I was home over Halloween and sensed that what I always perceived as empty threats to sell the house, might actually become a reality. So I booked a flight to come home for Christmas shortly after my Halloween trip, but decided to make it a secrete. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, my dad had been pleading for me to come home. Finally I told him a little white lie saying that my in-laws were coming to Utah and there was no way that I would be able to make it home. This shut down the discussion asap, but little did he know that I had the wheels in motion for what I called "Operation Folgers Coffee Christmas Commercial."
Only my sister Jennifer and her husband Scott knew that I was coming home for Christmas...really they had to know because they were my ride from Ohare up to Elm Grove (EGV). Unfortunately Jennifer, had to put up with my parents lamenting about me not coming home for Christmas for several weeks. As it came closer to departure, I pretty much made a point of avoiding all and any phone calls from my parents..which by their standards is not unusual or out of character for me...in order to preserve the integrity of the operation.
Henry who goes by the following aliases of little man or little shredder was my partner for Operation Folgers Coffee Christmas Commercial. He of course knew that one of the critical mission details was he had to pick up Aunt Catherine at the airport because that is where the reindeer dropped me off. He was a critical force in the success of the mission as it was his job to share the super surprise with our targets, whose aliases include: mom and dad, Peggy and Dick, grandma and grandpa, that he had found Aunt Catherine and brought her to EGV for Christmas. Luckily Henry's handler...Jennifer..aka Mommy to him, got Operation Folgers Coffee Christmas Commercial all on surveillance.
The classic Raney Christmas...a freakish abundance of presents under the tree. I had to laugh because my parents had shipped out all of my presents to SLC this year, so I was lacking a bit in the present department on Christmas day.
A true Raney family tradition at Christmas is the fact that EVER Christmas Eve my dad ALWAYS reads, The Night Before Christmas. For some reason this year he tried to get out of it. Hmmm hello, Operation Folgers Coffee Christmas Commercial...you sold my childhood away...I can only handle so much change...I want my freakin' story! As you can tell I won out in this situation and I'm not ashamed to brag about it!
Christmas morning...and yes yet another family tradition is that all of us "kids" have to wait up at the top of the stairs, while my dad makes sure that Santa really did come and visit us. Henry of course was kind enough to wake everyone up in the morning so that we could open up presents.
The little shredder making a move for the downstairs to see if Santa came this year. Santa did make a stop at the Raney household and it was quite apparent that Henry was a good boy because there were lots of presents for him!
Intense focus on ..... Dinosaurs...you know they are the coolest! Chomp Chomp!
All in all a most excellent Christmas in the EGV!
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