Our Elf Named Elmer

This year our family has adopted an Elf on the Shelf we have named Elmer.  If you are not familiar with the Elf, let me enlighten you.  You receive this cute little elf package that includes a book that tells you the magic of the elf and the rules you need to abide by.  

The biggest and hardest rule for my kids is NO TOUCHING!  Apparently you will rub off all of Elmer's magic if you touch him.  So where ever you find him he has to stay.  Each night as the children sleep, Elmer will visit Santa and tell him if you've been good or bad and update him on your Christmas wishes.  (A little tattle tale if you ask me, but a very useful one!)

Each morning, when Elmer returns to our home, he finds a different hiding place to observe the kids from.  I have heard that some people get a naughty little elf that likes to cause mischief  but our little Elmer is very well behaved.  He is trying to set a good example, after all.  : )

When the elf hid in the kids room(s) it was amazing how quickly they cleaned it up when I made the comment "Wow.  Elmer is in there looking at your mess.  Guess Santa is going to hear about THAT tonight."  Hee hee hee.

Some of the places Elmer has hid include a plant, in our kitchen cabinet, behind Rovers hat (he was very well camouflaged that day.  The kids never found him!), in the wine rack, up in the light fixtures, in Logan's room (hanging from the his curtain rod, but I didn't get a photo) and in Amanda's room up in her night light.  Then this morning we got up and Elmer was hiding behind the fish tank watching all the little fishes swim around.  Logan found that one pretty quickly, surprisingly.