Philly By Phoot

We decided to walk to Independence Hall. We really wanted to feel what our founding fathers felt on those sultry summer days as the debate of Independence blistered. Why take their journal accounts of the heat and stench of Philly when you can experience it first hand.

So Pops saddled Jaws on his shoulders and we walked and walked and walked.

And we saw some pretty spectacular things. 

Like the fantastic Philadelphia City Hall!

We were pretty fatigued by the time we got to the liberty bell. Didn't even notice the spare kid we picked up. I guess I was just scooping up all the little Red Sox capped kids along the way.

For my collection of Liberty Bell pics. I love this place!

Sadly (for Pops and I) Independence Hall tickets were sold out for the weekend. The Toads were happy to take it in from the outside.

So we slogged down the road to the Philadelphia Mint!

We're all pretty big fans of MONEY!

I went to the Denver Mint when I was in preschool. That night my parents and I went to dinner with Bampa's colleagues at a steak house. I ate my first shrimp and happily collected all of the play-money that was wrapped around the utensils of the entire dinner party. I was the richest kid in the world! Also- my dad once brought me a giant penny from the DC mint when I was a kid. There was no way I was leaving without giving my kids the same happy memory.

We had a big decision to make at this point. Turn back and walk back to the hotel or walk another 15 minutes out of the way to go to the Franklin Fountain. We have big memories of our last trip. It was no contest. We were pretty hot, sticky and tired by the time we got there!

And HUNGRY!

But we all perked up when the ice cream came.

It was fantastic- and seriously earned! These kids had walked their guts out by this point and we still had to walk back.

One more fly-by Independence Hall...

I just wanted a picture of Pops in front of his happy place- then the photo-bombers came on the scene. Bam.

Bam-Bam.

Bam-Bam-Bam.

Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam!

The good news is that we made it back to the hotel. 

First stop- the pool to cool off. 

This kid pinned me down to attack me with his gut diggers. 

Should've made him walk more. He has way too much energy.