Wait - what, WHO!?!?!

There was recently some plotting, some planning, some more plotting, and, well, some LYING!  You cannot pull off a surprise without a few white lies.

The joy of a surprise!

Let's go back a few months to about January when Cindy and I decided that it would be a good idea to surprise my mom for her birthday with the arrival of my Aunt Clara (my mom's sister) and Cindy.  So the plotting began.  We got in touch with Clara and she was game, but we hit our first snag - my mom and Clara had already planned to go to Colorado to her my Grandmother for the weekend of their birthdays.  Clara emailed my mom to cancel their trip and re-schedule for around Mother's Day.  As my mom expressed her disappoint with the change of plans, I listened and said little knowing what the change in plans was all about.  Over the next few months there was little to do other than keep my mouth shut.  I have learned the hard way that with an open family we are not particularly prone to keeping "secrets."  For example, when I was graduating college I had plans to not tell my parents that I was speaking at the graduation ceremony, until it slid out in everyday conversation spoiling the surprise.  

Eventually, I realized that my mom is planner I needed her to have that weekend open and free from plans.  The best way for be to thwart her planning was to have her obligated to watching my kiddos for a few days.  So then the lying started... First, it was that I had a continuing education class and Buck was going to go with me for an extended weekend.  To this my mom expressed her surprise that such a class would be happening on Good Friday, but never really questioned the validity of our plan.  Then we needed to a reason to show up Thursday night when my sister and Clara would be arriving in town.  We also need to be back to spend Easter with our kiddos.  So Buck and I modified our plan to leaving Thursday night after dinner with the kids and being back sometime on Saturday.  As the time of Buck and I's "mini-vacation" got closer, the details and the lying got more frequent.  Should my parents take the kids to the Easter egg hunt, where were we going, what was for dinner on Thursday night, when did the kids need to be at school on Friday.  I found myself in more than one conversation where I would say one thing and then my mom would say something like, "but I will be picking the kids up from school on Friday..."

Finally Thursday arrived.  Cindy got her mid-day and we got to spend the afternoon tooling around Bozeman.  Clara got here early evening and we headed out to my parents house.  Buck and I went in and said hi to the kiddos and my parents as we usually would.  Then I went out to the car to get the kids stuff, since they would be spending the weekend there.  Instead, I came back with Clara and my sister.  My mom's smile says it all.  Shock, disbelief, confusion, and tears of sheer joy!  I do think it took a good 10 seconds to realize who had just walked into her house.  

As Clara and Cindy walk in the door...

An unexpected hug from her sister!

An unexpected hug from her daughter!

Laughter as she realizes that she has been TRICKED!

Here is the video.  I did my best, but I think the giggling captures the moment - well that, and the tears.  Of course my dad's statement at the end is PRICELESS!

Clara SURPRISE! from Jenifer Reece on Vimeo.

Yup, you heard him right.  He couldn't have a second wife or anything like that because the lying would be too much for him.  I cannot tell you how much this plotting stressed the old man out.  Even though I got stuck being the mastermind behind the lies, he had to live with her and filter his everyday conversation - that is tough for an old guy!  We are glad it worked and it was only the beginning to a great weekend!