Bob's office

Just in case it's been a while since you've seen inside a professor's office. Or were curious about Bob's sense of style...

I was sitting at the desk with him for a conference call, two chairs like that isn't quite normal. 

Half way

We've now been away from Oregon the same amount of time as we have left before we return for the holidays. I guess it has gone quickly. We've kept ourselves busy here and will continue to do so. It doesn't mean we miss family, friends, our house and neighborhood or my job less. Today I missed Ventis and lifesource. Some days it is Burger Basket fry sauce. I bet there are similar places here, but it will take time to find them. I always miss the ease of getting around Salem by car or bike!

Cathedral of Learning

On the edge of the university of Pittsburgh, is the cathedral of learning. It is 36 stories tall, built in 1936 and has a steel frame with the limestone over it. It has classrooms and admin mostly, but also these nationality rooms. Enjoy the sample. Chinese, Greece, Indian, and German below. CofL and Heinz Chapel on a different sunny day. 

Children's museum

A little inside playtime today. 

Mom's visit

Just a couple pictures while my mom is here!

Pirates game

One of the things on our list to see while here was a baseball game. We didn't need to see much of the game, we went for the view! We took the bus downtown and then walked.  

Growing up fast

Some days Violet changes so much that we stop and stare at each other. At breakfast she counted to 10. She had been counting to 5 for about a week and today went to six, but I hadn't heard her go to ten without me filling in. 

Then there are the times she pees on the kitchen rug after running off her toilet because she was done, or yells 'all done library' when story time is a bit too long that make me realize she is still little. She is still cuddly, she runs to us if she falls down, she won't let one of us leave without a hug and kiss goodbye, she can buckle herself in at the table, but just yells 'dinner ready!' She will look through a book on her own for a few minutes before demanding, 'mommy read.' I don't find myself calling her 'tiny' and I can't even guess what she weighs now! She can fill in ABCs when singing and point out b, c, i, j, n, o, and z. She knows her cousins, grandparents and great grandparents, but doesn't understand why she can't climb through the computer to get to them, even if she says, 'scuse me.'

I'm not sure what to do for her birthday. We know people, but aren't close to them for such a personal day. She saw a picture of mice in a book and in the middle they had a candle, she kept pointing and saying, "Happy Birthday". She loves monkeys, cows, kitties and duckies right now so I'm trying to pick a little decorating theme at least. 

Reading

After the library, while I was making lunch, she climbed on the couch with a book. 

A reminder, this city is old.

Apples!

Saturday, we went apple picking 30 minutes outside the city. It was great for Bob to join us and explore the area too! And more farm animals. Here's hoping for a pie this week!

Latest obsessions

Vi- stickers, kids songs on the radio which leads to this: 

Bob-Star wars game on the mini or his new computer:

Me- I'm not sure, besides words with friends, I guess finding activities and produce. This week I found a farm to order eggs from, but maybe I mentioned that already...

Outing take 2

Video from today's outing.Violet and I try to do something most days of the week. Today it was berry picking at a farm. She ate so many berries I was worried, but the best part was seeing the animals. She actually was waving and saying, "Hi chickens, hi cow" it was too hard not to laugh!

Csa

We're getting a CSA every other week and they come in these uber cute crates! This week, two heads of lettuce, cabbage, an onion, 2 nectarines, a pepper, an eggplant, dill, parsley, carrots and a ton of tomatoes. Last time we were eating one a day! Saturday I think we're going apple picking and I found a farm stand that has eggs in our 'hood every other week. It still isn't as easy as texting my neighbor, but I'll order online! 

Look Out!

Now that I have not only figured out how to post from my phone, but how to send an email with videos attached, I really have no excuse to not get the movies from our trip uploaded, well that is if they are a small enough file size that I'm allowed. If it restricts me to one minute, we might still have issues. I'll at least try and be better about taking videos from here on that can be uploaded to share our life in the big city. So look out world.

Test post

Video from today's outing.Violet and I try to do something most days of the week. Today it was berry picking at a farm. She ate so many berries I was worried, but the best part was seeing the animals. She actually was waving and saying, "Hi chickens, hi cow" it was too hard not to laugh

I missed it.

