out to lunch... in more ways than one

my family has come out to visit me for two summers in a row. i love having my family on my turf for a while. before the first of those summer visits, however, my mother started "weight watchers" online. she was on her way to losing somewhere around 30 pounds which is phenomenal. i was thoroughly impressed with her achievement...and at the same time instantly tired of the points of it all. i'd hear, "i need to get on the computer to enter my points for today," right as i was getting ready to shoot someone an email. "i shouldn't have eaten that. now i'm over the points for today," after i'd made a big dinner for the whole family. and my personal favorite, "do you know how many points are in that?" usually occurred right as i was getting ready to shove something in my mouth. fabulous.

this summer's visit was less painful. the weight loss was done and the "maintaining" had begun. still, on a rare moment of mommy bliss, we were able to go out to lunch without four kids, without a time to return. for a mommy of four, there isn't anything much better. now, i have a philosophy when i go out to eat. i rarely get to go to a grown up restaurant that doesn't involve some sort of playground or food wrapped in paper. when i do get to experience that luxury, i'm going to enjoy it. i only order something i can't make at home (or won't because of the time it would take), i'm not going to worry about the calories, and i'm going to eat every bite. that's just the way i roll.

when my mother ordered a dry turkey sandwich on wheat bread without cheese and a bowl of fruit, i looked at her like she was growing another head. "you're going to pay $10.00 for that?" hadn't that pretty much been our standard lunch at home for the past week? i just don't get it. while i was on my way chomping through a huge chicken sandwich...with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos and a chipotle mayonnaise, she looks at me with half of her sandwich gone and asks if i'd like the other half. she couldn't possibly eat another bite. seriously? "you can't eat another bite because it tastes like you're eating cardboard!" just because i ordered a meal that actually looks appetizing, doesn't mean that i'm some sort of glutton that needs a meal and a half to feel full. even if i had still been hungry, i would have gone to order some decadent dessert instead of eating her unappetizing leftovers.

we left the restaurant shortly after. we were both $10.00 poorer. my plate was pretty much empty. hers still held the leftover half of a dry sandwich. maybe that's what it takes for a smaller pant size. maybe it's worth it. still, i think i'll take bigger pants over a 1/2 of a $10 dry turkey sandwich any day.