Jingle's Back.

Our Elf on the Shelf, Jingle, made his appearance last week.  We also introduced a Christmas Countdown calendar which is providing us with lots of fun activities and surprises throughout the month.

After we read the Elf of the Shelf book together, Lily decided to read it to us.  She was hilarious.  She was making some things up and recalling some parts pretty accurately by looking at the pictures.

We are not off to a very good start with Jingle - both in terms of creativity and simply just remembering to the move the damn thing every night.  Once we forgot and Lily freaked out.  

Lily:  "Oh no!  Jingle didn't go see Santa!!  Why did he not move?"

Me (thinking fast on my feet):  "Uuuhhh, oh, Jingle told me he was REALLY tired last night and he decided he needed his rest and that he was going to go see Santa during the day today while you're at school."

Lily:  "Oh."

Sadly, our Christmas calendar seems to be causing more fights than bringing joy and the spirit of Christmas.  The kids take turns each night to open the little drawer.  Sometimes there's a present for them to share and this is where things rapidly decline.  They will open the present together very nicely and then the tug of war begins.  The other day, Tyler won the tug of war and then wouldn't share the book.  The Story of Christmas, no less.

Me:   "Tyler, you need to share the book.  Come sit over here with Lily and I and we'll read it together."
Tyler:  "I NOT!"

Me:  "Tyler, I'm going to count to three.  You need to share the book or you're going to time out.  One."
Tyler:  "NO!  I NOT!"

Me:  "Two."
Tyler:  "No.  I NOOOOOOOOOOOT."

Me:  "Three.  Ok, Tyler, that's three.  Give me the book."
Tyler:  "NOOO!"
Me:  "TIME OUT!"

And then Lily and I enjoyed The Story of Christmas with Tyler screaming from time out in his room.

Terrible twos much?

Sometimes the Advent calendar offers fun activities like decorating a Gingerbread House - otherwise known as, "Daddy squirt the icing right here!  In my mouth!"  I'm pretty sure the kids ate nearly as much candy as they applied to the house.

Tyler in particular, was far more interested in sucking candies up off the kitchen table than he was in putting candies on the house.  At least he added a little challenge to the whole thing.

One night, when Meme and Papaw were here, the activity was writing letters to Santa.  I was so happy to have Meme and Papaw help with this one.  I was running out of patience that day and it was the perfect grandparent activity.

Sometimes, like tonight, the Advent Calendar is more about the spirit of Christmas instead of presents and activities.  Tonight, the slip of paper in the little drawer said, "Do something nice for your brother/sister."  Lily was like, "Whaaaaaaaaat?  What number is that under the tree?"  (Cause when there is a present, it's a numbered wrapped gift under the tree).  Lily ended up picking up a few items and putting them away for her brother even though she didn't get them out.  She's usually VERY BIG on "I didn't get it out so I don't have to put it away."  But tonight, that was the nice thing she did for her brother.  Tyler wanted to give Lily a present.  So he went and grabbed a present from under the tree to give her.  And I had to explain that those weren't his presents to give, but he could find a present to give her.  So he went and found a box and put one of Lily baby dolls in it and then took it to her to open.  It was awfully sweet to see his little two year heart and brain come up with that idea.  

And with that, we are half way through the Jingle season!