Our first GARDEN! and other firsts

We planted our first garden this year.  I think the strawberries and broccoli and cucumbers were the biggest hits but we also did potatoes, carrots, corn, squash, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, rasberries (not very many this first year though).  We also have two peach trees, one nectarine, and 3 apple trees and a pear tree but they aren't mature enough for fruit yet.  We learned that gardens are a lot of work but also a lot of fun!  We hope have a better idea of what to plant and where to plant it now--we called this first year our experimental year:).  We don't have a big spot for  garden but we have made good use of our terraced garden spots.  The corn and potatoes will be planted in our ward garden next year--they were just for this year, because we plan on putting  a shed there next summer.

I love how our landscaping turned out...and I love seeing everything in bloom!  Nothing has died YET....come close, but we have managed to always bring it back to life.  Here in Saratoga Springs where the soil is like clay, this is no easy task!

Trafalga!

The girls in my neighborhood do a craft city every summer.  My kids loved it every week!

 We had a bunch of friends over this summer.  I tried to keep them happy!  This time we did homemade puffy paint...but before you think I'm mom of the year--MOST of the time I send them downstairs and outside to play.  I think we have a pretty fun backyard and basement, so if they can't entertain themselves, then why the heck did I spend money on making it so fun!  The added drinking fountain  downstairs is awesome with so many kids running in and out.

 Luke lost his first tooth!  Yea Luke!  (I just told him that the dentist will be pulling two more this week...they won't come out and the new ones are trying to come in!!)  Get ready for the Gappie Grin!!

I am almost done catching up and when I'm up to date, I plan on posting pictures of all the construction and stuff we did in our basement...it isn't much, but it is definitely worth posting!