Chuck-A-Rama

It is funny how one person's greatest dream come true can be another person's greatest nightmare. Today is Lindsey and Emily's birthday. 10 and 8. I feel old. This year it is a family party, with Emily's baptism to come in the next few weeks. Since Grandpa and Grandma are in Costa Rica and they usually bring all the fun to the party, we had to come up with plan B.
Plan B includes Chuck-A-Rama. Their greatest dream. My greatest nightmare. Grandma took the girls there a few months ago and ever since they have been dying to go again. They could not believe that there was a place to make and eat as much ice cream as you wanted and when Emily discovered the endless supply of mashed potatos and gravy she was sold! When I suggested we come up with an activity to do together as a family they came up with Chuck-A-Rama. I couldn't see the activity in that, but they convinced me that walking around looking at and eating a lot of food constituted as an activity. Hmmm. Since I am a team player I said "why not" out loud, and in my mind said....."oh no, no, no, no, no!"
Birthday morning girls anticipating the all you can eat dinner at the end of the day. Seriously. Birthday presents followed by "when are we leaving for the activity". aka Chuck-A-Rama.

We finally made it and settled in. Emily chose the end so she could make frequent visits to the buffet.

Grace thought it was great. Emily kept her supply of finger foods going the whole night.

"pretty sure this is the best activity ever!"

We paid 5 dollars for Tyler to eat green jello and 4 dollars for Eliza to eat cucumbers and ranch dressing. Super!

Emily ate six plates of food plus dessert. She went to lay down on the bench and knocked her rootbeer float onto her head. She was not impressed.

Mom and dad laughed the whole time because:

1. Their joy- eating endless possiblities of food.

My nightmare- having so many choices not being able to eat anything (hence the green

jello fiasco)
2. Their joy-eating as much as they want and getting it themselves (Emily strategically placed

herself for optimum eating.)

My nightmare- children crawling all over the place carrying heavy plates of food, on their

own, by themselves, through a restaurant.

3. Their joy-Doing it all by themselves.

My joy- letting them do it (gulp.)

We had to give Emily a barf bag on the way home. Lindsey declared that she was SO embarrassed by how the little kids acted. Ben and I laughed because the whole night was so comical. We sure feel lucky to have these five little ones. Don't worry we gave the waitress a BIG tip to clean up after us!

These are the faces of two people who made it through an all you can eat buffet with five children with only two drink spills and one plate drop on the floor do we look crazy? Yup we are!