Under the Mistletoe

It's been a wonderful weekend. 

We started the weekend with a Nate and Lynn night out.  Yippee. 

It was much needed.  Nate had been asking since the trailer came out this summer to go watch The Hobbit.  I surprised him with a babysitter and plans to go see it the day it opened.  All three other Lord of the Rings films we saw on the midnight showings.  But this was the next best thing. 

 

Mommy had been talking about her date night all week. 

The kids knew they were going to have a babysitter and then mommy and daddy were going to go out and watch a movie.  And Bubba said "then you are going to kiss".  Oh, what a sweet boy. 

The only problem is that we weren't the only ones kissing this week.  I got a call after school on Friday from one of the kid's teachers.  I thought she was calling to talk about the class Christmas party this Friday but before she hung up she said she had to tell me about an incident at school. 

 OH NO. 

I got the parental dread on what is to follow. 

Did she cut her hair?  Did she disrupt class?

Did she have an accident? 

Oh no, our baby girl was caught in class kissing another little boy.  

Daddy just got 50 more gray hairs. 

We had a nice long talk with her how we don't kiss our friends. 

Kissing is reserved for our mommy and daddy's but we don't kiss other people. 

I told her how Daddy is the only person I ever kissed and I was 15 at the time.  Daddy gave me an evil eye and I quickly adjusted that number to 30!!  LOL 

Oh this mommy was so shy and quiet when I was little how did I get a girl who kissed at the age of 5!!! 

{rosie took this picture, so cute!}

Friday was actually Nate and I's dating anniversary. 

We started dating 17 years ago.  A lifetime ago. 



So I gave the babysitter the run down on what to do and we were out the door. 

Nate had picked up the tickets earlier in the day so we didn't have to wait in line, EXCEPT there was a line to get into theater.  They had signs everywhere to line up for each Hobbit showing.  Crazy!  We got there 30 minutes before so we got a great seat almost the middle of the row and 4 rows up from the pathway. 

 This picture was taking right as we sat down.  There was probably 30 people in the theater and most of them behind us.  The place by the start of the movie was 80% full.  We had people on either side of us and in front of us and behind us.  No breathing room.  The only seats left were in the front. 

The movie was good. 

It showed so much more of the scenery of New Zealand than any of the other films. 

I still have to look away every time Gollum is on screen.  He is so creepy. 

The rest of the weekend was all about "family".

On Saturday we had basketball games and then made Christmas cookies. 

The girls helped me roll out the sugar cookies and Bubba helped cut them out. 

 Everyone had a hand in frosting and decorating. 

They tasted so yummy!! 

Lil Miss approves.

Then on Saturday afternoon we opened gifts. 

Nate and I had gotten the kids a few gifts and then they had made each other a few gifts too!

Mommy and Daddy got them each a pair of christmas pajamas and a handmade stuffed owl.

I thought the kids would be disappointed that it wasn't something spectacular. 

But my kids surprised me and loved every item.  Whether it cost nothing or cost $20, they had smiles on their faces from ear to ear.

This is a "I can't believe you gave me half of your silly bands" hug from Gigi.

 This is a "thank you for makin me a necklace" neck embrace from Bubba.

 Showing off their owl buddies.

 Daddy got spoiled. 

He had the most gifts. 

That's not fair.  Mommy probably got the most expensive gift but I had opened it a few months earlier.  The camera that I took all these pictures on.  You see, my old camera met its demise when it hit the kitchen tile floor.  Mommy's fault.  I was devastated.  So what happened to land on our doorstep 3 weeks later?  A new camera addressed to me. 

So my Christmas gift from Nate and the kids has already been opened. 

The kids were so excited for daddy to open the biggest gift.  A HUGE Nerf gun. 

It has three cartridges with 18 bullets each.  Serious Nerf power!

More on this later.

The last gift we had a little fun with the kids.

I had made a scavenger hunt. 

So the kids went all over the house finding all the notes I had hidden to find the last clue outside.  It is a new basketball pole/backboard/ and ball return. 

The basketball pole isn't up yet, but that didn't stop us from playing a little  2 on 3.  Or 3 on 3 if you count Lil Miss standing in the middle of the court.  

 

 Their basketball skills have greatly improved in the last year and many days you can find them shooting baskets after school or Bubba and Rosie practicing passing. 

After the girls went inside to clean up the mess from the gift opening, the boys started a new hobby. 

Something to do with motherboards, sodering (spelling), and very itty bitty pieces. 

I am a little lost in what Nate is all doing but the end projects are pretty cute. 

They are currently making a blinking red heart. 

Nate made a little system that chirps when it is dark. 

A little hobby Bubba and him can tinker around with. 

Then after the boys came in from the garage the battle began. 

We picked teams and rearranged furniture to have NERF wars.

Bubba stared open mouthed as mommy tipped over tables and moved chairs into position to defend our flag. Yep, we played capture the flag.  Do you see the napkin hanging from my Christmas garland on the mantle?  We had one flag upstairs and one downstairs.  Mommy's team didn't stand a chance. 

Daddy's combat skills from all those video games came in handy.  I had a pretty good position behind my cardboard table but it was no match against Gigi and Daddy. 

Rosie took all the pictures because she didn't want to get hit.  

                                      

We will forever be finding Nerf bullets all over the house. 

I have since told the kids the Nerf guns stay downstairs. 

But for those few hours it was Awesome!!!! (coming from bubba). 

We ended the night with hot cocoa and frosted sugar cookies.

Can't get much better. 

The kids all slept with their little owls and drifted off to never never land completely worn out. 

Mommy was worn out too.

I had big plans to get a few things done, but instead I headed to bed to and it didn't take me long to fall asleep. 

Today was much more low key. 

Church.  Sunday School.  Trip to Target.  Lunch at IHOP.  Kids playing with the Nerf guns constantly.  Supper.  Sleep. 

And our weekend is over. 

5 days til we head to Ohio for Christmas. 

All the gifts are purchased, 1/2 of them are wrapped and bags are ready to be packed. 

Friday will be here before we know it.