Free $5 Gift Card for The Gap!! I just got 3 of them!! $30 in free giftcards!

Hurry! Not sure how many of these they will be giving away. The first thing you need to do is download the app Gyft. It will ask you to log in with facebook and it will give you $10 in giftcards for free! $5 will be from The Gap and the other $5 will be for Diamond Candle.

This is a screen shot from my phone that I just took

After I got the app on my phone I then got it on my husband's and my daughter's Ipod. So I now have $15 to spend at The Gap and Diamond Candle!!



New Year's Eve with Kids!!

         If you are a mommy like me then you don't get dolled up and buy a new fancy party dress to celebrate the new year. I have fun with the littles at one last party before they have to go back to school from Christmas break. The hubby and I stay in and party with the kiddos so I try and make it fun for them and us as well.

        I am about to let you in on one of my best kept secrets as a mommy....On new year's eve set all of the clocks ahead one hour! This way you can have a big count down and party with the kids and they will be fast asleep by 11:20 and then you can celebrate all over again alone with your hubby! We watch the New York City count down with the kids who have no concept yet of time zones, lucky for us.

       Last year I set up a table for the kids with bags of goodies to open every hour. Little clocks on the outside of the bags let them know when to open each bag. They included little things the kids could enjoy during the night and some at midnight(actually 11pm). They absolutely loved this and I will do it again this year for them.

 

                                                                                        

                                                     6pm- Party hats

                                                     7pm- Glitter party glasses

                                                     8pm- Plastic champagne glasses with sparkling kids champagne

                                                     9pm- Disco ball necklaces

                                                    10pm- Blow horns

                                                    11pm- Silly string

                                                    12pm- Noise makers

 

        I did save all the noisy and messy things for last. Also beware of children who can not tell time! They will ask a lot if it is time to open the next bag.

                                                                                 

 

                                Please share Mommy Times 4 http://mommytimes4.blogspot.com/ 



Last day of Free Disney Movie Rewards Points!

 

 

Today is the last day of free points! Enter 25DOC12 here

http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/member/index.htm



Christmas Eve Fun! Lots of Santa sites! Where is Santa now?

Here are a few of the sites my kids will visit throughout the day looking for Santa!

 

 

 

 

Watch Santa feed the reindeer

http://mommytimes4.blogspot.com/2012/11/watch-santa-feed-reindeer-live.html

 

How many presents has Santa delivered and where he is in the world right now, Make a personalized last minute phone call from Santa

 

http://mommytimes4.blogspot.com/2012/11/watch-santa-feed-reindeer-live.html

 

Track Santa

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/track.html

 

Send a video from Santa

http://www.portablenorthpole.com/home

 

 

5 Disney Movie Rewards Points!

      Here are 5 more points

 Enter 25DOCBMR24 Here in your magic code box

   http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/member/index.htm

Elf Goodbye Letter

My kids were happy and a little sad on Christmas Eve morning last year. This meant that it was the last morning they would wake up and run around the house to find out what their elf did but it also meant that Santa didn't need the elf in our house anymore because he was coming that night! I loved the idea of lifting his magic so that they could give him one hug to say goodbye. I did see them sneak in little hugs throughout the day on Christmas eve but I just looked the other way. He wrote the kids a letter letting them know that he would fly home tonight when he heard Santa.

I have a big plans for tonight and the kids will wake up to another letter again this year and magic will be lifted so they can say goodbye.

 

  The letter
I loved being in your house over the last month! I can't wait to come back next year and report to Santa. You are great kids! I made you some Elf Donuts because it was my last morning to be in your house. I hope you love them as much as I do. Santa says he can't wait to come to your house tonight!! He said you better go to bed early so he can come early and drop off your presents. Santa has lifted my magic this morning long enough so you can touch me for 1 great big hug each! I will fly home tonight when I hear Santa's bell! See you next year! Merry Christmas!!
Love, Rudolph Jingles Morelfi

Here is a picture of the Elf Donuts. Cheerios dipped in melted chocolate chips and some sprinkles. The kids attacked these so fast and ate most of them before I took a picture.



