Category: 🌲 Backroad Notes

Backroad Notes: Bug Tried It… And He Liked It! 🥣🧡

Today was one of those little parenting wins that probably doesn’t seem huge from the outside, but I was SO proud of Bug.

After running some errands and picking up a few things we needed for the festival this weekend, we stopped at The Old Spaghetti Factory for lunch.

And today’s mission was:

Let’s see if we can get this child to eat something besides chicken nuggets and fries. 😂

I ordered Bug some beefy mac and cheese, figuring we’d at least give it a shot.

But before his food came, my clam chowder arrived.

Of course, I offered him a taste.

At first?

Absolutely not.

There was some resistance. Some suspicion. The usual toddler negotiations. 😂

But eventually I managed to convince him to take a tiny taste.

And apparently that tiny taste was enough.

Because suddenly…

MY clam chowder became OUR clam chowder.

Actually, let’s be honest.

It pretty much became HIS clam chowder. 🤣

He ate the majority of my bowl!

Thankfully it was really good—thick, creamy and full of clams and potatoes—so I couldn’t even blame him.

Then his beefy mac and cheese arrived.

Round two.

Again, there was a little resistance at first.

Then he tried it.

Another hit! 🙌

And Mama was sitting there feeling ridiculously proud because my little fry-and-chicken-nugget enthusiast was willingly eating clam chowder and beefy mac and cheese.

We’ve also recently managed to add peanut butter crackers to his list of acceptable foods.

Granted, he has to take the crackers apart before he’ll eat them…

But hey.

Progress is progress. 😂

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are still a work in progress, but we’ll get there eventually.

I’m not worried about how fast we get there.

For now, I’m just happy he’s trying.

The restaurant itself was beautiful too.

There was an old decommissioned trolley car that had been turned into a seating area, gorgeous Italian-style chandeliers, paintings throughout the restaurant and these big lounge chairs that looked like they belonged to royalty.

And then I discovered the Italian cream soda.

I ordered mine with cherry, and it was DELICIOUS. 🍒

Even better?

It came in a keepsake glass.

So naturally…

I somehow ended up with two. 😂

Don’t ask questions.

But as pretty as the restaurant was—and as much as I enjoyed my cream soda and my newly acquired glasses—the best part of lunch was watching Bug try foods he wasn’t sure about and realizing:

“Hey… I actually like this.”

I’m trying to let him experience different foods without turning mealtime into a battle. Some he’ll love. Some he’ll hate. Some might take five, ten or twenty tries before he decides they’re worth eating.

And that’s okay.

Today he tried.

Today he discovered a couple of new things he likes.

And today this Mama was really freaking proud of him. 🥹🧡

Although apparently I need to start ordering the kid his own clam chowder.

Mama would like to eat her soup too, Bug. 🤣

🦊🧡

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling. 🔥🛣️

Just a quick update 🧡

Made it home safe after a long day of driving.

Both Bug and Sunna were completely overloaded from all the excitement and travel, so they’re getting put down early tonight while we finally get a chance to unwind a bit and make a game plan for the next couple months.

Looks like we’ll be home until the beginning of August, which honestly feels nice after being constantly on the move. There’s another festival later in June, but thankfully it’s only about an hour away from the house here in Ohio.

Now the goal is to finally start getting the house organized and hopefully begin some small repairs and remodeling projects before winter sneaks up on us.

For the first time in awhile, things are starting to feel a little less chaotic.

🧡

Backroad Notes 🌲

Friday night we found ourselves by the harbor in New Bern, North Carolina—boats lined up, water calm, one of those quiet moments where everything just slows down for a minute. We had dinner at a nice restaurant next to the waters. It was nice and calming.

Not the kind of stop you plan… just one you end up appreciating.

Fast forward to today somewhere between here and Tennessee, we passed a truck that had me laughing harder than it should’ve—

“El Paso” on the left
“El Smasho” on the right

I swear the road has its own sense of humor if you’re paying attention.

And then rolling into Knoxville, we passed this random tower/building that just… stood out. No idea what it is yet, but it caught my eye enough to remember it.

That’s the thing about traveling—
it’s not just the destinations.

It’s the in-between moments, the small stops, the weird signs, and the things you don’t even realize you’ll remember later.

Those are the ones that stick.

🧡