Bubba Gump On The Riverwalk In San Antonio Review

 Who loves Forrest Gump? I do! The movie always makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I mean, yes, there are some sad parts, but mostly it's sweet. 

There's a restaurant called Bubba Gump based on the company in the movie between Forrest and Bubba. It's a chain so there are several locations. One is located on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. It's a nice set up inside and yes, there are outdoor tables as well if you want to sit by the river.

Oh and yes, Forrest Gump is playing. Constantly. I've seen the movie so many times so I knew a lot of the lines. 

The menu is full of seafood dishes of course, but if you don't like seafood like me there are other options. There is also lots of booze available but we didn't get any of those drinks. (Also, they need Coke products. They only had Pepsi which is okay if Dr. Pepper is offered but there is NO DR. PEPPER either. It's like, what? Forrest would be pissed. He loved Dr. Pepper.)

If your table is comfortable and doesn't need help, you put up this sign:

If you need help, like refills or anything else, put this sign up:

Of course there's a store with Forrest Gump merchandise. I loved these shirts:

I always randomly quote "Lt Dan, ice creammm..."

I ordered the Ping Pong Chicken Pasta and I'll be honest, there wasn't much flavor to it. The garlic bread had more flavor. I wouldn't get this again. They had a Fried Chicken dish that I'd order that if we went again.

My mom got the coconut shrimp and liked them:

Natalie got the Popcorn Shrimp kids meal since she eats like a bird. The kids meals come in a cute Jenny boat:

Tommy got the Shrimp Po Boy and thought it was delicious. It's hard to take photos of his food since he digs right in:

We decided on the dessert and got the Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae which was amazing:

It was Natalie's birthday when we went and they brought out this festive ice cream sandwich:

Near the restaurant is a pretty photo spot that isn't too crowded so I recommend taking photos. You take the stairs and there's a bridge. 

For the most part we had a good experience at Bubba Gump. Our waitress was friendly and the service was smooth. We'll probably be back since we usually eat there before seeing a show at the Majestic Theater nearby. 

Have you ever been to a Bubba Gump restaurant? 

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

.....to have watched the Oscars with Natalie. She wanted to watch because Billie Eilish was there (and she and her brother Finneas won an Oscar for best song) so we saw the Will Smith/Chris Rock thing live. I thought my TV speakers went out because everything went silent for a few. 

.....to think the performance of We Don't Talk About Bruno was awesome. Some people were horrified that Megan Thee Stallion was singing too but I didn't mind. 

.....to need to watch the Oscar nominated films. I don't think I've seen any of them. 

.....to have recently finished Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. It's 1939. Twelve year old Rill who lives on the river with her siblings. They don't have a lot, but they have each other. But then they are taken and brought to the Tennessee Children's Home. They are told their parents signed over their rights. Rill doesn't believe this. The book cuts to present day. The Stafford family is full of privilege and are in politics. But Avery Stafford discovers her family might have some secrets. Was her family started on a lie? I was addicted to this book. You can get it here. 

.....to love this McDonald's Happy Meal purse that I found on BoxLunch. I believe it's sold out now. I had to preorder it back in November so keep checking to see if it pops back in stock. We love McDonald's and my kids ate a ton of Happy Meals growing up so this purse is perfect: 

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Unboxing The Mindful Souls March Box

My daughter Natalie is all about crystals and affirmations. I think they're pretty cool but she know more about them. She loves getting the Mindful Souls box because it's all about peace and tranquility. Even the box is calming:

The first Natalie found was the Red Agate Circle Crystal. It's smooth and honestly it would be calming if you're upset to rub your finger pads around it. According to the paper that came with the box it offers protection and you're supposed to sit quietly while holding the stone in your hands. Then you visualize your intention for the stone. 

There was also a Protective Tiger's Eye Bracelet. Apparently it's supposed to help you boost energy, so I'll be taking this. I could always use energy. It's also supposed to give you courage, self-confidence, and strength of will.

These Mandala Socks are a lot of fun. I love all the colors. Mandala derives from the Sanskrit meaning circle. 

The Wrapped Raw Clear Quartz Necklace is pretty. Clear crystal helps manifest realities, programming intentions and amplifying energies. It also helps you to purify your mind, core, and base. Natalie has already worn this and got a good grade on a math test, so yay.

The Rain Song Essential Oil smelled lovely. It's a mix of lotus flowers and this oil helps with calming which I need especially after driving on Texas roads. 

Finally, this Blue Agate Slice Necklace is a stunner. It can help with our natural state of joy. It also can give you the courage to forgive and forget which is something a lot of people could benefit from.

There was also a cool affirmation card in the box:

You can get your own Mindful Souls box for 35% off here. You'll receive a box full of items that will help with self-love and inner peace. These boxes ship from the US and it's free shipping. If you aren't happy, there's a free 30 day return. If a box isn't for you, they have many other items you can purchase, from rings to singing bowls. Plus my daughter's favorite, crystals. If you need to ask questions, there is 24/7 customer support. 

