we could be millionaires!

I just have to laugh because my family could be millionaire's right now!  Have you ever heard of Elf on a Shelf?  Well my mother should have and we could be millionaires right now! 

My mother is probably one of the most creative people I know.  When my siblings and I were younger she started this family tradition of getting us an "elf;" his name was Ugo.  Basically one Thanksgiving all of a sudden there was this elf, Ugo, sitting on our grandfather clock in the family room with a note.  My sister read the note aloud to us and the note was from Santa basically stating that his elf Ugo is now our family elf and comes every Thanksgiving to live with us to make sure we are good little children and make it to Santa's nice list.  Ugo would live with us and watch our every move and make toys at night while we slept, so every morning we would wake up and go find Ugo in a new spot!  Then on Christmas Eve when Santa came, Ugo would leave with him. 
Honestly, this is one of the most precious and fondest childhood memories I have with my family.  My sister and I would wake each other up in the morning to compete on who could find Ugo first. 

Now looking back, it seems so silly that we believed that story and then it makes me realize how awesome my mother is.  I used to go to school and tell everyone how I have an Elf and my mom basically started an Elf fad at my school.

Now as a baby shower gift, my mother gives her family and friends an elf to share with their future family.  To get an elf, she just shops around and she just miraculously finds dolls that look like elves.  She now has us all on the hunt!  In addition to the elf, she has created her own story of our family elf to share with others so they can create these memories with their children. 

However now at work, someone decorated our office in holiday attire.  I noticed one of the Santa dolls was the perfect size and shape for the elf game.  We named him Herbert the elf and I hide him around our office daily and we see who can find him first.  I love doing this everyday because it makes me so thankful for working with awesome people who accept my cheeseyness and then makes me even more thankful for my amazing mother! 

Stay tuned for pictures of our office elves and pictures and stories of my friends elves..

Happy Holidays!