diff --git a/Resources/config/services.yaml b/Resources/config/services.yaml
index d037fa1..8630c9c 100644
--- a/Resources/config/services.yaml
+++ b/Resources/config/services.yaml
@@ -16,3 +16,9 @@ services:
             $menu_id: "main"
         tags:
             - { name: kernel.event_listener, event: kernel.controller, method: onKernelController }
+
+    Catalyst\MenuBundle\Twig\MenuExtension:
+        arguments:
+            $menu_gen: "@catalyst_menu.generator"
+        tags:
+            - { name: twig.extension }
diff --git a/Service/Generator.php b/Service/Generator.php
index 72a1271..6a2fc16 100644
--- a/Service/Generator.php
+++ b/Service/Generator.php
@@ -42,49 +42,72 @@ class Generator
 
         error_log(print_r($data, true));
 
-        // first layer contains all the instances in config
-        foreach ($data as $instance_data)
+        // error_log(print_r($data, true));
+
+        // 1st layer are the groups and the parents
+        // NOTE: extension already merged and sorted the groups for us
+        foreach ($data as $group => $group_data)
         {
-            // 2nd layer are the groups and the parents
-            foreach ($instance_data as $group => $group_data)
+            // store orphans here in case their parents have not yet been defined
+            $orphans = [];
+
+            // initialize group data
+            if (!isset($pdata[$group]))
             {
-				// initialize group data
-                if (!isset($pdata[$group]))
-				{
-                    $pdata[$group] = [
-                        'menu' => new Collection(),
-                        'index' => new Collection(),
-                    ];
-                }
+                $pdata[$group] = [
+                    'menu' => new Collection(),
+                    'index' => new Collection(),
+                ];
+            }
 
-                $index = $pdata[$group]['index'];
-                $menu = $pdata[$group]['menu'];
+            $index = $pdata[$group]['index'];
+            $menu = $pdata[$group]['menu'];
 
-                foreach ($group_data as $mi_data)
+            error_log(print_r($group_data, true));
+
+            // 2nd layer is group data
+            foreach ($group_data as $mi_data)
+            {
+                // check params
+                if (!isset($mi_data['icon']))
+                    $mi_data['icon'] = null;
+
+                // instantiate
+                error_log(print_r($mi_data, true));
+                $mi = $this->newItem($index, $mi_data['id'], $mi_data['label'], $mi_data['icon']);
+
+                // acl
+                if (isset($mi_data['acl']))
+                    $mi->setACLKey($mi_data['acl']);
+
+                // check for orphans
+                if (isset($orphans[$mi_data['id']]))
                 {
-                    // check params
-                    if (!isset($mi_data['icon']))
-                        $mi_data['icon'] = null;
-
-                    // instantiate
-                    $mi = $this->newItem($index, $mi_data['id'], $mi_data['label'], $mi_data['icon']);
-
-                    // acl
-                    if (isset($mi_data['acl']))
-                        $mi->setACLKey($mi_data['acl']);
-
-                    // check parent
-                    if (isset($mi_data['parent']) && $mi_data['parent'] != null)
+                    foreach ($orphans[$mi_data['id']] as $orphan)
                     {
-                        $parent = $index->get($mi_data['parent']);
-                        if ($parent == null)
-                            continue;
-
-                        $parent->addChild($mi);
+                        $mi->addChild($orphan);
                     }
-                    else
-                        $menu->add($mi);
                 }
+
+                // check parent
+                if (isset($mi_data['parent']) && $mi_data['parent'] != null)
+                {
+                    $parent = $index->get($mi_data['parent']);
+
+                    // if parent has not been set, add to orphans
+                    if ($parent == null)
+                    {
+                        if (!isset($orphans[$mi_data['parent']]))
+                            $orphans[$mi_data['parent']] = [];
+
+                        $orphans[$mi_data['parent']][] = $mi;
+                        continue;
+                    }
+
+                    $parent->addChild($mi);
+                }
+                else
+                    $menu->add($mi);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/Twig/MenuExtension.php b/Twig/MenuExtension.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ca7989
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Twig/MenuExtension.php
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Catalyst\MenuBundle\Twig;
+
+use Twig\Extension\AbstractExtension;
+use Twig\TwigFunction;
+
+class MenuExtension extends AbstractExtension
+{
+    protected $menu_gen;
+
+    public function __construct($menu_gen)
+    {
+        $this->menu_gen = $menu_gen;
+    }
+
+    public function getFunctions()
+    {
+        return [
+            new TwigFunction('menu_get', [$this, 'getMenu']),
+        ];
+    }
+
+    public function getMenu($menu_group)
+    {
+        return $this->menu_gen->getMenu($menu_group);
+    }
+}