me in my hot pink leopard print jammie shorts, bright orange Jimmy Buffett concert t-shirt and fire engine red slippers, 2 sizes to big....running down Huntington's main street, dog leashes flying and a toddler in tow. For those of you who know my dogs, Oliver, the beagle, is pleasantly plump to say the least, so I figured he would be an easy catch. He gets winded on our nightly walks around two blocks, now our baby Bella, she is young and quick, but in her defense is a mama's girl and always comes when called. Unless she is with Ollie, who my husband says is a nose on a leash, and if he catches a scent of something... he doesn't let up until he finds it, and Bella sticks by him like glue. Well Oliver must have had the scent of something because he took off with his nose to the ground and everytime he would stop to sniff a tree of bush or parked car and I would think "Aha...I've got them now..." the wind would blow and off they'd go. I would call to them and poor Bella looked so torn, I could see the little wheels turning in her head, " do I go to my mama who is calling me or keep following my best buddie Ollie, what to do." The taste of freedom must have been to great, because she kept turning and following her big brother. And Tate, my poor Tater, his little legs struggling to keep up with his crazy mom, who by this point had lost all composure on this misty morning and was flailing her arms around and making clicking noises, screaming Ollie, Bella...I am sure this story will be recounted later in his life. Probably on a psychiatrist couch....

Thirty minutes, that's right...thirty rain soaked minutes later my Bella finally came to me when I called. I don't know if she had finally just had enough or could see that I was going to have a break down right there in the middle of town in my pajamas and felt some sympathy...quite frankly I don't care what is was that made her come back to me, I was just relieved she did. Shortly after Ollie, who could not stand to see Bella receive all the attention and treats Tate and I were showering on her, reluctantly and with his head down waddled over to us. I clipped leashes on them and with as much composure as I could muster look my monsters home. The ironic thing about this whole story, my husband Bruce was at that very moment picking up the few last things we need to put our fence up this week. If only.....

So here I sit at work, late, make-up washed away by the rain, hair thrown up because it does not handle the the least bit of water well, trying to drown my stresses in my third cup of Jet Fuel. I am in desperate need of chocolate and yoga, these I feel are my best options for stress relief.

For those of you who held in to the end of this long post, thank you. As a reward for your dedication we are giving away a $25.00 Old Navy gift card. What do you have to do to enter this contest? Answer the following question, What do you do to relieve stress? ...that's it! Just leave a comment and a person will be drawn at random for the gift card. You have until Tuesday, June 10th....why so long...well we are on location Friday for a Portrait Party and won't be back until Tuesday. Good luck!