A Trip to See Santa

Pat and I headed to the mall today with the four youngest kids in tow. We put Kim and Luke in this very cute firetruck stroller and we were good to go. Of course, one of the main stops for us was the north pole, not the real north pole, as Grace commented, a pretend one. I wondered who would have the courage to sit with Santa this year. The babies didn't want anything to do with the big guy, and Mark was to mature to sit with him-he thought it was just nonsense. With Grace, I had no doubt, she is a definite Santa lover.

She talked and talked with Santa, and then she talked some more. After about 10 minutes I was finally able to coax her away, with a promise that maybe we will stop by again another day.

It certainly was a fun day. Pat and I knew that this was an outing--not a shopping trip--shopping would be impossible with this crew. We did manage to make a few purchases, and Kimberly ended up with two new "friends".
It was a very good day!

A Friday Outting

We had a very special outting today when Daddy took us to the Carousel Mall.

It has begun an expansion and will be the biggest mall in the U.S. when it is done.

We very rarely go to the mall--never to shop--but as a fun trip out for the kids.

The last time I was here I discovered a wonderful, quiet spot in the midst of a very busy mall.

I showed this wonderful Franciscan Place to Pat and we spent a few minutes with Our Lord in the chapel.
We then went on to the carousel, for which the mall is named.
Luke did like the horse, until it started to move, and then he lost control.

He was o.k. once his daddy tossed him into the sleigh with his mom and sisters.

We did have some excitement on the way home.(About 40 miles from home.)But Dad took care of us and we were home before we knew it.

Well, some of us knew it.