Our First Geocaching Adventure

Geocaching is something i've always wanted to get into and in an effort to get my stepson off the videogames and outside, I got him a Geomate Jr. for Christmas which is a very kid friendly geocaching device. This particular device isn't necessary, all you need is a GPS device, or more simply a geocaching APP on your smartphone. I reccommend Groundspeaks Geocaching APP which has a free version if your just starting out. It lets you search for geocaches in your area. You pick one and then follow the map, coordinates, or driving directions to get there! It only takes you within 10-15 feet of the cache and then it's up to you to start searching for it on your own.



If you don't know what Geocaching is....

Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure...real treasure! A geocache can be filled with anything the cacher wants to place in (safe items of course) and a geocacher can place a geocache anywhere in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache's existence and location online HERE. Anyone with a GPS device or GPS or Geocaching app on their phone can then try to locate the geocache using its coordinates.
You might have to drive some and walk some.

Learn more HERE

We had our first geocaching adventure today. 65 degrees in January..awesome day for it!

I took J and 2 of his friends and off we went to search for treasure. 

They had so much fun and so did I! 

 We looked for 4 geocaches and found 3 of them.

1st Geocache 

It was a microcache (very small) and we didn't end up finding it.

2nd Geocache

They found their first Geocache!

They were so happy and very proud!

Checking out the loot and signing the log book. 

 there were lots of neat little things in it

We didn't bring anything to exchange so we didn't take anything in the cache.

(there are a few rules of etticacy to geocaching) 

Exploring the area a bit after finding the geocache

3rd Geocache

There's a cool story to this find. See that building above. The coordinates led us there so we knew it was supposed to be around there somewhere and we knew it was small but we couldn't find it. We were about to give up and this old man and his wife drove by and rolled their window down. I thought they were going to get upset that we were in their development, but then the man said "you guys found it yet?" I knew it seemed like we were looking for something so I didn't think much about it and I said "the boys are geocaching." and I was about to start to explain what geocaching was and then he said "We'll their not looking LOW enough." and it turns out that this man was the one who hid the geocache! He gave them a hint..."voltage" and that did it. They then found the geocache!

The plate came off that voltage box but,

inside there was a small plastic bag with some trinkets and a log book.

and of course I made them take a picture with the old man. What a coincidence though! The man who stashed the Geocache happend to be driving by when we were looking for it! Crazy!

4th Geocache

Geocaching is seriously fun. It really is a real world treasure hunt and all you need is a GPS! It has quickly become "OUR THING" and we will no doubt have many many many more geocache adventures!

To see a few more of our

Geocaching Adventures click below...

HERE,

HERE,

and HERE

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Chalkboard Paint Projects: Chalkboard Blocks,Chalkboard Menu Board, Chalkboard Book

I have really been loving chalkboard paint lately. I can think of so many things I want to do with it but I had a few quick projects already in mind that I wanted to accomplish before the holidays were over.

Chalkboard Blocks

Chalkboard Menu Board and Kitchen Drawing Board

I bought this picture at a garage sale for 5 dollars.

 I taped up the sides (because I am a horribly messy painter) and gave it a few coats of chalkboard paint.

Now it serves as a menu board/family drawing board

Chalkboard Book

This is an unfinished project till I get to Lowes for more paint.

I am using one of L's cardboard books that he's outgrown to make a book that we can personalize. 

When it's done, L and I can make up our own story each time we use it, and draw the pictures to go along with our story. He can use it on his own too as a personal drawing book.

Still need to paint the front

I had also made a chalkboard table cloth but it wasn't too successful. It was a great concept but I didn't use the right fabric. It worked the first time, and L had fun with it, but as I folded up the tablecloth to put away for another use, the paint began to peel. 

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Homemade Wooden Peg Dolls

  L's imaginitive play has started evolving, and so I wanted to make him some little people to go along with his pretend play. These are the wooden peg people I made for him to play with. I left their faces blank to encourage his imagination, so their expressions weren't "stuck" and he could imagine them to be happy, sad, mad, etc. all on his own. 

I bought a package of wood pegs at Hobby Lobby and then just used the things I had at home to create 8 wooden people. I left off facial features on purpose. I like the idea of keeping them pretty simple to encourage L to use his imagination.

I have to admit that bringing these wooden pegs to life was almost as much fun for me as L will have playing with them. I was pretty disappointed when I realized there weren't any left in the bag and I was done!

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Our Week in Pictures

A weekly post

that captures the memories we've made

from Monday-Sunday
(including the cat)

Roasting marshmallows on the backporch

L's first marshmallow roast

Poor Caddycat. She wants to be outside with us!

My hubby, stepson, and L

Bathtime fun with shaving cream

escaping from the horrible dragon!

Homemade peanut brittle

Fun with magazine cutouts

Chalkboard paint projects

Went driving around our neighborhood looking at lights. This one was my fave.

our ginormous grow frog after 3 days

popcorn and old cartoons: Great family night

Caddycats Week

Laundry cat

Cupboard Cat

Crafty Cat

Bad Cat

Playful Cat

 

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