Our ELF has arrived!

A couple of weeks ago Uncle Kyle sent a special package for Brynn...it was her Elf on a Shelf! Ryan and I went ahead and opened the box and got everything ready to surprise Brynn.  We wrapped the box all up and wrote a special note to Brynn (from Santa).  I even put the present in the deep freeze for a couple of hours so it would be really cold when she opened it.  After dinner the other night we told her that Uncle Kyle had called Santa and asked him to make a special delivery to Brynn.  She was SO EXCITED about her surprise.  (And if anyone doesn't know what "Elf on a Shelf" is (like maybe my grandma?) Santa sends one of his little elf friends to your house and she watches you during the day.  You can't touch her or she will lose her magic.  Then each night after you go to bed, the elf flies back to Santa and reports to him how you have acted that day.  In the morning, the elf is back in a new spot so you get to find where she is each morning.)

What was that knock?  Did someone just drop off a present?

She kept saying "my present so cold mommy!"  We explained that the North Pole was really cold!  And funny story...I didn't have any Christmas wrapping paper so "Santa" wrapped her elf in some fishing paper!  HA!  Good thing she didn't notice or care!  :)

Look at that awesome wrapping paper Santa used!

We read the book all about her new special elf.

I had pinned several things about incorporating Jesus into our "Elf on a Shelf" and so we talked about how Jesus was the most important Christmas present ever, and how even though its fun to get presents for Christmas, the most important thing is to celebrate Jesus.  Her elf is there to remind her to make good choices and also to show the love of Jesus to others.  Who knows if any of that actually stuck in her brain or made any sense, but at least we tried.  =)  Then we talked about how we got to name our elf...she was so excited!

We asked her what we should name our elf and she said "Elf."  I said "how about Holly?"  Ryan said "Whitney, let her name it!"  HA!  So I think we asked her again about what we should name our girl elf and she said "Elfie", which was perfect!  So ELFIE it is!

We had taped the "Elf on a Shelf" special on TV and after we opened Elfie we watched the little show.  Brynn loved it, and I think she has watched it at least once every day since.  She has been really excited about finding Elfie every morning and she is hilarious when she finds her!  The other day Elfie was sitting in Brynn's stocking and she kept saying "she in my 'tocking!"  That cool!  She in MY 'tocking!"  And one day Elfie was sitting by Brynn's gingerbread house, and Brynn said "see mommy, I made it for her!"  And of course Brynn keeps telling us that no one can touch Elfie "or she will wose her magic."  The funny thing is, I find myself not wanting to touch her because I know we aren't supposed to.  HA!

Thank you Uncle Kyle for the sweet present!