Letters to Santa

We're getting ready for Christmas as best we know how! The kids have loved our new tradition of the Elf on the Shelf. He showed up Nov 30 in the evening as we were getting ready for bed. The doorbell rang and we ran to the door to answer. There was no one there, just a package on the doorstep. It wrapped in nice wrapping paper with a note that read "To the Anderson Family, from the North Pole." Daddy opened our package and the kids were shocked! They instantly tried to grab the elf, who was under plastic still, before Daddy read the story telling us how the elf works. Now we know that we can't touch the elf, only Mommy and Daddy. The story told us to name him and put his name in the book. Leah chose Scratchy. Dillan chose Zart. So he's Scratchy Zart. Officially.
He's found every morning in some new place. One morning we found him in the bathroom wrapped in a elf towel (washcloth) surrounded by toothpaste, Q-Tips, floss, and shaving cream on his face. He had drawn a picture of himself on the mirror with shaving cream and wrote his name. Another morning he was downstairs having a tea party with a couple Barbies and Buzz Lightyear.
The children mention him in their prayers as they remind themselves to make good choices and follow Jesus' example.
These are their letters they wrote to Santa after our night out visiting the toy stores.

Leah's is word for word what she said, written by Mommy. I love how she mentions her baby brother and gifts for Mommy and Daddy.

Dillan too. He was so unsure about what he wanted and changed his mind so many times.
Gotta love the holiday season!