Swiss Family Robinson, Are You There?

Seriously. Swiss Family Robinson is living in my backyard. I am pretty sure of it. I think I have even heard their pet monkey back there a time or two. We have what we used to refer to as “The Jungle”. It is far worse than a jungle. We decided that we needed to clear out some of our wooded area and put a fence up so that our dogs would have a little more room to run and jump. Ok, let’s be honest. They are digging holes in our backyard and I am afraid of what the neighbors think when I swing open the door and scream “Keep diggin’ buddy, it’s your own grave” so we are kindly moving them to another section of the yard. Derrick started the clearing process in February before everything turned green and started growing at lightening speed.

And just so we are all clear – that is not a pile of brush. That junk is actually alive and attached in the ground with major roots.

I honestly don’t think these pictures do it justice. Derrick could pull on a vine and a tree 10 yards back would shake. Everything was overgrown and tangled into everything else. For example, this is a tree covered in vines that wrap into the next tree on the left...

A total nightmare. And then the World's Best Father-in-Law got us a backhoe. We agree that nothing has ever been as beautiful as watching that backhoe destroy this area. If it wouldn’t have been in the afternoon we probably would have lit some candles and drank some wine while watching the demolition.

So now we are working on a fence. Because of our work schedules, and having a small baby, we cannot seem to put a dent in it. The fence is taking forever to finish. Derrick’s Dad and Uncle Stevie came over to help and that was a HUGE blessing. And now they are vacationing in the Dominican Republic enjoying drinks with umbrellas in them. We are still here. Chugging Gatorade and putting up one board at a time. Hoping Neely Jo takes long naps on Saturdays and Sundays so we can one day be done. Notice how I act like I am out there. I am not. I bring drinks out. And sometimes Neely Jo and I sit and the shade and watch. I am the Foreman and she is in charge of splashing water out of Tupperware containers.

We aren't even close to being finished, but we have cleared enough to give us some extra room and we are leaving the rest for the Robinsons. Here is where we are now...