the swiss is open for business

Obviously I am not writing as much as normally here. I hope I haven't lost anyone, but I know I have gained a couple of new followers. So before I get to today's story I would like to say hello to all my new followers, and set some expectations. I cannot write every single day in the winter. My kids wake up way to early. The more time I spend trying to write takes away from obvserving them in the day to day. So look for a new post every other day.

So here at the Walton's we have a new addition. A tree house. This morning I woke up to "Mom we're going to the Swiss." (In case you didn't understand that it's a reference to Swiss Family Robinson.) I told them make sure they had their coats tight and I would holler when breakfast was ready. Door slams, I grin and get around.

This all started Thursday. Honeybear was sitting on the sofa and suddenly stood up and says he's going to go build something. Five minutes later he's back saying okay lets go everyone. I am now getting suspicious. He's been talking an awful lot about the two story playhouse he built and we had to leave behind. (It had a deck off the second story that had a slide all built from scratch.But was to heavy to move.)

Sure enough my suspicions are confirmed. He's backed the truck ,filled full of lumber from a discarded project at our little country church, to the dry creek bed opposite our camp fire circle. I'm thinking okay he's going to make them a playhouse next to our campfire, not a bad idea . I'm wrong. Pretty soon I'm standing under a sheet of plywood holding up the floor while he braces it.

All the while I'm getting directions from the pipsqueaks, "Higher" "No the other way" "Mom your slipping" I was quite close to getting the ladder and letting them use their heads for supports. I restrain myself...barely. (Does anyone else notice how much restraint I must show with this group of nuts. I'm the only sane one I swear.)

Soon the floor is up. And it's naptime for Bella. Her and I leave them to their jumping up and down on the platform. About an hour later Martin comes running in. He's out of breath and red faced. But having seen this look many times before I'm not worried. If it was an emergency he wouldn't be exaggerating his breathlessness. They need a drill bit.

Soon the project is brought to a halt. We're out of screws. Bella is roused from sleep and we head to Wally world. (I maybe should have looked at everyone before this. We looked like a group of ragtags coming to get out of the cold.) As anyone knows you can't just walk into Wal-Mart get the one thing you need and leave. Two hours later it's dark.

The next morning we are roused by cannonballs being launched at us. Oh no wait that's just our children jumping on us. They are eager to finish their tree house. Me and Honeybear? Well considering it isn't dawn yet, we just want to sleep. Eventually we get up. Helped by a pot of coffee.

Later that day it's about complete. I am in the house for Bella's naptime again. This time Degan comes to get me. He instructs me as we get closer not to look and leads me to the creek bank. I stand there for ten minutes getting told repeatedly not to look. There is some discussion as to why I was brought out if I couldn't look. No one has that answer.

Finally I'm allowed to look. To an untrained eye it might look like just a box with a door and some windows. To the kids it a wonderful clubhouse built by their daddy and them. It has a secret backdoor and the ladder has been carefully constructed to make it accessible to D as well.

Soon the kids' recliners are brought out from the shed and D's bed is placed in the corner. I donate some old pleather throw pillows and soon it feels like home. They beg to spend the night out there, but I make them come in to their nice cozy beds. (I know. I'm mean.)

It always amazes the simple things in life that overjoy a child. There's nothing special about the treehouse. No electricity, no pictures on the wall, nothing like their rooms in the house. But to them the Swiss is a magical land filled with wonder and it belongs to them. I'm not goin' to complain. I get peace...mostly.