North Pole Breakfast

I know many people that have fun with the Elf on a Shelf have a North Pole Breakfast to celebrate his/her arrival.  However, life was crazy and busy so that didn't happen here.  Instead yesterday morning, our elf, Sam, provided a North Pole Breakfast to kick off our holiday weekend!  Simple, low stress and FUN.  Who says I have to be on anyone else's schedule?  Besides a little boy didn't know the difference.  ;-)

To set the mood, I pulled out some of my previous years Christmas decor: a cute little Santa and Snowman, snowflakes, the pine cone trees Bear and I crafted last year, along with a pedestal found from Goodwill that I had spray painted.  I also found my foam snow flakes and candles from last year's New Years Tablescape.
Then I set the table.

Dollar General paper snowmen plates, paper towel 'napkins' fancied up with a candy cane and some of my ribbon stash.  Plus 2 sweet little Santa ornaments found in my wrapping paper box that I had never used as a 'favor' for our little breakfast party.  The adorable Snowmen mugs were a recent gift from Granny.

The menu was all North Pole Breakfast foods:  Snowball donuts, Berry Merry Muffins, Snowmen filled with popcorn.

Fruit candy cane, made with apple slices and a banana.  The store was out of strawberries, so I used what I had on hand!  Bear loves apples.

To drink:  Hot chocolate with 'snow' whipped cream.

Thanks to Pinterest for this easy and adorable snowman cup to hold our popcorn.  Totally makes it OK for breakfast right?!  Ha! You could also fill them with marshmallows.
Total spent for our little breakfast was $3!  I purchased the $1 paper plates and the Merry Christmas picks for the muffins.  That was it.

That sweet smile:  PRICELESS!  Bed head hair and all.  He loved it!  What a way to kick off our holiday weekend and enjoy the Christmas magic.  Bear woke up my baby girl (who is 21!) to have breakfast with him.  She played big sister right along with him in the spirit of Christmas 'excitement'.  These are the things this precious child (who is my nephew that we have custody of for 2 years now) will remember.  Thanks Sam!

Our little Elf on the Shelf isn't 'naughty' at all!  He does do a few silly things, like making a balloon ride from Bear's underwear:

Or fun things like our North Pole Breakfast.  Thanks for the memories Sam!  We are going to miss you, but we know you will return next year in time for the holidays to spread a bit of Christmas cheer to a little boy.

 

We are ready for Christmas, are you?

Elf on the Shelf Fun - take 2

Bear has really enjoyed our Elf on the Shelf's visit!

Sam has produced delighted mornings to a little 4 year old and even brought a few treats.  However, it's almost time for him to head back to the North Pole until next year when the Holiday Season rolls around.

Here are a few things that have been happening with an Elf in the house:
He brought cookies back from Santa's Workshop (Thanks Ms.Carolyn!).

He even brought Bear a little Santa hat!

Sam showed off his wild trapeze skills.

He played with my craft gift project blocks, which thrilled Bear.

 He did a little hanging out.

He played.

Sam showed off his inner decorator by candy caning the tree.

Sam delighted Bear with tiny gifts, first an Elf coloring book...

and tiny Christmas puzzles. (Sam always left a gift for Bear's BIG sis too...who is 20 but lives at home).

Since it's Christmas Eve, Sam left a note to remind Bear that he will be going home to the North Pole with Santa tonight; but he will be back next year for all the holiday fun!  We are really worried Bear will be upset that Sam is gone.  So our little Elf was thoughtful to explain. ;-)  Plus he left a little special early gift...

the book - Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Merry Christmas Eve!!!!

If you have an Elf on the Shelf...how do you announce his/her exit?

Elf on the Shelf FUN ideas

Our 'Elf on the Shelf' arrived December 1st.  

Booger Bear was excited to hear the story of our elf; then promptly named him Sam.

After a couple of days, we noticed he now calls him Mister Sam.  

Bear's been learning about 'manners' at school. ;-)

Here are a few photos of what Mr. Sam has been up to each morning.

Mr. Sam high-jacked one of Booger Bear's truck to haul a load of 'fake' snow.

Since Booger Bear heads to the kitchen every morning, Mr. Sam did a bit of rolling on the kitchen curtain.

Mr. Sam crash landed into the tacky we need to replace it light.

Santa and Mr. Sam went fishing together. Sam's pole is a stick and twine. (Someone was running around after this idea came to mind with a flashlight in the backyard trying to find a twig IN the rain! I'm sure that person gets extra points right?)   His 'seat' is my real cut wood homemade candles from last Christmas season.

Mr. Sam likes the cold, so he hung out in the frig to give Bear his morning juice box.

