Sara the Elf is Not on the Shelf

Every morning when Kaylicious and Zazu wake up, they run to find out where Sara, our Elf on the Shelf, is hiding or what kind of mischievous elf adventures she may have had the previous night. Sara the Elf is never on our shelf.  The girls always discover Sara in some silly hiding place or frozen precariously in the middle of a crazy adventure. They both think Sara's hi-jinks are absolutely hilarious. They laugh so hard every time, especially Kaylicious, that they crack me up too. Recently they’ve found Sara perched on a castle wearing a tiara, swinging from the ceiling fan, riding Kaylicious’ piggy bank and chilling out on our wreath.

Elf on the Shelf Party Going on Now!

Don't forget to check out and/or join my Elf on the Shelf Link Party for more Elf on the Shelf ideas and adventures:

I Caught Santa!

This is so fun!  Imagine the look of wonder and surprise when your kids receives a photo of Santa caught in the act in your very own home. iCaughtSanta.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos.

In three easy steps anyone can upload a holiday photo, add Santa Claus and print it as proof… or share it via Facebook and/or Twitter. Last-minute shoppers can purchase Gift Cards and eGift Certificates for loved ones with children, making iCaughtSanta.com a great gift idea even if you don't have your own children.  It costs $9.99, but you can make yours for half off using code: SANTA50

I am definitely doing this, just need to wait until I get Kaylicious and Zazu's gifts all wrapped and under the tree, so I can snap a photo!  They're going to love it! I will post our photo here once it's done!

If you get your own  iCaughtSanta.com photo, leave me a comment with a link, so we can all check it out!  

Elf on the Shelf Link Party

In this final week before Christmas, are you running out of ideas for your Elf on the Shelf?  Are you actually considering hiding your elf on a shelf? If so you've come to the right place.  I'm gathering the best Elf on the Shelf ideas in the entire Blogosphere right here at Counting on Me, so you'll find Elf inspiration galore to get you through the week and many Christmases to come!  Don't forget to leave comments for the Elf on the Shelf posts that you like the best.

Join the Party: If you got a great Elf on the Shelf post, please link to the party!  We can wait to check it out.  Please follow the rules and use the Blue "Add Your Link" Button below to join the party.  You can  add as many different Elf links as you want.

I made this graphic using PSE 8, an adorable freebie from ShabbyBlogs.com (I Love Them.) and what some might consider to be way too much time, but since I like the end result, I'm going to chalk it up to time well spent improving my Photoshop skills.

Thanks for coming to the party! You can use the following code to provide a link back to this party on your page, just cut and paste it into your html editor:

<a href="http://counting-on-me.blogspot.com/2011/12/elf-on-shelf-link-party.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s299/ShannonOBrennan/ElfParty-CountingonMe-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Elf on the Shelf Party"></a>

Sara the Elf on Our Shelf

Our elf arrived last weekend from the North Pole and Kaylicious immediately named her "Sara."  Zazu has bounced back and forth between calling her Sara and "Elfant" which seems to be a combination of elf and elephant.

Here's Sara hanging from our entry way light.  

I used PSE 8 and a free quick page from Free Digital Scrapbooking to make this graphic.

We've had a busy week with Sara.

• We've read Sara's Elf on the Shelf book multiple times.
• Kaylicious was concerned that Sara wouldn't be able to fly to North Pole, if she didn't take the plastic off her box right away. 
• Had a make your own sundae party to welcome Sara.
• Watched  "The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story"  (Kaylicious spotted Sara in one of the elves' dance numbers).
• Taken Sara to visit Santa at the mall, after Zazu accidently touched Sara with her foot, zapping her elf power. Thankfully, Santa was able to give Sara her elf powers back, since it was an accident.
• Talked extensively about Sara and discussed how she flies, and what she does when were not  watching.  Ever inquisitive,  Kaylicious has endless questions and thoughts about Sara.
• She has also asked if we could keep Sara after Christmas.  She says she loves her and will miss her if Sara goes back to live at the North Pole.   
• Once I realized our Elf on the Shelf was a girl, I started thinking about more little elf outfits for her.  I've seen the Claus Couture Scout Elf Skirt, but it seems like there should be a whole line of little elf clothes.  What's a girl elf to do? One red leotard and one skirt most definitely does not qualify as a full Elf wardrobe.  I thought for sure someone would have any Etsy shop selling Elf on the Shelf fashions, but so such luck.  If you know where to find elf on the shelf clothes, please leave me a comment.  I know Sara's inner-elf fashionista is dying to come out.
  

