Table For Four, Please

In the past 2+ years eating out has not been a common occurrence for our family.  Since Ashby was born (and Kennedy was 21 months old), we probably have only eaten out a handful of times.  Why?  Because it was just too darn hard with a toddler & an infant.  And as Kennedy got older & was more manageable in restaurants, Ashby just got harder to deal with.  So, our choices were to either cook at home or get take-out. 

Until now.

We feel like eating out has finally become a reality for our family.  Hallelujah!

This past weekend our little family of four headed to mama's favorite restaurant....Olive Garden.  Or 'Grapes' as Ashby likes to call it.

Our two giddy girls ready to head into the restaurant, pinwheels in hand.

Once we got seated, they sat quietly & colored while we waited for our drinks & yummy breadsticks.



Ashby thought she was so cool drinking from a big girl cup & straw.

What did the girls want to eat for dinner?  Pizza, of course!



They loved their pizza  And the breadsticks too!  The salad wasn't their favorite (but mommy & daddy sure loved it!) so I asked for some fruit for the girls.  You'll never guess what they brought out for them....maraschino cherries!  Umm, ok, I guess that is what they consider fruit at Olive Garden. :)  It didn't matter, though, because the girls loved them & gobbled them right up.

After dinner we were stuffed & didn't have room for dessert, but the girls sure had enough room in their bellies for a little after dinner chocolate mint!

Of course Ashby kept asking for more.  No shocker there!  She could eat dessert and/or candy day & night.  Must take after her mama! :)

Soon after our little after dinner mint, we paid our bill, packed up & left.  Marc & I were amazed at how well the girls did.  They were good listeners, stayed in their seats (well Ashby had to because she was strapped in!) and best of all, no fighting or tantrums!  Woohoo!  I'd say we had a very successful dinner out at Olive Garden!

Here are our happy girls on the ride home.

And a happy (and relieved) daddy & mommy too!

Looks like there will be more eating out in our near future!  Yippee!