From Wedding Bells to Mall Walks

Hello Hive community!
It's Wednesday, and time for another walk!

The other week, we celebrated my husband's cousin's intimate wedding in a neighboring city. The beautiful ceremony and reception lasted over two hours. With the kids still full of energy, we decided on a fun walk through a nearby mall.

We left the venue as the after-party began. While the bride graciously included our children in the earlier festivities, we felt it best to depart before the adult-only portion started. We wanted to make a graceful exit, and we had let the bride and groom know our intentions in advance. We made sure to take photos with the whole family and the bride and groom, with their official photographer, before we left.

We arrived at the mall of our destination during rush hour, so finding a parking space was challenging and took several minutes. Once parked, we made our way to the mall entrance. Our intention was to let the kids play at the giant playground, but the line was long, and it was packed with children. Well, what could we expect at the mall on a weekend, especially with a payday sale? It was crowded wherever we went.

With the mall bustling, I wanted to find a place where the kids could still roam freely and have fun. Then, I recalled the recently opened "MOA Sky," an open-air section on the mall's upper level. From there, we could enjoy panoramic cityscape and seaside views.

Fortunately, MOA Sky wasn't as crowded as the lower mall levels. There were enough people to create a lively atmosphere, but the kids had ample room to play. MOA Sky also features a playground. I noticed the al fresco area, or the Paw Park, was designated for pet owners. My kids, who love animals, enjoyed watching and interacting with them.

We paused to watch a vibrant water fountain, its jets dancing in time to music and illuminated with shifting colors. My children were utterly mesmerized, their attention held for a precious few minutes, giving us a chance to rest while they sat quietly in a corner.

While the children played, we relaxed in the corner with our drinks, keeping them within sight.

Once they'd played enough, we went to the seaside to find a restaurant. The area was bustling with diners, and my little one was clearly worn out and sleepy from all the activity.

With the area so bustling, we couldn't agree on a restaurant, so we chose to drive through. As soon as my youngest settled into the backseat, he was asleep, and I was glad I'd changed his sweaty clothes.

We grabbed food from the drive-through and ate in the car before driving home. My youngest was still deep in sleep, clearly very tired.

That concludes our Wednesday Walk. A whirlwind of fun, food, and a very sleepy little one. We hope you enjoyed following along.

Thanks for joining us, and see you on my next one!

❤️❤️❤️

_{All photos are my own, unless stated otherwise.
The lead image was edited using Canva.}