Elf on the Shelf and All Things Christmas

Thanksgiving was, overall, a success.  I think everyone was pleased with the meal as a whole.  So I'll pat myself on the back for that one.  On Thanksgiving, our elf on the shelf, Ellie, made her reappearance.  Maya was very excited and made very sure that I didn't (even accidentally) touch Ellie to make sure she wouldn't lose her magic.  This proved difficult on the day Ellie was perched on the windowsill and I wanted to put up the window lights for Christmas (had to wait that one out).

Sometimes it's hard to remember to move Ellie each day and she ends up moving just a few feet and sitting in a different part of the room.  But sometimes I remember and am able to execute a really cute set up.  This morning, we found Ellie roasting marshmallows. 

I'm going to make an effort to do more fun things like this in the future.  Pinterest is definitely my friend when it comes to elf ideas.  The whole Elf on the Shelf concept is the greatest idea ever.  It is a reason for your kids to behave, a way to learn, from them, what they want for Christmas BEFORE you go see Santa, and it's just a fun way to keep the excitement of Christmas and Santa going all season long. 

Alright, and now time for the stepmom rantings, the part of Christmas that is different and difficult because you are a stepmom or really for anyone sharing custody of a child at the holidays...

Christmas Day

We get Maya ON Christmas every OTHER year (odd years).  Because we can appreciate the significance of the holiday and try to be fair, when we had her last year, we spent the days leading up to Christmas with her and Christmas morning.  Christmas afternoon/early evening, we took her to her mother's house so that she could spend the rest of the day with her mother and open her other Christmas presents from Santa and other family members.

As I'm learning more and more, we are the ONLY considerate side of the equation.  This year, not only will Maya's mother NOT send her to our house Christmas evening, she's actually taking Maya half way across the country for Christmas to Oklahoma of all places.  We found this little bit of information out last night, and the "itinerary" is still to come.  Apparently she will be TELLING, not ASKING us.  We are supposed to have Maya the day after Christmas, though from the sound of it, that may not be happening.  I don't know why I'm surprised.  I really shouldn't be.

Gifts from Santa

One of the things I said I loved about the elf was that I got to hear, from Maya, what she wanted for Christmas, well in advance.  Well, so does her mother.  This year, Maya asked the elf for a Lalaloopsy doll and a Woody (Toy Story) Doll.  So on Cyber Monday, I went online and bought a lalaloopsy doll for her to receive from Santa.  I then received an email from her mother last night stating that Maya had told the elf that she wanted the lalaloopsy doll and Woody and so we should NOT purchase those items, as she was planning on buying BOTH.  I responded that I had heard the same request and had ALREADY purchased the LL Doll but would be happy to let her purchase Woody if she so chose. 

After a back and forth argument over this, Maya's mother said that she would still be buying BOTH toys and if we wanted to still give her the doll, then she would just have two.  That woman infuriates me.  How anti climatic, "OOoohh...ANOTHER Lalaloopsy doll...cool."  And I can see it now, "Why did Santa give me two of the same gifts?" 

So now I have something that I can't return and I am pondering what to do since apparently I'm up against Ms. Stubborn over there.  That's her MO though - her way or the highway.  Ms. Control Freak as my fiance puts it.

And all of this at a time of year that we should all be joyous and light-hearted.  It's such a shame, but we will figure something out as we always do. :-)

Hope everyone else has a much smoother holiday season!  Here's hoping that was the worst of it!