The New Playscape (part 1)

Hi everyone!

Did you have a nice weekend?
I hope that you did. Our weather here was gorgeous - especially on Sunday when it was 75 with a light breeze and not a cloud in the sky. Ahhhhh... spring. I think, personally, that 75 degrees is my favorite outdoor temperature. What's yours?

Over the Memorial Day weekend when Grandpa and Grandma were here we began working on our new playscape. Jeff designed the whole thing - no kits were used at all. As a matter of fact, Cheryl and I had to tone down his original design when we saw it included a rope bridge with only a plank serving as the "bridge" part. He is a very creative daddy! So, anyway, with Grandpa's help the construction began.

So, here is our tale of day one of construction. It began, as all good projects do, with our ceremonial run to Home Depot. You should have seen my van!!! Once the men were back from their favorite haunt Max and Ethan joined them to help. They were out helping all day. Also we even had some neighborhood children hauling 2x4s. Nice huh?!Now, if you are wondering where the females of the family are... we took Grandma shopping for clothes for Abbie. Now, if you've ever been in Hollister you will know what I mean when I say that it was an "experience" [and then some!] for Grandma! The three of us had a lot of fun and got some good deals too. So, when we got home from our excursion this is what we saw.

Now I included this picture too so that you can see how the tree is incorporated within the play structure. The planks for the second story work around that tree. Thus we have a "tree house" and playscape all in one. In my next post I will show you how far they got in day two. Suffice it to say that while it is not yet done the kids are able to play on it a lot. I'll get that post going tomorrow or Wednesday hopefully.

I still am working on teacher gifts. Why I feel compelled to make things I do not know? Who else is with me on that crazy notion? I KNOW (whether she signs on to admit it or not) that Kristin at least is. I now have myself down to just making something for Ethan's therapist because I love her dearly and she did a LOT for Ethan. Everyone else is getting homemade cards, but no clipboards for me this year. Maybe next year I'll be more inspired??? [wish i wasn't feeling guilty about it though...]

The only other thing new for me, other then the typical last week of school craziness, is that {oh surprise surprise} once again I have some strange sickness [or maybe injury?] that is causing me to feel like hell. I have a doctors appointment in an hour or so, perhaps I'll be lucky and it will be easy to figure out. Rarely am I that lucky {being the reigning queen of strange illnesses} but there's always a first time!

Well, hoping to hear from some of you that haven't commented in awhile - I miss you! I do read every comment even if I am sometimes long in responding. The interactive part of the blog is a huge part of the fun. Okay, off to see the doc. Wish me luck!