Thursday, July 30, 2009

Thoughts

Something has changed in our world today. Today I found out that my grandfather had died from … my cousin’s status update on facebook. Yes, my grandfather had been near death for days, yes my aunt did text my home phone number, but still … a facebook status update, really?

This week I have been at my mom’s with my sister and our combined 4 children. My sister and I have been coming down to my mom’s in Wimberley ever since ... we could! We came when we had just had our girls in 2004, Sydney was almost 5 months and Madeleine was three weeks old. For two years we rented a minivan and even brought a little port-a-potty that the girls LOVED to take turns in (while we were driving!) Then, this year Lee and I bought a Honda Pilot that has a third row of seats so we were able to fit four car seats and two adults into the car. One of my friends was telling me about how every summer she would get together with her two sisters who lived in different states and they would have cousin camp for their children. So, my sister and I every summer will have cousin camp for our children at Nana and Papa’s. Good thing Nana has a swimming pool!

This week while we have been at my mom’s we have had lots of fun. We have laughed, we swam until we looked like wrinkled up raisins, and we watched deer amble by with their young. This week we have also been sitting a vigil as we have been waiting to hear about two of my family members as they pass from this life into the next. One was my mother’s brother, my Uncle Mike. Uncle Mike and I share a name, his given name was Michael Kerry Nicholls, and I am Kerry Susanne Sumpter Smith. Uncle Mike came down to visit us in Texas every year. He lived in Manassas, Virginia, and worked at the FDIC where he was in charge of important computer stuff. He had lived with diabetes for 30 years and it had taken its toll. When my mom and I went to visit him over Memorial Day weekend he had had one foot amputated and had just been admitted to the hospital so they could amputate a toe from the other foot. My Uncle Mike was quiet, but you knew he cared. He would say, “Hmmm,” in conversations but you knew he listened. And I always knew that he loved his family to the core of his being: his dad, my Grandpa, and his sister, my mom, and his brother, my Uncle Gil. I was not able to witness his relationship with my mom, my grandmother, because she died when I was 6 months old, but I know that they were very close.

The other family member was my Grandpap Sumpter. My last living grandparent. My dad’s father. Kristin and I would visit Grandpap Sumpter at his condo in Sarasota, Florida every summer. I remember the rootbeer floats he would make us, the way that he would dry off our feet so we wouldn’t track any sand into the condo. I remember the way he would dry my hair with a towel when I was little, it hurt! I remember the way that he would put his hand at my back as he would lead me into the car or around the Publix grocery store. My Grandpap Sumpter was a big war hero in World War II, but to me he was just my Grandpap. Sure, he had his medals on the wall, sure he was crotchety and grumpy, and turned the television on way too loud, but he was my Grandpap and he loved me and I loved him. My Grandpap Sumpter will be buried next to my Grandma who died in 1984. Although Grandpap Sumpter remarried in 1985 to Mary Etta, and they lived 25 years together.

So, this week we have been waiting to hear when both my Uncle Mike and my Grandpap Sumpter would die. The waiting seemed to be the hardest part. The not knowing, the inability to make plans, the waiting to cry, the waiting to grieve. Uncle Mike died last night (Wednesday) and Grandpap Sumpter died early this morning (Thursday). The interesting thing about my family though is that my sister and I will be the only ones who might attend both funerals. My Uncle Mike is on my mother’s side and my Grandpap Sumpter is on my father’s side. I never would have thought that those two individuals would die within hours of one another. Yet, both will be cremated, and laid to rest within 4 hours driving distance of one another, Grandpap Sumpter in Pittsburgh and Uncle Mike in Manassas, Virginia.