Proof of Santa!

 

Santa is very real at my house and I will do a lot of little things for hopefully the next 4 or 5 years until my youngest is done believing. That will be a sad day for me so until then I go all out every year! This was the first thing the kids noticed on Christmas morning last year. Not the presents but Santa's footprints.

 

 

 

 

Even though we have an electric fireplace with no chimney the kids still assume that Santa comes out of the fireplace so that's where I put his footsteps. I traced my husband's boot and cut it out from the middle. Laid it on the floor and used baby powder for the snow. Flipping it over so the boot was facing the other direction for the other foot. Something super easy that they still talk about. I will do this again this year because they are "hoping that Santa leaves magic foot prints again". I called it Magic snow because it was not cold or melting. I vacuumed it up the day after Christmas and it took a little bit to get it up. I will also be adding a little bit of glitter this year.



15 Disney Movie Rewards Points!

Enter 25DOCBMR2123 here in your magic code box

http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/member/index.htm

15 Disney Movie Rewards points!

More free Disney Movie Rewards Points! This one worth 15 Expires on the 17th.

Enter this code    25DOCBMR121416 

Here http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/member/index.htm into your magic code box

Free Disney Movie Rewards Points for Dec 4th!

Here is the free code for today! 25DOCBMR924

 

Sign up here http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/member/index.htm

Free Disney Movie Rewards Points for Dec 3rd!

 

 

          Enter this code today for 5 points!     25DOCBMR1123

 

          If you haven't already joined this is the perfect time with all of the free points we will get in December!       Join Now



10 Disney Movie Reward Points! 25 Days of Christmas!

 

This is a perfect time to join if you haven't already! 10 Free Points!!! Enter the code 25DOCBMR8121 into your Magice Code Box at

http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/member/index.htm

 

 

Make sure to follow me at Mommy Times 4 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mommy-Times-4/148949625175664 

to see all of the new codes for the 25 Days of Christmas!

 

 



Cheap Elf of the Shelf!! Only $13.69 Hardback book and Light Skinned Girl!

This is the cheapest I have ever seen and Elf on the Shelf it probably won't last long!

 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-elf-on-the-shelf-aebersold-carol-v/1113795048?ean=9780984365173&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-TnL5HPStwNw-_-10:1&r=1

 

If you have been doing Viggle on your phone only 10,000 points gets you a $5 gift card to Barnes and Noble so it would be easy to get this for free! I used points a few weeks ago on Barnes and Noble gift cards to do the same for a girl Elf to add to our family!

Free Handcream from CVS!! Stocking stuffer!

 

Free hand cream from CVS! Like their facebook page, they just unlocked more coupons. They go quick! They email you the coupon, one per email!

 

https://www.facebook.com/MinuteClinic/app_133578850062126#!/MinuteClinic

Watch Santa Feed the Reindeer! Live!!

   All of my kids love this but my 4 year old absolutely freaks out! Another free fun Santa site. Check the times and see when Santa will be feeding next! We will watch him in about 20 minutes. We do this almost every night before bed.


                                                                  http://reindeercam.com/


X
 

Free Personalized Video from Santa!

   I do this every year and my kids love it!



http://www.portablenorthpole.com/home

Free Call from Santa! Personalized!

 

 

   This is only free for about the next 13 hours so do it now!! You select any time to call.

      http://acallfromsanta.packagefromsanta.com/SCHEDULE.ASPX#.UKv5C2c2QZ9



The Lorax $3.99 on Amazon!! I got it free!!

Another free Christmas present!!! Amazon has The Lorax for $3.99! This is on my daughter's Christmas list! If you get a free 30 day trial to Amazon prime you get free shipping!! I always have Amazon gift cards on hand because I use Swagbucks!!!