Make Your Own Sundae Welcome Party for Sara the Elf

Make Your Own Sundae Elf on the Shelf Welcome Party

We've found Sara getting into mischief and hiding all around our house. After losing her elf powers once with the touch of tiny two-year-old toes, Sara has tried to stay up a bit higher out of Zazu's reach.  Also, since Zazu and Kaylicious are only two and three years old, I think Sara tries not to make her hiding spots too difficult to find.  Each time Kaylicious has found Sara, she has squealed and laughed with delight.

Here are some of Sara's hiding places this week:

1. On top of our Christmas tree 
2. Going wild with streamers
3. Hanging upside down from a ceiling light
4. Sunning herself on the top our window blinds
5. Sitting on top of our kitchen cabinets -- Sadly, she got her feet caught in the cabinet and banged around that night trying to free herself for her trip to the North Pole, but she was stuck.  
6. Riding Kaylicious' Piggy Bank
7. Sitting on top of an alarm sensor in our living room, where she could hang out with us and watch us all day.
   

   

   Sara the Elf on top of Our Christmas Tree 
   
   
   
   Check my Elf on the Shelf Link Party.

Our Elf is Here!

Our The Elf on the Shelf is here. I've got our Tivo set up to record "The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story" about an elf named Chippey who tries to help a young boy who is struggling to believe in the magic of Christmas. It will be on WJZ 13 Baltimore, our local CBS station, this Friday night at 9:30.  Now, all I need is my little girls home from visiting their Nana in New Jersey, and we'll be ready to get this tradition started.

If you have any tips or creative ideas for introducing our Elf to my two and three year old daughters, please share them by leaving me a comment!



Elf on the Shelf Party Going on Now!

Check out and/or join my Elf on the Shelf Link Party for more Elf on the Shelf ideas and adventures:

Elf on the Shelf

Do you have an Elf on the Shelf?  When I first saw the Elf on the Shelf a couple years ago, I thought it  was cute but a little odd. After learning more and seeing so many adorable Elf on the Shelf ideas on Pinterest, I think I am going to head over to Barnes&Noble and take the plunge.  Kaylicious and Zazu are visiting their Nana in New Jersey right now, and I think it will be exciting to have their Elf here when they return.


Here's the Story behind the Elf on The Shelf:
from ElfOnTheShelf.com

Have you ever wondered how Santa knows who is naughty and who is nice? The Elf on the Shelf – A Christmas Tradition is the very special tool that helps Santa knows who to put on the Naughty and Nice list. This interactive holiday hide-and-seek tradition is perfect for children and families of all ages.

The tradition begins when Santa sends his scout elves out to Elf Adoption Centers. Waiting for their families to bring them home, these patient elves hibernate until their family reads The Elf on the Shelf, gives their elf a very special name, and registers their adoption online. Once named, each scout elf will receive its Christmas magic and become a part of the family’s Christmas each and every year.

Excellent listeners and even better observers, these scout elves are the eyes and ears of Santa Claus. Although they cannot be touched, or else they may lose their magic, the elf will always listen and relay messages back to Santa. Taking in all the day-to-day activities around the house, no good deed goes unnoticed; these scout elves take their job seriously.

Each night, after the family goes to bed, the scout elf uses his magical Christmas powers to fly back to the North Pole. Once there, the elf will make his or her daily report to Santa and visit with elf friends where they will tell stories about their beloved families, play with the reindeer, and of course, sneak some of Mrs. Claus’ cookies!

Before the family awakes each morning, their special scout elf will fly back to their home from the North Pole. However, since these elves like to play games, don’t expect to find them in the same spot! While some like to hide in the freezer (probably because it reminds them of the North Pole) and others prefer to sit on the fireplace mantle or hang from the chandelier, these elves love to play hide-and-seek with their families.

On Christmas Eve, the scout elf will listen for Santa’s bell and then fly back to the North Pole until the next season, wishing every girl and each boy a Christmas of peace and a year full of joy.

Source: flickr.com via Shannon on Pinterest

I love the idea of starting a new holiday tradition with my daughters. With virtually endless opportunities for mischievous holiday fun, I think The Count and I may enjoy "The Elf on the Shelf" every bit as much as Kaylicious and Zazu do.

You can check out my Elf on Shelf Board on Pinterest Here:
Elf on the Shelf Ideas on Pinterest

Send Me Some Elf Love:

I Want Hear About Your Elves . . . If you have an Elf on your Shelf, please share your thoughts.   Leave me a comment, telling your best Elf idea or your funniest Elf moment.