It feels weird to be on the side of life where the people that were so influential in my growing up years are getting older and older. How can I be that old already? How can I no longer have a living grandparent? How can my uncle have died? God doesn’t promise us a long life, God doesn’t promise us a healthy life, God promises us that God will not leave us, God will never stop loving us, God will not give up on us. As Madeleine and Sydney sang in Vacation Bible School tonight at my mom’s church, “Our God is an awesome God, he reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power, and love, our God is an awesome God.” God is awesome, and the gift of our lives is simply that, a gift. May we live every day as a gift, and if we find something horrible out on facebook instead of in a phone call, well, the world has changed. Will we embrace it or not?

Friday, July 17, 2009

Restaurants

When we were younger, my sister would cut out pictures of her favorite music stars and celebrities from magazines. For the last couple of years I have cut out recipes and restaurant recommendations from magazines. So, earlier this year I decided to put the recipes onto the computer and compile my list of restaurant recommendations. These are restaurants in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This week Madeleine and I tried the snow cones at Aunt Stelle's in Oak Cliff. They were delicious! As I have progressed through my list of restaurants, I thought that I would share it. If I had already been to a restaurant that was recommended, then I would not write it on the list since I had already been there (this is a list of places where I want to eat). However, if a dish or drink was recommended that I had not tried even though I had been to the restaurant, then I would write it on the list. I indicated at the end of each listing if it was good or okay. The list can always be expanded and added to, but here is the list so far...

