Annual Family Date 2011

As per tradition (at least for now the last 3 years) we celebrated our family date day today. Being a big family, we don't have many opportunities to do outings let alone BIG ones but once a year (around this time) we all go out for a date. This date includes something fun and special for the kids plus going out to eat. This year we had decided to plan something different from the usual and were gearing up for a free day at the Children's Museum in Indy on Presidents day, Arcade time at the mall in Indy and food complete with one night in a hotel (our kids think they are royalty when they stay in a hotel cause they've done it maybe 3 times their whole lives). Well that was a fabulous plan until the blizzard of 2011 hit and caused 3 snow days which took out our chances of our Indy trip SO, we went to the default but not completely. Instead of eating at the mall we chose to go to Chuck e cheeses this time. 3 of our 5 kiddos have never been so this was super exciting. This afternoon we headed up to Fort Wayne and straight to Build a Bear where not only did the kids build their bears, we built 3 extra ones for some special kiddos in our lives (we get to give them their bears tomorrow after church, SO excited!).

 Waiting to be stuffed.

 Youngest goes first! Madi picked a super cute St. Patty's bear.

 Autumn and her cute pink rocker bear that she named Chasse.

 The boys getting theirs stuffed and sewn up. Colby got to make one of the extra ones today which he was happy to do.

 This horse id for someone special made with lots of love. Colby picked the rockin boy bear for himself.

 Miss Bre and her monkey which you can't really see but he's cute!

 Rodney showing how tough men make teddy bears, LOL! He chose to make one of the special bears and I made the third one but no pictures were taken of me making it. After Build a Bear, it was off to.....the potty, ok then the carousel. :)

 Waiting in line for the carousel. I love this part and yes, my hair is different. I got a perm that I had wanted to be a wave and so I now have very curly/poofy hair. Husband likes, half the kids do too and the other half are so so. I myself am so so still. After our endeavours at the mall we headed to Chuck e Cheeses but I unfortunately didn't get pics except the one below because I was running around playing games, winning tickets and cashing them in. :)

 The kids got to watch Chucke come out and dance before we left. After that, it was about dinner time but really, who's hungry after all that soda and pizza, so off to have ice cream for dinner we went. LOVE this day, I drop the strict mommyness and live on the edge.

 Miss Madi loving/lickin her ice cream.

 The boys enjoying their dinner.

Dad scarfing down his dinner and the girls in the back ground. Yes, I enjoyed ice cream too but wasn't giving up the camera for these guys to take crazy pics of me eating like I did of them. :)
I love to let loose on this day and just enjoy being a kid, I mean watching my kids have a blast. I'm exhausted and spent what little bit of last energy I had to post this so now off to curl up on the couch and doze. :)