I've tried to think of how I'm going to post about this past Saturday. You see my very sweet mother in law bought us tickets to the Metropolitan Cooking Show (not sure if that's the right name, but we'll pretend ha) and tickets to have our cookbooks autographed by Giada. It started off as a crazy weekend for us. Joseph was slammed with calls, he made a customer upset (which he hates), my house was a disaster and everyone (at my house) seemed to be in a bad mood. Saturday morning I woke up early and Josiah and I went to Kroger to buy a couple of neccessities, i.e. toilet paper! We walked around Kroger, got our stuff, and checked out all in a matter of minutes! Score!! Checking out at the self-checkout and a coupon for toilet paper prints out. Josiah says, "mommy we forgot toilet paper!" Uh...we did. We took our bags to the car and ran back inside to get toilet paper. We end up standing in line for 15 minutes and I'm thinking to myself..."where did all these people come from!" We check out, go to Dairy Queen to buy everyone some breakfast and sit in the drive-thru for another 15 minutes. We head home, I have everything organized for Joseph, did I mention my house is a complete wreck??? My mother in law pulls up and I leave three unhappy kids and a stressed out husband and head out. As we are pulling up to Beth's house I get a phone call from a frantic hubby telling me that Josiah has fallen and there is blood coming out of his nose and mouth! We try to calm him down but feel helpless so decide to pick up Beth and Catherine and head back to my house to check on Josiah and of course make sure my hubby is not passed out on the floor. Joseph doesn't handle blood very well... As we are driving back to my house...we start talking about seating arrangements in the car and realize that none of us are able to sit in the back because we get car sick ha! We pull up to my house. Everything seems under control and I've made the kids upset and woke up the baby by ringing the door bell...sigh.. We end up deciding to leave Charlene's car, take mine, and take both the girls with us. This would give Joseph and Josiah some daddy/son time and leave my hubby a little more relaxed! He was not too happy because he is more than capable to handle all three of OUR kids on his own, but on this crazy morning I decided that he needed a break more than I did. I run upstairs and change into a more comfortable dress since I will now have the girls with me. We load up and head out to get gas. One hundred dollars later (barf) we are on 85 headed to the Cobb Galleria.
Next thing we know Catherine mentions a book and a ticket, my mother in law lets something out to let us know, Uh-oh this can't be good! The tickets!!! We left the tickets in her car. She calls Joseph, he puts Josiah in the car and we turn around and head back to meet him halfway. We pull up to the BP and I get out to get the tickets from Joseph. He says "I am not pushing my luck today..." lol!
On the road again... we are starving... It is now two hours later than we had planned on leaving. We are all wondering, "what are you trying to teach us Lord!?" We arrive at the Cobb Galleria, unload the double stroller, single stroller, purses, diaper bags, Mackenzie Faith, Mary Elisabeth and Aaron. Put all three of them in strollers, head down the elevator, walk inside, find another elevator since the event was on the second floor and finally make it into the Cooking Show. It's almost time for the book signing so we ask one of the workers where Giada is signing and she directs us to the back of this huge conference area. There are tables that line the room vertically and getting a double and single stroller through the mass of people and tables is not an easy task. We get to the back of the room and ask another worker if we are at the right place and she tells us we are not. The signing is outside of the conference area in another room!!! What?!?!?! Back through the aisles of tables and mass of people we go. We stop at a concession stand for some popcorn, pretzels and drinks.
We are finally at the right place and the worker direct us to the very front of the room. We are thinking that we will go first and be out in no time! Wrong...again! As we are waiting on Giada I think we gave the workers a heart attack with all of our stuff ha! Aaron is learning to walk and is a normal one year old who can not sit still, Mackenzie Faith starts getting fussy and I mention taking a picture to Sissy and that's enough for her to not be happy. I change the subject and she is much better, munching on popcorn and drinking her sprite. Thankfully I feed Mackenzie and she goes sound to sleep and sleeps for the rest of the day (thank you Lord!)
Are you tired yet?!? We sure were...I think we were sweating by this point!
Giada finally comes in and in a very low and soft voice says lets get started. We are ready to go and the workers decide to let the OTHER half of the room go first! HELLO!!! People can you not see the women with all the kids?? It's finally our turn...I go up to have our book signed envisioning a pretty cute picture of Sissy, Giada and I. With no warning at all the worker just takes the following three pictures...
Seriously!
Not even a 1, 2, 3
Or a "say cheese!"
We stop to take this adorable picture of Nonny and Sissy and head back into the cooking show/expo.
We head back into the expo and finally feel like we can breathe. We walk around and look at all of the neat things they had. I stop by a monogramming booth and buy a paci clip and then stop at another booth for some knock-off Chanel sunglasses. Totally Maggie if you know what I mean! Only I would go to a COOKING show and come out with sunglasses and a paci clip ha! We get back to the car and stop for a picture. This will be a memorable one for sure!
Supermoms ;)
We head home and stop by Chick-fil-a. My sister in law got some adorable pictures of Sissy..will have to ask her to send them to me and I will add later! We are finally home and get to Beth's. Bless Ryan he didn't expect an entire day outing so he quickly heads out to cut grass. We take time to breathe and take a couple of pictures with our books!
This is my picture with Giada :) Much better...thanks babe!
She autographed it to Maggie and Sissy!
Are you tired yet??? We sure were after all of that, but at least we did it together. Thankfully we were able to laugh and smile and get through this crazy day. In the end I definitely enjoyed myself and I am so thankful for a mother in law and sisters in law who will love and include me in these special moments. Thanks again Charlene for the tickets and book, but most of all for being a perfect example of a wonderful mother in law. I am so blessed to have you all in my life!
And our little man of the day...here he is with his busted lip. Bless his heart!
In the end...what was the Lord trying to teach us? I'm still not sure, but maybe one day I'll look back and know. I did realize that having kids does not keep you from having a good time. I was excited for a kid-free morning/afternoon, but ended up really enjoying myself with my girls. I think Sissy needed this outing more than I did. She was so excited to be hanging out with the girls and I am so glad I brought her with me!
