Mr & Mrs Darling

Behind the Curve

2011-05-14T23:34:00.000-06:00

It's been a month, but I am going to repent and blog again! I miss blogging, really, but I haven't had much to say. I find when there is so much going on and I can't talk about the big things, I am generally pretty quiet. This month, Mr. Darling and I started our new little fabric shop in an unusual way. I never expected to start by buying fabric at Joanns, but I did. And it sold, and we just finished with quilt market and shortly we will have our first bit of fabric arriving to stock our soon-to-be open online shoppe!

And Abby keeps getting bigger and bigger! We so love being her parents. She is so so funny. Tomorrow I'll try and share the story and video of Abby and the Red Balloon!

On The Issue of Hair

2011-04-10T22:17:00.000-06:00

I have a beautiful little girl. She can really work her eyes. She has great dimples and cheekbones. But, the issue has become her hair. It is, on the very best day, scrappy.

But how do we get her to hold still long enough to cut it?! This child has been in motion since they day she was born, and walking just made it faster for her to get around. So now, here we are. Scrappy and happy, but not presentable.

So, I was brave. I took the scissors from Weston's haircutting kit and I cut. The first time, I could only get up the guts to cut her bangs, but then, I steeled myself against the possibility of ruining her hair and I took up my shears and I cut her curls.

And now, you can see her adorable face. I love her smile. She is still scrappy and happy, but every now and again, she is also presentable.

Although, usually, the fanciest place Abby goes is the Dog Kennel, which she loves very much.

She can now say her very first sentence.

"Doggie Go 'Woof Woof'"

I am so proud!

Dilly Dally Dolly

2011-04-07T15:44:00.000-06:00

This is the story of Abby and the Matryoshka. I am saving it forever in blogland so I can remember and laugh about it in the years to come. I promise to never show these to any of Abby's future boyfriends (unless it just happens to come up :) )

When my sweet husband served his mission for our church, he lived in a far away land called 'Ukraine' for two years. In this strange and wonderful place, they make magic dolls. Dolls that hold smaller and smaller dolls inside of them. These dollies are called Matryoshkas.

Abby loves to play with the dollies her daddy brought back with him.

She thinks the big dolly is fun, but stacking the dollies in all different combinations happens to be one of the funnest things of all!

So she stacks them...

And stacks them a different way...

And then a different way, yet again.

But sometimes, Abby likes to play jokes on her Daddy. One day, when Weston was letting Abby play with the nicest of the Matryoshka dolls (the above dollies are her 'everyday' play set) he forgot to take away the Baby Matryoshka. The baby matryoshka is so small, she is barely bigger than a grain of rice. And the painting on her is (was) exquisite.

And Abby thought it was so fun to hide the baby matryoshka in her mouth.

Oooops......

And then, Abby's Daddy couldn't find the baby any more. Until the next day.

And now her paint isn't so exquisite. But she is very very clean after multiple baths and a week or so covered in baking soda.

Now, Abby isn't allowed to play with the baby matryoshka doll.

And the whole matryoshka family has been reunited!

The End.

Catching Up

2011-03-24T22:47:00.000-06:00

I am so far behind, I don't know where to start! Our little baby has grown into a gorgeous little silly adorable wonderful girl. I am not good wit change. In fact, I hate it. But I love her. And I love who she is becoming. She smiles now when she sees the camera. Of course, her smile is pretty darn hilarious.

In other news, 2 duffle bags of lemons have made numerous glasses of fresh lemonade as well as a few jars of lemonade concentrate, lemon marmalade, and lemon preserves. Yum!

Abby is still in love with doggies. She loves to play in Callie's kennel. Last week, she grabbed a box of her favorite cereal off a shelf that should have been out of reach and shut herself in the kennel. It was pretty funny for us. Perhaps you think it's funny too?

And isn't she helpful? Any chore she sees me do, she immediately imitates. Someday, she will be in charge of poop scooping for reals!

So there it is, our lives are stable and constantly changing. Abby is becoming the little girl I always dreamed of. Her vocabulary is expanding, even if I am the only one who knows what she is saying! Her understandable words are 'hi!', 'doggy', 'daddy', 'thank you', 'bottle', 'abbyabbyabby'.

If you have a chance, come over. Visiting Abby is definitely worth the trip!

Hop, Skip, and Jump...

2011-02-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

Want to watch a 35 second video of someone who is very happy for no particular reason? Well, today you are in LUCK! My little lady is adorably happy lately and I thought I would share some of the happiness she is bringing into our home, now that those pesky molars have come in...

And a couple of shots of her:

Over The River and Through The Woods

2011-02-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend, my darling family an I made the trek to Arizona to visit Abby's grandparents. The weather was such a luscious break from the ice and cold here at home. We were able to walk to the park and swing on the swing sets, which this darling little girl just LOVED!

Then, she slid down the slides ALL BY HERSELF! Seriously, she is growing up way way too fast!

Then, she tried to climb back up the slides all by herself. Silly Abby!

Of course, we made our annual trip (or two) to Tia Rosa's which has seriously the best salmon tacos ever. But don't go to the one in Gilbert, make the trip to the one in Mesa. WAY BETTER!

Abby got to practice not stealing toys from other babies.

and she got to show her Granny and Grandpa exactly how fussy she can be when she is cutting teeth. Oh, yes, teeth. And we had to travel with her, all cooped up for hours. Poor Abby. Poor us!

And now we are home, it is cold, and Mr Darling is due home tonight from a business trip. And Abby's grandparents should get here around the same time.

It will be a fun weekend with a baby blessing to boot! Yay!

Wordless Wednesday: Abby The Ham Edition

2011-02-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

There's A Frog in the Bucket

2011-01-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Cookie Monster

2011-01-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you combine oreo cookies and a gorgeous one year old?

A very messy, very happy one year old!

Flood Relief Auction

2011-01-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

I love blogging. I love all of the energy and ideas that I find on other people's blogs. I especially love how it has helped the crafting industry. I have many 'bloggy' friends who live around the world and several who are currently being touched by the tragedy that is unfolding in Queensland as we speak. People are losing their children, their homes, their neighbors and even their cities. The devastation makes what happened in New Orleans look tame and predictable.

I would like to try and help. I have a new blog where I will be posting my crafty and sewing pursuits. I have posted an auction there for a little fox that I have made. He resides in an 8" hoop and he is adorable hanging pretty much anywhere!

If you would like to help and add this little fox to your family, you can find him

here.

Poker Face

2011-01-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

My little darling is such a ham for the camera. I guess with all of these pictures, I should take some time to tell you how much I love her. How do I love her? Let me count the ways.

1: She is twenty pounds of perfectly adorable sweetness.

2: She can say 'doggy', 'Callie', 'daddy', 'milk' and as of this morning, 'sit' (said to Callie).

3: Kissing her chubby cheeks is so very very fun.

4: Love loves to read books. Her favorite books are 'Doggies' by Susan Boynton and 'Go Dog Go' by PD Eastman. (are you sensing a theme yet?)

5: She still takes two naps a day. I still love naptime, but not as much as I love Abby!

6: Abby can help you find her sippy cup, the doggy or her books or toys if you ask her where they are. I am LOVING this communicating thing!

7: Abby no longer walks, Abby runs. Everywhere. All the time. And she is fast! She can catch up to me pretty much wherever I go in the house now.

8: Abby sleeps all the way through the night, every single night, and has for a couple of months. I hated letting her 'cry it out', but really, I think it was the best thing for both of us.

9: I have never met a little girl with such a sense of humor! She cracks me up all day long. It's like she knows she is telling a joke, and she can't help laughing at it herself. I love listening to her laugh!

10: Abby loves to be a part of whatever you are doing. She is so fun, loves to play peekaboo by closing her eyes or hiding behind small objects (or clear objects like the shower door). She is hilarious when she opens her eyes and sees us.

Life has never been so busy or so fun. I love this stage of 'babyhood' and I am really enjoying being able to talk to and be understood by my wonderful little girl! I can't wait to see what she learns to do next!!!

Baby It's Cold Outside

2011-01-10T09:28:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I love the snow.

Especially new snow.

And it makes me giddy inside when we get piles and drifts of snow overnight.

Doesn't it make the world seem fresh and clean again?

This was Abby's very very first time walking and playing by herself in the snow.

(Thanks, Angie, for takingthe pictures!)

They should warn you how much you are going to love these little people. Seriously.

Wonderland

2011-01-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

I live in a valley of wonders. I am silenced daily by the beauty that surrounds me on all sides.

Last week, we were blessed with a thick, wet snowfall that covered our little corner of the valley with nearly eighteen inches of snow. I hear groans, but really, its amazing, gorgeous, and even fun.

It would have been a shame to simply sit indoors, so we all bundled up and headed out into the frozen world to see what we could see.

And what we saw amazed us. I love how the snow makes everything seem fresh and clean. I love that you can grab a simple disc and head down a hill at breakneck speed with a small degree of safety.

Abby went down the hill over and over. She laughed and waved her arms. She is a true champion, and I promise you, she has no fear....unless you wear glasses :) Right now those frighten her a little bit.

So, another first has come and gone and we had fun and will cherish the memories. My brother and sister were both in town, so we were able to go as a family. I really do enjoy having company. The effort is worth the reward. And now my house is empty again and I am cleaning up and putting away. Tomorrow, I will take down the Christmas tree. But today, I am just enjoying the memories of a sweet Christmas all together and praying that this new year will be free of some of the challenges we encountered in 2010.

So, Happy [belated] New Year to all of you.

I hope that this year, all of your wildest wishes come true!

Full of Hot Air

2011-01-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Do I really need words for this post?

