Welcome Back Buddy & Friends - 12/1/22

This year is a bit more emotional for me, my oldest son is 17 and a Senior in High School and my youngest son is 15 and a Sophomore in High School and now towers over me in height. I really want to make this Christmas season a special one for everyone at home, because well, we don't know what next Christmas will look like for our family, yet I am still finding it a little hard to get in the festive spirit. Normally I am so excited to put up the Christmas tree, even before Thanksgiving, and this year I just was finding it hard to get going. But we finally accomplished it one evening when everyone was home. As usual we found the newest Hallmark ornament for the Year Without A Santa Claus.  If you know me, you might know that the Miser Brothers are two of my favorite characters, they are TOO MUCH!!!

The boys just chilling after decorating the tree.

I even persuaded my husband to hang one ornament. His Dallas Cowboys Ornament. 

Our 2022 Christmas Tree!  

Last night my youngest son and I were in the kitchen and we made Puppy Chow! It was so yummy! 

I really enjoy cooking and making things with my kids. It has been a tradition for a long time. I used to help my mom and grandma make holiday treats and then my kids helped. I hope one day they carry on the tradition. But it warmed my heart to be able to do this with my son last night. 

In case you would like the recipe, here it is:

1 stick of butter

3/4 Skippy Peanut Butter

3/4 Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

6 Cups of Crispex (Chex will do as well)

1/2 bag Powdered Sugar

Measure ingredients (butter, peanut butter, chocolate chips) and melt, add in 6 cups of dry cereal, coat each piece of cereal with mixture and then top with powdered sugar. I use my Fix-in-mix bowl from Tupperware and we will put the seal on the bowl and shake up everything until each piece is coated as seen above. Then place to dry, we used a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Today marks December 1, 2022 and our Elf on the Shelf came back with his friends. Normally he returns the day after Thanksgiving, and the boys even mentioned that they hadn't seen him yet, but this year he decided to return today.  Buddy our Elf looks like he is kicked back and chilling while his furry friends look mighty hungry and ready to eat the message made out of M&M's that reads, Did you miss us?  Certainly you couldn't miss them as they are just below the TV.

Buddy the Elf and his furry friends return! 

I am not sure how the boys reacted this morning as they are up and out the door for school before I get a chance to get downstairs to see them off. But let me tell you, I remember them waking up every morning when they were much younger and the first thing they could think of was the elf and what mischief he got into. Seeing their faces in the morning after finding the elf and the messes he made were always such a joy and truly Christmas magic. 

Welcome Back Buddy & Friends!!

 

Movie time

Today you will find Buddy our Elf on the Shelf chilling with the dog and the Reindeer with a tub of popcorn and watching a movie. 

Elf things

 It has been several years since I last posted what Buddy the Elf was up to in our house. I am sorry for not sharing what the Elf has been up to. The kids are older now and I find that they seem to care less and less if the Elf shows up and what he does. My husband told me the other day that he thinks I do it more for myself now than I do for the kids. Maybe he is correct, but I still do it in hopes that it brings a smile to the faces of my boys. 

So far this year the Elf arrived right on time, the day after Thanksgiving. He appeared taking a nap in the tissue box next to the Buddy the Elf my husband purchased for me at CVS. He has a pull cord and has many things he says. It was the best thing ever!

The Elf is Back! Day 1 - 2021

The next day the Elf was hanging out by the window with the dog with a Elf button on. We were going to go to the Gaylord Palms and do the Mission: Save Christmas they had there this year. If you ever have the chance to do this with your kids, do it, it is fun. 

Map of Alpine Village

Theme this year is Mission: Save Christmas

Grabbed myself an Elfie! 

There was a place were the kids could do a snowball fight. The wait in line was a bit long but we made it through and thank goodness there was a place to grab an adult drink!

Making Snowballs!! Cold Hands.

Snow!!! Make Snowballs!

His hands are cold.

Making Snowballs! Brrr it's cold.

Throwing snowballs! 

There is also snow tubing! It was quite fun! 

The kids really enjoyed this activity. 

The boys waiting to go snow tubing!

Next it was time to go through the Elf Mission: Save Christmas.  We started off in the Candy Cane Forrest and saw Mr. Narwhal. 

Logan & Mr. Narwhal

Both of my Boys! 

Logan & I

Candy Cane Forrest

Don't want to give it all away, but check it out if you can.

Day 3 we found the Elf in the kitchen with his gingerbread apron on and a mixing bowl of sprinkles, sitting in a 3D printed Christmas ornament my husband printed.

Day 4 (Today) He is hanging out in the freezer with the reindeer in his winter jacket and hat on. I think the kids will have fun trying to pull out ice cream later tonight and not touching him.