It Is Finished!

Usually on Good Friday, “It is finished” has a more sober context.  This year, though, it means that our swing set addition is complete!  Dwayne and I pulled our usual routine for such projects.  I decided our play set wasn’t big enough for the number of kids it needed to hold (3 live here full time, there’s a 4-year old here half the week, and various play dates and playgroups).  So I found items I wanted on craigslist, purchased them, and then carved time out of a few weekends for, er, Dwayne to work on it.  He came up with the design, did all the brain and brawn work.  Jen and I assisted.  Then I spent the last few afternoons and evenings getting it completely done, including putting all the equipment away.  Teamwork, that’s one of the benefits of a good marriage.  Dwayne is brilliant for the middle 80% and I rock on the first and last tenth of a project.
Enough chatting.  Here’s the finished product.


Okay, lousy picture obstructed my shrubbery (weeds), but this thing is big and I had to stand up on the hill to get it all in.
Here’s a better perspective.  This time last week, the set looked like this, with its new rock wall.



Last weekend, Jen and Dwayne brought all the materials and tools down. Then Aubrey, Kyla, and Piper tied up Jen in chains.  I believe it was Aubrey who decided her mother was a monster who had to be imprisoned. (Sorry about the lens smudge.)


Kyla thought camouflaging her feet would keep her from escaping.


Here’s the stuff.  Dwayne contemplates.  Get moving, buster!


That’s more like it.  (That’s a 4x6x16 he’s hefting above his head, folks!)


Dwayne is very precise.  We moved the cement blocks a few inches back and forth to get it just right.  I will NOT be showing you the pictures of the uncentered, imperfect holes I drilled later.


This baby is solid!


I got the tire swing up last night.


And the other swing hooks up this evening.  I love it!!


On one side, there’s a baby swing and tire swing for 3 kids.  The other side has the two regular swings.   Plus another baby swing and disc swing (only one can be used at a time.)  Then there’s the rings/trapeze bar. With the slide, climbing wall (aka Mermaid Waterfall), and fort (aka Pirate Ship),  we are ready to host the next sunny weather play group!



The next project will probably be to put up two shallow boards from these two cross beams so the kids can play bunkbed or table or whatever they come up with.

I love having this done!