Carter's Backyard Paradise

All through high school and college I babysat for 2 sweet boys during the summer and breaks from school.  Through the experience I've become very close with them as well as their parents.  The younger of the two boys was the ring bearer at our wedding.  Their mom is very kind and is always looking for ways to help those she loves.  They were looking to get rid of the playset they had in their backyard as their boys have outgrown it.  They are now going into 7th and 8th grade.  It's hard for me to accept that fact as I still picture them as the little 1st and 2nd graders that I babysat that last summer before my first year teaching.  When she thought of what to do with the playset that I'm sure they could have sold for a pretty penny, she thought of us and of Carter.  We instantly accepted and said we'd love the playset.  Not only did they give us the playset for free, but they took it apart, loaded it into her work truck, and drove 2 hours to drop it off with us.  Their kindness didn't stop there as they even helped reassemble it when they arrived.  As a thank you Ty smoked pulled pork, bologna, macaroni and cheese, and cream cheese for dinner and my parents took them out to play laser tag.  It was a small thank you, but what kind of thank you is grand enough for such generosity?

Ty working on the playset.

Carter trying out the slide.

Yesterday Ty and my dad tricked out the playset with some extra features.  The ladder was a little bit broken so they built a new one.  They boarded up one side of the playset so Carter won't free fall off and added a tarp over the top of the fort.  They also put up a bar with rings on the swingset.  Ty was looking in the fort and thought Carter would like to look off the side with the wheel so they built a little step stool so Carter can see over the side.  The playset was already amazing with a rock wall and slide and their small tweaks made it even better.  Carter absolutely loves it and even wanted to eat his breakfast in the fort yesterday morning.  He's not the only one who likes it either.  Harper likes to climb up the rock wall and keep an eye on the goings on around our house.  Quinn has even climbed up into the fort area as well.  Carter loves it so much he'll even climb the rock wall into the fort and once he's in laugh and spin circles staring up at the tarp.  My favorite thing is to watch him spin the wheel and stare over the side while he's standing on his little stool.

Eating breakfast in his fort.

Carter was so excited to try out the bar!

Quinn hanging out in the fort.

Carter going up the ladder.

He went straight for his step stool.

Hanging out on the rock wall.

Harper heading up the rock wall.

Harper had to check on Carter when he got to the top.

Adding the playset in with the outdoor play kitchen, Little Tikes table, his lawn mower, water table, small slide, swimming pool, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and assortment of bikes and cars, I don't know how I'll ever convince him to come inside.  We are so grateful to amazing friends and family as well as garage sales for being able to provide Carter with an outdoor child play paradise with minimal expenditure on our part.  All together we've spent less than $50 on everything Carter has for outdoor fun.  Today we spent most of our morning in the backyard.  I'd like to trek to the library when Carter wakes from his nap, but I have a good idea where he's gonna want to go when we get back! 

Carter's other outdoor play area.

When Carter was done eating in the fort, he put his oatmeal in the microwave.