Only you, your daughter and your family members can evaluate the correct decision in regards to choosing the zip line over the monkey bars. You know your kids and how they express themselves in an active outdoor area better than anybody. Zip lines are well loved by adults and kids alike. They attract a lot of attention, (ie, the neighborhood kids ) sometime even more than a trampoline, which is saying a lot. They (ziplines) do not provide the same type of physical challenges that monkey bars do , so if your daughter and or son is going onto gymnastics later on in their teens this may give you a little direction in your choice. Sandbox- In my experience they are highly usable elements. Often times it does not matter whether the box is filled with pea gravel or sand. It is simply the fun of digging. You can pick up an inexpensive 5 foot diameter plastic pool and fill it with play sand or safely bolt four 2x6 cedar boards together with a double bonded weed barrier cloth at the bottom. I do not like pea gravel as a safe flooring material under play sets as a personal choice, but it is accepted by the U.S. consumer safety commission. It has a very low safety rating plus it can become a lethal weapon if tempers flare up. An excerpt from a Kidspace Book : Choose A Safe Protective Play Surface Install a shock absorbing surface area under and around your play equipment . The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ( www.cpsc.gov) suggests that a loose filled material such as cedar wood chips , engineered wood fiber ( EWF) or shredded recycled rubber mulch should be installed to a minimum maintained depth of 9 inches for areas that will support play equipment that is 8 feet high. For equipment that is 5 feet in height or less , 9 inches depth of sand or rounded pea gravel is suggested. Because of eventual settling , compaction and displacement it is suggested that the loose mulch surface material should be originally applied at 12 inches thick . Grass, artificial turf, and dirt are not considered protective surfacing and do not have the shock absorption integrity as a thick bed of chipped bark mulch. Carpeting and thin rubber mats are also not adequate protective surfacing. High density commercial rubber mats designed specifically for playgrounds are safe but should be fully researched and evaluated before using. Check their safety report information via the internet. Ground level equipment such as sandboxes , playhouses and other equipment that do not have any elevated play surface areas do not require any protective surfacing by code compliance , but play it safe and provide a safe cushioned surface for your loved ones. Edging- I would never recommend cobble stone. Kids are bound to fly off the swings and or run and fall. I often specify Trex ( plastic wood board ) or rubber bricks ( higher end ). Or if I am using rubber mats I don't use any border at all. Favorite type of mulch - play ground fiber. - call your local landscape supply store .

Hardin, you should be able to find an old satellite dish on Freecycle. I see them on ours quite often. Below is a link to a recent thread we had on the Conversations Side with great advice from Susiewantsroses about how to win on Freecycle. I found 2 burgundy bowling balls at a church yard sale for $5 each. I went back near the end of the sale and got them for half price, so I got two for $5! Haven't done anything with them yet, but they are in my garden with the holes turned upside down for the time being. I like the burgundy color, but I might mosaic or cover in pennies someday. You can place an ad for Wanted items at Freecycle and also Craigslist. Sometimes people will call you if they've got that stuff laying around their place. I've been looking for a Papasan Chair to make into a planter. Here's the link to 4 page instructions. You'll have to copy and paste this link because I don't know how to ad two links to the same message other than this, but I know there's a way, because I've seen it before in other threads *sigh* lol ~tenderlee http://www.hiramfowler.com/realisation/papasan_jardiniere/intro.htm Here is a link that might be useful: How To Win On Freecycle

I would dig a 2-3" wide, 1" deep trough around each post and then pour a ring of concrete around the posts and then trowel it smooth with a slight slope to divert water away from the post. Then, your push mower wheels would ride up onto the concrete and you'd never have to trim or spray anything again. Just make sure the top of the concrete is about even with the surrounding dirt. If you want to get the kids involved and make it "artsy", they can push marbles, colored stones or pieces of tile into the concrete before it dries. Total cost= $5 at most

I wouldn't want to put it in the drain field due to the possibility of a septic system problem resulting in a pool of waste water on the ground surface. You would also want to be careful not to block the septic tank clean-out access. If you are talking about digging and pouring concrete footings, this should not be done over any part of the septic tank. Even if driving anchoring stakes into the ground, you need to avoid the area directly over the tank(s). Otherwise, laying base timbers along the ground surface above the tank should not be a problem. JMHO, YMMV