elf antics - days 23 and 24

I'm having some trouble with my camera talking to my computer, so this is as good a shot as I've got. Suffice it to say that this photo doesn't do the Elf's latest antic justice: after a long day cooped up in the car, the Elf upended Christmas decorations, covered the room with Christmas cards, and started opening gifts.... the kids seemed a litle skeptical that this was the same Elf?

It turns out... (with a little quick thinking-- because really, how could an Elf get out of a locked car and get into a locked house? The kids had a point...) it wasn't our Elf. Our Elf was still out in our car. Of course he was. Sure enough he was still sitting in his little candy box, suspended between the front seats when we checked this afternoon, and the neighbor's Elf seems to have scurried back to their house. Still uncertain about how our Elf would re-enter our house, the kids built him a tree fort in case he has to spend the last night outside, and we left the car's sunroof open....

They will be thrilled tomorrow morning when they realize how much our Elf appreciates their fort building skills. I don't know that our Elf will make another mess-- I mean, appearance-- inside this year. This might be it. But, we're ending it on a high note. The house is back in order, the Elf appreciates our boys, and I will now regain at least an hour a day. Cheers to all of the above.

If you'd like to relive our Elf's antics, you are welcome to click here.