Whatever happened to Barney?

Last year, Santa sent Barney to keep an eye on the kids. He did more to make a mess than keep an eye on the kids. But he was an awesome elf.

So, when Norton came this year, the kids were curious. Norton had come last year to try to teach Barney how to be a better elf after the incident with the flour on my counter, but ended up learning a trick or two from Barney. They wanted to know, "What happened to Barney?"

Barney wasn't an "authentic" Elf on the Shelf, simply one I had gotten in some vintage ornaments I got from my mom's house, I think. Along with those, I had gotten other elves, including Norton, who actually LOOKS more authentically Elf on the Shelf. And I picked up the Elf on the Shelf book from Goodwill for $1, so I didn't have to spend all that money on the Elf kit.

You see, what actually happened was on Christmas morning last year, I realized that I had forgotten to put Barney away. He was SUPPOSED to ride back to the North Pole with Santa on Christmas Eve. Momma forgot! He was still in his spot from the day before when we were getting ready to get the kids up for morning festivities (aka trash the living room) so I grabbed him and threw him upstairs into the attic. I went up later and put him on a shelf. This year, when I went to get him on Thanksgiving night, I realized I had put him on a shelf right next to a window and the sun had faded our dear Barney!

So Dearly Departed Barney has been relegated to an inner branch of the tree, to keep an eye from afar. The kids don't know he's there, simply that Santa decided he created so much mischief last year, he sent Norton this year. Who is doing a pretty darn good job of creating mischief all on his own.