Our Favorite Restaurant

Note: I have no affiliation with this restaurant and they did not know I would be writing this post.

We do not eat out that often--maybe once or twice a month. Our kids are finally at an age where we feel comfortable taking them to restaurants without dreading a disaster. So when I say this is our favorite restaurant--for either date night alone or with the family--that's a big deal.

It's called the Flatwater Grill and it's located on Melton Lake Drive in Oak Ridge.You could go for the ambiance and great views of the lake alone, but the food is what keeps bringing us back. The chef won "Knoxville's Top Chef" honors in a charity competition in 2009. We've tried a variety of dishes and have never been disappointed: steak, shrimp, crab, fish--you can't go wrong. And every dish comes with a soup or salad and two sides. You might question "grilled broccoli" but it's quite delicious, and the scalloped potatoes are tasty without being a heart-attack special. The portions are impressive and we always take some home. The kids menu has some of the typical fare like chicken strips, grilled cheese, and french fries, but they also offer grilled chicken breast, carrots, and baked apples. And their bread is awesome.

To top it all off, the prices are reasonable ($14-$25 for an all-inclusive entree). Tonight we went to celebrate both boys' birthdays (within six days of each other) and they surprised us with a free birthday ice cream. It was ginormous! All five of us shared it and it was plenty: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate sauce. Bobby left the restaurant saying, "That was the best birthday dinner ever!"

And if you happen to have a boat, you could have the added novelty of arriving and departing by water. The saddest part to me is that the restaurant is never full. Oh, I love never having to wait for a table and that our food is delivered promptly, but I want them to have enough customers that they'll be around another 20 years. I'm really hoping they'll sign up for a Groupon or Flutter Today to attract new customers. If they do, you can bet I'll jump on it and will encourage you to do the same. Give them a try, but don't bother telling them Bluefrog sent you; they have no idea who I am!

Mother Goose: funding in trouble, HELP!

If you're a mom in the Knoxville area, you've no doubt benefited from the wonderful FREE program called Mother Goose. This is a great article if you're new to the concept. Through songs, rhymes, instruments, and interactive play with care-givers, Mother Goose strives to give every child age 3 and under the best start possible. I've taken all three of my children until they were too old or were in MDO programs during the sessions. Especially with the second and third kids often suffering from the "tag along syndrome," I loved having an opportunity to focus one-on-one to foster their developmental skills. I also got many of my ideas for "eco toys for toddlers" from Mother Goose.

Though I believe there are still two Mother Goose programs in Knoxville that rotate Thursday mornings, we've always gone to the one at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. It's close to us, and the location gives us the option to walk on the trails or play on the playground before or after the class. With the uncertainty that comes from raising infants and toddlers, I've appreciated having a structured class that did not require a commitment. Sign-ups are not required, and the classes are completely FREE.

Now comes the problem with that set-up: Lori Murphree, the teacher for the Oak Ridge classes, is losing her funding from the Anderson County Health Council. Without funding, there will be no Mother Goose in Oak Ridge. But here's the hopeful news. The Mommy2Mommy program at Methodist Medical Center will be considering taking on Mother Goose in a board meeting TOMORROW. If you've benefited from Mother Goose or have a compelling story to share, please leave a comment at the end of this post and I'll pass along the link. Thank you!