Harvesting Memories of a Playset Built to Last
As the weather cools and fall decorations appear, my heart drifts to my favorite holiday — Thanksgiving.
Growing up, more than any other holiday, Thanksgiving was all about family. As the leaves turned, sweet memories of our children playing at Mom’s house always came rushing back.
Years ago, my dad had a wonderful Backyard Fun Factory playset installed on the lot next to my parents’ home. Every time we pulled into the driveway, our kids scrambled to unbuckle their seatbelts, eager to be the first to climb to the top of this solid redwood world of adventure.
One child might be setting sail on a pirate ship, while another imagined ruling her Cinderella castle. Their little imaginations ran wild, dimpled cheeks glowing as they called out to cousins to join the fun. First cousins, second cousins, even distant ones — all became colorful flowers in the same redwood garden.
The family dogs raced happily alongside the kids, tails wagging as they kept watch. Many even took their first trip down the slide before the holiday was over. That playset became the foundation of cousin connections — the spark that turned them into lifelong friends.
To little ones, cousins are like celebrities, the measure of how fun a family gathering will be. Each year, the same excited questions rang out: “Will this cousin be there? What about that one?” The answers always brought squeals of, “I can’t wait!” and “It’s going to be so much fun!”
A Thanksgiving Full of Laughter
Car doors slammed as relatives arrived, arms full of deviled eggs, casseroles, and pies still warm from our ovens at home. While the adults headed inside to prepare the feast, we’d glance out the window to see the kids already laughing and climbing safely together.
It was a comfort to know they weren’t underfoot — instead, they were making joyful memories.
Inside, the kitchen filled with chatter and laughter as family caught up on each other’s lives. Outside, around their castle-pirate ship-mountain of redwood, the older kids shared secrets, stories, and plans. They loved the new additions — climbing walls, higher swings, and taller decks — that grew with their bodies and kept the magic alive.
Thanksgiving Is a Time to Give Thanks
After dinner, we’d gather outside again to watch the children show off their newest tricks. Some raced to the ladder, their little shoes reaching for each rung before sliding down as if flying through the air. Others grabbed a swing with a squeal, their faces lit with joy.
The teens waited patiently until the little ones grew tired, then stretched out sleeping bags on the deck to stargaze together.
Time moves quickly. Oh, how they’ve grown.
A New Generation of Memories
Today, not much has changed. We now sit on the adult porch swing under the playset, watching our grandchildren explore the same redwood world their parents loved a generation ago.
We watch our children watch their children — delighted that the cousins remain so close. The new little ones run wild, dirty faces and tangled hair glowing with happiness as they chase each other up and down the massive playset.
Sometimes the parents — our “children,” now grown — show off on the monkey bars or climbing wall, sparking laughter from the crowd. These new little cousins, are becoming childhood playmates, and will grow into forever friends, just as their mamas and daddies once did.
And their parents, the beautiful flowers of the past, have scattered across the winds of life. Yet every year, they come home for Thanksgiving, to tell stories of their magical childhoods, to watch their own children play, and to gather once again around our Redwood Giant.
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