The Hamburger Joint to End All Hamburger Joints

Mr C finally got to celebrate his Amazing Race win last season with dinner out on Saturday night.  If the truth be told, he "won" with a Mexican Cantina as his choice, but we kindly asked him to reconsider.  None of the girls in the family like the restaurant he choose. Thanks Mr C for caving into peer pressure (sister pressure?) just this once!!

The "winning" restaurant is an old fashioned Hamburger Joint that serves it's burgers on paper napkin.  It's a place that I used to go with my grandparents and we'd scout out the Fly Boys from a nearby Air Force Base.  Only back then, the restaurant was in a small old house that while it served great burgers and fries left much to be desired in decor. 

Today, its a hip restaurant with fun nostalgic pictures and memorabilia and big flat screen televisions. Their burgers, however, are just as good, and maybe even better than I remember.  Miss A said their grilled cheese might have been the best she's ever tasted and Miss M and Mr C thought the fries were to die for.

There is something about a great burger joint that just makes you feel All-American.  The fact that the San Francisco 49'ers game was playing in the background only added to the atmosphere.  I think Mr C is contemplating trying the "Stellanator" the next time we go.  It's like 8 patties, buns and all the fixings.  Considering the record is 156 attempts and only 3 successful patrons, I'm not thinking he has a chance. His picture sure would look cute on the Wall of Shame though!

Teenage boys have bigger eyes than stomachs even when they are growing like a weed. I'm glad this Burger Joint is a little bit of a drive for us because if he had the chance to build up his stamina he might just make it.

We can hardly wait for the next Amazing Race Season to begin; I'm already planning my winning restaurant.  I've got to win one of these times, don't I?

Amazing Race Season 19: Go Big or Go Home

It's our favorite time of the year, Amazing Race season, and it is time to kick back on Sunday nights and watch a little adventure.  This season started off  a little differently with no one eliminated the first week, and two teams kicked off the 2nd week making it hard to draw teams until the now 9 teams were finalized.  With only nine teams, I volunteered to be one man down from the beginning.  I figured I'd "go big or go home" and would pick a fancy restaurant and would hold out hope of finally making it to the finale and winning.  I am the only one who has yet to win.

My team (random drawing obviously) was Kaylani and Lisa the Cocktail Waitresses from Vegas or as Miss M calls them "the Show Girls from Sin City!"  My restaurant choice: Bonefish Grill.  Go big or go home remember was my theme.  Of course who knew that the first week out I'd be going home?  I'm out. 

Thankfully, I enjoy cheering for other teams too.  In fact, as it became evident that my team was going to be out, Miss A jumped up and said not to worry as she'd be sharing with me.   Mr C and Miss M volunteered too, but they weren't as enthusiastic.  My husband volunteered too, but I think it's because he was just thrilled no Bonefish Grill.

Here's our picks for Season 19:  All randomly drawn

Miss M: 

• Amant and Marcus (former Pro Football Player)- Red Mango for dinner
• Bill and Cathy (grandparents) Panera for Lunch

Mr C:

• Ernie and Cindy (newly engaged) El Agulia Mexican Restaurant
• Liz and Marie (twin sisters)  Cine and Dine Movie Theater

Miss A:

• Justin and Jennifer ( brother and sister) Five Guys
• Laurence and Zac (father and son)  Yogurt Shop and Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Dad:

• Andy and Tommy (pro snowboarders) Netties Mexican Cafe
• Jeremy and Sandy (engaged couple) Stellas Hamburger Joint

I think this is going to be a great season even if there is no shot of me winning.  Now, I can watch without trepidation of wondering who is going to be eliminated.

Amazing Race; Miss A Wins!

Miss A was on Cloud 9 on Sunday night after the finale of The Amazing Race. Never before had she gone into the final race with a team of her own to cheer for, but this was the exception season, unfinished business for not only the teams themselves, but for Miss A. She wanted her team to cross the finish line so bad.

Not because she'd chosen a fancy restaurant to go to in celebration. She wanted Mom's homemade Panko Chicken Nuggets and Red Mango for dessert. It wasn't about the food, it was the victory that she was after. All week we talked about how "amazing" it was that both Mom and Miss A had teams going into the final legs. We joked about Dad and Miss M going down in defeat.

