Final Elf Days

Post 2 of the day.

They were feeling quite crafty this day. Artists in the building!

Fred and Tink brought a new ornament, Turbo, but had to race him first....As you can see the Avengers still don't like Fred and Tink....

Ditching our house to go pick up chicks....Bad to the bone...and part of Sons of Anarchy! (Adult humor)

Time to make Santa cookies..but thanks guys for leaving me the grunt work of icing making...bad elves

(Mommy forgot....spent quality time with Daddy instead so this was very last minute) Snowglobe time....would have thrown in some marshmallows but last minute.

 Time to celebrate!!!! Aiden well liked it but immediately said we have to clean this up. hahahaha That's my boy!

 Last day. They brought cupcakes to celebrate the REAL reason for Christmas! Happy Birthday Jesus! Thanks to Kroger for selling me just 2 cupcakes and throwing in a Happy Birthday stick! I really didnt want to make a full batch. Paid the same to make $24 from stratch ($3.50) but well worth it to me (No more sweets!)

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As I conclude....my cousin pointed out...." Man your elves do a lot and brings a lot of presents!! Ours isn't that cool!"

Well....it's simple. Like with everything I plan. It allows me to be "cool" and do a lot for very little haha! Plus I know the years of Santa believing are slipping away fast so I want to make these years special.

So like every year after Christmas I stock up on supplies at 60-70% off! Ohh you might be wondering where does all this "hoarding" go?! In my closet at the top shelf I have some large Vera Bradley gift boxes labeled "travel" {cause I'm sneaky like that ;-) } that store everything away from little hands. 

This year I hit up Target bc I desperately needed wrapping paper (and I personally think they have the cutest paper) because I used my remaining paper I bought in 2010! Yes 2010! Whoa can't believe it last 3 years. Best $9 spent! Must say that is the best time to buy paper!! Can't beat <$1.50! Ended up with 3 vintage feel paper, red cross stitch paper, metallic reindeer paper, and the best ELF quote paper!!!!! (Santa! I know him!.... The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear. ) I'm quite excited....if you couldn't tell. Also got sprinkles for next years cookie party and for movie night I found the Elf On The Shelf movie (btw if you know you will need an Elf go after Christmas bc they are marked way down too!! Our store had tons.) 

 
Then I found the boys a few of our Christmas traditions....character ornaments ( monster inc, grinch -for daddy, and Rudolph), ornament to decorate, and a clothing item (grinch shirt)...we love the grinch if you couldn't tell...  

All of those goodies and I spent less than $21! See what I mean planning pays off. 

Cookies

The weekend before Christmas my nieces came over so we could decorate some cookies for Santa. I will start off saying I am the worst baker....my cookies well exploded...very healthy gingerbread men. haha More room to decorate!

I also tried a first. Royal icing. I wanted the icing to harden. I had to make several batches because of all the colors....and well I learned things because some was not easy to get out of the squeeze tubes and some came out too quick. Oh well! The kids still had fun.

Also, to show you how much of a ditz I am....apparently there is Food Coloring in GEL form! Because I definitely bought 2 boxes of it!!! Why is the gel writer so dark.....OMG it's food coloring not actual GEL WRITERS! Way to confuse me Betty Crocker! Quite annoyed so the kids only got to use Red and Green. Learn something every day...

Love these little moments with these girls!! It's so peaceful when its just them and my boys. I had purchased kid aprons for everyone at Hobby Lobby earlier at 60% off and I must say I adore them! The girls have pretty tree ones and the boys make them look like elves. I put the boys names on theirs. Can't wait for them to wear them for years to come! 

 

Don't worry Brody was right in the mix of it all......pretending to be a Dog! lol

Holiday Events

Pictures to start with...

I'm good at a lot of things....but baking...not so much! It's quite frustrating at times, but as long as I don't burn it I call it a win! I've tried so many receipes and techniques and still doesn't look quite like the pictures. Prime example my cookies. I prepped them by sticking them in the freezer and they still exploded into GIANT cookies about the size of your hand. More room to decorate right?! My gingerbread men are "healthy" hahahaha

Over the weekend we went and saw Santa. After seeing hilarious of friends' pictures and remember last year I was visioning the worst. So I talked it up all week with Aiden asking him what he was going to tell Santa he wanted...We head up to Bass Pro a little after they opened. We skipped church thinking it wouldn't be that bad and Wes couldn't come next weekend. The line was a few deep and Aiden to say the least was OBSESSED with the train. So that helped out with the bribing.

