The Puddles

The kids are asleep.  The presents are under the tree.  The world is quiet at 3 in the morning.  But we had the best time ever tonight and I don’t know how we can top it tomorrow.

After coming home from church tonight, we ate dinner and made cookies for Santa.  Madie and I decided to check out the Santa Tracker from NORAD.  Totally awesome.  Ben kept coming and telling me where Santa was.   He and Ainsley were really starting to get worried that we would be awake when Santa come.  But there were cookies to put out, notes to write to Santa, and reindeer food to place outside.  So we worked quickly.  Madie already had the tray set up and her note written before we even cleaned up from dinner.

They placed the reindeer food outside and Madie decided that the reindeer would also like to have a bowl of  water.  So she put water outside while keeping an eye on the sky for Rudolph’s nose.  Meanwhile, Ainsley is crying because she is worried that Santa will skip our house because she is still up.  Ben counted out the carrots for all of reindeer and then we said our prayers and went to bed.

NORAD was so cool.  The kids kept watch all night to make that Santa wasn’t near Texas.  So after the kids were all tucked in, I decided we needed some motivation to fall asleep.  So I called NORAD’s hotline for tracking Santa.  I put the phone call on speaker phone and when they phone was finally answered the kids went wild.  The operator asked if the kids knew where Brazil was because that was where Santa was at the moment.  Then the operator said, “Oh my gosh! Santa just took a turn.  He’s heading towards Texas right now!!!!”  The kids dove for their beds.  I was sitting near Ainsley’s bed and she kept telling the operator, “We left you milk and cookies!  I love you, Santa. I love you!!!” Kisses. Kisses.  It was so sweet.  The best phone call we have ever made.

Of course, two hours later I hear footsteps upstairs.  Ainsley needs to be tucked back into bed.  As we are tucking her in, she says, “It takes sooooo long to wait for my Barbie truck from Santa!!!”  Poor sweet baby.  Morning will come soon enough.