just have to laugh...

so my sweet husband saw that Mamma Mia was coming to Wichita this past week and said, "I would like to take you."  HUGE SMILE.  really?  you see, my dad took my sister and I to see the production when we were in New York City in 2005 for Karen's college graduation trip.  Max and I had just started dating.  I remember talking to him on the phone about it...

and then the movie came out and again, that sweet man, took me on a date to see the movie.  I am pretty sure he laughed all.the.way.through.it.  but did it for me.  of course, we have seen the movie a couple more times since then.  and I think he secretly LOVES it.  (I mean, have you heard the music?  it's awesome and fun and it just makes your head move)  I was really excited that he knew I would want to see it and was proactive to make it happen.  we asked Karen and Frank to come along.

that was two nights ago.  but let me just tell you how our evening went before we actually got to leave the house.  I had jumped in the shower around 4pm and soon got a phone call from Karen asking what we should do about the weather.  I had no idea what was going on outside said, "what are you talking about?"  apparently it was suppose to ice and blizzard.  I call Max and he said, "we have 4 wheel drive.  we are going."  haha.  okay.  perfect.  I continue to get ready and start making the lasagna I was making for the in-laws, who were so kindly coming to watch our kids...even if it blizzarded.  Max gets home from work, the lasagna has about 5 min before it is ready to come out of the oven.  Graham is walking around saying, "eat, eat, eat, Eat, EAt, EAT!"  I am trying to do a few more things to myself before I am ready to walk out the door.  the timer goes off, I am getting dressed.  I run and get the food out of the oven. tried to turn off the burner where the peas were cooking and put the lasagna on the stove.  in my rush, instead of turning off the burner, I must have turned it to HIGH.  I run back to continue getting dressed and ask Max to get the kids food ready.  he goes to the kitchen, hears sizzling and then...

POP.  sounds like a grenade went off in my kitchen and the entire Pyrex glass shattered into a bazillion pieces.  it is everywhere I look.  there is my lasagna I had worked so hard on sitting on the stove with no dish around its sides.  I had cooked bread and there were little shards on the bread.  even glass in the peas.

TEARS.

Max said, "take the kids.  it's okay.  I will take care of it."   aaaaahhhhhhhh.

so he gets it sorta cleaned.  we were approaching the time when his parents were supposed to be there.  he checked his phone.  a call from an unknown number.  oh no.  message from his mom said, "car won't start, we will be there just as soon as we can."  at this point, we just start laughing.

dinner exploded.  kids are whining and at our feet because they are hungry.  we are still a little shell shocked and trying to figure out what to do about dinner.  Karen and Frank show up ready to go.  just laugh.  just laugh.  just laugh.  I grabbed leftovers from the fridge.  get the kids eating.  just laugh.  just laugh.  just laugh.

Max makes a quick decision and said, "you go.  I will come when they show up."  I left with Karen and Frank.  we actually made it on time to see the beginning.  Max got there about 25 minutes into the production and we had a great time.

I love looking over at my husband and see him flash that smile of his.  I love that everything is just a little better when we experience it together.  I love that even if date nights aren't perfect, they are still moments away that we can look back on and remember and laugh...

picture from when Karen and I saw Mamma Mia in 2005...

and in 2012...

maybe lookin just a little more momish....haha.  me, not you sis.  :)

thank you Max Unruh.  I love you...

  

AND there was no blizzard.  :)

beautiful weather...

the weather was absolutely gorgeous at the beginning of the week!  Tessa took some extra long morning naps which meant Graham and I got to be outside enjoying it for a couple of hours.  I love red trees in the fall but our yellow one isn't too bad...

I raked up a pile of leaves and he loved running back and forth through it.  giggling the whole time...

when Tessa got up, I took her out to take some pictures...

she loved it too!  grinning and jabbering and trying to eat things.  we didn't stay too long because I didn't have enough hands to keep things out of her mouth.

I LOVED the weather and time outside with my kiddos.  here are my favorite pictures from the day...

Toy Story 3 on Ice...

we took Graham to see Toy Story 3 on Ice a couple of weekends ago.  he is still a little young, but Max and I really enjoyed it. I left Tessa for the first time for longer than an hour.  she did okay.  wasn't really happy when we got back and had been screaming but we all survived.  :)  here is dad and Graham waiting for the show...  

I think the little green army men were my favorite.  kinda funny.  they are barely a part of the show.  you would think Woody or Buzz or Jesse but nope I like the little green men.  :)  here are some snapshots from the show...

