A Much Anticipated Visit...

Santa has a scheduled appointment to visit Daddy's office every year at Christmastime - usually during the first week of December.  There's no need to visit the mall, the elementary school, or the ward party and wait in line to see Santa.  They get the awesome opportunity for the real Santa (they recognize that the guys with the fake beards are just helpers) to sit and chat for a while. 

Mrs. Clause came and brought some cookies that the elves made.  They were shaped like little Santas and wrapped with candy canes on top.

They each got a turn to tell Santa that they were good kids this year and what they hoped he'd bring them for Christmas.  Natalya wanted the movie, Barbie and a Fashion Fairytale, and makeup.  Branson wanted the die cast cars DJ, Wingo, Snot Rod, and Boost from Disney's movie Cars. And Irelynn just hugged him.  She smiled at him a lot and gave him a couple high-fives.  I told Santa that it would be helpful if he brought her dollhouse accessories.  He nodded.

They devoured their cookies.

Since it was such an intimate setting and all the other children had a chance to sit on Santa's lap, I allowed our children a second visit.  It was magical.  The kids asked questions to which they had the most detailed answers.  They asked what the reindeer were doing right now.  Santa said that they were up at the North Pole.  That their flying magic only works on Christmas Eve.  Mrs. Clause said that Rudolph was such a funny reindeer.  His favorite thing to do is jump in the snow.  She said that he was probably jumping in the snow right now! 

Then something awesome happened.  Santa turned to Natalya and told her how important it is to read.  (If you know Natalya at all, you know that reading is her favorite thing to do.)  Then he asked her if she had ever received a reward for reading at school.  A smile grew across Natalya's face (and my jaw dropped) as she informed Santa that just earlier that day Natalya was recognized in an assembly in front of her whole school for her achievements in reading.  

How fun it was to have such a personal experience with Santa and Mrs. Clause.  I love having little kids.