This Is Happening, Somehow.

Somehow, Charlotte's birthday is already less than three weeks away. I have no idea how that came up so quickly, but here we are. This year we're letting her have a "friend" party--which basically means that I'll invite the neighbor kids and a couple of her friends over on a weekday around lunchtime so they can run through the sprinkler and eat PB&J sandwiches. This party is all about simplicity.

Chad and I have been entertaining the idea of building an outdoor playhouse for a long time. She loves being outside more than anything and she spends hours out there every day, usually with her neighbor friends. We knew they'd have a blast with a playhouse, but we wanted to find one that was A) not ugly, B) sturdy and durable, C) big enough to hold several kids at a time and D) not ridiculously expensive.

Turns out that's a tall order. We could usually check one or two items off that list but not all. I didn't really want anything plastic since most of the plastic ones I've seen are kind of ugly and they have a tendency to fade and look beat up pretty quickly in the sun. Also, those plastic ones that are durable and big enough are expensive--as in, somewhere in the realm of $400-$600. Nope.

After much searching and review reading, we settled on this one by Cedar Summit (purchased online thru Walmart.com):

The kit comes with everything you see here except the children and pretend flowers. It's all cedar and it's pre-stained/painted. It was also about half the cost of one of those plastic ones--though if you buy it now it's a little more expensive than what I paid. I managed to get it on sale, plus I had a discount code and got free shipping. It ended up being a very, very good deal.

I like the size of it--not too big yet big and tall enough to hold three or four kids at once. Also, it comes with materials to put in a small play kitchen/sink area inside. Lastly, it's adorable and not something we will mind at all having displayed in our backyard in the years to come.

Chad will have the lovely honor of building it sometime in the next few weeks...which should be interesting, considering the directions warned that it will take two adults approximately 6-8 hours to build. All in the name of love :)

Charlotte knows her birthday is very soon. She's been reminding me daily that she would "love a playhouse, and food to go in it so I can play restaurant. And Calico Critters--I love Calico Critters!!".

I am relying heavily on this playhouse to occupy Charlotte and her friends this summer while I sit on the deck not wanting to move until I have this baby. And then after, when I sit on the deck and rock the baby while they play--I'm much more looking forward to that part. The fact that the neighbor children never leave our yard, ever, will for once be (sort of) welcome.

Wish us (and by us, I mean Chad, since I'm not building this thing) luck!

~Stacy