Sadly, in the final elimination before the finale my own team was sent packing. (Meaning I'm still rating 0 on making it to the finals) Miss A and P were quick to offer their teams for me cheer to victory. Considering that a win for P meant a visit to a Soul Food Cafe, I jumped on Miss A's bandwagon. Guess you could say I fear Fried Chicken, Grits and Collard Greens. Call me sheltered! Either that or I just love to see an underdog win.

Miss A could hardly contain her joy as her team sailed through the finale and appeared destined to win it all. There was jumping and screaming and high fives all around. She was a good sport, but I know deep down she was thrilled that Dad and Miss M were struggling. As she said, Miss "M" has won this too many times to count and no one wants to eat dad's food." Guess you could say she was overtly excited to be the Amazing Race Winner.

On Monday morning when I woke her up for school, the first thing she asked me was if I'd "cheered for her team because I wanted her to win or if I was more afraid of going to Dad's restaurant." I assured her I was cheering for her. I was thrilled that she finally won the Amazing Race and couldn't wait to go to Red Mango and make Chicken Nuggets!

Now, we just to find a night a that we are all home in the evening and not heading to an event before 6:00 p.m. Have I said how much I love May?

Congrats Miss A on your victory!! Way to go. Hope next season you can cheer me on to my finale win too!!

Amazing Race Season 18 : We're Off

Amazing Race 18: Unfinished Business. It's going to be a wild ride! We are having such a great time watching this new season of Amazing Race.

Favorite line thus far: Cowboy Jett when he saw that a challenge involved sailing said, "I'm from Oklahoma, I don't do water. I don't even take a bath." We were rolling on the floor.

For the first time ever, we drew names. The only exception was if you had teams from previous years you could draw with just those names. Miss A took this option and got one team from the past. For her other team, she went potluck. Poor Miss M was a little disappointed in her teams. She actually has two of her former teams; both of which she did not really care for, but you know she's won the most times so it's hard to have much sympathy for her!

Here's our teams for the season:

Miss A: Ron & Christina- the Pizza Place. A's very excited for this team
LaKisha & Jennifer - Red Mango Yogurt and Homemade Chicken Nuggets
( this is A's repeat team, we call them the basketball girls )

Miss M: Gary & Mallory-Jimmy's Egg. Miss M loves to eat breakfast out, so she's really psyched for this place.
Kent & Vyxsin- Texas Roadhouse Not really Kent and Vyxsin-like, but should be fun.

Mr. C: Jamie & Cara- Riverside Catfish Restaurant. This is a real dive, but a great place for fried catfish, hush puppies and watching the boaters on the river moon the quests-can it get better?
Jet & Cord (the Cowboys)-Thai Pepper Restaurant
Mr. C is really pulling for the Cowboys, they seem like such nice guys. Plus, C wants to eat food from Thailand as it sounds exotic. Hope he can take the heat!

P: Flightime & Big Easy-Big Mama's Soul food Restaurant . I told him this was stereotyping, but considering the kids had fried chicken and collard greens to celebrate Black History Month at school, I guess it's OK. (Plus the food is supposively awesome and we've talked about going there for a while)
Margie & Luke- Netties Mexican Cafe. This restaurant holds special memories as we used to take Grammy there for dinner. I remember one time when I was pregnant with Mr. C, I spent most of the time in the "restroom" losing my dinner. The food is according to Mr. Texas very authentic.

Jill: Zev & Justin- Stellas Hamburgers. My grandfather first introduced to me this dive of a hamburger joint when I was in college. He loved to go there and see the "fly boys" as he called the guys from the local air force base.
Mel & Mike- Cheesecake Factory. Who am I kidding? This group will be the first team eliminated.

I think this could be the best season of Amazing Race we've watched. The fact that we "know" these teams means that we have preset ideas about how they will do and what challenges they will be good at, but the reality is it's any one's race to win.

I've told Miss A that I think we are going to both be in the finale. A girl can dream can't she?

Musings of a Weekend

I love weekends. Only thing I don't like about them is how quickly they fly by. It seems like one minute its Friday afternoon and the next thing you know it's Sunday night.

Miss A said that last week was one of her favorite weeks "ever". With two play dates at our house and a play date at a friends house, how could it be any better. The fact that Friday's play date included twins means that it was almost like a "double playdate."

Friday night was Family Fun Night at church with jumpers, volleyball, Blimpies sandwiches, a fabulous magician, and friends. Oh my! All three kids had a chance to burn off some energy before Mr. C's 9:00 p.m. basketball game. Good thing P was willing to take him.

