Built a sandbox...

I needed some busy work to help take my mind off the nesting and preparing for birth/baby, because it was threatening to make me a little crazy. Thankfully my husband is very supportive of my on-a-whim impulses and he totally enabled me with a trip to lowes, spending his hard earned cash, then helping haul various things and keeping the kids (mostly) out of my hair and supporting my moodiness throughout. Thank you Rene. *love*


So, we've had this homemade sandbox for a few years.







It did the job just fine, the kids spent many hours out there. But the lid was heavy and a pain in the butt to lift, so it got left off often, including during a number of storms. The kids also enjoyed climbing on the lid so it started to sag and eventually broke.



We ended up with a lot of leaves and sticks and undesirable items mixed in with the sand. Then to add insult to injury, our previously exclusively indoor cats decided under no uncertain terms they were determined to be outdoor cats, which has gone wonderfully for them, they seem much happier. But it wasn't so wonderful for our poor sandbox. It got "used" a couple of times and although we scooped it out asap, I still couldn't bring myself to allow my kids to play in there after that. And they had no desire to either. So the poor sandbox sat out there all lonesome and gross looking. And I decided a few days ago that I need to make a new one. Nowish.


Thanks to Lady Goats for submitting awesome plans on Ana White's website. They were perfect. I love how this sandbox has built in cute benches that fold up to become a lid! Exactly what we need!


So, I got me a pile of wood.



Don't mind the toddler with the chocolate face!

And I got to work. I didn't let Rene take any pics of me this time because I was in a vest and underpants and it's not a pretty sight! But here's a photo of my "helpers".



I'd love to claim some bragging rights about building while being great with child, but in all honesty this was such an easy build. The plans were nice and clear and this really wasn't too intensive. Filling the darn thing with sand in the eightysomething degree heat and humidity though, does qualify for some bragging I think! That was the hardest part by far.

Here's the box after build, before paint.











Here it is painted a nice, bright, fun orange.












And here it is being played in. They've had loads of fun in it today, even in the heat.













I don't like to post belly pics because I don't have a pretty belly! But I thought this was amusing - my view point as I supervised play.

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