Last summer, my husband Frank decided to build a treehouse for our children. He watched a how-to DVD and consulted a treehouse idea book. Then he just started building, figuring things out as he went. Some of our children—Tabby, Hunter, and Solomon—helped too. Frank used old cedar planks from his late father and wood from his late Uncle Henry. The roof is covered in old split cedar roofing shingles, and the mailbox belonged to his late Uncle Davey. Plus, there are ladders and a slide, a swing, a basket on a pulley, skylights, windows, a door, and an “escape hatch.” A rock-climbing wall and fireman’s pole are forthcoming.

Lisa Hollowell, Moncure, Central Electric