My Improved Backyard - Clothing Optional

I have slowly become, through my married years, a real lover of bargains. There is nothing I enjoy more than scoring some amazing item for next to nothing. Garage sales, Goodwill, clearance bins, I throw out a few bucks and come home with bags of stuff. But, I have reached a new step on my money saving mission. Some might say a new low, I would say a new level of awesomeness.

I have officially dumpster dived.

Before you judge, check out what I got.

Is that a rock wall tree house with a slide, you ask? Yes, yes it is.

Our backyard has gone from pretty awesome to "Oh my gosh, mom. Can I go play at the Nielsens?!?!" Seriously, it's that great.

Here is Scarlet walking out in the back yard and seeing it for the first time.

Her actual words were, "Yes, it's a tree house!" How the heck does she know what a tree house is?

It has been a great find. Our other score of the day was this lovely contraption.

Ever have the desire to have all the blood rush to your head at a disturbing rate while your skull dangles inches from the cement supported only by your ankles? Come over to my house, I have the thing for you.

I don't even know what these machines are called but they are supposed to be great for your back. Jon has actually grown to like it. I think it might be the most uncomfortable thing ever. But free I remind you.

So now that my backyard has reached near child perfection, the kids have upped it a notch. For some strange reason, our backyard paradise must scream 'no clothing necessary' to the 5 and under crowd. It started with kids getting their clothes wet in the kiddie pool and then continuing to play without them, but it has somehow morphed into a nudist sanctuary. Children who walk out the back door fully clothed are streaking by the next window in milliseconds.

My backyard has definitely gotten an amazing amount of use this week. Scarlet's friend Jane spent the week at our house and the two of them spent hours and hours outdoors. It was great. The two of them, frequently clad in only panties, ran themselves to exhaustion daily. In fact, I think Jane's mom might be shocked by the number of clean outfits left in her suitcase.

I did insist on clothes for church though. Have to put your foot down somewhere!