9 things to do once off couch-rest

Today is (hopefully) my last day of couch-rest and I eagerly anticipate what is to come.

1. Morning walks with Swede. A routine I'm very ready to pick up, especially during these beautiful February days.

2. Stock up the freezer. The week before Eden's birth I went to Bob's Red Mill with my mom and bought all the necessary ingredients to stock up on granola, seitan, and chili.

3. Stock up the pantry. While friends and family have been graciously bringing us meals, we know that will soon end and we will realize how empty-cupboarded we are. Filling up the pantry shelves is one of life's great satisfactions.

4. Prepare the ground for my garden. I found out I was pregnant at the end of May and by June I was couch-ridden sick. Last year's garden, therefore, was quite unfruitful (to say the least) and in the months that followed I've allowed the space to become carpeted in weeds. Fortunately I don't need to overwhelm myself with a garden this year because after two years of disappointing gardening, I wised up and signed up for a share of my parents CSA at Fern Creek Farm.

5. Finish the nursery. At some point after Eden came home her room because our storage space for things with which we were too busy to deal. Along with the mess there is unfinished craft projects, unframed art, unhung mobiles, and unwrapped gifts.

6. Finish the deep clean. I spent the two weeks leading up to Eden's birth deeply and thoroughly cleaning the house, room by room and closet by closet. At the time I was huge and nearly immobile so I was unable to finish .

7. Take Eden around town. Spring starts early in the Pacific Northwest and although there are many days of rain ahead of us, I want to take advantage of these warm sunny days and show Eden the great city in which she lives. She might be too young to appreciate it, but I know I will look at things in a new way.

8. Work on my cookbook. A revival of a project
I started back in 2010, my cookbook is a fusion of several of my interests: cooking, photography, and writing. Keep an eye out for recipes on the blog

9. Go out to breakfast with Jason. We have a saturday morning tradition of going to Vita Cafe for breakfast. They have a huge selection of vegan breakfasts and everything I've tried is wonderful.