A Holiday Visitor

On Thanksgiving night, we were at my Mom's house hanging out with the fam when we decided to read a new book to Brody and Ryder.  This book was extra special.  It was The Elf on the Shelf.  As I sat on the floor and read it for all to hear, we learned all about the magic of the elf and the job that he or she does. 

If you have never heard of the Elf on the Shelf, let me give you the shortened version.  Sometime during the holidays, an elf may come to live at your house.  This elf is Santa's helper.  He watches the girls and boys in your home to see if they are being naughty or nice.  Each night the elf returns home to the North Pole to report back to Santa.  But be careful!  This elf CANNOT be touched!  If he is touched, he may lose his magic and won't be able to fly back to Santa.  Each morning before the kids wake, the elf will be found in a new spot.  Oh, and don't forget, you must name your elf!

Brody caught on to the story pretty easily.  I asked him questions after we read the book and he knew the correct answers.  We decided our elf would be named Dash, and we'd have to leave red grandma's house and go home to see if he had come.

Sure enough, Dash was sitting in one of our stockings (and yes, my Christmas decorations had been put up the previous saturday...I was super anxious!).  The kids were SO excited.  Uncle Spenser and Aunt Stormy had come over and Brody kept telling Spenser, "DON'T touch DASH!"

Now each morning the boys come running into our bedroom to tell us where Dash is that day.  He has mostly perched on different spots up high, but he has gotten into a little mischief.  One morning Dash was on top of a picture frame holding a dry erase marker because he had drawn mustaches and horns on the boys' pictures.

Just today, Dash had built himself a chair and table out of the blocks and was sitting there with a small bowl of cereal.  I guess Dash had the munchies.

 Dash has become a fixture in the Waite home now and we'll be sad when he leaves us Christmas eve, but we look forward to all the Christmases to come when he'll visit.