I got my attitude adjusted at Gingerine Fresh Asian in Southlake Texas

Don't you love when you stumble upon something great, simply by accident? That's what happened to me tonight. Hun and I were out just driving around when I decided I wanted to go to Steak and Shake in Southlake. Because you don't know Hun and me, you don't see how very strange that really is. He isn't a fast food kind of guy, although I do partake now and then. I've been on this kick of eating really good fresh stuff and I think I just wanted to reward myself with a juicy burger.

As Hun often does, (but don't tell him I said so) he missed the turn because we were talking (as we always do). He had to turn left off of 1709 in Southlake so he could turn around and (gasp) drive me thru Steak and Shake. We entered a parking lot when he noticed a place called Gingerine Fresh Asian. "YES!" I said. "Let's try it!" I'm so game for trying something new all the time. Hun - not so much. He likes the familiar. But maybe since his other choice was a juicy burger, he was willing to go along with trying something new, just to make me happy.

We really had no idea what to expect.

Immediately upon entering we felt peaceful, yet energized. Does that even make sense? The music was a perfect compliment, we could hear it, but it was in the background. I like that when I dine with Hun. We were quickly offered menus. This is where the real fun began. So many choices! We couldn't quickly decide because we had to read everything on the menu. I personally love menus with personality. This one was loaded with it. The first words on the menu, "Attitude Adjustments" (appetizers) I wanted to try them all! Not because I needed my attitude adjusted, but because they all sounded fabulous!

A bit later on the menu we were greeted with Twirlers (noodles), Slurpers (soups), Curious Curries, and Special and Fins. Not only were the headings fun, there were dishes with humorous names like The Nutty Professor, Diving Shrimps, and Screamin' Chick. See why we had to read the whole menu! We sat and giggled as we shared the menu experience together.

Shortly after sitting down a delightful woman greeted us. She asked our names, told us about the restaurant and shared that she named one of the dishes after her husband, "The Nutty Professor." A man joined her at the table. She introduced us to him by name, "This is Terri and Mike." She said. He shook our hands. I then said, "Is this the Nutty Professor?" And we all laughed.

She shared with us that the restaurant was featured in Fort Worth magazine this month and asked if she could share it with us. She brought the magazine to our table and beamed as she shared. You could tell the restaurant is her dream being fulfilled. There was such a genuineness among the owners and the staff. Every person working made us feel like their guests and like we were the guests of honor. Bo did a fabulous job serving us! Really amazing!

They left the table and we both commented that they were simply delightful! We don't normally like people chatting it up with us at dinner, but they made us feel like we were company in their home, rather than the way most managers or owners treat us, like they are trying to get our business.

We were quite impressed and hadn't even tried the food yet!

We opted to have our attitudes adjusted twice, by choosing the "Shrimp in the Blanket" and the "Avocado Crab Rolls." There were so many things we wanted to try, but new we would definitely be coming back so we decided on the "Savory Basil Duck." There were several items on the menu with a spicy icon next to them. This means you can choose how spicy you want the dish. I'm a wimp so went with little spice. I heard someone order a spicy 3. That burns me just thinking about it. I'm so glad they had options for wimps!

As soon as the Attitude Adjustments arrived, we were thrilled with our choices! The presentation was wonderful and the taste was outstanding! Loved loved love it!

The owner returned to our table to let us know thateverything is prepared fresh and that the recipes are family recipes passed down from her family, with some of her own inventions as well. Did I mention she was delightful? Every bite I took I felt that I was giving my body what it wants. Another first for me was that I willingly ate the red and green peppers. I've always disliked them. But tonight, they just looked so good for me, I picked them up with my red and green chopsticks and savored them. Yes. I gave myself some good fuel with the Savory Basil Duck dish.

The food was all great! We loved the atmosphere. And I particularly liked that I didn't have to stare at TV's. I suppose there are some tables where the TV's would be distracting, but we were away from them, so they weren't.

We both loved this restaurant that we continued talking about it for several minutes after leaving. This is our string of adjectives to describe our experience, refreshed, enchanted, delighted, uplifted, encouraged, inspired, invigorated, and nourished etc. I hesitate to share this but I will, it felt to me like a bit of a spiritual experience in the sense that there was peace and tranquility and such a genuineness that I felt great to the very core of my being.

I'm so glad Hun made a wrong turn into the parking lot of Gingerine Fresh Asian in Southlake Texas.

Gingerine Fresh Asian is located at 2750 E. Southlake Blvd Southlake, TX 76092. They are open for lunch and dinner and have Happy Hour from 4 - 7 pm every day. They even offer complimentary appetizers if you come in during a Texas sporting event. Call for details 817-749-0998 Alisa, Pote and Scott will make you feel like a guest in their home and give you a delightful experience. Tell 'em Terri and Mike sent you. We'll definitely be going back!

Don't you love when you just happen to stumble upon something great? I was out taking pictures today for my new improved, totally redesigned, website. I drove to a lot of different areas, taking pictures that represented various subdivisions, neighborhoods, and special landmarks. I had a friend with me. It's always more fun to do things with a friend.

