The Elf on the Shelf

Our dear adopted Grandma, Bev Olson, sent my boys THE ELF ON THE SHELF. Have you heard of it? It's one of Santa's little helpers that is sent to your home to spy on your kids... to see if they are behaving. Each night he leaves your home and reports back to Santa at the North Pole. In the morning, he's hiding in a new spot in the house. The kids name him, can write notes to him and have to behave nicely ALL THE TIME because this freaky elf is watching.

My kids have loved having ALVIN at our house. They JUMP out of bed and RUN down the stairs to see where Alvin is hiding. It's great for the kids, but it kind of sucks for the parents, because we actually have to remember to move him. Seriously, it's like being the Toothfairy EVERY single night and I ain't a good Toothfairy.

If I don't move him AS SOON as they go to bed, then he remains in the same spot the next day. He was hiding in our Christmas tree for FIVE days. I told you I wasn't a good mom. One night, I was still loading the dishwasher when the kids ran upstairs to brush their teeth, and I thought it was high time he left the tree. I moved him on top of the fridge. A minute later, Ben ran down the stairs and FREAKED out when he realized that Alvin had finally moved. I told him he was already reporting to Santa and carefully steered him away from the fridge. Man, I love lying to my kids. On the way up the stairs, Ben said, "You know, Alvin might not be magic. Maybe someone is coming into our house and moving him for us. It wouldn't be that hard to stick him in a different spot and then say that he MAGICALLY appeared somewhere else." When I asked him WHO would come into our house just to move the Elf, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "I guess we lock our doors anyway." Hey. I wouldn't mind some stranger coming in our house to move the elf for us. It would make my job much easier.

Zack came to me today and said, "Mom, Luke hurt me and then I hurt Luke...and Alvin saw everything."

Me: "He's gonna tell Santa that you are fighting and not being very nice to each other."

Zack: "No, Alvin told me that he won't tell Santa."

Me: "Really?"

Zack: "Yeah, and he said that he was going to spank Luke's butt, too."

Me: "I didn't know Alvin talked to you."

Zack: "He doesn't talk. He only whispers."


I don't know what we'll do when Alvin returns to the North Pole on Dec. 24th. A part of our family will be missing......... a piece of my heart will be taken. I will have to find the most comfortable (invisible) place for him to hide until next year.

Thanks, Bev for sending us our Elf!
and for the crisp dollar bills in their Christmas cards...
I will make sure they buy ME something special for Christmas!