Christmas Magic

Meet "Marfa", our Elf (on the Shelf)...

She came to us this week, straight from the North Pole. She is a magical elf. We adopted her and Emma Claire named her. Every night, she goes back to the North Pole to give Santa a "naughty or nice" report for Emma Claire and Arnold. Every morning, she appears in a different spot in the house, so Emma Claire and Arnold have to search for her new watching post.

So far, we think most of the reports have been good ones. Although, Emma Claire is afraid Arnold may get a lump of coal "because he hitted me" and Marfa probably saw that one.

The "rule" is that kids cannot touch her (only grown ups, if she has gotten into mischief).

Our first week with Marfa...

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Marfa is becoming mischievous...she turned our milk PINK!

Day 4

move over tree topper Santa!

Day 5

Marfa got into the cuties

MAGIC!

Tree Skirt

Emma Claire: "Our Christmas tree at school doesn't have a tutu like ours at home does".

O, Christmas Tree

This is the very first year we have put up a live Christmas tree. We said goodbye to the artificial one and donated it to Goodwill.

I LOVE the real tree. Emma Claire had fun hanging ornaments and Arnold had fun breaking them (round ornament = ball, in his mind).

Supper with Santa 2011, Brookview

Emma Claire is working through her fear of Santa this year, mostly because she REALLY wants a "pink disney princess scooter".

She still is afraid of "beards", but after a short panic attack when he arrived,

she had the courage to sit with Santa with best friend, Addie.

Arnold is not pictured with Santa, because he threw up all over Brad just after Santa arrived (which leads to another story of shared stomach flu in the Kadue house this weekend).

Daddy's Boy

Arnold loves his daddy. Without fail, he will always choose Brad over me. There is no other person that he would rather be with.

Playing

There is nothing I love more than seeing Emma Claire and Arnold play together. That is what siblings are all about, right? Having a playmate for life. Now... they don't always get along, but most of the time, they do. Emma Claire is very much in charge and is always looking out for Arnold. Arnold has pretty much always just followed her lead, but recently, is learning to hold his own.

Halloween

Was so much fun this year...

The kids had lots of opportunities to wear their costumes...Westwood Nature Center, All Saints Carnival, Costume Day at school.

Our tradition has been to trick or treat with Addie. It was at our place this year. Suzanne and I took the girls out in the neighborhood (Brooks and Arnold tagged along in the strollers). Emma Claire and Addie trick or treated for Unicef. They got pretty good at their pitch by the end of the night. "Please may we have coins for the sick kids". The most memorable line of the night for me was by Emma Claire. Addie did the pitch at a neighbor's door: "Please may we have money for the sick kids". Emma Claire chimed in: "I'm sick."