Already playing catch up...but so much to catch you up on

So my parents came to visit on Friday and well, the weekend just got away from me, so lets play catch up.
2 days of Elf on the Shelf:
The First day a tea party with "the girls" aka Princess Barbies for Cookie.

Audrey woke up to cookie sitting on our kitchen counter enjoying some tea and snacks. She, of course, left a note and a little craft to do. I am amazed at how seriously she took the "no touching or she will lose her magic" rule. That elf sat on the counter for a whole day and she never once moved her, just played around her.
Yesterday, we all decorated our Christmas Tree, so this morning Cookie was found sitting atop it! Her little note let Audrey know how much she loved the tree and how beautiful it was, and of course she had a little craft to do with her dad this morning.

The cold stifled our activity plans for this weekend, but with the weeks ahead I promise we will make up for it! We did manage to get in most of our outside decorations and some shopping, so the weekend was certainly not a loss.

As I said, our tree is up and beautiful.
We did a family craft of a YEAR in our life ornament. I bought a clear ornament and spray painted the inside and swished it back and forth to count it.  I am sure you could use any smooth ornament and a permanent marker. We added all of the BIG moments in our life that covered the last year: Our cruise to alaska, Audreys start of preschool, the beach with the conways, etc....  You can add anything...we even added Hurricane Sandy! A great tradition and a great memory keeper, very simple.

One holiday tradition that I kept this year was to bring out my german carousel. Janet Campbell, a lady from my small little town of English Center bought me the carousel when I was young, like 8, so it is nearly 30 years old and in the original box. We stopped at Kathies Christmas to get the candles that fit it and I saw a similar carousel for $392.  WOW. The candles make the carousel blades spin and merry-go-round it.

Love this. 

We did whip up a great turkey leftover treat: Turkey Nachos.

Simply shred your turkey, put over tortilla chips and sprinkle with cheese and bake.....SO SO good!

Right now, I am working on Audrey's Elf Party Invites, a party she will have for her friends at school.

I bought cute little $1 invited from Michaels and will add the paper invite to the inside.

I am so looking forward to this, and I am hoping to add my own UGLY Sweaer party to one of the next few days, though I realize that I add too many thing sometimes.....meh....thats what the holidays are for!!