Summer Shenanigans, Part 5: TOY STORY 3!!!

What is the coolest thing that you could possibly experience if your last name is Ballard and you are under 6 years old?
Oh, I don't know...something involving Toy Story? A huge movie screen?
I mean, really, the heavens smiled down on us with this whole Toy Story 3 thing happening while our kids were little. They love little more than all things Toy Story and they needed a really great first experience at the movie theater. (Bethany had technically already been once but this was the first trip for all three together)
Anyway, I am tickled by the timing.

We actually waited nice and long for the craziness to die down then went on a Monday when JC was off from work so that maybe things wouldn't be so crowded and we could have a nice comfortable experience. (long awkward sentence)

The kids were in awe of the long, dark hallways and all the lit-up movie posters on the walls.
(They were also terrified of all the loud noises coming from the theaters where movies were already in session! It must seem so strange!)

Settled in and SO excited...but still with no idea what to expect.

We ended up moving further down and James took advantage of the safety bars.
Yeah, safety.

Ready to go!
(We ended up the only ones in the theater!)

It was so fun to see a movie as a family. (plus Grandma Trudie and Aunt Laura, yay!) The kids sat through the movie and loved it! Well...they sat through it except for the six potty breaks we took. Yes, six. (four James, two Bethany)
Now, THAT'S how you see a movie.
(Just ask my sister-in-law, Bonnie. She knows.)
...(I love you, Bonnie.) :)

And, well, it was great. I loved the fun, I loved the movie.

And, if anyone is wondering, I started crying about half an hour before the end of the movie and didn't really stop.
Come on, it was emotional!
Plus, we all have been on the Toy Story train for a while now, yes? I mean, I remember seeing the first one when I was younger, I remember seeing the 2nd one in highschool on a date with a guy I wasn't quite sure about so I had my friend Katie and her little sister 'accidentally' run into us at the movie theater and happen to be seeing the same movie as we were...the trickery...
(The guy ended up buying dinner after the movie for not only me but Katie and her little sister as well. Then I felt a little guilty for pulling that stunt.)
Anyway, and now I got to see the third one with my little family.
And a guy that I actually am quite sure about.

JC and Ben on the way back to the car.
Happy.
(and yes, Ben is carrying a plush Buzz doll. Buzz, Woody, and Rex joined us for the experience.)

This is quite unrelated, besides being sort of sentimental just like Toy Story is for me...
I got this shot of the water tower on the way back from the movie.

I love living in Gilbert.
The splash pad from the previous post is right under that water tower.
The movie theater is right down the street...as is the house JC grew up in.
My old stomping grounds aren't far either.
And home is only a couple miles away.
I like feeling at home.

Well, I think that about wraps it up for now. Especially because it is late and I am tired enough that I just typed 'that about raps it up for now'...nobody wants to see me RAP it up.
Though I might give that little kid on America's Got Talent a run for his money. Yeah, I can dance too. No big.

All right, really.
Il est fini.
(Highschool french class does pay off...as does google when you're not quite sure you remember correctly...)