Here is the link to sign up with Swagbucks to start earning points to redeem for Amazon gift cards!
http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/Mommyxs4

Here is the link to The Lorax on Amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005LAIH4A/ref=s9_simh_co_p74_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-1&pf_rd_r=0HFW7MJZ5Z6ZEA7W9TG7&pf_rd_t=3201&pf_rd_p=1280661682&pf_rd_i=typ01

CVS trip 11/18! Out of pocket $5.07 ECBs for next week $21.97

CVS 11/18 4 trips! Out of pocket $5.07(if I wouldn't have had ECB's from last week on my first transaction, my actual oop was $0!!) I have $21.97 ECB's for next time! I will use some of those later this week when the new sale starts on Thursday!

FREE Trial Membership to Amazon Prime!

 

 

 

This is the perfect time of year for this! There are flash deals daily that make great Christmas gifts! If you have Swagbucks like I do then you have been cashing them in for Amazon gift cards $5 at a time and now are ready to do some Christmas shopping. You don't want to pay for shipping! You are getting everything for free!!

 

 FREE TRIAL – Amazon Prime Membership

Pampers Gifts-to-Grow Points Program! Code for 10 points! New members get 100 Points!

  Even if you don't always use Pampers, join their rewards program! They send out free codes for points towards rewards like free toys! I have not ever redeemed my points, I'm saving for something big!

Click HERE to get started today!! If you are a new member you will get 100 bonus points. Here is the newest code  NOVWIN12NLSPNMR – 10 points (exp 11/20)

http://www.sharegiftstogrow.com/sggujoin.aspx?pid=ru33d

FREE Loofah Sponges at Walmart!

FREE Loofah Sponges at Walmart!

 

Use this coupon for a money maker at Walmart!!

 

$1/1 any EcoTools Product coupon

 

$1 off any 1 EcoTools products. Their Loofahs at Walmart are only 87 cents! You can print 2 per computer. Stocking Stuffer!

2 Year Free Subscription to LEGO Club!!

2 Year Free Subscription to LEGO Club

 

  This is one of our favorite freebies at my house. I have an 8 year old completely obsessed with Lego's, he also loves getting mail. This is also how I saved $180 this summer when we went to Florida to Legoland! They have coupons, though I've yet to see coupons for the Legoland here in KC.

 

 

 

http://www.mysavings.com/free-samples/LEGO-Magazine-Subscription/2048/#


CVS Black Friday starts 11/18! 30 Freebies!!

CVS Black Friday starts on 11/18!!

 

   I am an avid couponer but have not been able to find the time to post everything that I do every week at every store. But I have several friends who are asking me to share a trip or two to try and get into couponing. This is the perfect first trip!! A ton of freebies without actually using coupons! There are a few coupons, most still available online, that you can use to turn them into money makers but even if you do not have the coupons they are still freebies! You will need an ECB red card from CVS to get any of these great deals. If you do not have one go to customer service as soon as you get there and you can get one and use it the same day. To make these freebies you will need to make more than one trip. At my store that means I check out take that bag to my car and go right back in for another trip. I will do this up to 6 times tomorrow I think. On the first trip I will pay out about $9 and get $11 ecbs (extra care bucks) back. The next trip I will use those $11 ecbs to pay for about $11 in products and so on. I will keep repeating this so I will not actually be spending anything out of pocket I will always have ecb's. If you are a couponer like me, you probably already have ecb's from last week to use and you won't be spending anything out of pocket. This is why CVS is my favorite place to coupon!! They also offer rain checks!! So if it's gone, most couponers show up on Sunday to empty the shelves, get a rain check for later!

 

My first trip in the morning-

3M Command Hooks sample pack – $.99, get a $.99 ECB – limit 1
Use Coupon $1/1 Command Hooks printable coupon

Final Price = $1 moneymaker after coupon and ECBs

 

Advil 10 ct – $2.99, get a $2.99 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Betty Crocker Scooby Doo Fruit Snacks (8 oz) – $2, get a $2 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Hot Wheels Die Cast Car – $1, get a $1 ECB – limit 1

FREE after ECBs (Stocking Stuffer!)

