We're building a fort - part 4

Remember how I mentioned all that brush had some poison ivy tangled up in it?

So far we've worked three full Saturdays on clearing the brush (ended up filling the dumpster twice). The first two Saturdays poison ivy made a tiny, inconsequential appearance on a few of us. One or two bumps here or there. No biggie.

The third Saturday I didn't join Scott and the kids as I was spoiled with girls-night-out-type plans all day long. Somehow, the poison ivy sensed the maternal absence and attacked. Emma, Ben, and Josh were stricken with itchy bumps on their arms, faces, and stomachs (luckily the little girls didn't really help, so they're okay). Emma got the worst of the kids, by far. That's what she gets for being the hardest worker. Scott, however, took it to a whole new level--he looked like a leper on Sunday morning. Head to toe, he was itchy. The most troublesome spot being his right eye, which was bright red and swollen half-way shut by Monday morning. He went to the doctor's office and got a shot which calmed things down. We debated for a few days whether or not to take the kids in. Their vote was a resounding NO (they'd rather deal with itching than needles any day). Since they weren't nearly as affected as Scott we let them wait it out with calamine lotion. We asked them, is it worth it for the fort? Yes, they all agreed, though they eye the cleared area with notable wariness now.

he's exaggerating, by the way