Going on a road trip?  Here is what I would take.  They work.  Trust me.

1.  A friend of mine suggested this to me years ago and trust me it works.  Bring a bag of pipe cleaners.  Have your kids create whatever they’d like.  It will entertain them for hours, then they can play with what they have created.  The best part is, when they are done with them you can simple toss them.  Kids of all ages get can’t help from getting creative.2.  Bring change.  Count out a certain amount of change for each of your children.  Place in a baggie, wallet or other container.  You could even add to their amount of change as a reward system.  Count up the change on the drive with them.  Pick a stop where they get to spend their money on whatever kind of treats they can afford.  You win three times with this one, doing the math facts in the car with counting the money, the stop is made fun and then they will enjoy their treat in the car after.3.  Bring Baby Wipes.  It doesn’t matter how old your kids are.  You will need them at some point.4.  Get dvd’s of a new tv series.  New to your kids but perhaps one from your childhood.  One year we brought the dvd’s of Little House on the Prairie.  My kids loved it.  Thanks to my Mother, we are currently hooked to Lark Rise to Candleford.  It’s a BBC series.  My kids love watching.  Nothing is better then getting to watch episodes of an entire series one right after the other.  5.  Lastly, bring licorice.  Licorice makes everyone happy.  Bring an assortment.  I love black, others in my family love the pull apart Twizzlers.  It will come in handy.  Remember, the first hour of the road trip is always the hardest.  Everyone seems to bicker with each other, but then something magical happens….they sort of all get comfortable with each other and the fun  and memory making begins.

Happy Trails.

Thank you for sharing your images for this weeks Theme.  They are inspiring.

From Brynn ClarkeFrom MomazineFrom Heather Sinex Toller From Anne Boughton  Thank you for your inspiration.  Hope you all have a beautiful weekend.

I am that mother.  The kind that says “We really need to start eating better and knock out the sweets,”  and then later that night, make these.  And now I am in search of the perfect Peanut Butter Kiss recipe.  I found this recipe here.  And it was delicious.

Tissue Garlands are perfect to use for parties, photo booths, or even for just sprucing up your house.  I also love to use them in photo shoots.  Here we just adorned a plain tee-pee with some fabric strips and tissue garland.  We also used the tissue garland for our cover shot of Issue 5.  Do you want to learn how to make the garland?  It is so easy.  Tammy Mitchell has a tutorial video on it.  Watch here.  I love how Tammy’s creative mind thinks.  There is always something to learn or to be  inspired by when Tammy is around.  She even has a new site all about parties.  Oh what fun!Don’t forget to get your copy of The Sandbucket Issue 5.  Printed here.  Digital through ITunes The Sandbucket App.

Also, post your “It’s a Beautiful World” photos on our Facebook Page.  We will pick our favorites to share on blog on Friday.  We would love to feature your work.

Hello all, have you heard of the blog Lunch Pails and Lipsticks?  I am sure it will be one of your new favorites.  Go check it out.  It is put on by three beautiful ladies who seem to have wonderful advice each day.  They are being so kind as to hold a giveaway for The Sandbucket on their blog.  Go check it out.  If you have wanted to get copies of all of the issues of The Sandbucket, now is your chance.  Go leave a comment on their blog for a chance to win.  

I have an idea.  Let’s start something new.  Let’s have some Friday Fun.  Here is what you do.  Post your pictures to fit the theme of the week.  This week it is “Oh What a Beautiful World.”  Post them on The Sandbucket’s Facebook Page.  They can be from your big old camera or an iPhone.  Whatever you have, whatever you love, show us.  Post on this page, if you have a website and want to show us more of your work you can leave your link in a comment of your image.  Next Friday we will post our favorite pictures posted here on our blog.  We will link back to your blogs if you have one.  But do not feel like you need to be professional to enter.  Nope, we want to see what you have to share.

So go out there and capture the BEAUTY  of this World!

We are also looking for submissions for guest blogging.  Do you have something fun you would like to share with The Sandbucket Readers?  If so email ideas to www.thesandbucket@me.com.  Please write Submission in the subject line of email.   Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Have a fun Memorial Weekend!  Top two pics were taken with iPhone 4.  Bottom pic taken with Canon 5D Mark II.  With a 50 1.2 lens.

Special thanks to Lindsay Silsby of Pied Piper Photos, Tamara Burross of From The Treetop, Hannah McCumsey from The Sleeping Willow, and Shanna LeRoy from Shanna Michelle Photography for the beautiful images that made up this fun section of the magazine called The Art of Being Together.  They are some amazingly talented women and I love admiring their work.  I was so fortunate to get to work with them for this issue.  Have’t gotten your copy of Issue 5 yet.  Go here to purchase a printed copy or digital.  Or you can go through Apple Newsstand to get your Sandbucket App and download any issues you’d like.

Have a great day!

I’m guest blogging over on Chic today, talking about these cute cards.  Check it out. 

The Freckled Pie is one of my new favorite blogs.     I was so excited when Robyn Holland, the darling chef behind the deliciously cute site, agreed to share some of her recipes with The Sandbucket. Her recipes aren’t only delicious, they are doable.  They are real food, what you want to eat and what you want to make in your own kitchen.  I find her photography as equally as delicious!  For me, it is all about the pictures.  She has an amazing talent to photograph food and make it ever so interesting.    You can find some of her scrumptious recipes in Issue 5 of The Sandbucket.  Here is a taste of her cuteness….

Meet Jenny.

Jenny Evans is one of our fabulous contributors in this past issue.  She believes food can bring people together, especially good food.  Jenny hosts cooking classes in her home in Southern California.  I have been and have loved the food, the recipes, techniques learned, the environment and well, Jenny!  She was so generous to share so many recipes with us.  These recipes are golden, I tell you.  Your family will love each one.  The ice cream cookie recipe is my personal favorite.  I have made it three times in the past few weeks.  They are delicious.  You can find Jenny’s recipes for Cheese Filled Rolls, Jenny’s Signature Salad, Spaghetti Margherita and Ice Cream Sandwich Chocolate Cookies in The Sandbucket Issue Five.  You can also follow along on Jenny’s Blog for more inspiration.

Right now, Jenny is hosting a giveaway for a Bosch Mixer!  Hurry fast to her blog and enter to win.  She picks a winner this Saturday.

And here is some eye candy to share with you.  All recipes are found in The Sandbucket Issue Five.