Classes, scheduled activites on hiatus

So we decided that we will not have any classes or regularly scheduled activities for the summer. The kids are still young enough that we can get away with this, so we are going to! Their last classes were swimming and gymnastics this weekend. Now we are free until September.

This means we can work on going to the pool, geocaching, watching our house construction, etc. I can't wait! We started with a quick geocache after the last swimming class on Saturday. We went to find a cache we had tried once before. This time found it easy (note to self: follow the hints, not always just the GPS). The cache was at a nature center near our house, and the kids had the most fun stopping and watching a group of dragonflies appear to play hide and seek. Seriously. One would fly down into these bushes and wait. Then, after a few minutes, we'd see the others all flying around and eventually one would swoop down on the hider, and they would all go off until it started again. M was mesmerized. We had to pull her away, only by promising to go to the "cookie store" (aka Harris Teeter) for groceries. Gotta love the kids getting excited about grocery shopping!

Then we had a trip to the pool last night right after the last gymnastics class. Very relaxing, the 90-degree day had significantly warmed the pool. Everyone had fun, even big man, who loves splashing.

Here's to a less structured summer!

Geocaching or Hunting for Treasure!

So, yes, I am a geek. A few months ago I finally got my stuff together to go geo-caching. For the uninitiated, geocaching is like a scavenger hunt with people you don't know. Basically, someone takes a waterproof container, puts some stuff it in (usually a logbook, pencil, and some tchotchkies) and hides it. They then post the coordinates on the Internet. Then you, with your trusty GPS, download the coordinates and attempt to find it. When you do, you sign the log book and trade an item they have for one that you leave.

Anyway, I had wanted to do this for a while, and Christmas 2005 got a GPS. I was so excited. About 8 months later I actually opened the box, reread my Geocaching for Dummies, and was ready to go. I did my first few forays with some girlfriends when we were away for the weekend without kids and hubbies. They were totally just humoring me, but I was hooked. I really like it! Using the GPS is cool, searching and finding is cool, sort of being in touch with a bunch of people you don't even know is kind of cool.

Now I've gotten the kids into it. They call it "Hunting for Treasure", and we save up happy meal toys and other trinkets for them to trade. The best part, as we have found, is not just the hiding and seeking, but the places that we've found on the way. Lots of new playgrounds and parks, some cool amphitheaters near us, and lots of other stuff. Just yesterday, while on two failed treasure hunts, we found a nature conservatory pond. Right around it was the weirdest sound -- i was convinced it was wild turkeys. Nope..it was dozens and dozens of these really freaky frogs, who would only start squawking when you were really quiet. The kids loved, it and we thought it was pretty neat too. As my DH said, sometimes you find a treasure different from the one you are looking for!

For more info on geocaching, visit www.geocaching.com. I highly recommend it as a great way to get outside and enjoy time with your family!