My husband came home from work, looked at my fire pit, and said “Great, now the neighbors think we’re poor.”
Standing there in his pressed work shirt, worried about what Karen and Steve next door might think because I used cinder blocks instead of hiring some landscaping company to install a $3000 stone masterpiece. Like our marriage wasn’t already hanging by a thread without him caring more about appearances than the fact that I actually got our kids outside for the first time all summer.
“The kids love it,” I said. “They’ve been out here every night making s’mores.”
“It looks… cheap.” He walked inside without another word.
You know what looks cheap? A family that never talks to each other. Kids who won’t put their phones down. A marriage where everything I do gets criticized.
I found the design on Tedooo app from a mom who said it saved her family $2800 and her sanity. Thirty-seven dollars at Home Depot for the blocks, then I ordered these perfect little wooden stools and lantern holders from a craftsman on there who specializes in budget backyard setups. Total cost still under $150 versus thousands for professional installation.
Last night my daughter brought three friends over to roast marshmallows on those little stools arranged around the fire. They sat there laughing and talking until almost midnight. First time I’ve heard her genuinely happy in months.
Posted the whole setup process in my Tedooo shop this morning and already sold instruction guides to six other moms who said they’re tired of their kids choosing screens over family time.
Let the neighbors think what they want. My kids think I’m pretty amazing right now, and that’s worth more than any fancy landscaping.
