tramp scooter anyone

Lately, Sam has been really into looking up different types of bikes and scooters on You tube.  Sam is incredibly smart.  He is very math and science minded.

A few weeks ago, he asked me if he could take apart one of our old scooters, so he could make a "tramp scooter."  He got the classic eye brow raise from me, so he continued to explain that it would not hurt or tear the trampoline, and it would not require power tools. 

I went ahead and bought him a roll of duct tape that he asked for, and then he and his friends disappeared for the rest of the afternoon.

Next thing I knew, Sam, and basically ALL of the neighborhood boys his age were standing around our trampoline begging to have a turn on the epic "tramp scooter."

Not kidding, kids were constantly on our trampoline with it for the following week.

It was a huge success!

Sam and Trey Cherry

You know, it is kind of funny how I am so incredibly paranoid about our yard being the "eye sore on the corner."  I have worked countless hours planting flowers, trees, mowing the lawn, creating the dry river, setting up play structures, raking sand, pulling weeds, picking up any garbage or toys that are left out each day, and so on.  It is not all because I care about what others think.  I am a clean freak, always have been, always will be.  Organization makes me happy and clear minded.  I love beautiful things in nature and in my own home.  I work very hard to surround myself with clean, organized and beautiful spaces.

The interesting thing is though, is that we have Luke's bad guy traps, potions and inventions in the front driveway.  Our dirt mound that has been a volcano, a triple bike jump, a "swimming pool," and currently is a pirate island with buried "treasure in it," on the front corner, we have a tramp scooter in the sandbox, and we have Sam's and his friend's "invention club set up" in the window wells.

There is rarely a time that we don't have several neighborhood kids in our yard, enjoying these things, along with my kids. I love that.

As much as this can drive me nuts, these are the things memories are made of, and that is more important to me.   Part of me has realized that I can have an awesome yard, full of beautiful things, clean from weeds and trash, and a mowed lawn, but what adds to it even more, is the presence of children making memories.  That is why we built this house and this yard in the first place. 

I'm pretty sure my kids are going above and beyond in giving our yard plenty of "character."