The beginning

So, I have begun to take my first gardening steps. I decided to have a vegi garden and after reading "Gardening for Dummies", I drew up a little garden design. I decided to have a 9' by 20' garden. My plan is to have three 4' by 4' raised bed plots with a border going around the whole thing. I have started some seeds indoors using one of the kits (I don't trust myself).
Next, I measured out the plot after choosing the part of my yard that gets the most sun and it's up on a little incline for good water drainage! I staked it out with twine to make sure I got it nice and straight, then dug out the edge with a flat shovel. Not all the snow around here has melted, so I was surprised that it was so easy to dig up the grass. I have also noticed that the dirt is very sandy so I have purchased six bags of garden soil and a soil tester that I'll use later. My plan is to dig up all the grass in the plot, put up a fence (to keep my dog out), and then build the raised beds. It's also important to note that I live in Zone 4 which essentially means that it's cold here, so the growing season is short and not everything will grow here! Therefore, I can't actually plant anything outside until May 15th. So I have some time to get all this done!