Elf on the Shelf

Well, I can't believe how fast time is flying. Owen is already 4 months and every time I look at Ava I am amazed at how tall she is getting. Canyon was very excited to tell us that he made the A team in basketball - he LOVES basketball and we are so very happy for him. I'm hoping to actually make some games (I couldn't really with football b/c Owen was too little).

This year we started a new tradition, The Elf on the Shelf. For those of you who have never heard of the Elf on the Shelf, he's sent by Santa to keep an eye on your little ones and report back whether they are being naughty or nice. A very nice negotiating tool (especially this a.m. when he was stationed in our bathroom and I could finally comb Ava's hair without protest). Anyway, the one drawback is that every night the elf must move locations. Sounds easy, but we've already forgotten a few times. Thus begins the game of explaining why the elf did not move from the shelf. I think there should be a book called, "What to tell your kids when the elf on the shelf does not move". So far, at our house, there has been a blizzard at the north pole, he's found such a comfy, good spot he doesn't want to move and of course maybe the elf does not feel well. I'm waiting for the morning when I'm moving the elf on the shelf and get caught in the act - let's hope that doesn't happen.

Another tradition at our house is the "making of the gingerbread house", although it should probably be called the "ava eating candy/mom trying not to crush the gingerbread house". This year I had to really take stock not of what we were doing, but why we were doing it. The picture explains.