We saw Santa at the Bass Pro Store.

Yes, I realize that sounds totally hillbilly, and I don't care, CUZ we had a great time.

If you haven't been to the Bass Pro Store in Stapleton, YOU are missing out. It pales in comparison to the one in my home state of Missouri-- Springfield's store is actually the largest in the country-- but it is nonetheless quite spectacular with the Islamorada Fish Company restaurant, Fourbucks coffee, ginormous fish tanks, plethora of stuffed animals (I mean the taxidermy kind-- is there another way to describe those?) and the shooting gallery...it is a blast!

The Santa's Wonderland at the Bass Pro Store is an idyllic scene out of A Christmas Story, complete with an electric train set, fake snow, wooden tables for coloring pages and writing letters to Santa, an area where kids can drive remote control ATV's and not just one but TWO shooting galleries-- one where they can shoot foam dart guns and one where they can play a target shooting video game with "rifles" (and where I was reminded that I am a sharp shooter). And because it is the 25th anniversary of A Christmas Story (does that make you feel old or what?!), they have Red Ryder BB guns for sale! They are also hawking pink Daisy's (I WANT ONE SANTA!) They have Frosty the Snowman and other children's classics in rotation on the DVD player in the coloring area, and a A Christmas Story in the grown up area where the BB guns are for sale. Oh! They also have roasted nuts for sale. The only thing missing is an ice skating rink! It is the perfect place to take your child(ren) to see Santa and the photo is FREE. You even get a coupon for a free kids meal for each child at the Islamorada, which is a very fun place to eat with kids.

I KNOW, I KNOW, it is all a mass marketing campaign to get you to spend lots of money on cheap plastic stuff at BPS, but if you can resist the lure of mindless consumerism (we did) and get your free coloring pages and photo, it's worth it. Our kids didn't get away so easily, they used their allowance to buy yet another wilderness play set. Liam bought a set that comes with a fishing boat, a kayak, two fishermen, two fish, and some fishing gear; Seamus bought a wooden whirly gig thingy, I think it's called an Air Top. But the BPS sets all fit together so one day they will have the complete outdoors, only indoors and made of plastic. Ba dum bum.

And before I forget to blog about the kids seeing Santa...of course the kids were adorable. Mara played her role as a fifteen month old very well and was nearly terrified of the big guy, and the boys weren't as big of hams as they appear in the photo. They were surprised to see that Mrs. Claus was there, and said she looked like Nana (I wished I had taken my camera but we may return for a second photo of just Mara for her bio mom).

I had coached them to wish Santa a Merry Christmas FIRST (which they did!) and to only tell Santa ONE big thing that they wanted ("You know, if you could only get one thing, what would it be?") Liam told Santa he wanted a violin. Seamus was very shy, and could not even speak to Santa, but just smiled sweetly, hence the reason why they have that area for kids to write letters to Santa. Mara didn't say, but I saw her eying a pink camouflage Hummer.

Even I coveted a couple of things at BPS. I love the McCall's jar candles, all the country kitchen stuff, and even some of the furniture which reminds me of Nana & Papa's place. The windchimes are impressive-- though too many of them are for looks only and do not sound good at all. The Bass Pro Store is no longer just a place to go for boats and fishing and hunting gear-- they are now marketing to the entire family, and almost half the store is geared toward Ma and Granny, so go check it out!

I've been in the Christmas Spirit since going. I'm even singing Christmas carols: "We wish you a Merry Christmas...We wish you a Merry Christmas...We wish you a Merry Christmas...and a Bass Pro New Year." Heh heh heh.