After gathering some supplies at Menard's, Mr. C. (aka Grandpa) and I drove to our daughter's home where the ambitious Grandpa built a much-needed sandbox and filled it with sand for these two sweet grandkids (above). Why?
Because the last time we were there, this is what we saw.
A kid's gotta dig, right?
Grandpa and I are firm believers that every kid needs a sand pile - or at least a sandbox.When our kids were little, we had a dump truck load of sand brought to our home (in the country) and the kids had a blast with that huge mountain of sand. You'd be amazed at how quickly they got that thing flattened out. Our daughter was recalling how they would play in that sand pile for hours on end.
Okay, it wasn't quite that big.
But close.
But close.
We still have a sand pile, though much smaller these days.
This was from the 2014 reunion.
Backyard photos
Lower left includes the ever-present nettle
Upper right is wood violets and silver leaf.
Silver leaf spreads like crazy. I started with 11 leaves.
Now it's everywhere!
More backyard photos,
including my poor old McIntosh apple tree
which froze out in the winter of 2013
There are only a few blossoms on it this year.
This is what happened to my
baby McIntosh apple tree, the one we had planted as a replacement
because our other one was getting old.
And just when it was doing so well. :-((
baby McIntosh apple tree, the one we had planted as a replacement
because our other one was getting old.
And just when it was doing so well. :-((
Have a wonderful Monday, everyone!
This post is linked the following linky parties:
Mosaic Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and Amaze Me Monday and Roses of Inspiration and Treasure Box Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Tuesday with a Twist and Tweak it Tuesday and Home & Garden Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Vintage Inspiration Friday
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58 comments:
I agree all the children should have a sandbox to play in. I remember my son loved playing with his dump trucks in the sand box. Cute grand kiddies. I love your blossoms, sorry about the deer. Have a happy day and new week ahead!
We always had sandboxes when our kids were little-there is nothing like it in the world. I think that is why I like beaches so much- it is like a giant sandbox.
Love the pictures of the kids. They are so cute.
Not so cute- your poor little tree! Hope you have a great week- xo Diana
Oh yes, every child needs a sandbox. When we took care of our grandchildren for our daughters to work, we bought those plastic ones for them. Yours is much better.
Now that is a nice sandbox judy! And I agree, a kid's gotta dig!!
bye bye apple tree.. but he sure looks cute eating it.
i agree, all kids need a sandpile or a place to dig... most kids love digging. i believe kids should be allowed to get dirty and dig and play like they want to... white sand is better for us adults for sure, not as dirty as black sand which is what i dug in when i was growing up. good old GA dirt.
Poor apple tree! Oh those little ones look so cute I want to scoop them up for hugs :)
Hi Judy - we were at the grands yesterday and they spent half the day in their sand-box. We have the sand but the poor retired-guy has so much to do that 'sand-box' is not at the top of the list yet. Maybe next week. :)Love to see Mr. C playing along. As far as your beautiful flowers the wild violets are my favorite. Enjoy your day, Deb
This brings back memories! We built one for the kids and had it for years. They always seem to love digging and creating! Too bad about the apple tree. My weeping cheery tree is in sad shape this year. I am not sure what has happened to it but perhaps it got froze out too. February was brutal here. My woods are alive with blooms right now too. Such a great time of year- wish it would last much longer!
I can still remember our first sandbox, from Portland Oregon. We got boxes of sand from the beach back then and filled our sandbox and my first German Shepherd Puppy would lay along side and watch us play. Very nice!!!~
What a perfect, sweet, scene!
Yes children love to play with sand and let their imaginations run wild. great shots of them happily playing.
I have little trouble with deer in the flower gardens; they only took the tulips, and I'm not wild about tulips, anyway.
Hours of enjoyment and creativity. Maggie
Loved this Memory Maker Judy . . .
My children and grandchildren have LOVED their SANDBOX days.
(I liked your idea of a big pile of sand . . . ).
On the Michigan side of Lake Michigan we have miles of beautiful white sand, not many rocks, boulders. Over the winter the sand shifts, drifts, and ends up in places not intended. So the road crews invite people to come and collect sand for sandboxes. And going to the beach is like playing in a giant sand box . . . plus water to make sand castles. What fun that is! Oh my, the memories . . .
Great pistol Judy!
Smiling as I reread my comment . . .
GREAT POST JUDY!
Haha. Don't you just love predictive texting! Happens to me all the time. Lol
What a wonderful gift for your family! The sandbox is sure to provide many hours of creative fun...which is a gift to the children and their parents!
Lovely things growing there in your corner of the world. Sad story about the apple tree(s).
The first part of this post made me smile. The children look so very sweet, and the nice new sandbox seems to have a cover too, very useful.
The deer made my smile disappear. They are like our hares - look cute, but do much damage in the gardens and woods...
Lovely flowers! Have a great week ahead!
Every child should have a sand box! The photos are priceless.
Oh yes, deer will eat anything sweet - they love tulips and tulip bulbs, too. ;o(
Nice sandbox! And thoughtful grandparents! Every child needs a little sand to play in.
What kid doesn't like a sandbox??? Nice pictures!!
"A kid's gotta dig"
Yeah!! Now that's an inspirational saying if I've ever heard one!
