It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas..

Which is a good thing considering it's next week! We bought a fake tree this year and got a steal of a deal. Clint and Lyndon hung the lights outside. Charlotte's cute dress is from Grandma Snow. Stockings are hung and the nativity scenes are out. I just try not to think about how it all has to be put away in a couple of weeks. I still have most of my shopping left to do as well. Where did the time go?? We went to the mall this week (attempting shopping that didn't happen). They had a big "Polar Express" exhibit set up there that had a giant snow globe you could walk into with fake snow falling down. They also had a train you could walk into that had levers to pull, a steering wheel to steer, a horn to blow, and TVs on the side that made it look like we were actually moving. I was halfway through the crowded line wondering why in the world we were moving so slow when I noticed it was a line for Santa. They tricked us! I told them I just didn't want any ridiculously-over-priced pictures, we just wanted to wave and say "hi". Lyndon reminded Santa (again) that he wants a polka-dotted tractor for Christmas. I'm still working on that one.
The exciting part was that right before seeing Santa Claus I lost Lyndon! While we were in line, I was helping Charlotte get a drink from my strawberry lemonade. When I looked up, Lyndon was gone. We were actually corralled in this tiny little area. I don't know how in the world he got out. I had to ask a lady in front of me to watch Charlotte ('cause there was no way the stroller was leaving) and hop the fence to run around like a mad woman screaming his name. People just stared at me like I was a horrible Mom, but didn't actually help me out.
I thought about how I had just taken a picture of him in the snow globe and how it might come in handy if I had to get the security guards. Finally, a lady asked me if I was looking for a boy with crazy hair, and I knew it had to be him. Turns out, he had jumped the fence and wound his way back to the beginning of the line to go back to the train (of course!). Talk about heart failure. We went home as soon as we got out of there. Luckily, Charlotte and my purse were both still there when we got back! Here's a fuzzy picture (I don't know why) of the offender:

Above is the milk carton picture. Little boy last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt; has "crazy hair".