Reckless Recreation:The Dirt Pile

Last Saturday an excavator came to dig the foundation hole for the new addition. 

Every one was allowed in the pit once.

Sophie was at dance but she did get to go in when she got home.

We had the stump from the tree we cut down last year taken out as well.  We thought it would be trouble and add a lot of time (read $$$) but it came out so easily.

Naturally it became a trench for to take out enemy combatants.

Initially we told the kids that they couldn't play in the dirt pile because we were afraid the dirt would fall into the hole and get in the way of the concrete work.  We very quickly realized that a dirt pile in the yard like this is pretty much a once in a lifetime event.
For days I patiently swept, vacuumed and mopped the floors repetitively.  I washed laundry twice as much and Aaron folded twice as much, but oh the fun that was had.

This stump became the center of a home.  The little nooks and crannies and caves around the roots became cupboards.  Sophie's retainer is probably somewhere in there but has yet to be found.

I happened to get a plastic snowboard free on the side of the road that day and the boys (I think Jacob started it) taught themselves to snowboard...on a dirt pile.

It was pretty cool even if I do say so myself.

Sophie became quite the explorer finding all sorts of treasures in the dirt.

This old bottle was a great find.

Broken glass, cement, rocks, roots, metal...and they still have to go barefoot.  I was torn because feet are a lot easier to clean than shoes, but in the end I made the right choice and made them wear shoes.

Aaron has been moving the excess dirt one wheelbarrow load at a time.  He found a 1920 mercury dime in excellent condition.  It is worth somewhere between $6.50 and $200.00 depending on the website I check on.  Maybe I shouldn't rely on the internet for every thing.

This is where some of the excess dirt is going.

And that is what we do for fun around here.  The kids play and make messes, Aaron does back breaking work and I clean up after everyone.  Ahhhh the life.