The Elf returns

We had a GREAT Thanksgiving week with my mom being here. I have so much to write about but I am skipping ahead a little since those will probably take me a while!

Tonight our Elf on the Shelf returned! I will admit, I have a love/hate with the Elf. I think the idea of him is sooo cute, however trying to remember to move him daily does me in. And then I see on Facebook and Pinterest all these ideas for making the Elf be "mischievous" every night and I completely shut down. I think last year he moved twice. And he did decorate the breakfast area one night. But that is it.

This year, since Kade understands a lot more I am going to try my hardest to get more "into" the Elf thing and at least move him every night and maybe, MAYBE he can get into some trouble. But I will not put the pressure on us to go all out for a silly little Elf. Our Elf likes to arrive in the evening and ring the doorbell for the kids to answer. He was sitting on top of his book with two goodie bags for the kids! The kids went NUTS when the answered the door. Kade shouted "I can't believe Santa got this for me for Christmas!" HAHA! We came in, looked in the goodie bags (nothing special just some matching jams, popcorn, and candy) then Bryan read them the book. Afterwards, Kade decided to name him Clyde! The kids showered, put on their new jams, we popped popcorn and watched the Elf on the Shelf movie.

Bryan and I have loved this Christmas season more than any other. Watching them together and seeing the magic through their eyes is truly one of the greatest things ever. They are just precious beyond belief and we are soaking up every last minute of the magic.

 

Hey Clyde!

 

Kade just COULD NOT BELIEVE that SANTA sent him pajamas that said "Santa's Little Helper." He just could not believe that!

 

Can I please keep them this little forever?

National Harbor

A few weeks ago I decided that the kids and I needed to get out and go do something fun. We aren't far from National Harbor so we went and wandered around that area. It had been a few years since I had been there and I wanted to see how much it had grown! And I just love it down there, we can't wait to go back with Bryan during Christmas! It was a pretty perfect day, no fits or tantrums, both kids were generally happy, we ate at an actual restaurant and it all went well, and I totally forgot to pay the parking meter and never got a ticket. Good day all around!

It was pretty chilly being right on the water but that didn't stop these two! They loved playing here!

Thanksgiving feast

Last week I went to Kade's Thanksgiving feast! They started by singing about 5 or 6 songs to us and then we went back to the classroom for a little feast. This was my first school function to attend where Ella, my little sidekick wasn't with me. And I just LOVED getting to spend one on one time with my little guy. I was so much more relaxed :) Ella was at school that day and the 2 year old classes decided not to have a feast because they are too young and they just do better at that age to not have their schedule changed.

We are really loving the kids new school!

 

 After the feast, we had about an hour and a half before I had to get Ella so we went and ran a few errands. I love these kinda days!

Life lately..

I am sooooooo far behind! We have had the best November! 

Baking with my girl!

 

It's hard to be a 2 year old some days.

 

First show and tell! He decided to being Blue and his jet. Last minute he left Blue in his backpack because he thought his friends would think the jet was "cooler." My heart broke a little, don't grow up sweet boy!!

By Thursday, he just can't hang.

 

Every time I see this I die laughing. I was inside making the kids lunch and Kade ran in and was telling me I HAD to get outside NOW to see what Ella had done. He said he got up to do something and she jumped in the gator and ran it into a tree. And the best part is she fled the scene! I saw her across the yard peeking around from the garage! I could.not.stop.laughing. And it is a story that the more I think about it the more I laugh. It is so typical of both of their behaviors. 

 

This is a terrible picture but they were my first dinner guests in my new kitchen! 

Trimming the tree

This past weekend we pulled all our Christmas decorations out of the attic. I know it's early but with us being gone 2 weeks for Christmas this year I wanted to get it up so we were able to enjoy it! And let's face it, I decorate early every year because I love this time of year so much. 

While the kids were napping I put the tree up. They were so excited when they woke up and couldn't wait to decorate that night. This year, watching them decorate the tree was magical. It is so fun to watch them both relish in the magic of Season. Bryan and I sat back and watched the entire thing unfold. We handed them ornaments, laughed as they hung 4 or 5 on the same branch and enjoyed the moment. All with our favorite Christmas album playing in the background. It is a memory that will forever be engraved in my head. 

The tree still looks like this. I can't bring myself to move anything. How many years of our life with the tree look like this? Not many, and I just love it. I love every little thing about it.