When the Girls are Away the Boys will Eat Suishi

While Miss A, Miss M, and I were living the life in Chicago, the boys were holding down the fort and having a little fun too.  I was so sad that, while I was gone, a Red Cross Blood Drive was happening at our elementary school that I was helping to organize for close friends.  I love to see people come out and give life saving blood.  It is a gift that really requires only about an hour of time and a little bit of courage.

Saturday, March 3rd's event was honoring our family friend Cole who is fighting Leukemia.  We challenged people to be Courageous Like Cole and give blood.  Boy did they.  The event brought in 66 people who donated over 54 units of blood. Wow!  Thankfully, Mr C and P were able to go up to the event and volunteer.  P gave blood and C helped with the Canteen.

There is just something about community and how these people in our school and city support those around us!  The boys said that there were a number of people who came to give blood for the first time ever.  That's courage.  I loved getting updates via text throughout the day and the pictures that P took brought me great joy.

Of course, it couldn't be all work for the boys while we were away.  Since Mr C was on spring break, he and P had lunch out on Monday (while we were standing outside in cold Chicago, I'm just saying) at an All You Can Eat Sushi restaurant.  Mr C has been begging to go for months and, since the girls would just "die" eating raw fish, they took this opportunity to indulge.  According to both father and son, the sushi was fabulous and for $30 they were full the rest of the day!  Now that's a bargain if you can feed Mr C for just $15 a day.

Mr C is already thinking that this should become a monthly trip for the boys; some serious male bonding.  I wonder if a mother will ever be allowed to tag along?

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?