Ok, Well...

It's about a little girl who had a lot of fun with her first balloon.

She bopped it and bapped it and carried it all over the house.

This silly pink balloon made her a very cheerful little girl.

What is that saying from Winnie the Pooh?

"Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon"

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

2011-01-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

This Christmas was a fun and special time for our little family. We were blessed to have Abby's Grandma and Granddad fly up from Florida, along with her auntie and uncle. While it wasn't Abby's first Christmas, it definitely was her first Christmas being aware of what was happening around her.

Santa brought Abby a fun new toy...

But Grandma and Granddad brought her toy that was way more fun!

Her Auntie brought our little dancer her first tutu and it is ADORABLE!

And I, well, I must have been very very good!!! Or perhaps my sweet husband just loves me very very much. I am so delighted with this that I simply cannot not blog about it. I know that this isn't supposed to be a craft blog, but I am a crafty girl. I love to sew and quilt and create. Unfortunately, that is hard to do with a broken sewing machine. So my sweet Mr Darling went out and bought me the sewing machine I have been dreaming of. I was shocked and surprised. And I feel so loved. It really is the thought that counts, and the thought behind this was wonderful and sweet and kind and selfless. I cannot say thank you to him enough! (but that won't stop me from trying!)

I was able to spend time sewing with my mom, eating yummy food, celebrating my brother's birthday with amazing steak talking with my dad and just enjoying time together as a family.

It was wonderful!

One

2010-12-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

I have one child.

And today, she is one year old.

Truly.

I love her with my whole heart. I am not sure I will ever love anyone else as much as I love her. She only needs to smile at me to get whatever her little heart desires. And her smiles are beyond precious. Each time I catch one on film, I feel a little bit of joy creep into me.

She is so smart and so curious. She loves to investigate new things, and she learns and discovers so much. She has spent the last year growing and watching and becoming so much more than a baby.

She can walk all by herself. And she constantly carries things from point a to point b. It is fun and funny. We love to watch her busy at work.

She adores being adored. And when she is surrounded by friends, she simply glows. She chatters non-stop to anyone and everyone we meet. 'Stranger Danger' is a phenomenon she simply cannot comprehend. In her world, there are only friends we haven't met (and stolen toys from) yet...

So Happy Birthday, dear little girl. I love you more every day. The first year of your life has been so wonderful and so hard and so worth it. I am grateful to be your mama. I am grateful that He chose us to be your family. Thank you for being patient with me while I learn how to mother.

I miss the baby that you were but I can't wait to see the little girl you become!

Wordless Wednesday: Tomato Soup Edition

2010-11-10T16:16:00.001-07:00

Attitude of Gratitude

2010-11-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

Last week, I stumbled on a ksl advert that had already been posted for a few days offering free wood. Now, good wood is usually pretty expensive. Like, way out of our price range expensive. But, with winter's arrival eminent, Mr Darling and I agreed that we needed several truckloads and fast. Neither one of us knew where we wanted to take the $500 dollars from.

This ad seemed too good to be true, and the fact that it was a few days old made me think it had already been snapped up. But I called anyway. And the guy said the wood was still there. So, I raced up to Provo, not expecting much, but hoping to put a small dent in our wood requirements. And, what did I find?

More wood than we needed. A LOT more. So we took four truckloads of wood, and that, combined with another truckload we had been given by the owner of Mi Rancherito (seriously, the best Mexican restaurant in Utah Valley, you should try it!) made us very happy and very busy little bees.

So, for our bonding time on Saturday, instead of watching BYU slap down UNLV in what Mr. Darling refers to as a 'professional pillow fight', we rented a wood splitter and went to work.

Such a great invention! We chopped and split and chopped and split and now we will be able to use this:

To keep this:

Nice and warm.

So, as we head into this time of Thanksgiving, I have yet another thing to be thankful for.

Wordless Wednesday: Monster Mess Edition

2010-11-03T20:35:00.000-06:00

Please Mr Postman...

2010-11-01T14:57:00.002-06:00

Keep up the good work! Today was an amazingly fun mail day! A while back, I had asked Dear Aunt Spicy if she would like to swap with me, one of my buntings for whatever she could dream up.

Well, her dream made mine come true! Look at this LOVELY pillow. I have fallen hard and fast for it!

Unfortunately, there is a bit of a love triangle. A certain little girl also has eyes for my pillow! Thank you, Aunt Spicy! I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! (If you guys want some serious inspiration, check out her blog! She rocks!)

I also recently completed a Potholder Pass where I was fortunate enough to receive this lovely package from Lauree:

While I sent these little goodies off to a foreign land:

And I received my package from my Christmas swap, which included this lovely advent calendar that we are going to use to make a tradition for Abigail. It will be fun to start having our own family traditions!

So, I am one lucky girl. I have online friends, real friends and lots of lovely pieces in my home. I am SO glad and grateful! I consider it such a blessing and it gives me so much more than I can ever give back...I am really really glad to be a blogger/flickrer.

This Girl Was Made For Walking

2010-10-25T20:02:00.000-06:00

This post was inevitable. Everyone asks two things about Abby. Can she talk? Can she walk?

Well, she is dang close to both. She can say 'hi', 'dog', and she can say 'Cawwie' (you can tell who is important to her)

So here is a short 20 second clip of Abby practicing. She is still a bit nervous to walk on her own, especially if she is the center of attention.

Abby is learning to walk from Amanda Woodruff on Vimeo.

Here There Be Monsters

2010-10-24T16:47:00.003-06:00

The monster problem in our house is becoming a real issue. Nothing stays where it belongs. I am constantly cleaning up monster sized messes. In fact, I don't think I have had one single daylight hour where I have not had a monster mess created somewhere in our house.

But monsters are so cute.

Seriously? I am supposed to get mad at that? I don't think so. Not unless I have had no sleep and the monster makes her monster roar. We call it her froggy war cry. It is INCREDIBLE. It makes me go from a loving rational mother to someone who needs a padded room and a comfy white coat in zero seconds flat.

But then she makes this face.

And I just want to make her laugh more.

Silly monster.

Berry Sweet

2010-10-21T17:20:00.000-06:00

Last month (how the time flies....) We had a fun family trip to my aunt and uncle's home in Bellevue. I love Washington. I love the grey, wet weather. The need for sweatshirts in August just adds to the allure. And the berries? They are delicious. Wonderful. Delicate. Vibrant. I could go on and on.

I will let the picture do the talking for me.

Abby has figured out that plants = food. I have fed her peas, tomatoes, strawberries and raspberries. And now, she thinks it is ok to just help herself...

I guess now it is time to try and teach her not to eat the green parts.

Swap Meet

2010-10-18T23:59:00.000-06:00

Savvy Seasons Swap
Originally uploaded by amandaquilts

I feel like a nerd admitting this, but I have online friends. As in, friends I have only met online. And they are just wonderful! I have discovered an entire community of crafty people and places where there are all sorts of fun swaps happening ALL.THE.TIME!

I am officially addicted. I have done a few swaps now and have made some awesome new friends. For my most recent swap, I sent off this pillow, a few birdie ornaments, and a reversible bunting.

And I received from someone else an adorable advent calendar. And, I have also received adorable toys for Abby, throw pillows, hot pads, pincushions, and mini quilts. I am in LOVE with mail day now.

So, here are a couple of photos of things coming and going.

A bag I sent to Anna at Thejoycottage. Love her!

The snail I adore that came in return (along with a pillow and mini quilt)

And a gratuitous shot of an adorable little girl. Seriously, I don't know how, but I seem to love her more every single day!

Pop! Goes the Abby!

2010-10-05T23:50:00.000-06:00

Abby disappears off bed
Originally uploaded by amandaquilts

So, Abby has a new fun skill that we are delighted to announce! It takes an enormous amount of stress off of me, because now, I don't have to worry about her falling off on her head..

And it is darling. This clever little girl is just so wonderful!

And then she just pops back up and crawls off. It is so fun to watch this little girl learn so many fun new things!

How Does Your Garden Grow

2010-09-02T10:59:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday: High Chair Edition

2010-09-01T10:44:00.000-06:00

Just A Little Unwell

2010-08-18T10:22:00.000-06:00

Announcing another first here in the Darling household. Our sweet baby is finishing the tail end of her first cold.

And it was so sad.

And she was such a champ.

Man, I love this little girl!

And, for part three in the series:

At the reunion, this was made by none other than the infamous host with the most, Grandpa Serge, with assistance from Mr Darling.

Creamed Corn

Adapted from a Recipe by Jean Holman

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup freshly grated cheese of your choice (I usually skip this part)

Melt butter in saucepot. Add the flour. Whisk together to form a roux. Add cream, milk, corn, sugar, peppers in the same saucepot over medium-high heat. Stir to combine. Raise mixture to a low boil. Transfer to bowl, top with cheese and place under the broiler until cheese is browned. Serve.

If You're Happy And You Know It

2010-08-15T22:27:00.000-06:00

Well, my little sponge of a darling daughter has been learning many many new things. I have a whole post to go over what she has learned in the last month, but haven't gotten around to actually writing it all down. So, as a teaser, here is one of Abigail's new "tricks". Just like our puppy! Yay!

Here she is with her Uncle Casey. I love watching Abby learn from other people, not just me.

And here is an 'action' shot of Abby and her new game. She claps for herself all the time. When she crawls up a few stairs, when she finds the dog dish, when she finds me or an open dishwasher. She is just so happy to clap. All you have to do is sing her silly "clap your little hands" song that Weston made up for her.

