Monday, June 10, 2013

Get Up, Get Up, and GET DOWN

More than a year ago Brian started hatching a plan to get an in-ground trampoline in our backyard.  We didn't get around to it last year, but we (mostly Brian) finally started moving on the project a few weeks ago.  We measured out a 14-foot circle in several places in our yard and went with the place Brian wanted it from the beginning.  It seems like we have been digging that hole for years.  We carefully took off the first foot and a half with shovels.  Not a joke.  Except to Brittany, who saw me unloading dirt from the back of Grandpa's truck in my work clothes.  For the next two feet of dirt Brian rented a track hoe.
Remember when our grass was so pretty?  Colin and Emil watched Daddy, then cried and cried to me.  Why?!  Why are we inside when that awesome toy is outside?!
The hole was finally deep enough and Brian and I put the wall around the trampoline together, then tried to attach it to the metal rim.  That's when we realized why the video of this trampoline system is animated.  It cannot be done by two people, as the brochure says.  The minute we lifted one side, the wall would come apart on the other side.  Thankfully we have a neighborhood full of men who live for this kind of thing.  There were six guys back there making suggestions and holding things together until it was very dark.  The next day we discovered that we needed to take more dirt off the sides of our hole.  I did that side you can see with a pick axe.  In my mind I was swearing up a storm.  Stupid hole.
We put the trampoline in the hole and Bridget thought the time to jump was near.  Not so.  First we had to back fill it with dirt and gravel.  Emil and Colin and Bridget played outside for hours and hours while Brian did all the work.
Sidebar: Colin can totally ride this scooter.  He knew what to do the minute he saw it.  It took Bridget ages to get the hang of a scooter.
We got all the springs attached and only dropped one under the trampoline.  I gained some serious respect for my Dad knowing that he put one of these together on Christmas Eve once upon a time.  In Idaho.  The kids helped us with the pad.
Then it was time for some real jumping!

Real jumping calls for a water break.
Sharing a water bottle with Colin is kind of gross.
These children have been filthy every night for a week.  Now they will jump and jump and jump.  Our plan will work.

1 comment:

Bump and Erin said...

I love it! What a lot of work, but oh so worth it!