in the land of an unending project

This weekend we were confined by the longest running backyard project in the history of our backyard projects… ever. I think we started it back in November when I decided it would be great to have an in-ground trampoline. It would solve all my problems. And I could not be dissuaded. I dreamed of no more safety net pocked with child sized holes and missing poles. No more backyard view obscured by gargantuan mess of holes, poles and tattered net. No more three foot drop off the trampoline. What could be better?

As usual, I severely underestimated how many days, weeks, months we would need to complete such an undertaking. We’ve been tugged along little-engine-that-could style, a few hours here and there on the weekends. There are always so many other things to do. Tents to build, hugs to give, a bike to ride without training wheels for the first time. But I’m tentatively excited that we’re nearing the end of this project. Just a few more weeks and we’ll have a trampoline in a hole in the backyard.

The boys are loving the major dirt mounds out back

Tucker has severe anxiety about Jackson riding in the parking lot.

“No training wheels?? Are you nuts??”

This was the picture I snapped just as Caleb sent boy on bike my way, not realizing I was holding the camera, expecting me to catch him. I pretty much couldn’t do a thing as he whizzed by. And then I panicked and had a mild freakout envisioning him skidding across the pavement at the end of the parking lot. He surprised us all by turning a circle a pedaling straight back to Caleb.

There’s nothing quite as great as the ‘I did it!’ smile.