More to come later, but for now, Number 2 in the series:

Artichoke Salad

1 bag of romaine or spinach salad leaves

1 can of olives

1 8 oz can of artichoke hearts, chopped

8-10 oz of chopped mozzarella cheese cubes

8-10 oz of chopped cheddar cheese cubes

Dressing:

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 sprig of fresh rosemary

1/2 t dried thyme

1/4 c asiago cheese

3/4 c extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c red wine vinegar

1/4 c balsamic vinegar

1/4 t salt

1/8 t fresh ground pepper

Combine dressing ingredients in a blender and blend well. GENTLY toss salad mixture with salad dressing and chill. Serve to soon to be delighted guests.

serves 8-10ish people.

The More We Get Together

2010-08-10T21:36:00.001-06:00

Family Reunion 2010

These last several days were spent at Fish Haven Lodge near Bear Lake.

Many Many family members were able to come.

(This is *MOST* of the group)

And this is Mr Darling's own little family.

And would you believe that I VOLUNTEERED to do the food? Really? What was I thinking?

First I planned, and lists of meals, ingredients, and to-dos were scattered around my house.

Next, I shopped. And oh, my did I shop. There was food EVERYWHERE in my house. I wish I had taken a picture. But, perhaps you can tell by the amount that overflowed into my living room how much I had to buy to feed so many people.

Of course, Abby helped me get ready by unpacking the boxes as I packed them up.

Then, into the car and off to Bear Lake!

Where, for four days, we set out enormous amounts of food and watched them disappear.

(Yes, that is fresh, Utah Sweet corn and yummy watermelon-Delish!)

In between, we hiked all the way through the marsh and down to the lake,

Ate a lot of apricots that Cherri and I had picked from a neighbor before we left,

And sampled the famous raspberry milkshakes of Bear Lake.

All in all, I believe the reunion was a success. We learned a lot about how to prepare and serve large meals, entertain 60 people of all ages, and participated in a wonderful testimony meeting where we shared our love for our Saviour with our family.

I have been asked to share some of the recipes I used at the reunion. The first in a series, today I am posting a fairly common recipe for:

Green Goddess Salad Dressing

Ranking: tdf

Recipe yields one quart jar full of dressing

1/2 Cup of Mayo

1/2 Cup of Sour Cream

2 T Buttermilk

1 T Rice Wine Vinegar

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

4 Green Onions chopped (green and white)

2 T fresh cilantro chopped

2 T fresh parsley chopped

1 t white sugar (brown doesn't work)

1 t sea salt

1/2 t of ground pepper (fresh makes a big difference)

dash of cayenne pepper

Mix ingredients in a blender and puree. This recipe should yield a greenish tinted mayonnaise based dressing

I served this over a Cobb Salad with a Spinach Base, crumbled bacon, hard boiled eggs, home-made guacamole, pico de gallo, black beans, and a very pretty yellow pepper salsa.

Bombs Away

2010-08-09T23:39:00.000-06:00

Sweet, dear Mr Darling found a new website, Thisisphotobomb.com. We went on a family reunion where many, many pictures were taken.

Mr. Darling wanted to test out his newfound skill. Here are a few shots from just one of the dozens of cameras that are guaranteed to hold images that are, perhaps, not how the photographer intended for them to turn out.

Can you find the photobomb?

And, because I know you only look at this website to see adorable baby pictures that make you want to run out and kiss the nearest chubby cherub, here is a picture of Abby from the reunion. I have, surely, the world's most beautiful little girl. And I am allowed to say that. Cuz I'm her mama.

Thanks for the pics, Kimber!

We Are Sewing

2010-07-30T09:15:00.000-06:00

With the constant stream of very welcome company that has been journeying through our home and thue very time consuming nature of life in the mother hood, I haven't had a lot of time for sewing, crafting, and generally returning to the (in) sane state that I used to know and love.

But, with my sister here last week and my mother in law the week before, I was able to have them hold our sweet little girl while I finished some long overdue projects!

Ariel found one of my library books "Sewing Bits and Pieces" which is a great idea book for using up your scraps. She wanted to make this party garland so off to the fabric store we went!

I love how cheerful and happy it turned out!

Then, I finished my pincushions for my first online "swap". My partner picked this owl fabric for her sewing room, so I picked some up on Etsy and created these pincushions. The big one is a REALLY hard pattern from Anna Maria Horner's "Seams To Me" Book. It is the third time I have made it and it is` getting a little easier each time.

I like the little one a lot! It was my first attempt at "improvisational piecing".

And then, my new favorite project, my "mini wild thing" quilt by Camille of Thimbleblossoms. I LOVE how it turned out but I am scared to death to quilt it! I did just a smidge of quilting and then stitched the binding on.

And I truthfully love the back just as much as the front! The huge Oz Floral just makes me smile and the four extra blocks from the front look great back here, if I do say so myself!

And last, but not least, I think we have some fairies living in our backyard. There are tiny toadstools everywhere!

So, have you finished any projects lately that you are happy with?

Do You See What I See?

2010-07-19T22:34:00.001-06:00

Do you see something new?

Hint: There is something new in that smile....

Mother's Helper

2010-07-18T19:01:00.002-06:00

Hi, Mama!

Hi, Abby! Wanna help me with the laundry?

That is a lot of laundry....

I guess I could help.

Is this helpful?

How about this?

Or, this?

Uh, Oh, Abby.

And, for all of you Abby admirers in diverse places, please enjoy Abby's new skill. My life is about to change...

America The Beautiful

2010-07-04T14:13:00.024-06:00

What do you do when you are out of work with LOTS of time on your hands and it is the fourth of July? Well, I suppose its traditional to pack all of the comforts of home you can fit in your car, toss the baby in her carseat and take off with the family to enjoy the great outdoors.

We chose to head over to Yellowstone National Park. And my goodness, it was PACKED. Not a unique idea, but, we had plenty of fun.

Abby's sweet Grandma and Grandpa came all the way out from Florida to spend time with her. They may say that they came to see us, but we know better.

My dad showed Abby Old Faithful Geyser. She thought riding on her Granddad's shoulders was pretty darn fun!

And when I said 'camped' I am not talking hotels, cabins, or trailers. I am seriously saying that we stayed in tents, sleeping bags, cooked over an open fire. It was fun, although cooking is fairly different when there is no stove.

And did I mention it was cold? Cause it was cold. Really really freezing wind blowing in your face cold.

But we did get to see the deer and the buffalo roam. Or lay around doing nothing. But, I guess it was a holiday. You can't roam all the time or you might get burnt out...

It was a pretty fun trip over all. We got lots of time with our family, good food, including my favorite sandwich, and to top it all off, Abby was pretty perky most of the time. Can't really ask for more than that. So, Happy Birthday, America. Thanks for our life, liberty and beautiful land!

Strawberry Fields Forever

2010-06-18T20:16:00.001-06:00

June has been bittersweet here in the Darling household: The loss of a job, encounters with the IRS, depositions and summons and all sorts of nasty things. We can't wait until all of that is over.

But the sweet. Well, there is one absolutely adorable baby. And berries. LOTS of berries. Straight from my front garden.

Red, Ripe, and Sweet. Just the way we like them.

No, Abby, they aren't for dropping...

Try doing to them what you do to all of your toys...

First Bite...

So...what do you think, Abby-girl?

That good?

Really?

So that's a yes?

Luckily, the sweet taste of stolen berries, pies and jam mixed with these amazing smiles make it possible to deal with all the yuck life can throw at you....

Here's to a sweeter future!

Now We Are Six

2010-06-13T23:54:00.000-06:00

Today, Abby is six months old! Six! Can you believe it?

This month brought a lot of new 'cans' to our family.

Abby can now roll over to where she wants to go.
Abby can take a bath in the bathtub by herself. Well, with only her duck. And her mama real close.

Abby can make consonant sounds (very loudly).
Abby can pull off her socks so she can get her feet into her mouth.
Abby can stick almost anything in her mouth.

Abby can sit up for LONG periods of time without falling over. This makes picture taking *much* easier.

Abby can laugh. A lot. I love it!

Seriously, who knew babies could make you this happy?! (Or sleep deprived....)

Happy Six Month Birthday, Abby Frog!

Chasing Waterfalls

2010-06-12T21:14:00.032-06:00

On any given weekend, there are hundreds of things to do. On several of my weekends this spring, I have begged, pleaded and coerced my sweet Mr Darling to take me up to 'The Grotto' in Payson Canyon. I love it up there. It is lush and green. And always about 20 degrees cooler than my house. And if the weather was always like today, I would be so happy. It was brisk and just a touch humid. And everything seemed so alive and growing!

Mr. Darling's brother and his darling wife joined us as we tromped through the mud and the muck...

Crossed over make-shift bridges...

Carried our darling child in a papoose (well, kind of)

And quickly found ourselves here:

(Insert Obligatory Us-In-Front-Of-The-Waterfall Picture Here)

I guess I still equate waterfalls with unicorns and magic and flying furry friendly dragons. Florida isn't really known for its fantastic and easily accessible waterfalls.

Then, we traded off the happy hiker and continued home

These are the days I love where I live. I mean, lets be real, there aren't too many other places I have been where so many places are picture perfect.

I love Utah in the spring.

Live At The Red Rocks

2010-06-07T15:30:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite places to visit is Sedona, Arizona. My sweet husband's fabulous aunt and uncle live there and the colors, the views, and the weather (last weekend at least) can't be beat! After driving down on most of Friday, we spent Saturday walking and hiking. One of the hikes I did, without my Mr Darling unfortunately, was called Red Rock Crossing. It was stunning.

We started by hopping rocks across a little stream and then following a trail that meandered through groves of trees.

