Yes indeed...I believe in Santa Claus.

I am loving the time off from work.  Legare got home last night and he and I spent the day in Charleston picking up a few last minute things.  In the past year or so, he's taken a shine to cooking and really enjoys himself when he's home and we're paying for the groceries.  Hank and I enjoy the fact the Legare enjoys cooking. During the work week, we lead a dull existence from a culinary perspective.  So...in the spirit of everybody enjoying the holidays in their own way, we wrapped up our afternoon at Whole Foods.  As I sit here nursing a tibble of Maker's Mark, Legare is making a Beef Bourguignon for dinner.  The house smells divine...and on a Tuesday night!!!  Amazing.

Tomorrow morning, I'm meeting my friend Ted at Starbucks then he and I are going out for lunch.  Since Ted and I don't work in the same office anymore, we have loads to catch up on.  Who said what to whom when and all manner of "he/she did WHAT??" will be the gist of the conversation.  I'll spend tomorrow afternoon getting "santa" ready for mother and Ned. 

Mother is obsessed with "does Ned really believe in Santa Claus?"  He's never said the words, "Santa is not real," so nobody is going to burst his bubble on my watch...including mother, I do hope and pray.  A year ago, she never would have entertained the thought but these days, who in the world knows what she might say.  I'll tell you this much...while Legare and Lorelai know what's what, both of them will tell you in a heartbeat that they believe. 

When Legare hit the age of questioning, Lorelai was still little.  Our response to him was this..."as long as you believe, you get toys and gifts from Santa.  When you say you don't believe, Santa will stop coming and you'll just get a present from mommy and daddy."  He never mentioned it again.  When Lorelai posed the question a few years later, Legare was quick to tell her exactly what we'd told him, almost word for word.

All these years later, we still have so much fun...letters to Santa and the whole nine yards.  It makes me smile.

What's making you smile??