Yesterday morning I ventured out to the store to buy the popular “Elf on The Shelf” for my kids. I told them earlier that morning that I had a really special surprise for them, that they would get after dinner that evening. I told them that they had to be good all day. All the two older kids thought about all day was the surprise, as soon as they came home from school… “What is the surprise?” they asked all kinds of questions over the dinner table hubs and I prepared. Kev and I got a kick out of giving them hints and answering some of their questions. When we were done with dinner we all cleared our plates. I asked the children to gather around the Christmas tree and to close their eyes. I pulled my chair over to the tree and sat down with the Elf on the Shelf book. I asked the children to open their eyes and I told them to listen carefully to each and every thing I read. Their eyes were filled with wonder, even my “3” year olds. I read each page with lots of excitement. Once the story ended I told the kids that we adopted an Elf? and asked them if they wanted to meet him???? YES! they wanted to. 

Out from under the blanket I pulled out our Elf. I have never seen so much excitement and joy in my kids eyes and across their faces, especially Bella. Ryker wanted to get his hands all over the Elf. The children followed me into the room where we got on the website www.elfontheshelf.com where we chose his name