carrots for rudolph . . .

When we went to visit Santa Claus a few weeks ago (for the first time), he gave the kids a packet of carrot seeds to plant for the reindeers. He told them that even if they didn't grow properly between then and Christmas Eve the reindeers would still know where to find the seeds which they loved just as much as carrots, so not to worry if they didn't grow.
We planted them the next day and in the 3 weeks between then and Christmas, Austin took his duty very seriously, watering and checking on them every day. Thankfully by Christmas Eve we had a few shoots at least, not actual carrots, but Austin was happy enough with that and the reindeers didn't seem to mind, they ate the shoots and the corn cobs that we left for them.