Puttering in the Garden & Quinn's Slip-N-Slide

It was a beautiful early spring day. The family was gathered out on the porch, all of us wishing we didn't have to go in and practice (as our lunch break had just ended). 

I frantically searched my mind for a reason we could maybe skip practicing(just for today). 

After all, it was such a sunny afternoon, and the weather was supposed to turn to rain the next day! That was it..."What if we spent this sunny afternoon in the garden?" I asked.                                                                                                                         It worked! Melissa jumped at the chance to putter in her beloved garden! 

Soon we were all working together in the bright sunshine, listening happily to the chorus of birds over our heads (and often suffering scolding from the stellar jays, who were impatient to start digging in our newly turned over garden beds).

Melissa told me later that she's usually the one preparing the garden every spring, all by herself!
I'm sure the job went a lot faster with all of us pitching in. 

Paul had just erected the garden framework the previous day. It doesn't ever get quite warm enough during the summer for the vegetable garden to thrive, so making the garden into a greenhouse does wonders! 

Here's Quinn spraying off the huge sheet!
It covered up the whole yard! 

Paul had gotten a big sheet of plastic to put over the garden, but it was covered in dirt and sand. Quinn and I were given the task to wash it off the night before, which we did. But little did I know that Quinn was hatching a plan...(you'll find out about that more later!).

Melissa and Paul had not yet had a chance to get into the gardens and do any work, so it was nice to dig and get things ready for planting! 

The usual time Melissa starts planting is the first week of May, but because of the mild winter we've had, planting will be getting done early! Quinn and Abigail may still be sad about the lack of skiing, but Melissa and I are excited about the flowers that are starting to grow!

Like I said before though, Quinn was busying himself with something else. Paul had him help cut the giant sheet of plastic that was to go over the top of the garden to keep it warm, this was his chance...

Any ideas of what he was up to?

He was constructing a slip-n-slide! Yes, he had taken a sheet of the extra plastic and had covered it in dish soap and (very cold, cold) water from the garden hose. The temperature outside? 45 degrees. 

Abigail wasn't totally convinced this was the best idea. Neither was I really. But we both went inside and got our bathing suits on. After all, we're Alaskans. And we don't shirk away from the cold.

Doesn't Abigail just look thrilled? Yes, she is wearing a blanket. 

Quinn tried to do some jumps on the trampoline to warm up: 

I guess he was a bit cold too...

Maybe jumping jacks will warm them up?

Even mom helped out! Though she wouldn't agree to go down the slip-n-slide with us. 

Finally, Quinn could hold it back no longer, 

he dove!

Abigail soon followed after him!

And even though it looked super cold, I did it as well (and am very glad I did!):

Overall, a very happy day filled with sunshine, gardening, and very cold water! We've all promised that this slip-n-slide will be making another appearance later down the road this summer! We simply can't wait for warmer weather (anything over 45 degrees will be great!).