Since our first date was forever deemed the BEST EVER, Matt decided we should re-create it six months later. EXACTLY as it was.

Pro: Very sweet idea. Everything had to be the same. Including the clothes.

Con: The jeans I wore on that fateful night six months prior were “holy hell suck it in” tight shrunk in the dryer.

Pro: The place where we first met was not at all crowded. We had lots of privacy.

Con: Although we were cold and not wanted.

Pro: We found some awesome possible spots to say, “You bet your cute ass I Do!”

Con: “Re-creation” turned into a working date and included things we didn’t do on our first date, like plan a wedding.

Pro: First date we ate at State Street Brats on State Street, so of course that’s where we had to dine this time.

Con: Even though being a vegetarian in a location like “Brats” doesn’t lead itself to many choices, they did have fried cheese curds.  LOTS of cheese curds.

Pro: We bellied up to the exact same spot, at the bar just up State Street, where we sat on 8/18/09.

Con: My stomach now filled with beer+fried cheese curds+Captain & Diet combo wasn’t joining us in our Love-Fest.

Pro: Matt confessed that the first time we were at Hawks, there was a chalkboard in the men’s room above the urinal (you men are so classy) and someone had written “Becky is so cool!”  He thought that was a such a good omen that six months later, Matt wrote on the chalkboard and took my camera back into the restroom to show me.

Con: Remember the beer+fried cheese curds+rum VERY angry stomach? He still hadn’t bought his ticket aboard the Love Train nor was he impressed with the profession of chalk love. Therefore the night ended a tad early.

Pro: This time we went home together.

Con: None.

Wordless Wednesday

First, let me thank you all for your loving comments on the engagement post.  It made my heart swell with happiness that so many people out there, some whom I’ve never even met, are rooting for us.

Therefore, as your prize I give you how it all happened.  And most likely all the details along the way…

***********************

Matt and I have talked about getting married for a long time. Sure we have only been together six months but I knew very early on that this was the man for me.  I was the girl who dated a hundred frogs and was even called “too picky” at times.  Now, I’m so glad I was that picky, didn’t settle and waited for my Matt to come along.

Since Matt and I are absolutely best friends and tell each other everything, I also knew he would be buying the ring in early 2010.  So for the past couple months there was heart palpitations whenever he would get down on one knee TO TIE HIS SHOE or when he would come up to barefooted-frozen-feet me in the kitchen with my slippers behind his back and say, “I have something for you that you’ll love…”

All this was fun but also driving me mildly insane.  Matt said all along I would be surprised and that he wouldn’t propose on Valentine’s Day, on our 6 month anniversary or my birthday.  Turns out, he actually bought the ring on the 6th and was going to propose that night.  That was assuming the jeweler had a stack of rings in just my size that he could take it with him that day. Surprising to Matt, sizing takes a couple weeks.

I’ll admit that I really thought it would happen on our Valentine date on the 13th. Because the 13th ISN’T Valentine’s Day people!  Seeing that “You are SO proposing tonight aren’t cha?” twinkle in my eye, he let me know Friday night “Honey, it’s not going to happen this weekend”.   I was mildly bummed but decided I was happy he told me so I wouldn’t look for the ring in the bread basket or wink at the waiter when he brought our bill.  I would be a big brave girl and stop thinking about it.

And then came last Wednesday night.

We were doing our normal weeknight routine.  Matt and I were set up on the couch with me on the laptop and Matt watching the Olympics. Ben was in another part of the living room being a FBI agent, or snowboarding or very possibly both.  When Matt said, “Can I borrow the laptop for a minute?”

Me: Sure.  Whatcha doin?

Matt: I want to look up my sister’s number.

Me: Oh, are you going to call her?

Matt: Yeah, I want her to be the first to know.

Me: First to know…

(he takes the ring out of his pocket)

Me: Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! This is happening now??!?

Matt: (laughing) Yep! Becky, will you marry me?

Me: Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!

Ben: (Running up to the couch two inches from our faces) What’s going on?! What’s happening?

Me: (now crying) Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!

Ben: WOW! What’s going on!?  Are you proposing?!

Matt: So is that a Yes?

Me:  Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!

Ben: Is that the ring? Let me see!  Wow!

Matt: You haven’t answered.  Is that a yes?

Me: (body-slamming Matt with a kiss) YES YES YES!

Ben: YAY now we get TWO PS’s and cable!  Oh and I’m not wearing a tux.

The rest of the night was a flurry of phone calls, texts and me making sure I called everyone before they saw Ben’s new Facebook status: “My mom’s engaged!!! Yeepee!!! now i get two playstation 2s!!! and the other good stuff if your reading this mom.”

It was the perfect proposal. So reflected the craziness that is our life.  Matt told me later he wanted Ben to be there, which made me body-slam him with another kiss and a “Thank you….”

