The Great Unveiling

We have spent nearly the entire summer working intermittently on one particular project. Here's just one piece of it ...

Any guesses?

Maybe another angle will help ...

Well, let me share the rest of the story, and then I'll fill you in on this little part my husband engineered to save us significant dollars ...

Grandma and Grandpa M. blessed us with the funds to buy/build a play set for the kids. We spent a long time investigating various and sundry options. (Any surprise there? No, I didn't think so. You know by now that that's S.O.P.) ;o)

We researched Craig's List, DIY sites, sales at our local big-name home improvement stores, etc. However, what we really wanted to do was build something that worked with the natural elements of the land the Lord has blessed us with. Chris also wanted something big enough for an adult to enjoy swinging on ...

So, he engineered a 14' beam ...And with the aid of the tractor and multiple series of pullies, ...

Hoisted it 12' in the air ... (I even lent a bit of assistance for that part!)

And secured it between two obliging trees that seemed to be placed there just for the purpose of someday holding a swing set! It has been one of the projects that we've worked on in spurts ... and the kids have enjoyed navigating the ladders which have been secured to the two trees for most of the summer!

We kind of got held up mid-summer because it was frustrating to think about spending twice as much on the parts and pieces like hangers, chain, and swings as we did on the beam! Chris finally found a good deal on the chain and swings, and he engineered his own hangers ... saving $75!!!

Some recycled unistrut ...

which holds the cool piece at the top which he designed and had someone at work weld for him. Pretty cool, huh? I think so! :o)

Here's the first night we were testing the concept and length of chain and such ...

And this weekend we finished! It has three swing bays and a rope to climb! (Sorry the pictures are dark ... we've been claiming every ounce of daylight available for this project!)

Here's a picture I took this afternoon ...

We love the fact that it blends in really well with the trees around it ... and the kids are having a blast! :o) We have additional plans to add in some platforms/monkey bars in future summers, ... but there's plenty of time for that. And the plans will probably change a hundred times (or more!) But that's the fun of designing it yourself! (Thanks for the funding, G&G!)

Happy 5 Months!

Happy 5 Months, Matthew!

We love you, Monkey!

Your cheerful spirit and smiles melt our heart ...

we are so thankful for you!

No Stairsteps Here

You know those nice cute pictures where the children look like stairsteps ... each a head or so shorter than the one before or after them? Well, at 4-1/2 months, Matthew's already giving good reason to suspect that such photos simply won't be happening around here. :o) (He's in 9-12 months clothes already ... yikes!) Anyway, we captured some cute group photos this weekend ...

The kids in their new jammies--
Hannah's new jammies were gifted-down from a friend at work, but Peter's were a little more unique. As I was poking through the 6-9 month bin a second time to try to find a couple of the larger summer outfits for Matthew to supplement the abundance of winter clothes from the 12-month bin, I discovered two sets of brand new 3T jammies! I've no idea why I put them in there, but regardless, Peter's quite excited! (I'm pretty sure thanks are due Grandma H.) :o)

Mommy and the kids enjoying Mike Mulligan while Daddy finished up some research for a project ... And Sunday morning photos ...
It's helps having Daddy standing behind Mommy making faces. :o)

Them's our munchkins and we love 'em to pieces!

:o)

"Not Me"

One of the blogs I read periodically has a regular feature called "Not Me Mondays" in which she records all of the things she did "not" do in the previous week. (Obviously these are things she wishes she had not done!) Without further ado, let me share my own "Not Me" post.

:::

I did not completely and utterly forget school pictures on Monday morning, thus sending my daughter to school for her K5 pictures in a neat, but very ordinary outfit with hair which she had brushed and styled herself with a headband.

I did not fail to have the thought of school pictures even cross my mind until a friend at work who also has a child in K5 asked me, "So, is Hannah excited about school pictures today?"

And if I had reacted in astonishment to the realization of aforementioned school pictures, the ladies in the office would not have had many good chuckles at my expense, with the comforting words that it made them feel better to have me forget such a thing.

And if I had done such a thing, I certainly would not have forgotten to take a picture of her after school to at least document the occasion.

Nope, not me. :o)

And although lacking the aforementioned picture, at least you can enjoy some other cute pictures of our kiddoes ...

Lest anyone think I "have it all together."

I stand on record.

I don't.

:o)

P.S. - The one consolation is that Peter's school pictures were not scheduled for the same day. He was wearing camo Monday morning.

A Jungle Expedition

So much to see and explore!Any more animals on the prowl?

Pitter Patter

Hannah and Peter had a blast playing in the rain in a recent summer storm ...
They enjoyed about 10-15 minutes outside before thunder necessitated coming inside ...
We followed with nice warm baths, and front row seats of another outdoor adventure ...
Our creek flooded once again ...

Thankful to be watching from the safety of a warm, dry house set upon a high hill ...

Outtakes

Mommy tried for a nice photo of all three children together ...

Def. "nice" - all children looking at camera with some semblance of a smile
(I had obviously not considered color-coordinating ...)

Some days you simply have to decide to enjoy the ride ...
even when the destination looks nothing like you hoped! ;o)

Mommy loves you, munchkins!

Assumptions

Hannah: "Mommy, did you go to college there?" (as we're sitting in the parking lot watching the unloading of the infamous barrels ...)
Mommy: "Yes, that's where I met your Daddy."
Peter: "My's?"
Mommy: "Yes, your Daddy."
Hannah: "Were you in the same class?"
Mommy: "No, we weren't."
Hannah: "Did you meet on the playground?"
Mommy: (laughing inside while maintaining a small semblence of outward composure ...) "No, Hannah, we didn't."

:::

Ahh. The assumptions of childhood.

I won't burst the illusion that playgrounds

continue into college days just yet.

Time for that will come soon enough.

:o)