Welcome Gordie the Elf!!

I came across this book on amazon when I was browsing for Christmas presents, it's called the Elf on the Shelf.  If you are unfamiliar, the idea is that Santa send this helper elf to your house sometime after Thanksgiving and he stays with you all day "watching" you and whether you're good or bad. Then at night, AFTER you're asleep, he flies back to the North Pole with his magic and reports to Santa. Then he comes back to your house, landing in a different place and watches you the next day. So parents are supposed to move the elf every night to a different place to make it look like he has really gone to the North Pole and back. The package comes with this little elf doll and a story book explaining everything. The kids named him Gordie, and they talk about him all the time. The book also explains how you can't touch him or play with him or he'll lose his magic. And he won't talk to you, because Santa told him not to. (The authors thought of everything, didn't they?)

So, the Saturday after Thanksgiving we were watching a movie (we watched the Tim Allen "Santa Clause" movie, by the way, and they loved it, but asked a TON of questions). While we were in the basement, Brian put the book and the elf on the front porch with a sign that said "To Will, Xander and Grace." Then when we came upstairs for bed, we "noticed" it and let them go get it off the porch. They were sooooo excited. They couldn't believe this elf had come for them. We read the book, then left Gordie sitting on the couch that night. The first couple days we said things like 'You'd better listen to what I'm asking you, because Gordie's watching." Or "Gordie is going to tell Santa what a good listener you've been!" things like that. Now, we hear the kids saying things like that to each other. I even caught Xander "modeling" his pajamas for Gordie the other day, because he was so proud of them. "I'm going to go show Gordie my batman pajamas." he said. They really have never touched him or played with him, even when he was down low enough to. They'll walk up to him and stare at him even talk to him, but have actually stayed true to what the book tells them to do. It is funny, they really do want him to give Santa good report. They're at the perfect age for this type of stuff, although we have been fielding a ton of questions about Santa/North Pole/elves, lately. They saw Santa at the Firethorn Christmas party last night and Grace claims she told Santa about Gordie, but of course, that Santa had no idea what she was talking about. That one was hard to explain! So, all in all, the book was a good investment, I think. Worth the $30.

I have pictures and video of their Christmas concert at preschool, I'll post those later. We also have the multiples club christmas party this weekend (which I have planned and will be so glad when it's over!!) so I'll get some pictures of those up after Sunday. I'll leave you with a few funny things they've said lately.

We always say to the kids "Whatchoo talkin' bout Willis?" (think Gary Coleman in Different Strokes.) when they say something funny. We say it to all the kids, but when we say it to Will he always says "my name's not Willis." Well, the other day I finally explained that it was a joke from an old TV show. So, now Xander has been saying it a lot. Except for the other day I heard him say to Grace "Whatchoo talkin' bout Gracis?" Funny!

A conversation heard between Xander and Grace while playing rockets:
Xander: "Where are you going aliens?" said the rocket ship.
Grace: "'You can talk?" said the aliens.