Baking

Making gingerbread and spritz cookies-of course if you help you get to eat the dough!!

The girls made chocolate covered pretzles, iced graham crackers, chex mix, and snowman donuts for Ella's dance team bake sale. We had a lot of fun making some yummy stuff to sell!!!

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This holiday season seemed to blow by. I will say that working definately made things challenging, but that being said, we still packed in so many fun things. We baked cookies, made s'mores in the fireplace, sent cards to our neighbors, and went on a nighttime walk around our neighborhood to look at lights.
We are so blessed to have such full lives-busy, crazy and hectic but so full of life and joy.
What a wonderful Christmas season.

Elfie's antics

Elfie was the "Mac Daddy Elf" when he had a date with two Barbies under the Christmas tree

Elfie taking a rest

Elfie hanging out on the downstairs shelf-believe it or not, this was the hardest hiding place yet

This was also hard-Elfie was being sneaky

A special message: "I love the Story kids"

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Our adventures with Elfie were very fun this year!! Last night he went back to visit with Santa and won't return until next year.

We will miss you!!

Graffiti artist (day 14)

In a playful turn of events, Elfie decided to embellish our family pictures by taking a dry erase marker and doing a little graffiti. Boy he got us good!!! Don't we look silly?? The kids thought that this was just hilarious!! Until Michael started questioning whether or not the marker would come off. We sure are enjoying the antics of our little Elf.

I think Elfie looks like he is enjoying his little trick a bit too much-see his naughty little grin...

Lesson Learned (day 13)

While we all love our dear friend Elfie, I have learned a lesson in appropriate hiding......i.e. NOT in a bedroom!! There are no pictures of day 13 because Elfie decided to hide in Michael's room(he was hanging out on the little tree) which turned out to be traumatic ("He is watching me, and that is freaking me out Mom!!). Elfie decided to move early to our Christmas tree which also resulted in trauma (Now I'm freaked out that he is in your room watching me Mom!). The deal was sealed at bedtime when Emmy's prayer included: "And please let Elfie move to a fun spot that is NOT in our bedroom because his eyes will watch us".

Sorry Elfie.

Pal-ing Around (Day 11 and 12)

Elfie found the pickle ornament that we hang on our tree-whomever finds it first gets to open the first gift on Christmas Morning.

Elfie hid on our china cabinet and told secrets to his best friend Frosty all day long.

Tea for three (Day 10)

This morning we woke up and found Elfie hosting a tea party under the Christmas tree. Santa, and "Golfie" the Nutcracker (yes, he is from the Holiday Bazaar) were his guests. On the menu: frosted animal crackers and water.

Elfie was a good little host!!

By the end of the day, all of the cookies were gone. Emmy is convinced that Elfie ate his special treats!! She is still trying to figure out how he ate all of the cookies.

I love the magic that Elfie is bringing!!

Hanging around (day 9)

Elfie was hanging around the kitchen-maybe he thought that Santa and the cookie cutters were on a zip line??

Picture perfect (day 8)

This morning Elfie greeted us by hanging out in the hallway-I think he was checking out the kids when they were little!! Yes Elfie, they sure are cute!!
And so are you!!!

Advent evening-pizza picnic

One of our family activities from our Christmas Countdown advent calendar was a pizza picnic in front of the Christmas tree. Derek brought home pizza and we enjoyed some yummy food together. Grandma and Grandpa Story joined us so that Emmy could work on her timeline board-she interviewed Grandpa Story because he is "really old"-the definition of "really old" by the way is older than me (and she informed me that being older than me is REALLY old).

Working on the timeline

Wonderful Counselor (day seven)

This morning Elfie didn't travel very far. He decided to stop at the Nativity scene that is right inside our front door.

It looks like he is holding Baby Jesus and talking to all of his friends.

I wonder what they are saying....

Look who is peeking (day six)

Hanging on our entry wall is a window that hung in the first house that Derek and I bought together. As a surprise, Derek snuck this window out of the garage on the day that we moved and brought it to our new home in a new town. I love this window because it reminds me of so many things-namely the birth of our first three children.

Today Elfie returned from the North Pole and decided to peek out from behind a window pane in the window. He was actually pretty hard to find-but it was worth all the smiles when his special spot was revealed.
Just lovely!

Elfie-Day Five

Elfie was caught reading the Nativity story in a quiet spot this morning near our tree. He looked so peaceful.

Gingerbread Houses with Grandma Choo Choo

What has quickly become a favorite holiday tradition, we got together for an afternoon of fun to create our gingerbread masterpieces!! With loads of candy and ideas, each builder received a base, graham crackers, bowls of cement (royal icing), and were cut loose to begin. It is fun to see the kids become more and more independent in their desire to build their OWN projects. What a great afternoon!!

Supplies

Michael built his own "Santa's toy assembly line" this year

I circulated as a helper-Addison built an awesome gingerbread land with LOTS of green sprinkles!!

Uncle Tom and Oliver

Ella felt bad and allowed her Dad to "work" with her-she is so me and wanted this to be an independant project!! We ladies just aren't in to group work!!

Peris made a mini-city

Emmy snatched Aunt Christine up as her partner again-they make a great pair

Avery made a "Hello Kitty" land, and Fiona made a giant building

Working hard in the kitchen-in the background you can see the Mommies chatting-that is really what the grown up's (well the grown up Moms) did:)

Swinging into the Christmas season

While Elfie did not move on the eve of day 3, on day four we found him swinging from the ceiling fan!! Boy he must have had a super fun time getting back to us from the North Pole!!

The kids thought it was HILARIOUS!!

Elfie-Day two

Day two-I am happy to report that Elfie was able to return to the North Pole with good news for Santa!! And when he returned, he decided to hide in our Christmas wreath. It was so much fun trying to find him!!

Elfie is such a cutie!!

Elfie Arrives-Day one

After several years of flat out begging (Emmy), we purchased our own Elf on the Shelf this year. After weeks of waiting, Elfie finally arrived on December first. To celebrate his arrival, we had a very special "Welcome Elfie" breakfast. Please note that even before we purchased our Elf, his name had already been determined hence the name Elfie-quite original, we know.

The kids woke to a special breakfast including homemade french toast, snowman donuts, and candy cane hot cocoa ( a Story family favorite).

We enjoyed listening to the story while we dined on our special breakfast treats. I don't know about you, but I just can't wait to see where Elfie ends up this holiday season!! I sure hope he has a lot of good things to report back to Santa!!

The table setting for Elfie's breakfast



The snowman donuts-mini powdered sugar donuts, candy corn, and black icing

As a special treat, Elfie brought each of the kids a special mug to use during the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Talbott's Tree Farm

It might've poured down rain, but we didn't let that stop us!!

Year #17 at Talbott's Tree Farm!!
It was a bit chilly (and we were soaked) so we took a break half way through to get some hot cider.

On a mission!!

Still looking....

Back to the first tree we found-it sure is cute!!

Official tree cutting assistants