weekend visitors

this weekend the other barnetts came to visit

although ben had a basketball tournament

and it was a short time

it was a fun weekend

and we LOVED that the kids were able to play outside A LOT!

with a starbucks on top

i finally got my tree put up at school

and figured a controversial tree

wouldn't be complete with a STARbucks cup

to add to the controversy

weekend tournament fun

alex and ben both had tournaments this weekend

for the first time this season they had games that overlapped

which meant we had to divide and conquer

BUT FIRST

we both got to experience something that i'm sure has to go in the record books somewhere

alex's team lost their first game 3-24

what's worse?

those 3 points all came from free throws ;)

THAT takes talent.

they ended up losing both of their next games

AND

so did ben

BUT ...

at least they got new warm up shirts

so they look good doing it!

their games were all very close

their entire weekend they lost by a combined total of less than 5 points!

a weekend of close games and high blood pressure ...

yet i wouldn't change it for the world

journey to bethlehem

tonight, our small group decided to take a journey to bethlehem

a church near us sets up an interactive nativity journey/play each year

and it is fabulous

they teach you about the census

what life was like at that time

how the roman guards were trying to rule everything

and take everyone's money

we had to pay taxes to get into the city

but were left with more sheckels that we could spend at the marketplace

it was a very well done performance

and although i've heard the christmas story

MANY times

i felt like i had a better understanding after walking thru it

we finished our night with acapulco

so thankful for great friends and families

that we can do life with

winter wonderland

it's officially december

we got our first real snowfall

and

drew made his first real snowman

stacey and drew finished it off with some lights

and it's our own little christmas winter wonderland

the way to our hearts

stacey had to go to chicago for work for a few days

BUT

he knows just what to do

to keep us all happy

he brought home a portillo's chocolate cake

even elfred needed some!

he's baaaack

elfred must have appreciated our christmas decorations

because we woke up this morning to find him looking at the tree

with a group of friends

he brought some SWEET shades with him

that make the lights look like candy canes, rudolph, snowmen, and snowflakes!