Silverware Elf

You know that little elf that hides in your laundry room and steals ONE sock so that when you go to fold your clothes you can only find ONE sock? Well, that little elf doesn't live in our house. I have never had a problem (in my married life) of finding matches to socks. However another kind of elf lives in our home and he must have just moved in. I like to call him the silverware elf. Like the socks, my silverware seems to be disappearing! It came slowly, that sneaky little elf, I started noticing when I would go to get the girls their food that I was scrounging around to find clean spoons and forks. I have 8 of each and it has never been a problem to find a clean utensil. at first I thought maybe I just needed to do the dishes more often, then I thought well maybe I'm just giving them too many separate utensils and maybe I should designate 1 spoon and fork per day. After about a week (I know I'm a little slow) I finally decided to round them all up clean and dirty and sure enough I had only 3 spoons and 3 forks (of the small variety)! WTH!!!! Where did all of my silverware go! That stinkin' little elf! Then the light bulb came on, the elf has a name and HER name is TARYN! Of course who else would it be! After their meals we ask the girls to scrap their plates and then put their dishes in the sink. Being that Taryn isn't quite 3 yet I've had to fish many a dish and utensil out of the garbage can. Well, I suppose I missed a few because we are now down to 3 spoons and 4 forks! Too bad you can't just by silverware by the utensil and not by the set :( I suppose it's time for a new set anyway, we've had the current one since we got married 7 years ago!