Elf on the Shelf | Don't Blink

Well, if you read last night’s post you know that I really don’t have a bunch of time to write. So, in the interest of getting to the airport in time, let’s begin today’s Thursday Rundown…

Advent Wreath – It has been nice taking the time to truly journey through Advent this year. Sloan made an Advent wreath after mass a couple weeks ago and Sidney trimmed around the edges to give it that certain aesthetic touch. Each Sunday we have lit the appropriate candles while praying as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” plays in the background. Sure, Sloan and Beau might be just as excited about blowing out the candles as they are about meditating during the lighting of them but hopefully this is a step in the right direction of teaching them how to prepare for Christmas.

Sloan admiring the Advent wreath after we lit the three candles this past Sunday.

Christmas Card Display – When it comes to displaying the Christmas cards we receive, Sidney and I use an idea we stole from her sister. We hang twine and then attach the cards to it with clothes pins. I think it looks really nice! We have an entire Christmas card routine. Sloan and Beau walk with me to the mailbox during my lunch hour and fetch the incoming cards (and bills). We wait until we get home before dividing up the cards between the two kids. They then open them up, Sid or I read them, and then we clip them to the twine. It is one of our highlights of the day.

This is the Christmas card display at our house.

Santa Letter – Speaking of Christmas mail, Sloan received a letter from the North Pole this past weekend for the second year in a row. When she ripped it open, she had official correspondence from Santa Claus himself. Santa confirmed that Sloan was on the “nice” list this year and that brought a lot of relief from our daughter as she was initially hesitant to open the letter for fear of bad news. This year we used the City of Spokane Valley to help us “connect” with the North Pole. For just a $2.50 contracting fee, they helped make sure that Sloan’s letter reached Kris Kringle’s desk.

Sloan received this letter from Santa.

Popcorn and a Haircut – I have chronicled the evolution of my hair care journey from years of Great Clips cuts to venturing out of my comfort zone to a salon to finally settling on a barbershop. Since moving to Spokane, I have frequented The Man Shop for my haircut needs. In addition to televisions at each station and lots of other “guy” stuff throughout the shop, there is also a popcorn machine. The popcorn that is popped is complimentary and surprisingly very good. When I went to get my holiday cut earlier this week I definitely helped myself to a bag while I waited to be called back. It’s the little things.

Popcorn while I wait to get my hair cut? Yes please!

Sallie Scavenger Hunt – On Tuesday morning, Sloan went on an elaborate scavenger hunt staged by her Elf on the Shelf, Sallie. The hunt took an excited Sloan through the entire house. In the end, Sloan located Sallie in the refrigerator. The elf pointed Sloan to the pantry where a special Elf on the Shelf brownie mix awaited her. The brownies would be baked later during the day and decorated that night during a special Christmas party that Sid threw for Sloan, Beau, and their cousins. To watch the epic scavenger hunt in all its glory, check out this TikTok I made.