Secret Santa

So, I have learned that Brooke is absolutely the worst secret-keeper ever. I should never have trusted her with any kind of insider information, but as she was standing beside me when I made the discovery, it was hard not to include her and take her into my confidence.

Set scenario? Okay. Yesterday, I'm flipping around online while Avie is taking her nap, looking at the Jean Coutu website as Jax had mentioned to me the night before that enlargements were 40% off this week and I was thinking of printing some photos in time for the holidays.

Out of curiosity, I decided to check out photo gifts and found some thermal coffee travel mugs that you can personalize with a photo or drawing. I thought that for $19.99, Hubby might like one with a photo of the girls on it or some of Brooke's artwork. Would make a great Christmas gift for a proud papa who drinks coffee like it is going out of style. And, he never seems to have enough of those mugs!

So, my ''aha!'' moment arrived and as Brooke was beside me, I asked her wouldn't it be a great gift idea for Daddy? She jumped and clapped her hands. ''That's me!'' she exclaimed, as I tooled around with some design samples, "It's perfect!''

I then explained to her that it would be a surprise for Christmas and that she couldn't tell him about it. I figured she'd be good at keeping the secret as she herself had already 'purchased' him some gifts at the dollar store and hadn't mentioned them to him. (Now, I realize it's either because she's forgotten them or simply had no idea what she got him in the first place.)

About 20 minutes later, I hear her knock on the garage door to talk to her daddy (where he was busily working on his own Christmas surprise for us). She was going around with a little notepad and a pen, asking everyone what they wanted for Christmas, so she could send Santa 'our lists' and she didn't want to leave Daddy out of the game.

Hubby responds to her question with ''Clamps. Ask Mommy about them. She'll know the ones I mean.''

Yes, I do. The ones that were on sale in the Canadian Tire flyer this week. (Already bought two of them. No worries. A) He rarely reads my blog. B) He was with me and picked them out.)Naturally, Brooke comes back to me and says:

''Daddy says he wants clams...and seashells.''

Having overheard their conversation, I thought this was pretty funny and had to share it with him. So, I went back to the garage door and said:

''So you want clams and seashells, eh?''

Just then, Brooke pops out from behind me and says to Hubby, clapping excitedly ''Daddy, we just found a special cuppy to give to you for Christmas, but I can't talk to you about it because it's a secret.''

Hubby burst out laughing. ''Oh really?'' He looked up at me, his eyes twinkling merrily. She danced around, clapping.

''Yup! Mommy says it's a surprise.''

Geez, thanks Brooke.