Time to catch up....

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted, but my work schedule has been crazy busy and I have just not had time. I'm still busy, but told myself, I need to make time, as I have lots to post and if I don't do it now, I will never do it.

So, I will try to post the last few months and get you all caught up. This post will start with Jetta and her two visits with Santa Claus. She had 3 visits this year and didn't seem to confused by it. I was really sure how that would go, but she seemed to not care that Santa was if different places at different times.

The first was at the Mills Mall, which I posted some time ago, which was the Santa from last year, who even makes me believe. I was hoping she wouldn't be afraid and if you remember that post, she was not at all and nearly knocked others over to get to him.

Her second visit was at our house just a week or so before Christmas. We have a very dear neighbor, who loves kids and he and his wife offered for him to play Santa. He used to work at the Federal prison in Greenville for years and he has a Santa suit and always played Santa for their Christmas party. After he retired from there and moved away for a few years, he kind of retired from playing Santa and really missed it.

Last summer they moved back to this area and they now live across the street from us. They are very sweet people and Jetta is very fond of both of them. So, when they offered. I was excited to accept. However, as mentioned in the beginning of this post, I was very busy with work and was worried I waited to long to accept and was afraid he may not be available. However, when I went over to ask if he was still available, he was more than happy to do it. So, we made arrangements for him to come one night after work and were all excited to see how she would react.

His wife came over a litte before he came, brought some cookies over so she would be here and then he came over, ringing his jingle bells and brought his big red bag, all dressed up and came to the door. Jetta's face lit up, she was so excited, she said, Santa is here. She was running around, hiding behind me and was not quite sure what to make of the fact that Santa was really at her house.

He came in and they sat down together in the chair. He told her he had her she was a good girl and told her he had heard what she wanted. She was very excited to know that he knew what she wanted. She was smiles from ear to ear. He pulled out a barbie and she was thrilled. Then he gave her a train, that to made her happy. He then gave her a Curious George book, a gift that he and his wife wanted her to have. He gave her some M&M's also, which of course she was thrilled with. They shared some more stories and then we snapped some pictures. It was all very sweet and she had no idea it was him.

After a little bit, he said, he better be going, he had many other little boys and girls to visit. She gave him a big hug and he said goodbye. She watched him leave and was just smiling. His wife asked if she could have a hug as well and said she best be going as well.

Jetta asked where his reindeer were and we said, he must have already flown away. She was very happy for the rest of the night. He had told me he would not accept anything for doing it, that his payment was seeing the kids and how much they enjoyed it. So, I decided to frame a picture of him and Jetta together. I scrapped it with special paper and tried to let him know just how much it meant that he did this for us. He and his wife are very special people. They don't have any grandkids yet, but know that they will be great grandparents when they do. I will include a few pics from his visit.

Then her next visit was at Grandpa Denny's. We traveled to Peoria on Christmas Eve as we always do. Denny always has Santa Claus and this year was no exception. While the group of kids was smaller, it was still a very nice day.

As we waited Jetta was patiently waiting for Santa to come. She wondered if he would read a story again, like he did last year. I was surprised that she remembered that from the year before. She always surprises me with what she remembers.

It was time. We gathered downstairs and then we heard Santa coming, ho, ho ho, down the stairs he came. Again, she was very excited and she jumped in my lap. As he came down, he rounded the corner and she got even more excited. I was glad to once again see that she was happy to see him. You just never know how they will react.

He sat down and he talked with all the kids. He remembered Jetta. It was very sweet. I think he remembered her because she climbed up in his lap last year and helped him read the Christmas story. They read a few trivia questions and then it was time to hand out the presents. She was very excited. She and Olivia got baby dolls. They played side by side and had a lot of fun.

Then it was time to read the Christmas story. This year she wasn't as eager to get in his lap, but she still was eager to listen and help. She still enjoyed the whole experience. Overall she had a great time and am glad that Denny does this for the kids and am just sad that all the kids didn't get to enjoy it this year.

After Santa left we all had dinner together and then opened presents together, of course something Jetta enjoyed.

I'm going to include pics from Santa and from opening presents, as we have some good ones from both. Hope you enjoy all of them.