Of Apple Pies, Orphan Trains, and Dancing Dogs

Because it's against the law to cook dinner at home on a Friday night in Texas (well, that's what I heard), D and I have taken to a Ladies' Night Out on most Friday evenings. Well, usually we take the kids with us, but not always. Tonight we did, but they sat at a different table across the aisle from us. We pretend we don't know them. D and I usually pick our restaurants based on the dessert choices. Our favorite is apple pie, and lately we have been jinxed in the apple pie department (both at Cheddar's, where they dropped it on the floor, and TGIFriday's, where they "just took it off the menu yesterday". Seriously. We almost cried.). Tonight we chose Chili's, even tho they don't offer a hot apple pie dessert. We just like Chili's. Much to our delight they now offer "mini desserts" - a small dessert in a shot glass - and one of the choices was caramel apple cheesecake, or something to that effect. Brilliant! So after snarfing up our Southwestern Eggrolls we each ordered one. Rather disappointing. NOT hot, full of raisins, and only fairly delicious. Oh well. Back to Cheddar's next time. Surely we won't be jinxed a third time, right? Right??

Apparently D and I take a long time to eat. It can't be all the talking we do. But for some reason all four kids finish up their meals WAAY before we do, and subsequently become bored. Now, they are very well behaved children - never make noise, complain, even get up from their table (which is how we can pretend we don't know them). But tonight's ploy to get us to hurry was long, sorrowful looks. Lamb pretended to sleep on Daughter's shoulder, while Daughter gave us her most pitiful expression. And they think WE embarrass THEM in public! D said they looked like they were on an Orphan Train. This made us crack up even more and take even longer to finish eating. That'll teach 'em.

Back at D's house, I was showing her my super-nifty new mp3 player I got for my birthday - she plugged one earbud into her ear, and I had one in mine. Surfing thru the songs, we started belting out "Raspberry Beret". We could totally be the next American Idols. D's dog Ty even started dancing along, pumping his body perfectly to the beat. I was impressed! Wait a minute. He's not dancing. He's......going to throw up! A hissy fit ensued, trying to get him outside before he barfed (didn't work), then trying to bribe one of the kids to clean it up ($5!! Also didn't work.) In the meantime Bear and Little Son are wandering about the house, needing scissors, tape, and "something heavy we don't need". Never a dull moment around here!!

Next time I'll tell about our precious daughters asking the Magic 8 Ball if their mommies are going to get lucky tonight.....