Marvin the Elf

When we got home today, there was a package waiting for us on the front porch. It was for Bryce & Jenna from Santa!!! The kids were so excited to open it!! Inside we found a letter from Santa and a book called "The Elf on the Shelf". The letter explained that the Elf was sent from the North Pole to watch Bryce & Jenna. Every night when the kids are sleeping, the elf flies back to the North Pole to report to Santa about all the good & bad things they did that day! When we wake up in the morning, the elf will be in another location in the house. The elf sits up high and CANNOT be touched. He will lose his magical powers if he is touched and he will not be able to fly back to the North Pole. Santa let us know that the elf had probably already arrived at our house!?!?! WHAT!!! :) So we quickly ran around the house trying to find him. It took awhile, but Bryce found him sitting on top of our clock!

As we were looking, I kept asking Bryce and Jenna, "Do you think the elf is really here??". They both would say "Noooo". Bryce seemed a bit hesitant about the whole situation until we found the elf. I think he was scared as to what this elf was going to look like and what he was going to do!!! haha! Jenna was quite afraid of the elf for about 20 minutes after we found him. She just sat in my lap and starred at him!

We read the Elf on the Shelf book and found out that we were supposed to name our elf. We thought and thought and thought about it, but Bryce eventually decided on the name Marvin, as in Marvin McNutt!! :)

Bryce had question after question about Marvin. How did he get in our house? We decided he must use his magical powers and snap his fingers to appear in the house. How did he get on the clock? We think he must have flown b/c there is no way he could have jumped that high! Will the same elf come to our house everyday? Yep! Marvin is ours for many years to come! Why can't Marvin talk? Well, that's one of Santa's special rules. Marvin can only talk to Santa and other elves. He can hear everything we say though! Bryce asked Marvin if he would bring Rudolph when he comes back tomorrow!! :) I told him I'm sure Marvin will ask Santa, but I think Santa needs Rudolph's help at the North Pole until Christmas! :) I could go on and on with all of the questions.... it was a really cute hour that we spent talking about Marvin! I will always remember it!

Marvin will have WONDERFUL things to tell Santa tonight when he heads to the North Pole. Even Jenna seems to kind of understand, "The elf is watching"! Bryce picked up all of the toys by himself without whining at all! :) I am wondering if Santa would like to send an elf over all year round!!

This is such a cute Christmas tradition and I'm so happy to be starting the Elf on the Shelf tradition with Bryce & Jenna this year!