Sand....Buckets

As it sit here I can’t help but remember how happy we were last year at this time. We had just gotten back from a trip to St. Martin with my family. 

Sunset view from our room the first night we arrived in St. Martin. 

First time ever that Tom and I took a trip with others and our first time together in St. Martin. I had been there once before but only on a cruise as a stopover. This time we went with my two cousins, their wives, their children (my 3 little cousins: Hailey, Jacob & Mason) and their parents (my aunt and uncle). 

Not the best photo but the only group shot I have and with only half the group. 

We had a wonderful time. We were all actually planning to go back again this year and my sister and her husband were planning to join us. But, life threw us a curve ball and we all didn’t go. Just means we get to do it another time when we can all be together again. And it just meant that Tom & I got to check another spot off our bucket list. You guessed it. We are away…I’m typing this with my toes in the sand from Cabo San Lucas. A place we both talked about for years.

But, let’s get back to the bucket list buckets. A year ago when we knew we were going to St. Martin it just so happened that the month before was all three of my little cousins’ birthdays. What a better gift then new swim/beach outfits for the trip. (Did I mention how I love to shop and shopping for kids is even better. You can get them 2 outfits for the price of one adult shirt.) But let’s face it, no kid (especially a boy) likes clothes. So I had to add something in that they would enjoy. Sand buckets! 

I bought sand buckets and with acrylic paints I designed the buckets for the kids. They took me a few hours to do but was totally worth it. All the kids got a kick out of having their names on their buckets. I also themed their buckets to what I got them.

For instance, Mason had shark flip flops and a shark swimsuit so I painted a shark on his bucket. Here he is in one of his outfits with my aunt and uncle. 

Don't they look too young to be grandparents? and isn't Mase cool in those shades?

Since Hailey is a true "girly girl" she got her bucket in pink with purples letters and little pink flowers all over it. I made the same one for our niece Taylor.

Jakey is the laid back kid. He got a fish to go with the yellow stripes in his clothes and sandals. His daddy and uncle are big into fishing and Tom and the guys had a Deep Sea Fishing Expedition planned for our St. Martin trip so it was fitting. 

My best friend’s daughter also had a birthday around the same time so I made one for her with a blow fish with big pink lips. It tied back to her pink ruffle swim suit and “JaJa” sunglasses.

In retrospect you can pick up a bucket for $1-$2. It’s a no brainer and a lot nicer than a gift bag.  So next time you have to gift a kid a gift think about putting it in a sand bucket  Even if you don't paint their names on it, it's still a nicer way to give them the gift than a gift bag and in a sense a “greener” way to help preserve the environment for the kids we love. 

Got to get back to my toes in the sand....hugs from Cabo!