Ethnic Restaurants

Good Thursday morning!

You'll notice I've added a new blog on my Blog List. It's a photography blog from a girl in California. Her name is Tara, and I like her pictures. Very natural, and not at all posed. She seems like a spontaneous, joyful person, which as I've pointed out in other posts, I am not, but I admire her outlook on life. I like looking at different ways to take pictures, and she has some really good ideas. Very talented. Anyway, I enjoy looking at them, so I assumed everyone else I knew would, too.

I wanted to talk a little about goals today. I am a goal-oriented person, but much to the chagrin (good word, but not my third favorite) of my husband, Mikie, my goals do not make a lot of sense. Over the next four days of blogging (Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday), I will reveal my top four goals. These are goals I've had well over two decades. Except for the one I reveal today, I may very well have them for two more decades. Who knows? It's about the only thing about me that is "up in the air," and I like that about me.

Goal Number One:

My children will never have ear infections. Now before we get too far into this one, I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't have this goal anymore... and not because the kids are too old or the goal is too dumb, but because of Joshua. Austin went all through babyhood with no ear infections. Joshua went all through babyhood with no ear infections. So I thought, "What if Roxie makes it all the way through babyhood with no ear infections. Wow! Wouldn't that be something?" And it happened. Roxie made it through babyhood with no ear infections.

So just imagine, if you will, my amazement when at age TEN, Josh complained of headache, fever, and other general symptoms. I took him to the doctor like a good mother, and after a few seconds, my doctor said, "He has an ear infection."

What?!?!? An ear infection?!?!? Roxie was seven, Josh was TEN and Austin was 13. This couldn't be happening. I was stunned. But, having worked for attorneys for ten years of my life, I was already looking for a loophole. "Uh, what do you call an ear infection when a TEN year-old boy has one?" I asked.

"An ear infection," the doctor said without even looking up from his clipboard.

"I know, but is there another name for it... perhaps a Latin term that is used when the child with the ear infection is TEN years-old or older?"

"I don't understand what you're asking me?" the doctor responded, now looking at me puzzled over his clipboard.

"Could it possibly be something like, oh, I don't know... swimmer's ear?" I asked hopefully.

"It's January. Has he been swimming in January?"

"No," I mumbled.

"Is there a problem?" the doctor then asked. Having completely put the clipboard down, he was just downright staring now.

"Well, it's silly really, but I had this little 'goal' that my children would make it to adulthood without having an ear infection. You've got to admit, a TEN year-old having an ear infection when he's NEVER had one before is kind of weird, isn't it?" The least he could do was admit it was "weird."

"Well, not really. Even adults get ear infections."

This did nothing to relieve my disappointment, and I decided then and there to get a new pediatrician. "Well, I think we want a second opinion," I said gathering my purse and keys.

"For an ear infection? Are you kidding me?"

I guess when he started raising his voice I knew it was hopeless. The only thing worse than having your first ear infection with three kids at the age of TEN, was paying two co-pays to get the same news twice. I apologized, got my first ever prescription for ear infection drugs and trudged out of the office.

When I got into the car, I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the disappointment. "I have three other goals that are still intact. This is not the end of the world," I told myself.

Tune in tomorrow to see what Goal Number Two is... and just a little hint -- it's still going strong!

I'm going to do things a little differently next week, and I wanted to give you a head's up. Monday through Thursday, I will be posting a step-by-step guide to planning a City Adventure. That's right. A City Adventure. We've had two, and we're planning our third as I write this post. They're fun, educational, good for any and all ages and will help your family bond. Also, in this time of economic distress (I mentioned that in yesterday's post), I will also include tips for paying for these City Adventures. To find out EXACTLY what I'm talking about, you'll have to tune in next Monday through Thursday. (I will be off next Friday due to the holidays... but I can't help myself. At the bottom of Thursday's post you will find the Book of the Week. The last one before I start on my Christmas book list, my Christmas seasonal traditions, my Christmas party/events, my Christmas dates, and my Christmas recipes. That's right folks... the last non-Christmas thing that will be on this blog for a WHOLE month. Exciting, isn't it?)

