The Tree House

It was early release for the kids today so it was a long afternoon filled with tons of playing and having fun.  Kaylen went to a friends house for a couple hours and while she was gone, the neighbor boy came over to play with Kelton.  By 3pm, I had all three running around.

We have a tree house in the back yard.  It's not so much a traditional tree house but more a play structure with a playhouse on top - complete with working electricity.  The people who originally owned the house built it for their boys.  It was a swing, monkey bars and a two person swing on the lower level and then you climb a ladder, open the door, and enter a playhouse with windows and a look out.  It's actually pretty cool - if one liked heights, which this "one" does not.  I've never actually been *inside* but I have seen what it looks like from the ladder. 

Anyway.....the kids have moved some toys and the old swing cushion into the tree house and they love to just hang around in there.  Honestly, I think they are more of the "someone stands below and throws things up to the people inside the tree house while those people are pelting the person on the ground with things".  They have fun, yes, but it is far from quiet fun.  Mommy has to yell "Knock it off!" many times for various offenses within the course of an hour.

Tonight, the kids had come inside and were playing Uno Attack while I cleaned up the kitchen.  I noticed the glasses they had taken outside where not back inside so I sent them out to find the glasses.  They did so and then returned to their game.  I noticed the tree house door was open.  *sigh*

I went out there, climbed the ladder, grabbed the door knob, and prepared to close the door.  That's when I saw it.  A bag of potato chips.....and the mess of about 50zillion smashed pieces.  UGH!  I grabbed the bag and closed the door.  I returned to the living room and calmly said "Tomorrow, after school, you two will take the small vacuum cleaner and go up into the tree house and clean up every piece of chip on the floor.

WHY?  They whined.  Because, I calmly stated, food will bring mice, ants, squirrels, raccoons and possums to the tree house - none of whom I want to have to deal with.  (One a side note: this is exactly why I do not have compost bins in the yard.  I know there are ways to keep the vermin out but I don't know enough about it at this point to try.  Once we are out in the country, I might venture into the land of composting.)

Can I just say that I'm not looking forward to tomorrow afternoon either.  Standing watch while they do what needs to be done just doesn't sound like big fun for me.

And who thought taking food up there was a good idea, anyway?  *sigh*