First Geocache

A few weekends ago, we were knee deep in house projects and were bummed about some neighbors making rude comments. Side story: We cut down two trees in our yard (one was dead) and they expressed disappointment in the form of the words, "We're sorry for your loss." When you've actually, really lost a child or anyone important to you, talking about trees with those same words is offensive. Those neighbors are forever on my list.

The weekend was full of hardware store trips and I needed to change this. We had to do something as a family. I'd been insanely jealous of my friend Renel adventuring with her family and had geocaching on my list for a few years now. I wanted in. I didn't want to schlep babies out to find caches and wanted it to be a family affair (though I could totally geek out on this all alone!). I had to wait until they were a bit older.

With a 1yo and 3yo and a weekend of mundane yardwork, I told the husband we were going on a geocaching adventure.

He rolled his eyes.

I knew he'd enjoy it once we'd started. He's just as --if not more-- adventuresome as me. Without telling me, he put in for a lottery to hike Mt. Whitney in 2007 (I was pissed!). We got it. We hiked for 16 straight hours and over 26 miles. It was probably the coolest experience of my entire life. All thanks to the pushy (and amazing) husband.

The cache was hidden .3 miles from our home in what looked to be the parking lot of a nearby parish. Problem was, it was on and off raining the whole day. Benjamin insisted on the single red stroller, so Claire went on my back in the Ergo. It wasn't raining when we started, but about halfway, it began to downpour. We took shelter under a tree.

My husband turned to me and said something about just aborting the mission. I was having none of that. So it was raining. So we were drenched. What else did we have to do anyway? And rain doesn't hurt anyone! Claire was surprisingly loving it. I told him he could head home, but I was going to keep going.

About 100 feet from us, there were 5 guys playing a drinking game with washers and old coffee cans. I told the husband that I would just ask these guys if they could get me a Ziploc so our phones would stay dry. He didn't like the idea (read: male), but I explained to him that these guys would probably give me the shoes they were wearing if I asked. Because, female. I assumed they would have to run in the house and grab me one. I asked, and one of the guys randomly whipped a Ziploc out of his pocket and handed it to me.

Phones dry, we trekked on. After searching around the bushes in the parking lot for about 10 minutes with Benjamin whining about going home and Claire becoming increasingly more drenched and dirty from gleefully sitting and splashing in a mud puddle, we found it.

Scratch. The husband found it. The stars in his eyes shined brightly and he recommended we upgrade our membership that evening.