Ken and Barbie were pretty funny too.  ridiculous but whatever.  ha.  :)

during intermission we got a chance to see a couple of Graham's little friends, Noah and Jocelyn.  we were all in the same section!

Graham wasn't into smiling so this is the best we got of the 3 of us...blurry.  oh well, at least we tried...

we borrowed all 3 of the movies from my sister and it has been non stop Toy Story at our house.  I try to put other videos in but he really isn't about it.  at least it is cute!  minus a little scary.  its crazy when you start watching movies as a parent and see totally different things than before you were seeing things through the eyes of your babies...

back to school PAT 2011...

Parents as Teachers puts on a back to school day where the kids can go and play, ride a school bus and eat lunch.  we didn't go last year because I thought Graham was too young.  but this year, he really enjoyed it!  we got to play for a while and he actually left my side.  we are not to the stage of playing with others yet so he was off by himself.  he cried when we had to leave to go ride the bus but then great on the bus.  it was HOT.  :)  here we are and all of his friends and my hot momma friends...

he wasn't about sitting with the others and getting his picture taken but got kinda close...

then I thought it would be fun to have a picture of us by the bus...not so much fun in little man's eyes.  bahahaha.  

we were all done and ready to go by the time we were done with the bus ride so we didn't stay for lunch.  its hard juggling little miss schedule and a grumpy boy...

Tanganyika...

we went to Tanganyika with friends last week and loved it!  I think it is so much better than the zoo.  we got so close to the animals and it isn't nearly as big.  perfect for my little man.  first stop, the birds...

Graham attached himself to Miss Kaylee the whole time we were there.  it was good for me because I was pushing Tessa.  I think she enjoyed it...  :)

the kiddos couldn't get off of the sidewalk and the kangaroos didn't want to come say hi so they just watched them lie there...

the camels were next but I needed to feed Tessa so Jen took Graham on a camel ride with Jocelyn.  so fun! thanks girl!

we had a little picnic and checked out a few more animals...then we had to get because the storms were coming.  I love being able to get out and spend time with friends.  and would definitely recommend Tanganyika!

quack quack quack...

we went to the park last night to feed the ducks. it was the first time in a long time that we have done anything just as a family. not on our way anywhere, not split up, just together. it was nice. Graham laughed and watched and laughed and watched. I love seeing his little self come out...

Tessa liked it too...maybe. ha. she was awfully sweaty when I got her out of the stroller...

this was right after Max threw the bread into the water. it was a crazy mess of birds everywhere. I thought G would get scared but he did really well...

I feel like we are at the house so much with schedules and all. an hour together out doing something was good for this momma's heart...

oklahoma city with Kek and Kiki and the girls...

last weekend, we went down to Oklahoma City to meet up with Grandpa Ken, Kek and Kiki for Grandpa Ken's naval reunion. it was a whirlwind of a weekend with a lot of chasing children but so good to be together. here are the highlights...

Tessa actually went to sleep in Aunt Karen's arms! she is usually a stinker and won't sleep without being wrapped up...

Graham loves his mommy's kisses. you can totally tell by his face. hahaha.

swimming Saturday morning in the hotel pool...

Saturday night we went to a "70's show" with singing and dancing to music of the 70's...

and Sunday we headed to Cabela's and Toby Keith's Bar and Grill in the revitalized part of Oklahoma City...

so good to be together...

4th of July...

Happy Independence Day!

we spent the 4th of July with these two (almost three!) crazy kids...

it was so good to see them! it had been way too long. we grilled dinner, brats and chicken, had green beans, watermelon, salad, corn on the cob from the garden and then for dessert, Jaime made cheesecake bars (YUM) and I made this fruit pizza (in effort to be a "fun" mom. haha)...

then we headed outside. Shannon got to blow everything up this year ... Max had his leg up still recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery.

I don't think Shannon minded. :)

Graham sat on the porch or on dad's lap the entire time. he was so focused, amazed and maybe a little shell shocked. every once in a while he would turn to us pointing and "talking" about what was going on.

we are guessing that next year, he will be doing sparklers and poppers and all that fun stuff. we didn't even try this year. it still amazes me the craziness that happens in Derby the week of the 4th. it really does sound like a war zone. part of me really likes it because it is a celebration of the freedom that we get to live in and part of me gets really annoyed of the constant loudness although neither of my kids were really affected by it.

so thankful for the weekend though. we had a blast at bbq's Sunday, Monday and Tuesday visiting and hanging out with good friends!