Elf on the Shelf

Our Elf on the Shelf, Red, and the goodies he brought the family, including the dog!

Do you have one?  We got ours a few years back, PeeWee was 4 I think.  She and I were at Target and I saw them and somehow one got in our basket!  LOL!

Every year over Thanksgiving, our elf "Red" shows up with gifts for the kids.  Usually simple eats and drinks, maybe a new Christmas Mug.  This year because we had my parents anniversary and were out of town, the neighbors who take care of our guinea pigs set up Red.  He brought drinks and a new collar for the dog!

If you have your own Elf, you know that it travels to the North Pole every night to report on the children's behavior to Santa.  These Elves are called scout Elves.  And we are not supposed to touch them or they lose their magic.  We have had several close calls in the past, but Red has always showed up in a new location every morning. 


Yesterday, when the neighbor kids got here (they ride the bus with PeeWee, to and from school every day.), they found Red sitting on our bookshelf holding the Magic 8 Ball.  Everyone found him right away and wondered what he was asking it.  The neighbor kids LOVE this 8 ball!  O, the 5 year old neighbor boy, likes to ask the 8 ball non-yes or no questions and throw on "YES OR NO".  Like, What is Red's favorite color, yes or no?  Or where is Red going to hide tomorrow, yes or no?  When we correct him, he replies, "but I said Yes or No?"

After school, I was working on getting dinner on the table and I went into the living room to ask them something, and I saw O holding the Magic 8 Ball!  I asked him where he got it from and he said the Elf.  I scolded him, knowing full well that if PeeWee found out she would be devastated.  I asked him if he touched the Elf when he took the ball - no answer.  I explained that you are not supposed to touch the Elf, because he loses his magic when you do.  O said, "Maybe I touched him a little bit."  Gasp!  So, our Elf did not move last night.  He is still sitting with the 8 ball back in his lap.  I pray that O learns a lesson in follow rules and realizes what he did was wrong.  We will see.  

In the mean time, after the kids went home last night, PeeWee and I were talking about the incident.  She said, "Sometimes I want to punch that boy!  He doesn't listen and he doesn't get into trouble. On the bus, because he is a K5 kid, he is not supposed to go past this area and every night when he gets on he does it.  He always gives me this look too.  It makes me so mad!"  (My kids are all rule followers, and know that if they don't follow the house rules there will be consequences.  They don't understand why all families are not like that, honestly, I don't understand it either!?!?)  Anyway, last night I was at work and got a text from PeeWee saying she thinks Red heard her saying she wanted to punch O.  Poor kid.  I replied saying she should tell Red that she was mad and really didn't mean it.

Now, what to do about this Elf business!?!?  Wish us luck on getting our Elf's magic back so we can have a great Advent season and prepare our hearts for Christmas!

Off n Dog Walking,
AnnMarie