Monkee and The Bee.....Part 2: Jogging that memory

So, today I decided to try and make the blog look a little more festive. The older I get, the more simple I become. I liked the plain layout I came up with using blogger's tools but, it IS the holiday season and I wanted something a little more festive. However, since no one really uses Blogger anymore apparently, finding HTML themes proved to be a bit difficult.

OH well, this will suffice for now. We only have about two and a half weeks left of Christmas anyway. I ho-ho-hope you enjoy it. (Ha! I slay me.)

Anyway, moving along..

This past weekend was the annual "Pictures with Santa". A friend of mine has an event every year where you can come and see Santa, get your picture taken, and enjoy some sweet treats. It's free, and always no wait, ever...which, thank you Jesus because the mall Santa has an hour and a half wait, no cell phone pictures, and it's THIRTY AMERICAN DOLLARS for like, a Polaroid. As a photographer myself, I REFUSE to pay some teenager who could barely bother to look up from their phone to snap a picture, let alone make sure my kid is looking at the camera and smiling.

When we moved out here from Ohio, I bought my dad a new Santa suit. He loves playing Santa and with his grand baby moving down the street, I figured I wanted him to be "Santa" for Jackson just as he was "Santa" for my siblings and I and many other kids. Anyway, my dad has played Santa for my friend's event the last two years and I was the photographer. It didn't shake out that way this year, which is fine. I still went and got pictures at her event. Cassie was working so, I only got the boys. Thankfully, Zach who, won't let me even NEAR him with a camera anymore, indulged me for the sake of Jackson and allowed his brother to pull him in for pictures with the big guy. When asked what he wanted for Christmas, Jackson matter-of-factually replied that he wanted a jack in the box, "crams"(crayons), and a snowman. When asked what brother wanted, he replied a jack in the box, crams, and a snowman :D I guess he is really hedging his bets for that jack in the box LOL. I was a little bummed that the picture was with a Santa that wasn't my dad but, he will play Santa at Jackson's in-home day care on the 22nd and, Christmas Eve, Santa always manages to stop by before he starts working for the night for one last "Naughty or Nice" list check. Cassie should be around and I can get a nice picture with all three of my kids and Santa.

Jackson was very excited to see Santa and had NO FEAR. He has never cried with Santa. The very first year when he was about 2 months old, our church had Santa stop by and you could get pictures. Jackson fell asleep and just as we handed him to Santa for his picture, he woke up and fussed for just a second (mainly because he was awoken from his slumber) and they snapped the picture so it looks like he is starting to cry, but he really didn't LOL.

I can't wait to continue to build memories and traditions with Jackson. He is 4 so now is when things start to get exciting because he actually sorta understands what is going on. This weekend our church is having a big Christmas Festival. Lights, carols, hot cocoa, crafts, Christmas goodies, and they make it SNOW! It will be fun and I can't wait!