Yep a child's gotta dig, and even as mamas and papas we're all still digging. Too funny! Big hugs to you for bringing one to them! All my grandchildren got a sandbox for their first birthday from this grandma! I still have two right here at home, and funny thing, my youngest son with two of his own boys just posted as his cover picture on Facebook an old photo where he and his sister were digging in their sandbox!
sneaky deer taking the tasty stuff! i, too, had a sandbox - made from a tractor tire, i believe. played in it a lot. kids need a place to get dirty, dig, bury things, find treasures, just connect with dirt. :)
This is an awesome sandbox that grandpa made! What is it about playing in the sand, anyway? You are right...every child needs a sand box...heck, I NEED ONE! It's just one of those simple, old fashioned ways to have fun. We still have one of those little plastic turtles in our backyard from when my teenaged grandsons were little. And when I go to the beach, I always find myself letting my hands drift off the arms of my chair, down into the sand...love the feel of it, especially between my toes!
And speaking of backyards, yours is beautiful!
I think the sandbox is such a great idea. Talk about kid friendly!
Colorful blooms are decorating your yard so beautifully. Very nice!
Judy, the deer do love those tender little plants. My daughter hangs Irish Spring soap in her trees and it keeps them away. Wonderful sandpile and hours of fun for the kiddos.
Judy, there's just nothing like seeing children play in the sandboxes. What a great idea, these pictures are treasures.
Thank you for the birthday wishes, my dear. I appreciate it so very much.
love, ~Sheri
I would play in the sand still any day! And oh what a lovely garden....my crab apple was eaten by the deer and I have had to spray our young trees with a non-toxic deer repellent and it works....
I, too, enjoyed a sand box when I was little. Lovely to see your grands enjoying themselves. Fun, summer days! Love your mosaics of the yard too.
Wonderful shots! And what a great thing to do for your grandkids! You know, I have read that playing in the dirt, and even eating a little (YES) are so good for a kid's immune system. This was based on real scientific studies. I always wanted a sandbox as a kid and I never got one.
Love to see kids playing outside in the sandbox, so cute... Pretty flowers, so nice to see blooming. Oh my, poor little apple tree, guess the deer was hungry.Blessings Francine.
Fun! I agree, a sandbox is a must. My boys have created WWII battles, sand castles, treasure hunts and so much more in the sandbox.
Carla
Kids just love to dig! What fun!
All kids DO need a sand pile!!!
Oh yes, our girls had a sandbox when little and although there may not have been trucks in there, the barbies had a good time.
Darn, you try to be kind to the deer and they go and eat your new apple tree. :-( Puts me in mind of a ginkgo I brought home from a garden convention and planted in our arboretum. Must have looked like a tasty appetizer to the deer because they ate it right down to a little stick.
Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday Judy.
My parents built us a sandbox and would hide buried treasure for us to find.
Yes, your grands are such sweet children. You've caught them beautifully. Wonderful flowers and two great mosaics, as well as the deer at the bottom.
Sand boxes make the BESTEST memories. :)
The kids are adorable.
Judy - Your flowers are gorgeous! I agree that every child should have a sand box. Our problem is keeping the neighborhood cats out. I made a net cover out of that landscaping material and stapled it on one side and put Velcro on the other. We don't dare leave it uncovered.
Judy
What a nice sandbox for your little grands. They will have many wonderful hours of play in it I'm sure. That's too bad about your apple tree. Deer just love those tender branches. Enjoy the week.
Pam
I agree that every kid needs a sandbox. Both my daughters loved theirs and played with sand more than they did with dolls.
Oh yes, a sandbox is always a big deal! Nothing more fun that building and digging in sand or dirt, add a little water and life is good! Great photographs except that last one, oh my goodness! They do like the good stuff!
Have a great week!
Nancy
Lovely sandbox - every child should have a sandbox. Oh yeah, I love that huge sand pile even if it's not the one you had years ago..lol.
Deer eat everything in our daughters yard in Virginia... exasperating.
My children loved their sand box. Thank goodness I had beige (sand colored) carpet at the time!
Yep, love the sandbox... Kids and grandkids all did. Hours of fun. Actually I want to sit down there and play in it myself )). Your flowers are gorgeous.
Always loved the sandbox and know your grandchildren are having a wonderful time. So sorry about your apple tree. Every yard needs an apple tree.
Great job Grandpa, awesome sandbox!
I can remember having fun in our sandbox as a kid, my daughter never had one, I guess with all the moving we did being in the air force we never thought about it.
You're right every child should have asand box, it's so much fun!
Kids are having a nice time in the sand box...
My dad had a big sand pit when he built our barn. My brother and I played in that pit all day long with Tonka trucks. I had a sand box for my kids for the same reason ... kids love to dig! That's a nice sandbox your husband made. I loved seeing your photos of England btw! Great evening shots of the lights shining from all those windows in the store fronts.
Wendy
What a nice Grandpa! So cute to see the Grands playing in the sand. We all need to play in the dirt, don't we? That never gets old!! xo Karen
Well, the deer have to eat.... :(
Love the sandbox! Lucky kids and terrific grandpa! We had a sandbox too, and spent hours in it.
When I saw that huge pile of sand I wondered how big the truck was that delivered it! LOL Thanks for setting me straight!
Trying to catch up on blogs!!
Your children were sooo lucky! I will definitely copy you and give our grandkids a big pile of sand to play with. Your grandkids are adorable. I guess Mr C still likes to play in the sand!!! I am very sorry about your apple trees.
The joys of a sandbox. My son can spend hours in his and I must admit that I often join him :)
It's always a pleasure to have you at Roses of Inspiration. Hugs to you!!
I'm sure the sandbox is well used! Oh no! Sorry about your apple tree. I guess it was just too tasty to pass by.
Love the humour with the sand pile photo :-)
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