The Macs » Blog

DIY sandbox

Joel told me that he wanted to make Levi a sandbox this summer. I was so excited. You see, my husband isn’t one to suggest home improvement projects…or any projects for that matter. I usually have to beg and bribe him to do anything DIY. Don’t get me wrong, Joel is a great guy…and he is good at so many things. But he works incredibly hard, long hours on the farm and the last thing he wants to do when he comes home is “work” some more. I think I did him in when we tackled our big remodeling project the summer before we moved into our house. It was a TON of work. So you can see why I was excited about the sandbox. Levi was too.
Levi was very helpful and took out every screw one by one. He loves to help his daddy…and his daddy is very patient with him.
A few days before we went to buy all the supplies for the sandbox I saw this DIY sandbox over at MADE. It was exactly like the one Joel had described to me that he was going to make except it had stripes painted on it…and a cute little umbrella. I asked Joel if I could butt in on his project and paint it when he was done. He agreed as long as I did the painting. But he must have felt sorry for his prego wife dying in the summer heat as I painted one afternoon…he ended up finishing the whole thing for me. He is super sweet like that.
I loved how Dana painted her sandbox four different colors, but I wasn’t quite that ambitious. I love red. So we went with red and white stripes. The worst part was taping off the lines. But it turned out pretty cute and was definitely worth the extra work (right, Joel??).
Joel filled the new sandbox up with sand and Levi helped him spread it all out.
He wasn’t so sure about being covered with sand at first, but he loves it now and usually comes in at the end of the day covered in sand from head to toe.
The sandbox lost his attention when he realized his daddy’s tractor was still parked in the yard. I think he would spend all day sitting in a tractor if he could.
He even got to go for a little ride around the yard.
We have spent lots of time playing in the sandbox. It was such a fun project to do together with Joel.
I even found a red and white umbrella at Target.
I think there will be many, many hours spent playing in this sandbox. And pretty soon Levi will have a little brother to play with him too!
There’s “the look” again.
So here it is. Levi’s new sandbox. A summer DIY project by the Macs.
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  • Megan - That is SO awesome! Timmy would LOVE it. We are moving in a year though so I keep feeling like I need to cancel all of my projects. Maybe we can settle on a big Walmart plastic turtle sand box 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Sharon - What a fabulous sandbox! Love it! Levi has some rocking parents!ReplyCancel

  • Vera - Wow great job!ReplyCancel

  • Meg - You guys did such a fantastic job! Way to go.ReplyCancel

  • Mindy Harris - i love it so much! can we come play? 😉ReplyCancel

  • Nancy - you BOTH did a great job! it’s so cute & looks like so much fun for your two boys!!ReplyCancel

  • Nancy - Soooo adorable for both of your boys. Great job to both of you…ReplyCancel

  • Stacy - I LOVE IT!! We are going to do this. The little turtle sandbox is just not big enough for both my boys. Great projectReplyCancel

  • Ashley - This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, next to Levi’s adorable expression!! You and Joel sound like such a sweet couple, always helping and supporting one another. Love the pictures that show him in the corner, right there in the sand next to his little boy. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Nelson's Mama - That is adorable!

    But, you’ve got me wondering why Levi doesn’t have a sandbox in a tractor tire like every other farm kid I knew growing up? 🙂ReplyCancel

  • This Farm Family's Life - I love it Jess! Is Levi wearing your flip flops in one of those pictures?? Too cute!ReplyCancel

  • Katy @ Live Laugh Love Craft - Oh, that is so cute!! It makes it so special when your Husband builds it, as opposed to buying it. 🙂

    PS: I love Levi’s “look”. He is so handsome!ReplyCancel

  • Lesley - That has to be the absolute coolest sandbox ever….and the umbrella…the cherry on top…..I love it! I even had to pin it on my pinterest!