 

Play-Doh Soft Pack Resealable Bag – $1, get a $1 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs (Stocking Stuffer!)

 

Carmex lip balm – $1, get a $1 ECB – limit 1 Use Coupon $.30/1 Carmex lip balm – From 10/12 Smart Source
Final Price = $.30 moneymaker after coupon and ECBs

 

Charmin Basic single roll – $.99, get a $.99 ECB – limit 1 Use Coupon $.25/1 Charmin – 10/14 Procter Gamble
Final Price = $.25 moneymaker after coupon and ECBs

 

Coke products (1.25 liter) – $.99, get a $.99 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Second Trip-

Cepacol Sensations (4 ct) – $1, get a $1 ECB – limit 1 Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Advil Children’s Suspension (1 oz) – $2.37, get a $2.37 ECB – limit 1Use Coupon https://www.facebook.com/childrensadvil/app_137656902971961?ref=ts – Facebook coupon
Or Use Coupons from the paper $1/1 Children’s Advil – 9/30 RP, 10/28 RP
Final Price = $1.50 moneymaker after coupon and ECBs

 

Air Wick Scented Oil Warmer – $.99, get a $.99 ECB – limit 1Use Coupon $2/2 Air Wick products printable (enter a little info to get this coupon)
Final Price = $1 moneymaker after coupon and ECBs (when you buy 2, you will only receive ECBs for one)

 

Glade Plug-ins Scented Oil Warmer (1 ct) – $1.25, get a $1.25 ECB – limit 1Use Coupon $1/1 Glade Plug-ins Scented Oil Warmer printable coupon
Final Price = $1 moneymaker after coupon and ECBs

 

Lindsay Large California Ripe Pitted Olives – $1, 2$1/1 Lindsay Olives printable (Facebook coupon, print this twice!)
Final Price = FREE after coupon

 

Easy Feet foot cleaner – $4.99, get a $4.99 ECB – limit 1 Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese – $.99, get a $.99 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Additional trip-

Youtheory Collagen (120 ct) – $9.49, get a $9.49 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Additional trip1

Nasal Ease Allergy Reliever – $9.99, get a $9.99 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Additional trip

Philips Universal Remote – $6.99, get a $6.99 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

PowerAde (32 oz) – $1, get a $1 ECB – limit 1
Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Right Guard Deodorant – $2.99, get a $2 ECB – limit 2, get 2!Use Coupon $2/2 Right Guard deodorant printable
Final Price = $.02 moneymaker after coupon and ECBs

 

Additional trip-

South Beach Diet Meal or Snack Bars (5 ct) – $4.99, get a $4.99 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

 

Sparkle paper towels (single) or Kleenex Slim Pack facial tissue (3 ct) – $1, get a $1 ECB –limit1 Final Price = Free after ECBs

 

Starbucks Double Shot – $1.99, get a $1.99 ECB – limit 1
Final Price = FREE after ECBs

Starbucks Refreshers – $1.50, get a $1.50 ECB – limit 1
Final Price = Free after ECBs

Additional trip-
Street King Energy Shot (2 ct) – $3.99, get a $3.99 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

Thermacare Lower Back & Hip Heat Wrap (1 ct) – $3.49, get a $3.49 ECB – limit 1 Final Price = FREE after ECBs

Somnapure (4 ct) – $1.99, get a $1.99 ECB – limit 1Final Price = FREE after ECBs

I will post a pic tomorrow of what I actually get with how many trips I actually attempted with how much I spent out of pocket and how many ecb's I have for next week! At this time last year I used all of my extra ECB's and spent them on toys for an adopt a family and for toys for tots!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Swag Code

Good until 4pm Central time! Enter the name of a judge from XFactor into your Gimme box! Worth 4!

