Christmas Surprise

Ryan and I weren't really planning on setting up Christmas this year.
The girls and I leave early in the month to visit family and so I felt... meh, whats the point. 

We decided that we were just going to let Santa's elf come and visit our house and that was it, but the silly little elf hid in our Christmas decorations, and when we pulled him out I was bit by the Christmas bug and decided to do some minimal decorations. 

So Ryan and I set up the tree, put lights in the window and around the door and shoved a few snowmen here and there around the house. Oh, and pulled out my advent calendar that took FOREVER to make last year. Remember it? I'll let you check it out again. HERE is a link. :D

Ah, now it feels a little bit more like Christmas.
We didn't bother putting ornaments up because we wanted to do that part with the girls. 

Both Ryan and I grew up where our parents would let us help put the ornaments up and would tell us when we got each one as we put them up. Maybe everyone does that.
I loved it, and wanted to pass along the tradition.

So off we went to bed, and off Eubie our elf went to hide. 

He hung on the edge of the girls bunk-bed to surprise them in the morning.

Well Ryan and I tried to sleep in {we stayed up far too late}, but with little success. 

We heard the girls playing downstairs and eventually Mr. Zak told us louder and louder that his tummy was awake and needed some yummies.

So I rolled myself out of bed to get Zak and as I was Sarah came running up the stairs.

"Mom, you gotta come look at this!!"
"Oh really, what?"
(I figured she wanted to show me the decorations we put up last night)
"You have to come see Mom, it is so cool, and it is about the tree"

So off I followed her down the stairs. 

Sweet little Sarah and Abby had put up several of our ornaments on the tree. 

Of course they were mostly on the bottom branches, but they were resourceful and pulled a bench over to get some a little higher up. (We have our tree on a small table to help keep it away from Zak).

It was such a simple and sweet surprise.

So I called Ryan down and we all snuggled up on the love seat to talk about Christmas.
Me: So, was there a surprise in your room this morning
Sarah: A Christmas tree! And the Elf!! (we put a little tree in their room)
Me: Oh, the Elf is here, do you remember the rules about our Christmas elf?"
*blank stares*
Me: Do we touch our elf?
Sarah: Uh... *guilty face*
Me: It's okay, I'm sure Eubie was excited to see you guys. Did you give him a hug?
Sarah: and a SMOOCH!!
Me: That is okay, but remember what Eubie does...

We explained again how Eubie is magical and flies to tell Santa if they were being good girls and kind to others. That he would lose his magic if the girls played with him too much and to look for him in his new hiding spot each morning.
I think Abby understood.... I think.

I am so glad that I swept away my bah-hum-bugs and got into the spirit of Christmas.

This morning made it all worth it.

(Pictures, possibly to come, but I didn't want to wait to load them on the computer and never write this down... because, ya know, I've been SO great at blogging lately)