The New Sandbox

All summer long, Jack has loved using his construction trucks up under the swing in the front yard.  The ground has long since been worn down to just dust there after both our kids and the neighbor kids have used the swing repeatedly almost every single day.  The problem is that it really doesn't have a lot of dirt left in that spot and it is definitely closer to the road than I would like.  (I don't worry about Jack because he has known his "boundaries" for a long time now, but Jimmy has been wandering out there now to join him).

I suggested to Steve that we put together some sort of a real sandbox for Jack ... in the back yard.  It could simply be under the slide on the playground area; kill the weeds, add some sand and it would be just fine.

But Steve had another idea, and before I knew it, he came home from work one day with a big tractor tire.  Jack and him hauled it into the back yard, added some sand the next day and our new sandbox was officially set.

Shoveling anything makes this boy happy.

Yes, Steve just stood back and let Jack do most of the work.

Jack wouldn't have it any other way.  He loves to work.

We weren't in a rush and it kept him occupied for a little while.

And then the other kids joined in.  Before long, it became a team effort with some of the kids using snow shovels and others using beach shovels. 

Jack LOVES it and I find him out there at random times of the day.  I never know which toys he is going to use (tools, beach toys, construction trucks, his wheel barrow, etc), but I feel much better knowing that I can see him out my kitchen window and that Jimmy is not going to wander off into the road if he chooses to join in.