Day 14: Keep the Whoppers

Has it only been two weeks since we committed to not eating out? It seems longer, or at least today it did. This day was crazy! There was the usual stuff: the morning and afternoon school rush and taxi service (three kids at three schools today), violin practice, an after school basketball game Mackenzie just had to go to ("It's my last middle school game, Mom!"), and church. Add to that a Go Green! meeting @ the elementary school, past due reports for one of my part-time gigs and training for another of those gigs, my son's tummy ache and a call from a friend with a very sick child, and this day was packed FULL.

There was no time to eat, let alone cook, or so I thought. A handful of walnuts, yogurt and a string cheese (and that oh-so-tiny candy bar) didn't cut it, but it's all I had time for. I wanted so badly to swing through Burger King (the Whopper is only a $1 right now!) or Taco Bell (Have you tasted those fully-loaded nachos?). Maybe it's pride, maybe it's principle, or maybe I'm finally getting it. Whatever it is, I managed to avoid the fast food joints and keep driving.

But by late afternoon, my stomach was painfully protesting my low cal day, and I didn't really care what promise I had made. Thank God for Steve, the voice of reason. He had an insane day too, but we brainstormed for five minutes and decided homemade pizza was the way to go. He made the dough while I picked up Mackenzie, and 45 minutes later, we were all chowing down on that hearty crust smothered with tomato sauce and Italian herbs, topped with turkey pepperoni, veggies and tons of cheese. Just the way we like it.

We oohed and aahhed over that simple meal and as the days go by, we continue to be amazed at how pleasant, how satisfying, this month is turning out to be. We wouldn't trade those modest meals shared with the ones we love for all the Whoppers in the world.