these days

winter has finally been put to bed (i think...i hope) and spring came in full force this weekend. it was glorious. i think the entire state of minnesota was outdoors. on saturday, i went to my community garden garden clean up and even though there wasn't much to clean up (no weeds yet since the snow has just barely melted!) it was so wonderful to be outdoors and reconnect with neighbors after the long, quiet winter. i even got sunburnt! not a good thing, for sure, but the warmth and strength of the sun was so unexpected and unfamiliar that i was caught by surprise.

yesterday, jared and i ditched our plans to check out an exhibit at the american swedish institute in our neighborhood, because it seemed ridiculous to be indoors on such a day. instead, we tuned up our bikes and rode to a neighborhood cafe for treats (ice cream sandwich for me, beer for him). the bike ride was disappointing for me. i know my riding days are limited this year, but i was hoping to make it through may. i didn't feel unabalanced, which was what i was expecting, but the leaning forward on my bike made me (and baby too, i'm sure!) feel a little squished. also, i need a cushier seat. i might be in the market for a beach cruiser :)

after our  treats, we stopped by a coffee shop where our friend was working and hung out for a while. time passed so quickly, it was suddenly 6:30 by the time we got home. we didn't get any yardwork done (the gardens desperately need clearing off!) but that's okay. it was so nice to just laze around and enjoy the day. our to-do lists are growing by the minute, but it's so important to enjoy some quiet days while we can. i savor them.

in other news, i've been making myself lots of clothing since my pre-pregnancy clothes started getting a little too snug/not fitting at all. a while back i discovered diy maternity and megan nielsen patterns. i ordered a few and have tried three of them so far. this is the pina dress. it was great about a month ago, but it's starting to feel a little snug now in week 26. i had a bear of a time making it, partially my fault, partially not. the first pattern of hers i made was the ruched t-shirt, and the size small fit me perfectly. somehow, though, i'm a medium in this pattern. luckily i had enough fabric to start over in the larger size. the other main problem was my fabric choice- i think it needs a heavier-weight jersey so it's not so clingy. i may try to make another one, maybe even in the large size, to get me through the next few months.

like i said, i've been making a lot of clothing for myself, and i even have a few baby projects completed already. i'll try to be better about sharing them here, without turning this entire blog into a parade of finished projects.

happy monday, friends.