Completed Project

Finally...Pictures of the Completed Play Fort!

Project Complete!!

Sorry there aren't any pics for this post; but I just haven't gotten a chance. The project was completed yesterday morning with Pop-pop & Poppy putting on the two canvas roofs and the steering wheel on the lower deck. They also had time to put up the two new swings over on the old swing beam between the trees.

When I got home from work last night; both Christopher & Stephen were very excited about showing me how everything worked. Here is a blow by blow account of Stephen's demonstration:

• Climb up ladder (rather quickly I might add.)
• Quick stop at steering wheel to spin it as hard as I can
• Run over to slide, but stop 6" short and get down on my bottom and inch out to the top edge.
• Start down the slide; but employ my breaks (shoes) every 2 feet to prevent moving too fast.
• Reach bottom of slide stopping with breaks just short of the end and then inch out until I can reach the ground with my feet.
• Repeat (a lot)

A big hug and a kiss with many thanks to Grandma, Pop-pop, and Poppy for coming up this past weekend for this project. If Michael and I had to do it on our own; it wouldn't have gotten done.

The Big Construction Project - Day Two

Yes, I know. It looks like I am taking a break... But what I am actually doing is holding the boards in place while Poppy screws them down on the far side. This is very hard and technical work. Not everyone is as well prepared as I am to do this. Those boards weren't going anywhere.

NoNoMommy and Poppy worked pretty hard getting
the upper level decking down and the rails up.

This is the almost completed project. The only things

left to be completed is to install the roof and the accessories

on the upper deck. In the future we will also be filling in

beneath and around the base structure with pebbles.

Before getting the final building inspection approval,

we had to have our punch list walk through. Our

head engineer came out and tested all of the installed

pieces of apparatus.

And it appears that we got his seal of approval. Here the

Grade A Number 1 helper is showing his appreciation to

Pop-pop and Poppy for all their hard work.

Here is our site supervisor. Once the project was almost

to substantial completion, he was ready to come out and

test it. He approved of the ladder and the slide.

Here are the happy new owners

of the Frontier Play Fort.

And here is the very tired, but very satisfied work

crew. It was a long hot weekend; but it was worth it.

The Big Construction Project - Day One

Hi there; this is Stephen. I didn't do a whole lot of work on the big project... Which is only natural since I was the site supervisor! I watched them from the swing, from the sand box, from the window in the office. I even kept an eye on them while I was downstairs taking my nap.



Here are some highlights of the day:

Christopher was the big helper of the day again. He carried wood, brought the bolts and screws, and tried to use the tools.

We actually made really good progress in just one day. Daddy, Pop-pop, and Poppy really worked well together...

We got the whole structure up and even started work on the decking of the lower level.

Keep an eye out for the next post; the Big Project Day Two.

Tree House - The Beginning

Christopher and Stephen are ready for their first tree house. We purchased a kit from the internet where they send you all the hardware and plans and you buy the lumber and assemble. In this case we volunteered Pop Pop and Poppy to cut and drill the lumber, but sent a Grade A Number 1 helper.

Here is the work crew with the lumber.

And the work begins with cutting all of the wood into the proper lengths. They leave the strongest of the bunch to move the pieces into piles for assembly.

When the day is done someone has to pick up the mess. Good thing Christopher was around to help out. I only hope he is as much help when it is time to assemble it in a few weeks. Thank you Pop Pop and Poppy for all of the hard work.