long weekend.

We are having a sort of sunny, sort of cloudy long weekend here in Moscow.  Despite the weather the weekend has been filled with lots of things so far.  Saturday morning we did lots of gardening... harvesting lettuce, spinach, and tons of kale.  We have decided to par boil the kale and freeze it as we just can't keep up with it (and think it will come in handy for hearty winter soups).  The broccoli has just started to flower, cabbage is starting to get huge, and just about everything else we planted has started to sprout or take off (carrots, beets, potatoes, onions, garlic, radishes, brussel sprouts, snap peas, green beans, swiss chard, fennel, tomatoes, cucumbers...I think that might be it all).  This year Aaron started almost all our plants from seed in the basement (aside from the few tomato plants we bought at the farmers market).  It sounds like a lot, and well it is a little of a lot... we can't wait for the day when we have a huge garden...  In the mean time we (mostly Aaron) are working hard to get the most out of our garden space, doing cold hearty veggies for a longer growing season and harvesting and replacing plants as soon as we can.

broccoli

lettuce and a bushy beard

while she may currently be obsessed with pink, purple, tutus, ballerinas and princesses she is not afraid to get muddy...thank goodness

Saturday morning we also had our first visit with our midwife, Sue, and we were able to hear the baby's heart beat.  Isabelle was really excited to hear the baby (we didn't bring her to the ultrasound so this was her first "encounter" with baby).  She tested my blood and pee for iron and ketones/proteins/sugars etc.  Everything looked great aside from the fact that she could tell I'm not drinking enough water... I suppose I will have to work on that...

Isabelle showing off her new crocs... they turn purple in the sun

thanks grammy & grampy!

peonies about to burst

and Saturday continues... we found a deal we couldn't pass up on craigslist for a double chariot and once we found out it was still available (they go very quickly so we are learning) we rushed up to Spokane to pick it up.  We are sooooo thrilled to have found exactly what we wanted used and for a lot less then what we would have spent on it brand new.  It even came with all the attachments (jogger, bike hitches, and an infant insert for when baby comes along).  For now Isabelle shares the extra space with her stuffed kitties and blanket.  We decided that since we were up in Spokane we would check out Riverfront park and put the chariot to work.  She works great!  We love our small Maclaren stroller but it just isn't the best on rough bumpy and uneven surfaces.  Isabelle even got to go on the merry-go-round 2 times and to my delight it is an old merry-go-round, not as old as the Watch Hill one but equally charming with rings to catch and beautifully painted horses with real horse hair tails.

if you look closely you can see the tutu that Isabelle mysteriously came home with from Maggie's house... it has been under all of her outfits this week...

the chariot

Sunday morning we hitched up the chariot to Aaron's bike for her maiden voyage.  We were getting ready to set off to meet our friends Laura & Karen for some breakfast at the new (delicious) breakfast place downtown, Bloom, when I grabbed my helmet and pulled it over my head and.... crunch... rush of heat and pain to my shoulder and lower neck....oh NO!  Yes, I managed to really do a doozy on my shoulder.  Usually I can manage the recurring shoulder injury with ibuprofen and ice but unfortunately with baby in the belly the former is just not possible.

So here I am (Monday morning) still as stiff as a bored and grouchy to boot.  I am hoping tomorrow I can find a massage therapist in town to give my upper back and neck some love (where is Judy when I need you!...oh right close to 3000 miles away...hmph).

For now I plan to spend the day on the couch with an ice pack and soak up the smells of freshly baked bread coming from our kitchen.  Not too bad.

Hope you all have a wonderful long weekend!