    Lesley

    http://projectmommyhood.blogspot.comReplyCancel

  • Stef - I actually prefer the red & white look, myself!
    you guys did a great job. That last picture is so peaceful looking. Made me want to go “ahhhhh….” out loud 🙂
    Levi is getting very tan and the sun is making his hair lighter? Either way, he’s looking like a summer cutie 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Bethany - Love it! It looks so cute…and that isn’t something you can say about most sandboxes.ReplyCancel

  • Amanda - Y’all are so creative! What special memories you will make in the summers to come!ReplyCancel

  • Lindsay - Oh i was hoping you’d share when I spied this beauty in your fourth of July pics! The stripe totally makes it, well that and the adorable toddler sitting in it!ReplyCancel

  • amy - It looks amazing! I love red as well…how fun you found a red & white umbrella to match! 🙂 One thing you should do is get a small dustpan & small broom for Levi to brush himself clean when he is done. enjoy!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - LOVE the sandbox and how HUGE it is!! You all are such an adorable family and I LOVE reading your blog and checking in on you. If I could give a bit of sandbox advice you might want to get a cover for your box(if you don’t already have one) so animals don’t decide to make Levi’s sandbox their potty! We left our cover off for one night and woke up to a bunch of nasty surprises.ReplyCancel

  • Lauren - Oh my Jess, that is a great sandbox! But Levi’s ‘look’ had me laughing out loud! He is so darn cute!ReplyCancel

  • Rachel - Love it! Enjoy!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - A hint shared with us for getting dry sand off of little ones before coming in the house is to put baby powder on your hands and smooth off the sand…also helps to make them smell even sweeter!ReplyCancel

  • Allen and Debby Graber - And I like how the dog sits in it too!!ReplyCancel

  • songskatesang - Jess, this is really amazing! I love it! great job.ReplyCancel

  • meg duerksen - super cute.ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - How cute! Y’all did a wonderful job 🙂
    I’ve been meaning to ask you where you get Levi’s cute t-shirts? You always have such cute shirts on him!ReplyCancel

  • onlymehere - That’s the cutest sandbox I’ve ever seen! I especially love the idea of putting in the umbrella. Oh my, Levi is going to create such good memories here!ReplyCancel

  • Taylor - Love the sandbox (I like the red/white better than all colors actually)…wonder if my husband would let me paint our swing set 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Christina - Amazing and really cute!!! I got my daughter a tugboat sandbox at a yardsale when she was little….and the only problem I have with it is…..when it RAINS! eeeek.ReplyCancel

  • Faith - WOW!!! You guys did such an amazing job!!! That is for sure an awesome sand box and it looks HUGE! Great job mom & dad! Levi looks so adorable playing in it!!! LOVE the “look”!ReplyCancel

  • Erin - This looks amazing 🙂 Agree, taping lines is one of my least favorite activities of all time. And don’t you love the sweet little silly faces they make through the different stages of growing up. So much fun!!!ReplyCancel

  • The Mershawn's - He is so stinkin’ cute & so is that sandbox! I know 2 kids around this house who would love to be covered in sand all the time. We just don’t have all the space you guys do…is that a good enough excuse;)? Just kidding…fun project!ReplyCancel

  • Melissa Joy - That is super incredible, Jess! Excellent family project, and I see lots of super fun in your future. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Kim - Way to go on the sandbox! Levi is a cutie for sure. Just wanted to second the need for a cover. I have heard of issues of kids getting pinworms.ReplyCancel

  • Kendra - This is fantastic! Seriously, one of the best sandboxes I’ve seen. I need to get my hubby out there to make one for my two little ones!ReplyCancel

  • dana - oh wow! Your box turned out great! And darling photos. I love all the red and white 🙂
    – DanaReplyCancel

  • Andrea - So perfect for two little boys! I love Levi’s “look” – amazing how children can get these totally adult expressions on their faces.

    The other night I was praying for Levi – that he would not feel any jealousy toward his brother or that his place has somehow been taken. I remember my oldest son (who also is a middle child) having a very hard time when Luke joined us, which is maybe why I felt impressed to pray that Levi would immediately take joy in his role as a big brother. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Kelly McG - That is an adorable sandbox! We too have huge sandbox (16’x6′) and my 4 kiddos LOVE it!! At first we had a problem with sand ending up in our house despite our efforts to dust off before coming inside. I bought a hand broom at the dollar store and now we use that to dust off. It helps tremendously!ReplyCancel

  • Debilou ~ Mississippi Mama - love the sandbox.. the stripes and the umbrella make it so pretty.ReplyCancel

  • julia - That last picture is FABULOUS!ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - Got to know…do you cover it? I’ve wanted to do this, but haven’t yet because I’m worried about animals getting in it. Also is the bottom concrete?ReplyCancel

  • Diana - And what a beautiful spot for that awesome sandbox. Love it. ♥ReplyCancel

  • barbara - great great sandbox!! I wish we had the space, but alas, we live in an apartment… Have to take my girl to the beach instead! 🙂 Great project!!ReplyCancel