The Chronicles of Dave, Our Minion Elf : 2011

Dave came from humble beginnings, won in a grocery store claw machine for 50 cents. He has turned into a beloved friend and brings a bit of mischief and magic to the holidays around our house. Last year we had so much fun seeing what in the world he would do next. But I wasn't blogging then so I thought it would be fun to take a look back at previous adventures from 2011.

•  Make gingerbread cookies and decorate a house together
• Sneak some of the kids leftover Halloween candy
• Pick a movie for family movie night
• Ride a monster truck
• Webcam with Santa and watch videos from PNP free personal videos
• Chess match
• Snow ball fight with lego forts ans marshmallow snow balls

•  Poker night - Texas hold 'em, candy bets, hot cocoa drinks
• Sugar snow angels
• Playing the kids new Xbox game
• Folding laundry - sometimes he's helpful
• Archery fight using mini bow and arrows that actually work from Slowrobot
• Climbing the Christmas tree
• Ziplining across the living room - I used yarn and a hanger tied from my curtain rod to the coffee table

•  Booby trap the kids bedroom with ribbon
• Roller skating races
• Making breakfast Rudolph pancakes while sipping syrup, and delivering a letter from Santa telling them he got their letters
• Coloring using the kids art stuff
• Taking a ride on the ceiling fan
• Fishing in our fish tank using a pole made from a Popsicle stick and dental floss
• Rudolph noses prank, he crept in and painted their noses red

• Brushing his teeth in their bathroom, Mr. Potato head loaned him the teeth
• Painting a message to remember to be good on their art easel
• The amazing Spider-Dave - painters tape web and kite string
• Packed himself a suitcase sin ce we spent Christmas at my brother's house and he didn't want to get left behind.
• Hid under the Christmas tree with the presents and brought them magic peppermint seeds from the north pole. All day they watched it grow. The free printables are from Living Life Intentionally
• Christmas morning Dave left a good-bye note as he was needed in the North Pole to make gifts for next year and promised to return.

Pinterest is full of wonderful ideas shared by amazing moms and bloggers. Yes these little elves can be a bit of work but they don't have to be. Just use what you have around you and a bit of imagination. Any kind of elf will do if you enjoy The Elf on the Shelf that comes with the book have at it, if he creeps you out any elf dressed doll will do. If you would like a Despicable Me Dave the Minion Elf ...because they're cool, but don't have one in a claw machine they can be ordered too here. My kids wake up every morning asking "Where's Dave?" then play with him as we don't follow the "Can't touch the elf or he'll lose his magic" rule.  The nights where I'm so tired I just want to go to bed I just hide him somewhere and the kids tell me why he is where he is in the morning making up fantastic stories. So where will your elf wind up today?