Santa Experience

We took the kids Christmas shopping on Saturday to get presents for each other. This year they all go down one, which worked out great because I could take Damen and Railey and Steve took Seth and Kenna. As we pulled up to Wal-Mart it was 11:00 Steve, hating to shop, told the kids that if we could be back in the car before 12:00 he would take them to lunch. That was all the incentive they needed. They were fast, considering, and we all actually enjoyed our shopping experience. The store wasn't crowded at all, that is in comparison to last year when we went shopping and we left 3 stores because they were so packed and we were not going to stand in lines!

We all found each other and went to pile into the car. As Steve started the car it said 11:59. We had done it and you should have heard cheers in the car, yes even from me.

So we went out to lunch and while we were waiting for our food, I looked over at a couple across from us and would you wouldn't believe it but it was Santa. No lie, he looked just like him. He even had on a blue shirt that had some Christmas design and some red suspenders. He had the beautiful white hair and beard and the belly to go with the whole Santa thing. He saw me and smiled. I turned to Railey and pointed him out. We have been trying to remind Railey who Santa is for the past couple of weeks. She now knows that Santa says "HO Ho Ho" and that is different from the Halloween witch that says "HO HA HA" Say if fast and it sounds like a witches cackle and that's how Railey says it. Anyway back to the story. She looked and she looked hard at this Santa and I told her to be especially good because he was watching and with perfect timing the guy turned and smiled and waved at her. Lets just say she was very nervous and scared all in one. She was a perfect little girl though but would not take her eyes off of him.

Before long he and his wife got up to leave but before doing so he came over and wished the kids a Merry Christmas and asked if they were being good so he could bring them some presents. Railey just gave him the evil eye. The guy was so sweet and I was thankful that he took time to come talk to the kids. Lets just say though that Railey didn't quite think the same thing. I asked if she thought that was neat to talk to Santa and the answer was NO

Later, I knew she was still worried about this Santa guy. She said Mom I don't want Santa to come to my house, I be a bad girl. I told her no Railey you need to be good so that Santa will bring you presents. But she is convinced that she won't have to deal with the guy if she's bad. Somehow we need to change this whole mindset and convince her that Santa is a good guy.

Looks like we won't need to make a special trip to the mall, she wouldn't have anything to do with him anyway!