Elfie the elf of the shelf that is NOT a spy for Santa

A few days a go, the elf on the shelf appeared in our house just like in thousands of other home.  But unlike in thousands of other homes this elf is not a spy for Santa.

Millions of children get the threat of you better be good or Santa won't come.  I've done it.  But it doesn't do anything to improve behavior.  It is just another empty threat, because let's get real,  I'm not going to give my kids nothing but coal for Christmas.

And if Santa was real, he wouldn't either, because he, like Jesus, has harnessed the power of forgiveness.

Our elf is a bit mischievous but not terribly so. Our elf is here to learn to be good and to teach forgiveness.  The girls have to forgive Elfie for being wild and a bit naughty.

The girls can play with Elfie and enjoy her.  I would be silly to get them a new toy and tell them to never touch it.  I want to set them up for success, not failure. 

There is no naughty and nice list.  We have nice girls in this house and only nice girls. Sometimes they make mistakes but so do I and no one threatens to take my Christmas presents away. Jesus has forgiven me and Jesus has forgiven them.

And so has Santa.

Santa sent a letter carefully explaining that the naughty and nice list is just something people do for fun.  I didn't want to make 98% of the world out to be liars! But that Santa is also friends with Jesus and they know all about grace and forgiveness.

And seriously how can your elf be naughty and then it reports back to Santa about your children's naughtiness? Just doesn't make sense!


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Cheyenne's 3 year old interview

Oh sweet Cheyenners, I can't believe she is three already. She is so smart and so determined and so stubborn and so lovey. She talks so much and so well for her age. She didn't do all the questions again this year.  Despite my best efforts to ask her a few everyday she seemed rather board with it all. Harlee on the other hand helps me think up more questions to ask.

Blast from the past: Cheyenne's two year old interview 

What is your name?  I'm Cheyenne

What is your mom's name?  Doylenn

What is your dad's name?  Daddy

What does your mom do all day?  Kiss Daddy

What does your dad do all day?  He hugs you and kiss you

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?  to earth
What is your favorite color? Purple
What is your favorite toy? Pink Bear
What is your favorite fruit? I want a cutie
What is your favorite cartoon? Umizoomi

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Cuties

What is the grossest thing to eat for lunch? pears are yucky
What is your favorite thing to wear? necklaces
What is your favorite game? Umzoomi
What is your favorite snack? Eyes

What is your favorite animal? pink bear

Which do you like more, hunting or fishing?  Fishing
What is your favorite song? Umzoomi
What is your favorite book? Busy Bugs
Who is your best friend? Jazy

What is your favorite cereal? Purple
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Ride my bike
What is your favorite drink? to drink inside

What is your favorite season? purple is my favorite season

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? I can sleep on a pillow, I want my baby
What do you want to be when you grow up? Just a grown up

Where is your favorite place to go? to the left

What kind of party to do want for your 4th birthday? purple party

What kind of party do you think Harlee should have for her birthday? a purple party, no Harlee like pink parties that's all
What pets do you have? 3 pets
What is your favorite butterfly? really small

Polka dots or stripes? stripes
Do you like showers or baths more? showers
Who is your favorite person in the whole world?  Elfie
What is your favorite thing to do with friends? We just hide Elfie

What is your favorite sport? I wanna play soccer
If you could have one wish what would it be? To be a baby
Who is your biggest hero? Jazy
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Purple ice cream
Is there anything else you want to tell me about yourself?  No thank you

Know of any great questions I missed?  Please let me know!  If you want to see my complete list of interview questions please see Harlee's 5 year old interview


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Harlee's 5 year old interview

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Kids and money

We do Dave Ramsey.  So of course that's what we teach our girls.  Harlee does so good with her money jars.

She doesn't get an allowance, around here it's called commission.  If she does her jobs, then she gets paid.   If she doesn't, then no moo-la for her.  She puts a little in give, a little more in college (or you could call it savings), and the rest in fun.

Her fun money she can spend on whatever she wants.  It's really nice when we are in the store and she asks for something; instead of saying no, I can say "yes, you can buy it with your own money.''  Once she asks how much something costs, she normally decides she didn't want it after all. But when she does find something she wants to buy, then she knows exactly where the money needs to come from, and where it does not come from. 

It's time for Cheyenne to get jars too, but I need to find my ABC stickers first...moving is no good for organizing.  Last week Cheyenne wanted some money.  So she came to me and said "I wanna money, I need job."  Look at her! Two years old and she has a work ethic.  I'm so proud of her.

