Our trip: What we ate

So I thought I'd do a quick rundown of what we ate on our trip. I might have a few tips (if for no one but myself) as I recap the week in writing in pictures...

Breakfast
We had free breakfast at the hotel every day and I never remembered to bring the camera with us that early in the morning. Last time we traveled and tried free hotel breakfast it didn't work out. We vowed never to do it again. This time we had amnesia and did it again anyway. It went better than before since Leyna actually did eat breakfast every day. She had a muffin and orange juice every day, and on two occasions also had some pancakes, which came out of an amazing pancake making machine that was like nothing I've ever seen. Cora was another story. She is in a "I'm not sitting where you want me to sit, and you'll be lucky if I even sit at all" phase that made most meals complete torturous throw-downs. Most mornings she ate about 2 Froot Loops, a sip of my coffee, and maybe a piece of bacon if they had it that day. A great way to start your day huh?

Day 1

Lunch @ Panera

Cora inhaled this macaroni and cheese. It was REALLY good.

Leyna ate her yogurt squeezer but didn't touch her pb&j. Instead she shared my Baked Potato Soup. Next time I don't think I'll get her her own meal since she could have just had Cora's yogurt, which went untouched. We brought our own juice boxes and saved a few pennies.

Dinner @ Noodles & Co.

I ordered a small spaghetti bowl for both girls to share. Leyna ate it but said it was too spicy. Cora smeared sauce all over the table and bench but I don't think she got any in her mouth. I was happy that they had organic milk since I forgot ours.

Ice cream for dessert since it was our first night of travel. Leyna got vanilla with rainbow sprinkles and finished every last bite. Cora and I shared a scoop of cookies and cream but she left most of the eating to me. I wasn't upset ;)

Day 2

Lunch @ the farm

I packed peanut butter & honey sandwiches, organic carrots, red grapes, & juice boxes. Leyna ate pretty well, Cora ate 2 grapes and a carrot :(

 Dinner @ Johnny Rocket's

The best part of dinner was these smiley ketchup bowls that the waitress made for us. That should tell you something about how dinner went...

Sorting sugar was the only thing that distracted Cora from the balloons behind the counter that she couldn't have.

This was Cora's meal. They do have the absolute best little ice pellets there but I'm pretty sure she didn't meet her nutritional quota for the day.

I brought our own organic chocolate milk. Leyna pretty much had to be bribed to eat the hot dog dinner she chose. I think it's kinda sad when you're bribing your kid to eat something that isn't even that good for them...

Day 3

Lunch @ the mall

Both girls ate about half of their half slice of cheese pizza and then I bribed them to finish by promising a train ride. Bad mommy.

 Dinner @ Ruby Tuesday's

This was the worst dinner ever. Bad service, not hungry kids. Leyna barely touched her pasta but did eat some cold peas and cucumbers from the salad bar.

Cora had to be removed from the restaurant THREE times due to tantrums. She didn't want to sit, she definitely didn't want to sit in a booster or high chair, and there was no way she was going to eat. It was very, very, VERY trying.

When we got back to the hotel we tried to put the dinner from you know what behind us. This is that $12!!! worth of ice cream from the hotel sundry shop looks like ;)

Day 4

Picnic @ River Farm Garden

I packed pb&honey, organic apples, organic carrots, and juice boxes. It was eaten happily in this gorgeous setting.

 Dinner @ Romano's Macaroni Grill

Following up from the worst dinner ever, tonight Cora had the best dinner ever at a restaurant. The girls happily played with their sticker books while we waited for our food. Cora at the entire side out of the rosemary bread by herself, while miraculously sitting in a high chair.

Both girls ordered spaghetti with meatballs (I know - have we had enough spaghetti this week?) but mostly ate the meatballs.

Just the fact that Cora was looking at her food was picture-worthy. She ate it too but I was too busy tasting my food for the first time in a week to take a picture. Both girls had a 99 cent gelato for dessert. YUM! Macaroni Grill is our new favorite restaurant. Thank for for giving us our life back!!!