It was a chilly December. The year, 1996. Crazies were shuffling around preparing for the Christmas season. Black Friday madness was an understatement. Adults were fighting one another like my children do for the Mac-n-Cheese on left-over day. The hot item at hand? Tickle Me Elmo! That's right. Many of you may remember that giggling ball of red fur and his power over America that year.

I've never been one for going Christmas shopping with the crazies. None of this Black Friday non-sense. Definitely not getting out into any silly malls any closer than 3-4 weeks before Christmas! This year...awe this year. It's been a world-win, these past 12+ months. Nothing has been as usual around here.

On that note...2 weeks ago when I realized where were doing gifts this year {for family} unlike last year I flipped. We had no budget to speak of, no grounded ideas, much less a plan of action. My hubs has been locked up in a prison for 12 hours a day without even a phone call. Add onto that a 45 minute drives either way. All that leaves us at last Friday night. Yep! December 21st. The Friday night before Christmas...

Matt and I had chatted about a couple ideas for each child, got my sweet in-laws to watch the babies, and we headed to Toys-R-Us of all places. We giggled at our slack-forethought as we trudged through wicked bad traffic and made it to the packed parking lot leading to the building where parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were caged along with the bazillions of colorful trinkets made for our children's entertainment. I snatched the Last cart as we entered and quickly choose to deposit it into the nearest corner based on it's irrational movements and my tendency for claustrophobia.

Inside I didn't find as many frazzled adults as I'd expected. The two of us sifted through ideas. Compared prices. Discussed if each item would be a good investment. Ya know, possibly educations in any form, versatile, semi-gender-neutral, quality, and so on. I quickly found the blocks I thought Jamin would really like. Score! We're making great progress I thought to myself. They happened to be right next to the game aisle where we were in search of Hungry Hungry Hippo for Maggie. This was going to prove to be a quick trip with possible time left for a sit-down meal together rather than fast-food.

I always joke with my kids by asking them if they are "hungry hungry hippos." I chuckle at my cleverness in the old-school reference and they think I'm odd for saying hungry twice as well as calling them a random Zoo animal. Back around Halloween, when Wal-Mart started putting out their Christmas decor and gobs of toys,  I saw the game on an end-cap. I laughed and took the time to stop and show my kids saying, "This is a game mamma used to play. It's called Hungry Hungry Hippos. That's why I like to call you that. {hehe}" Maggie thought it was super cool and ask if we could get it. Not being in the habit of snatching up boardgames while on a grocery shopping trip, I declined my little girls request but told her we should definitely play it some time because she would really like it.

She continued to talk about the Hungry Hungry Hippos over the past few months. Just a couple weeks ago I got to stay and help in her class at One Church and they had a travel version of the game with only two hippos and she begged me to play. I was excited at her enthusiasm and of course gobbled up all those colored marbles! This is why I though this retro game would be a great gift for my big girl this year- quality time, memory-making.

Matt and I began pacing up and down the game section in search of this classic but had no luck. Laughing at our own determination, we pressed on to find an adorable Minnie Mouse dress-up doll for Izzie that she will Love as well as getting in some much needed but unexpected talk time with my bestie from El Dorado. You never know who you'll run into {literally} when paddling through the raging sea of parents during the last weekend before Christmas. Bonus Blessing! Even after asking a sales associate for help in locating what we will now call H3 for short, all we found was an empty place on the shelf where they once sat. We left with other goodies but still in search of THE game.

Together drove through heavy traffic to hit up the K-Mart around the corner near an Olive Gardened we dreamed of dinning at once we had our price. They were said to have had it online. More digging. Lots of laughing. Potty breaks. Intense climbing on shelves. Up and down, up and down rows. Toy after toy being passed up for what apparently had become The Hottest Gift of the Season- H3!

Quickly running out of time, we jumped back into our car and raced off to Babies-R-Us where we planned to snag the girls 'practical' gift(s). We hustled through their toy section with no luck.

Hottest toy of the year? Hungry hungry hippos...for real peeps? Can't find it anywhere! #christmasshopping #dontjudge

— Julie Rothacher (@JulesRothacher) December 22, 2012

Down the hill to Wal-Mart we went. With a little panic in our step, we swiftly marched straight to the toy section. What was supposed to be somewhat of a date night had rapidly turned into a double teaming of the toy section. We splitting up to cover more ground faster. Nearly crashing into one anther around corners with crazed looks in our eyes, my hubby looks at me and says, "This is fun. I love you." WORTH IT!

There were several games Maggie would like. Lots that were age-appropriate. Even a great selection of items in our price-range. But we'd invested too much time and energy into the idea of these amazing, famished, fighting-for-their-food mammals to leave with anything but. Needless to say, we left not barring the beloved hippopotamuses. Feeling accomplished in finding everything else during the tussle and bustle of Hippo Hunt 2012 we tried not to let the slight defeated of not having H3 get us down. Matt and I slugged over to the Wendy's to grab some burger to munch while we reminisced over the goofiness of the night on the way home to our babes awaiting bed.

When nearing home, Matt remembered he had seen H3 just that morning at our local Wal-Mart while we were grocery shopping. No way. I bet they might still have one! We devised a plan. We will run in, hug kids good-night, and then I would rush back out into the chilly night while he put the kids to bed.

When I rolled up in the WM parking lot, I scored a spot fairly close to the door. Good sign, right? I hurried in but trying hard not to seem like one of those slackers who forgot Christmas was four days away. I made my way to the toys we'd passed for months swinging past the end-cap full of games. Boo, no H3...not defeated yet. Straight to the aisle of games. I scanned each box with purpose. nothing...nothing...nothing...

I slowed my pace and began laughing at myself and this predicament. Had I become THAT mom. Obsessed with a silly game. I called Matt with disbelief. "Well, they don't have an either." I got off the phone after a few quick jokes about our adventure and ask an associate if she could help me look one last time. Two ladies listened to my request for H3 with confusion..."like that hippo game where they eat the balls?" One women helped me comb through the shelves while the other suggest I try the patio. After no success with a taller scavenger's assistance I walked toward the Christmas section and out into the frigged patio. Hmmm, several untouched tables Full of toys waiting for even more anticipated crazies in the coming days. Oooo, lots of board games! I began to grin. Glad I was the only one out there, I'm sure someone would have quickly side-stepped the looney.

Clutching my purse, I bent over and under the organized tables. Nothing. No Hungry Hungry Hippos. Poo

The other associate who'd helped me hippo hunt the shelves wondered out onto the patio, "Any luck". "Nope." As she approached me I just sighed. She walked right pasted me and said, there they are. WHAT!?!?!?! I flung around and skipped the couple steps back to where I'd just come from. Sho-enough, there where two. You heard me. T.W.O. Hungry Hungry Hippos games under a table pushed back just enough that I'd missed them in my sleepy gaze. She handed me a box and I almost tiered up, "I Could HUG You right now!!!" but she just smiled and shook her head. After thanking her entirely too many times I embraced that silly green box with the orange cartoon hippo on the front as I marched proudly to the check out. I Win!

I called Matt and gloated over my spoils of war and we billowed long roars over The Hilarious Hungry Hungry Hippo Hunt of 2012. Who would have thought THAT would be the hottest gift this year?

Merry Christmas {Eve}!!!