Family Beach Day!

It wasn't until my husband and I had been dating for 5 years that I realized a simple truth -

We are not beach compatible.

My husband is a cliche.  He loves long walks on the beach.
and I... don't.

I like digging in the sand, or flying a kite, or just sitting in my chair and watching the tide roll in.
I'll admit it was a tiny issue - until we had kids.

Now everyone is happy when we go to the beach.  The kid that wants to go on a walk goes with daddy, and the kid that wants to build a sand castle stays we me.  Then everyone splashes in the (freezing) Pacific Ocean, we take the required (damp and windblown) family selfie, and then go eat clam chowder.  It's a beautiful thing.

So when I opened William's May Citrus Lane box, I was very excited.  Not only did it have the Hape Master Bricklayer Set (retail $8) which is perfect for building sand castles,

but it also had an adorable t-shirt from Tea Collection (retail $22.50) and an 8 piece bento box from Goodbyn (retail $15)!  Combined with a few snacks from Plum Organics, the box was valued at over $45, which is a great value considering the boxes are only $24.95 each when you buy a 6 month subscription!

I set the sand toys aside for our first Coast trip of the Summer, and they were a huge hit!

William added some sandy 'mortar' to the first layer of bricks.

And then helped me level off the first two layers.

At this point he was ready to run off some energy and the kiddos went on a walk with dad while I kept building.

Back in Portland it was 96 degrees, but it was a fabulous 68 degrees at the Coast.

My little surfer dude was right at home in the water.

By the time the kids came back I had finished our Mayan pyramid (complete with a ramp down to a wading pool).  I LOVED the Hape tools.  They were sturdy and perfect for creating with.  They easily fit William's toddler hand, but were a great size for adults as well.  

Click to buy the Brickmaster Set from Amazon HERE.

Hape has a complete line of sand toys, including sandcastle molds of famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, and Great Wall of China - plus many more!

How neat is that!? 

A quick pregnant belly shot.  36 weeks 4 days!  BabyLUSH #3 is almost here!!

Before we left I let the kids thoroughly destroy the pyramid which, let's be honest, is half the fun of building a sand castle.  

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I've been getting Citrus Lane boxes since Hannah was an infant, and they are the GO TO subscription box for 0-5 year olds.  The brands and value can't be beat.

Get 40% off your first box by using my LINK

Goodwill Kid's Haul

While running errands today I figured I'd stop by Goodwill and try to find an Easter Basket for William.  When Hannah was a baby I bought her a plain basket and sewed my own liner to match her Easter dress (Tutorial HERE), so I wanted to do the same for my son.

Like it always happens when you enter Goodwill, lots of bargains catch your eye and happen to find their way into your shopping cart.  This is what I found today:

This matching set of children's chairs from Cabbage Patch Kids were a steal at just $6 for the pair.

Perhaps the thing I love MOST about them is that they're NOT vintage, but from 2005.  Because they're not vintage, I won't feel bad when I sand the chipping paint down and paint them some crazy color perfect for a playhouse tea party.

Hanging out in the wooden bits and bobs aisle was this Melissa & Doug lacing shoe (available on Amazon for about $13).  I love when I find a new-to-us M&D toy.  I love it even more when I save $10 or 77% off the retail price and only need to find a random shoe string to make it work for my kids.  Score!

I finally made my way to the basket aisle - and the shopping cart was nearly half full by this point - and started digging through hundreds of baskets for the perfect one.  I liked that this basket had a collapsable handle - great for packing it away in the easter bin! - and posed a fun challenge when sewing the liner since the bottom was square and the top edge was circular.  I think I've figured out the pattern and plan to film another basket liner tutorial before Easter.

In the housewares aisle I found this brand new Target salvage linen tote that is perfect for William's closet.  For $3 I couldn't pass it up.  It's perfect for holding the clothes he's outgrown until I can organize them back into the clothes totes in the garage.  And the colors work well with his room!

Way back on the bottom shelf in the toy aisle I spotted the little Bumbo elephant and dug it out.  For only $4 it's a steal.  I'll either use it for future babies (with the recall safety strap added) or sell it at a consignment event a make a few dollars.  In the meantime I've put it next to the pink one in the garage.  Let's see how long it takes for Chris to notice it. 

And last, but not least - probably the only item that Chris will actually be excited about:  A brand new Target Salvage Coleman twin air mattress.  Perfect for company, camping, sleepovers - I think this will be appreciated whenever we need it.  for only $13 I thought it was a good deal.

And that's it.  Well, Hannah bought a 99 cent electronic phone and swiped a pink feather (with employee approval), but they're already in her room.