I am happy to report that "The Beast" is now complete. Well, it's not
quite finished (I'll show you why below). Let's just say it is in my book. Wowza, what a lot of work this puppy was! I did most of the staining and I will gladly pat myself on the back for the time and effort I put into it. I think I've earned some brownie points taking care of two little guys, a dog, a husband, running errands, and so on. Don't worry, my husband helped tape some areas and painted some the backside of the play set. He was a big help actually. Mom + ladders = disaster! I am extremely proud and feel very accomplished. And, I'm also happy to report that my back feels like it's been hit by a semi-trailer traveling at 90 mph and my arms and legs feel like I spent
way too much time buffing up at the gym. Boo for aching backs and sore appendages. Whether I want to take it easy or not, I think I've been violently shoved into it. Hey, not such a bad thing I suppose. In fact, I think I hear my couch screaming my name as we speak. Oh yes, and I cannot forget, Landon had four colors to choose from and this is the one he picked. Not too shabby for a little guy.
Looks pretty simple, huh? Not exactly. Here are the steps it took to get it where it is today:
- Moving
- Leveling
- Bleaching (spraying by hand top to bottom to clean the wood)
- Brushing by hand top to bottom (to smooth the wood and remove tough dirt spots)
- Deciding what to use on it (stain vs. paint), then deciding on color
- Staining
Still a few things to do:
- Buy new swing seats
- Remove more rocks, paint the rocks, paint the board, and install rocks
- Add more layers of paint to the trapeze bar
- Buy an infant/toddler swing and install
- Install plaque (Landon's idea)
Now I can sit back and relax. I think Daddy-O and Landonator can handle the rest. *sigh*
