thesandbucket.com

You’ll notice that there are times where it seems like this blog is on pause.  That is usually a sign that my life is crazy at that time.  I do enjoy being creative and trying new things and blogging about them here.  But what I really enjoy is spending time with my family and being a part of their lives.  So if it seems like I disappear from time to time on the blog it is most likely because they need me….or I need them.

I had so hoped to get the next issue of The Sandbucket Magazine out in May.  It will be a beautiful issue all about Family time.  But then life had a way of taking over.  When did March become the busiest month of the year?  April seems just as crazy.  I was faced with the decision to push back the launch date of this issue?  Why?  Because if I had crammed and spent all my time getting it done, then I would have been a really big hypocrite.  The issue is about being with your family, not neglecting them.  So I will take my time and make this issue beautiful but when there is time to do it.  The last two months have been so memorable.  So many great things happening.  I am sure glad I didn’t miss it by being glued to my computer.  So bare with me.  The next issue will be coming out in May and it will be the best one yet.

Below are some pics from my phone.  If you follow me on Instagram then you probably have already seen them.  Some were just on my phone, I guess they didn’t make it to insta.
(from top left to right)

1. My kids Easter morning.  2. Be-You-tiful night at church.  Each teenage girl would stand in front of board and the other girls would take turns writing nice things about them.  Here is Ellie.  3.  Piper gathering all the Easter baskets. She is my party and holiday planner.  4.  Max holding something scary at his cousins bday party.  5. Making 13 bathes of jam with the awesome women in my life.  6.  Piper sleeping.  7. Max at Pack night.  8.  Focaccia Bread.  9  Parker got his Eagle.  Whoa, that was a big deal.

1.  The kids got a badminton set from church auction.  It was a huge hit until the net broke.  2.  The kids before church.  In the background, are the maps of the world and states.  Everyone made their guesses as to where Parker would get his mission call.  3.  Parker got his mission call to serve in the Spain, Madrid Mission.  He reports to the Spain Missionary Training Center in July.  4.  Evan dishing up some Monkey Bread.  I love him.  5.  Max’s drawing.  He must have felt really proud of it because I found about 20 pictures of it on my phone that he took.  6.  Parker and Caden doing dishes, the night before Caden left to serve his mission in Honduras.  6.  Reading time with Max,  we are reading Lightening Thief.  7.  Piper’s art gallery.  9.  Jumping at Big Air.  Our favorite place with some of our favorite people.

1.  Decorating eggs.  2.  Ellie, Claire and I at the Getty.  3.  Umm, Piper again.  4.  Max eating crepes.  He made them.  5.  Boiling eggs for Easter.  6.  Piper sleeping, guess I didn’t realize I already had that one.   7.  More pics of decorating.  8.  Max’s crepe.  9.  Some of the eggs we decorated.  Seriously.

1.  Easter egg hunt at Grandma’s house.  2.Piper’s drawing  of Evan and I.  3 and 4.  The beach.  I love the beach.   5.  Max’s school project to visit The Laguna Beach Art Museum.  6,7,8 and 9 swimming.  1.  The kids hunting for bunnies.  2. That’s me doing a flip.  3. Sketching at The Getty.  Claire posed while everyone drew a picture of her.  Classic!  4.  Parker posing by a bowl from Spain at the Getty.  5.  Piper likes to get her dolls dressed up and pose them and then take pictures with my phone.  This is one I found.  6.  Again with the beach day.  These are not in order as you can tell.  7.  My baby turned 6.  7.  Grace made a scavenger hunt for her birthday.  9.  Our family as dolls.  Playing with Piper.

1.  Sometimes on sunny days, Piper will pull a blanket outside and lay it on the lawn and pull my outside and say to me,  ”It’s a beautiful day, we should sit and enjoy it. ”  I love her.  2.  The kids ride their bikes and scooters out front everyday.  Around and around they go.  3.  Max just hanging out by the Eiffel Tower.  4.  I made my own ricotta cheese thanks to my friend Jenny.  5.  Beach again. 6.  Conference Sunday.  We got to watch church on TV.  We filled jars with different colored licorice and put a word on each.  IF the kids heard the word they got one of those pieces of licorice.  It’s a good way to keep the teenagers awake.  7.  Watching The Hobbit.  8.  Bowling.  9.  Breakfast with cousins.