World breast feeding day was back when we were crossing Montana, but here is a very humorous blog that made me laugh, feel proud and sentimental all at the same time. I remember the early struggles, the pumping, the too full, but I also remember there weren't many sweeter more peaceful moments. 

http://ouradoptionfaithwalk.blogspot.com/2013/08/world-breastfeeding-week-salute.html?m=1

To my tiny audience

I must apologize to those of you still checking in, but we will get on a schedule and I will post again! I'm still working on the videos from our drive across and our house is not yet ready for photos - well parts of it our, but I'll save it for a full post. I will give you an update though.

Tomorrow we will have been here two weeks! I don't know where to start...

When we arrived we met the landlord, seems nice enough, but the house smelled like cat pee, it wasn't clean, some things didn't work, the back deck looked scary and we were exhausted and now disappointed. It is a lot of rent money to pay to not be happy. The street we are on is super busy, we expected to hear the expressway on the other side, but not the busy street in front. I ran to Target and bought cleaning supplies and grabbed dinner at Trader Joes. Bob took the babe and pup for a walk after opening all the windows and turning off the AC. After we were settled enough to get Violet to sleep, we started cleaning best we could without our stuff and vacuum. The next morning the moving truck arrived, Violet and I headed out for more groceries while the truck was unloaded. She was so happy to see her toys arrive and was frantically riding her giraffe and running around between boxes. The smell was still there, but we were pretty sure it was in the basement so everything that didn't have a room to go into, went into the garage - which we weren't sure whether the car would fit into anyway. It had been over 2 weeks since we had slept in our own bed, even with the smell and the noise, we slept well that second night.

Since then we have been to a few playgrounds (thanks to the stops along our trip it is one of Violet's daily demands) I've been to a couple mom groups, we've been to The Strip (I'll take pictures next time) had dinner with a family we met at a playground, been to a splash pad, been to the library, been to a festival, met the neighbors on both sides, found a breakfast place and a pizza place and have been on two grueling bike rides. We even started a CSA every other week! When they say Pittsburgh has more hills than San Francisco, they are right. I didn't believe them at first.

The carpet has now been out 4 days. I think the smell is gone, but it looks terrible down there. The furnace is of course there so we are trying not to run the AC but at 80 with 80% humidity, us left coasters are melting. Side note: I think all kids here have curly hair it is so humid. Our car does indeed fit in the garage, but it is scary each time a pull in!

People here have been very friendly, dropping off scones, inviting us over or just chatting when the mail/packages are delivered.

The price of beer is ridiculous and you can only buy it in beer stores. Everyone hates the system and there is talk of it landing on the ballot soon - so be grateful Oregonians, it may not be as easy or cheap as in California, but at least it is accessible. I don't even know about wine, that is in another store.

I'm getting used to the non grid street system and can find my way certain places without directions, so hopefully I can take more pictures soon.

We are finding our way here. Bob's first day teaching is tomorrow and I have another mom group. But we miss home. We miss all of you, we miss our house and neighbors, I miss my job. We miss the climate and the ease of biking and driving places. Hugs.

Moving days

We have some great time lapse photos into videos but blogger won't let me load them! For now, those of you that can, can see them on Facebook. Those of you not there will have to wait until I get it worked out. 

Tuesday our truck with our stuff headed off. Thursday we started our trip with lunch in the dalles followed by a night stop in Spokane valley. Friday we had a short drive into Missoula where we are for the weekend. 

Last day

My last day at work was yesterday. I rode my bike even with my back injury because I couldn't imagine it any other way. I nearly cried both directions. I loved my job, my co workers, my office, my tiny commute. They took me to lunch and wrote very nice things in a card. I can only hope that one day when I return to the working world to find the same happiness again. 

21 months

Seems like an update is in order! Violet enjoys counting, naming colors and making animal sounds. She can climb onto the couch and most chairs by herself. She wants to flush the toilet but not use it. Berries are her favorite food but just behind are tomatoes, peas and beans. She can string 3-4 words together. Yesterday it was 'night night all done' that made me laugh when she woke from her nap. She loves to go for walks in both the backpack and stroller or wants to go running to the park and go down the slides. As the pictures below show, her personality is starting to develope!

We spent our first night without her a few weeks ago and will escape for our anniversary weekend. Hopefully it is as smooth as the practice nights!