My Three Naughty Boys

I should write a book about boys. Seriously. It wouldn't be too hard for me to fill the pages with stories like this. And my readers wouldn't be able to stop laughing.

The Year My Three Boys Got Put On The TOP Of The Naughty List.

Do you see this picture below? Does anything look strange?

Take note of the lack of presents under the tree. Or the fact the tree has NO ornaments hanging from it's branches. Or take note that the fireplace no longer has stockings hanging. Or the fact the nativity that was once on the ground in front of the fireplace is taking up the space on the mantel.

Why? Good question. It's because my three boys are on the naughty list.

And they know it.

I should have taken pictures. But it just wasn't my first thought when I encountered the situation. My husband and I put on a movie on Sunday afternoon after church. The boys didn't want to watch it, so instead they went upstairs to play. This is pretty normal for a Sunday afternoon around here. I end up falling asleep while my husband watches the movie and the boys play.

But, they didn't really go upstairs.  Not this time. They went in to the front room. If I didn't fall asleep I'm sure I would have heard them. Not quite sure how the husband didn't. But hey, it happened.

Well the boys. They decided to take their sticky hands. (You know those slimy shaped things that look like hands that you hold on to one end and whip it so it sticks to the walls?) And although we have told them multiple times this year not to touch the tree. They decided to whip their hands at the ornaments and see how many they could break or knock off the tree.

Such a fabulous idea right? Yeah. One that follows the rules. One that respects our house. One that won't get us in trouble. Yeah, Let's do it.

So right as the movie was ending my youngest comes running in yelling. "Mom, the boys knocked the Elf down and they touched him."

He didn't mind destroying that tree. But the elf to him is so important. He looks for it every morning. He makes sure no one touches it. He believes it in his heart. And it's adorable. And that was the deciding point for him, to tell.

And that's how it proceeded. The boys first destroyed the tree. There is literally maybe five ornaments not broken. All of my snowman ornaments, all of the ornaments with their hand prints, all the glass bulbs, all their personalized ones they made at school... I mean all of them... Then The Elf On The Shelf was up on a ledge this morning in the Living Room when they woke up. So they decided to use their sticky hands and knock him off. And they did. And then they touched him. Which is a BIG NO NO in the story. It takes away his magic. Not only did they just touch him, they ripped his hat off.

So my husband and I took one look at each other. He calmly walked into the garage and got the Christmas buckets and brought them in. We then, with the boys help of course, undecorated the tree, put all the broken ornaments back in the buckets. Took the stocking and the stocking hangers down. And all the Christmas decorations and countdowns and put them away. All as calmly and quietly as could be. Which for us is a HUGE deal. Usually we yell, we were beyond that point this time.

We left the tree up with the angel. You know, as a little sore spot. (We really didn't want to put the effort into taking it down, or we would have.) The boys were in tears the entire time.

We then sent them to bed.

When they woke up the next morning they found no presents under the tree  and the remaining Christmas decor spread around the house put away and a little note from The Elf On The Shelf next to his hat.

It said:

"Dear Brizden, Rylek, and Ledger.

I watched in disbelief and sadness yesterday while you continued to misbehave and disrespect those precious and important things that your parents have worked hard to provide you with. You are all more fortunate than many other boys and girls that I have seen. Although I have seen you do many good things and know you are good boys I am sad to see some of the behaviour that you are capable of.

I was injured in my fall yesterday and because of being mishandled I had to call my fellow elves to leave their post to come and help me back to the North Pole. I will be gone until I see goodness and Christmas Spirit return. I hope that it will not be too long.

I must report to Santa, however, he is a good and kind man and it is my hope's you do not end up on the naughty list. Please watch my hat, but do not touch it until I return.

Your Friend,

The Elf On The Shelf"

Extreme? Maybe. But if you know my boys. You have to be extreme or they just don't get it. We wanted them to know that we were serious. And we meant business. We don't spend our money on things for them to disrespect them, or ruin them. We don't try to fill our home with the spirit of Christmas for them to destroy. We do not allow our children to be like that. It's not okay.

When they woke up not a word was said about what they found. They knew we weren't kidding. They read the note, and after accusing us of writing it, they realized it was real, after all it wasn't our hand writting. The Elf wasn't hiding anywhere. They had made a wrong choice. A really wrong choice. They had taken it way too far this time.

And so today, is three days later. And The Elf On The Shelf has still not returned. Here is to hoping he returns tonight. And here is to hoping my boys remember this Christmas Forever. And start making right choices.

.................................................................

My husband has told multiple people at his work about our night. He gets two responses. One from the "older ladies" that we took this way too far. That they are going to be scarred for life, and we were way to hard on them. The second is a room of laughter. Because boys are boys... and are boys are well, BOYS.

As for me I giggle every time I walk past the living room to see an empty tree... and any time someone asks us when we are going to decorate it. Because my boys are such a handful. Unless your are with them, and see it first hand,  you don't understand just how naughty they can be. I'm scared for their teenage years. Really I am...

Please pray this little one in my tummy is really a girl... Can I handle one more of these very strong, very opinionated boys? I suppose, but I'd rather not. I've got my hands full with the three I have. I'm convinced the Lord has sent them to me and they have a greater purpose in his army that I can't see. That someday these strong-willed, energy filled, defiant little boys are going to recall what I have taught them, and use it to glorify God in his fight. I can hope, right?