Finished Tree House

Finished Tree House!!!

Summer always goes by too fast.  With our new baby thrown into the mix, summer went by in the blink of an eye!  It seems like we were just working on this treehouse with the kids yesterday, but already, it's fall.

We have lots of ideas for additions and improvements to the treehouse, however, the basic structure is in place. If this is all we ever finish, I'll consider it a success.Their Daddy built cubbies into one of the walls, using some old drawers, which now house a flashlight and some pencils.  Already there have been some sleepovers out there.  We kept our old mailbox and plopped it onto a nearby stump.

My kids are growing up way too fast.  Looking at what is to come, I'm a little scared. Did we teach them enough?  Do they understand the things they need to know? Are they going to be ok out there in the world?

While I fret and worry, the kids of course, are outside fighting battles from their treetop fortress with pine cones and sticks.

Sometimes, I really miss being a kid.

Side rails

Siding becomes the walls

Finished!

Somewhat hidden from the driveway

The Lookout

Finished In Time for Blessing Day

Button choices

Hand-sewing the sleeve seams

Before Blocking

On the mats, before blocking

Wet and pinned out- much larger now

Some days just stand out for me as perfect days in my memory.  Charlotte’s blessing day was one.  Ila’s has been another.   I’m about ready to go to bed now, I’m as exhausted as can possibly be, but I’m in this peaceful, grateful, lull of bliss.  Her gown was extraordinary, Ila, was even more beautiful than her gown.  Ila didn’t cry or fuss during her blessing, in fact, she stared up straight into her father’s eyes. 

Afterward everyone came to a Potluck BBQ at our house.  We talked, we cooked, we laughed.  The kids made messes and ran and played.  The 'tweens' and 'teens' played a fierce game of capture the flag.  The smaller kids played with a gigantic cardboard box that we saved from cleaning up yesterday and pulled out for today. The cousins grew closer together.

People stayed, and lingered, and the weather was even perfect.  I took some of the little kids out to pet and hold the ducks.  It is a special place, this place where we live.  Not only because of this peaceful, pastoral setting, but because of the spirit of family and faith that we have here.  Today was a day, where we felt so much of the love that people have for us, and we were so grateful.  You don’t get that kind of support from the rest of the world when you decide to have six babies.  But here with my family and friends we felt so embraced. 

I had a great time showing people the chickens, the barn, and the ducks.  A friend brought a special gift for me, a children’s book called, Annie and the Swiss Cheese scarf.  It’s like the book describes my life knitting, just perfectly.

I guess the thing that stands out in my mind after this long day is just how happy everyone was.  I know that life is a roller coaster of ups and downs, and sometimes those downs are pretty awful, but there’s really, really, good stuff too.  It’s hard to remember the good stuff, when you are dealing with the disabled children in your life, or sick, or pregnant and miserable, or dealing with other frustrating realities of life.  But the good stuff really does happen too.  I want to remember this day forever – it was perfect.  The last day of summer sunshine for awhile. (It rained the next morning.)  Summer went out with a bang.

I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. It is a plan of happiness.  I am so grateful for the Priesthood.  To have this marvelous power that blesses every part of our lives.  What a tremendous gift I have that I hope I never take for granted.

You'd think 'Blessing Day' would be like this.

But it's really more like THIS!!

It was totally worth all the work!

Sharing Today with Ginny's Yarn Along.
And Frontier Dreams Keep Calm Craft On.