Fidget, our elf, has visited us a total of 168 times in the past 7 years. Let that sink in - One hundred and sixty-eight nights of mischief, pranks, and setups that Mom gets to clean up in the morning. 168 completely new ideas that must be thought up each and every year because Fidget never repeats her antics. 168 mornings of excitement and glee when the girls finally find where she is and what she has been up to. I thought this year would be my last. I was hoping that this year would be my last. But after planning and executing the final goodbye this year, I am rethinking the decision. The girls are obviously still in love with her and I wouldn't want to take that away from them. And who am I kidding? I get a kick out of it just as much as they do.
{I have compiled all 24 nights of Fidget into this one post. I have put it here on December 1st even though she doesn't leave us until the 24th because it is a lot less busy at the beginning of December than at the end - where this post would get lost in the shuffle}
December 1 - She certainly knows how to make an entrance.
December 2 - Youch! Duct tape does not make good toilet paper.
December 3 - Trying out the new tube and warm clothes the girls got her for sledding.
December 4 - Hanging around while she dries her laundry on the foot of MadHatter's bed.
December 5 - Sexiest Elf Alive???
December 6 - She didn't steal stockings this year but she did bring elf-sized gifts for the girls. So small that they needed magnifying glasses to read the addresses and notes inside.
December 7 - Walking on the ceiling.
December 8 - She left us a huge pile of Hershey's Kisses (and turned herself into one too)!
December 9 - Donuts for all!
December 10 - Beating Mistletoe at Tic-Tac-Toe
December 11- Selling "Lemonade" from the outhouse stand.
And my crazy girls drinking it!
December 12 - Keeping toasty with a warm blanket of bread.
December 13 - She noticed that we did not have any ornaments on the tree this year so she took it upon herself to use all of the girl's socks and my bows as ornaments.
December 14 - To Go cups, hot cocoa and 3D glasses to go see the lights in our PJ's. Sadly, we got sidetracked that night by a visit from Santa and never made it!
December 15 - Replacing my coffee with nerds "beans" and fruit punch! Way too sweet.
December 16 - Going for a spin in the dryer.
December 17 - Fidget made a Ginger-Bread house the day we were going to make Gingerbread houses.
December 18 - Recreating my flamingo pool picture on Stinkerbell's unicorn can coozie...
December 19- Turning a dollar bill into pennies.
December 20 - They brought us a snowman but forgot how warm Florida can be.
December 21- Holding a Garage Sale with all of MadHatter and Stinkerbell's toys.
We are missing a photo of the 22nd! And in all of our years this has never happened!!! And now not one of us can remember what she was doing that day - though we know she was doing something!
December 23 - Playing in her own ball pit.
December 24 - Creating a winter wonderland the girl's hallway that included snowflakes, powdered snow and tons of hanging snow.
With B home it was time to finally put that backyard barbeque to use. With gloriously blue skies and seasonably warm temps, we sent out the invitations to the family and we were excited that so many of them could make it on one day of the weekend or the other. We got B's cousin A to ourselves on Saturday and spent a long leisurely afternoon by the pool. And after he left, the kids jumped into the pool for a late afternoon swim with B (I do not get in water that cold unless absolutely life or death). Sunday brought us a repeat of the weather and even more family - this time the entire S family and the grandbabies! It was a fabulous way to catch up, unwind and have a little fun! Cannot wait to do it all again soon.
