warm & cosi

Tonight was one of those nights. The dinner hour snuck up on me. So, with little time and less energy, I piled the girls in the car. Rather than hit a drive-thru, I chose Cosi - a little soup, salad and sandwich place with soft lighting, nice music and lots of upholstered furniture.

As we sat and waited for our food I surveyed Ella's outfit - the third or fourth she had tried on before leaving the house. She was wearing a sweater, over a dress, over jeans, accessorized with a grosgrain ribbon tied around her waist, a chunky necklace and mary janes. She has her own uninhibited style, that girl. I made a mental note to try to appreciate it when she's seventeen.

Our food arrived and the girls began enjoying their pizza, fruit cups and milk. Soon Ella was explaining the nuanced flavors in her food. Then she paused, turned to me, and said quite dramatically, "I was born for food . . . and fashion."

Our fun conversation was made even better when the manager brought us four chocolate chip cookies, on the house. Dining alone with three little girls has its advantages.

As we left, Lauren said to me, so genuinely as she always does, "Mom, thanks for taking us to Warm. It's a nice a place to be."

I laughed out loud at how completely adorable she is. "Did you mean Cosi?"

She laughed at herself, "Haha! Yes."

"You're welcome."