Our Backyard Discovery playset – random thoughts!

Several people have wanted to come see our playset, because they say they’ve never seen one of these in person. Are you sure about that? Sometimes stores, like Sam’s Club and Costco, have them on display. And just walking around my neighborhood I’ve seen two other swingsets from the same company.

What may confuse you a little bit is that there are several brands under the big Backyard Discovery umbrella – Adventure Playsets, Leisure Time, Create-N-Adventure, etc. The reason for this is to make it easier for customers to differentiate between sets sold by different retailers. However, they all have similar features and are made using the same wood.

I was browsing photos on Facebook the other day, and came upon an album my aunt Norma posted of her home just outside Monterrey, Mexico. I haven’t been to their house in a while (ashamed to admit it’s been over 4 years, actually), so it looks a little different from the last time I was there.

I was surprised to see a playset in their yard! Very strange because their youngest child – my cousin Estefania – is 16, after all.

The style looked very familiar to me, so I ran the photo through my playset database…

I kid, I kid. I think I may watch a little too much CSI.

I was able to zoom in on the photo, though, thanks to my magical iPad, but it ended up being a blurry mess. So I did what I should’ve done in the first place – I asked my aunt about it. Her response:

Lo compramos en McAllen, TX en Toys ‘R’ Us. Es de madera. Creo que la marca es ADVENTURE PLAYSETS. En esa ocasión lo encontramos en un super precio!!! Ya tenemos un año con los juegos.

Translation: We bought it at Toys “R” US in McAllen, TX. It’s made out of wood. I believe that the brand is ADVENTURE PLAYSETS. We found it at a great price!!! We’ve already had the set for a year.

Aha! I may be wrong, but I think it’s the Windsor II pictured to the right, with the ladder and rock wall on opposite sides. On the other hand, it could be the original Windsor, which is no longer available. I’d have to take a look at the slide to be sure.

My uncle Armando bought it because the price was right at that time, and they entertain outside a lot. They’ve recently started renting out their estate, or “quinta,” for parties as they have another home in the city. It looks like a beautiful playset, so I asked one of my cousins to take some close-up photos which I’ll share with you in the future. We’re headed to Mexico in late July, so I’ll be able to give you a more thorough review of the playset then!

My husband had one of his guys seal our set this past weekend while the girls and I were still out of town. I decided on Thompson’s WaterSeal, though my husband, the expert painting contractor that he is, didn’t agree with it. We’ll see how the set looks in a year, in which case I may switch to an oil-based sealant instead. We want to keep our Highlander looking brand-new!

Speaking of the Highlander, Trisha from MomDot bought the same set at Sam’s Club this past weekend. She’s been detailing the setup process and has included wonderful photos and tips. Her husband even chimes in with his own advice. Worth reading!

Hope everyone is enjoying this warm spring weather and spending as much time outdoors as possible! The afternoon shade is beginning to descend on our backyard, so we’re off to play before it gets any hotter!

Disclosure: As part of an ongoing relationship, Backyard Discovery provided my family with a wooden playset, and will be covering my BlogHer ’10 conference expenses. Click here to read my previous posts.