UP-date

So, yes, I really did like the movie Up!  Though the dogs were a bit over-kill I think.  Other than that -- SUCCESS!!  I was really impressed with the story and the little discoveries along the way.  Sort of predictable, sort of unpredictable.  Anyway - Nique if you haven't seen it, we'll bring it for Thanksgiving.  Anyone else in Moscow that wants to borrow it -- let me know!  I think it's a PERFECT date night movie.

Our Veteran's Day date:
Hahahahaha!  First of all, if it weren't for the A&W billboard saying that Veterans got a free combo meal on Veteran's Day, I would have had NO idea it was even close!  Sad, huh, considering my husband and dad are both Veterans?  So about a week ago, Dave casually said to keep Wednesday open because we had something he was planning.  I LOVE it when he does stuff like that, so I complied and then slightly put it out of my mind until Tuesday night when he walked in and handed me Up.  I asked if that was what he had planned for Wednesday, and he said, "Partly," and then I started getting really curious but left it at that.

Then Wednesday as I was out running errands and running people with broken cars around and trying to finalize baby shower stuff, I saw the A&W Billboard.  I called Dave and asked him when Veteran's Day was.  And he slyly said, "Um - I'm not exactly sure.  Why?"  I told him he could get a free combo, and he said.  "Huh.  Yeah -- I guess I could." Then he paused and said, "Actually, Melinda, today is Veteran's Day, and Applebee's has free dinner for Veterans, which is the other part of what we are doing tonight."  Though I have to admit that I wish he would have kept it a surprise, and it would have worked because I have just been spacey lately (as in the last two years or so), it was also nice to know because it gave me a chance to do my hair and put on make-up and get READY for our FREE (kind of) dinner and movie. 

We got to Applebee's and had a 25-minute wait (or so they said). Twenty minutes later, we checked in to see how things were going (starving, tired babies in tow) and found out we had five or six people (groups) ahead of us on the waiting list.  FANTASTIC!!!  Dave had just talked to a fellow-soldier in the parking lot who had gotten his dinner to-go; and we made a wise decision at that moment to do the same.  Dave ordered his free dinner, and we went to the car to wait.  But, as any wise Veteran being offered free food would do, we maximized our wait by getting a free appetizer (compliments of Arby's and THEIR free combo meal for Veterans on Veteran's Day).  The kids were DYING at this point, and the Arby's Turkey Swiss Market Sandwich helped a TON to keep them held over - not to mention the two of us with their curly fries.  We got back to Applebee's and still waited another ten minutes before getting our food (good thing we didn't decide to go in and wait).  The babies finished off the sandwich and were still HUNGRY, so we stopped yet again on our way home and picked up appetizer #2 at . . . you guessed it . . .  A&W!  They love cheeseburgers (from the whole three they have had in their lifetime), so a double cheeseburger combo it was!  And we made them wait while we drove the two and a half blocks home. Oh, torture, Mom and Dad! 

Then we got inside, transferred the Applebee's 7oz. steak with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli to a plate, said a quick prayer, and proceeded to share the official "meal" of the evening (and finish off the french fries and double cheeseburger the kids left once they figured out how YUMMY the mashed potatoes were and how FUN their toys still were).

To be honest, even though it might sound a little white trash in some ways to take advantage of ALL the free food offers, it was really quite fun -- like a traveling dinner date!  I feel a new date night idea coming on . . . . Needless to say, it was a DARN good thing for my diet that I hadn't had much of anything to eat all day!  And that I had three other people to share it all with!