It’s a Grandmomma’s dream day when Granddaddy and a gang of grandboys are off for an Auburn football game,

Granddaddy and 4 of his grandsons in Auburn.

and I have some time to just concentrate on a couple of granddaughters. Except for Cousins Camp, it’s rare for Megan in Georgia and Birti in Tennessee to have a day together. It’s extra-nice that their birthdays are 1 year and 9 days apart, so they had birthday cash burning a hole in their purses and a Grandmomma happy to give them the time to spend some of it.  Shopping and lunch were our primary objectives.

When we arrived at Parkway Place Mall in Huntsville and they realized it had a Claire’s, a Justice and a Build-a-Bear, they declared it “the best mall ever!”  I discovered that these girls were very careful and savvy shoppers.  One of the stores had a buy one/get one free deal going on.  I’m pretty sure they looked at ALL of the possibilities.  In this case, it’s so much better to be the GRANDmomma instead of the Momma.  Grandmommas are much less likely to be in a hurry, don’t you think? I asked them as we were leaving, “When’s the last time you got to spend more than 2 hours looking for only your kind of stuff?”  Their response: “NEVER!”  And there you have the reason Grandmotherhood is SO awesome.

Claire’s and Justice are great places for a couple of 9 and 10-year-olds. Jewelry, purses, iPod cases, small stuffed animals, hair accessories, cute clothes and much, much more.

Unlimited time to make decisions in Claire’s.

Hurray for birthday money and some time to shop.

Both girls LOVE soft, cuddly stuffed animals, so Build-a-Bear was perfect.  It just seemed natural to “be twins” in their choice this morning.  Here are the results.

Fluffing their new puppies at Build-a-Bear.

Creating birth certificates for their new stuffed animals at Build-a-Bear.

Twin puppies with AU shirts.

Happy with their purchases in Build-a-Bear.

After all the serious looking, it was time to have lunch. Here’s where Grandmomma gets to “gently lead” in interesting directions.  I had been wanting to check out Taco Mama. They thought the idea of “building your own taco or burrito” sounded good, so off we went to The Village of Providence. Of the 11 Taco Mamas currently in operation, 9 are in Alabama, 1 is in Nashville and 1 is in Greensboro, NC. The weather was great for enjoying the outdoor tables and atmosphere. Custom-designed glass garage-type doors allow the whole place to be open-air when possible. At other times, they are closed and everything is dry and climate-controlled.

Exterior of Taco Mama in The Village of Providence.

Colorful interior of Taco Mama.

Always on the lookout for bargains, I was glad to see a Ninos (A.K.A. Kids) Menu. Megan happily selected the cheese quesadilla with a side of tortilla chips. ($3.00)

Megan with a kid’s quesadilla at Taco Mama.

Birti wanted to build her own beef burrito with a side of queso. She made short work of it! ($8.00)

Birti with a beef burrito and queso at Taco Mama.

I enjoyed a chicken burrito with lots of veggies tucked inside with ancho chile slaw. It tasted very fresh and flavorful. ($8.00) There are a few items that go up to $9 and $10, and the ahi tuna is $13, but everything on the menu is very affordable.

Chicken burrito with ancho chile slaw at Taco Mama.

Speaking of “building your own,” in the list of meats, you will see the normal ones of beef or shredded chicken, but you could also choose chorizo, pork, barbacoa, steak, grilled shrimp, flounder or a few others. And the list of other add-ons is extensive: rice, refried beans, black beans, onions, cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, jalapenos, corn, sour cream and more. Actually, I believe you could have ALL of the free add-ons, if you walk in with a huge appetite. Then there are 7 different sauces. The key words are “lots of choices” and “have it the way you want it.” Sounds like a good business model to me.

Taco Mama at The Village of Providence opens 7 days a week at 11:00 a.m. This is a place where you walk up to a counter to order and get your own drinks in plastic cups, but once you’re seated, the service is prompt and courteous. If you enjoy Mexican cuisine, I recommend that you try Taco Mama.

Another great day for this Grandmomma. Read more about my time with these little girls on Friday.