Can you spot him????
It's our elf Clyde!!
He appeared four days ago in our Christmas tree. He has been spotted on our mantle, dining room table, and book shelves. He finds a new place in our home every night and Will has to find him each morning. 
If you've not heard about The Elf on the Shelf, it is a book that comes with an elf that the child names. The book explains how Santa knows if you've been a good boy or girl. It works wonders with Will...Jake really doesn't get it yet. But, Will has never had a cleaner room and you don't have to ask him a million times to do anything because it just takes a little reminder that Clyde is watching. We hear Will talking to him from time to time. The other night Billy thought Will was asking him something, and he said, "What did you say, Will?", and Will said "I was asking Clyde why he keeps staring at me." Billy got so tickled. Will also told me that he has told Clyde that I need new pillows for my couches for Christmas because somebody keeps tearing them up. (That would be Will... he always tears every tassel or decorative piece off of throw pillows.)
Here is an excerpt from the book:Have you ever wondered how Santa could know
if you're naughty or nice each year as you grow?
For hundreds of years it's been a big secret.
It can now be shared if you promise to keep it.
At holiday time Santa sends me to you.
I watch and report on all that you do.
My job's an assignment from Santa himself.
I am his helper, a friendly scout elf.
Each night while you're sleeping to Santa I'll fly
to the North Pole right through the dark sky.
It goes on, but you get the general idea. If you know of any small children that don't have this, it is an excellent gift idea. Of course, I would love for Will to be good because it is the right thing to do and not just because Santa's elf is watching, but because God is watching. However, they are only young for a little while and it is so neat to see Will's face when the elf has moved positions over night!
Will is getting to the age where he wants to have a friend over from time to time. Miller came over one day after school and the boys played and played. Jake thinks he is big enough to hang with the big boys, too, and gets his feelings hurt when they don't want him around. But, all in all, they were nice enough to include him in most things.
Playing a little football in the living room...Billy is throwing the ball from the couch.
Here is "sweet face"...all innocent and cute! He is starting to talk a little more. He is very bossy (I wonder where he gets that from...don't say a word, mom, haha!!). He loves to tell Kooper "Doh" (which means "Go") anytime Kooper comes to beg for food. He also points his finger to tell him which direction to "doh". If Will gets near him when he is trying to eat, he says "moob" (move). Will thinks it is so funny, so he aggravates him to death. (Do you notice a pattern with protecting his food????) He loves to say "huh-uh" to everything you ask him to do. Isn't it a little early for that?
In one of the bouncy houses at our church
