McDonald's And The Circle of Life

We go like crazy around here so cooking a homemade meal does not happen often. Plus, I don't like to cook!

We usually hit every fast food place around and some not-so fast foods places as well.

Today, I found myself eating from McDonald's not once, but twice! I do have to say that I crave their Southwest Chicken Salad and now have Connor loving them too. I went for groceries right before lunch and since McDonald's is right there in Walmart, I grabbed two salads and headed home. (As I reread this, I realize this tells ALOT about me...I just finished grocery shopping and haven't eaten at home yet!! Hmmmm.....)

Connor had a baseball game tonight and had to be dropped off at dinner time. I told Colby we could grab some dinner and then head to the game. He chose...McDonald's.

As I sat in the booth with Colby, eating my burger and fries, I watched two young mothers come in with their daughters and I realized something: McDonald's is at the core of every life cycle.

You see, I USED to be that mother. I can remember that my girlfriends and I would head to McDonald's when it was either too cold or too hot outside. We had to take the kids somewhere to blow off steam -- and get a Happy Meal or an ice cream cone. The adults would sit in that area that smelled like feet and sweat and fries and have some "adult conversation" in between needing to take kids to the potty or break up a fight between another kid whose mom was NOT paying any attention to what her child was doing!!

I am now in that stage of life where we have to run through drive-thrus in between activities to grab something to fill my teen's and preteen's stomachs. The $1 Diet Cokes are also a big attraction!

And as I sat in the booth tonight I also had a flashback to the other group of people who were filling up the tables when I would take my toddlers into McDonald's -- I guess that is the stage I will hit next. The one where all the retired folks gather around for early morning coffee and an Egg McMuffin and discuss the events of the world or relive the memories of the past.

I mistakenly thought that after my kids reached a certain age, McDonald's would be behind me. I guess it never will...I sure hope they keep the $1 Cokes and Southwest Chicken Salads around for another 50 years!