I wasn’t kidding when 6 months ago I deemed that fateful first date with my now Husband-To-Be as The Best First Date Ever.

I’m engaged!

I promise all the fantastic details later but right now I’m too busy gazing at my beautiful ring and into my fiance’s (OMG! HEEEEE!) eyes!

Sorry for the quality of the pictures but if you were here right now you’d be amazed that pictures were even taken.  Better ones coming. Promise.

Wordless Wednesday

July 1981

Father and daughter rode their bikes down to the Memorial Union on a warm summer day. This wasn’t a new or special event as it was something they did on a fairly regular basis.

They parked their bikes and went inside to get ice cream. Again, nothing new. Taking their ice cream over to the pier and dangling their feet as they ate. They talked about the boats, about the clouds while they licked and licked. The girl knew that the best part of the ice cream was always the end. That very last bite.

When the girl finished her cone she looked up at her father and asked a question she was sure she knew the answer to, “Can I have another one?”  Of course her father would say “no.” It was a shot in the dark. A totally absurd request.  She knew all this but something in her nine year old body had to ask.

To her utter surprise her father looked down at his daughter, with a mischievous look in his eye and said, “Sure!” as he got up from the dock and started back towards the ice cream stand with his absolutely gobsmacked kid running behind.

January 2010

“Any requests from the store?” she asked her son. The only thing on his list? Ice cream. Cookies and cream ice cream to be exact.

She came home with apples, bananas, string cheese but no ice cream. “That’s the only thing I wanted,” he said in his best Don’t-Whine-You’re-Big-Now voice. “Oh shoot, Buddy. I’m sorry.” She replied knowing that she knew she forgot something. “After dinner tonight we’ll go to the store and get some. Promise.”

As they were leaving the restaurant she was deep in thought about the week ahead, the friends they just left, and life in general, when a little voice from the backseat said, “Don’t forget about the ice cream, Mom.” Of course she had forgotten but she promised and he was so good through dinner, she made a bee-line for the store.

Inside they looked and looked for Cookies and Cream only to come up with a poor second choice. While in the check out line, he looked up at his mother and asked a question he was sure he knew the answer to, “Can I get a candy bar?” Of course his mother would say “no.” It was a shot in the dark. A totally absurd request. He knew all this but something in his nine year old body had to ask. To his utter surprise, his mother, remembering a very similar time 30 years prior, looked down at her son with a mischievous look in her eye and said, “Sure! In fact, let’s get two.”

**********
As my father doesn’t remember the double ice cream day, I too shall forget that night in the grocery store. But I have a feeling Ben never will. The look on his face, his under-the-breath-mutter of “this is the best day ever!” and his physical skip to the car tells me he’ll not only never forget but he’ll make a memory like this for my grandchild some day.

Since I did everything aside from marching right into Chili’s headquarters and bonking them on the head with their new menu, lo and behold they got back to me!  Not only that but now they have added their vegetarian menu download right on the menu page.

The truth is the woman I have been communicating with from Chili’s corporate is really quite lovely.  She has been very funny and responsive.  (Notice how “funny” gets the headliner over “responsive”? We know what’s important in my book) This little experience made me realize that we are all just trying to do our best, right?  Although I don’t regret getting on my vegetarian soapbox and calling Chili’s out on their lack of meat-free choices, I also realized, as with everything in life, if I don’t like it I can just think my thoughts and move along.

Before I hitch my wagons get along little doggy, I wanted to give Chili’s their time in the Princess Mikkimoto sun.  So without further ago (or more terrible cliches)

From K @ Chili’s…

I did want you to know that we do hear you and understand your frustrations with the limited vegetarian menu at Chili’s. We do try our best to create choices for everyone – but it is hard to please all diets, lifestyles, etc… We do actually have vegetarian choices on the menu (Black Bean Burger is the most popular) and it isn’t putting any server or cook out to ask for other options. In fact, we hope you ask! We want people to get what they want. We encourage you to ask, modify or do whatever you want to get what you want. And we do even have a “meat-free” soup, but depending on the restaurant/location, some soups are not actually on the menu – they are considered soup of the day. Those are either noted at the front or your server can tell you the options. The reason – simply to regionalize the offerings. Each restaurant may have soups that do better than in other areas. So we let them make the call. The downside, its not always listed.

We did change up our menu recently where our Guiltless items are spread throughout the menu and that includes some of our vegetarian options. Sorry if those weren’t clear. We are taking the feedback in and seeing if there are some places for improvement. But that is what happens when we change stuff up.

And we do have all of our vegetarian, allergen and nutritional info on our website if you ever need anything. Most restaurants have this info in-store as well, but sometimes you do have to ask for it. I know that is not as visibly accessible, but we try to make it available in places where people are researching their options.

