Happy Father's Day:Making Memories

Upon Hannah's request Ben has opened up a playground manufacturing division in the shop to meet their play equipment needs. Last year's request was a tire swing. I'm not sure where she had seen one but she was sure that she needed it. Maybe it's because she lives on a homestead that's over a half a century old and she had seen that there was no shortage of materials laying around. We were happy to get a swing put together so cheaply and they are thrilled to have it to swing on.

This year's request was a seesaw. It has been in the works for months but this weekend the final touches were put on and the girls got to help. Here they are painting the base of the seesaw. I didn't realize when I sent them out with Daddy they would be using John Deere machinery paint. When they finished painting and came in every exposed body part had pain on it. I hoped they wouldn't be putting black highlights/streaks in the hair until they were much older but I suppose the ones they got that day won't last forever.


Old clothes and boots were definitely a requirement. Brushing their hair before heading to the shop was not.


They all worked together to paint the underside of the seesaw. Helena never had a shortage of paint on her brush. Even after my attempt to move the can of paint well out of her way and she still found it, Ben decided he would pain the top on his own later, lest they might not have enough paint to finish.



While Daddy was trying to jam bolts for the handles through holes that had been filled with paint, Hannah gave me a tour of the seesaw. She showed me where her Daddy cut out places for her legs to go on the seat. She showed me where they are going to grease the pivot point once they get it together, amongst other things.


Here Daddy helped Hannah tighten up the handles. All that we have left to do is set in the ground, though they could probably use it as is. I'm pretty sure that these girls will never forget that their awesome Daddy made them a seesaw the color of a John Deere tractor and let them help build it.


Happy Father's Day to a wonderful Daddy!