Whoa

I came across this picture today....

It was taken just 3 years ago. I am dumbfounded as to how little the kids look. It made me very happy and sad. Happy because I see the joy on their faces and think about how special this moment was starting the elf on the shelf tradition. I had begun dreading the return of the elf this year. It's always when I'm tired and ready for bed that Aaron reminds me that we have to move the elf and I started to regret the thing. But, when I saw this photo and the morning the elf returned this year and Owen began remincing about his antics it made me so very happy! Knowing that these are memories he will carry forever I knew then it was all worth it! 

The reason I feel sad? Well, look how big these kids have grown in just 3 years! Grace is in a kid body in this photo and now she is in an adult body!! No wonder she's so out of whack sometimes, look what she has transformed into in just 3 years! I also think about how naive she is here to the elf and now she joins me in the joy of creating the next elf antic! She had saved me many times last year by moving Buddy early in the morning after I had forgot! It is just so crazy how 3 years brings about so much change. This will be one of those moments where I have to say... Thank you social media for stopping Father Time and taking me back to a wonderful moment of Christmas past!