Usually, once your inside, it’s better to ask your server. They should know what they have available at that location and what alternatives they can get you. Like I said, some locations have regional menus and some are even franchised and have more variations.

I hope this gives you a little understanding and tips when dining out. If you have any questions, please let me know… Thank you!

So there you have it.  Like I said I appreciate the concerted effort on Chili’s part and who knows what the future will bring.  Perhaps one day I will walk through those red pepper doors and enjoy a black bean burger, Chili’s style.

Wordless Wednesday

Many moons ago (13 years to be exact) when I was going through a massive nervous breakdown hard time, on Sunday nights I would write in my diary a list of the things I could look forward to in the upcoming week. No matter how big or small, it was something that kept me going.

Thankfully life isn’t even in the same galaxy as it was when I was 25 and living in that depressing one bedroom apartment that was so close to the Minneapolis airport I could only catch 15 minutes of Friends due to the planes taking off and landing.  But still with this winter Never Ending and the new 9 inches of snow we just got, I thought I could use a list.

I’m going to call it Gratitude Tuesday. (You know…between this and Wordless Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday and maybe even a Frugal Friday this blog might soon turn into just a template. I can leave behind the days of having to THINK and be CREATIVE. I’ll have the Mad Libs of blogs. “The (noun) of (a type of royalty) (person in the room)“)

So here are my Top Five Reasons to Feel Grateful this week and therefore stop mopping around in my snow boots.

1. This year I actually have a real valentine on Valentine’s Day, one who isn’t required to love me because of blood ties.

2. My toothache turned out to be absolutely nothing but a popcorn kernel stuck.  (TMI? Maybe but this is my list.  Make your own list and censor it.)

3. When we got an invite for my nephew’s birthday party which happens to be at the exact same date and time as Ben’s baseball game, my boy said of his own free will, “Family trumps baseball.”  Clearly I’m doing something right with this parenting thing.

4. Lost is back and on tonight.  That is all.

5. It’s environmentally impossible for winter to last too much longer, right? Even if the answer is no, lie to me.

What’s your list? Maybe if I can get someone tech savvy enough to help, I’ll get a Mr. Linky thing going and we can all share our Gratitude Tuesdays. (Yes, that was a HUGE whopping hint for someone to help me. Please and thank you.)

In between being so busy watching my laundry pile grow and ignoring Wordless Wednesday, I wanted to fill you in on my progress as a Herbivore. It’s been exactly a week and so far so good.

Sure there have been some tempting moments but for the most part, I haven’t missed meat. Being a vegetarian again is like riding a bike… except I’m eating not exercising.

One of the hardest times was last Friday when Matt, Ben and I were over at a friend’s house having pizza. They had a veggie one, (not just for me) one piled with meat and one with cheese. Without thinking I almost just grabbed a piece of sausage that had fallen onto the pizza box. (Because I’m classy like that. When would you like to have me over?) But amazingly I actually THOUGHT before I grabbed the cheesy gooey piece of meat and stopped myself.

The other near miss was my now this infamous trip to Chili’s last Saturday. Who knew there were so many defenders of those crazy peppers? I guess being vegetarian means I also have to be psychic and therefore know that Chili’s has a secret and invisible meat free menu.

Since my psychic powers weren’t working that day, I came close to saying, “Oh screw it!” and ordering the “Seasoned Ground Beef” tacos since everything else had chicken or beef as the main ingredient.  But once again, I showed restraint and thought for more than a nanosecond. I realized this gig is only for 30 days and for the love of a tomato, I can have SOME self control for 30 days.

Because honestly, that’s what this is really all about. Yes I want to see how I feel after 30 days of no meat but I also want to see if my will power can be stronger than that of a flea! I’m the girl who wakes up in the morning saying “No sugar today! No sir!” and then grab a doughnut on my way into work while saying “Eh, I’ll try again tomorrow.” So it feels good to have something I can actually stick to.

As far as how I feel after a week with nary a piece of animal flesh passing by my lips? I don’t think I’ve lost any weight since unfortunately Twix bars and Sour Cream & Onion potato chips are meat free, but I definitely feel less bloated and gassy. (It’s truly a wonder I was single for so long. Matt is a lucky lucky man)

For the past month or two I experienced a stomach ache in the morning. That is now gone. My nails seem to be stronger too but that could be my religious application of my “Green Tea nail strengthener” more than skipping the steak in my Chipotle taco.

I haven’t noticed a real difference in my skin. Unless you call the zit on the very tip of my nose an improvement. This sucker gives Rudolph a run for his money.

In addition, since I went to this meat-free lifestyle the “check engine” light came on in my car and I have a toothache. So really, who knows.

Regardless I’m charging ahead and celebrating the beginning of week two by chugging a big glass of V8 and swallowing my B-12 vitamin that’s so large it would make a Clydesdale gag. Bottoms up!