Then, we followed it along the edge of the creek and finally up a hill to our journey's end. Heiroglyphs! Or Petroglyphs? Hippogriffs? Whatever. Indians wrote on this rock wall a VERY long time ago.

Then, we forded a river (waded across a stream)

(LOOK! I did it with my eyes closed!)

See my brave water dog, cowering behind me? She did NOT like fording this river! However she was not the last one across either...

(Those other two people are photobombing, they are not with our group)

Then, we walked through the valley of the shadow of stone towers...

Why do people do this? Anyone? It is *kind of* annoying. Not as bad as litter, but definitely not as nice as a pristine landscape.

I didn't build this. I did knock the top of it over so I had to put it back. Grace is simply not my strong suit lately.

Then, we headed back home. It was great to get out and breathe fresh air! I really LOVE Sedona!

Swim

2010-06-03T11:25:00.000-06:00

Some of you already know that we adore our dog. She is a labrador retriever. Otherwise known as the retrievingest, water lovingest breed on the planet.

But Callie is broken. This Memorial Day, we decided to fix that.

Here we are at the Sedona Creek.

Me: You pups want the stick?

Ivy: Yes!!! Want it! Need it!

Callie: Well, maybe....

Me: Swim for the stick!

Ivy: YAY! I get to swim for the stick!!!

Callie: Hmmm, that water looks pretty wet and I am wearing fur...

Ivy retrieves the stick. Callie is suddenly fascinated by a bush way away from the water.

End Scene

So, we decided to teach Callie to swim. She thought it was a form of torture.

First, I dragged her out into the water.

Then, I let her go. She THRASHED like the world was ending.

But, then she got the hang of it.

And was finally accepted by her peers as NOT a wussy, broken, scaredy cat retriever.

But, then she cried all night that her tail hurt from all that swimming.

The End

Babes In Toyland

2010-05-25T23:13:00.002-06:00

Because of this

I now have this

and a clean living room, a clean kitchen, a mopped floor and a vacuumed carpet. I love this thing!

Thank you Angie!

Here, There Be Pirates

2010-05-24T22:44:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, we got to go to a fun new pizza place that is pirate themed. We were joined by the always fun to be with Overstreets. It was a great evening!

The place is called Pirate Island Pizza and it is way cooler than I thought it would be. The inside is really really cool! The entry looks something like this:

We got to eat in our own "Smuggler's Cave"

Where the Overstreet boys drove their dirtbikes over the rock walls

And, after all of the waiting for and eating of pizza, we headed to the (fairly small) arcade. I played skeeball and dance dance revolution (PS: I Stink at Dance Dance Revolution, don't even ASK me to play it with you)

Mr. Darling played some shoot em up game with Mr. Overstreet.

And all of the Overstreets played the airplane flying game.

Their boys are just too cute!

After much ticket gathering

The loot was collected

And then it was time to go home. It was amazing how fast those three hours went.

Thanks, Overstreets! We had a blast!

Come What May

2010-05-21T22:35:00.006-06:00

I don't have a lot to say. It is not the best of times in this particular Darling household.

We are focusing on being grateful for all that we have and trying to remember "come what may and love it."

So, to focus on something positive: This picture makes me happy. Thanks for visiting last weekend, little brother!

We have titled this photograph, "What are you talking about? I've found a baby before!"

Happy Weekend.

If I Could Write A Letter To Me

2010-05-13T22:12:00.005-06:00

DeaR mE,

today i am five months old! Can you believe it?! It has been a wild few months, and I have grown and learned so much! Just in the last month, I have learned so very many things and seen even more new places than before! It is so fun to see new places, watch new people and learn things I didn't know before. I have five accomplishments that I am very proud of and would like to write down now so that I can remember when I learned them.

The first new thing I can do is sit up all on my own. I think sitting up is so much fun. I don't know why I still have to lay on the floor so often. I wish I could sit up all the time. But, sometimes, I get tired.

The second thing I can do now is grab toys now and wave them around. I think they are heavy, but it is fun to hear the rattle and squeak. I also really like to hear the sound they make when I throw them on the floor.

I think every item I find needs to be first) touched, second) chewed, third) banged against something to see what noise it makes, and fourth) thrown as far as I can to see exactly how heavy it is.

The third new thing I can do now is raise my head off the floor while on my tummy. I started to be able to do this last month, but now I can do it much better and for much longer.

I think I am good enough at lifting my head that I feel comfortable reaching for things with one hand while I lift myself with the other. It won't be long before I am moving around, but for right now I can only reach things that are as close to me as my arm is long.

The fourth thing I can do now is drool. And man am I good at this! I can really produce a lot of drool. Then, when I smile, it all drips onto my shirt. I think it is funny, until I am soaking wet. Then I want new clothes cause wet clothes make me cold!

Seriously, isn't that so so cool?

The fifth thing, and by far the most important news, is that I have feet now! It is AMAZING! I can touch them whenever I want, but sometimes they have socks on.

And you know what. feet are my favorite of all my toys. I can put them in my mouth and it is fun to suck on them. I can kick them, I can hold them, and mommy can tickle them. Life is great now that I have them. Or found them. Or whatever. I LOVE my feet!

So there you are. I have learned five new things in the last 31 days and I am proud of myself. Mama and Papa are pretty darn proud of me too. Now we are working on standing and walking and talking. Did you know I have an extra person at home to take care of me? She is never far away and I love to grab her and feel how soft she is. I don't want her to feel left out, so here is a picture of her.

I have a lot to say, but now it is my bedtime. I hope I can write again soon!!!

Word To Your Mother

2010-05-09T22:05:00.000-06:00

What do you say to the woman who gave you life, raised you right, and STILL loves you despite the horrible things you have said and done; the fingerpainting on the walls, the 2 am emotional breakdowns, the growing pains and, need I say it, high school? I can only think of a few things.

I love you. Thank you.

Repeat until your mother believes you.

Living in Utah is wonderful. I love the seasons, I love the mountains and I love the people.

But my mom is in Florida and I miss her so much. She is the most wonderful woman I have met and I hope that someday I can be like her. She is selfless and caring. She sacrificed so much for me and my siblings so that we can be the people we are today. She taught me the gospel even when I wasn't interested. She listened when I didn't even know what to say, but needed to say something.

I am so grateful for cell phones. I talk to her nearly every day. So, Mom, I love you. Thank you!

But, I wouldn't be where I am today without another very important mom. To the mother of my wonderful husband, I love you. Thank you. The man you raised is the perfect man for me. Without you, he wouldn't be who he is, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Your sacrifices, your lessons, and your love were not wasted on him. He is a wonderful husband and father and the light in his eyes when he sees our baby girl is the best thing I have ever witnessed. I will be grateful for you every day of my life.

And now, for the first time on the this May the 9th, I am a mom, too. How strange. And I am unabashed in my love for my little girl. I am grateful she came into our lives and I strive to be the kind of mom that my mom was too me. The bar is set pretty darn high. So, to Abigail, I love you. Thank you for choosing our home. We are so glad you joined us and someday, I hope, you will be a mom too.

Happy Mother's Day.

Come Fly With Me

2010-05-04T09:55:00.002-06:00

Today, after a tearful goodbye to Grandma, Abby and I flew all the way from Pensacola to Salt Lake City by ourselves!

Abby was a champ for most of the journey. On our first flight, at 5:30 in the morning (yuck!!!), Abby fell asleep right before take off. I got to snuggle with her the entire way to Atlanta. She is a great snuggler when she is sound asleep.

Then, we maneuvered her and her stuff and my stuff through the Atlanta airport. She is fascinated by airports. She made the cutest little noises all the way through the halls, on the train, and up and down some VERY long (and vertigo inspiring) escalators.

On the next flight, she said she wanted a window seat.

Abby was really good through the entire four hour flight. She only squawked a couple of times, but was generally very agreeable. The lady in the seat next to us adored her and all of our plane-mates complimented her on how good and happy she was. She accepted all of these compliments and rewarded her fan club with smiles and giggles. It was pretty cute to watch.

And, now we are back home and it is GORGEOUS here too. What a lucky duck I am to have such a great place to live. Everything is bright and blooming and colorful. It is good to be home!

The Beach

2010-05-03T16:51:00.001-06:00

Today, for the last time on this trip, Abby and I braved the rain, lightening, and wind and made our way down to the seashore to say goodbye to our little paradise. I hope she remembers how beautiful this place can be.

In the surf, you can see the orangey oily foam that is seeping up on our beaches. The real oil spill slick isn't here yet, just the tendrils that are leading the way...

Apparently, Abby and I are fairly intrepid. There was nearly no one else out to watch the lightening reach down and strike the water.

Hopefully, our dunes will somehow stay white. This cross has been on the beach for over 100 years. It has been replaced, but the landmark has remained. It marks the spot that the Spanish Colonists held their first sunday services after landing in Pensacola.

Hopefully their prayers for this place still count. It can use all the help it can get.

Roll On Down The Highway

2010-05-01T00:15:00.001-06:00

Today, Mom, Abby and I packed up all of Abby's stuff and headed for a drive down the coast. We enjoyed looking at the dunes while we chatted and drove. This is truly one of God's finer creations.

While driving, we saw this guy.

We stopped for lunch and a VERY tired Abigail sat in a high chair for the first time ever. She did ok sitting there for a little bit.

But then managed to persuade her Grandma to pick her up. This baby sure does love to be held!

The restaurant was really fun. Its called Angler's on Fort Walton Beach. The food is fast and fresh and they even put goldfish on their salads like my mom did when I was little. YUM!

