Since we had the kids for Valentine’s Day this year and it fell on a Saturday, we decided to take everyone out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. We rarely go out to eat for anything more expensive than pizza or burgers, but I have always felt that it is good experience for children to learn how to conduct themselves in a fine dining establishment and is worth the extra cost to have the  opportunity to practice their manners.I can still remember my 13th birthday when my parents took me out to dinner to a five star French restaurant. There were three tuxedoed waiters to each table with linen napkins slung over their arms. I ordered Esgargot and Roast Duck a L’orange. It was splendid. I wanted my children to have the same memories and they were excited to go. All of them except Mark that is, who was in a panic about having to wear a suit and a tie.  He was also worried he would not like the food since the last time we dined out we had Thai and he hated it. I assured him there would be steak and potatoes which made him happy so he begrudginly took off his  ACDC t-shirt to dress up.

The day  before I took the girls shopping for the dressy clothes they needed. Eva wanted a dress and all three girls needed shoes. They wanted high heels. Shopping for the dress was fun. Shopping for the shoes was torture. Everything Cheryl tried on looked like something a cocktail waitress in a Vegas casino would wear. She didn’t quite get why I wouldn’t let her wear gold lame four inch heels.  After hours of searching and coming up empty-handed, we decided to make due with the flats at home.

Our reservations were at 5:30. Kind of early, but the only one we could get on Valentine’s Day. Everyone was ready by 4:30 so we could take pictures. We also had to pick up Pop Pop, Paul’s dad, who came with us. “Pop Pop is not dressed up”, the kids whispered accusingly in my ear like he had committed a crime. “Why did we have to dress up and he didn’t?” “Because Pop Pop is 88 and can wear whatever he damn well pleases.” I hissed back.

The restaurant was lovely. We sat at a table by the window with a view of the ocean. The lights were romantically dimmed and everyone and everything looked beautiful. Then the waiter put the prix fixe menu in front of me and I almost choked on the prices. Paul and I looked at each other, our eyes widened and mouths agape. Yikes. There was no turning back now so we decided to go for it. The children ordered  filet mignon and lobster tails and all the soda they could drink. They learned which fork to use first (always begin with the one on the outside and work your way in) and which bread plate was theirs (the one on the left). The food was delicious, the atmosphere perfection, but the greatest gift was the conversation. The children talked about their memories as a family. Cheryl said to Eva, “Remember when we first met and we didn’t like each other?” They both chuckled at the ridiculousness of it now considering that they are best friends. We planned our upcoming ski trip and summer vacation. We were a family. As we got up to leave the woman sitting with the group at the table behind us called Paul over to tell him, “You have the most beautiful family I have ever seen. ” We beamed.