Silly kids...Santa is for dogs....

The girls and I just completed something I do not wish on anyone else...2 days in a row at the mall this close to Christmas.

Why may you ask did I go back after the first day??? Seems that when I stashed a small package with a gift for our niece, it didn't stay stashed. Most likely when I dropped everything to help Katie with a drink of water out of a fountain or when we collapsed to drink a lemonade from Auntie Anne's. We came home to show John what we got and could not find this bag. I called this morning and some wonderful, kind person found my bag and took it to customer service. Whoever you are, THANK YOU! So...the reason for the second trip.

We didn't really have anymore shopping to do so when Katie saw that Santa was finally in the chair she wanted to take Maggie to tell him what Maggie wanted for Christmas. How cute is that? She already got to tell Santa her list (Barbie guitar) on her Christmas train ride with Grandma and Pappa. Maggie even sat on Santa's lap!

The line to get to Santa was another story....we were in line that was moving soooo slow (it took over an hour to get to the end) a couple got behind us with a dog. I just thought it was odd.... Then another and more.... decked out in Santa dog costumes and jingle bells. Katie kept her distance, Maggie was intriqued. Then the coffe kiosk workers started to clap and yell. Why the commotion? Dog poopy!

We weaved through the line with several more outbursts from the coffee workers. My head was so stuffed up and I already had that mall headache you get from just being there too long. Poor Santa had dog after dog pose with him with a few families with just kids in line. Turns out it was 'dog picture day'....wish I would have known ahead of time.

One closing thought: When I was a kid, my parents took pictures of me on Santa before the fancy Santa Portait session it has now become. Did you look at those prices? 15 is the cheapest you can get away from there and you can't take your own picture! You are rushed through so fast with filling out the form before the picture, quick sit on the lap and onto the check out station to pay your 15 for a single portait, 30 for a family set or 55 for the premium package...is it just me or is this outragous?