10 Free Photo Christmas Cards! TODAY ONLY!!

I Love Cardstore!!!  I get free cards all year round for different holidays. This is the first time I've seen a deal this good though for multiple cards!!! No catches, free shipping and all!! I always send out Christmas cards with pictures of the family over the last year. We went to Disneyworld this summer and there is a little Christmas shop that has a sled so I made the kids hop in for our Christmas photo. Yes I was thinking about Christmas in September. For Mother's Day my mom and mother in law love their personalized cards with the grandkids pictures, now from this they will know that I get them for free. Father's Day, Valentines Day are also holidays that they send you free codes to use. THIS IS FOR TODAY ONLY!! It took me less than 5 minutes. My total was $21.90 before the code! I will have my cards before Nov 19th, I have always gotten my free cards really fast. Use Code CCN2433 at Checkout!

Free Nail Polish at American Apparel!!!

   Are you heading to the Plaza before 11/10? Stop by American Apparel for FREE Nailpolish!!!

Free American Apparel Nail Polish

Find a store near you >>

Saving money and getting a Happy Husband!!

   This is a late night post for a reason! I have two favorite days to shop during the year. The first is Black Friday. I'm a die hard black Friday shopper! My second favorite day is the day or two after Halloween! I have found this to be the best time to shop for lingerie! While I love a certain store in the mall that sells lingerie, it's so expensive for the actual amount of time it will be worn. I also am not one to wear these things more than a few times. I like to keep it new. I love the Halloween stores that are open all around in locations that are vacant any other time of the year. The day after Halloween things are 50% off, the day after that 75%, and the day after that up to 90%. Obviously every store will be different but I don't think these stores want to pack up items for next year so they get cheaper and cheaper the further away from Halloween that we get. I was going to post a picture of my favorite buy from these types of sales, but decided against it. They are black fake leather thigh high boot with 5 inch heels. Very pretty woman like! They were originally $140 before Halloween and I got them for $4!!! There are a ton of Playboy costumes and costumes I would never wear out in public. There are a lot of individual pieces that you can put together too, wigs, whips, and what I call stripper heels.  I will never be a slutty nurse, cat, police woman, school girl, or leather wearing anything on Halloween. We always spend Halloween with all the kids. But I might be one of those things in my bedroom! So go stock up ladies!

Free Doritos Locos Tacos at Taco Bell on Oct 30th

Free Doritos Locos Tacos at Taco Bell from 2-6pm!

 

 



Free Target Beauty Bag!

http://samples.target.com/#?lnk=gnav_seemore

This is my girls favorite! Free samples and coupons. They really love the cute little makeup bags everything come in!

Free Legos!!! Lego Bricktober at your local ToysRUs this Saturday Oct 27th!

 

 

The Lego loving family that we are we will definitely be at Toys R Us this saturday for free Legos for their Bricktober event. My oldest son loves these free events. He saves every penny for more legos so free Legos for him are like gold. My birthday is on Saturday and I will gladly take the kids for a freebie of Legos as part of my birthday celebration with the kids.

 

 

FREE Monster Fighters Mini Pack!

 

Saturday October 27th from noon-2pm at your local Toys R US, while supplies last

 

A rewards program the Whole family enjoys!

                                Viggle

                                        Watch TV.
                                      Get Rewards.

                                                   Free for Android and iPhone.
                                                                 Learn more

     While the hubby loves that I coupon and do as much as possible to save money there are very few things that he enjoys doing to save money. I get a couponers high going into the checkout or cashing out my points on swagbucks to recount the amount of dollars in gift cards I have. The hubby not so much. But I have found something the entire family likes to do! Well the two oldest kids anyway. So there are four family members who are now getting Viggle points. You do have to have a smart phone. If you have direct tv you will get all kinds of bonus points and I'm very jealous! We have att uverse and don't get the same perks. All you do is click on the app and check in when your tv is on. A few friends have messaged me asking what if another rewards program they can get involved in and I have been telling them that I've been testing out one that takes 10 seconds at a time, well this is it. I am home all day so when I think about it I check in. Normally to Wizards of Waverly place or Mickey Mouse club during the day.

