Every waiter's dream
I'm sure from the second our waiter saw us sit down tonight, he was thinking "Oh boy. Another family with two young kids, bad tips, and a big mess to clean up at the end." Thankfully, I think he found himself so grateful to have so much entertainment.
As Icepocalypse came to an end today and the snow melted to loads of slush, everyone in North Texas decided that they must also get out of their homes to experience life outside. We came to the decision to get out around 11am as our furnace downstairs broke last night and the temperature reached a warm 69 degrees. We spent almost our entire morning upstairs where we could stay warm. After four days of playing unicorns, talking "neigh" for hours (literally) and nothing else, I was about to come unglued. So Jeremy humored me and took us to the mall to get out.
We purchased what we thought was an amazing down comforter for the guest room. Only to find that it was a cheaper down comforter in a nice down comforter bag mis-marked. Unfortunately we found this out when we got home and put it in the new duvet cover and noticed how badly it fit. So I really wanted to go back and get a new one to replace it, but didn't really want to drive in the slush. I wouldn't mind driving in it in Michigan, but Texas drivers in slush is a whole new ballgame. Totally crazy. One person drives five miles an hour while another races by you. No thank you.
Jeremy asked me later what I wanted for dinner. I had no idea, he didn't want to think of anything either and Riley was just hungry. So I asked if we could go out. He mentioned Applebee's as we had a gift card and then briefly mentioned something about Macaroni Grill. We've had the giftcard to Applebee's for almost two years as I'm not a huge fan of their food. But at the thought of Macaroni Grill, I was like "Yes! Let's go there!! They have bread that Riley likes and she can color on the paper. Julia will eat her puffs and bottle. It's perfect!"
Jeremy called them at 4:30pm to ask if they do "call aheads." Being that there was no wait, they said to just come in. No call aheads with no wait. Perfect! Definitely love the idea of not having to wait. If we left right away, we'd beat the crowd! So Jeremy went outside with Riley and asked her to get in the car while he turned the car on. I was right behind with Julia in my arms. Instead Riley decided to go see the snow on the driveway and fell in it. Her white dress and tights were covered in black slush. She was quite wet and dirty to say the least. So I took her upstairs and got her all changed. Jeremy put Julia in the car. Another fifteen minutes later, we were all set.
We arrived at Macaroni Grill soon after. Maybe 10 minutes or so. There was a line backed up almost to the door. And the tables looked completely full throughout the restaurant. So much for "no wait." Guess everyone had the same idea we did. And we were stuck waiting for thirty minutes.
So we each took turns holding the girls and watched the chefs work. Riley was a little afraid of the fire that came from the pans, but was really quite taken with what they were doing. Julia just drooled all over Jeremy's shoulder and waved at people around her. The family that was waiting ahead of us decided to leave so we were actually seated in about 20 minutes.
As soon as we sat down, I placed Julia in her highchair and scooted her close to the table. She immediately began lifting the paper off the table, squealing and shaking it up and down. Everything on the table shook. Which made her find it even more funny. So shake, she did until we put puffs in front of her.
Riley sat down. We each ordered waters (including Riley asking for her own and saying thank you). We already knew what we wanted as we had looked at the menu online before going so we ordered immediately. I asked Jeremy if we should get the spinach artichoke dip for Riley. He said "No, I think we'll just order a kid's meal. Let's do the pizza." So now we just had to wait for the bread.
We began writing our names in front of us. Jeremy wrote "Puff Master" under Julia's name. She seriously loves the Gerber Puffs and truly deserves the nickname. Riley begins to drink her water through the straw and tipped the cup, spilling water all over herself. I take her to the bathroom to use a hand dryer (as I forgot a change of clothes) and find there are no hand dryers. So I just dab as best I can with the paper towels.
We return to the table. As we're sitting and coloring and talking, the waiter brings over the bread. Riley is eating some and drops a piece. Then dives to get it and falls to the floor. Her body angled to the floor, she is unable to get up. And all the tables around us are watching us. We finally get her up and explain that if we drop food, we don't have to pick it up and eat it. This is followed by the surprise arrival of spinach artichoke dip. Jeremy asked what it was. The waiter said it was the dip we ordered. He explained that we were trying to decide what to get Riley, but that we had decided on the pizza. The waiter says "Oh yeah. Sorry. I'll take it off your bill. Go ahead and enjoy it."
Riley comes to sit on my lap. She loves the dip. Julia, in the meantime, has decided to entertain the other tables and turn around to wave and smile. She finds herself amusing as well. Jeremy breaks off some bread pieces for us and Julia decides to flap her arms on the paper, causing the pieces to fly into the air. As she is laughing and carrying on, Riley decides to flap her arms as well. So we talk about manners and how Julia is still learning how to behave - Riley already knows.
Our food arrives. Riley spills her water again. Julia scrunches the paper and sends food flying some more. We feel totally inadequate. Riley eats her pizza - making funny faces and opening her mouth as wide as possible. I explain that noone wants to see her food as she eats it. Julia starts on her bottle and finds it funny to throw it forward and then laugh hysterically.
I drop Julia's can of puffs into the olive oil mixture in the middle of the table. We both look at Julia and notice the grunting "uuuhhhh" look on her face. The infamous "I'm doing something you'll have to clean soon" look.
Riley then says "Isn't this fun?!"
