ADVENTURE MADE EASY

If this quest has taught me anything so far, it's that adventure doesn't always come easy. I can't always take time off from work, or spring for expensive lessons in some new skill, or leave the kids with Charlie for a few days while I hop on a plane across the country. Nor would I want to. So, as I enter the second year of Operation Goosebumps (that's right, I've granted myself a permanent extension), I've had to expand my definition of adventure to include a few things that actually do come easy. Here in Florida, one of those things is hiking. We've got no winter to speak of, which means you can get outside most of the year. It's a pretty cheap activity, other than the occasional state park entrance fee and the new shoes I tend to buy every time I try a new activity. And there isn't a hill as far as the eye can see, which means I can bring my little boys every time. Which is awesome. Because even more than keeping adventure alive in my own life, I want to raise kids who are curious, and open and eager to explore their world. Even if we do have to start close to home.