1. Adelmo’s (before 6:30pm) 4537 cole 214-559-0325
2. Afrah restaurant 314 e main Richardson 972-234-9898
3. Allgood café (Sunday brunch and tues night) 2934 main st 2-742-5362
4. Alo Cenaduria and Piqueos 4447 N Central Expressway 214-520-9711
5. Ama Lur 1501 Gaylord Trail Grapevine 817-778-2215
6. Amici 1022 S Broadway Rd, Carrollton 9-245-3191
7. Angelo’s Italian grill (seafood manicotti and chicken formaggio) 6341 La Vista 2-823-5566
8. Another broken egg café buckner and garland casa Linda 2-954-7182 (GOOD)
9. Aparicio (refried beans) 216 E Virginia McKinney 2-733-8600
10. Arcodoro & Pomodoro (polenta al nero di sepia con calamaretti, roasted suckling pig on Tuesday) 2708 Routh 2-871-1924
11. Ari’s Wine Bistro (cheese plate) 4514 Travis 2-252-9595
12. Asia world market 240 legacy plano
13. Asian mint (Mon and Tues dinner) 11617 central 2-363-6655
14. Aunt stelle’s sno-cones 2002 w clarenson 2-10 pm Thursday-Sunday, april-october (GREAT)
15. Aventino's 3206 Winthrop Ave Fort Worth 8-731-0711 dinner only
Avila’s (salsa, chiles rellenos) 4714 maple 2-520-2700
16. Bangkok city (delivered) 4503 Greenville Ave (214) 691-8233
17. Bella restaurant 2626 Howell 2-855-5001
18. Benedict’s (eggs benedict) 4800 belt line Addison 9-490-0500
19. Benito’s 1450 W Magnolia Fort Worth 817-332-8633
20. Bistro b (grilled pork over vermicelli) 9780 walnut 2-575-9885
21. Bistro Louise 2900 S Hulen Fort Worth 8-922-9244
22. Blue artichoke café (curried chicken salad) 1225 N Industrial Blvd 2-741-0034 (GREAT)
23. Blue mesa (Sunday brunch, wed lunch buffet) 5100 beltline 9-934-0165
24. Bo bo china (potstickers, moo shu pork)10630 church
25. Bolla 2927 maple 214-871-7111
26. Bolsa (flatbread with Italian sausage) 614 w davis 2-367-9367
27. Boston Burger 9205 Skillman St
28. Breadwinners (Sat/Sun brunch, chocolate seduction cake) 3301 McKinney
29. Brix Pizza 2747 S Hulen Fort Worth 817-924-2749
30. Buli Café (chocolate fudge cake) 3908 cedar springs 2-528-5410 (GREAT)
Buttons 4701 I-30 at Hulen Fort Worth 8-735-4900
31. Café amore (cannelloni & spumoni ice cream 6505 w park plano 9-781-0310
cafe amore 600 N Coit Richardson 9-699-8322
cafe carmel (breakfast) 13410 preston Rd 9-726-9800 7:30 am-3pm
cafe gecko 5290 Beltline at Montfort 9-458-9884
32. Café italia (chicken fried pork tenderloin, lasagna) 4615 w lovers 2-357-4200
33. Café Madrid 4501 Travis 2-528-1731
34. Café Malaga w Virginia mckinney
35. Café Modern 3200 Darnell St Fort Worth 817-840-2157
36. Café on the Green 4150 N MacArthur Blvd Irving 75038 9-717-2420
37. Café Pacific 24 Highland Park Village 214-526-1170
38. Café Rembrandt (beef sate, seafood chowder, bitter balls, tiny croquettes of beef) 703 mckinney
39. Café San Miguel 1907 N Henderson 2-370-9815
40. Campania (neopolitan pie) 3800 McKinney 2-780-0605 (GREAT)
41. Capital Grille (calamari, wedge salad, french onion soup, steak) 500 Crescent Ct 2-303-0500 (GREAT!!!!)
42. Capitol pub (eggs benedict, Sunday brunch) 2401 n Henderson 2-887-9330
43. Capriccio 5301 alpha 9-991-3939
44. Caravelle Chinese (pork with vermicelli) 400 n Greenville 9-437-6388
45. Casa Milagro 1403 E Campbell Rd, Richardson 972-234-6999
46. Cavalli pizza 3601 regent blvd irving 9-915-0001
