Today’s destination was selected in spite of the not-so-nice forecast.  I mean, it’s Illinois for goodness sake.  If we’re going to stick with this Little Adventure thing, we can’t let the weather stop us!  It has crossed my mind several times to take the kids to the Luthy Botanical Garden this summer.  Never did.  Yesterday, however, I read something on their website which made me decide to go: “Luthy has a Letterbox.”  Huh?  Of course they have a mailbox.  Like, duh.

“What is letterboxing?”  Oh wait, they made a verb out of it.  What is this?

“Letterboxing is an intriguing pastime combining artistic ability with “treasure hunts” in parks, forests and cities around the world. Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by cracking codes and following clues found on the Internet. Within each letterbox is a logbook and rubber stamp, usually a unique, hand-carved stamp, not a store-bought one. Letterboxers stamp their discoveries in a personal journal, then use their own personal rubber stamp, called a signature stamp, by stamping it into the logbook found with the letterbox, perhaps writing a note about the weather or their adventures in finding the letterbox.”

Oooooooo…  intrigue, codes, hidden boxes, and stampers!  Sweet!  This, I thought, was something the shorties would really enjoy.  I could assist them (ok, lead them) to the box, let them “find” it, I could write something in the logbook, and they could use the stamper in their little notebooks.

Hahahaha.  Oh the best-laid plans!

We did have a nice time in the conservatory.  But outside it was just bitter and tragic mom fail – no mittens.  Then there were umbrella struggles.  And there’s really no helping a 3-year-old who says, “NO! DO IT MYSELF!”  Then said 3-year-old pinches hand in umbrella and is undone.  We decide to quit while we’re ahead and go get some lunch 🙂

Letterboxing is still on my list.  Oh we WILL letterbox.