The Super Fort

Since today is J's 10th birthday, we are avoiding everything resembling work: housework, schoolwork...it's all out the window. The first item on our list of non-work things to do was to construct a Super Fort (which, as it turns out, felt a lot like work to me). Welcome! Come on in!
The "Front Door" is the tunnel entrance, good for little people and cats, although I did manage to shimmy through it once.
THE FORT is roughly the size of Barnum & Bailey's Big Top. It is approximately 18 x 15 and engulfs a large portion of our living room. We thought about making it bigger, but decided to save some blankets so the girls can sleep in it tonight.
THE FORT is held together with duct tape and bench clamps and is safe enough to be OSHA approved (provided the girls follow instructions and don't turn the lamps on and burn the whole thing down). A tripod props up the center and there is even a skylight complete with "spy telescope".
There are several ventilation and peep holes, plus a larger back door entrance that the dog and bigger people can use. This would also be the place for snack deliveries.
Did I mention that THE FORT conveniently engulfs the TV? The first thing the girls did was drag a stack of books inside, but currently they are watching the DVD of old Underdog cartoon that I picked up at the video store. I will now have that theme song permanently stuck in my head.

Later, we will pop popcorn, read part of Prince Caspian together, watch J open presents and maybe even eat supper in THE FORT. We'll leave it up until we either need the tables and blankets, or until it falls down, whichever comes first. All the work was completely worth it when I got a bear hug and was told I was "the best ever"!