47. Central 214 5680 N Central Exp Dallas 2-443-9339
48. Chaat café 6550 n macarthur irving 9-506-7444
49. Chamberlain’s fish market (lobster menu)4525 belt line 972-503-3474 (GOOD)
50. Chamberlain’s steak and chop house (broccoli, filet, baked potato) (GREAT)
51. Charlie palmer at the joule 1530 main 214-261-4600
52. Chic from Barcelona 11909 preston
53. Chicken frenzy incorporated 9960 audelia
54. Chocolate angel 635 w Campbell 9-234-8099 (GOOD)
55. Chow thai (mango cheesecake) 5290 belt line 9-960-2999
56. Cibus northpark (GOOD)
citrus bistro 5930 Royal at Preston 2-750-6282
58. Classic Café at Roanoke 504 N Oak 8-430-8185
59. Clay Pit Grill and Curry House (mango margarita cocktail) 4460 Belt Line Addison
60. Coal vines (tiramisu float) 2404 cedar springs
coast global seafood 7501 Lone Star Dr. Plano 9-265-4722 dinner only
61. Corner market (palo pinto pimento cheese) 3426 greenville
62. Covino’s pizza (cheesecake)3265 independence plano 9-519-0345
63. Cowboy chow (lunch, mash tater parfait, chicken potpie, fried lollipop, ranch cigars) 2801 commerce 2-742-2469 (GOOD)
64. Craft (grassy knoll cocktail) 2440 Victory Park 2-397-4111
65. Cremona bistro 2704 Worthington 2-871-1115
66. Curly’s Frozen Custard 4017 Camp Bowie Blvd Fort Worth 817-763-8700
67. Daddy jack’s (dinner - mussels, rhubarb pie) 1916 greenville 2-826-4910
68. Dairy-ette 9785 ferguson
69. Dallas fish market (Beverly hills roll, sunset menu) 1501 main 214-744-3474
70. Desperado’s 4818 Greenville Ave 214-363-1850 and 3443 W Campbell Road, Richardson
71. DiTerra’s Urban Italian 1928 Greenville 2-824-8700
72. Divine coffee shop (breakfast tacos) nwest hwy and Ferndale 2-221-4659
73. Double-Dip Frozen Custard 7511 Main St Frisco 9-377-8668
74. Dragonfly (wed dinner) 2332 Leonard Street 214-550-9500
75. Dream Café (Sunday brunch, cloud cakes) 2800 Routh 2-954-0486
76. Dutch’s (burgers, No. 4) 3009 S University Dr. Fort Worth 817-927-5522
77. Ed’s deli (the mayor rudy with potato salad) 12817 preston
Eddie V's Prime seafood 3100 W 7th Fort Worth 8-336-8000 Dinner only
78. El centro college (Tues dinner or Thurs lunch) 801 main st 2-860-2048
79. El Jordan (enchilada) 416 N Bishop 2-941-4451
80. El Piasa 10091 Harry Hines Blvd
81. El Ranchito 610 W Jefferson Blvd 214-946-4238
82. Escondido (taco) 2210 Butler 2-634-2056
83. Esperanza’s Mexican Café 2122 N Main St Fort Worth 817-626-5770 or 1109 Hemphill Fort Worth 817-332-3848
84. Esteban’s restaurant (chiles relleno) firewheel 430 winecup wy, garland 9-496-2300
85. Fearings (Sun brunch, pancakes, fried chicken) 2121 McKinney 2-922-4848
86. Ferrari’s Italian villa (veal) 14831 midway Addison 9-980-9898
87. Ferre ristorante (salmon) 3699 mckinney 2-522-3888
88. Fireside pies (meatball grinder) 2820 N Henderson
89. First Chinese bbq (duck) 111 s Greenville Richardson 9-680-8216
90. Five Sixty 300 Reunion Blvd 2-741-5560
91. Flip’s patio grill (fried pickle chips) 415 hwy 114 grapevine 817-251-9800
92. Forty Five Ten (cranberry pecan chicken salad and lemon pie with pistachio crust) Tuesday-Saturday 11-2 4510 McKINNEY AVENUE 214.559.4510 (GREAT)
93. Fred’s Texas Café (Diablo burger and fries) 915 Currie Fort Worth 817-332-0083
