Swingset

Ever since we got our swingset delivered at the beginning of the summer I have wanted to create a play area that wasn't surrounded by dirt. Our backyard never took the grass seed that was planted when we bought the house so it has always been a dirt patch. This has not been a problem until now when we put our new toy back there. I was getting tired of the kids shoes being all dirty and dusty and then they would track that dirt in the house! So I have been thinking of a way to put mulch down around the swingset and use railroad ties to hold it all in.



I told my mom what I was doing and she said, "oh be careful...those things are VERY heavy." I said, "well I am a lot younger so maybe they won't be that bad". I really did think I could lift and move them on my own....oh was I wrong! So Saturday morning I got up earlier than usual and went to Ace Hardware and purchased 10 RR ties. When I saw how the 2 men were wrestling them into the truck I knew I was in trouble! I called Richard and asked him to postpone his trip to Home Depot so he could help me unload these!

I didn't think i could carry them like this lady
but I did think I could just move them around from top to bottom...well I was wrong again! Richard and I were laughing most of the time we were trying to get them out of the truck-just because they were do darn heavy-and after they were on the ground we were scratching our heads wondering how to get them around the swingset! There were many times I wanted to quit and just have someone help us later next week....but as we got 1 in place we tried #2. Then we tried another and another until they were all in place! I could not believe it!

The heat was UNBELIEVABLE and we took many breaks and drank lots of water but we did it! I was sunburned on the backs of my arms(tricep area) because that was the part that was exposed as I was pulling and racking and pushing:)

Here I am spraying weed killer on the weeds before I got the mulch. Like that shirt?

And here is the finished product! Too bad the kids can only play on it from the hours of 8PM-7AM! Oh well....it will be perfect in the Fall! They do play on it in the afternoons but only for a few minutes!