Dirt, GLORIOUS Dirt

Tonight I was sitting at the computer working on a few things.  All four kids were outside on the swing set.  I could hear them and see them and would occasionally get up and sneak out to peak a little closer.  At one point it got rather quiet.  I glanced out the back window and they were gone.  I could still hear whispers from them coming from behind the fence.  I peeked around the corner and here's what I found:

The kids LOVE playing behind the fence in the dirt.  I don't think the neighbors are too fond of this past time though.  They've filled more than one hole that the boys have left.  I pick up all the shovels, etc. every night and drag them back to our side of the property.  It's sort of a futile effort because they end up right back where they were not too long after sun up.  I told my father in law when he finally convinced Travis to plant grass out front that he was taking my children's favorite place to play away.  He brushed it off as though it was no big deal.  I know how big of a deal it was for them to lose that sacred dirt space.  In their effort to reclaim a bit of it back, they've staked their claim on the neighbor's property.  It's a good thing the neighbor's don't make too big of a fuss about it.  I don't know what the kids will do with themselves when we finally get the yard fenced in (some day).  We might have to make a sandbox when that happens!