Table For Three

First post of 2010. I have no excuse. I'm just going to blog...

James is now in Africa, but his training period since October provided the boys and I training as well. We started using Skype and chatted via Facebook; he was able to come home every few weeks; and we got to spend the big holidays together. Now it's just the three of us for a while. We keep it pretty low key...and one day at a time.

I took the boys out to dinner tonight. It's not a stop-the-presses event, but there were some things about it that I wanted to remember. Tonight it wasn't a meal deal and kids meal at the Chick-Fil-A (although it was Kids Night...) or the China Tea House we're so fond of. Tonight it was Hoss's!

It was a fundraising event for our local library (which we love). The things I want to remember tonight: the boys had really good table manners; they ate more than I ever saw them eat, even Jonah asked for seconds; and I let Noah go to the bathroom by himself.

Hoss's is not a fancy place. In fact, it kind of reminds me of a Sizzler, but I've only been to Sizzler twice and I think Hoss's is a little better. I like it because there's something for everyone, but it's not really a buffet. Soup and salad (and breads and desserts) are the only all-you-can-eat. And that's really good enough for me.

Hoss's is also very family-friendly, and I think I learned tonight that families around here eat early. The boys and I arrived before 6 p.m. and there was already a good crowd in the dining room and a line was forming at the door. It didn't take too long though for us to get seated in a cozy booth. The three of us went to the salad and soup area first. Noah's school cafeteria offers a salad bar so he can navigate his way around iceberg lettuce, salad dressings, and toppings pretty well. I let him make his own choices. Jonah and I went to the soup section and got him a big serving of chicken noodle soup (what else?!) he then asked for all sorts of crackers and sides.

After I got them settled and said grace, I left them at the table to get my salad. Soon the server brought our main entrees. In the middle of dinner Noah said he had to go to the bathroom. Knowing our environment, it's ALL families and older people, I didn't hesitate to let him go by himself. Besides, I had a clear view of the restroom doors. I only reminded him to wash his hands. I don't remember "yelling" at them to sit still or stop picking at their food...It was a fun time and a nice change of pace from me having to wonder what am I going to cook for one adult, one child (who could practically eat an adult portion) and one very picky preschooler.