Just for Giggles

So it all started when I spotted a tacky "You Could Win" box on my way out of the grocery store the other day. A photography company out of Harvey was giving away a free 10x13 canvas family picture. Hmmm.....we need an updated family picture....sure - sign up! So I did....thinking nothing of it.

A few weeks later in the mail we get a "YOU'VE WON!!" letter explaining that for a minimal fee of $7.95 (because you know that shipping costs have to be covered...blah blah....) we could get this priceless heirloom....that used to be only for the rich but now....oh NOW it's offered to us....mere peasants - hahah! Just be at this place....at this time.....on this date....alrighty!

Well.....who knows....but we're gonna go for it! Of course this is the week that Ella decided to run into a cupboard and bruise her forehead and get a fat lip falling outside....then there was me who got a massive chin zit and I haven't had any for months!

The day arrived... I got the girls all dolled up in their coordinating dresses and of course gave Matt directions on what to wear and warned him within an inch of his life to avoid the spaghetti spattering over supper! With supper over, I announced that it was time for me to get ready....off I went upstairs with Matt "in charge" of the girls.

I hadn't been up there 10 minutes when I heard a wailing from the living room......and I knew this was more than a petty battle between sisters or even a slight injury. Sure enough....I raced down the stairs to find Ella had completely cut open her bottom lip and had a bloody nose! Of course she did....15 minutes before our beautiful heirloom of a picture was to be taken!

This sent Matt into some serious giggling.....trying so hard to keep it under his breath but I knew he thought I was way too serious about this entire thing......the giggling completely errupted when we stepped outside our door into a torrential downpour! Great.....good thing I worked on all three of our hairs for the last 1/2 hour! The make-up will likely run off my zit too!

On the drive....I begin to question Matt why he couldn't have kept Ella safe for a whole 10 minutes! He quickly points out (amidst giggling) that he saved her dress and his shirt from blood so I should be more than grateful! Okay okay.....I guess I am....but seriously....what timing!

So we pull up to the hotel .....kind of a dive to be honest.....our first clue that this was going to be a gong show was the large HANDWRITTEN sign messily taped to the receptionist desk pointing us downstairs to room 103.....hmmmm......giggles.....but we all traipse down the steps....past some tacky wildlife display in a weird glass case.....down a dark dingy dirty hall.....to room 103.

On the door was taped WITH DUCT TAPE - another HANDWRITTEN SIGN......

PLEASE KNOCK FOR PICTURES

Um.....Hub? Do you think this is strange.....Matt just giggling.....well whatever....we're here now....dressed up with no where to go! Matt knocks......

We hear a guy yell "Oh come in!" and then some quick shuffling of feet and the door flies open and we see three guys - one old man and two young guys all lounging in a hotel room with their chips and a big camera on a tripod. I was completely creeped out and would have NEVER EVER EVER entered the room alone with my girls had Matt not been there!!!

We went in and one young guy had us sit and he nervously explained the "terms" while the old man got his camera set up.....periodically he would call to see if we were ready yet....just odd.....We paid our $7.95 and we were ready for the "shoot"....:)

The old crusty man had us sit on a baby blue shag carpet draped across a couple of tiered boxes. He got us all set in our places with the girls on our laps....and then went to his camera.....he adjusted this way and that way and then needed his glasses and then had to adjust the puppet on his hand.....10 minutes later he was ready for the first shot! Good grief.....good thing my girls were stunned speechless or they would have never sat there that long!

He got a couple pics of the family and then one of Matt and I (I'm sure we had crazy cheesy grins pasted on our faces after all the hoopla!) and then a few of the girls - which he got me to use the puppet to get Ella to smile (I'm not the one getting paid, buddy!).....oh and he said they just needed some greenery so he added a spindly green tree in the background....probably stolen from the hotel! Ya pretty sure we won't be ordering those!

We were outta there in about 15 minutes.....glad cause it was so claustraphobic in that room! Surprised to see people were lined up outside the door when we left! Guess we weren't the only ones who fell for the "deal"!

So....now we just are anxiously awaiting this prized heirloom that is to arrive in Minot July 2nd.....counting down the days....and giggling of course!