Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a fantastic day yesterday! Merry Christmas to everyone.

December 24: Last day!

This is the last day for the elves and I'm almost sad to see it all end for another year.

We don't get much snow here so the elves made it look like it was snowing outside.

December 23rd

The elves decided they wanted to try their hand at being beauticians.

December 22nd

Alexis apparently thought Lolly needed a shave.

Only 2 more days of elfcapades!

December 21st

The elves got into a little trouble last night and got stuck in the lantern.

The elves go home in 3 days! I can't believe it's almost over. :(

December 20th

Our elves are ornament makers and brought the girls their ornaments for the year. Each year the girls get an ornament (usually representing something they did that year) so that when they go off on their own, they will have a tree full of ornaments to decorate their own tree with. This year the elves made ornaments of elves made out of a pine cone.

December 19th

The elves were having breakfast when we woke up. They made donuts!

December 18th

The elves decided the branches I had in a vase needed a little decorating.

December 17th

The elves decorated all our garland on the banister in the kitchen, on the stairs and on the fireplace with candy canes of all sorts.

December 16th

The elves brought gingerbread goodies for the girls to decorate. My parents and brother are coming to town tomorrow and this will be the perfect activity for the girls to do with my family.

December 15th

I wasn't feeling good last night so my husband was in charge of dealing with the elves last night. I'd totally forgotten about them until about 1 a.m. Anyway, he set them up last night and made them all snug as two little bugs in the girl's doll tent.

Baking!

I love to bake. I always have, even as a little girl. I'm so behind this year on baking goodies to give out to people. Usually I bake about 5 or 6 different cookies or candies and I haven't really done anything. I have a list of what all I need to bake but have only gotten these pretzel buttons done so far. On my list is Shoo Fly Pie, eggnog cookies, sugar cookies, white chocolate chip cookies, pretzel buttons and lemon bars. I hope I have the time and energy in the next few days to get it all done! Happy baking!

December 14th

Lolly apparently is sick so Alexis is taking care of him.

What have your elves been up to?

December 13th

The elves packed lunch for the girls!

Buttercup got peanut butter, honey, sprinkles and candy corn. Sugar got syrup, sprinkles, candy canes and a giant marshmallow. The girls thought this was hilarious. Sugar said, "I can't eat all that sugar!" and Buttercup pointed out the stuff that she doesn't like (peanut butter and candy corn).

New PJs!

Sugar and Buttercup in their new PJs from Lolly and Alexis.

December 12th

I'm too tired to think of anything too creative tonight so instead, the elves are bringing the girls Christmas PJs with matching PJs for their American Girl dolls.

December 11th

But you'd look sweet upon the seat

Of a bicycle built for two.

OK, so it's not a bike built for two but the elves have made it work.

December 10th

The elves got into the Barbie clothes last night. Lolly thought Derek's clothes from the "Barbie and the Rockers" days were pretty snazzy so he put those on. He paired them up with some cowboy boots. Pretty cool if you ask me. Alexis found the feathered, velvet number and was playing with Barbie's makeup. Clearly my elves are styling.

December 9th

Just a' swingin'! The elves made swings out of candy canes and hung them from our railing in the kitchen.

December 8th

My oldest, Sugar had asked her elf, Lolly, if he could bring her a new elf coloring book because the one she got last year got ruined when it rained in our car (I'd left the windows open one day when it rained). So I knew there were some other elf coloring books in their girls art cabinet that they hadn't colored in at all so out the books came and the elves reintroduced the girls to them.

December 7th

Tonight the elves got into my jewelry box which I had down in the living room to take pictures of some jewelry for a friend. They must have had fun trying everything on. They even brought the girls new Christmas earrings for my oldest and a bracelet and necklace for my youngest.

December 6th

Our girls have had some trouble doing what they've been told the first time we tell them to do something so the elves wrote a note to help them remember.

It didn't really work very well though because the girls were less than responsive when I told them to do things to get ready for school this morning. Sigh.

December 5th

Tonight the elves wanted to take a hot air balloon ride after getting back from the North Pole. Apparently they love to fly.

December 4th

Class is in session.

Lolly and Alexis felt the ponies needed to know an important rule of being an elf.

What have your elves been up to?

New Tree Skirt

It was a big craft time for me today since I finally had a good block of time to tackle the tree skirt I'd seen on Pinterest and wanted to make. I love the way it turned out!

You can find the full directions here at this site: http://mycrazylife-lauren.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-pinned-it-i-did-it-ruffled-tree-skirt.html

It was pretty easy to do, just time consuming. But I'm glad I did it. I love the ruffles!

December 3rd

Lolly and Alexis apparently think we had enough pictures of the family in the house.

December 1st and 2nd

Lolly and Alexis are back and at it again!

They arrived Dec. 1 and brought the girls a new advent calendar.

We went to the Christmas parade that morning after they arrived and while we were gone, they checked out our new addition to the family, our turtle, Webster.

Lolly checking out Webster.

Alexis checking out Goldie, the big goldfish.

December 2nd, they'd found the Zhu Zhu pets and turned them into reindeer. They attached the reins to the motorcycle car and went for a ride.

Can't wait to see what they get into tonight! Stay tuned for more fun.

What's to come?

Lolly and Alexis will be back once again on Saturday. I can't wait to see what they get into this year! I have a few ideas but still need some so please share you ideas with me!

This is such a fun way to bring the magic of Christmas into our home. I love seeing the look of wonder on the girls' faces when they see what the elves have done the night before. It's something I cherish and I really hope that this won't be the last year of that magic for my oldest. She's 8 and still believes but I know that day is coming when she won't anymore. It's a sad thought but one that's out there. Each year more and more of her friends don't believe and it's harder to keep them quite. So I'm hoping this fun of the elves continues for many years to come even if my oldest knows it's Mommy and Daddy moving the elves.

Elfcapades Year 3

Last year our elves came back. The girls were so excited to see them. This year they started a new tradition and brought not only the ornaments, but the gingerbread house and a fun advent calendar.

They came bringing a My Little Pony advent calendar.

They were hiding amongst my Santa collection. This one took a while for my kids to find.

Took a pony ride.

They were hanging out in the fridge eating Santa Hats and drinking green milk.

They made snowmen out of marshmallows.

They'd gotten into some cupcakes I'd made for a Christmas party.

They brought books and started reading some of them.

They were hanging out in my Santa lantern.

They were cracking pecans with the nut cracker.

Brought a gingerbread house once again this year.

 They played with the My Little Ponies and blocks

They went camping in the American Girl tent.

Took a zip line ride from the kitchen down to the living room.

Made cookies.

Lolly was helping Alexis climb our giant wreath.

They brought cotton candy and played drums on the containers.

They played Racko.

 They missed out on Halloween and wanted to experience dressing up as ghosts.

Hung out on a skate.

They hid behind some snowmen.

The girls were sleeping together in one room so they blocked them in with crepe paper.

 They brought coloring books and colored (yep - a repeat from another year)

They brought ornaments once again. This year a monkey for the youngest and another ballerina for the oldest.

Alexis got stuck in Santa's cup and Lolly was trying to help her out.