You Know It's Summer in Sluiter Nation When...

Yard work begins!  That's right, Sluiter Nation takes quite a bit of pride in our "curb appeal".  This year we started early getting the fertilizer out there and starting the mowing process.  We never know what kind of weather good old Michigan is going to give us, but it's pretty safe to say May is an Ok time to start things up.

This year we decided not to completely neglect the yard pay a little more care to the yard than last year.  To begin with, Cort gutted the front bed and build up bricks around it so we could put all perennials in it. 

We put a hydrangea in the corner by the steps, Shasta Daisies along the back, and a tiny azalea bush on the side closest to the camera.  In the middle we re-located four of our best hastas, and in the front I put phlox.  It looks SO much better!

 Recently, Cort spread some new bark in the bed to finish off the look.  Oh, and my sweet little Eddie gave me that beautiful hanging plant for mother's day!

 We have already gotten some nice outside time this weekend.  Cort and Ed power-washed Eddie's play palace.  They were pretty excited about it.  So then while Cort mowed the lawn, Eddie and I tried out the fun.

I realize Eddie looks uncomfortable here, but he was just confused as to why daddy was yelling at him from the deck.  Super fun was had...until daddy started to mow.  After a few passes around the play palace Ed was ready to jump into momma's arms and head for the house.

Today I bought my annuals.  See, this is a tradition in Sluiter Nation:  the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend my mom and I go and pick out my flowers.  Now, I could totally do this by myself.  I pick out almost the exact same thing every year.  But it's WAY more fun with my mom.  We spend WAY too much time at the greenhouse ogling everything we would kill since we don't have the right conditions for planting.

Oh yeah, and I bet you noticed my sweet new mobile planting thingy up there.  It's as sweet as it looks.  Holds all my "gardening" tools, can be pulled to where I am, AND carries my beverage.  It's almost as sweet as having a gardening butler.

See what I mean?  Got me all the way down the walk while I planted my moss roses.

I know these look scraggly now, but trust me, these puppies start covering all available space and burst into beautiful colors while they do it.  It's an explosion of happiness while you walk up to my front door.

I planted impatiens on the side of the house.  So when the dumb neighbor is hauling more crap to put in his falling apart "out building", he can see some happy pink flowers.

It was 86 degrees out today and I put down two bottles of water while I planted four flats, two boxes, and a pot, but I loved every sweaty minute of it.  I love our little family traditions.  They may not seem like much, but it's comforting to know that year after year, I can look forward to some "same" in my life--even when it seems like everything else keeps changing.