We were discussing various places to eat when she mentioned that she had always wanted to try Twisted Root in Roanoke. Apparently they were featured on Food Networks, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. The one featured was in Dallas, but we decided to hop on over to the one in Roanoke.

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. You can hear the 80's rock music as you walk to the door. Just as we were about to enter, I hear someone say over the loud speaker, "The first person to say they are the smartest person in the room will get a free milk shake." ME! Awww...too late. No free milkshake for me. Not this time anyway. We arrived for lunch on a Friday around 1:30. The place was packed! I was happy that I got to look at the menu for a bit. It was not really like anything I had ever seen. I expected to maybe try a lamb burger, but apparently their specialty meats are based on availability. The server told me they had Kangaroo.

With every ounce of my being, I tried not to picture a little Joey. I have friends from Australia and decided to give the Kanga a try. You get to choose your toppings, so I opted for guacamole (does that not seem like it's from the right continent?), tomato, and lettuce, with a nice side of onion slivers. I placed my order and was given a name tag, "Courtney Love." My friend ordered a Buffison (Buffalo/venison combo) with fried green beans. Everything tastes good fried, even green beans.

The energy in this place is amazing! One of my favorite parts was the man shouting out the names for the orders. He was hilarious! He used an Arnold Schwateneger voice for a couple and mentioned sleeping with the following person, "Jack Daniels." He gave the room a fun vibe. People were laughing, moving to the music, singing along, and generally having a great time.

I didn't get a milk shake, not even the grown up kind, or the Soggy Fruit Loop. I did try their famous Root Beer, which was really great. I'm not sure it's famous though because I didn't even know about it, and just got a coke until my friend said, "You HAVE to try the rootbeer!"

They also have flavored pickles, sweet, original, sweet and spicy and the one I thought was bar b que. I'm glad I didn't put it on my Kangaburg without trying it first. I think it was soaked in hot sauce. Not my thing! I'm a wimp when it comes to spicy foods.

Twisteded Root was a hoot! I would encourage everyone to hop on over to Twisted Root in Roanoke and give yourself a little adventure. Who knows, your next burger might be an Armaburg or maybe an Alliburg. I'm thinking for me, this is definitely one of my new "go to" places.

Twisted Root is located on Restaurant Row, across from the famous Babe's. If you aren't familiar with Restaurant Row in Roanoke, just journey up 377 a little south of 114, then make your way to the East just one little block. You'll see it. This is an awesome place to take out of town friends, or to stop and just sample the local flavor.

When you're done at Twisted Root, you might want to walk up the street to the book store, or maybe head into the Chic Boutique. You might want to pop into the pie and candy store for some fudge, a pecan pie, or some good old fashioned candy dots. I got me some Zots! Remember those cherry fizzy candies. So much fun!

New Restaurant in Keller Texas on 377 in Old Town Keller - Bronson Rock

It's not just anyone who can look at Old Town Keller Texas and see a vision for what could be, but General Manager of Bronson Rock, Ned Brown, is that kind of man. When he talks about Bronson Rock, Burgers and Beer, on 377 in Old Town Keller, he gets a look in his eye that can only be described as "visionary."

Bronson Rock, Burgers and Beer is located in the old gas station, which was an eyesore on 377. But with his vision, he is creating a location that takes some of the old world charm and brings it into modern life. Long ago, a bunch of guys used to sit outside the gas station playing dominoes. He would like to see people sitting on the covered patio or on the open patio just hanging out with their friends, drinking Margaritas, and yes, maybe even playing a game of dominoes while connecting with old friends, and maybe even finding some new friends.

Ned is doing his part in helping to transform Old Keller into a place where people want to stop, not just drive through on their way somewhere else. He's looking forward to opening the restaurant with a soft open possibly as early as Friday, Jan 13th with just a few items on the menu. Of course amazing burgers will be on the menu for the day. Ned has big goals for Bronson Rock. He wants to be known for their customer service and quality product.

When I stopped in this afternoon to talk with Ned, there were a bunch of people working diligently to get to the place of opening. I watched, from a distance, as they placed glass mirrors above the bar tender's station. The decor is designed to make people in their 30's, 40's and 50's feel at home. It's kind of reminiscent of burger joints of our youth, except I don't recall a very large flat screen TV in those burger joints.

Ned is a long time resident of Keller. He's the owner of My Lawn Guy in Keller, TX. When you talk with him though, he's a family guy through and through. He sure is proud of his girls! I sensed a little sadness when he shared that he wouldn't be coaching soccer this year.

I had a fabulous conversation with Ned. We talked about everything from politics to religion, and how to make our city, which was voted the 7th Best City by Money Magazine a few years ago, into an even better city going forward.

Be sure to stop in at Bronson Rock in Old Keller on 377. And don't forget to find Ned and ask him about his girls. And maybe, just maybe, if you mention Terri Camp, from DFW Texas Homes sent you, he might even give me a free drink. ;-)

Bronson Rock Burgers and Beer, the newest restaurant in Keller, Texas!

