Blackwater Band at the Canterbury Hill Winery

Do you ever just fall in love with a boy band?  Last night I rocked out at Canterbury Hill Winery and Restaurant to this adorable band of teenage boys,…the lead singer was at least half my age!  These guys made me feel like I was 15 again an singing along to Hanson’s MmmBop, What a great way to feel when you are out for the night with your oldest gal pal friend.  

While I have much more to say about Centerbury Hill Winery, but I just had to share this video of the band. 

Blackwater Band in Jefferson City, Missouri 

Happy Adventures, 

Becky 

Disclosure:  My trip to Canterbury Hill Winery was sponsored by TBWG, however, all thoughts, opinions, and photos are my own.  

Sugar Buzz Bakery in Cape Girardeau Missouri

We found a tiny piece of Heaven right here in @VisitCape! #tmom #travel #food via beckydavenport

It is a Foodie Friday; my kids are hyped up on sugar from the Sugar Buzz Bakery in Cape Girardeau, MO.  

This is probably the one of the few times I have allowed my kids and my taste buds be influenced by a commercial, but we saw this place recently on a commercial and immediately Lesse screamed “Mom, we must try it!”  I agreed, as we had to be in Cape Girardeau early the other morning and well what better way to kick off a holiday weekend than with Cupcakes for breakfast.

Our affection or addiction to bakeries, cupcake stores, and sweet shops happened months ago while Lesse and I were on our Mom and DaughterRoadtrip to Chicago.  Lesse had only one place she wanted to visit in Chicago and that was Sprinkles!  Now every time she sees a bakery she tells me “mom I wonder if it is as good as Sprinkles” well Sprinkles being world famous and on the Food Network, it is hard to compare. 

The Southern Sweets Dessert Company in Cape Girardeau Mo

I know it does not come to a shock to you all that in our house we have love for sweets, well maybe not Momma so much as those rotten sweet tooth sidekicks of mine!

Last fall the kids and I stumbled upon this cute little ice cream parlor located in the Spanish Street Mercantile on Spanish Street in Downtown Cape Girardeau.  Well we have waited to give this little shop a proper food review until we have thoroughly tested the joint over and over and over….okay we became addicted to the place. 

Yesterday we were Downtown bumming around, stopped off at the little shop one more time, and we decided it was time to give our favorite Ice Cream Parlor a review.  Except this little Ice Cream Parlor is no longer just a little Ice Cream Parlor…..Eeeek They have EXPANDED & renamed themselves The Southern Sweets Dessert Company.  This brings a completely new problem to the table for us!  We have just thoroughly investigated, tasted, and fell in love with their Homemade Ice Cream, and now they have added in a completely new menu! 

The Southern Sweets Dessert Company now offers dessert bread, cookies, muffins, candies, cakes, pies, and coming soon homemade soups and sandwiches.  I can go on and on about how yummy their food is, how fun their shop is, and how great their service is, but you would think is obvious if we continue to go back.

  

The Southern Sweets Dessert Company is located 26 N Spanish St Mercantile in Downtown Cape Girardeau; you can visit their website for a complete menu. 

~Becky 

The Southern Sweets Desserts Company in Downtown Cape Girardeau. 

Betty Boop at The Southern Sweets Desserts Company in Downtown Cape Girardeau. 

Banana Nut Bread at The Southern Sweets Desserts Company in Downtown Cape Girardeau. 

Pecan Dessert

Donuts Anyone?  

Lesse Says Chocolate Ice Cream is the BEST

The Soda Fountain Steelville, MO

You know those restaurants that you step in and you just know they are family owned, family ran, and family friendly.  Well a hot summer day last year I stopped off at The Soda Fountain in Steelville,MO for some ice cream and soda pop, but I always swore to myself that I would return to try their “real food”.  

Well since this past weekend the kids and I were in Steelville’s neighboring town of Cuba, MO for a fantastic car show, I decided we must drive back to Steelville and visit The Soda Fountain. 

Let’s step back to the 1950’s, no better yet let’s stay here and bring out a modernized 1950’s.  The Soda Fountain has the retro theme going, but service, expertise, and fun of the 2012.  One thing that always stands out in my head while dining out is the SERVICE, I could care a less how great a place’s food is if their service is bad.  The Soda Fountain’s service was top-notch, I will say I had to wait a bit for my meal, however I arrived just as they started serving lunch, and ordered the special, not the typical burger and fries.  The wait was worthwhile; the food was just as yummy as it looked, sounded, smelled, and even better it was FRESH. 

Dining with Tots

It has to be every parent’s nightmare to be invited or expected to fine dine with children.  No lie, this is one of my biggest challenges as a Mom; my kiddos have grown up eating at Ma & Pop restaurants, kid friendly joints, and the classic fast food joints.  However, I made it my goal this summer to introduce them to some new places, new experiences, and along with that came new challenges. 

My biggest challenges when it comes to dining with kids:

• Knowing the food- Grilled cheese is never the same, Pizza is not Pizza, and kid’s do not want their food smothered in anything green.  I recently had an all time fail while eating at the Boathouse Forest Park in St Louis, MO; I had the grand idea to short cut the cost of the kids menu and order pizza off the regular menu for three kids to share.  I ordered the Four Cheese Pizza, thinking this was a simple fix they would love it, only what kid likes Feta Cheese on their pizza?  Needless to say I had 3 unhappy eaters and ended up eating the pizza myself and they devoured my chicken and fries.    
• Manners- okay honestly, my kids do have decent table manners.  I mean we do not dance on the table, we don’t belch and rub our stomach after a meal, nor do we talk the 3 B’s at the table (boogers, body functions, body parts).  However, sitting at a restaurant that takes more than 5 minutes to cook your food can cause moments of boredom and odd things happen.  We all have that moment when our 4 year old sends a napkin flying across the room to land in the well postured decked to hilt lady’s lap….thankfully she had manners and grinned to my relief.     
• Entertainment- well this can save the manners issue, but normally when I am dining out somewhere other than a family friendly joint it tends to be for a reason, but that reason is usually boring for sidekicks.  What can you do to quietly entertain your kiddos at dinner?   
• Tableware- Yes we use glass plates, cups, and napkins at our table at home, but that is at home and I own them.  My worst fear is to sit at a table and they only provide my child with a wine glass to drink from, sigh….a 4 year old cannot handle that.  

I NEED HELP FROM FOOD BLOGGERS

Dear Fellow Bloggers…Specifically Those in the FOOD World,

I am in a near crisis, okay not a crisis, but could be if I do not figure something out!  I hate to use the B word (Busy), but it is true, between juggling work, family, the husband working crazy schedule, and okay I just like to have fun time, I am in need FAST, EASY, HEALTHY, KID FRIENDLY RECIPES!   On average I have about 45 minutes to cook dinner a daily, but sometimes it’s as little as 20 minutes, and I am not a fan of fast food, nor is my waistline, so I need all the recipes and tips I can get.

If you will comment below with your link to your favorite recipes that you have blogged about, I will happily test them out and share them with my fans…and give you and your blog FULL CREDIT.  I have a firm belief in supporting my fellow bloggers! 

Thank –You,

Becky