Mother's Day, Mall, Metal Mulitia, Meal Swapping and Me!

We celebrated Mother's Day one day early (it's more fun that way so you can actually go out and do things!) Originally, we were planning on going to Tahoe for the afternoon, taking the kids to the lake, getting dinner on the way home.  However, with five children sometimes the afternoon comes and you realize this means taking them on a long trip that involves coming home late with little to no naps.  Instead, we went to the mall so I could get a new dress and they could play, then to dinner.  We were home by 6:30 (as we eat with the old people at 4:30) and kids were in bed by 8!  The day had a few nice surprises...

We pulled up to the Galleria only to see lines and lines of traffic with NO parking.  We finally realized that the Metal Mulitia was in town and took over a section of the parking lot.  We parked across E. Roseville Pkwy from the mall and walked over just in time to see this:

and this...

The kids were mesmerized

And of course, I am the coolest mom ever who takes her kids to see motorcycles on Mother's Day right?  Just tattoo my arm and call me Big Bertha!

Don't I look angelic in this picture, like a big beaming ray of sunshine down on my large brood?  Or maybe it was the sun and a camera phone:)  Either way, we had a great time both watching the show and at the mall.  I got a new dress.  Now I just need some tan legs!  

At the end of the day (and a nice dinner at Cheesecake Factory), we headed home.  Nathan was so pooped he let me carry him and he cuddled with me the entire walk to the car.  Emma held my hand the entire day, and when she wasn't Bailey actually held mine too.  Not by force or anything, just because my big almost 4th grader wanted to.  

In regards to the meal swapping section of the title, I must document our choices.  Emma just doesn't eat, so Bailey finished off her chicken after his mini burgers were too small.  Nathan's pasta did not come in the form he liked, so he traded meals with the twins.  Well, they didn't like the pasta either so Addison ate off of Ben's burrito and Kate ate my salmon(for real!).  I wasn't too fond of the salmon so I ate some of the kids french fries and some of the unwanted pasta.  As long as it all gets eaten, right?