Broken Dreams and Chic-Fil-A

At the beginning of December, Gran gave the boys both money to visit Build-A-Bear and build a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It was a special "limited time only" deal. Well, between hosting two cocktail parties, shopping, wrapping and card making, I didn't get around to taking them until this afternoon. When we reached the store (an ordeal in itself between traffic and the general Christmas hysteria that encircles any mall) we were told they'd been sold out of the reindeer for weeks...for weeks!!??!! It's only December 18th! Well, now I know when they say "while supplies last" they REALLY mean it! As Travis dissolved into a puddle of despair, Cole, who actually has no idea why we're even at the mall, begins to wail in sympathy for his brother. And the same weary shoppers on the benches outside the store who, just moments earlier, had watched two red and green clad youngsters eagerly skip into the store with anticipation, now tried to avert their eyes as I staggered out one sobbing boy clamped to each leg. I suggested we head upstairs to the food court for some Chic-Fil-A and a few rides. As we topped the second floor on the escalator, we discovered the food court was undergoing renovations. The Chic-Fil-A was open (a small miracle) but the rides had been taken out. Not a coin fed spaceship in sight! Travis then said the quote of the evening, "I want to speak to the owner of this mall right now!" I laughed out loud at that...and so did the people from the next table. To prolong the pain, I had to stop at Macy's before we could leave to buy some makeup. Travis was still bummed out and Cole just knew if Travis isn't happy, then he can't be either. The wonderful woman who checked me out at the make up counter gave the boys both a lollipop. She'll never know how much that random act of kindness helped the three of us. We made it to the car and home and I'm sure the whole thing will soon be forgotten with all the other excitement of the holidays to distract. I'd taken my camera to document the stuffing of the reindeer, but I think these shots tell our very different story.