Why We Gave Up on Our Dream of a Pristine Yard

In the heat of summer, I find myself reassuring my three rambunctious boys that watermelon seeds won’t lead to them birthing watermelon babies. While I relax in a hammock wishing for a cooler climate, they’re busy diving for oversized coins in our delightfully chaotic above-ground pool — all while wearing their underwear because, once again, they couldn’t find their swimsuits. They’ve probably tossed them somewhere in the yard, where our dog may have dragged them off or perhaps buried them. I’m swatting at mosquitoes, doused in bug spray, and yelling for the fortieth time not to splash their youngest brother. They eventually emerge from the pool, yelling for towels, and dash around the yard in nothing but their underwear.

And, let’s be honest, it just wouldn’t be summer without our yard looking like a disaster zone.

Despite living in an area where July temperatures can soar above 100°F, our yard serves as an outdoor playground for our kids. We prefer them outside rather than glued to screens, and with a trampoline, pool, and a massive swing set, there’s no reason for them to be indoors. Yet, they often choose to create their own entertainment — usually at the expense of our yard.

We Gave Up on Grass, Thanks to Holes

When it comes time to sell our home, we’ll likely have to invest a significant amount of money to restore the lawn. With three dogs and three kids, not a single blade of grass remains in the dirt-and-jungle landscape behind our house. We’ve got plenty of trees that provide fort-building materials, secret hideouts, and homes for toads, but our attempts to grow potted plants have been thwarted by our mischievous dog mix who enjoys knocking them over or digging them up. So, we’re left with a lot of dirt.

In our sandy area, the soil is particularly easy to dig up. Our Shepherd-terrier mix loves to be wherever the kids are, while our hefty German Shepherd believes he must protect them from every perceived danger. But dogs can’t handle the summer heat very well, which leads to a rather destructive solution: they dig enormous holes.

My Shepherd-terrier mix is small, but my German Shepherd digs with reckless abandon, creating craters in our yard that the kids can sit in. Every summer, it looks like a strange moonscape with holes everywhere. Not to mention, my kids also dig their own holes to “create a lake,” which involves excavating the yard and turning the hose on full blast to fill it up. Spoiler alert: it drains quickly, and the hose must stay on. They roll around in their muddy pit, while our German Shepherd stays back, saying, “No way am I getting wet!”

Our Yard is a Treasure Trove of Chaos

Let’s face it, to make a lake, you need tools — multiple shovels so that no one fights over one, a hose that inevitably gets left snaked across the yard, and, of course, toys. If you’re my seven-year-old, that means you’ll need dinosaurs to populate the lake. All of this stuff remains scattered about because who wants to pick it up in scorching heat?

The pool adds to the chaos, resulting in a trail of forgotten towels and swimsuits left behind when the kids jump out to run inside. And don’t even get me started on the deflated pool floats and squirt guns strewn about. Our yard is a complete mess, but that’s summer for you.

My children have even constructed a clubhouse beneath the trampoline.

It’s All Part of Summer Bliss

All this clutter signifies that we’re outside enjoying life. That empty bourbon bottle next to my hammock? It’s a remnant from a late-night Zoom catch-up with friends, which also explains the tangle of cords nearby. The pile of pool floats indicates that my partner and I occasionally join the kids for some fun or sneak out for a quiet float after bedtime (sometimes sans clothing, thanks to our privacy fence).

Sure, our yard is a wreck, but it’s a hub of activity. Our kids are engaged, away from screens, and we’re all enjoying the summer together. If someone wants to come over and fill in the holes in this sweltering heat, they’re welcome, but I know my kids are thriving in their little quarter-acre paradise. It certainly kept us sane during the chaos of 2020. We love our yard, mess and all — after all, grass is overrated.

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Summary

In the midst of summer chaos, a family’s yard transforms into a playground filled with dirt, holes, and laughter. Despite the mess, this space becomes a cherished hub for outdoor activities, serving as a reminder of the joy found in creating memories. Grass may be overrated, but happiness is not.