Now for the much anticipated Family Date!

Ethnic Restaurants (Family Date)

I know things are tight right now. Between the holidays and the bad economic situation our country is in at the moment, you may be thinking this is not something you can swing right now. However, I have a plan.

With five in our family (three of which are man-sized eaters), going out to eat at different restaurants doesn't fit into our budget AT ALL. So, a couple of years ago, I started getting $20 a paycheck and putting it in an envelope called "Family Date." It takes a while to build up depending on what you want the Family Date to be. Right now, we're saving for dinner AND a movie at a real movie theater... with popcorn. Yes, I said it. We want popcorn, too!! And a really large drink with five straws! That's what we want! That will cost our family of five about $125 to $135. It's a lot for dinner and a movie, but because we're saving for it, we choose both restaurant and movie very wisely. (Also, if you can't afford $20 a pay period, put in $10 or $5. Eventually, it will add up so you can have a "guilt-free" Family Date.)

The title for today's family date is Ethnic Restaurant, so I want to encourage you to try something a little different than the norm. Most, if not all, of us have eaten at Chinese, Mexican, Italian, etc. restaurants. They are very common. However, have you and your family tried Greek, Thai, French, Indian or Middle Eastern cuisine? This may not work well if you have younger children who only eat chicken fingers, but if you call ahead, you might be surprised to find that some of the restaurants will indeed serve a grilled cheese sandwich or fruit to your more finicky eaters.

Our next pick is Pita Stop Cafe which is near UAB. Mike and I ate there years ago (before kids), and thoroughly enjoyed it. We tried humus and some other traditional Middle Eastern dishes. So we've been saving and when we have the $125, we are taking the whole family to Pita Stop Cafe (and a movie -- I don't want you to think Pita Stop Cafe is that expensive). We know they have things everyone will eat, but when going to a different restaurant like this, we are going to urge each member of the family to order something different, and we are going to at least try a bite of the different types of food.

Also, since it takes a while to save $125, there is time to watch Food Network and Travel Channel listings to see if there are any shows about the Middle East coming up. If so, we will tape them and watch them together. Not only will you learn about the food, but the culture as well. (Avoid watching Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman for the purpose of getting your family excited about trying a new cuisine. You and your kids will never go to a restaurant other than a McDonald's as long as you live!)

I know they are very, very common now, but the Japanese restaurants that cook while you sit at the table are not only entertaining and fun, but they are a great way to try different food while still having some of the staples everyone will eat (chicken and rice). If you have not taken your children to one of these restaurants yet, I highly recommend it. There are several of them all over the Greater Birmingham area. We're fortunate to have a good one in our small town, also.

I haven't had Thai or Indian food (yet), but I have heard that it is very spicy, so I would want to actually talk to someone who has eaten (and enjoyed) the food at the restaurant before I took the whole family there.

There used to be a really nice French restaurant at the Botanical Gardens. It is a different restaurant now. I enjoyed trying some different dishes there, but I have to say I was always disappointed in how small the dessert portions were. However, as small as they were, they were delicious (and a Snickers candy bar in the car on the way home finished off my sweet tooth nicely).

Check out the Yellow Pages in the Restaurant Section and you will find restaurant listings for authentic Indian, Thai, Greek, Cajun, etc., etc. Pick one, and plan a Family Date today. You can even try sushi as a family. (Our family won't be doing this, but if you're the more adventurous type, go for it!) The food will be different, the decor will be different and the music will be different. It will be something (good or bad) you can experience together as a family... and as long as you make sure you have some peanut butter crackers in your purse, you will have a good time. (HINT: I'm a big believer in always having peanut butter crackers in my purse. It has offset many a restaurant disaster when the kids were smaller.)

Tune in tomorrow for Goal Number Two, as well as a great book series for young teenage boys (and older). I love good book series, and the author of this series is still going strong, so every year or so a new book comes out.

Have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.