Hunger Games

Yesterday we gathered at Weinberger's to cheer on Derek in an eating contest. He's been wanting to do the challenge, so what better excuse than his 32nd bday?!? He and a friend (Diana) had 1 hour to EACH eat a 2 foot sub with 4.5 lbs of meat, all the peppers, carrots, and fixins. When we arrived, we learned that 19 people had tried and only 1 had succeeded.

Add 2 more to the list of losers!! Derek finished 2 very easily, but that was his tipping point. For the next 30 minutes, he ate nothing! Diana ate 1.5 sandwiches, took a 20 minute break, then took down another sandwich. She only had half a sandwich to go when the hour expired!

If you're keeping track, that means Derek lost an eating contest to a GIRL!! :) After it was over, the owner explained something about the satiety gland and how eating the saturated fat from the sausage makes it almost impossible to eat all of the sandwiches. He said this challenge is just on the tipping point - some can do it but most cannot. So Derek lost the contest, but he did win a meat hangover:

Restaurant Week

For the past 7 years or so, we've participated in Restaurant Week. The fancy places in town offer a 3 course pre fixe menu for $35 each, and $7 of each plate goes to the North Texas Food Bank. It has grown so much that restaurants extend it to several weeks.

Wednesday, August 15 we went to III Forks. We try to go here every year with a group of awesome ladies that Derek worked with at Baylor. I love me some III Forks. Susie came over to hang with Grant and Abby.

Saturday, August 18 was Girls' Night! We went to Whiskey Cake in Plano. It was pretty good, but I actually ordered off the regular menu. It's not super-fancy. And they bombed our reservation - so that part sucked. I stared at these 2 pieces of meat all night:

Another highlight to the evening is that Derek let me take my sweet time in getting ready and kept the kiddos busy. It. was. awesome.

Cat, Rach, Jill, Laura and I were all there, but my photos didn't come out. Still trying to figure out the lighting on my new camera.

Friday, August 24 we went to Landmark with the same bunch - with our better halves. I was so caught up in conversation that I don't really think I can properly review the food. I left full, but when I ate my leftovers today, I was not impressed. The kids had a "reunion" night with Matt, Julie, Nathaniel and Clara. There was a "love fest" of kissing Baby Abby and boys that stayed up too late talking. When I picked them up on Saturday, they were all playing with the play kitchen. Practically perfect!

Dining disasters

I mentioned in my previous post that taking 2 under 2 out to eat is pure hell not easy. And lest I forget this in a few months and think it was all rainbows and sunshine, here are a few details of our dining disasters.

The first disaster was December 31, 2011. Derek's family came down for Christmas and we went to Hard 8 Barbeque just up the street. We were still rookies at getting out with 2 babies (Abby was 1 day shy of 1 month). What I didn't realize is that BBQ = buffet line. I should have taken a stroller for Abby, but I didn't. So I was trying to fumble through the line with Grant & Derek was doing the same with the infant carrier & the diaper bag. I ended up either leaving a child at the table or my food in the line (I don't recall which) to set up a high chair for Grant and sling for Abby.

Things went swimmingly for about 2 minutes once we all sat down. Then Abby (remember how I said she doesn't like her car seat?!) started crying. Derek held her for a bit at the table, but that didn't help. Plus he had Grant's food to drop onto his plate a little at a time (Grant eats a lot and fast, so this is the easiest and cleanest way to feed him - it's better now, but it's still best to give him small portions). So I took Abby and walked with her. When I thought she was asleep, I came back to the table. I got greedy and tried to put her in the car seat... naturally she woke up and I repeated the process.

Thankfully Derek eats fast and we had the rest of the family to keep Grant entertained while I ate. My food was still warm, but I was the last one to finish. When we were packing up, I noticed a sign advertising their to-go meal specials. We could have stayed home, eaten the same food and spent less money. Lesson learned.... well - not quite.

I think it was after I returned to work in February, we decided to try eating out again. I had been with the kids for a while (I forget the circumstances now, but it was probably a day when Julie's kids were sick). I knew what was ahead of us - who was tired, who ate a lot or a little, who was in a bitch-tastic whiny mood, etc. Derek suggested we go out to eat at Anamia's and it went PERFECTLY. Grant behaved. I had a rita. Abby had a bottle. BLISS!

So imagine my surprise when we go out the next month to Ole's (thanks to a Groupon) and we have the mother of all melt downs. Abby slept peacefully until our food came & I was halfway done with my margarita. At that same time, Grant wanted something and we didn't understand him. He didn't want to play with his Leap Frog Cell. We were out of ammunition. So I got the waiter to give us water to warm the bottle & tried to console Abby while Derek wrestled Grant. They disappeared to the bathroom where Grant calmed down and Abby took her warm bottle. I fed her with 1 arm while eating with the other. When Derek & Grant returned, he tried telling us the same thing again, got frustrated, and of course went BACK to the bathroom. I was eating and finishing my food 1 handed. Somehow Derek managed to eat his food and leave with Grant (we had met after work in separate cars). Me and Abby finished our drinks, over-tipped the waiter, apologized to half the town, and gracefully exited.

We had a similar disaster at an impromptu dinner at the Adolphs'. Abby was happy when we arrived, but Grant was scared of the dogs and therefore attached to Derek's hip. Then when we ate, Grant was happy and Abby was fussy. We escaped before everyone decided to never invite us over again because the invitations are still coming (thanks guys!).

The most recent disaster was at Outback. We met up in separate cars after work. Grant got full (and antsy) and Abby woke up - both just as our food arrived. Derek ended up eating first while I walked Abby around, then Derek took them home while I ate peacefully. I told the waitress to take her time - I was going to enjoy my quiet dinner! She had a confused look that told me she wasn't a mom yet.