94. French Room 1321 Commerce 2-742-8200
95. Frosted Art Bakery (cupcakes) 1546 Edison 2-760-8707
96. Fuel City breakfast tacos 801 S Industrial Blvd 2-426-0011 (GREAT!)
97. Fuqua winery 3737 atwell 2-769-1147 http://fuquawines.com/
98. Fuse 1512 Commerce 2-742-3873
99. Garden café (garden plate) 5310 junius 2-887-8330
100. Go Fish 4950 Belt Line Addison 9-980-1919
101. Grill and deli stop (breakfast and lunch, breakfast croissant, hot reuben at lunch, baklava) 9918 plano
102. Hattie’s (key lime martini cocktail) 418 Bishop
103. Herrera’s (chips) 4001 Maple Ave 2-528-9644
104. Intl culinary school (Fri dinner) 8080 park ln 469-587-1276
105. J&J Oyster Bar (fries, crawfish sausage) 612 N University Dr Fort Worth 817-335-2756
106. Jasper’s (eggs benedict for breakfast, crab cakes, chiles rellenos) 7161 bishop plano 469-229-9111
107. Jimmy’s food store (the Cuban) 4901 bryan
Jinbeh 2440 S. Stemmons Fwy Lewisville 2-488-2224
108. K Tokyo (sushi, karaoke at 10pm) 2217 Greenville
109. Kalachandji’s restaurant 5430 Gurley Ave 2-821-1048
110. Kathleen’s sky diner (Sunday 5pm meatloaf sandwich) 4424 lovers 2-691-2355
111. Kavala Mediterranean 1417 W Davis 2-942-8100
112. Kazy’s gourmet shop (sushi and teriyaki bowl takeout 10 am-7 pm mon-sat or until 6pm on sun) 9256 markville at lbj 9-235-4831
113. Keiichi 500 N Elm Denton 940-230-3410
114. Kelly’s Eastside 1422 Ave K, Plano 972-424-9200
115. Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill 5000 Belt Line 9-392-9663
116. Kereje (doro wot, kereje kitfo, yebeg tibes) 7015 greenville 2-234-0779
117. Kirin Ct (Sat/Sun brunch dim sum) 221 W Polk Richardson 2-575-8888
118. Kotta sushi lounge 6959 lebanon frisco
119. Kuai dumplings 325 n st paul 972-789-1199
120. Kuby’s (reuben) 6601 snider plaza
121. La duni (Sat/Sun brunch) 4620 McKinney 2-520-7300
122. La me (buu dien) 9780 walnut 9-669-8515
123. La Popular (tamales) 5004 Columbia 2-824-7617
124. Lambert’s (fried tomatoes) 2731 white settlement fort worth 817-882-1161
125. Lanny’s alta cocina 3405 w 7th Fort Worth 817-850-9996
126. Lavendou 19009 Preston 972-248-1911
127. Le cordon bleu of Dallas (Tuesday-Friday dinner) 11830 webb chapel 2-647-8509
128. Legal grounds (until 2pm - mushroom soup, lemon chicken salad, cookies) 2015 abrams
129. Little Katana 4527 Travis 2-443-9600
130. Local (green beans) 2936 elm st 2-752-7500 (OKAY)
Louie's 1839 N Henderson 2-826-0505 dinner only
131. Love shack (burger, raspberry shake, quail egg) 110 E Exchange Fort Worth 817-740-8812
132. Lucky’s café (sleazy grilled cheese with onion rings) 3531 Oak Lawn (GREAT)
133. Madras pavilion (lunch buffet veggie) 101 s coit Richardson 9-671-3672
134. Maguire's Regional Cuisine 17552 Dallas Parkway 972-818-0068
135. Mai’s (clay pot) 4812 bryan 2-826-9887
136. Mansion restaurant 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd 2-443-4747
137. Matt’s Rancho Martinez (chiles rellenos and Bob Armstrong dip) 6332 La Vista 2-823-5517 (Good)
138. Mecca Restaurant (cinnamon rolls) 10422 Harry Hines Blvd (214) 352-0051 (OKAY)‎
139. Mercury Grill (lobster soufflé, pork belly, pearl couscous carbonara) 11909 Preston 972-960-7774