Unfortunately, it was kind of a grey and gloomy day. But, this is the amazing view from our table:

Then, we stopped and looked around the outlet mall. I am simply not the shopper I used to be. I picked up a new outfit for Abby and some jeans that were really inexpensive for when she gets a little bit bigger. Then, we headed hom via the inland route. We stopped at the Shoal River to feed Abby and enjoy the quiet of the wetlands.

Abby was fascinated by the tall tall trees.

And here is where the Alligators live. And I am only half kidding. Its pretty. But no way would I walk in there. You can't tell very well, but the ground is entirely covered by about 12 inches of water and the undergrowth is thick.

And then we headed home. It was really fun to get to hang out with my mom and look around at all the wonders God has created. I love how green it is here and how much water surrounds my little community.

More Today Than Yesterday

2010-04-30T21:39:00.000-06:00

Today I went back to the beach. I know, you are surprised, right? I enjoyed putting my feet in the white powder sand. The water was reflecting the grey of the clouds, but still clear. The wind was moving about 30 mph, so I didn't even pull Abby out of her carrier.

I played with my new camera and realized I am woefully under-camera-educated to use the complex device. I wanted a picture with the seashell I found, but I couldn't get it in focus.

I went out and put my feet in the water for what may be the last time for a long time. It wasn't cold, but it rarely is. The Gulf of Mexico is usually a very warm body of water. It is one of the reasons these are such fantastic places to vacation with kids. No cold ocean water!

(Please ignore my unpedicured toes)

I watched a little airplane pull a banner behind it. Apparently there is live music as well as a Wet T-shirt contest at Flounders.

And more fishing boats out fighting the water for as much seafood as they can catch now. I absolutely love gulf seafood. My favorite is southern fried mullet. Fried is pronounced "frahd" and there is a diphthong in there somewhere, I'm sure. More on that tomorrow.

I hope this disaster can be stopped and reversed. I will miss this place forever.

The End Of The World As We Know It

2010-04-28T06:37:00.000-06:00

Ever since Mr Darling returned to Utah last Sunday, (sniff) I have been missing him, (and his camera), something fierce. Hence, no blogging. No pictures = boring blog. But, today I remembered my camera and headed off to the beach.

Now, perhaps those of you reading this haven't been keeping up with the news, but a MASSIVE oil spill is headed to Pensacola Beach and the entire eastern gulf coast. It will end up being larger than the Exxon Valdez crash. These pristine white sand beaches will be lost for a long time to come and the thought breaks my heart. Can you imagine the terrible future for our children if we continually damage this earth they are to inherit?

So, I am determined to enjoy as much time on them as I can while I can. Today Abby and I watched wind surfers riding their boards back and forth along the beach. We saw a mom and an older baby splashing in the water. We saw pelicans and seagulls and sandpipers. We watched the fishing boats frantically pulling out as much fish as they can before the oil fouls the water. My heart is breaking at losing this glorious creation, even if just for a time.

Much like the prophets of old who required miracles, I am praying. And I would like to ask any of you who read this to please include the people and animals and beaches of the gulf coast in your prayers.

People here depend on the water for food and their livelihoods. The fish are unique and beautiful and a staple in many kitchens. The birds are awe inspiring. Within days, all of this is at risk. But, I know that our Heavenly Father who is over all things is a God of miracles and if this area ever needed a miracle, it surely does now. If you could, please pray that the oil pouring into the gulf will cease and that those cleaning it up will be inspired and protected and successful. I believe that these prayers can and will be answered. It will take time, but hopefully, if the oil can be contained, we can begin cleaning our beaches back up.

And, if anyone out there has a way to move us off of oil and onto something a little less dangerous and dirty, I would most greatly appreciate your sharing it with the rest of us!

Please pray for our coastline!

***The colors of the water and sand aren't even photoshopped!!!***

Root Beer Rag

2010-04-23T20:51:00.001-06:00

***This is more of a scrapbook post, and not super interesting and lacking any photos of my sweet baby. The grammar is definitely wonky as well. If you keep reading and decide "wow, this is boring (and poorly written)," please remember you were warned!***

In Pensacola, there is a place that is like no other. The walls are covered in money, its tradition to kiss the moose, and the food and service are impeccable. If you live nearby, you have surely heard of it and probably eaten there. Of course, I am talking about McGuire's Irish Pub.

Last night, my parents insisted that husband and I take a night off from adoring our sweet little baby and remember what it is to be a couple. Funny, but in four short months, our lives have turned upside down and I don't know what to do when I am not cleaning up barf kissing chubby cheeks. So, for our night off, Mr Darling treated me to an amazing, fun, and happy experience.

Now, McGuire's specialities are "Feasting, Imbibery, and Debauchery", but Mr Darling and I limited our experiences to Feasting. And Imbibing, if you count their home brewed root beer. Being totally honest, it rivals Brick Oven. And it is served in a chilled, glass mug. We felt so irish...

We also tried the Irish Boxtys. According to the McGuire's menu:

"Boxty on the griddle, Boxy in the pan; If you can't make Boxty, you'll never get a man."

Basically, they are breaded, fried balls of cheesy mashed potatoes. And they are darn good.

There was the obligatory bagpiper. He played a few songs. Luckily, he didn't play the whole time. It was hard to hear anything with the very very loud music. But it was definitely fun to hear!

Then, of course, the highlight of the trip was the steak. So so yummy! It is the best steak in the entire world. And it was fun to be able to actually enjoy it.

I love my little baby, but it was really nice to take a quiet moment with my husband and enjoy the ambience of the local irish pub. Dollar bills hanging from the ceiling and all.

Beach Baby

2010-04-22T21:53:00.000-06:00

Today, we packed up all of the baby paraphernalia and headed to the famous white sand beaches of Pensacola Florida. It was Abby's first real trip out to the beach and the first thing she did was fill her fist and then her mouth with sand. After realizing that sand is not food, she decided to practice sitting and rocking. It was cute to watch her sit all by herself!

For the very first time, she got to put her feet in the water. It was cold! She was surprised, and not pleasantly so.

Her proud papa gave her a ride into the water and saved her from having to get her toes cold again.

For the most part, though, we realized that babies and sand are not a great combination. Abigail managed to get herself absolutely COVERED in powdery white sand. Under her neck, in her diaper, and sprinkled through her (gloriously long) eyelashes, the little crystals were everywhere.

Then we sat on the beach and watched the fishing boats cruise up and down the coast.

And, of course, the now favorite 'whee' flying game.

We finished up our trip to the beach with a stop at Flounders, a famous fish house on the sound side of Pensacola Beach. We split the Mahi Mahi and mashed potatoes. It was a fun meal with great atmosphere. Best of all, the dessert was fantabulous!

The rest of the day was just as fun. A great dinner with my Mom and Dad at their new favorite steak house. Then, a walk through a very empty mall and a nice movie night at home. Abby spent most of the movie grabbing at her new favorite toy keys from her Grandma. It is so fun to watch her learn new things and have new experiences. She probably won't remember this trip, but I will. And tomorrow is a new opportunity to teach her new things!

I'm Blue (Da da dee da da da)

2010-04-21T22:14:00.060-06:00

Perhaps you already know that Pensacola is the home of the Blue Angels, the Navy's show group of F-18s. What you may not know is that Pensacola is also the home of one of the oldest lighthouses in the United States. When you combine the Blue Angels and a 180 foot tall lighthouse, here is what you get.

On Tuesday morning, we dropped our baby off with her very first non-family babysitter (thank you, Miss Bonnie!!), and headed out to the Pensacola Naval Air Station. I had reserved a spot for Mr. Darling, My fantastic father and myself to climb all 177 steps of the Pensacola lighthouse and watch the Blue Angels practice at our eye level.

In case you were wondering, 177 steps inside a lighthouse is A LOT of stairs to climb. As in "whoa am I out of shape" a lot. The tour guide said the lighthouse keepers used to have to climb the stairs every two hours with 45 lbs of kerosene to keep the lamp lit. That is NOT a job I plan to sign up for.

The view from the top makes it all worth it. The trees look so different from the top. And we could see about 27 miles away.

Best of all, we could see the Blue Angels up close. Like, really really close.

After an hour of trick maneuvers, rolls, dives, fleur de lis with 4, 5, and 6 airplanes, the Blues landed back on the runway and we made our way down the lighthouse stairs. Then, of course, we took a few more pictures of the historic landmark and myself, and our photographer:

We headed over to the Naval Air Museum to see what was new. While wandering through, my dad came across a helicopter he had actually flown. As in the very same one, not just the same kind. It was pretty cool to see him talk to my dear husband about it.

It is really fun to go through the museum and see all of the cool airplanes that have fought and protected our great country. All of the war exhibits, the historical exhibits, and just plane cool exhibits (haha, aren't I punny?) It was a really fun day with my husband and dad and I am once again grateful for digital cameras.

So, thanks, Dad, once again. We had a great time. We love your stories about the airplanes and the knowledge you share about the military and about life in general. And, I think I might even like lighthouses, stairs and all.

Into The Sunset

2010-04-20T22:06:00.000-06:00

When we arrived in Florida, even the sun seemed happy. The grandparents greeted us at the airport, scooping up their darling granddaughter and showering her with affection. It seemed that the happy little girl even inspired the sun to put on a spectacular show!

For our first evening here in my hometown, we were blessed to have my entire family under the same roof. This happens fairly rarely, especially now that two of us aren't able to fly freely throughout the US. So, to mark the occasion, we took a quick trip to Pensacola Beach to take a few family photos. The only issue was that the photographer couldn't be in them. But he did such a good job! (thank you, sweet husband!)