I have been trying for months to teach Harlee the value of coins.  However, we weren't making any progress.  Then it came to me.  Chocolate!  We layed out all our coins and chocolate.  Talked about it for less than five minutes and BAM she knows it.  She is always asking me for chocolate chips so she can show me that she knows it.

Teaching a four year old to sew

Yes! A four your old can sew, and can sew well.  Harlee made this pillow.  Now she wants a whole bed set that matches.  And she wants Cheyenne to have an entire matching bed set, only in purple.  She wants to sew it now and she wants it done tomorrow. Go figure. She is way too ambitious.

I thought I would teacher her how to iron.  I told her where it was hot and where to hold it and she picked it up and went to town.  I feel like less of a teacher and more an overseer of her learning. 

She has mad skills.

I run the foot pedal, and make sure the fabric is lined up when we put it in the machine and I give verbal commands.

Harlee can thread the machine (when talked through it).

Harlee can back stitch.

Harlee can guide the fabric.

Harlee can iron her fabric and her seams open or to the side.

Harlee can guide the fabric through the machine.

Harlee can pin her fabric.

Harlee knows what right sides together means.

 Most importantly Harlee is proud of herself and what she can do.

She seemed to learn all this overnight.  Hindsight really is 20-20.  She often has wanted to sit in my lap for a couple of minutes here and there.  I would be all "this is this and that is that."  The whole time she was soaking it all up, and I thought I was talking just to hear myself.

Next time Cheyenne wants to sit in my lap while I'm sewing I think I'll try to be more exciting.  Who knows what she will learn if I know I'm actually teaching.

Cheyenne's two year interview

I decided to try and do a two year interview with Cheyenne because she is a supremo talker.  I had to spread it out over a couple of days and she didn't answer all the questions but she did pretty good.  I can't wait for next year when she will answer all of them!


What is your name?  Me Cheyenne (while proudly patting her chest)

What is your mom's name?  You Mommy!   

What is your favorite color? PIIIINNNNNKKKKKKK
What is your favorite toy? aaaaa puppy
What is your favorite cartoon? Zoomie (Team Umizoomie)

What is your favorite game? game
What is your favorite snack? aaaa fruit snack
What is your favorite animal? a doggie

Which do you like more, hunting or fishing?  Fish
What is your favorite book? story book
Who is your best friend? kitty cat
What is your favorite cereal? Popcorn

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Harwee



I love you Cheyenner Nanners! Cake face and all

Not quitting, just changing tactics

Harlee has been in guitar since September and she is doing really well for a four year old.  I'm very proud of her.  She is really enthused about it and works hard.  She loves it. 

There is just one big problem.  Her guitar teacher.  She is like 150 years old and doesn't seem to know a thing about young children.  She has this really awful habit of grabbing Harlee's fingers and moving them for her.  Not just helping her put with placement but playing a whole song...with my daughters fingers.  I kept telling her to let Harlee play and she would stop but it would be long til she was doing it again. 

About two weeks ago she did it and Harlee's face fell.  She instantly went from "I love guitar'' to ''I don't wanna be here ever again''.  She looked like a wild horse that had just been broke.  Her spirit that was crushed.  I pulled her teacher to the side and told her to NEVER touch her again.  She said she would but it would make teaching her harder. 

The next lesson Harlee was very upset before we went.  I talked to her and told her that her teacher said she wouldn't touch her anymore and if she did I would stop her.  But her teacher did it again and even though I told her not to right away the damage was done.

Last weeks lesson she didn't touch her but Harlee didn't even want to look at her.  Practices at home have been ruff to say the least and normally she practices very well at home with me.  After a long conversation it was obvious that the problem was the teacher, not guitar.

As much as I want to to finish the semester to teach her that sometimes in life we have to deal with people we don't like, I also want her to love music.  I want to teach her not to quit.  I want to teach her how to be the bigger person. 

In the end it came down to she is only four and that lady is breaking her spirit and I won't take it anymore!  There will be many more times in life to teach her that she needs to deal with people she doesn't like.  I told her we weren't going back to that teacher again and I was rewarded with a giant hug and kiss.  Then she asked if we were still going to practice at home and if I would be her teacher and I said yes, once again I was rewarded with a giant hug and kiss.  Then I reminded her how we will get her a new teacher after we move and for the third time I was rewarded with a giant hug and kiss. 

I can't wait to see how guitar practice goes for us tomorrow!  

UPDATE: Guitar practices are going well. She is happy and working hard again!



Harlee's 4 year old interview

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