   How I got the hubby involved! If your hubby is going to watch all of the world series games and football games you might as well put that 3 or 4 hours in front of the tv to good use! You can check into games and play along with a player. Guessing who will have the ball next or make the next play, my hubby really does know better than I do. Well if you win you get 1000 points so if he is home watching these games he is now in charge of getting everyones electronics checked in and playing along with a player. It is kind of funny to watch him try to keep track of his phone, my phone, my daughter ipod, and the ipad which my son has claimed as his for viggle.

   We even had the two oldest kids watching the presidental debates. They ask questions during prime time tv in the evenings that are about that show. The kids were actually interested in the debate because of viggle and now know a few fun facts about both candidates they wouldv'e never know before. 

   While I would love to save up 4,000,000 points to get a cruise I don't think that's very practical so we are cashing in for $5 CVS gift cards. Some of you know that I am a couponer and love cvs. I use all of my extra bucks from week to week so I spend very little out of pocket. Now with these gift cards from Viggle I will use none!! In the first week we were able to get enough points for four $5 gift cards. This was over 10,000 points to all 4 accounts. Now I know this will not happen every week. There is a bit of competition as to who can get the most points. The hubby gets up a few minutes early in the morning before work to now turn the tv on and check into NFL am, it's a tv show on in the mornings that is 4 hours long! So his first 4 hours at work he is getting points. Your phone does not have to stay on nor does your tv have to stay on this channel, just don't check into anything else until you get the full points from what you are watching. I did set up the notifications on the app so that it texts me when I'm awarded points so then I'll turn on the tv real quick and normally hit guide and look for the longest show that is on and check in real quick and then the tv goes back off! Super easy!!

                                                                   http://www.viggle.com/

Freebies from Disney! Disney Movie Rewards

     If you don't have a Disney Movie Rewards account go here now and make one!

                                             http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/

You get a code with every Disney dvd or blu-ray. Normally 25 points. They also send out codes for free points. I learned about this a few years ago cleaning out our dvd shelf and found 7 movies that had codes. Most mommies purchase Disney movies so you might as well use the codes for more free movies and Disney merchandise! If you don't want to use the codes please feel free to email me the codes and I will gladly take them! I always save my codes and get additional movies for the kids stockings and Easter baskets.

Here are the codes that will get you 25 more points

           clown                   mummy                   kitty                     skully                   felix

Click on everything on the site and there will be different ways to get more points when you first join. When I entered more information, my address, I got another 25 points. They really do add up fast!


 

 

 

 

 

 

    If you are a mommy like me then you more than likely buy Disney movies. Inside of each dvd/blu-ray there is a code for points for Disney movie rewards. You redeem these points for Disney merchandise. I've always redeemed my points for more Disney movies. They also release free codes every once in a while. Here are the current free codes

 

 

                    kitty                     felix               mummy              skully                clown

 

 

 

If you don't have an account yet start with these. This will get you 25 points. After you give them more personal information, address, they will give you 25 more. Be sure to check the inside paperwork of your Disney movies. I stumbled on this a few years ago cleaning out the dvd shelf and had 7 Disney movies with codes inside. I will update new codes as I find them! Here is the website.

                                                  http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/

Saving $ while having fun with packed Lunches!

   Having 3 of 4 children eating lunch at school every day we save money by packing their lunches. That doesn't mean that they have to get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a brown paper bag. I try to make it fun and send them little surprises at least once a week. I have just recently started taking pictures of their surprises so I don't have too many yet to post. They love these. My youngest daughter in first grade slowly opens her lunch box every day because she does not like to be the center of attention every so she doesn't always share her surprises with friends at the lunch table. She is however always the first one off the bus to say I found my pumpkin poop today smiling from ear to ear. My son on the the other hand will scream in the lunch room, I got boogers for lunch today! Sometimes their surprises are just little notes from me. My oldest daughter in fifth grade, her last year in elementary school, will probably not want surprises in middle school. She does love them and writes notes for me to find when I'm cleaning out her lunch box for the next day. I find a lot of holiday ideas on pinterest.