Her auntie and uncle seemed so happy to see our little Abigail, each wanting their turn holding and playing with her. It was fun to watch them play with her and try and get her smiles and giggles out. She is so fun when she is happy, and when she is the center of attention, she is positively radiant! And look at Ariel! She just glows! (I am accepting applications for her future boyfriends. Please follow this link to download the application)

Abby loves to play with her Auntie Ariel and to play the 'weee!' game with her Uncle Sean. And she loves to bounce on her grandfather's shoulders. I think these are the moments that matter.

Tonight, while looking through our photo albums, I feel just so grateful. I am grateful to be raised by wonderful parents. And I am grateful for digital photography. And blogs. I know it sounds weird, but I love to be able to 'journal' and 'scrapbook' at the same time. I like being able to mark down my memories while they are fresh so that when I go back and look, I can remember. I like my memories and the wonderful people who participate in them. And I like this memory. My whole family is happy in these pictures and it wasn't just for show. A sweet little baby joined the six of us and has lit up my whole world with her smile. These are the times worth remembering.

I can see why the sun saw fit to plan a party just for us.

Four Poems

2010-04-13T15:55:00.007-06:00

In honor of my baby's four month birthday, I would like to contribute four poems, odes if you will, to my growing collection of Abby-centered writing. So, to begin...

A Limerick

There once was a baby named Abby,

About whom nothing is shabby,

She laughs at her dad,

She rarely is sad,

But when she gets tired, she gets crabby.

A Haiku

Small, sweet baby girl,

Growing up so very fast,

Make this moment last.

A Rhyme

Her lips are pink,

Her eyes are blue,

She sat in the sink,

Until up she grew.

A Ballad

Oh, the baby girl is growing.
And learning so much every day,
She now can sit, she now can laugh,
She is cheerful in every single way,
She is cheerful in every way.

So, perhaps I won't win any awards for my poetry, but I do love this little girl. Today she hit all of her markers at 60 percent, height, weight and head size. She weighs 13 pounds and 13 ounces on this, the 13th of April. Happy four month birthday, sweet girl!

All pictures on this post were done by Angie of A-M Photography. She does a fantastic job and comes highly recommended. You can see more of Angie's work here.

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?

2010-04-11T23:07:00.000-06:00

This week, our little Abigail has a fun visitor intent on spoiling her absolutely rotten. Her Granny drove all the way up from Arizona to shower her with hugs, kisses, and adoration.

On her first evening here, we walked with Uncle Casey over to J Dawgs just south of BYU.

Once there, Casey and Cherri sampled the gourmet fare served at that high class establishment for the first time. I know, I am nothing if not a fantastic hostess, right? Serving my guests hot dogs after a 10 hour drive sounds like torture. Luckily, they are really good hot dogs! Mr Darling and I, being seasoned veterans, enjoyed the delectable special sauce on the classic beef dawgs.

The hot dogs passed muster, and produced smiles from the newbies. Even from Abby. Ok, perhaps she wasn't as thrilled with the hot dogs as with the shiny tinfoil wrappers.

Then, for another meal, I grilled up some steak tips and peppers and served them with a FANTASTIC fresh pineapple brought all the way from Arizona.

After dinner, we went for a walk in the warmth of spring and Abby got to play with her aunties and uncles. She doesn't know it yet, but she was also playing with her new little cousin!!!

All this excitement and we still have four more days! Yay for visitors! Now, if we can only get Abby to share the remote...

Once Upon A Picnic

2010-04-08T23:08:00.001-06:00

Once upon a time in a land far far far away, there lived a king and a queen. This king and queen lived together happily and ruled quietly and generally peacefully over their kingdom. They had one little daughter who took up quite a bit of the queen's time and one loyal hound who generously shared everything she owned, except for her kibbles.

Now, this queen expected a visit from her sweet husband's mother. Having cleaned the kitchen for just this occasion, she hesitated to cook a full feast the night before the arrival of the mother in law. So, when the king came home from frolicking in the woods, chasing foxes and overseeing the development of the kingdom, the queen suggested taking a walk to the ye olde drive in.

So that is what they did. They walked side by side to the drive in, mingled with the townspeople, and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of spring. Many of the lawns had been recently mowed, the apricot trees' blooms promised to make summer all the sweeter, and the breeze was a true delight.

The royal pair sat on the grass and teased their hound with french fries. They wondered at the amount of fry sauce they had been given.

The sandwiches were excellent, but the real highlight of their picnic was that they were able to eat in quiet, languid peace. The young princess had fallen asleep on their walk! The young queen, by now used to inhaling her food at lightening speed, cherished each unhurried bite. The young king also ate slowly, savoring each quiet bite.

After the feast, the dishes were tossed into a waste receptical and the king and queen and their little family walked back to the castle and into the sunset. The clean home welcomed them and they lived happily ever after!

The End

Coming Soon! Once Upon A Bath

The Long Awaited Sequel to Once Upon A Picnic

Funny Little Bunny

2010-04-04T23:40:00.000-06:00

Today was Abby's first Easter. It was also the LDS General Conference, so my sweet little lady didn't get to show off the cute smocked dress her Grandma made for her or her new white Easter shoes. I am not so sure she cared that she didn't get dressed until nearly bedtime. In fact, I think my baby prefers to be naked, but that is a story for another time...

Today Mr. Darling, Abby and I woke up to a winter wonderland. Snow was piled on the ground several inches thick, the branches of our ornamental cherry tree were laden with the white stuff and instead of the balmy weather spring had promised the temperature hovered in the 40s. So, when life gives you snow, make snow bunnies. I spent a little bit of my Sabbath rolling snow into cute big snow easter bunnies...

Weston made me breakfast. Waffles are so so yummy!!!

Then we watched conference in our pajamas, dyed easter eggs, and made a yummy dinner for Mr. Darling's siblings.

Then we had a little bit of fun with the Bunny Ears

And now it is nearly midnight, our fussy baby has fallen asleep and soon I will crawl into my bed ready for another Monday.

Happy Easter! He is Risen!

Somebody's Watching Me

2010-03-31T13:50:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, while talking on the phone to a friend, I caught myself saying a word that I definitely didn't learn from my mother. It is a word that, along with 'crap', 'stupid', 'shut up' and 'suck' was banned in my home growing up and would earn us a nice mouth washing with dial soap. If I remember correctly, my mother in law isn't a big fan of it either. As the word came out of my mouth, I looked down into my arms to see some very big blue eyes watching me. Would I want my daughter to repeat that word? Absolutely not.

Being an example to someone so impressionable is going to be tough. I am going to have to start remembering that there are always eyes and ears that are learning most everything they know from me and my behavior. I am going to have to think before I speak in front of her and decide if the topic is appropriate for little ears.

When I was little, it didn't seem like much was censored from my parents topics and conversation. Looking back, they did an amazing job at allowing us to be children, to discuss things that mattered to us in a respectful and interested way without forcing us to grow up too fast. I'm not sure what they did exactly, but they raised three children not to swear (well, to very very rarely swear, sorry mom!). Perhaps because they nipped words like 'crap' in the bud. It is hard to make your way to swear words when you know it doesn't take much to get your mouth cleaned out with soap.

Hopefully, I can lead and Abby can learn by example, because dial in your mouth is not fun. And I struggle with the idea of punishing her. Probably because she is so darn cute.

Boxing Day

2010-03-28T16:49:00.002-06:00

I cried today. I spent some time this week cleaning out Abby's closet, moving out the clothes that my baby has outgrown. Today, I placed them all in a (remarkably well designed) container and moved them out to the garage. She won't ever fit into those tiny outfits again. Seeing all of the favorites move out, seeing how small they are and remembering that she was that size once just a few short weeks ago made me just a wee bit sad. How has she grown so fast?! I feel like I missed it. I have tried so hard to take advantage of every moment she has been with us, to try and memorize her as a tiny newborn, to remember all of the firsts, but I guess this is a first as well. The first day I box up Abby's little clothes and store them for a future little one.

She is such a little dolly. She no longer fits in the sink, which makes me sad. But, she does still fit in the laundry basket. She has also taken to sucking on her hand ALL THE TIME. It drives me nuts, but I am not sure exactly how to stop it. She makes hilariously loud sucking noises and I am usually laughing to hard to really put a ton of effort into pulling it out. I should be better about that.

In other news, on Friday night, Mr Darling and I went out to Red Robin for dinner. Now that I don't mind hamburgers anymore, sometimes they sound darn good. So off we went to split one of Red Robin's famously large burgers. While we waited for a table, I told Mr Darling to win me a stuffed animal from the mini arcade. He allowed, without sounding too eager, that he had always wanted to try one of those games, but he didn't have any dollars. Being the waitress that I am, I pulled a dollar from my super awesome diaper bag and told him to have at it. One dollar gave him two tries.

Now, I have ALWAYS believed those games to be rigged. I don't know anyone who has won a stuffed animal. And with only two tries, I figured this would just be a fun way to while away the wait. As I calmly counted down behind the dear Mr. Darling, "Honey, 5 seconds!!! Only two seconds!! Press the button!!!!!", he systematically maneuvered the claw into position.

On try one, he was robbed. But on try number two, we both watched in disbelief as this cute little lamb made its way through the air and down the chute. We don't think Abigail will remember that he won it, so this little guy may make an appearance in Abby's Easter Basket.

Over The Rainbow

2010-03-25T23:01:00.001-06:00

I am in a funk. I feel ungrateful because I am in this funk. I want to run away from all of this funkiness and get myself to a place that is fun not funky. Somewhere quiet, and peaceful. I want to get myself (and my dear Mr Darling and our sweet darling baby) to Hawaii. I don't want to actually do any traveling, so if anyone has already invented the formula for teleport, do share.