Booger Bear was thrilled to wake up Saturday morning and find Mr. Sam had brought him a special treat.

Mr. Sam even brought my 'grown' 20 year old daughter a HUGE coloring book.

Both books had elves on the front of them too!  (I spotted them in our local Dollar Tree, if anyone might be in need of one *wink*).

We've had so much fun with Mr. Sam.  He has been a welcome joy during a nerve wracking few weeks.

(We had to attend a custody hearing again on Dec 8th for Booger Bear.  It was a stressful extremely long day of 14 hours in a courtroom - fact.  Maybe I will blog about it one day. Suffice to say, I was awarded permanent custody.)

Friday afternoon, Bear came home from 'school' (daycare) to find a 7 ft Santa in the yard.

He was excited and the first thing he said?  Mr. Sam brought me a Santa!
That elf gets credit for everything.  Ugh! ;-)

An alum from high school commented on my Facebook page that she wished Elf on the Shelf was around when her girls were little.  I responded that I get to have this fun a second time around with Bear!

Does your family have an Elf on the Shelf?

I would LOVE to hear your ideas for Mr. Sam.
I will share more photos of Mr. Sam and would love to mention your idea in my post!
For tons of Elf on the Shelf ideas visit Come Together Kids Elf Linky party.

Cowboy UP in the Barn Birthday Party

Warning:  Photo over load!

A special little boy turns 4 tomorrow!  This weekend Booger Bear rounded up his buckaroos for a Cowboy Birthday party out in our barn.  

Everyone was welcomed 'Down on the Farm' by our friendly scarecrow guarding the gate.

Outside the barn, all the tiny girls and boys were invited to 'Cowboy UP' with hats, bandannas and sheriff badges. ('cow' balloons are from Hobby Lobby)

I kept the theme red and blue throughout.  With big plastic $1 bowls from Wal-mart, clearance plastic table clothes, red napkins, spoons/forks in mason jars and barn animal bowls from the Dollar General.

Kid friendly 'Chuck Wagon' food was served:  hot dogs, chili, tater salad, slaw, chips with Sweet Tea and Lemonade.  The Wild West sign is from Hobby Lobby (set of 2 for 5 bucks).

Here is the only full shot of the tables.  Oops!

I used lanterns and mason jars for the table decorations and brought Booger Bears tiny picnic table out for his 'special' guest seating.

While waiting on everyone to arrive, the kids played a pumpkin bean bag toss game (Target), chased bubbles in the barn yard and fed treats to the horses.  Treat bags for guests were paper lunch sacks filled with kid friendly 'trail mix' and miniature cowboys.

I had to include this because "Mr. Rooster" and Oreo, the farm dog were both guests along with the 33 other family, friends and neighbors!  It's a REAL working barn ya'll. ;-)

My sister snapping a shot in the photo op saddle by the stalls.

Except for the young lady in pink, the other girls are Booger Bear's sisters, who attended his celebration.  I call this the Ice Cream & Cake Crew.  The BEST thing I did was serve individual ice cream cups.  No mess!

Booger Bear was figuring out how to turn on the sword!  He was blessed with toys and such a grateful little boy.

After lunch, birthday cake and opening gifts everyone hopped on an old fashion Hay ride around the country roads.

After everyone gave good bye hugs, we had one little tuckered out Cowboy (me too!).

A good time was had by all!  He is loved MUCH.  We are blessed to have a village surrounding us as we try to provide a home as guardians of this adorable loving child.

Booger Bear said the BEST part of the day were the presents (go figure!), Hay ride and COWBOYS!

Have you ever tossed a party in a barn?

Linking in these great blog parties:

Summer Grab~n~Go Kid's Meal

We spend as much time as possible poolside, during these HOT Summer days.

With temps near 100 in Georgia lately, it's a cool place to hang out.

Swimming makes us all hungry.  But let's face it, wet swimsuits in the house create a drippy mess.

To make life a bit easier and allow Booger Bear to be independent, I pulled out our 'to go' lunch container and made a simple grab~n~go kid's meal.

 I filled the inside with easy finger food for a 3 year old before we ever head out to the pool.

Pop it in the frig.

Fruit, crackers, cheese and bologna.

Now we he says "I hungee", I can wrap up in a towel, zip in, grab his meal and let him eat under the umbrella at the deck table.  No waiting to dry out a drippy swimsuit. 

No extra mopping for me!  Plus he LOVED that it was made 'just for him'.

It's also an easy meal to pack in a cooler for long drives.  Healthier than fast food.

Do you have ideas that make summer fun easy breezy?
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