Our family has a secret place we like to go in the summer. We only go at night, after it rains, if it’s a weekend. That’s when all the activity happens.

We visited this nearby park by accident one night. We go there a lot, but never at night. What we saw by chance that night was truly amazing! There were frogs jumping around EVERYwhere. They were all over the roadway, the ditches, the parking lots. Not in a gross, biblical-plague kind of way. But in a cool, “let’s get out of the car and check them out” kind of way.

The park right next to the water, so there are meadows to hang out in and plenty of bugs to eat, if you’re a frog. Perfect place! Now, it’s become sort of a summer tradition. If it’s raining on a Friday night, we’re out the door with our MagLites.

These kinds of traditions, arbitrary as they might seem, are so special to my family and me. They’re spontaneous, unconventional and yet oddly thrilling.

“Jump him momma!” The little boy cracks up whenever I make them jump. And our dog doesn’t know what to do with them. He stuck his nose close to one and it jumped, scaring him away. (You’d never guess he’s a pitbull). We cherish these little stories and moments when we’re out investigating well past everyone’s bedtime.

Do you have any sort of random, silly family traditions you can share?