For Adult Eyes Only

Okay, I have been trying to be good all morning, unpacking suitcases, making important phone calls, making lists of things I need to do, but the blog has been calling me and I can resist no longer. I loved reading all of your blogs. Rigby girls, I'm sorry to hear about Tuco- for your parents' sake. Give them a big hug for me. Jess, I'm totally jealous that you have finished the BOM. I am a bit behind and mom and Jane figured out that I have to read 8 pages a day from now to the end of the month to finish. I think Mindi's prediction is going to come true for me. Everyone will be celebrating the new year as I read the last chapter of Moroni. I am going to do it though. You can count on that. So Cory and my girls and I just got back from Bend Oregon last night. Cory had to work and I didn't want Jane missing too much school. So mom has volunteered to be in charge of coordinating the food for Pop's funeral and they are stuck in a snow storm up the mountain. Dad has already warned me that this could be my new assignment for the next two days and by dang I'm ready for it (that is for Cory's benefit in case he's reading the blog at work and stressing out). Cory- I did Enrichment dinners for over a year, no worries.

We had a great Thanksgiving. We did it at the park, in a pavillion, with dutch ovens and camp stoves. It was freezing, like in the 30s but we had a huge roaring fire and the kids were bundled and it was so much fun. I could have handled the 50 degree weather we were supposed to have.

So now to the title of my blog. Mike and I decided that it was probably time to tell Jane that there really isn't a Santa Claus. She is defending him to the death at school and I have come up with so many fabulous explainations for little issues of potential doubt that she still believes. I did think however that she might have some doubts. Oh, I was so wrong. I decide to tell her and then ease the pain with telling her she is going to get to help fill her sisters' stockings. So the other night we have some down time and I call her over and tell her I have a secret I think she should know. She says okay. I tell her it isn't a really great secret and that she might be upset that I've told her. She says it's okay and now she is begging me to tell her. So I look her in the eye and say "Jane, there is no Santa." The child bursts out laughing, positively hysterical, leans over hits my leg, totally cracking up. In between giggles she's saying "I can't believe you did that. You are so funny. Oh, so you and dad eat cookies at midnight, yeah right." I tell her again that there really isn't a Santa, she continues to laugh until I say it the third time. At which time she gets the most devasted look on her face that I have ever seen and I have no choice but to reply "Got ya." She laughs again, clearly relieved that her mom just has a demented sense of humor hugs me, tells me she can't believe I teased her like that, and goes off to finish putting away her laundry. It was so cute I could have just died. So the magic will continue yet another year at our house and maybe she'll just have to figure it out on her own because I can't tell her again.

Well Sadie is covering me screen with the book she wants me to read to her so I had better go. I love you all so much. I am so grateful to have you all as my family.
Blog, Brooke