 

 

First day of school

 

Pumpkin poop with cheese balls, pumpkin faces on fruit cups

 

Marshmallow ghost poop

 

$1 store gummies

 

Putting all of these pictures on one page I am realizing that there are a lot of gross ones. They are only kids once and will only find these funny for so long.

 

 

 

Santa Season with our Elf on the Shelf Rudolph Jingles Morelfi

Here are some of my favorite things "Rudolph Jingles Morelfi" did with the kids last Santa Season!

      Our last name is Morelli so that's where he gets his last name. Last year was one of my favorite Christmas seasons watching the kids wake up every morning searching the house to find what Rudolph did the night before. I am the type of mommy that some of the nasty articles were about last year about how we go  way over board with everything and that this elf is ridiculous. That you should just have him move around the house. I could not disagree more. Our elf did move around the house on some days but other days I had fun getting up early to make a scene for the kids to find. I have 4 little ones but last year was my last Christmas with 4 believers. My oldest told me we needed to talk in private on Christmas morning last year and I immediately became concerned. So we went into the kitchen when Daddy and the 3 littles were putting together toys. She told me that she knows that I'm santa but she wanted to give me one more year. That makes me teary eyed just typing it! I'm so glad to have raised such a sweet girl to know that I would want just one more year with 4 believers, though technically she knew the whole time. She then said, but how did you make Santa's snowy foot prints in front of the fireplace? I told her I would show her next year. The years go by so fast that I want to take the extra couple of minutes every day for them to remember how great our entire Christmas season was, not just one morning. We do a lot from the day after Thanksgiving until the day after Christmas. We adopt a family and I try to teach the kids about giving during the season. But every morning watching them jump out of bed was wonderful. Here are a few of my favorites.

 

Roasting Marshmallows in front of the fireplace

 

Writing a letter to Santa on the laptop

 

He was found with a red Santa marker sitting in the middle of the hallway(this is so I could get a pic of the kids noses with him) This was easier then I thought it would be!

 

Making a copy of his bottom

 

Changing the milk to red and green, food coloring

 

He wrapped all of their bedroom doors

 

Trying to figure out how to get out. They giggled and giggled for minutes before trying to get out, the paper stayed on their doors for about a week.

 

Fishing in the toilet for goldfish

 

Coloring on the family picture, dry erase markers, this was on a weekend. I bought a colored pack of the dry erase markers. I pulled back the curtains on the sliding glass door and they colored on the door for literally hours.

 

He brought the kids Justin Bieber's Christmas cd and also borrowed one of the girls teddy bears JB sweatshirt. He didn't take this off for a few days.

 

Ice Skating in the freezer on candy canes

 

He left door hangers for the kids in their doors

 

He is waiting for the kids by the stairs in a hot air balloon, a small gift bag with 4 balloons, green and red, one for each child.

 

Playing dress up with Tank the dog. Brought him a Santa hat

 

Dunking in the boys room

 

Toys holding him hostage on the bunkbed stairs

 

Decorated the Christmas tree with the kids underwear

 

He missed the snow so he played in the flour

 

He made them elf donuts on Christmas Eve morning, Cheerios, melted chocolate also with sprinkles. I didn't take a picture fast enough. They ate them fast. This was his last morning. He also left a letter for the kids.

 

The last morning. They loved being able to touch him!! The letter said one hug but I caught them sneaking in little touches the rest of the day.

 

 

    The kids ask every once in a while when he will come back and if they will get the same Elf. The girls want a girl elf to come this year so I'm thinking maybe Rudolph got married over the summer at the North Pole so he might make a return with his wife "Snowflake Sprinkles Morelfi" The girls pretended he was a girl last year for a few days and named him that. I really can't wait for Christmas now! I wonder if my husband would let me put up the Christmas tree the day after Halloween instead of the day after Thanksgiving?