Better idea the 2nd time around....................

Look! Lots of smiles...........

Friends (Mr. Townie and I share birthdays) and obviously share same taste in restaurants, coincidentally.......

A little dodging of the flame................

More smiles...........

What do you mean there's no appetizers???????

What a happy family and a very happy birthday...........

Now, let me tell you about the visit to Orient Express Hibachi/Sushi Bar that did NOT get photographed !!

Several months ago, while picking up the kids at daycare.........A mom (who will remain nameless) said "why don't we go get some dinner!" A simple idea, that normally includes Ruby Tuesdays or other similar restaurants. You know, SAFE............Child Friendly............Loud.............Usually equipped with chicken fingers and milk on the menu.........or equipped with giant indoor slides with giant amounts of germs.............Well, this NAMELESS MOM actually uttered the words................SUSHI...........Yes, that's right...........SUSHI..........I know, we should have immediately squashed the idea, given her a good laugh and then took 3 minivans to Chick a LAY and called it dinner........
But we didn't.
We went.
To an upscale restaurant that has a quiet, intimate sushi bar. 4 women, 5 kids.
Why? Excellent question........The same question that a nice childless couple asked. The same question that a group of business men asked. The same question ALL of the WAIT STAFF asked. And the same question we asked ourselves 10 minutes into being seated.

The evening is actually quite a blur.........but some highlights include lots of tears, tantrums, many visits outside to look at the koi pond, tears, tantrums, many visits outside to look at the koi pond. And so much chicken fried rice on the floor and in surrounding areas that I am surprised an application for the hibachi chef wasn't personally handed to my son.

An order of $5 scrambled eggs (idea given after the rice hit the floor 100 times) that had to come from the Worlds Largest Chicken EVER............ok, maybe like a dozen eggs, but seriously!

As I sat there and wondered what possessed us to come, what possessed me to have 2 children, what possessed to me let one of my children play with another moms pill box, could she share the pill box and WHY DID THIS WAITER JUST BRING ME RAW FISH??????? Well, that was because in the haste to order, I misread a description and ended up with Koi fish on a plate. Ok, maybe not Koi fish, but unedible, nonetheless.

So for $50 a person, we had unedible food, unpleasant atmosphere and the worst night in the history of MOMMMYHOOD.....EVER...............Or at least I hope so..............

***UPDATE*** apparently, I forgot the end of the meal where I violently waved the check over my head begging anyone to just take the money so we could get the hell out of there....Now, wouldn't you have thought that would have been the FIRST thing they brought us????