Shiver Me Timbers

That li'l Bud of ours has been enjoying pirate paraphernalia for some time now. My mom, Geemah, likes to indulge the treekids' current passions. So, last summer she used her creative arts skills and drew Bud a treasure map. The red X on the map lead him to a pirate treasure - a pirate themed gift card to Barnes and Noble Booksellers! It was hidden in the wall and boy oh boy was that a big thrill! He must have been thinking a lot about the excitement, because sometime earlier this year, while the two of them were conversing on the phone, Bud wanted to know how she was able to get the treasure hidden! On a separate conversation, Bud asked how she was able to get the UPS man to hide the treasure!! Aren't kids a treat!! I love it!!

Skip ahead a year... the map had been folded, unfolded, studied, carried, shared, loved, you get the point, right? It was tattered. So, one day he folded it up one last time with some serious wistfulness, stuck it into an envelope and wrote a letter with a request for a new treasure map and sent it off to Geemah. He has been waiting for some time.

Last week a card came in the mail that had a pirate map on the outside. Inside, Geemah had written him a letter in code. (He is still working on deciphering it!) He was very excited about the card and the code... but was sort of miffed that she hadn't made something similar to what she did last year!

Pops brought home the mail yesterday. While I was finishing up preparing supper, the hunt was on for the treasure!

Branch was thrilled and excited, too! She wanted to help and dig up the buried treasure! The X must be located near the pumpkin patch!!

Ah! The treasure is found (and strangely, preserved in plastic!)...

X marked the spot on the map... and on the treasure!

What's inside?! What's inside!?!!

Ooooooo... pirate legos!

Branch proceeded into the house and immediately penned a note to Geemah:

Dear Geemah,

I want a treasure map, too.

Love,

"branch"

Better git on it, Geemah!!!

For all of you wondering about the map she made... This is the "new" treasure map. (Yes, Geemah, you did put the name of the town by the little houses, but I had to smudge that out for internet publication!) She does an amazing job, don't you think??

I wish that I would have scanned the other one before Bud sent it back. If you didn't pitch it, Geemah, will you mail it back to me so I can preserve it via a digital scan!?! Oh, what the pirates wouldn't have given to preserve their maps via digital media, eh?!?!!

Oh... and now Bud is trying to figure out how the treasure got into his pumpkin patch!!!