140. Mermaid bar (duke of Windsor sandwich) neiman’s northpark
141. Mexicali (quesadillas) 11277 e nw hwy
142. Mi Piaci 14854 Montford Dr 972-934-8424
143. Mia’s tex-mex (brisket tacos) 4322 lemmon 2-526-1020
144. Michelle’s homestyle cooking (smothered pork chops, hot water cornbread) 9203 skillman at lbj
145. Mignon (Sat/Sun brunch) 4005 Preston Plano 9-943-3372
The mint 4646 Oak Lawn 2-219-6468
146. Mirabelle 17610 Midway Road 972-733-0202
147. Monica’s (tues night) 2914 main st 2-748-7140
148. Morton’s the steakhouse (thousand island dressing) 501 elm 2-741-2277
149. Motopia 4123 n central 2-443-8389 (OKAY)
150. N9ne steakhouse ($45 in 45) 3090 olive 2-720-9901
151. Nam Hua Vietnamese Cuisine 3112 N Jupiter, Garland 972-414-8638
152. Nana 2201 stemmons 2-761-7470
153. Natsumi Gelato 2323 N Henderson 2-823-1707
154. Neighborhood services 5027 w lovers 214-350-5027 (GREAT!!!!!)
Neuhaus Cafe Preston at Royal nw corner 2-739-4600
155. Newport's Seafood and Steaks 703 McKinney Ave. 214-954-0220
156. Nick and Sam’s (filet mignon for $37) 3008 Maple 2-871-7444
157. Nobu (avocado/shrimp tempura) 400 Crescent Ct 2-252-7000
158. Nonna Tata 1400 W Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth 817-332-0250
159. Nove (limoncello drop cocktail) 3090 Olive 2-720-9903
160. Nuevo leon 12895 josey 9-488-1984
161. Oishii (tues night) 2525 wycliff 2-599-9448
162. Old Town Creamery 6205 Coit Road, Plano 9-673-0285
163. Olivella’s 3406 mcFarlin Blvd 2-528-7070
Paco and John Mexican Diner 1116 8th Avenue Fort Worth 817-810-0032 lunch/brkft only
164. Papou’s (baklava) 2015 abrams 2-824-5800
165. Parigi (Sunday brunch, Caesar salad) 3311 Oak Lawn 2-521-0295
166. Patti’s place 3921 coit plano 9-612-4828 pattiplacetearoom.com
167. Perry’s restaurant (lunch, filet sliders) 2911 routh 214-871-9991 (OKAY)
168. Pho huy 110 s Greenville 972-235-9729
Piola 3700 Mattison Ave Fort Worth 817-989-0007
169. Primo’s (yucatan margarita) 3309 McKinney 2-220-0510
170. Randy White’s BBQ 8999 Main St Frisco 9-377-0540
Railhead smokehouse 2900 Montgomery Fort Worth 8-738-9808
171. Rathburn's Blue Plate Kitchen 6130 Luther Ln 2-890-1103
Reata 310 Houston St. Fort Worth 817-336-1009
172. RJ Mexican Cuisine 1701 N. Market St. 214-744-1420
173. Rocc 5301 alpha 9-991-7622
174. Roma’s (sampler) 7402 greenville 2-373-0500
175. Rooster (Sunday brunch, andouille omelet)3521 oak grove 2-521-1234
176. Roy’s (price fix) 2840 dallas pkwy 9-473-6263
177. S&D Oyster Co (fried oyster po boy, celery shrimp salad) 2701 McKinney Ave at Boll 214-880-0111
178. Saffron house (Sunday brunch) 5100 beltline 9-239-1800
179. Saint-Emilion 3617 W. Seventh St. Fort Worth 817-737-2781
180. Salum 4152 Cole 2-252-9604
181. Sangria Tapas y Bar (sangria cocktail) 4524 Cole 2-520-4863
Scalini's pizza and pasta 2021 Abrams 2-821-8088
182. Screen door (sweet tea) 1722 Routh 2-720-9111 (GOOD)
183. Sea breeze fish market and grill (lobster roll, fish, chips) 4017 Preston Plano 9-473-2722
184. Seventeen Seventeen (split pea soup) 1717 Harwood 2-977-1858 (GOOD)
185. Sheridan’s lattes and frozen custard (chocolate chip custard with new York cheesecake)6033 campbell rd
186. Shine’s medititerranean market (falafel) 14902 preston 9-763-1842
