So I figured I got doomed on my pet exchange.. I hadn't seen the UPS guy in weeks.. Then this afternoon, as I was hurrying off to see a friend, I tripped over two boxes sitting on my front porch. I grabbed them and headed back inside... What could it be?? Marley, who always hangs around the kitchen table was interested as well. I tore open the boxes and spied with my little eye PET STUFF.. I was in a rush so I stuffed it all back and put it on a shelf and took off to go meet that friend.

When I returned later in the day I came home to the box in a different location.. Also, a half torn into cat toy lay on the floor.. Those rascals had managed to get up on the shelf and knock the box off and steal some goodies..

Maxwell, my 9 month old and 90 lb Newfoundland, wanted in on the toy fest… he has a love of ripping up everything that is either paper, cardboard or plastic--so no matter what-- this was going to be a good day for the goofy newfie..But to his amazement out came a giant alligator stuffy with 16 different squeaks in it.. He snatched it from my hands and suddenly the house filled with a million squeaks going off at the same time..

Felix and Ziggy joined in the unboxing.. Ziggy made off with the green worm cat toy and hugged it and squeezed it and loved it and I think she may have called him George.. While Felix stared at the hexy-ball looking thing which made mouse noises… The noises caught Maxwell’s attention and the next thing I know I’m spending 5 minutes negotiating with him to let go of the cat toy.. Silly Newf, if it fits in your mouth, it doesn’t always belong to you…

But that wasn’t all that was in the box… See, I had told my Secret Santa that Maxwell’s favorite thing to do was unravel anything knitted. In his short nine months, he’s unraveled a few blankets, a couple of sweaters, the sleeve of my jacket and a few other things. We consider it his hobby. What’s this?? In the box she put in a knitted scarf for Maxwell’s very own. He gazed on it as if he finally found the holy grail of Newf toys.

Finally, after much playing and rolling around on the floor, Ziggy jumped in the box and found one last thing. Look, a present for me!! My secret Santa got me a wine stopper with the spitting image of Maxwell on top!!! Epic!! I can’t wait to rotate it into my wine collection!!!

Thank you so much Nykolle for making this Pet Exchange super fantastic.. Also, thank you for tuckering out Maxwell and Ziggy, Marley and Felix tonight.. Mom is going to enjoy a nice bottle of wine in silence while the furry kids sleep off their toy hangover..