Oh Be Wise...er: Houston and Memories

I feel like I need to give a brief history of the Wiser/Fontano friendship. Before Darrell and I met at the University Ward, I had a best friend named Tara. Looking back now I will say we were kind of really big brats sometimes, but mostly we were nice. In the couple years we were attending the University Ward we became very close friends. We both dated different guys and did lots of double and group dates.

There was a group of Mormon guys, they called themselves the Frojo's. At UNLV the sorority was the Rojo's, so of course the Mormon's had to make their own group who didn't drink- and who really really loved to watch UNLV basketball. These Frojo's were CRAZY! They all wore red wigs, and dressed awful, and they even had a Frojo t-shirt. Darrell and Pete were Frojo's.

Darrell hadn't been attending the University ward consistently because his Dad's cancer had returned and it was bad. His Dad passed away in July of 1998, and in February of 1999 he started attending the University Ward again.

Because I have a bad memory I can't remember exact dates, but somewhere in this time Pete told me he really would like to take Tara on a date. Of course, I set that right up. Pete and Tara dated for a while, then Pete moved to Cedar City and they broke up. Pete moved back to Las Vegas around February 1999, because he and Darrell were practicing a big half time show with the UNLV dance team. Yes, the Frojo's were well known, they had been on ESPN- and were loved by everyone except the Rojo's and Tara and I. We thought the Frojo's were embarrassing and weird. We both said we'd never be caught dead with one. I'm thinking we must have said that before Pete and Tara dated the first time.;)

Anyway, Pete moved back, and Tara and I went to watch the Frojo's practice. And while we were there a guy who I had seen a couple other times kept talking to us like he knew us. I thought Tara must have known him because I didn't. But Tara didn't know him either. That night Pete introduced Darrell to me. (yes, he was the guy who kept talking to us)

There were a few other occasions that Darrell had been talking to Tara and I, but months later told me he was trying to get close enough to see just how tall I was because he thought I was cute but looked taller then him. (I used to wear platforms and shoes that had a heel- so I looked taller.)

Pete told me later that night that Darrell thought I was cute, and Tara and I had been planning on doing a themed double date, her taking Pete and me undecided on who to ask at that point. Then it was decided I'd ask Darrell.

The date was set for a Saturday night, and Darrell asked me to come watch him dance with the UNLV dance team- which meant staying and watching the basketball game, and also meaning sitting by some Frojo's. I reluctantly agreed (I already mentioned I was a brat) and was surprised to have a really fun time. I was really surprised to watch Darrell do a toe touch in the dance too!

Darrell asked me out for the next night which I think was Friday, and then Saturday night was our double date with Pete and Tara.

Those three dates in a row lead to Darrell and I seeing each other every single day except one- and March 15 he proposed to me, and May 22 we were married.

Pete and Tara also started dating again. Pete proposed to Tara in the Sunrise Hospital parking lot, after they came to visit me when my appendix had to be removed the week before our wedding. Pete and Tara got married August 7.

Fast forward 13 years and 4 kids later- and here we are today. The Fontano's and Wiser's haven't seen each other in almost 8 years, and have only emailed a few times. It's so hard to keep in touch when we are so far apart and all so busy with our everyday lives.

Pete and Tara have lived in Houston about 5 years (I think). We decided to see if they'd be up for a short notice visit. We were so happy to find with a little juggling of schedules we could do it!

While driving to Houston Darrell and I were reminiscing of those days- so many fun memories!

The day and a half we spent there, we all laughed so hard! My kids heard some great stories of their parents, and oh my goodness did we laugh!

The kids all played, Baylee was a little shocked to find that she couldn't woo Ben with her cuteness. He doesn't really like to play with girls, and Baylee told me she "Just wanted Ben to be her handsome Prince." Ben wanted NO part of that! Pete and Tara's daughter Abbey is only a few months older then Carly- they played great. Lexi, Ashlee, and Jeremy played basketball and just hung out watching basketball and listening to funny stories.

I talk all the time about being thankful for so many great friends that I have been blessed with in my life- and Pete and Tara are some of them. I have many others also!

Here are a few pictures I took of the kids while we were there.