Our favorite Christmas Tradition

So I'm back, at least temporarily. I am insane at work, this, our very slowest time of the year in the worst market imaginable I am struggling to keep my head above water. My desk. Is overflowing. Yet here I sit, wasting time (as BH would say) blogging. Like it's not necessary.

Whatever.

Last week we went and had our Christmas pictures with the boys. We have done this every year since they were babies. Over 20 years, 24 years to be exact. This year we had a little snag. My oldest is living in Utah and is not able to make it down for the holidays.

So we went to see Santa with the two remaining boys.

This picture is a little blasphemous. We don't usually don't include moms or dads.
This is just one of the photos we took last year.
Sprinkle a little Christmas magic dust and. . .
And waa laa!
What do you think?
Pretty cool eh?

It really is a huge tradition for our family and with many of my rele's out of the country it is the only time they see my guys.

Ain't they handsome!

Oh so here's the scoop on this.

My X started this tradition when my oldest was born. It's 'his' tradition. I didn't really care about it one way or the other for a long time. Santa was just, eh, for me.

Last year I was sick if you'all recall. I had just had my second chemo treatment, losing all my hair and felling pretty yuk. As much as I wanted to be there for the picture I left it to X to do the honors. Time ticked away until a scant week before Christmas I gathered up the boys and went to the mall.

It was a horrible set up. They would only let us take one photo with Santa regardless of us buying a picture or not. So I took one photo with Santa and took a whole bunch of other photos around their 'North Pole' display.

I made 5X7's for all the grandparents for Christmas and threw the whole lot on a disk and told the boys to give it to their dad.

X was pissed! HE didn't get to do the picture! Well shoot! HE had plenty of time.

So, this year I didn't even wait for him. X is getting married this weekend, I'm pretty sure he is way to busy with all of that, I gathered up the boys and we (BH and I and the boys) trekked off to the mall.

While standing in line I mentioned X to youngest. He said "oooooh, I forgot to tell dad we were having our pic taken today. He's gonna be mad." Middle overhearing some of the conversation said "What?" "Dad" "ooooooh shoot, I forgot to tell dad we were having our picture taken. He's gonna be mad."

This tickles me. Is that evil? Don't answer that. I don't care. But it does, it tickles me to no end that I was there, taking photos, and he wasn't. And when he finds out BH was there. He may just have a stroke.

And I managed to get oldest in the photo!

So.

Take that!

But I'm going to be nice about it again. I have the whole thing on a disk for him. I don't think the boys have told him yet so I'm going to wait.

Except for the Photo Shop pic. I may make him pay for that. I had it done and it cost me so he can pay 1/2.

That's fair right?

I think so too.