Christmas Joy has Come Into Our Home

Aren't these the cutest ruddy cheeks ever?!!

Jack's school is big into this book called, "The Elf on The Shelf". Run, do not walk to get your elf today! It is the darn cutest thing ever! (He comes from Hallmark, by the way). The premise of the story is, Santa sends his elves to spy on you. They can't talk to you, but they are listening, and watching EVERYTHING, and at night they use Christmas magic and fliy to the North Pole, reporting to Santa and having a few brews with his fellow elves (okay, I made that last part up). The next morning, he is in a different spot from the day before. You cannot touch the elf, because it takes away his magic. The kids are VERY serious about finding him and not touching him.

This is our elf, named by Jack "Christmas Joy". It was determined that he is indeed a boy elf because he has "handsome shorter hair". He came yesterday because Jack finally cleaned his room. He is currently sitting on top of my sliding glass window watching all of us because my curtains are on back order until freaking February. Jack LOVES Christmas Joy and has been talking to him, showing him ornaments off the tree, telling him when he's calling Oma, and reporting if he's in the toy room and Nathan hits him. It is so stinking cute. Looks like we have a new tradition in Christmas Joy, and I am okay with that.

This is our tree, and this photo is for you Gail! It is even more open and full now and I love it. Of course, my favorite ornaments are the ones handmade by the kids, and I let them do a lot of the decorating. I know it shows, but I don't care. We may not have a pretty tree, but at least it's our own. I do have nice, beautiful, and breaky glass ornaments, but they won't go on until they can't get broken. For now, candy canes, paper plate wreats, and stryrofoam foto balls are all the rage. I love my tree!!!