Serving Size Seven

Yesterday, we drove to Orlando to pick up Ted's transcripts from UCF. He is going to pursue some academic advancement, in what area I am not certain and neither is he. However, he needed his transcript and a co-ed told him it would take two weeks by mail or he could pick them up in two days. So we never need a major excuse to drive to my favorite place-O-town, picked up the kids early from school and off we went! While there, we decide to eat dinner at one of our favorite spots, Boston's Fish House. Fried fish, clams, oysters, shrimp, hell they could fry my napkin and I would eat and love it! Not only am I attracted to the most delicious fried Haddock, I love the casual atmosphere. With five children younger than 8, two of them twin two-year-olds-from-hell, we really appreciate (well, we only frequent outside seating eateries now anyway) the outside dining. So, we ate and loved it, the kids devoured the shrimp basket and ate a mound of fish and fries and rice-carb loaders (they are all great eaters.....which is where this post is heading....the cost to feed seven good eaters!!!). On the two-hour drive home, the kids were finally settled and sort of quiet and Ted asked me how much I though dinner cost. I replied, "I bet it was nearly $48.00".....and he laughed, loudly I might add. Of course I then ask, "well how much then", and the pricing game ensued, and I wasn't really in the mood for games, just get to the point. So he then informs me that our dinner at Boston's, where we sat outside, ate from plastic, red baskets lined with checkerboard paper and filled with fried food including french fries, some seasoned rice, clams, oysters, shrimp, two dinner plates of haddock and SEVEN drinks, was .......are you ready.....$98.00.....WTF!!!! It was eye-opening, jaw-dropping, and for our meager living even while employed (at which time we are NOT employed nor bringing in any money other than unemployment), was waaaay more than I thought and just a hint of what life will be like to take our family of seven out to eat dinner at a middle of the road establishment. After I checked the receipt, while driving 70 mph, in the dark, on the Turnpike, I then started doing the math in my head at how much just a visit to McDonald's cost us- for seven "real" meals when the kids are a bit older, at rougly $5.50 a pop, a quick drive-thru at the Golden Arches is going to be about $40, and that is just for lunch!

So, the moral of this story is that if you like the idea of a big family, one with more than three kiddos, do the math. It is expensive! They don't all eat four goldfish and a half sippy of milk for long.