Getting Ready for Santa

After we cleaned up from our Christmas celebration, it was time to get ready for Santa to come! We did ask him to come a night early, so who knows what time he was actually going to make it- we didn't want to make him wait for us!! So we got all the snacks ready- two chocolate chip cookies and a sugar cookie, carrots for the reindeer, mini chocolate chips for Shed, and chocolate milk! Grant left some Starburst for Dasher- but only one piece each day! (After watching The Santa Clause 2, he just knew Dasher would enjoy some Starburst, in moderation of course!).  We said our tearful goodbye's to Shed- they just adore their little elf! Grant left him a note that said, "I hope Santa give you Elf of the Year!" Once we got everything ready, it was time for the annual reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas! Then it was off to bed to dream of sugarplums.....in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there!

Shed: December 21-23

We had so much fun with Shed this year! Our little tree turned out absolutely adorable!!! The clues he left us everyday added to the already exciting time of the year!! We found Shed on December 23rd, back in his favorite chair, next to our little tree. He had a stack of tiny Christmas- all mine from my childhood. Wonder how he found those? He was wrapped under his blanket Oliver made him, reading  'Twas the Night Before Christmas. He left the boys a letter and the boys said a tearful goodbye to him before they headed off to bed that evening! We can't wait til you come back again next year Shed!!

Shed: December 15-20

 Shed also invited them to create the Nativity on Minecraft! Thanks Westfall family for giving Shed the idea!! This was Grant's Nativity. I didn't get a picture of Wyatt before they destroyed their world....I don't get Minecraft...AT.ALL!

 Mimi's elf, Oliver, is an old retired scout elf, but he still manages to hide from the boys! One day, they found him at Mimi's sewing machine making a pillow and blanket for Shed! The next day, we found Shed relaxing on them!! He deserved a good rest!

Shed: December 8-14

 Our little tree is becoming more decorated!! We also got to add our melted bead ornaments we made to our little tree!

Shed: December 1-7

Oh, our little Shed!! The boys just adore him so very much!! They spring out of bed each morning to find him and see what he's up to today! This year, they not only have to find Shed, but they also have to use his clue to find the ornament he's hidden for their tiny tree! They had to do a scavenger hunt for their pockets, but Shed also used that same idea and hid an ornament that matched whatever word puzzle they solved from their pocket!! 

 The first three ornaments on the tree! Looking cute already!

 Shed always likes to get a front row seat for St. Nicholas's visit!

Shed's Arrival

The boys have been counting down the days til Shed's arrival for over a month! Well, really since he left last year, but officially counting down since October! Last year, Grant wrote Shed a note and asked him to come November 30th this year, and in his goodbye letter to the boys, Shed said yes!!! Shed has always done something special with the boys each year, so their minds were spinning with ideas of what he could be doing with them!! Well, we woke up on the morning of November 30th and saw our special breakfast waiting for us!!! New BAB reindeer, Christmas night lights, Christmas tree cakes, Christmas crunch cereal, and North Pole Punch! He always brings new plates, cups, and placemats too! Such a fun elf!!!

 Of course he was sitting in his favorite chair :)

In his letter, he said he and the boys were going to decorate this little tree together! He would be hiding an ornament everyday! Sneaky little elf came for a quick visit in the fall and saw me prepping for their pockets and he used my idea of a Christmas symbol for each pocket. His instructions were to open their pocket in the morning, then go find him and look for his clue! Then they would find the ornament that would go on the tree! It will be a scavenger hunt every morning!! We can't wait to see what happens!!!

Shed's Visits

Shed arrived each and every morning! Some days he was easy to find and some days he hid pretty well. Sometimes he had his special bag front and center, and sometimes he sent us on a scavenger hunt for it. Whatever he did, he brought us such joy and smiles throughout the Christmas season!

Oh, and as far as the contents of his bag every day- our final product was a lego Nativity scene!! On Christmas Eve, he left our final piece of Baby Jesus! 

Welcome Back Shed!

We just couldn't wait til December 1st because we just knew that Shed would show up! We were hoping he would be coming sooner, but he made us wait! That's ok! When he showed up, he made the wait well worth it!! He came bearing so much festive fun, we couldn't believe our eyes!! He had a whole spread just waiting for us! He found his favorite chair he loves to sit in every year! He wrote us a special note.

I  mean, look at this spread of goodies! Granted, the Santa and snowman countdown and Christmas activity books were from me, but everything else was Shed's doing.

 Cinnamon roll reindeers, Christmas Crunch cereal, and I do believe that was a chocolate Christmas light. And those cute reindeer plates and Santa suit cups- so fun! 

 On Shed's note, he told us about this special bag he brought with him and how each morning, we were going to find pieces to something in the bag that we would use to put together a project and by Christmas Eve, it would be finished. We were so excited to figure out what he had planned! Grant and Wyatt even wrote him notes. Grant's said, "What will you put in the bag?" and Wyatt's said, "I am happy you are here to." We just love when Shed comes!!