"Best Papa"...at least for today...

[Jim Becker]

Well, the new play gym, despite a brief rain-delay, was successfully installed just as the bus, err...big yellow limo...pulled up at 4:20p this afternoon. Strangely, nobody noticed anything, even though the installer's truck was still present, until I suggested that the girls turn around and "look up on the hill". (Nastia was too busy playing to the video camera... )http://soulofadoption.com/forum/Smileys/newset/haha.gif

At any rate, the squealing knocked out any dogs within five miles and I was nominated as the "best papa" (at least for now), including hugs and actual kisses. (Hopefully, mama will receive a similar award...) :D

Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.

[tod evans]

happy munchkins, what makes the world go round! nice job jim!

[Wes Bischel]

Most excellent Papa!! That looks like it will help burn off a LOT of energy! It looks like it is actually fairly compact - yet with a ton of different activities. Which set did you go with?

Wes

[Karl Laustrup]

Great looking set Jim. It's quite obvious it is a big hit with the girls.

I like that you took the time to prep the area for a playset. It will certainly help diminish any spills that may occur.

Karl

[Michael Stafford]

Ain't that nice!!! Way to go, Daddy!

[Andy Hoyt]

Way to go, Dad!

[Dan Oliphant]

Jim, you got two real happy girls there, you and ma done good.

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

That's a REALLY cool Play Gym! All sorts of neat stuff to do. I think the faces in the pictures say it all. Great folks, and 2 beautiful, happy kid's.................that's what it's all about Jim. Now, we need a few pictures of Mama and Papa enjoying the Play Gym too! ;)

[Joe Mioux]

Great pics Papa jim. Is that a Rainbow system?

Looks like all redwood.

Joe

[Vaughn McMillan]

Very cool, Jim. The playset looks like one of those items that would be a lot of fun to design and build, but it'd cost more and take lots longer than just calling up the guys who do it every day. Plus, the little munchkins don't have to endure a weekend or two of watching the thing get built. I'll bet the look on their faces was priceless when they discovered it (after it magically appeared during school). :)

- Vaughn

[Jim Becker]

Is that a Rainbow system? Looks like all redwood.
Joe (and Wes)...yes, Rainbow Play Systems (http://www.rainbowplay.com/). This is the so-called "Carnival Castle II (http://www.rainbowplay.com/PlaySystems/Index.cfm?CatId=3&Id=45)" package. It's very similar to their premium component designs, but sold pre-engineered and kitted at a more palatable (yet still expensive...) price. All redwood and cedar--smells great!...NO pressure treated. Lifetime warranty. For size reference, the area with the wood chips is 19' x 35'. There is a slight slop and the thing went together nicely in spite of it...the castle needs to be level and everything else falls in line from there. While I would have loved to build something like this as the margins are "up there" for the seller, I just don't have the time to do so...so I bought. The installers were great and I know they enjoyed the treat of the "squealing" when the girls arrived home. They bolted too fast due to the rain, however...I never got to tip them for working in the rain to have it done before the bus arrived. :o

[Barry Stratton]

This has to be one of the best gloats ever posted! Enjoy each and every moment (for some reason I'm sure you already are), it'll seem like 4 months from this one when they ask for the car keys...

[Ernie Nyvall]

Lifetime warranty. :o

And I'm sure no one has to collect on this. I just went to take one down in Houston. It was sitting under a canopy of trees, right down on moist gumbo, and in this humidity... 14 years old and solid as a rock. The wood had swollen around the bolts and that thing is not coming down without a chainsaw.

Way to go Jim. You did good.

Ernie

[John Miliunas]

Way to go, Jim!!! Two very happy little girls, though I can't help but wonder how many other happy little kids from the "hood" are going to now adopt you and mama as "part time" parents???!!!! :D That's great, my friend! :) :cool:

[Curt Fuller]

This has to be one of the best gloats ever posted! Enjoy each and every moment (for some reason I'm sure you already are), it'll seem like 4 months from this one when they ask for the car keys...

What a great Dad! Like Barry said, enjoy every moment because time flies when kids are growing up.

