Santaphobia.

So this was our 10th year waiting in the Santa line at the mall. It's not my favorite way to spend an hour but once you start something like this and it becomes a "tradition" you know you can't stop. Want proof? Here you go...

At home she fears no Santa. At the mall, in the flesh, nothing but pure two-year old terror. You can see the distress on her face.

So, we had to make a choice, three out of four in the annual Santa pic, or...the whole family.
I guess you could say I enjoy digitally embellishing the photos myself, maybe a little too much!

This made me laugh so much that it hurt, look what happened while we were waiting in the Santa line. The kids were hilarious. When Santa asked them what they would like for Christmas they all reacted differently. Eva screamed and ran toward the exit. Emily giggled herself silly and could barely get words out. Sarah rolled her eyes from side to side and then whispered to Santa. Wyatt shrugged his shoulders a bit and just kept petting Santa's fur above his belt, Santa kept looking at the fur that was being petted as if no child had ever been so intrigued by his belly mass of fur. Then something magical happened. Santa Claus asked, "and you Mom, what would you like for Christmas?" With a tear in my eye, I replied, "just a nice reliable babysitter would be nice once in a while!"

Just kidding! What I really said was something vague and unquantifiable. I said "more of the same." That's it. That's what came out of my mouth when the big man asked me what I wanted. Just think, I could have had anything and I missed my big red opportunity! What the heck was I thinking?

Honestly, I do know what I was thinking. I was thinking, no more than what I already have. Certainly, my life is [sweet, but] NOWHERE near perfect, however, I find it hard to ask for more than what I have already been blessed with. That's why the same just sounds right to me.

True. My heart wanted to tell him "for the whole world please Santa, more peace, more joy, and more love."

Oh help! I would love a little less of one thing. Less fussing and fighting from these four marvelous little people! The fussing and fighting is not the part that is a blessing! I know Santa is not going to help me with that one, it has to be me.

I know, I better not pout, I better not cry, I've gotta run!