A Smith Family Night Out

One of the websites I belong to, Moms Like Me, had an event yesterday at the Children's Gardens. I thought it would be a wonderful way to spend the evening, plus there was Free ice cream. (or vice versa)

After deciding to stop at Wendy's on the way to the event for dinner (GASP!!! Yes that's correct, I DECIDED to stop at Wendy's all on my own.....well ok, AFTER the "So....what do you want to do for dinner?" conversation. But still! It was my idea!) I got the kids ready to go. I wanted to pretty much walk out the door the minute the husband walked in it. Yesterday was a very dull and uneventful day and I was BORED!

The husband arrived home just as I remembered that I did not print out the directions. Crap! So I rush to the computer ... right after I had just shut down the browser ... and try to open up Mozila. It was like the computer stared right back at me and said "FAIL!" UGH...It took over a minute to get that stupid browser open. I mean didn't it know I was in a hurry???

I finally printed out a map to the place and a map to the suggested parking area and we headed off on our journey.

I should have taken the browser issue as a clue to how the evening might go but ... always the optimist (or something like that) ... I did not.

So Wendy's ... went off without a hitch ... ordered off the dollar menu (trying to be frugal and all) and fed 4 people for $14!!! Who Rocks? Oh yeah ... I do! We sit down, I set my purse on the floor, we eat, we get full, we go pee (avoiding any porta johns later) and we head off towards Free Ice Cream!!! Um ... I mean ... Children's Gardens!!!

This is where it all begins!

Now I must mention that this is all on a College Campus...a LARGE College Campus. Being on a Large College Campus it was not difficult for me (the one who decided I knew where I was going so I better drive) to get lost quite easily. Well ACTUALLY I wouldn't have gotten lost if I wouldn't have listened to my husband who told me I couldn't enter on a road I could enter...but we won't go there. So we looped around the campus one time. Then I said, "Look! See I told you I had to go that way!"

Cricket Cricket

We drive up to the supposed "Free" parking ramp and they are counting down their tills. I double checked and indeed it was Free! YAY! Score another one for Captain Awesome here in the driver's seat!

Um yeah....there's no one in this parking ramp... No moms with crying babies. No toddlers running into the middle of the road. No whining 6 year olds. No one. That's weird! I swear the thing said to park there???

Husband growing skeptical.

So we start walking and I look on the map and I say, "We need to walk back towards where we drove in."

Husband says, "So what you are saying is that we didn't park near the event?"

And I reply, "No, we parked in the FREE Parking ramp."

Husband says, "Are you sure we shouldn't be going THAT way." as he points in the opposite direction.

"Of course not," I said. "The map shows it over THERE!" Duh!!!

Somehow at this point I notice I'm not carrying my purse. I must have left it in the car...no big deal. One less thing to worry about.

So we start walking in my direction ... and walking ... and walking ... and there are no gardens, no children, no babies, no mommies...no one.

Husband nearing full skepticism.

Luckily my dear friend and her family were meeting us there. So I get her on the phone and tell her where we are and, as she laughs at me, she says, "You should have walked in the other direction AND there is tons of parking right here at the event."

Cricket Cricket

How to explain this to VERY skeptical husband ... without receiving the inevitable "I told you so!"

Not possible.

So my little map looks up at me and says "FAIL!" And I looked down at it and say "It's all your fault!"

All points for Captain no longer so Awesome deducted at this time.

So we walk and walk and walk back to the car. As I get into the passenger seat ... because my driving rights had been revoked ... I look down and notice that I did not in fact leave my purse in the car.

Horror rushes through my body.

Wendy's ... Purse on the Floor ... CRAP!!!

"So um..." I begin "I uh...left my purse on the floor at Wendy's"

I think at this point it is safe to assume that my husband has decided I have completely lost my mind and he was probably considering whether or not Bejeweled Blitz does in fact have a diminishing effect on my brain cells.

We get in the car and head to Wendy's ... I call my friend and explain the issue ... I think she may have laughed at me again ... or maybe that was the husband ... or the map ..

THANKFULLY after I retrieved the lost purse that was still on the floor next to our table as a woman looked up at me and gave me that look that said "Crap...that's no good. You should never leave your purse in a fast food restaurant." and I had looked back at her as if to say "Shut up...you've probably done it too!" we arrived safely at the Gardens (after passing by it once because we still didn't quite know where it was) and enjoyed our evening and our Free Ice Cream, oh, and the Gardens.

So I've got these excellent directions and a map to find a treasure on an Island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Anyone want to come? I'll navigate!!!