[Jim Becker]

...though I can't help but wonder how many other happy little kids from the "hood" are going to now adopt you and mama as "part time" parents???!!!!
Outside of our immediate neighbor's 3 year old grandson who visits several times a week...there are no other kids in the immediate 'hood...and even if there were, the road is not safe for walking or biking. (Another benefit of the new driveway will be the ability for the girls to get bicycles...and have a place to ride them without transporting them via the car to a park)

But I'm sure that the girls' friends from school will enjoy it if and when they visit, although their "best friends" already have similar setups. They are very common in this area.

The side benefit to all this is that is may create a "little" more time for mama and papa to do things they enjoy, rather than driving off to the playground/park...like work in the shop, perhaps?

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Good work, Jim.

As an added bonus, you now have a place to through all the chips!

Bruce

[Boyd Gathwright]

Well, the new play gym, despite a brief rain-delay, was successfully installed just as the bus, err...big yellow limo...pulled up at 4:20p this afternoon. Strangely, nobody noticed anything, even though the installer's truck was still present, until I suggested that the girls turn around and "look up on the hill". (Nastia was too busy playing to the video camera... )http://soulofadoption.com/forum/Smileys/newset/haha.gif

At any rate, the squealing knocked out any dogs within five miles and I was nominated as the "best papa" (at least for now), including hugs and actual kisses. (Hopefully, mama will receive a similar award...) :D

Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.


Jim,
.... Most likely one of the most memorable times of there lives. Good to see happy kids ;).

.

[Jerry Olexa]

Jim: fatherhood has its rewards (even if it costs you a few$):) . Did you have to assemble? I done a few in the Past. Sound like they were installed...Isn't being a Dad great?? Congrats!!

[Wes Bischel]

Oh, that's right, you did mention Rainbow before - sorry for the brain fade.:rolleyes: I suspect with the weather this weekend the girls didn't leave the fort very often!:D

Wes

[Dennis Peacock]

Looks very nice Jim!!!!! It's not hard to tell that the girls are HAPPY!!!!!!:D

[Martin Shupe]

Very nice, Jim. I tried to post yesterday, but couldn't, for some reason.

I know that set you back a bit, as we researched them, but the girls will get many years of enjoyment, and your tool budget will recover.:D

Looks like you are raising a fine family, but I knew that would happen.

Hope to see you at Bill's in July (if scheduling will cooperate).

[Neil Clemmons]

Jim -

Great setup. We have a 15 year old Rainbow setup in our yard. Other than sealing it every four years or so, it's no maintenance. The girls will love it. To this day, our's is still a "kid magnet."

Neil

[Jim Becker]

Did you have to assemble? I done a few in the Past. Sound like they were installed...
They sent a crew out to assemble it...the "assembly charge" was $99, which I'm sure didn't cover the cost outright for two guys (contractors) and about two and a half hours (not to mention the delivery of the stuff a few days ago by the same two fellows in the pouring rain), but even with the "promotional discount" on the play gym, they made money on the deal. That's ok. I got to watch them put it together (no extra charge for that...... :) ) which was more difficult due to the slope and got to see the look on the girls' faces when they actually noticed it for the first time. :D


We have a 15 year old Rainbow setup in our yard. Other than sealing it every four years or so, it's no maintenance.
Yes, the last thing the installers talked about was being sure to seal it every few years. They said that the ones you see "out there" that are dark gray and yucky were not sealed. Doing so will keep it in great shape over the years. Not that I'm anticipating anything in any kind of near term (!!!), but in theory, this thing should still be standing when/if we get grandkids someday...:eek:

[Keith Starosta]

Very cool, Jim! We put up one of the big 'ol Rainbow systems in our yard last year, and it has paid for itself tenfold since then. Many happy years of swinging and climbing to come!!

- Keith

[Joe Mioux]

The side benefit to all this is that is may create a "little" more time for mama and papa to do things they enjoy, rather than driving off to the playground/park...like work in the shop, perhaps?

Yea Jim, Keep telling yourself that!:D ;) :)