Santa Visit(s)

I've debated whether to tell this WHOLE story or not because in the end neither Bennett nor I look very sane (him more crazy than me of course).  But you know what?  You get the good with the bad here at Skipping Rocks!  So here goes nothing...

Let me set the scene.  We waited until the week of Christmas to go see Santa Claus (Fail #1).  We decided to meet at Bass Pro right after work/school one day (Fail #2).  I brought no snacks or other forms of bribery (Fail #3).  So as you can see this was asking for trouble.  It turned out though that the line was not near as long as I had expected.  I stood in line while the boys wrote letters to Santa and did a few other activities.  I thought all was going way too perfectly, and turns out I was right.  So I am approaching the big man himself and I signal to Chad to bring the boys over.  They come over and Bennett starts in on his all too typical behavior of being a super duper jerk.  He takes one look at Santa and says "No".  Excuse me?  I just waited in line and you are straight up refusing to have this magical moment with the Jolly Old Man himself?  He again says "No, I'm NOT talking to Santa", but this time also throws his list on the floor.  At this point all of the elves and all of the store it seems are taking in the Bennett show and I try to still reason with him that he doesn't have to talk to him just give him his list and take a picture (duh this is the whole reason we come to see Santa).  He stomps his feet again, and insists he will not being sitting on anyone's lap for a picture.  You can imagine my frustration at this point, I tell Chad to pick him up and I thought I'd just get a screaming picture (which would have been totally acceptable to me FYI) but Chad just marches along with Bennett tucked under his arm like a football.  So I quickly snap a picture of my ANGEL child on Santa's lap and am on my way.  Not without tears in my eyes mind you, not without tears.  And we were out of there.  I'm pretty sure Bennett got the silent treatment for the night...or two.  Because I'm a big baby, and because it felt good.  Bennett was not scared of Santa, if he were scared it would have been one thing but he was just being a jerk.   So here is our 2015 Santa picture... 

Did you think that was where the story ended?  Silly Silly people.  We let a day go by and then we somehow convinced Bennett that he needed to go see Santa again.   Chad must have REALLY felt bad for me too because he even joined me for the craziness a SECOND time.  This time we were not as lucky with the line, we had to wait an hour and a half.  But I had high hopes, and Bennett was all hyped up on candy and in a good mood (stop judging, I feel you judging).  So when it was our turn both boys marched right up there like it was their job, told Santa a few things they would like and turned to me with big smiles on their faces for a picture.   Sweet Baby Jesus, it's a miracle.  And then we promptly went to "The Target" and I bought them Pokemon cards, just to solidify my craziness.    So finally, here are BOTH of my lovely children and their magical visit with Santa...