Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood?

Last night, I decided that I was just too tired to cook. It has been a long rough week and I just needed some time off. The kids had earned gift certificates for free kids meals at Applebee's through summer reading through the public library. So we grabbed the certificates, grabbed the kids and headed out to eat.

By the time we got there everyone was tired and hungry and service was slooowww. Grace kept trying to climb out of her chair onto the table and Sam decided he needed to eat, NOW! So I fed Sam and Michael took Grace outside so she could run around while we waited for our drinks and some bread sticks for her. An eternity later our drinks came and Michael rejoined us. Libby slurped her chocolate milk in record time and tried an onion ring. A few minutes later she tried to climb onto Michael's lap.  There wasn't much room for her between Michael and the table, and she said her stomach didn't feel good. We told her we were sorry and didn't think anything more about it. Then she said she didn't feel good and dry heaved. Michael was trying to unwedge him and Libby from the booth (her foot was caught between the bench and Grace's high chair) while asking if she was going to throw up. She nodded yes and they made a mad dash for the bathroom. And they almost made it, too. But almost doesn't quite count. She threw up a little outside the men's room and a good portion on the floor in the threshold of the first stall.  She even managed to get some of her chocolaty vomit into the toilet and only a little down her leg.

Meanwhile I'm sitting at the table thinking it would be a good idea to find my waitress and have her box up our dinners to go. While I'm debating how necessary this is I feel something warm on my lap. Sam's diaper had at that moment decided to spring a massive leak all over the sling and my lap. I take that as a sign and flag down our waitress. She was more than understanding.  I apologized profusely even though I wanted to shout, "I swear, I didn't know she was going to be sick." The waitress walks off to have our dinners boxed and I look up to see Michael coming back. Grace took advantage of my momentary distraction to climb up on the table and pull down a full glass of ice water.  The waitress returns at that point with our food and check. She tells me it is fine, not to worry, but I'm pretty sure she was lying. She probably went home and told all of her friends about this nightmare of a family she got stuck with at work. So Michael hauls all the kids out to the van while I pay and grab our food. I'm sure I heard a huge sigh of relief from the waitstaff as the door shut behind us.

We get in the car and Libby now feels great and wants her macaroni and cheese. So we went to the park and everyone ate their dinner after being told they were not allowed to play on any equipment that spins.

I think it may have been easier just to eat at home.