Six Years…where did the time go?
Ryan and I are not even close to being the same people we were 9 years ago when we started dating. I was 19 and he was 21 (HA!) I was a TEENAGER for heaven sakes!
Ryan was doing pitcher tricks and sleeping on a mattress on the floor…now he is singing lullabies and taking a tums before bed every night.
I was skipping class and working the 3rd shift at perkins…and now I am changing diapers and well, still working the third shift sometimes. ;)
We had no idea who each other was, we were still self centered individuals, with individual expectations of what a relationship should be. After 6 years, 2 pets, 4 vehicles, 5 mail address changes, 2 jobs and 3 kids…we've grown, not apart but closer.
Does he still drive me nuts? Absolutely, I feel like I need to keep duct tape in my purse or a shock collar around his neck, maybe a squirt bottle of lemon juice?…but I have also [learned] to find some of his rants and opinions somewhat tolerable, but most importantly I've learned to just tune him out :) (a good word of advise from our grandparents "what'd she say" -Grandpa Brown)
In a nut shell, I love Ry more now, than I did a year ago, 6 years ago, 9 years ago and I will, in theory, love him more tomorrow…depending on what Hannity says on the ride home from work.
We laugh everyday together…sometimes at turtle man, each other or simply at the kids…but we laugh. We still fight…{oh my, can you beleive it! We don't have a perfect marriage! :-o} but it's few and far between.
This last weekend, Ry and I took a trip to Kansas City…a simple, short and sweet trip…a 3 day date night, if you will. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much, the weather was perfect and the city was beautiful. I was just so thrilled to be able to do whatever we wanted, fly off the seat of our pants and not have to be back to relieve a babysitter. No diapers, no sippy cups, no hissy fits. It was the break we both needed.
Day #1
our hotel had a "Great Gatsby" feel
We stayed in the Power and Light District.
The great thing about the area was, everything we needed was within walking distance, restaurants, night life, theaters, shopping.
The first place we ate:
The flying saucer,
beer and brats.
We picked cuz of Ryan's german roots
It was the best brat I had EVER had, and I had never eaten sour kraut and it was delish. SOLD!
After eating, we needed a nap. seriously. and that night we went to PBR bar. so we ponied up and got our country on. there was a live band and mechanical bull and well, I had to ride it.
Day #2
Jack Stack
(AKA, the real reason ryan wanted to go to KC)
It was like fancy BBQ
and it was sooooo good
But about half way through our meal, we realized we had no way to box any of it up. We had walked about 2 miles to the restaurant and no fridge in the hotel and my hubby is not one to waste "bought" food.
The Plan: pace and eat
Note, Ryan's meal had an * on the menu stating it was big enough for 2…it was a true Man vs Food moment. And our waitress saw Ryan's pain and asked if he was ok?
After that…we sucked in and took a walk to Union Station
Union Station was the 2nd biggest railroad hub in the US.
Walking into the building was breathtaking…it was massive and it took you back to the era
GOD BLESS AMERICA
And of coarse we had to get some chocolate, we went to this same place on our honeymoon at DFW airport. I got a german chocolate caramel apple and ryan got his peanut butter cup. We got the boys chocolate dipped twinkies.
Next was the WWI monument and tower
We rode an elevator to the top…very high…very windy
a whole lot of stairs to get there
at the top of the stairs (not the tower) and that is union station, we climbed up from down there, after JACK STACK…blah! Luckily it was a cool day.
You enter the WWI museum over "Flanders Fields". A glass walkway over a field of red poppy flowers.
here is a link to learn more about the poem
Ryan sticking his head in a hole, checking out the trenches.
behind the wall was a replica of a WWI trench, it was the first war to use trenches, {and camo}
I highly recommend the museum, which was FULL TO THE BRIM with info, we didn't nearly have enough time to go through it…but I knew nothing about the war and found it very interesting.
The view from the top of the tower monument.
That night we went to the Alamo Drafthouse Theater (we actually went twice)
I was disappointed with the first time and was determined to do it right the second time.
We saw
-Now You See Me-
&
-Star Trek-
They show unique previews, this was Al Green.
A waitress serves you, when you want something you write it on the paper and stick it up.
We liked the concept, but the service wasn't great and the food was less then appealing. The milk shake was good though :)
And what it lacked in service it made up for in the theater…the speakers were so loud our seats rumbled and the screen and stadium seating was great.
Day #3
Fancy Day
our actual anniversary
We went to eat at a fancy Italian Place and it was delish!
The trip was the perfect amount of time, we both missed the kids terribly and the ride home was only about 2 hours so we weren't anxious for very long. We stopped on the boarder to smuggle in some high power fireworks!
We were so happy to be home…but it didn't take long for reality to sink in :)
we got the boys coon skin hats and chocolate covered twinkies.
