Chad and I were hanging out in Toys-R-Us on Saturday (I know.....we just can't help ourselves) We were planning on getting Charlie the BBQ grill left on our registry, but then we saw the RETRO DINER! Groovy, right? The best part was it was 50% off and then you got an additional 25% off all clearance items. And that's when the "discussion" started.
He said: Do boys play with kitchens?
She said: First, it's not a kitchen, it is a DINER and there is a difference. Then I reminded him of all the great chefs on TV, most of which are MEN.
He said: I didn't have a kitchen.
Then he said: It's $27 more than the grill.
BUT then she said: Well I made a lot of money making cookies this week (my side biz). AND it comes with 25 pieces of food, where if we bought the grill (the sad tiny little grill) it only comes with 10 pieces of food and we would end up spending just as much on extra food. (And that cute little chefs hat)
He said: It looks big. Where are we going to put it?
She said: I'll find a place.
He said: ok, fine, lets get it
She said: You don't want it. Let's not get it.
He said: I DO want it because you want it, so lets get it.
She said: I can tell you don't want it.
He said: BUY THE KITCHEN.
She said: ITS A DINER.
So we left the store. No grill, no diner. Chad had some work to do at the church so he dropped me off, diner-less at the house. I was cooking dinner (in the KITCHEN) and in comes Chad with the diner.
He said: I wanted to get you and Charlie the kitchen because I knew it would make both of you happy.
She said: Its a diner, and WE LOVE IT!
So after a lovely meal we assembled the diner complete with sizzling stove top, bubbling coffee pot, working jukebox, and a service bell. And they lived happily ever after....
THE END
Last weekend while Chad and my dad were on the youth mission trip to Johnstown Pennsylvania, mom and I went on a girls weekend to the North Georgia Mountains. We stayed at the Castle Inn in Helen, Georgia. We always stopped here on our family vacations when we were small- it was always a magical place! When mom and I were there it had changed quite a bit, it seemed really touristy now! But we ate some really yummy German food and had a great time shopping and seeing what was around. Then of course, we had to go to Babyland, the hospital where cabbage patch kids are born. It was in this tiny cottage in Cleveland, GA. Now it is in a giant plantation!
The cabbage patch kids are moving on up I suppose. It was a beautiful new facility, but the old place did have a lot of charm. This picture came from my phone, so it's tiny, but it says "adoption fee $49.99" Russia should really follow the lead of the folks at Babyland. 
Then we drove to the Dillard House. It's a restaurant, inn, farm, and just hodge podge of classic southern charm wrapped up in the foothills of the Georgia mountains. When you walk in there is a menu listed on the wall with 5 different meats and about 20 vegetables. We assumed it was a buffet- NOPE! They bring it all to your table. ALL of it. Oh, and salads, fresh fruit, biscuits, cornbread, yeast rolls, fresh peach cobbler and ice cream for desert. 
Insane! We visited several fun toy stores that specialize in handmade toys like Elf Made Toys in the Santee River Valley. Check them out here. 
We also visited Jolly's Toys, a favorite of mine when I was little! Needless to say, Charlie is the only person in the family that made out like a bandit this weekend. I got a jar of local honey. ;0) and a wonderful weekend with my best friend, my mom.....
