The trifecta of summertime fun, according to my kids:
Farmers Market
Yard Sales galore
Geocaching
I had this whole weekend planned. We’d go to the local farmers market first, then drive around randomly, looking for yard sales, and to top it off - see how many geocaching sites we could find in a day.
A weekend of treasure hunting, and it did not disappoint.
Up first, the farmer’s market. We live in a fairly rural area, and farmers markets are a staple I’ve grown up with. Fresh produce right off the vine/stem has a very distinct smell, doesn’t it? To me, it’s green, soft and sweet.
Why do blackberries and cucumbers taste sooo much better straight from the hand of a farmer? I’m not sure, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
It is indeed a treasure hunt to find the fruit and veggies my kids will be excited to eat. We found some ‘micro melons’. These are small cantaloupe that smell absolutely incredible (and I don’t even eat melon).
There were cookies too; sweet, fresh peanut butter cookies that melt in your mouth and mickey-shaped sugar cookies.
How can you go wrong with a farmer’s market?
Next up (after grabbing a large sweet latte for a mandatory Saturday morning caffeine spike) was yard sales.
Yard sales are not my favorite thing ever. But my kids seriously mega manifest what they want from these things. It’s actually incredible to watch.
As we drove around random streets looking for yard sale signs, they each proclaimed what they were looking for. My oldest, a ‘long board’ skate board. My youngest…a lava lamp (because they had found one 2 years ago and my oldest claimed it for his room)
We drove around for what seemed like forever. Where were the yard sales?
Finally we found one on a back street. What do they find? A skateboard. Not a long board but for $5 it’ll do. My oldest loves to tinker with taking wheels off, putting in new bearings, and whatever else one does to make a skateboard…skate,
Facebook events led us to a sale where we found…drumroll…a lava lamp. Who knew? A $7 steal, Iremember having to have one when I was 12. They were $40 at Spencer’s Gifts back then.
We took a break for lunch, munching on the assortment of berries and veggies from the market. White berries…what are they? I call them ghost berries. My kiddo’s are convinced they are ‘salmon berries’ (which I believe are only found in the Pacific NorthWest).
The next sale had us buying pink lemonade from a sweet 4 year old. And we were given a large styrofoam glider airplane as a bonus (the wife— please, take this! as her husband looks longingly onward as his ‘favorite plane’ is given away)
Down the meandering road, along the lake, we came upon a sale with 2 snowboards. A full size and a backyard-style plastic one. $20 for both. Great, we’re ready for winter.
Down a steeeeeep driveway (that looks like it drops off a cliff, it was scary) and we were immediately bombarded with the offer of a lifetime- a $3 pop-up soccer goal. What a steal. Throwing in a reel of American flag patterned ribbon for my youngest- and we were at an even $5. Back up the steeeeep driveway and onward.
The last stop. An incredibly large mansion randomly set on a back country road. It was so big it startled me, I kind of embarrassingly yelled OMG!' as I slammed on the breaks not realizing they had the yard sale as posted at the end of that road. The kids grabbed a slot car track, which kept them busy for the remainder of the day (win for me!)
After a good sleep, we headed out early Sunday morning to find our first Geocache site. We met up with my brother and his kids outside of a town about an hour away. The hardest part about geocaching, in my opinion, is finding the right place to park! Our first site was on a walking trail, and finding the trailhead to park proved to be a challenge.
We finally walked the half mile to the geocache site, with 4 kids in tow, one of which is a temperamental toddler who sat to play with the gravel in the path numerous times. Luckily it was worth the walk. A coffee can cache with 2 bags full of little trinkets and toys to choose from. My youngest chose a squishy globe and contributed an army guy, my oldest chose a glass marble and added a quarter.
After walking back and grabbing some lunch, we parted ways with the cousins and headed over to a local college campus to find a few more geocache sites. It was great because the boys were able to skateboard and bike around (while I wogged to keep up!) and I had no problem with parking as the campus was still deserted for the summer.
Geocaching really is an amazing way to spend a day. Whether you like city or country settings, you’ll find geocache sites are all around. I love knowing there are hidden treasures meant to be found.
The whole weekend was full of hidden treasures, and choose-your-own-adventure. I really loved all of it. And it was a really great reminder that life can feel like a treasure hunt, or choose-your-own-adventure at any time we want!
Thinking of gamifying life makes it more exciting! Thinking of the options that lay ahead and which one feels lighter and more fun - who wouldn’t want to choose that option? Or taking a few hours to drive or walk around randomly to find what you find, with your favorite songs blaring and fresh are in your face. A simple joy that allows space for our true Self to come out and play.
Sometimes I get frustrated that my life isn’t changing fast enough. That I’m not meeting my goals and manifesting my vision board at a satisfying pace.
And then I have to come back to the reminder that I choose how amazing the moment I’m in actually is.
If I dwell on it being farther from my vision, it is. If I decide this moment: I have it all - then so I do. And I feel much more alive and free.
So I’m choosing to stay curious and remember we’re here to have a little fun.
What are some choose-your-own-adventure activities you like? How can you assure yourself that today is filled with surprise and wonder?
Cheers to the Pivvvoooottt!!
Jane