Small Group Babysitting

Having date nights is important for the marriage, but with small kids, it's expensive to pay a sitter, and then still go out to eat or to the movies.  B and I try to swap sitting nights with friends to help save the cost of the sitter.  Over the summer B and I got to go on several date nights so we thought we'd try to return the favor.  We scheduled the first small group babysitting last night. 

We told our small group that we would babysit from 5-9pm on Friday so they could have a date night.  We agreed to feed the kids dinner and keep them entertained until 9.  The Daniel's and O'Janpa's were able to come, but the Caldwells did not.  Actually the Caldwell boys had A over for a sleepover instead.  So I have 2 different stories to tell. 

Shortly after 5, the O girls and the D boys arrived.  I had planned to cook mac and cheese with nuggets for dinner and then some fruit.  I knew we'd take the kids to the playground down the street and then possibly back for a movie.  We had 6 total which ended up being perfect.  We did not need the kid table in the kitchen after all.  Rin, Bella, Logan, and Julia each had a big chair while Landon and W sat in the boosters.  Everyone ate their food and and had some fruit. 

About to say the blessing

After dinner, all the big kids went to the potty and then we walked to the playground.  B and I decided to avoid the swings because there were only 2 and then we would have had to push the entire time.  We made them play on the set and then a big game of tag broke out.  We also played hide-and-seek for a while.  Everyone was sweaty and ready to had home around 7pm.

lined up outside about to get bug spray on

walking to the playground

Our plan was to put on a Disney movie for the kids, but B wanted to show Prince of Egypt.  10 minutes later, the only 2 that were watching were R and Bella.  Everyone else was back in W's room playing.  I stayed in the living room with the girls and B headed to the back to play also.  After some play time, we turned on some music and had a dance party.  Parents started showing up around 8:15 after eating dinner out for date night.  I was surprised, because we were prepared for 9pm.  Everyone was gone around 8:50, and then we got R and W in bed.  Having all the kids over, was really fun and not a problem at all!

watching the movie (for a minute)

 We had only 6 out of the 10 kids in our small group.  Justin C was out of town, so Nicole wasn't going on a date anyway.  We told her to bring her boys, and have dinner with a friend or go do something else, but she asked if A could spend the night with them.  Justin and Nicole are A's god-parents and we try very hard to build up that relationship.  Each of our children have a different set of godparents specifically because we wanted each child to develop a unique relationship.  B and I wanted spiritual godparents for our kids, not legal guardian godparents.  Our thought was that if each child had their own spiritual godparents, then that relationship is special.  One reason B and I asked J and N to be A's godparents, was how we witnessed them cope and rely on the Lord when they lost their twins.  J told us that he's having a hard time being mad.  He said the twins had the perfect life: they were conceived with love, born and held and kissed, and then died and with the Lord.  They never experienced pain, heartache, sin.  He's right-what a perfect life.  Faith and Avery will be rejoined by their parents and brother one day.  Going through that experience with J/N and seeing their faith strengthened, made it obvious to us, that they definitely have wisdom to impart upon our fist born son.  Seeing as J/N already had 1 boy when A was born (now they have 3), we also knew that they would be good with talking through guy stuff. 
We brought A over to Nicole around 4:30 yesterday afternoon.  Her boys were still napping so she got some special time with just Abe.  She said she really enjoyed that 1 on 1 time with him.  A just loves Grayson.  A does everything G does, and really looks up to G.  Nicole said she cooked spaghetti for dinner and then gave the boys a bath.  I think they ended the night with a movie.  A brought his sleeping back and just crashed in G's room.  Nicole said they had a great night and morning together.  The boys played and watched Cars this morning.  We picked A up around 11 am.  He was excited to see R and she really missed him too.  We are just so thankful for friends and godparents that will spend quality time with our kids!

movie time with god-brothers