Summer is Here!!

Summer has finally found Alaska, and the last couple of days we have been having some beautiful weather.  We're wearing shorts and tank tops, and hopefully sporting Alaskan tans very soon!  Jason's been doing a sanding/staining project on the front porch and around the garage door.  The updated color really makes the front of the house look great!  

Picture will come tomorrow.

I've been planting flowers and getting my greenhouse and mini-garden all set up.  Last year I ended up having maybe 15-20 tomato plants, but harvested NO tomatoes because the greenhouse isn't finished, so when it got cold outside, my plants in the greenhouse died.  This year, I have beans, peas, tomatoes, jalapenos, spinach, watermelon, pumpkin, cucumbers, herbs, and sunflowers.  My greenhouse is full, and I had to build a mini-garden outside of my greenhouse as well.  I hope that I have enough space for all of my plants. I think they are kind of smooshed together, so we'll see if I get any results.  I also hope that the moose don't like watermelon, pumpkins, or cucumbers, or I may just be planting a garden for the local moose.  Nevertheless, each year, I'm learning more and more - and what's awesome is that I have a very handy husband who will be fixing my greenhouse so I can extend my growing seasons!  Yay!  Next year, I hope to be able to create my own beautiful hanging baskets instead of paying a crazy amount of money to buy them.

My greenhouse. I think I need to paint it pink or
something fun!

Inside of the greenhouse.

Tomatoes

My baby beans! Aren't they so cute!

Spinach

My first thought was to just have two boxes for plants, but
then, I realized that I had way too many seedlings and
needed more space, so I had to extend the "flower bed"
into a garden.  Next year I'll either take out the boxes,
or  I'll extend the garden even more.  

I'm trying to grow a Clematis!  I saw these at the store
and I thought they were just beautiful, especially
because they are my favorite color.  The girl said that I
would be able to dig them back up and bring them  inside
in the winter. . .we will see.  Flowers and Heather usually
don't get along too well.  Hopefully they like me.

And what have the kids been doing you ask?  Well, they have just been being kids!  They love playing on their swing set, playing in their sand box, making mud pies, riding their bikes, walking/running in the yard with no shoes, and so much more.  Each day, it's more of a struggle to get them inside than it is to boot them outside - and, for the most part, they play well together, and they do a great job of keeping themselves occupied.  Today was really warm, so they sported the swimsuits and ventured to play in the sprinkler.  Kylee didn't like it so much as she told me to "warm the water up Mommy" - but Jennah played until her lips were blue.  I remember summers being so magical - I constantly wonder if their summer is as magical as I remember mine.  

We still have a month and a half until I have to go back to work - and I'm cherishing each and every moment!