Last summer, the week before school was to start, I realized that I hadn’t spent much quality time with Evan at all. He spent his time playing outside or with me at the pool. But the days just blended into one another.
Don’t get me wrong. That’s one of the joys of summertime. You don’t have to do anything. But at his age (last summer, 6; this summer, 7), I know I’m limited in the days that he wants to spend with me. And while I have the time and flexibility to do so, I’d be kicking myself for years to come if I didn’t take advantage of it.
So I’ve declared this the summer of Field Trip Fridays. At least once a week, I plan to take Evan on an adventure. It might be local. It might be a day trip. It might not even be on a Friday. But it’s definitely meant to be a memory maker.
On my calendar for quite some time has been the Disney Social Media Moms On the Road event in Philadelphia. This event was NOT meant to be a field trip for Evan. It was meant to be a day spent with my favorite bloggers, a nice evening out, and some good old-fashioned Disney fun and learning.
Then, my roommate couldn’t make the trip and I was sacked with an overpriced room just outside of Philly (King of Prussia, to be exact). My husband told me not to worry and think of it as treating myself to a night away, all by myself. I liked the sound of that.
A week before the event, my husband had a last minute surgery scheduled to remove a disk in his neck. Surprisingly, it’s outpatient surgery but the recovery has been messy. I knew he’d be able to take care of himself while I was gone but was worried that a bored 7 year old might put him over the edge. So I got permission to bring Evan with me. And our first adventure began.
Our hotel was right next to the King of Prussia Mall and rumor had it that there was a LEGO store inside. And as luck would have it, they were having a speed building contest.
Evan joined in, made his very own ship, and walked away with a free LEGO idea book. And I might have bought him a Star Wars LEGO set in hopes of keeping him happy during the short conference.
After our brief trip to the mall (where I walked into Teavana and walked out $100 lighter and couldn’t figure out how I had spent it), we met my friend Ellen for dinner. Ellen, not one for being deterred on having a good time despite a 7 year old now being part of the plan, suggested we dine at Shake Shack. According to her, this Northeast chain started as a food truck in NYC and has now become an upscale burger chain.
Bottom line: it had a chic interior, reasonable prices, really yummy food, shakes for the kids (and Ellen), and even a glass of wine for me.
After dinner, Evan and I settled into our room and against my better judgment, I let Evan “start” his LEGO set. Because LEGO sets can’t really be started and not finished unless you are at home and have a secure place for all the little pieces. In a hotel room, once you start you better finish.
Let me rephrase that.
Once you start, you better realize what time it is and finish the last bag of LEGO for your son so you can get him to bed before 11pm knowing that you have to be at the conference at 7:30am.
Without too much protesting, we woke up early and headed for the conference in the hotel.
Even though he brought his laptop and played his fair share of Roblox, he did actually play with his LEGO set and actually did spend a good bit of time paying attention at the conference. He actually said he really liked the conference. It might have helped that Mike and Sully joined him as a souvenir of the day.
(P.S. That’s me with the wonder twins, Pam and Terri of The Housewives of Frederick County up there.)
After the conference, I wanted to make it more of a kids trip so we decided to head into downtown Philly. It had started to drizzle but I figured we could grab a cheesesteak, see the Liberty Bell, and get home in time for dinner.
And then something really bad happened.
I remember that my favorite cheesesteak place, Pat’s, was a cash-only operation and, as usual, I had zero cash in my pocket. After navigating the streets of Philly, I found an ATM but needed to park. So I headed into an underground parking deck.
Big mistake.
I had backed into a space and decided I was too close to the concrete pillar. So I pulled out and turned to find another space. But I didn’t pull out far enough and cut the turn too tight and, well…
If that picture pains you as much as it pains me, just know that this is my brand new 2015 Toyota Avalon Hybrid. With just over 1000 miles on it.
Are you feeling my pain? That 100 bucks I spent at Teavana doesn’t seem so outrageous after a $2000 whoopsie in a parking garage in Philly.
So after breaking the news to my husband and shedding many tears, I did what any self-respecting mom and visitor to Philly would do. I took my son to Pat’s for a cheesesteak.
All’s well that ends well. It won’t deter us from heading out on more adventures. In fact, we’d even like to go back to Philly with my husband in tow. We still want to see the Liberty Bell and apparently there’s a really cool aquarium just across the river in Camden, NJ. But next time we go, I think I’ll let my husband drive.
If you want to read more or debate on who has the best cheesesetak, you may want to check out my post from when I went to Philly a few years ago. Yes, I wrote an entire post devoted to cheesesteaks.
20 comments
Tears on the cheesesteak! I’m so sorry, Fadra. I get the fear-sweats in parking garages. This is one reason why.
I never was nervous before but you better believe I am now!
Oh no! I would’ve cried too! I’m a crazy person about parking now. Evan was so good at the conference, too! And yes, you need to go check out Adventure Aquarium. We just went there two weeks ago.
We’re definitely planning a return trip but I don’t plan on driving (or parking, anyway!). And thanks – even I was surprised at how good Evan was!
So sorry Fadra! At least the Disney and family time helped subside the tears 🙂
Now it’s just a distant memory (until we have to get it fixed). But thank God for insurance!
OMG sounds like something I would do (and have done)….it might be an expensive repair (and I am so sorry), but the memories you made for Evan, and the time you shared with him, well….you can’t put a price on that! You will look back and laugh at this one day! Trite, I know…but true!
I’m already over the initial shock. Now it just looks ugly but we definitely remember the cheesesteak more than we remember the tears!
I hate parking garages, so I’m amazed that you were brave enough to back your car into a spot in one. Sorry about the tragedy, but it sounds like you made the most of it. 🙂
I have a back up camera so backing up wasn’t the problem. It was pulling out!!! But yes, we made the most of it 🙂
Oh, those are WONDERFUL! I have a Toyota Sienna without one, but we’ve had a rental with one and they spoil you!
Philly is not complete without a cheese steak, I’m really jealous you went to Shake Shack, I saw it as we were leaving the conference but no one I was with was hungry.
I didn’t even know what I was getting into but if I lived closer to a Shake Shack, it would be dangerous!!
I’ve been wanting to try Shake Shack for AGES. The one time we did make it there, in NYC, the lines were crazy.
And sorry about your car 🙁 I have been there.
Ellen was surprised at how non-existent the line was when we went in. But I think we hit it at just the right time because the line was out the door by the time we left!
Major 2k bummer! But mom-kid field trips are the best! There’s a ferry that can take you back and forth to/from the Camden and Philly waterfronts if you do your aquarium trip! Walking distance from the aquarium – did it with my son and it was a great day!
[…] case you missed last week’s post, I’m attempting to have a field trip (re: adventure) with my son every week this summer. Work […]
Oh! I had no idea about the car. That stinks…and yes, I have done it many times before. Glad to have made your post! Shake Shake 4eva!
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