Return of the Elf . . .

It's that time of year again. Whether or not you can get behind the whole Elf on a Shelf thing, I have to say, my kids love it. We started it a few years ago, and it was fun when I tried to think of all the creative things I could do with the Elf. Pinterest is LOADED with ideas. The first year i just moved the elf around a bunch, a la 'Elf on the Shelf for Slackers'. Then, last year, I got much more creative. Sadly, what I did was set the bar much higher. Now I am the one who has to uphold it.

So I did what any smart normal crazy person would do: I planned it out in advance. Yes, yes, I can hear you laughing. I just have so darn much going on in my life that I figured if I planned out what the little red guy was doing each day, it would help me stay on track. Now I not only have my own to do list, I have one for a stuffed elf who keeps my kids in line better than I do. What just happened?

This morning we set up Elfie's door, because you know, he needs a place to get in. Last year we made the door, the fence, wreath and sitting area for him. So I dragged that out and we set it up. They kept asking me if he might come a day early this year, like last year. Early? I have no recall of that. Whatever. We set it up and they went off to school squealing about behaving and seeing Elfie soon. They insisted on illuminated lights to his front door, and plan on making him ornaments for his (multiple) trees. Last year he only had one. We only have one for crying out loud.

So this is Elfie's front door, and if I can  get away with it, I might not decorate anything else, except our tree. 

I sound sarcastic maybe, but when we finished and they were at school, I started thinking about how little time there might be left for them to believe the way they do now. If one figures it all out, they might tell the others. It won't be like an older sibling keeping the secret for the younger one(s). With multiples, I imagine that they will move through most rites of passage at the same speed. 

And thus, I will be consulting my elf activities/antics spreadsheet daily until Christmas Eve. We'll see what trouble he can get up this year! Hopefully the next 25 days will produce well behaved kids and sustained belief in the wonder that is eventually  chipped away from us. The next best thing to having that wonder live in you, is living with little someones who have it living in them. 

Looks like he's ready to go!

Hey, that's MY coffee . . .