I want to feel like I am somewhere exotic. I want to see pineapples growing as shrubbery. Yes, I did just say shrubbery.

I want to see bright colored flowers growing all around. Mr. D and I went out to take some pictures the other day and he said they all looked awful because it looked like we were in a barren wasteland. Not the good, dramatic, "look at me posing in a rugged but beautiful wasteland". No, he said it was more of the kind of "how are we ever going to find food again" type of wasteland. I won't post any of those pictures.

These pretty red ginger are way more fun.

As are these yellow hibiscuses. Or is hibisci? I always forget...

How about pretty purple exotic lilies. I think they are lilies. They grow from lily pads. I am not a horticulturist, but it makes sense to me.

I would even appreciate some cut flowers about now. I am just desperate for some color. I may have to go see the nice man at KWAL and buy some paint. I love me some kwal paint. Did I mention I would take some cut flowers instead? Maybe someone should mention that to Mr. Darling for me.

Oh, I think being in Hawaii right now would be so nice. Warmth, beaches, color, seafood. I LOVE seafood. But not this kind of seafood. Really, once you see one of these guys, I think you fall in love with them. Somehow, mullet and grouper don't inspire the same kind of loyalty.

Lucky for me, I get to go visit my parents in just a few weeks. They live near a beach. I miss the beach and my parents. I have been homesick for YEARS. But Florida is so gosh darn far away and so expensive to get to. It is half the price to fly to Maui. But, Mr. Darling loves me so I get to go home for two weeks. I am thrilled.

Color, here I come!

Let Laughter Be Your Song

2010-03-21T22:38:00.003-06:00

Oh, it is busy busy here with the beginning of spring. My crocus have greeted the world with their bright purple flowers. I can see the daffodils and tulips have pushed up through the soil and are preparing delightful surprises for me. Spring has officially sprung.

And, amidst all of this, I feel frantic. I have too many hobbies and too little time! My garden is naked. I did manage to put down black plastic mulch and plan to shred the Christmas trees on top into a more appealing mulch. I did trim back my roses, but I haven't mulched or fertilized them. I am starting some veggies on the sill in my laundry room mostly onions so far, but hopefully I can hop skip jump out to the garden and get in some peas, broccoli, cabbage and spinach. Right now those are just little seed filled envelopes sitting on my counter but I hope to turn them into yummy veggies.

I am trying to organize my home as well. We are so blessed, and sometimes the better part of valor is knowing when to part with things we no longer use. I think I sometimes forget that and think that she who dies with the most stuff wins. See this pile? It needs to go.

My poor quilt is neglected. I haven't touched it in weeks. I REALLY had wanted to finish it this week so I can take the binding class on the 31st. But with the lack of organization....well, I am simply not hanging out in my sewing room the way I would like.

But, here is the catch. Anytime I try and make progress, this wonderful little girl wants to play or eat. And I barely seem to maintain a sense of cleanliness through my home during her naps. There is just not much time for anything extra. But, at the same time, I can't help but think that these moments are going too fast and do I really want to miss all these fun memories so I can plant some spinach? Won't this quilt wait for me, rather than just pushing on with or without me? I think I will probably have the REST OF MY LIFE to clean and organize my house. So for now, I will focus on this ADORABLE little angel.

So, for you, Abigail's first real laugh. We were fortunate to get it on video. Lucky you!
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Three Mile Smile

2010-03-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

Today, Abby is three months old. I suppose it is time I stopped telling people her age in weeks. She is getting so big! We had her two month check up last Wednesday (late, I know, move along, nothing to see here). In addition to the dreaded shots, Abby was weighed and measured, poked, prodded and tested. Guess what? She grew. A lot.

Please meet my twenty three inch long, twelve pound bundle of joy. She is in the 50th percentile for height, for weight and for head size. The doctor was shocked that she hit all three numbers at exactly 50 percent. And, he was surprised at how strong her neck was and how easily she managed to hold it up and turn her head. Would you expect anything less from my joyful, super curious baby? She loves to look at everything.

So here we are at three months. She can do so much now! She can *almost* sit up on her own. She can lift her head off your shoulder and look all around the room. She can "vocalize"...a lot. She chatters nonstop and it is just so fun to listen to. When she finds something she likes, she gets very excited and kicks her feet, waves her arms and breathes so fast. And my favorite new development is that she can recognize Weston and I. Whenever she sees us, her face just lights up with the most gorgeous toothless smile I have ever seen!

I am not gonna lie to you. There are tough moments. The hardest part, so far, has been breast-feeding. Some people make it look so easy. All those moms at church quietly feeding their babies in the mothers' lounge (aka partitioned area of the bathroom). Our feedings aren't like that. I get frustrated. Abby gets frustrated. It is hard for us both. But, as we muddle through this experience together, I don't think I could love her more. She is so patient for someone so little and so hungry. Her growth shows that we are succeeding, but sometimes it feels that every day, every feeding is a battle we have to wage. If either one of us gives up, then we both lose. Luckily, I have a tenacious little partner.

So, another month of her babyhood is gone. Whoever said "the days are long but the years are short" lied to me. The days are way too short! At the end of each day I wonder how I could have spent more time with my Abigail. I wonder if I taught her enough. I worry that I missed something important that won't ever be recaptured. I marvel at her toothless grin, her funny half chuckle-half snort laugh. Her sense of humor is incredible and the fact that she can communicate so much with us without talking is simply unbelievable.

I will miss two-month old Abby, but I just have to hope that "The Best Is Yet To Come".

I Can't Hear The Music

2010-03-11T22:51:00.005-07:00

I am bored. No, definitely not with my baby, who is adorable, as always. I am stuck in a music rut. I think I have listened to the same six cds on repeat for the last four months, maybe longer. I need something new, something fresh, something that screams "It is almost spring and then its time for summer fun!!!"

So, I am taking suggestions. I would LOVE something new and fun. The cds I am currently stuck on are Lady Antebellum's Need You Now, Taylor Swift's Fearless, Pink's Funhouse, the Mamma Mia Soundtrack (so fun, but only the first 200 times), The Eagles Greatest Hits, Simon & Garfunkel Live in Central Park and Yiruma (when I am in the nursery)

Suggestions? As long as it is clean and springy I would love to hear from you. It doesn't have to be new, just new to me...

And, just for fun, Weston and I ate out last week at Zupas, which is our new most favorite place to eat (I am really into trying new things right now). It is a fun little soup and sandwich shop that serves FREE chocolate covered strawberries with each meal. Here was Weston's crazy topped strawberry:

And here is Abby's hair after a bath:

Just sayin'....

A Day In The Life

2010-02-28T21:12:00.003-07:00

I know that each and every reader of my blog is eager, waiting with baited breath to find out how my darling daughter spends her day. In the interest of pleasing you, my reader, I have documented several major events in my baby's day. Here is Abby first thing in the morning. She is all smiles and coos. She gets so excited to see whomever comes in to greet her.

Then, we bring her into our bed and cuddle for a little while. She is always just so happy!

After a yummy breakfast, she gets story time before she gets dressed and goes down for her nap.

While she naps, I frantically try and clean the house, sew or do whatever I have allowed to pile up, like dishes or laundry or showering.... But, a brief few hours later, she wakes up again and it is time to play! She loves to sit on her changing table and kick her legs in the air.

Then, it is time for lunch #1 followed by either a walk or another nap.

Then, after lunch #2, it is usually time for dad to come home and play with baby Abby!!!

Then, of course there is play time, dinner numbers one two and three and perhaps another story time.

Then, it is time for a bath, massage, swaddling and midnight snack. Here she is in her swaddling blanket.

Then, it is time for Abby to sleep. She is just so sweet in her crib, snoring away.

Such a sweet little girl!

Have Suit, Will Travel

2010-02-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

It is finally snowing here in the beehive state, but, much to my chagrin, it is not sticking! I have visions of an adorable photo op including my sweet baby and a snowman. It does not look like this is the year for it, though. It hasn't snowed and stayed snowy since the night Abby was born, and, well, I was too busy right then to build a snowman...

But, being cooped up is apparently not my forte, slushy rain or not, so we are fortunate to have found a couple of fantastic and adorable little suits to drag Abby around town in! Here she is in her "bear suit" which is so warm and soft!

And here is her "ladybug suit" which I adore!

If I go anywhere during the day, she gets all bundled up in one of these. They are so super warm and she is just so super cute in them....summer clothes are not nearly as adorable!

Sometimes, the suits are so warm that when we get where we are going, I have to take it off so her face doesn't get red and she doesn't sweat.... Here we are visiting Daddy at work.

Late in January, Weston and I got to go up to Midway with his cousins and hang out at a super fun cabin for the day. Abby passed out and we didn't get any snow day pictures that day, but we did get some sledding in!

And a cute couple picture in this little alpine hamlet....

Sorry for the rather dull post, but it has been awhile so I thought it might be time to record what we are and have been up to!

Wave Your Knickers In The Air

2010-02-16T11:04:00.002-07:00

Before the adventure in parenthood began, Mr Darling and I made a lovely friend, the beautiful evie ivy overstreet. She is simply fantastic and talented at just about everything she seems to try. Evie's parenting has always impressed my sweet husband. Her children are well behaved, smart, and friendly, rarely watch tv and usually play with handmade toys. If that isn't enough, she cloth diapered...whew!

But, Mr Darling was inspired. I was intrigued. Thus, we frequently discussed how amazing Evie is and how much we would like to emulate her mad parenting skills. And she made me think that perhaps cloth diapering was frugal, environmentally friendly and doable, not scary, overwhelming and gross.

