Advent Day 11, 12 and 13

Last year I took part in a craft swap for an Elf Door with Rachael's Fairy Doors over on Facebook

and so we have started a new tradition of putting up the Elf Door and seeing if any Elves visit us.

The Elf Door is amazing and allows the Elves to come and collect your letter to Father Christmas, check on you to make sure you are being good and generally spreading a little Christmas magic.

Our Elf Door sits onto on the skirting board so Tomas made a Lego staircase so that the elves didn't hurt themselves as they came through the door!

Day 11

Tomas then wrote his letter to Father Christmas

Day 12 

and left it by the tree

I set my phone up throughout the night and this is what we saw.....

 Day 13

and they left behind a letter from Father Christmas inviting Tomas (and me) to come and visit him in Lapland (Eek! we fly out at the end of this week!)

and a reindeer bell.

Joining in with Julie's Scrapbook Advent Calendar.

Day 11 of Brenda's Restoring the Joy of Christmas is about taking time out with a cup of tea either with a friend or on your own, Friday was a busy day for me, some last minute sewing and then collecting Tomas from school going tenpin bowling and having a bite to eat with a couple of friends before heading back to school for his Christmas party as there wasn't time to go home and get back again. Whilst the boys were at the party us mums enjoyed an hour and a half of friendship and laughter and although it wasn't tea that was drunk but just soft drinks it was the coming together and the laughter that I enjoyed the most.

Day 12 of Brenda's book is about "counting your blessings", I do try and do this most days and am grateful for so many things in my life, not material things necessarily but moments in time, people and words of kindness spoken.

Day 13 is about "lighting up" especially during these dark mornings and even darker nights. I very much hibernate in the winter months but because of the mild weather so far this year that hasn't happened yet but I have added more lights and lamps to our home this year and they have definitely made a difference too.