Treasure!

I am beginning to get excited for the summer holidays.  The sun is shining today and it is warm outside.  There are less then 20 days of school left and I have to admit that I am looking forward to having my children home. 
We have many traditions for the summer.  We always get out a big piece of newsprint and make a list of all the things we want to do.  We make a list of our individual goals (I'm big on goals I guess!) and we plan a trip or two.  We enjoy evenings by the campfire, star gazing, planting the garden, having friends and family visit, trips to the beach and camping.  This year I am add a couple new ones...
Tomorrow is the last day for the Wii.  I will then pack it up and put it away and the T.V will be unplugged for the summer.  The summer is way to short to be spending it in front of some gaming system pretending to bowl or play tennis.  In it's place will be real tennis rackets, bathing suits and the first clue to a summer long treasure hunt!
I realize how crazy it is to be referring to a movie on a blog about going without T.V, but I want my kids to know that it is much better to live the experience then to watch someone else.  One of our favorite movies is National Treasure.  I wish I could send my family around the world on an amazing treasure hunt, but our local area will have to do!  I have come up with just over 10 clues, they are hard and the best part is that they will have to work together to get it done.  Yes, there will be a treasure at the end, but the I hope they will find the real treasure to be the relationship and memories they build working together. I will not be helping them at all. There will be riddles to solve, puzzles to figure out and obstacles to over come. I am excited for them. I hope they will find it to be more fun than watching a movie!
I believe summer time is about treasure hunts~about finding the magic, fairy dust, warm breezes, a slower pace, the laughter of children young and old and the joy of being together.
I hope you have the courage to go on a treasure hunt of your own, I plan to!