We visited Santa Claus and his reindeer at the Cougar Mountain Zoo again this year. The boys really enjoyed feeding apple slices to Rudolph and the other reindeer, although Avery needed an explanation as to why Rudolph’s nose was not red.

Then we continued past the reindeer up to Santa’s cabin, and that’s when our normally outgoing and flirtatious Kieron turned to mush on the floor. He does not trust that Santa Claus! I briefly considered handing him over to Santa for one of those classic crying toddler pics, but the man just looked so nice, and Kieron is quite a fighter, and surprisingly strong. I worried Santa would wind up with a black eye or a fat lip, so I ended up back in the picture this year, holding Kieron. Avery told Santa he had been a good boy this year, and that he would like a Serpent Pirate Ship for Christmas.

Tossing coins into the fountain


On Santa’s sleigh







The boys helping out with Christmas cookies