I SEE SANTA!!!!

We had a busy but FUN day today! First, the boys had Christmas program practice at the church bright and early this morning which was really cute! Ashtyn is in the choir and Maddox is a wise man! Maddox even has a speaking part! The highlight of the practice probably had to be when Maddox walked up to do his part, grabbed onto the microphone and the mic fell off the stand, rolled across the front of the stage and tumbled down the steps one by one making a loud ampliphied thud with each step!! All the parents started laughing and looking over at me! All I could do was giggle! This should be quite the Christmas program! We'll be sure to take video and lots of pictures!

After practice, we drove downtown OKC to let the boys sit on Santa's lap and have their picture taken with him at the Bass Pro Shop. The line was LOOOOOOOOONG and was wound all the way through aisles of merchandise but the boys were really good while we waited our turn and were so excited when they began to get glimpses of Santa sitting in his rocking chair up ahead! Maddox thought this taxodermied animal was one of Santa's reindeer watching over the crowd!
Finally it was almost our turn...

And for the first time EVER both boys sat on Santa's lap without being scared and without mom or dad standing with them! We were so proud! Bass pro shop gave us a free 4x6 photo and the boys were excited that they got to see the REAL Santa!!

Inside the Santa's Workshop within Bass Pro they have many activity centers set up for the kids to play with including remote control cars, video games and even a shooting range! And it's all FREE!!!!

After our trip to Bass Pro, we surprised the boys with a matinee movie and saw the third Chronicles of Narnia! We had fun and we all loved the movie! Afterward, we headed home for an early Christmas! This week at school, Ashtyn participated in a fundraiser called "Santa Shop" where we sent him some money and he was able to buy little Christmas gifts for each member of our family. Well, since Ash got to do it we had to let Maddox do some shopping of his own so this week I took him to the Dollar Tree and let him pick out a gift for each family member as well. This afternoon the boys put their gifts under the tree and we all opened our little trinkets!

Maddox received a foam rocket launcher from Ash...

Ash got a yo-yo from Maddox...

Ashtyn was super excited for Brandon to open his gift from him! You could tell how proud he was of what he had chosen for his dad!

And it turned out to be a combo pen and flashlight with its very own lanyard attached so that Brandon can wear it around his neck! It even has the word "DAD" written on the side!

Then Brandon opened his gift from Maddox. Maddox had chosen a new pair of earbuds so that "daddy could use them on his computer"!! It was cute watching Maddox wander around the dollar store looking for something for Brandon. I knew when Maddox chose the earbuds that Brandon probably wouldn't actually use them. I mean, I've listened to music through dollar head phones and it's really not that great so I tried so hard to steer Maddox in another direction but he was determined and just KNEW that daddy would NEED those earbuds! So earbuds it was! And ya know what? Brandon loved them!! :)

For me, Ashtyn chose a silver necklace with a cross pendant and Maddox chose a set of three hair clips that look like butterflies! Both boys said their choices were "beautiful" and that I would "love them"...and they were right!! In fact, I'm wearing one of the hair clips right now and I wore the necklace all afternoon! They both made good choices!

The boys also chose a new toy each for Charlie. Maddox got him a chew toy that looks like a steak and it squeeks (really loud!) and Ash got him a cloth hot dog that also squeeks. Charlie loves both!

We're still counting down the days to the REAL Christmas when Santa will bring the things the boys have been wishing for! I honestly can't wait!!!! Oh and I can't wait for the actual live performance of the boys Christmas program tomorrow evening!!!!