Stewart

I broke down and purchased Elf on the Shelf this year.  I have been watching the neat ideas on Pinterest for a year and a half now, but have thought that it was terribly ridiculous the $30.00 price tag that the elf came with.  But... this year I did it anyway.  And it has TOTALLY paid off so far.  The boys and I went to the store a few weeks ago and brought him home.  We took him out of the box and then read the story.  I put him up on the mantel and pretty much dismissed him.  I told the boys I thought it was pretty silly and he probably wasn't real.  Bennett was positive he was real so we named him Stewart.  I don't remember who came up with the name, but it was a hit right away.  Harrison was still a little cautious and was tending to agree with me as to whether or not he was real.  About an hour later I dusted the house.  About an hour after that Bennett yelled from the living room - "STEWART MOVED!!!"  One of the rules about Elf on the Shelf is that you don't touch him.  His magic will disappear.  When I had dusted, I moved him and forgot to put him back where I had originally put him. He had 'moved' about a foot over on the mantel.  We were AMAZED!  The boys talked about it for the next hour or so.  We also had discussions about visiting the North Pole.  The story says that each night when we go to bed, the elf with sneak out of the house and go to the North Pole to report on if the kids were bad or good that day.  I commented that it was awhile before Christmas so Stewart would probably go see Santa and stay for awhile to help build toys, if he was real... :)  Well, wouldn't you know, Sunday morning, Bennett called me at work.  Stewart was gone!

Stewart stops by to check on Harrison

This morning, Bennett the detective spotted Stewart sitting up on the mantel.  I guess he is back.  It is not even December and I can't wait for day after day of Elf on the Shelf fun!