Homeschooling in Fort Worth, Keller, Southlake, Colleyville, and other parts of the Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex offers many wonderful opportunities.

As a homeschooling mom, moving with seven of my eight children to an unknown area had an added element of wondering what kind of resources are available for homeschoolers. I didn't care about the school system. Since they don't have open enrollment in the Fort Worth and Keller Schools, that simply wasn't an issue. But I did want my kids to be able to enjoy time with other kids who were also homeschooled.

It was kind of ironic that I was able to find a job working at The Center for Home Education (formerly known as Creative Arts in Action) in Watauga off of Watauga Rd. I had never seen a resource quite like this before. They offer classes on everything from art to zoology every day of the week. Some of my kids favorite classes have been government, painting, speech, and writing. There are some students who basically take all of their classes at the Center for Home Education. Then there are some who take one of two classes. My kids each take one class there. The teachers are amazing! Since I worked there when I first moved to Fort Worth, I had an inside view of the workings. What I found were compassionate, caring people in Steve and Rosie Watson. Rosie worked there for years, never taking a salary. She did it for the love of the kids. Unfortunately Steve and Rosie had to move, but they have put in their place wonderful people to carry on with their dream and vision for helping and giving resources to the homeschool community in North Texas.

In addition to classes, they also have a bookstore (they even carry one of my books) with all the latest books and curriculum. If they don't have it, they can order it for you. You can find out more about them by visiting their website, Center for Home Education.

In Iowa the only things we had were co-ops run by the parents. They have those in the Fort Worth area too. There is one called Sunlight that meets every Wednesday. I don't participate in Sunlight because I have to work and it requires the parent be there and teach something on Wednesdays. It's a great idea though and if I wasn't a single mom I would totally do that.

There is another called Dominion Equippers, which offers classes that you can pay for, but I don't think they require the parent to participate. 

In addition to these resources, there are also email groups through Yahoo that are very active. They have park days and Mom's Night Out groups in Keller, Fort Worth, Saginaw, etc.

There are many more resources available for homeschooling in Fort Worth, Texas. Feel free to call me or email me for more information about homeschooling in Fort Worth, Keller, Southlake, Colleyville, North Richland Hills and other parts of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex.

Did you know that money really doesn't grow on trees? Or that it isn't even made from trees?

Did you know that if there is a little FW on your paper money it was made at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Fort Worth, TX?

Did you know that you can take a free tour and watch while millions of dollars are being made?

It always amazes me what I don't know. Sometimes it's simply because I've forgotten. Other times I have heard the information but it didn't register long enough in my brain in order for me to actually forget it. And then there is the simple ignorance factor where I simply didn't know.

I was looking for something cool to do with my dad, his wife, my six kids, and two-year old granddaughter. It's not easy finding something that all of us would enjoy, and not cost a fortune. Normally in Fort Worth we aren't limited to indoor activities, but on this particular day we had a surprising cold front turn us into an arctic tundra with temperatures below freezing. We decided that no matter what we did, it was going to have to be indoors.

Fort Worth has a bunch of amazing museums, but remember, the two-year old would be with us too. Since Dad was going to have a twelve hour drive home, he didn't really want to go very far, so we scratched a few items off the list simply because they were more than a thirty minute drive from us.

I went to my trusty Google and asked for free things to do in Fort Worth. I found a website with lots of great ideas. You know, when I'm out showing houses in the North Fort Worth area, I pass by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing at least once a week. But, I had never gone on a tour and it didn't come to my mind when I was thinking of things to do. I'm thankful this site had it on its list.

When I presented the idea of going to the Money Factory http://moneyfactory.gov I was surprised that everyone thought it would be pretty cool to watch how money was made. I loved that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was only ten minutes or so from my house. I also loved that it was free and indoors.

We headed out at noon, arriving at our destination just a few minutes away. We didn't realize that you can't have cell phones or other electronic devices, so we had to take those back to the car and lock them away for safe keeping. Going through the security checkpoint was kind of cool. You stand in a round glass tube type thing that resembles a revolving door. You just stand there for a moment and then they let you out. After we all made it through the check point and retrieving our forgotten keys, we boarded a bus. The ride was short, but they gave us information on the trip.

I love learning so interesting facts are really fun for me.

It was just our family plus two other people in the tour which made it really nice. We walked on a skywalk above the factory where we could see printing of money taking place.

Did you know there is a new 100 dollar bill that will be placed in circulation as soon as the Federal Reserve announces it to the public? Oops ... is that privileged information? I don't think so.

The tour took about 45 minutes and was super informative. After the tour we watched a movie in their theater. I think if I were to do it over again, I would watch the movie first as it would make what we saw on the floor make a little more sense.

We all agreed that we had a great time and learned a lot about money.

If you're going to be in the Fort Worth area and are looking for a way to spend a couple of hours, you should most definitely pay a visit to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.