nothing says long weekend like a major backyard project

Our backyard neighbors are moving. Insert sad music and tears. My boys love to play with Jake so much, and we sure are going to miss all the fence jumping that goes on around here.  There is only  one good thing about the move: we were able to buy Jake’s big fat, wooden swing set!  Their new house already has one and the new owner doesn’t want the swing.

We started to project on Sunday afternoon.  Two of our friends from church came over to help, along with 4 of their kids, plus Derek’s parents were here visiting this weekend.  So we had 4 men and 6 kids helping take the beast apart.  I didn’t get any pictures of the Sunday afternoon action, but it turned out to be quite an undertaking!  The plan was to take it apart and just lift it over the fence.  That worked for some of it, but the guys ended up taking down a fence section and walking the main fort into the yard.  After 3 hours of work, it was all in our yard in pieces and everyone was ready to head to the pool.  We called it a day.

Monday started with a trip to Lowe’s to get a new swing and some new bolts, and a trip to our friends’ house to borrow some tools.  Derek, his dad, and the boys worked hard getting it all put back together.

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“Derek”, I said.  “Show me how to feel right now.”  I don’t know if you can tell from this picture, but sweat is pouring off of him and his shirt is completely soaked.  It was HOT this weekend.  God bless Houston.

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Finally, 5 hours later, she was finished.

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And everyone was happy.

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The kids spent the next hour playing outside on their new playground.

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Derek informed me that this playground will stay with this house forever.  I guess that means we can never move.  I love having a “real” playground in the yard for the first time ever!

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