The mall, 2 museums, & lunch

All before 1PM.

Not too shabby for 2 moms and 5 kids.

We first hit up the mall for some sale shopping.  I, like always, bought nothing.  I always talk myself out of purchases because I tell myself I was doing just fine without whatever I contemplated buying.  For example this shower scrub gel stuff for $3.  Even thought it was on sale from $12, I said to myself as I stood in line at the check-out, "I don't need this, I have soap at home."  I then put it back and bought nothing.

After the mall we headed to the BEAN Museum at BYU.  I had wanted to go to Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point but it is a little bit of a drive and they charge admission.  I talked myself out of it because the BEAN Museum is minutes away, FREE, and the kids love seeing these animals, I think, just as much as the farm animals. 

Mali Su and Jordan wanted nothing to do with this tarantula but Aimi Lark of course stepped right up and petted it.

My girls loved this Zebra.  I told them not to touch and Aimi Lark told me in response, "He's nice, he likes us, he won't hurt us."  See who needs LIVE farm animals when we have animals that "like us" and are "nice" right here in Provo.  The fact that they do not stink and stand perfectly still for the kids to see, in my opinion, is an added bonus.

I loved this part of the museum with the girls.  They stayed in this little room looking at the wetland exhibit for what seemed like an hour!  Who knew ducks and the wetland ecosystem diagrams would keep them so entertained, not I.

(my girls insisted on wearing BLUE dresses today, only BLUE would do)

I asked Aimi Lark to take a picture of me and Larkie with our strollers.

We took the elevator to the 1st floor (where I've never been) and saw walls lined mainly with stuffed/dead rodents.  It was my least favorite exhibit.  Next time we will stay up on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

We then loaded up the kids (playing musical cars/car seats) and headed over to the BYU Paleontology Museum. 

Then on to lunch at Pizza Pie Cafe.  This was only my second time to eat there.  It brought back lots of memories of Kayla bringing home pizza from when she worked there and lived with us.  That free pizza back in the day fed us well.  Thanks Kayla!

We gave the kids their own table and we sat across from them.  

It was almost like Larkie and I were out to lunch alone, almost.

I got home and my kids napped for HOURS.

Days like this make me feel like a good mom.