187. Shinsei (d mag special) 7713 inwood 2-352-0005
188. Sol’s taco lounge (Monday) 2626 commerce 2-651-7657
189. Soley (red snapper, churros) 2405 n Henderson 2-485-1302
190. Sorbeteria 7700 W Nw Hwy 2-373-7777
191. Southpaw’s organic café (nutty monkey smoothie) 6009 berkshire 2-987—0351 (OKAY)
192. Spiral Diner 1101 N Beckley Ave (GREAT)
193. Standard 2706 (Sunday brunch) 2706 Elm 2-939-1444
194. State and allen lounge (Monday night) 2400 allen 2-239-1990
195. Steel (wed 5:30-7) 3102 oak lawn 2-219-9908
196. Stein’s bakery (chocolate cake) 417 Preston Valley Shopping Ctr
197. Stephan pyles 1807 ross 2-580-7000
198. Sushi Axiom (cherry blossom roll) 4625 Donnelly Ave Fort Worth 817-735-9100
199. Sushi yama (Tuesday $1 sushi or Wed bento special) 8989 forest
200. Sweet basil (stuffed naan) 17610 midway 9-733-1500
201. Taco Joint 911 N Peak (GREAT)
202. Taj mahal (Sunday dinner from 5-9, )10455 n central expressway
203. Tei tei robata bar 2906 N Henderson 2-828-2400
204. Tei-an 1722 routh 214-220-2828
205. Temptation (Chicken sekuwa) 4070 n belt line irving 2-492-1229
206. Teppo Yakitori and Sushi Bar 2014 Greenville 2-826-8989
207. Thai noodle and rice (flat noodles) 2634 n Fitzhugh 2-827-5828
208. Thai-rrific (lunch) 3068 forest 9-241-2412
209. The feed store 530 s white chapel southlake
210. The Grape (Sun brunch, weeknight before 7 or weekend after 9:30 for $19) 2808 Greenville 2-828-1981
211. The palm (lunch) 701 ross 2-698-0470
212. The Porch (blackberry smash cocktail) 2912 N Henderson (GREAT)
213. The Second Floor (brussel sprouts) 13340 Dallas Pkwy 9-450-2978 (GREAT)
214. The slip inn (best drink, Redheaded slut) 1806 mcmillan ave 2-370-5988 (GOOD)
215. Top golf usa (brunch) park lane and Abrams 2-341-9600
216. Toy’s café (corn patties, tom-kha soup, lunch) 4422 lemmon 214-528-7233
217. Trader Vic’s (scorpion cocktail) 5330 Mockingbird 2-823-0600
218. Tramontana 8220 westchester 2-368-4188
219. Trece (eggs benedict for brunch, bottomless mimosa’s) 4513 travis 2-780-1900
220. Tres Meridas (tostones) 2809 Preston Frisco 9-334-0937
221. Trufire (prosciutto pizza) 6959 lebanon frisco 2-872-3830
222. Trulock’s (chocolate cake) 2401 McKinney 2-220-2401
223. Tukta thai 9625 plano
224. Tutto 2719 McKinney 2-220-0022
225. Vapiano, mockingbird station
226. Veracruz Café 1427 N. U.S. Highway 67 Cedar Hill 972-293-8926
227. Victor tango’s (ahi tuna nachos, pork ribs, burger) 3001 n Henderson 2-252-8595 (GREAT!)
228. Villa-0 (Sunday dinner, turkey meatballs) 4514 travis 2-780-1880
229. Week’s (breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, hash browns, papas, sloppy style) 921 Main Lewisville 9-420-8400
230. Who’s who (kobe burger, vanilla shake) 69 Highland Park Village 2-522-1980 (GOOD)
231. Yao Fuzi Cuisine 4757 W Park Blvd Plano 214-473-9267
232. York street (wed lunch) 6047 lewis 2-826-0968
233. Yukata Sushi Bistro 2633 McKinney Ave, 214-969-5533
234. Zaguan latin café (beef and cheese cachapa) 2604 oak lawn 2-219-8393
235. Zander's House 2300 N Central Expressway Plano 972-943-9199
236. Zen sushi (sakura roll, ceviche) 380 w 7th 2-946-9699
237. Ziziki’s (Sunday brunch) 4515 Travis 2-521-2233 or 15707 Coit Richardson 9-991-4433