You are able to cancel the boxes at any time. In every box you can get the following: beauty products, aromatherapy, gemstone jewelry, calming crystals, and extra fun items. The boxes are normally sent the 7th of the month but when you order your first one, it is generally delivered in 2-6 days. I know ours arrived fast!

What was your favorite item in the box this month? Ours was the Blue Agate Slice Necklace followed by the Wrapped Raw Clear Quartz Necklace. 

The Birthday Shenanigans

We celebrated Natalie's birthday over the weekend by going downtown. First I set up some Gilmore Girls decor since she loves the show. You can get the balloons and sign here. 

She also loves Five Nights At Freddy's so I got her a giant Freddy. You can see a list of what she got here. 

Mom had gotten tickets to Rent for us so we were excited to see that.

Before Rent, we at at Bubba Gump and took some photos downtown. 

Oh and yes, Natalie picked out a fabulous outfit. 

We loved Rent! If the show is coming to your area, go see it! There's wonderful music, amazing acting, and the set is neat too. 

After the show, Natalie got to pick what she wanted for dinner. She picked Panda Express. She loves the orange chicken.

Natalie's cake was Five Nights at Freddy's inspired:

She said she enjoyed her birthday. It certainly was a day of fun and surprises!

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

....to have enjoyed Spring Break last week. We did some shopping, went downtown, saw Rent, celebrated Natalie birthday, and ate tasty food!

.....to be glad Natalie enjoyed her birthday. She got a lot of cute outfits, including the dress that Romy wore in Romy & Michele's High School Reunion which is showed her over Spring Break. She was a fan. How can you not be with classic lines like "I invented Post-Its." ? 

.....to have loved Rent. It was my first time seeing it and I enjoyed the songs and the story. I cried once. 

.....to currently be reading Because You're Mine by Rea Frey. It's about a single mother named Lee who has a son named Mason. Mason has autism and sees a therapist named Noah who Lee has a crush on--but then she learns Noah is with a friend of hers and everything spirals from there. 

....to have taken Natalie to Chuck E Cheese to party with her friends. Chuck E Cheese is popular with teenagers due to YouTubers making videos and Five Nights At Freddy's. Everyone had fun playing the games and dancing with Chuck E. I loved the Unicorn Churros. I basically sat and ate while the teens ran around: 

And Then She Was Fifteen

Natalie was born 15 years ago and was pretty pissed off about it. 

She was a noisy baby. She cried a ton. She was offended when we set her down. She had a long list of things she did not like. Her car seat was one of those things. The toys hanging from the handle upset her. But if we removed them, that made her screech too. 

However, as she grew, she became less whiney. Her love for costumes became apparent. 

She also adored all things Disney. Rapunzel is her favorite Princess, followed by Merida. 

She also enjoys watching Enchanted, which is where this dress is inspired from. If you've never seen Enchanted, it's about Giselle who is banished to Earth by an Evil Queen and realizes everyone isn't as happy as she is. 

I love that Natalie still dresses up.  I hope she always does.

Currently she's a Freshman in High School. Her sport is theatre. She loves transforming into other characters and obviously her favorite thing is the different costumes.

She can be stubborn. She laughs at inappropriate times like her mother. She loves to shop. As soon as she gets money, it's basically spent. She has a fantastic sense of humor. 

She understands makeup and fashion. I do not. But she puts together the coolest outfits.

Today she is fifteen. And I know I have to slowly let her go. This is difficult for me. I have let her hang out with friends without supervision. I worry. Constantly. But I have to believe that the lessons I've taught her over the years have stuck. I have to believe that she'll make the right decisions when adults aren't around. 

Happy 15th Birthday, Natalie! I hope you always have that amazing imagination. 

Lupe Tortilla Mexican Restaurant At The Rim Review

I always love trying out new places to eat. We're in Texas so obviously there are a ton of Mexican restaurants. I heard that Lupe Tortilla was a good place so Tom and I decided to check it out for lunch. It's located at The Rim and it's a beautiful building. 

Inside it had some fun decor:

There was plenty of indoor seating as well as outdoor. 

The menu was impressive with a fabulous array of dishes to choose from. 

Chips and salsa are brought out and I must say, the salsa was delicious. Yes, it was a bit spicy which is what I like.

We also opted to get the queso as an appetizer and it was also a hit. You get a ton of jalapeños with the queso if you like the extra spice like me. 

For our main dishes, Tom got the burrito and liked it. He can be picky so it's always a win when he enjoys something.

I went for the chicken fajitas which is one special during the week. I loved the guacamole that came with the fajitas. You could also tell the tortillas were fresh and made in house. 

We would certainly eat here again. An added bonus was they did a military discount. They also had some incredible sounding desserts (an ice cream taco!) but we were full. We do want to try a dessert at some point though.

There are other locations of Lupe Tortilla in Texas. We went to the one at The Rim. It's open for Brunch Saturday and Sunday from 9-2. Regular hours are Sun-Thursday from 11-9 and Friday-Saturday from 11-10. You can learn more about this location here.