Saturday, we all got to see Mr. C in action at his basketball tournament. He was a rebounding machine and at one point got more "air" than Michael Jordan. Not that I really know anything about basketball. I did however enjoy knitting while watching and only had one "yarn offense" as Miss M called it when my ball of yarn escaped my lap and went across the court!

After a hectic Sunday, with more events than people, we decided it was time to "cash" in on the Amazing Race dinner out. Miss M's team of Lady Doc's had won meaning we were heading out for Mexican. A perfect way to end a weekend; chips, salsa, queso and tacos. Now we are strategizing how best to determine teams for the upcoming Amazing Race "unfinished business" Edition that starts on February 20th. Will we keep our "old" teams or will it be a random drawing? Decisions, decisions.

Can't wait for next weekend, or as Miss A called it the 2nd Holiday of the new year; Superbowl Sunday!

The Race Begins Again: Amazing Race

We love Sunday nights around here. After a great day of worship, rest, and usually a few chores or softball/baseball games, we are ready to kick back and watch some great television. You know the kind you can watch with your entire family and not blush or cringe or worse yet, shake your head in disbelief and walk away.

Around here, we love Amazing Race It's fun, educational, laughable and for the most part family friendly. I've waxed on in the past about why we are such big Amazing Race fans and how we cheer each team to victory, especially our "own teams.

This year, we had a NFL draft of sorts to pick our teams. Miss A had watched the first episode with her Nana and came up with her list of who she thought each team should "go" to, along with "names for teams." Once the rest of our family watched the episode Monday night (love you DVR) with Miss A sitting on her hands and zipping her lip, we had our little Draft.

You see, while some of us would be willing to just draw names out of a hat and take our chances, others are a little more set on who they think they should have. Who knew team color and cuteness played such a factor in ability to race around the world!

This year we compromised. OK, really we always let Miss A win and now Mr C and Miss M are catching on and making demands themselves. Come on people, shouldn't the parents get to "win" once in awhile? But, I digress.

After pulling names out of a hat, we allowed "Free Agents" to be traded. You can read here; the good teams went to the children. In other words, Miss A, Miss M and Mr C all got exactly who they wanted and the parents were stuck with the leftovers.

Just to prove my point, one of my teams has already been eliminated. Of course, it was the restaurant I was most excited to go to!! Let's just say next season, I'm stacking the deck in my favor so don't tell anyone.


I now present Amazing Race Season 17: Our Teams -everyone gets two teams

Miss A: Katie and Rachel-The Volleyball Players
Our most favorite Japanese Restaurant ( yes this place won before, but not with her)

Connor & Jonathan- Team Glee
Hy Vee Pizza ( yes it's a grocery store, but she LOVES it!)

Miss M: Nat & Kat- The Lady Doctors
Local Tex/Mex Restaurant with a Homemade Tortilla Machine

Gary & Mallory- Father & Daughter (she's a former Pageant Girl)
The Pizza Place Takeout and Family Movie Night

Mr. C : Michael & Kevin: Father & Son ( C thinks the son is really smart)
A New Sushi Restaurant ( Miss A hopes they have rice!)

Nick & Vicki: The Tattoo Couple (* story to follow)
A Dive Taco Joint near downtown-great food, seedy area

P: Chad & Stephanie: The Cute Stupid Couple ( Dad always gets this "group")
A Family Owned Diner-With Great Hot Beef Sandwiches

Brook & Claire: The QVC Hosts ( same theme as team #1 - just best friends)
A Bohemian/German Restaurant -known for Dumplings and Kraut

J: Andie & Jenna: Birth Mom and Daughter-Just reunited
Thai Restaurant They were eliminated this week

Jill & Thomas: Newly Dating Couple
BBQ & Blues Joint - I love their red cabbage slaw, it's to die for!

* Nick and Vicki the Tattoo Couple in episode one were complete idiots. I hate to use that word, but there is no other word as strong to describe how they were acting. I told the kids that the reason they were not "too smart" was because with each tattoo a bit of your brain cells escaped out our body. They totally bought the idea!!

To prove my point, when Nick and Vicki checked in the pit stop at the end of the race, the Host asked them what country they were in and Vicki said; "London." Phil asked her to repeat herself, she said " Yes, the Country of London. " Phil said " Oh, yes the country of London."

Needless to say we were rolling on the floor laughing.

We can't wait to watch the Amazing Race this year!