I change Julia's diaper, we load up and we walk to our car that is parked far, far away. Yes, Riley. It was a ton of fun. And I don't mean that sarcastically.
As Icepocalypse came to an end today and the snow melted to loads of slush, everyone in North Texas decided that they must also get out of their homes to experience life outside. We came to the decision to get out around 11am as our furnace downstairs broke last night and the temperature reached a warm 69 degrees. We spent almost our entire morning upstairs where we could stay warm. After four days of playing unicorns, talking "neigh" for hours (literally) and nothing else, I was about to come unglued. So Jeremy humored me and took us to the mall to get out.
We purchased what we thought was an amazing down comforter for the guest room. Only to find that it was a cheaper down comforter in a nice down comforter bag mis-marked. Unfortunately we found this out when we got home and put it in the new duvet cover and noticed how badly it fit. So I really wanted to go back and get a new one to replace it, but didn't really want to drive in the slush. I wouldn't mind driving in it in Michigan, but Texas drivers in slush is a whole new ballgame. Totally crazy. One person drives five miles an hour while another races by you. No thank you.
Jeremy asked me later what I wanted for dinner. I had no idea, he didn't want to think of anything either and Riley was just hungry. So I asked if we could go out. He mentioned Applebee's as we had a gift card and then briefly mentioned something about Macaroni Grill. We've had the giftcard to Applebee's for almost two years as I'm not a huge fan of their food. But at the thought of Macaroni Grill, I was like "Yes! Let's go there!! They have bread that Riley likes and she can color on the paper. Julia will eat her puffs and bottle. It's perfect!"
Jeremy called them at 4:30pm to ask if they do "call aheads." Being that there was no wait, they said to just come in. No call aheads with no wait. Perfect! Definitely love the idea of not having to wait. If we left right away, we'd beat the crowd! So Jeremy went outside with Riley and asked her to get in the car while he turned the car on. I was right behind with Julia in my arms. Instead Riley decided to go see the snow on the driveway and fell in it. Her white dress and tights were covered in black slush. She was quite wet and dirty to say the least. So I took her upstairs and got her all changed. Jeremy put Julia in the car. Another fifteen minutes later, we were all set.
We arrived at Macaroni Grill soon after. Maybe 10 minutes or so. There was a line backed up almost to the door. And the tables looked completely full throughout the restaurant. So much for "no wait." Guess everyone had the same idea we did. And we were stuck waiting for thirty minutes.
So we each took turns holding the girls and watched the chefs work. Riley was a little afraid of the fire that came from the pans, but was really quite taken with what they were doing. Julia just drooled all over Jeremy's shoulder and waved at people around her. The family that was waiting ahead of us decided to leave so we were actually seated in about 20 minutes.
As soon as we sat down, I placed Julia in her highchair and scooted her close to the table. She immediately began lifting the paper off the table, squealing and shaking it up and down. Everything on the table shook. Which made her find it even more funny. So shake, she did until we put puffs in front of her.
Riley sat down. We each ordered waters (including Riley asking for her own and saying thank you). We already knew what we wanted as we had looked at the menu online before going so we ordered immediately. I asked Jeremy if we should get the spinach artichoke dip for Riley. He said "No, I think we'll just order a kid's meal. Let's do the pizza." So now we just had to wait for the bread.
We began writing our names in front of us. Jeremy wrote "Puff Master" under Julia's name. She seriously loves the Gerber Puffs and truly deserves the nickname. Riley begins to drink her water through the straw and tipped the cup, spilling water all over herself. I take her to the bathroom to use a hand dryer (as I forgot a change of clothes) and find there are no hand dryers. So I just dab as best I can with the paper towels.
We return to the table. As we're sitting and coloring and talking, the waiter brings over the bread. Riley is eating some and drops a piece. Then dives to get it and falls to the floor. Her body angled to the floor, she is unable to get up. And all the tables around us are watching us. We finally get her up and explain that if we drop food, we don't have to pick it up and eat it. This is followed by the surprise arrival of spinach artichoke dip. Jeremy asked what it was. The waiter said it was the dip we ordered. He explained that we were trying to decide what to get Riley, but that we had decided on the pizza. The waiter says "Oh yeah. Sorry. I'll take it off your bill. Go ahead and enjoy it."
Riley comes to sit on my lap. She loves the dip. Julia, in the meantime, has decided to entertain the other tables and turn around to wave and smile. She finds herself amusing as well. Jeremy breaks off some bread pieces for us and Julia decides to flap her arms on the paper, causing the pieces to fly into the air. As she is laughing and carrying on, Riley decides to flap her arms as well. So we talk about manners and how Julia is still learning how to behave - Riley already knows.
Our food arrives. Riley spills her water again. Julia scrunches the paper and sends food flying some more. We feel totally inadequate. Riley eats her pizza - making funny faces and opening her mouth as wide as possible. I explain that noone wants to see her food as she eats it. Julia starts on her bottle and finds it funny to throw it forward and then laugh hysterically.
I drop Julia's can of puffs into the olive oil mixture in the middle of the table. We both look at Julia and notice the grunting "uuuhhhh" look on her face. The infamous "I'm doing something you'll have to clean soon" look.
Riley then says "Isn't this fun?!"
I change Julia's diaper, we load up and we walk to our car that is parked far, far away. Yes, Riley. It was a ton of fun. And I don't mean that sarcastically.
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