Breakfast with Santa

Wintery wonderland, snow princesses, candy canes, balsam forests, reindeer and Santa Claus! This first ever experience of breakfast with Santa did not disappoint.

Greyson was not very fond of the snow princess, but Sayer didn't let that bother him.

So many things for little eyes of little boys to stare at in amazement.

Balloon animals and reindeer hats. What could be better to a little boy of almost three?

A forest with lighted reindeer?

Or dancing with Dollar Bill?

Even if you are the only kid in the whole place dancing... and dancing to "Last Christmas" by George Michael.

Sharing in the day with friends from school?

Waiting in line to sit on Santa's lap...

to tell him that what you want for Christmas is a football!

And as the momma... capturing that first moment on film where your kids meet Santa for the first time. Even if they are scared and crying... it's priceless!

Best part of the whole day - the kids getting to share it all with Ms. JoDe! What could be better?

Traditions...

I love them!

I think that family traditions are one of the most important things about family. Traditions are the things that you remember, always. They are the things that no matter how old you are, you continue them for the sake of passing them along from generation to generation.

Every Christmas Eve my mom, dad, brother and I would make the drive from Dearborn to Platte City on the lookout for Rudolph's red nose. Almost every year we would find a light in the sky that shined bright red and we knew that Santa was already making his rounds. When we'd arrive home we would snuggle in with Twas the Night Before Christmas and then we'd set out cookies and milk for Santa. As I reflect back on this family Christmas tradition, it brings a smile to my face. It is something that I will always hold dear.

When my parents presented Sayer and Greyson with the recordable Twas the Night Before Christmas book last week with them reading that story to my kids, once again I couldn't help but smile and shed a few tears. See, with this gift, my kids and I will forever get to listen to my parents, their grandparents read us this special story.

This tradition will forever live on in this house! And for that, I am grateful!

And so he arrived...

one day in November. Santa's little helper. Sayer named him Bentley.

He watches the boys during the day, then flies back to the North Pole at night to report to Santa on whether the boys have been naughty or nice.

You never know where he might land when he flies back to our house, so every morning when the boys wake, they have to search until they find Bentley!

As we tell the boys daily, you have to be nice because Bentley is watching!

Two peas in a pod!

When Greyson was a newborn I really thought that he and Sayer had distinctly different personalities...

Sayer was my bold, head strong, leader and Greyson was my quiet, sweet, laid back kid! As they have both grown over the past 18 months I have come to realize that their personalities are more and more alike.

They are both head strong, bold, leaders! They love to be the center of attention and they are both constantly on the move. Neither are laid back kids, so you can imagine that most days at our house things are a bit rambunctious, loud and crazy!

But, if you catch us at just the right time, you will find that these are two of the most caring, sweet, cuddly, loving boys that you will ever meet! They are truly two peas in a pod and as Sayer frequently likes to say "Greyson is my best friend."

That is what this momma lives to hear!