Treaure Hunting: The Joys of Geocaching

Have you ever wanted to go on a treasure hunt? Do you enjoy the outdoors? Would you like an activity that you and your whole family can do together? Then Geocaching maybe the perfect thing for you!

Geocaching is an activity my mom and I started doing a few years ago after we discovered our mutual enjoyment of hiking and received a handheld GPS for Christmas. Since that time, we have found quite a few caches and even convinced some of our family and friends to take up the hobby as well.

Geocaching is defined as an outdoor treasure hunt where participants use handheld GPS to locate hidden caches. A geocache, or cache, is a container ( some containers are very small like golf balls, others very large, such as a hollowed out tree) that has a login where you sign your pseudonym and can have some type of trinket that you take and replace with a different one.

Aside from all the fun Geocaching is, it can also be really good for you as most geocaches are hidden somewhere in the woods and can be a long walk or hike away. The fresh air is my favorite part of the geocaching adventure and is also really good for your health.

Another amazing part of geocaching is all the time I get to spend with my mom! Sometimes it feels like my mom and I don’t have any time to be together, and it’s fantastic to be able to turn off the cellphones and do some adventuring!

I would suggest that everyone gives Geocaching a try; it can be very fun, healthy, and beautiful, especially in the fall. For those interested, click this link to the Geocaching website my mom and I use sometimes.

Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul (PB)

There’s nothing more nostalgic than the delicious smell of your grandmothers homemade soup simmering on the stove top, especially if you feel yourself coming down with a cold!

Unfortunately, I have found myself rather under the weather this weekend, and all I can think about is chicken noodle soup! I mean, it is pretty much the international meal for sick people, and whether it’s homemade or Campbells, the medicinal and psychological effects of chicken noodle soup are real.

Many people believe that chicken noodle soup has few physical properties that cause you to feel better, but this is far from the truth. Chicken soup is actually a health food. Chicken is an anti-inflammatory that can help relieve some of the miserable effects of the flu and some colds. Another factor that makes chicken noodle soup so good for you is the broth as it can help keep you hydrated and restore some of the liquids you could have lost while you were sick. The heat from any soup can also clear up congestion that occurs in your sinuses while you're sick.

But aside from all of the health benefits of chicken noodle soup, I personally believe it’s the psychological aspects of chicken noodle soup that make it so wonderful.

Just take a minute to imagine the taste of chicken noodle soup when you're not feeling your best…

…The taste of chicken that has been so carefully prepared by your mother. The carrots, celery, and onions that have become soft after being boiled in the sweet chicken broth. The egg noodles that practically dissolve in your mouth on your first spoonful. The warm broth as it seeps down your throat and heats your entire body from the inside out…

I mean, it’s no wonder why it’s called Chicken Soup for the Soul! The soup reminds you of how it feels to be taken care of when you're sick, and it revives memories of eating something so lovingly prepared by a parent!

Whether you're a believer in the miracles of chicken noodle or not, next time you're feeling a cold coming on, sit down to a nice, hot bowl of chicken noodle soup and let it do its thing!

And I think I'm going to go and have some now!