Pictures with Santa

We headed to North Park this morning to get Ashlyn's picture taken with Santa....after breakfast with Grandma Sally and Mimi!  We got there around 11 am and Mimi met up with us soon after.  We headed over to Santa's house all dolled up, bow in hair and smiles on our faces!  When we walked up, Santa was putting on a show and there were probably no less than 300 people crowded around.  I found one of Santa's helpers to get the scoop.  He handed me a number.  We were #211!  He told us they would probably be on our number around 6 or 7 tonite!  Um, ok.  Guess we will do a little Christmas shopping???  We walked around for a bit and then Chance took Ashlyn home for a nap, so Mimi and I could do some real damage!  We shopped for several hours and I got about half of the things crossed off my list.  A very good start!  Mimi dropped me off at the loft and headed home for a dinner party.  Ashlyn took a great (late) nap so we decided to venture back to the mall and try out luck at Santa again.  Just in case you haven't been to North Park mall on a Saturday during the Christmas season...let me say one word...CHAOS!  And we were heading right back into the mix...for a 2nd time in one day!  Yes, I ate 2 meals in the North Park food court, YUM!   We got there a little before 6.  They were on #270, but allow those who "missed" their numbers to still be called.  So we sat around for about 15 minutes before our number was called.  When they call your number, you go into the first holding pen!  You are there about 15 minutes before you are herded to the next area which is about 10 minutes away from Santa!  We spend less than 1 minute with Santa and then headed over to the "viewing area" to view and purchase our photos.  It is quite the process!  We were in and out in less than an hour.  I was shocked!  Ashlyn was a little unsure about Santa.  I thought she was going to cry when Chance put her in his lap, but she just got a little shy and stuck her fingers in her mouth!  We ended up getting one picture that was pretty cute.  But you will have to check your mail to see it!

Waiting for Santa