Have you ever told a white lie to your kids?

Just to get them to stop asking you something? Well...that happened to me over Labor Day weekend. My parents were camping about 1-1/2 hours away at this really neat campground, and we packed a picnic lunch and drove out to see them for the day. They had this really cool fish pond with ducks in the kids loved, and the indoor heated pool and spa were a huge hit! We all enjoyed that for a few hours. As we were walking back to the campsite, we noticed they had these adorable little cabins you can rent if you dont want to camp. So we got the keys and toured a few of them thinking how nice it would be to bring a bunch of family up and stay there.

Well...Emily fell in love with this one cabin and did not want to leave. It was like a giant Dollhouse to her. And the only way to get her to leave and to stop crying and throwing a fit about wanting to stay there, was to tell her we'll come back another time (not really knowing for sure if we ever could). Well, that paused the tantrum for awhile, and after a few hours I was pretty sure she has forgotten! Until we got in the car and started the long drive home. And in the dark, this little voice says, "Mommy, when are coming back to stay in the little house?" Ummm...I'm trying to think quick. My husband starts telling her we are not coming back and shush him quick before another meltdown starts. I said something like maybe in the spring. And she says back (isn't she so smart?) "like in April?" And I say, "Sure, April". Well...months have passed, and I only agreed and said that knowing in my heart by the time April came around that she would have totally forgotten all about the "little" house and staying there.

Well...she has NOT forgotten. And last week she reminded me out of the blue that "don't forget mommy, in April we're going to the little house and go swimming and see the ducks." Sure I say, we'll see...then yesterday the neighbor girl is playing with Emily, and Emily informs her she will not be here for her birthday, because in April she's going to stay in a new house and will not be here!!!!

Now how do I tell her that we ARE NOT going????

Not that I wouldn't love to stay there! They were really cute, and we did have a lot of fun. But those little house were REALLY expensive. $240 a night with a 2 night minimum. I'm sorry Emily...but that's a little outside of mommy's camping budget. I'd go to Disneyland before I paid that to camp.

Sorry Honey...