Christmas is Coming!

It is the first week of December and I'm finally packing up my Fall decorations and dragging out the Christmas ones. I always find this a very exciting process.... I'm not sure why! Obviously I know everything I have, but it's always fun to dust off the items and start deciding where I'm going to put them this year!

I had a bit of excitement the night before December 1st. I have my Elf on the Shelf calendar prepped with most of the days already planned out. I was having Zouff, our elf, deliver the new Lego Advent Calendar to Malachi and Zachary on his first day here. Suddenly I realized I had no idea where I put Zouff last year when I packed up the Christmas decorations!

My husband is on an extended hunting trip, so I was on my own for finding the wayward elf. Then I realized he had moved a bunch of stuff around in the garage this summer.... uh oh. First I checked the couple small boxes I have in a closet in the house.... nope. Then I looked around the garage floor ... nope. Then I started panicking. I called my husband and we tried to remember where he had put the Christmas bins... nope. I climbed up the rickety ladder to the garage attic (in my pajamas in below freezing weather I might add)... nope. Finally I discovered the bins behind a bunch of other stuff (log splitter, elk head, bins of kids clothes)... and Zouff was laying at the top of the closest bin. Success!!!

This photo is a bit dark (it was a bit late by the time I got this set up!)

Zouff left a special note for the boys:

Dear Malachi and Zachary,

It's so good to be visiting you boys again this year! I am excited for all the fun we'll have together. I have brought you this new Lego Advent calendar to count down the days to Christmas because I know it was your favorite last year! Have fun!  ~Zouff

Malachi was SO excited about the return of Zouff and the calendar. =) He had told my mom a few weeks ago that he didn't know if Zouff was coming back this year (I have no idea why he thought that). Zachary is also old enough to think it's exciting. =)

Today we found Zouff hanging upside down from a swing in the doorway to the playroom. Silly elf.

I know some people think the elf is weird and creepy, but the kids seriously get so much fun out of it. To be honest... it's a lot of fun for us adults too. =)