Breakfast with Santa

Does anyone absolutely LOVE Christmastime?  We love everything about Christmastime and try to do something fun everyday with our family.  One of our favorite traditions is Breakfast with Santa.  We've been to several Breakfast with Santas- even when Ashton was a few months old.  This is our 6th one and was our favorite by far! We went to the Gardens at Dry Creek in Lehi.  We were welcomed into this quaint reception area. It was so pretty- like a winter wonderland. They had a really nice buffet (the french toast was AMAZING!) and you didn't have to stand in a long line!  They called each table by name and while you waited you could color and make a little Santa craft.  Our whole family (8 adults, 2 children and 4 lap babies) was able to sit at one table! There was also a North Pole room where Santa was sitting waiting for the kiddos to tell him what they would like for Christmas.  They called each table up at a time and we were able to decorate cookies and get our face painted while we waited.  The North Pole was just like what the North Pole would be like: white, cozy and chilly.  Santa was the real deal.  The kids were so happy and most were ok with Mr. Claus-  no major meltdowns.  Ashton was all business- he gave him a picture he drew and told him all the things he wanted.  He was very specific. Oliver was very stoic, only uttering a few words but no crying.  And Adelle was just a perfect little princess.  She had been getting a little separation anxiety lately but she was just perfect. I seriously loved this place.  We felt welcome and not just one of the crowd and our kids had such a wonderful time.  We will for sure be back next year!

Blessings in Disguise

As most of you know, we (Lorin) has gone back to school to get his MBA.  That means a lot of changes for us- the biggest one being financial.  Every little dollar counts. The transactions were pretty small but were occurring every month.  I thought Lorin was doing it and he thought I was.  When we finally decided to talk about how we shouldn't continue those anymore, we realized neither of us was actually doing it!  So when we looked back on past statements and saw some unauthorized transactions that had been happening for over a year, we called right away to get it cleared. In fact, 2 other people in my neighborhood had the same thing happen to them with the same company!  We felt surprisingly calm and the company was very helpful.  In the end, we were to get back about $400.  $400!! Can you believe that? I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason.  It was like a forced savings- and now we are able to pay for our plane tickets back East. 

I would like to share a few other blessings in disguise:
- My beloved Subaru's transmission died.  We were able to trade it in for a car that had room to grow in.  A few weeks later we found out that I was pregnant with sweet baby A (surprise!) so we really needed the room! There was no way we could fit 3 car seats in that car.
- My first car's, a cute little Honda, transmission also died.....we were able to trade that for a car with 4 wheel drive.  My husband has a 40 minute commute each way and with the snow it makes it a safer commute.  And I don't have to worry as much with him driving so much.
- In our church we pay tithes.  Well, in January we "overpaid" for some reason.  Well after reviewing our tithes with our Bishop we realized we did back then which means we are all caught up this year.  There was no way we could have paid what we supposedly "owed"- not now at least.
- As we were reviewing our budget for Christmas gifts this year (my heart hurt for my kids) we got an email.  We were able to collect our rewards for our bank card.  It was just a few dollars short of what we had set the kids' budget. 
- I went to 2 boutiques. I spent days preparing.  I sold 0, ZERO, zilch of my products.  I did sell a bottle of water.  Needless to say, I was ready to quit pretty much everything.  I was a bit dramatic.  After talking to my rational husband, we made some decisions.  Boutiques are not my thing.  I can't do them.  I met a lot of wonderful people and I enjoy that aspect.  But for all that work and no reward it is just not plausible.  I don't have the time.  So after feeling like a failure, I realized I do OK online and will just focus on that. 
- We applied for a loan to help us through grad school since Lorin is not working.  For some reason they still think we are making what Lorin made last year.  We only have enough money for the next few months.  Because of that extra money we are getting from the bank we are able to save more this month.  At first I thought having such a frugal husband was hard, but it has come in pretty handy! I don't know how the rest will play out but that's ok.  I think it will be fine.
-My last one is very personal and probably very controversial.  I will be as vague as I can :) I was working hard at achieving something when something else happened.  I was not ready for that to happen.  I had a very hard time with it.  It was something that would affect all of us, not just me.  After a few weeks I learned to accept it and now I know that it was supposed to happen at that time.  I could not be happier.

Dear Santa+ Freebie

If you are behind the ball, like me, here is a little treat for you!  I made these for my littles to fill out.  Daddy wrote out what the kiddies said.  Ashton was very specific while Ollie was a little quieter.  I added the last line because I think it is important to think about others.  Ashton really thinks Ollie needs clothes- maybe because Ollie never wears pants!  Now we know exactly what our kids want and Santa will now know, too!  Feel free to print these out for your kids.

 

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