Elf on the Shelf

 I love holiday traditions.  Especially having a child of my own.  This past year Grant has really been into the holidays and it is fun to do things with him.  My mom helped us start the tradition of the Elf on the Shelf this year.  I know some people who think this is the dumbest thing on the planet, but we have found it to be fun.  I really enjoy using it for discipline, by saying, "the elf is watching and he will tell Santa."

Grant named our elf Cookie.  The Elf on the Shelf the rules are you first have to name your elf and then  he starts hiding around your house and every night he flies back to the North Pole to tell Santa if you have been naughty or nice.   You can't touch him because then he will lose his magic and on Christmas Eve when Santa comes the Elf will go back home with Santa.

Some people have naughty elves who do naughty or silly things.  Our elf is nice and he just sits on the fan blade, the cupboards, or the curtain rod and watches.  Cookie is a magic elf and when we came down to Utah for Christmas the next morning he was here at Grandma's house.  Grant was excited to find him at his Grandma's house.  We will all miss Cookie after Christmas.

This is one of my favorite pictures!  Grant loves his cousin Preston and tries to get Preston to do big boy things.  Preston is only 17 months old and can't quite do all the things a 4 year old can do.  Grant is so sweet though and is very kind to his cousin.  They are reading a book together in this picture.