It's Christmas Time

After a busy Thanksgiving, it was time to get the Christmas decorating started. The tree and lights went up while the duo was at school. Also while they were at school, the one they'd been waiting for came back and was waiting for them...Gary Snowball.

They were totally into putting ornaments on the tree. They loved it. Needless to say, the bottom third of the tree looks amazing and extra sparkly ;)

We added to our holiday weekend by using pipecleaners and beads to make some candy canes to hang on the tree. Payton did a few, but Parker was hooked on it and worked over an hour using up all the beads and then putting them on the tree.

We also made a stop at the Kanesville Tabernacle to check out the gingerbread house display. It is so cool. It was busy so I"m hoping to make another stop back there before they're gone. Its definitely worth the stop!

Adventures with the elf

Over the course of the month that Gary he aquired a last name - Snowball. He became Gary Snowball. The kids loved him. Since I didn't do the whole "don't touch him or he'll loose his magic" thing with him since it was our first year with him and I didn't know how they'd do, he spent a lot of time with them. I had several people ask about things our elf did. I was by no means anywhere near the most creative but we had lots of fun with him. So here are some highlights.

 Playing in sprinkles and colored sugar...

 Playing in their crayons and writing them notes...

 Apparently Gary is a fan of oreos...

 reading under the Christmas tree...

 taking a bath with a candle while reading Frosty...

 falling asleep under the Christmas tree...

 swinging from the kitchen lights...

 a late night game of Memory with Barbie, Pooh, a couple My Little Ponies and a few other friends...

 getting a little too excited in the bathroom with some toilet paper...

 man-up in a giant carton of Goldfish...

 going cruising with Tigger in the dump truck...

 building with their blocks...

 leaving notes written in Cheerios...

 hanging from their bedroom light...

 a little refreshment and web surfing with Payton's puppy, Penny...

 Gary and some of the friends he made here hanging out in the window...

 Gary, on his last night with us. He wrote them notes saying good-bye and he'd be back next year.

 They are still asking where Gary Snowball is but they know he went home with Santa and is at the North Pole. And now a whole other year to be coming up with elf ideas.

We're having a...

elf. (what were you thinking???) We have our very own elf on the shelf. Parker decided to name him Gary, after the guy in the newest Muppet movie. Gary the Elf. If you say that a few times and think about it, it will probably give you the giggles. Our elf is a little bigger because we're using one way of the stuffed elf's that are supposed to be so the kids can play with one. The real elf on the shelf is a lot smaller and the kids aren't supposed to touch him or he looses some of his magic. I just knew there was no real way to make sure they kept their hand off him. I thought this might be a little better. The rest of the story applies. They know he's talking to Santa and reporting in every night after we go to bed.

For only being around a few days, Gary has made quite the rounds already. I'm not real sure how much it's helping the behavior though. I keep hearing "I be nice", but with two 3 year olds that only last so long.
 Stay tuned for more Gary updates!