Tree House

After years of scheming, lots of outrageous blueprints and some flat out nagging from Mitchell, the tree house is a reality!

 It began over spring break, right before Dad left for Alaska. Time was certainly a driving issue! Here Bryan and Dad determine placement before heading out to buy lumber.

 Phase 2 involved framing the floor and attaching it all to the tree. 

Bryan added the first level of flooring and Mitch and Maddax got to climb up and see it. Previously they were talking about how it seemed small. When they came back down, they were in awe of its height!

 We continued to work on the tree fort after Dad returned from Alaska. Bryan and Dad put on another layer of flooring on a Friday afternoon, thanks to a half day for conferences. Then on Saturday I helped Dad put up the railings. Let it be said that my help was not required - the man is a machine when it comes to 2x4s (and 2x2s and 4x4s...)! It was windy, but the height of the fort was not as scary once the railings were attached.

Saturday night we returned from a baseball game at Big Bend to find the railings complete and a delightful pulley! The kids climbed up in their pjs after baths and were squealing with delight at the progress. Mitch declared the fort to be "epic" and has already used the pulley to haul Nerf guns, knives, and other necessities to the fort, where they wait for move in day.

Grampa bought more lumber and did more measurements on Sunday and then returned to his home shop to build the gate and scheme on the ladder's construction.

The ladder went up on Monday and there was a large crew testing it out and gleefully climbing up and down and up and down and even into the tree limbs above! Yes, I put a stop to that terrifying practice.

The head contractor added handles, hooks, a bell, door, door latch and door stopper. He put water seal on the whole thing - even the underside - and has declared it finished! It's a wonder!