We are next in line and the kids in front of us FREAK OUT! I mean bloody murder, arms thrown all over the place, someone was dying...Aiden gripped my hand tighter and he was starting to get nervous. (OH NO!) Brody could care less. haha He was busy people watching. We get Aiden in front of him and his shyness comes out. Hands immediately in his mouth and goes mute. Finally after another bribe of the huge candy cane basket he has a Ricky Bobby moment of "What do I do with my hands?!" but we get the picture and he even tells Santa he was not just any plane but a BIG BIG BIG plane! (All I have to say is Brody is good!!!)

Look at last year's pictures compared to this year!! SOO BIG NOW!

Wes took Aiden to get Brody a present...when they got home I was like "hmmm Aiden is this for you or Brody?!" Aiden replied "For Brody. We can play together though see all the balls. Share" hahahaha thats what I thought for you ;-) But at least our little tradition has started. (We want the boys to think of each other and get a small budget approved gift so the holiday is not always about me me me!) Without even knowing Aiden wanted a plane "Brody" got him a plane. haha Mommy rocks!

More Elf Visits..... 

 Even elves need their beauty rest.

They sure like playing tricks on the Grinch....taking over the day's slot in the advent calendar.

 Movie night topped off with new pjs and sleepers.....which didn't fit (but quickly replaced). My favorite movie. Swear Aiden is an elf because his 4 main food groups if I let him would be Candy, Candy Cane, Candy corn, and Syrup!

 They were trying to do Mommy and Daddy a favor and trapping the boys inside their room. Too bad Aiden just crawled under it. lol Dang it!

Quiet time. They brought the boys 2 new Christmas books.

 Elves rule and Murphy drools!!!

They were trying to be festive but apparently are color blind.....That blue boys not green!! (Which made Aiden laugh and replying...Maybe Blue is Tink's favorite color.......MAYBE!?!)

Elf on the Shelf

POST 2 of the day!.....I had all these grand ideas for the elves arrival well....that didn't happen instead I was running around the house like a mad woman to pull out the few Christmas decor and the kids trees...What happened...

What happened? Well since we got back in town on Saturday I was too tired to do a breakfast on Sunday, so I was going to do a surprise dinner....well we went over to Wes' parents so they could see the kids since they didn't see them at all the week before. Guess who arrived at their house. THEIR ELF. Guess who arrived at my nieces' house. THEIR ELF. CRAP!!!!!!! I knew I had to make a mad dash before I got asked "Where's my elf?" So I went home and prepared while they watched the boys. Told Aiden he got caught in a storm ;-) Regardless there was no food. No grand entrance just a present and decorations for the playroom tree. (Presents: New pjs, Christmas book, and candy. Aiden got an extra paint book.) In the end Aiden was SUPER EXCITED! WHEW!!!

So finally (2 years later) they have names. Without hesitation Aiden called the Red/White one "Fred" and the Red/Green one "Tinkerbell". Ehhhh that's a boy elf honey, let's call him "Tink". "No it's a girl, see shes smaller than Fred but I like 'Tink'" (Can you tell we have neices?! haha) And apparently Tink is Aiden's elf and Fred is Brody's. Well alright

Aiden is really into it this year and it's beyond adorable. Whenever he finds them he's so excited!

The Grinch wanted to play on Day 2.This is when Aiden claimed that Tink was his not Fred.

 The elves found the candy cane stash and were trying to make a getaway on the reindeer.

 Needed a night to relax.

Let the battle begin. Elves VS. Avengers 

 Guess we know who won...GO AVENGERS!!! But don't worry Brody came to the rescue and tackled the avengers and ripped the elves off the walls......guess he didn't get the "no touching" memo ;-)

 This will be a yearly tradition. The elves will bring an ornment to paint/color or supplies to make an ornment. They also brought an ornament of their own so when the boys get older we will always remember their elves, Fred and Tink!

 Our tree arrived so Tink and Fred started by reaching the high up spots and were nice enough to hang all the breakables for Aiden.

 Aiden & Daddy's milk wasn't in the Christmas spirit apparently. Aiden requested we color Brody's red (Brody drinks whole milk)

The elves wanted their own stockings and gladly left the boys a note to LISTEN after a horrible night of NOT listening to Mommy!!! Santa needs good reports...