Fake Santas and Real Victories

Although Lubbock doesn't get buried in snow like other parts of the country, it's still cold enough outside that going to the park on the weekends isn't always an option.  Unfortunately, on days when Courtney is sleeping before or after a night shift, that's always one of my standby places to take the kids so they can be out of the house for a while.  That doesn't always end well. Last weekend, I bought a year of membership to the Science Spectrum, a kid's science museum which seems to be one of the few places that my kids don't get bored with going to.

Today was the museum's Christmas event, and since Courtney is working tonight I took the kids.  The main goal of this outing?  Seeing Santa (and getting that out of the way, Daddy thought).  We got there and headed straight for Claus Corner, where we stopped.

Blake: "Daddy.  What's with this guy?"
Me:  "What do you mean?  It's Santa, right?"
Blake:  "Santa wears red, not a black coat and jeans.  Santa's hat isn't a cowboy hat.  Santa has reindeer, not a horse."
Me:  "Man, I dunno.  Just take your sister and brother over there so I can get a picture."
Blake:  "OK, but I'm hanging on to my letter to Santa until we go see a real one."




Luckily, other activities, such as decorating and eating gingerbread men, were better received.

Jack looks like he's upset here, but he's actually just in the middle of a really enthusiastic "Cheese!"  This is his photo face lately, which I kind of love.

After we got home, Blake was really eager to put ornaments on the tree, since we just got it put up last night.  This is where I have to give you a history of our two separate sets of ornaments.  There's the lovely set of colored glass balls that Courtney bought our first Christmas as newlyweds, and there's the box full of my childhood ornaments which I've never been allowed to hang on the tree because they don't fit her vision.  Blake and I hung all of hers, and then he asked if there were more.  Opportunity!

"Well, there's one of mine that was my very favorite when I was growing up, but we can't put it on the tree."
"Why not?"
"Remember in Rudolph when he goes to the Island of Misfit Toys, the ones that nobody wants?"
"Yeah..."
"Mommy wants to send my favorite ornament to the Island of Misfit Toys, just because it's old and not fancy."
"<gasp> Mommy!!!"

And that's how my favorite childhood ornament ended up on our Christmas tree.