I heard Cindy tell Kenzie, "go talk to mommy. Just go talk to her. She's in the other room, go talk to her." I know what that means. She's brought up a tough subject, one that Cindy doesn't want to have with her.

Kenzie found me and in her most serious voice, looked me in the eyes and said, "Mom, I need to know. Is there really a Santa Claus or was it just you guys? It was you guys, right? Is Santa Claus REAL?"

I have told her that I would never lie to her, which made this question particularly awkward because, in fact, I have been lying to her for the last six years on this subject. I have been very nervous about this moment because learning that there was no Santa was, for me, a defining moment in my life. It was when I learned that adults were not perfect and the world isn't as it seems.

So, expecting the worst, I looked her in the eyes and said, "Kenz, Santa is like a dream. He's not a real person, but he's something that kids can believe in, kind of like magic."

The wheels started to turn. Her eyes went to a distance, and then back to me, "but what about all those people? Everyone talks about Santa."

Then a smirk came on her face. She thought it was quite funny, and she was being let in on the secret. It's a total conspiracy. I told her, "it's a big job being a big sister and knowing that Santa isn't real. You have to help your brother continue to believe." With that she left the room.

I later found out that she immediately went to find Mason. Cindy told me that she spilled it all, "Mason, Mason, Mommy just told me that there isn't a Santa Claus!" I didn't find out until this morning and was rather perturbed at her. She claimed that she didn't understand what I meant, and I believe that. She said, "if that's what you were telling me you didn't put it in words that I understood." Touche. But now we're clear. She understands that it is officially part of her job to partake in the conspiracy.

So then Mason was looking through his stocking presents and said, "Santa gave this to me. Noooo...you gave it to me." I said, "no, Santa gave you the stuff in your stocking." Kenzie jumped right in and said, "Right, Mason. It was Santa. Last night when I told you there was no Santa I was just joking." He said, "Oh. Okay." And so it continues...