The Fort

Here you go, Mom, finally some pictures of the fort.
For mom and dad, my financier's, and for anyone that's curious and hasn't heard me talking about this fort (obsessively) for the past few months, here's what's been going on.

While my parents were here this summer they commented on how my children would benefit from a swing set, I agreed, that was the only easy part of this experience. Looking for one that fit our yard (our yard is narrow and long) and our expected price range was tough! I've actually looked at Craig's List for almost a year, with no success. Then this one showed up in July:
It's mostly fort, which I knew my kiddos would want more then a big, long swing set. And check out that sand box! Mimi will be in HEAVEN! Plus it was almost nothing, but we would have to do a bunch to it:
1) transport it--what a pain!
2) because of the weird paint on it, it would take a few weeks to scrape, sand and re-paint.
3) then there was the hassle of getting it over our little fence. Greg solved that problem with the help of a few strong men from the neighborhood and from church.
4) part of the reason it was so cheap is because it no longer had the slide, rock wall (that we didn't really want anyway), swing and a top.
5) we replaced a few of the boards that were looking unsafe (they still need to be painted).
6) tore off the 2 ladders that were attached at an angle unrealistic for a child to climb, and built a new one. (above, Mimi is showing her excitement for the new ladder.)
7) bought some parachute material and made a top.
8) bought and attached a new steering wheel, slide, and handle bars--that all sounds easy, but each thing took longer then expected.
9) we removed the highest bar and attached a longer top piece, so that we could put on the disk swing--photos at the top. Of course then we had to buy a longer rope for the swing since the bar is so much higher then a normal swing set. Notice how Mimi fits completely underneath the swing in the second picture?10) We emptied out the grass from the spot where a sand box will be and laid down some weed stopper, that took all day. Now the future sand box is another place to wrestle.
11) replace some of the hardware that had rusted.
12) the BEST part of all of this was finding the play sand for $1/bag! Normally it's $3.50/bag, but a few bags at Lowe's were ripped, marked down, and just waiting for ME!

That's it so far--so now, Mom, you know why it's not done, it's a bunch of work!

What's next? Well...
1) build benches in the sand box so the kiddo's legs don't fall asleep while playing.
2) also build a top for that sand box so that the neighborhood cats don't claim it as their own.
3) build a back wall so children don't try to jump to the disk swing from the fort.
4) buy and attach a swing to the front side, again, sounds easy, but will probably take twice as long and cost twice as much as expected.
5) paint what still needs it.
6) Indiana would really like a telescope and Mimi would like binoculars, yet again, sounds easy, but I doubt it will be easy.
7) I'd also like to paint some buttons, switches and dials on the inside walls, next to the wheel, so they can use that for pretend. I'm also thinking of painting a sky in the underside of the fort, so that people in the sand box will look up and see either a starry or sunny sky.

All this work and I feel so proud of myself, and then all my pride is BUSTED when I hear a neighbor who may or may not have used the word "eye sore" while he may or may not have been motioning toward the fort. UGH!