Putting the labor in Labor Day weekend

In all fairness, our big Labor Day headlines are probably all thanks to Ellie the dog, one way or another. Here she is. She followed the kids home again, only a little more literally this time.
Dad loves dogs. He was more than happy to let her follow the kids. Also, since Ellie's owner appeared to be gone, and Ellie appeared determined to escape her yard, Dad thought it would be good to keep an eye on Ellie for awhile. She loved visiting with the kids (and they with her), but Ellie's owner was less than pleased when Ellie returned home. Dad assessed the fence Ellie has mastered escaping and offered to give it one of his famous fixes. Ellie's owner declined. She really has no idea what Dad can do.

So, there was Dad with a supply of wood salvaged from a dumpster. With nothing but a dull, rusty saw, a hammer, and a few nails, he transformed it into this (a new shelf!):

and this (a slide! [anchored to the tree, don't worry]):

and this (a tea party table!):

We enjoyed it, yes. Thanks, Dad (and Ellie)!

Oh yes, we did some other stuff, too. Amanda has decided to enter a one mile race later this month, so we started the morning off with running practice at the park. (Dad and Amanda did most of the running; Mom timed them and watched the others play.) We also went to a BBQ at Grandma and Grandpa's house. And, best of all, it was cloudy today! Now, some of you may raise your eyebrows at that, but honestly, all the blue skies we've been having lately have been giving Mom cloud withdrawal. Seriously. Hooray for clouds! (Mom may feel differently after a few months of winter.)