Awkward!

If you're not familiar with Elf on the Shelf...then you must not have kids or know anyone with them. Seriously though, Elf on the Shelf is a fairly recent addition to the Christmas season, started back in 2005, according to Wikipedia. It involves buying an elf doll, who one morning magically appears somewhere in the house. He stays in that location all day, and at night, when the kids are asleep, he magically returns to the North Pole to report to Santa Claus (or something like that, it's been a while since I read the accompanying book). The next morning, he reappears somewhere else in the house and the process repeats itself again and again. This starts around December 1 and lasts until December 24. Presumably, after Christmas, he heads back to the North Pole for the rest of the year, making toys in Santa's sweatshop, hooking up with elf maidens, and whatever else they do for fun in the bleak, frozen tundra.

From a parent's perspective, the Elf is fun the first few nights. It does become a bit of a chore by the end as you are trying to come up with creative hiding places. We don't go overboard with it, but a quick Google of "Elf on the Shelf" online will show you that there are many parents out there with WAY too much time on their hands.

One thing I haven't mentioned yet is the key rule surrounding Elf on the Shelf (okay, enough of typing that out each time: Lucas named his Awkward so we'll with stick with that from here on out). The one rule that must be followed, lest Awkward return to Santa with a "bad child" report, is that he cannot be touched. Lucas can look all he wants at his red and white-clad friend, but absolutely no physical interaction.

So knowing that piece of information, it's what made Awkward's location this information amusing to us while conversely being agonizing for Lucas.

Yep, Awkward is "using" Lucas's iPad. And since there's no touching, it effectively means Lucas doesn't get his iPad back until tomorrow. Brilliance!

I would like to point out that this was Marilu's idea so to all of you who see her as sweet and innocent, there's definitely a sociopath hidden under all those layers. :)