Elf on the Shelf Friday

I have been anti-"Elf on the Shelf" for awhile but finally got "guilted" into getting one.  I've always thought it was creepy that this little elf watches the kids all day and then you use him to trick your kids into being good.  (However, I do admit that I bribe my kids in other ways to be good - I'm not above that!  I have no idea why I just don't like using the elf to bribe them!)

Last Friday though my friends with a little older kids were saying how ALL the kids in their kids' classes have them and they all talk about their elves.  They kept going on and on until I said I'd get one.  But I'm going to make him fun and not really dwell on the part that the elf is reporting back to Santa every night on the behavior of the boys.

So ours arrived Sunday morning via North Pole Airlines Flight 1201.

Carter had a lot of doubts about the elf.  Even after reading the book, it took Carter awhile to stop saying, "He's not real."  Carter had a lot of questions about why the elf was in our rocket ship toy.  Eventually he decided the elf used his magic to make it appear at the North Pole.  Then he flew in it and used his magic to make it and him really small to get into the house and then they got big again.

This was the day that Carter ended up being sick all day.  It took the entire day to name our elf and the name ended up being Mr. Elf.  Honestly, I knew it was going to be this or Elfie.  The only name Carter came up with for the longest time was "Carter".  He is about as creative and decisive as me :)

On Monday, Mr. Elf caught Carter's stomach bug.  He got out the potty seat and proceeded to throw up glitter.

On Tuesday, Mr. Elf was feeling better and set up a zipline from our Christmas tree to the kitchen table light.

Mr. Elf must have seen Carter pretending to make snow angels on the floor on Tuesday because on Wednesday he found the flour and made a snow angel himself.

And on Wednesday Mr. Elf must have seen Carter eating some marshmallows because on Thursday he was having a marshmallow snowball fight with some of the boys' Rescue Bots.

Mr. Elf was a little naughty last night (Carter is going to tell Santa about it) and toilet papered the little Christmas tree in Brian's office.

When Carter gets up in the morning, he is excited to look for Mr. Elf but won't do it alone (he's a little scared).  I have to hold him and walk him around.  Maybe Mr. Elf needs to bring him a present and then he won't be so scared to look for him???  Once Carter knows where the elf is, he'll check on him periodically throughout the day.  So far neither boy has touched Mr. Elf (per the instructions in the book). Carter is excited to tell someone about the elf and what he's been up to so I think he likes having him around.  Rylan could take it or leave it.  He likes to tell me where the elf is but doesn't really get it (he is 2).

So as to not have too many posts about Mr. Elf, I'm going to try to post about his antics on Fridays.