Day 3 & 4 of playset building

At the end of day 3, the slide was up and the base had been anchored into the ground. We took some of the day to go and look at options to go under the thing for safety, as well as get some more bolts to help anchor into the ground (the instructions said to take out some bolts and re-install them....we decided to just get new bolts & install on other sides of 4x4 posts to save time.

He marched up to the stairs, like he knew it was there and the first few times down the slide, he went feet first on his tummy...odd. My father got him to go on his bum but kept his hands on the soles of his shoes so he wouldn't go down too fast the 1st few times. He was having such fun, that when Dad asked if he wanted to do down by himself, he said YES...and he's been enjoying it on his own ever since.

At the end of day 4 (which was only 1 hr of time) - we had the swings & rope up...we want to get a tire swing too, just haven't had time to purchase it. We still have to get the rocks on the rock climbing wall (by rope) then we're done.

GJA tried to get him onto the swing & trapeze....he's not ready for those yet...but he will. I took a swing on the swing and it can hold my weight...so that's good - it did say good to 350 lbs. There's a little wee picnic bench area under the tower - he enjoyed that. You could put sand in the base of the tower for a sandbox...but it would be pretty hard to cover (aka keep the cats out)...so we'll just leave it alone - sand-free.

GJA had some fun on the slide - PJ still talks about Dad being on the slide. I went down it too.

I think PJ will like this trapeze thing when he figures it out...I might not like him hanging like that...but by then, we'll have something underneath to protect him in case he falls.

So - just about done!

Hold onto your purses, ladies

OMG - I had a horrible & a great day yesterday...both emotions occurred in a span of 20 minutes.

We went downtown to return an item GJA had purchased & stopped for lunch because PJ was hungry. I brought food to our table in the food court & put my purse on the back of the chair...which I never do anymore, when PJ is in his stroller (which he was). We had alot of stuff in the carrying bin underneath his chair & I don't like to have it hanging on the handle (especially in THIS mall), so on the chair back it went.

You can imagine what happens next, I'm sure. We walked away to take back the item 2 floors above where we ate. We got into the store, GJA started trying on different coats, when my brain went...where's my purse? Off I ran down 2 escalators to the food court to find that my purse was no longer there...not that I was surprised...just shocked at my stupidity. I ran into the ladies bathroom to see if maybe it had been dumped in there...but no...so I asked one of the sales clerks in the food court where guest services was...so I ran up the escalator there. NOPE...no purse. She took my name & number just in case it showed up.

My surroundings were swirling around me as I went back to the store to find GJA & PJ & have a good cry. They weren't there. Being that I was in shock, I immediately thought that they had been kidnapped & I was stuck downtown with only 2 Kleenex & a roll of tums in my pocket and that was it.

I went back down to the food court & saw GJA's feet (odd, huh?) as I was getting on the 2nd escalator, but by the time I got to the bottom, I couldn't see them. I just stood in the middle of the mall looking at all the escalators/elevators hoping to see them whilst I was shaking about all the time the person was having with my visa/master card/bank card/etc....or maybe they were on their way to our house with my key?

I decided to go back up to the store & I was 1/4 the way up the escalator when I saw GJA and I turned around & ran down & just about sprained my ankle - but at least I had found my family & had a good cry. We decided we better get home in case someone was trying to get in (& I wanted to cancel my cards), & on the way to the car, I stopped at guest services...& they HAD my purse...everything was there. A cleaning staff member saw my purse & brought it up.

I was so happy & appreciative & still shaking & in shock that I continued to cry, off & on, all the way home. Horrible & amazing all withing 20 minutes - I needed a nap, or at the very least, a drink!

Keep your eyes on your purses, ladies - its no fun to lose it.

Day 2 of playset building

We started up again on Wednesday and it was only Dad & I part of the day. We started around 10:30 and worked on the stairs & rock climbing wall and got that done in just over 1 hr (woo hoo). I had to leave at 11:30 to pick up PJ so Mom & Dad got the rungs around the deck at the top. Once we got home, we had lunch and then back out to work around 1:30. We stopped every 2 hrs because it was really hot out.

By about 4, we were ready to lift up the beam for the swings...but we needed more hands (because someone had to sit with Patrick). We called to get GJA to leave from work at a decent time, so once he arrived, we had supper & the 3 of them went out to deal with the beam, while I stayed in with PJ.

This is how it looked at the end of the 2nd day. We worked on it about 6 hr that day...so we are way over the suggesting time frame of 9 hrs!

We are at 16 hr...and over 10 of that is with 3 people

Day 1 of playset building

Keep in mind the instructions say - 2 people 8-9 hrs....and there are 3 of us.

The cutting of lumber stared around 10 am and ended at noon. We started some of the roof before we broke for lunch.

In the afternoon, we finished the roof and tackled the tower - we really wanted that done in the day because my brother had to go back to Kelowna and wouldn't be around to help.

We stood it upright just before supper (around 5 or 6 pm). After PJ went to bed, we continued to work until it was getting dark (around 10 pm). Here is the tower after the 1st day. It looked so huge and tall in the backyard...yikes...this kid better like it when we're done!

So far - 10 hrs with 3 people & its not done yet.

I'm a Charter Member Circlet

Three days ago, I joined the Cricut Circle so I am a Charter Member of the Cricut Club (because you have to sign up by June 30 to be a Charter Member). I have no idea what's in store, but it should be fun! I'm looking forward to receiving the new member package.

see here for info:http://www.cricut.com/circle/

Hopefully solving the playground race

PJ likes playgrounds and slides, but what he likes the best, is running away & watching me chase him. I can understand its a fun game...but when it involves him running towards busy streets or somewhere I can't see him...it gets really old, really fast (that and I get really stiff).

SO, we have purchased a play set for the backyard - this is what it will kind of look like (we aren't putting in the red 2-seater swing thing...we're putting in a trapeze bar instead.

My brother was in town after participating in a 1/2 ironman in Calgary on the weekend that we just happen to purchase this set. It was great timing because he & my father came over and the 3 of us started assembling it while Mom watched PJ.

Stay tuned for photos of the construction. After all this...I hope he likes it...and at least he'll be kept safe in the backyard.

2010 Lilacs

I've had this blog for just over a year and last year I posted some photos of my lilac bush ... so here it is again for 2010. There are a few more blooms than last year, but its still pretty small/short.

Here's the 1st pink rosebud of the year

This is what the lilacs looked like in June 2009:

http://scrapperdee-rambling.blogspot.com/2009/06/i-love-lilacs.html

End of School Card

I made 7 cards yesterday for the teachers (etc) at PJ's school. I thought they were really cute...I hope you do too. All it took was 2 pieces of white 12x12 paper & 1 piece each of black & turquoise 12x12 paper.

Throwback Thursday - June 3, 2010 - Cat Card

I made this card for a challenge on the weekend...but because blogger was down, I wasn't able to upload it until today. Oh well.

Here's the challenge: http://www.creativetimeforme.com/2010/06/throwback-thursday-episode46.html