Variety is the Spice of Life

This evening we decided to be brave and go out for Chinese. We have had many meals this week which were either cheese items (cheesy noodles, grill cheese, macaroni and cheese) or pasta/bread items (pasta and cheese, bread with butter). Now, this isn't because Bill and I can't cook, didn't have dinner food in the house, or had limited time. We are actually good cooks, can plan and ... well, the time thing we can't fix. Either way, we know how to make balanced meals.

Our kids won't eat them.

Nightly, we sit at the dinner table, hound our kids to eat, make something else (with either pasta or cheese, or better yet both!), throw out all food and move on with our night. Tonight we had two options: order and bring Chinese home or eat at the restaurant. Since I had a band concert to prepare for and needed to eat early, we figured we would hope for an empty restaurant and understanding waitstaff. The other factor was, if we ate at home Heather and Kailey could still get up, choose not to eat, ask for something else, we'd still have to wash dishes, etc. If we were in the restaurant, we had a very easy answer: This is what we ordered, we don't have anything else and we aren't ordering anything else. Surprisingly, this kinda worked!

Adventurous Kailey decided she would try the hot tea. After blowing on it a few times, she drank it. Heather insisted she didn't like it and wouldn't try it. But, not to be outdone by her little sister, she too tried the tea and liked it. They both ate wontons and tried the hot mustard sauce. That would have been worth a picture for both of them. Kailey scrunched up her face and had some water to alleviate the taste (and spicy reaction). Heather did the same, then had some more! They got up and watched the big fish in the fish tank and then waited for their dinner. To be safe, we decided to order Lo Mein, as it is a pasta dish, and also chicken nuggets.

Heather stated that she didn't want the pasta because she didn't like it. But, of course tried it and liked it. But, they both really liked the chicken nuggets. Heather said, "I like these chicken nuggets, but not the ones at McDonald's". After thinking about it, there's good reason for that. These chicken nuggets actually have chicken in them; they are the fried chicken pieces that would normally have sweet and sour sauce poured over them. But, with ketchup on them, they aren't much different. Kailey also helped herself to the rice which was for Bill's and my meal. We finished our dinner with fortune cookies. Bill is quiet and shy, Kailey will make a change for the better, Heather works hard, and I am to be getting good news by mail soon!

Overall, we did ok. We were the only ones in the restaurant until the end of our meal, no one got hurt, and we all got to eat dinner together.

Well, I'm off to wait by the mailbox - I'm pretty sure I'm going to be winning the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes!