DPP 21 - Meeting Father Christmas

This is late but yesterday was a big day! It was the first day of Winter and my son was ecstatic.  He read this on a calendar weeks ago and has been counting down to Dec. 21 with as much anticipation as he has been awaiting Christmas.  When I said yesterday, "Guess what, Bubs! It's Dec. 21!!" our son squealed and actually jumped up and down.  RIDICULOUS and ADORABLE.

So the daily photo:

That's right, folks.  We celebrated the beginning of winter by going to visit "Santa" at the mall.  We had gone on Saturday and, after standing in line 30 min. and moving forward only four steps, we left with promises to return at a better time.  There were tears.  But seriously, I was okay with that because there was another 1.5 hour + wait and we weren't doing that.  Plus we were in the fancy schmancy mall and there were too many close calls in the short time we were there.  Close calls? I honestly thought my kids were going to trip and break the window into Kate Spade.  There was an orchestra playing (in the path of shoppers, I must tell you) and they were almost minus two Tuba players because of my balancing challenged offspring.

So we tried again last night and succeeded.  What was our "trick"? Honey went to the mall at 4:45PM and stood in line FOR us.  We didn't even leave the house until 5:15 (and you see I didn't attempt the matching shirts this time) and 5 minutes down the road received a call from Honey saying that Santa was taking a dinner break until 6:00PM. 

SO we made a detour to the "Other McDonald's" (my children have names for at least five McDs in town) and had dinner too.  When Honey texted "Can you be here in 10 minutes?" we hoofed it out to the car, sped to Frontenac, threatened to tell Santa all bets were off if the kids didn't keep their hands ON THEIR TUMMIES as they WALKED through Saks Fifth Avenue, and joined honey at the front of the line.  Moments later the kids were climbing onto St. Nick's lap (the best Santa EVER, I must add.  Made me want to believe again.) and getting ready for photos. 

Momentarily I thought Santa was going to only do the picture and so I said, "Okay kids, smile at me for the picture and then you can tell Santa what you are hoping for this Christmas."  Hint. Hint.   The pictures were taken, Santa instructed the kids to tell him only the one thing they wanted most, and the kids started talking.  I started translating. 

Bubba wants a Hot Wheels Crash Track.  (Every time he says this I think of the kid in A Christmas Story)
Little wants a Barbie machine.  (Santa looked at me quizzically and I gave him the "you don't have to know - I do" look.)
KB wants a Dora.  (How vague is that? AND this is the first time she has mentioned THAT!!)

Anyway, within moments we were walking back through Saks and out to the car. 
Honey was declared a "rockstar" by our youngest.
I had to agree wholeheartedly.
To sum up: it was merry Christmas fun for us and we all had a good night!