When Socks Make You Cry

Our elf Elliot came back for a visit this year.  After Christmas last year Abigail was so sad that he was gone (I mean crying tears sad) that I ended up giving Elliot to her.  I thought she understood that I was giving her the REAL Elliot, but we found out later that she assumed it was a different elf I had bought for her at a store.  She was super pleased to have it.  She couldn’t wait for him to come again this year and get into all sorts of mischief.  Dylan and her love finding where he is hiding each day.  Before Elliot left this year he gave them all elf socks.  Abby told me later that morning that the socks made her cry.  She told me it was her favorite thing he did this month.  As she was going to bed she began to tear up that Elliot was going to be gone the next morning.  Shawn and I decided that we would just put him in her stocking.  She was bursting with excitement when she found him.  Even after she pointed out that it looked like he was the REAL Elliot because he had what looked like a little soot leftover on his cheek from a fireplace incident a few days earlier, she still didn’t clue in.  We will let her find out sometime this year.  This will probably be our last year with Elliot.  He has brought so many smiles to the kids.  Even the big kids have fun and get a chuckle out of him.  Christmas morning was absolutely wonderful.  Abby kept exclaiming, “You guys give the BEST gifts!”  Anna told us that her favorite gift is actually Cody’s gift.  We surprised him with a phone.  Now Anna and Cody no longer have to share the old phone.  Now Anna can purchase a girly phone case and a girly pop socket, which she wasted no time doing!  They will be arriving on our doorstep in just 2 days!  Merry Christmas!