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Pictures

Pictures from our trip to Wimberley where my mom and stepdad live...

at Hamilton pool preserve

Mom and Madeleine at Hamilton pool preserve


Lee giving Everett a ride for the 1/4 mile trip down to Hamilton pool preserve

at Trattori Lisina with bowls on heads...

so much fun!


me swimming at mom's

the Smith clan swimming

Lee in one of Madeleine's favorite activities, getting thrown!

Madeleine modeling her new cowgirl boots, thanks Nana!


We had a great time! Besides the swimming, good eating, and relaxing, Lee and I were able to get away and meet Drew (a friend from college) and Anthony for dinner at the Salt Lick. Casey Bernard who recently moved to Austin came swimming with her sons Donovan and Cormac. We took mom out with the kids to our favorite Driftwood Italian place, Trattori Lisina. Mom and Don took us to Hamilton pool preserve and although we couldn't swim because the bacteria levels were too high, it was awesome!

I read a great book while at my mom's, it is called Joker One: A marine platoon's story of courage, leadership, and brotherhood. It was a book where I learned about the war in Iraq and saw how there was such great misunderstanding on both sides, but I also laughed at the stories. It was very well done and I recommend it. There is a great website where you can see photos of the guys that you are reading about.

vacation and its aftermath...

So, we just got back from a family vacation to my mom's awesome house in Wimberley. The kids slept in my mom's guestroom and when they woke up at 6:30 am my saint of a mother and stepdad would entertain them! We never once were awakened by our children! Lee and I slept in the guesthouse which is 30 feet away and has a bathroom, shower, kitchen area, and a large room for lounging and sleeping. The most awesome thing about my mom's is the pool, it's a salt water pool and the deer walk by the fence and the vultures fly over head looking for things to eat. Swimming with Madeleine was so much fun, diving for dive sticks, seeing who had the best cannonball, and having handstand competitions. Everett became more comfortable every day, at first he was only okay if every limb was in contact with me, Lee, or Nana. Today he was walking onto the top step of the pool by himself, but had more fun throwing the dive sticks into the pool for us.

So, now the aftermath of vacation. We dropped Madeleine off at my dad and stepmom's near Fort Worth because they are going to take Madeleine to see a play of Rumpelstiltskin tomorrow. The first thing we did when we got home was check on Madeleine's fish. This was a present for Madeleine's 5th Birthday, the fish tank is in her room and our wonderful neighbor had been taking care of the fish while we were gone. Lee comes out of Madeleine's room to say, "there is only one fish?" So, I ask Lee to go next door and thank the neighbor and find out if one fish died while we were gone. Lee comes back to say that the neighbor says that there was only ever one fish. So, we start looking for the dead fish. It is nowhere, not in the fish house, not in the plants, not in the gravel, and there is a lid on top of the fish tank so we know it didn't jump out.

Lee and I decide that one fish ate the other fish. So, now the dilemma, do I run out and buy another fish before Madeleine returns from the play or do I explain it to her? And what if the remaining fish eats the new fish? Maybe the remaining fish is meant to be a solitary fish?

The moral dilemmas of being a parent, to lie or not to lie...

Now, to download photos so I can post them!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

A great read!

I really enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The characters were wonderful and while the letters format seemed a bit boring at first, it did get good fast. I have been on a World War II kick lately, I read Defiance (after really enjoying the movie. I loved Daniel Craig, but I also was fascinated at the story of 1200 Jews surviving in the forest for 2 1/2 years during WW II). I also had the Rape of Europa on my "to read" list but instead saw the documentary on our netflix view on demand (I love our Blu-Ray player!) and was fascinated about the art that was stolen during WW II. When I visited the Hermitage with my mom, stepdad, and sister in 1996 (I think it was 1996), we saw the Hidden Treasures exhibit, and I was amazed at all of the impressionist pieces that Russia had stolen from the Germans who had stolen them from .... many nameless folks.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The 4th of July parade!

I feel so blessed to have the kids with me at Oak Lawn UMC in a great school, the Oak Lawn Child Development Center. It has been around for 44 years and the kids love going to school. Today they had their annual 4th of July parade where the kids walked around (Everett was in a baby buggy) the church and then the 2 oldest classes sang Yankee Doodle Dandy, You're a Grand Old Flag, God Bless America, and a few others that I am forgetting. It was such fun!


the two oldest classes singing, Madeleine is in the back row.


Kids in Everett's class who are keeping their sunglasses on.


Everett who was not keeping his sunglasses on.


Madeleine in her 4th of July dress.



Why didn't we think of these?


Madeleine loves her latest birthday present from my stepsister Terri (Tia to the nieces and nephews). But seriously, why didn't we think of this, market a dress with a matching dress for your doll.