(yes, this is my adorable daughter, No, this is NOT a diaper we use regularly!)

(pictures by peekaboo photos)

So we discussed. We pondered. We researched. I walked across the street and saw that another fantastic neighbor covered her baby's bum in cloth. I bit the bullet. Then we shelled out a considerable chunk of change on diapers. We chose these one size covers with organic cotton liners from "GroBaby".

We felt that we chose the best option for our lifestyle. They snap smaller and then you unsnap them as baby gets bigger. Best of all, by my math, they will pay themselves off in 15 weeks. Seriously, I think I will be diapering a lot longer than that since we are at nine weeks and Abby has yet to say the word "potty".

Now, why am I blogging about diapers? Because I am excited at how easy they are. Hopefully, some other mom out there will read this and think, "hey, I can do that!"

I love that I don't deal with leaks and blowouts. I love not making emergency trips to the store because we are out of diapers. I love that my garbage can isn't overflowing with non-biodegradable ickiness.

I confess that I still use disposables overnight (and for those I thank the lovely ladies who came to my baby shower... thankyouthankyouthankyou). Disposables can hold more liquid overnight than cloth. But during the day? I DO NOT like changing clothes covered in poop. I have had to do it in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning and it is GROSS. And baby poo? It does NOT come out easy... Lifting a diaper liner out and throwing it in the pail is WAY easier. And not ruining Abby's cute clothes makes the extra 3-4 laundry loads every week totally worth it.

So, here it is. My name is Amanda and I am addicted to cloth diapers. I do it because it saves money. I do it because it saves the environment. I do it because I don't like poopy clothes or diaper rash. I am so glad that someone gave me the confidence to try it and for a supportive husband who agreed to brave this road with me.

Isn't She Lovely

2010-02-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

Today, Abigail is two months old! The last 62 days have flown by. I understand completely why the saying is "the days are long but the years are short". My sweet little girl is no longer the itty bitty newborn. She has so many new facial expressions and her tiny toothless smiles are my very favorite thing!

Here she is at 8 weeks with her giant bear...she is getting bigger every day!

I bought this little pompom hat on etsy from a local girl. It is adorable, but Abby hates it. Too bad for Abby since I get her dressed and hide her hands in mittens!

She is still adored by her papa and cherished by her mother. I had no idea I could love her this much!

Here they are dancing before bedtime!! I love when they are both happy and get to spend time together.

I saw a picture of baby feet that I liked and wanted Mr Darling to do a similar picture with Abby. My vision was to take a picture like this:

But we also got a picture like this:

Which I also really like.

So far, I love being a mom. I haven't had to hear the word "no" a thousand times, very few temper tantrums and Abby's wants are fairly easy to discern. I love cuddling with her, feeding her, watching her play with her arms and legs and coo and talk to me, my sweet husband or the ceiling fan...

I love sneaking into her nursery and watching her sleep. I am surprised at how much fun I am having. I like getting her dressed, even changing diapers is kind of fun because she likes to be on her changing table. And look at her hair, her skin, her alert little eyes! I think just looking at her is fun.

So I ask you, isn't she lovely?

Happy two month birthday, Abby!!! I love you more every day!!

Puppy Love

2010-01-31T13:16:00.002-07:00

We have the best dog. Not to disparage any other dog owners, but Callie never ceases to make me smile.

Since bringing home our new bundle of joy, our sweet puppy has not received the same level of attention she is used to. She has taken it in stride and rather than reacting jealously to this little creature who has upset her routine and stolen her human's time and attention, she has welcomed, inspected, protected and comforted our sweet baby. I am so proud of her and happy we have her.

At first, Callie seemed cautious about touching the baby, always turning to look at us before getting close to her. Now, she walks right up and plants big, slobbery puppy kisses over Abby's face. Abby just smiles and stares at her new friend.

Callie is fascinated by everything Abby does. When I feed Abby, Callie sits right next to me and I can pat her head as Abby eats. First thing in the morning, Callie races up the stairs to see what Abby and I are doing in the nursery. Diaper changing time is anathema to her. She always wants to see what we are doing with "her puppy" when we put the baby on the changing table.

She also feels that covering Abby's hands is some form of torture. She constantly tries to pry the mittens off of Abby's hands.

If we leave Abby alone in a room other than the nursery, Callie lays right near her. She does not think that Abigail should EVER be left alone in her swing, car seat, or on the floor.

We love our little (for a lab) puppy and are so excited to see them play together as they grow up together.

In My Daughter's Eyes

2010-01-28T11:27:00.005-07:00

Mr Darling and I recently discussed that the last few weeks (months?) have been really frustrating but also fairly fun. The things of the world are frustrating. The things that will last are fun. Lately, we love watching our new little angel grow and change. Her eyes have changed the most- they are always open and alert now!

Here she is with the giant bear her Woodruff grandparents gave her for Christmas. She is now six weeks old!

And she is growing so fast! Abby's favorite pink fuzzy suit (above), given to us by a lovely neighbor, no longer fits. I managed to stuff her into it yesterday, but then Mr. Darling informed me he didn't want his daughter showing off her shoulders just yet. I suppose it is time to retire it. That just means I get to start using the 0-3 month clothes, which will be fun.

She can focus on you when you call her name, and she loves to look around the room. She especially loves the painting in the living room, staring out bright windows and at Callie the Pup. She still loves bright lights. And her Daddy. She loves to smile at him and be held by him. I am only preferred when she is hungry. I try not to take it personally.

I don't think she is going to fit in the sink during my showers for very much longer. I can usually sit her in the sink (padded with soft towels and blankets) and turn on the lights. She stares and talks to the lights while I get clean, and informs me when she is ready for me to get out with a loud squeak.

I love her squeak.

Sometimes I miss the tiny, sleepy, unfocused baby. But I adore this funny, little, alert baby just as much. I have read many blogs, received so many emails, and endured endless comments on how this motherhood thing will just get more difficult, more thankless. I also receive comments from a different quarter telling me about how much fun this adventure will be and how much joy can be found along the way. Perhaps both are true, but I really hope that I can be the latter kind of person.

While it may be amusing to liken ourselves to being invisible, doing thankless, tiring work without recognition or acknowledgement, I don't think any mother really wants to be in that situation.

I am so grateful for my little girl. She really is a wonder to me. Watching her learn and grow is amazing. She is trying to make sounds and noises. For having no vocabulary, she is a fabulous communicator. She lets me know if she is cold, if she is hungry, if she is tired (I'll admit that this one is frustrating), or if she just wants to be held. Like any of us in a situation where we cannot communicate well, she loves routine and knowing what comes next.

So far, I enjoy being a mother .

I hope that Abby knows she is loved.

I hope that as she grows, we can become friends like I am with my mother.

I hope that she turns to her father and I with her problems rather than turning to the fugitive, frustrating, fickle world.

I hope that I can stay positive, remembering this is but a fleeting moment, gone too soon, and enjoy what is simply for what is.

Put simply, I hope.

On The Shelf

2010-01-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

Many of you already know that I am a passionate reader. What many of you don't know is how with that particular hobby comes a collection of books. What to do with all of them has baffled me for years.

Until Christmas, my books had lived in piles on the floor, tucked in the top shelves of closets and even at friends' house. I found lending books to be a form of storage. I regularly went through my library and made painful cuts, donating those I didn't think I would read regularly or that I wouldn't want to share with my children to the library. Despite these sacrifices, the pile near the side of my bed grew and grew and grew.

I even tried purchasing bookshelves, but they never held very much and eventually they collapsed under the weight.

At Christmas, all that changed. My sweet father, in between watching my baby and doing the dishes, found time to build me these AMAZING bookshelves. Now, there is no scary pile threatening to mutiny if I don't pick them up and read them. He built one into each nook in our bedroom and now all of my books, even the tall music books, the bulky photo albums, and the necessary but not fun ones - yes, thesaurus, I am talking to you - have a home. All of my series can sit side by side and I can *actually find* what I am looking for!!!

Photos Courtesy of Angie at A-M Photography

So, thank you, wonderful father of mine. I love love love my Christmas present. And I am STILL so grateful for the help you were with my tiny baby.

Baby Of Mine

2010-01-13T10:16:00.003-07:00

Today is Abigail's one month birthday. One month ago this morning we first met our little girl and fell instantly in love. I can't believe it has been this long. I can't believe she hasn't been with us forever.

We have learned so much about her in the last month. Mr Darling and I now know that you can spoil a baby by never putting them down. Abby can barely handle being put down for even 15 minutes. She LOVES to cuddle. If you put her head right over your heart, tuck her feet under her tummy and cover her with a blanket she will sleep like an angel. She doesn't prefer any one person. She just wants to be held and be warm.

She only cries if she has a reason. If I go through the normal checklist (hungry, diaper issue, cold, exhausted, wants to cuddle) and she still cries I am missing something.
She gives fair warning before she cries. If you don't pay attention to the little noises, she will scream like a banshee. Once she is screaming it is much harder to calm her down. She gets on a roll and won't pay attention to anything else. Her Grandparents and Daddy are the best at getting her to calm down once she slips into her angry screams.
She wants to move. All the time. I think she will be an even happier baby when she can finally move around on her own.
Right now, her favorite distractions are the ceiling fans and the lights. She LOVES lights. If you cuddle her in a place where she can see a light, she is simply mesmerized. I wonder if it reminds them of heaven somehow....

Mostly, I have learned that I can love this new little person. Happy One Month Birthday, Sweet Baby Abby. I am glad you are growing and I am excited to watch you change every single day!

Photographs and Memories

2010-01-11T11:28:00.004-07:00

Our little lady has already had her first photo shoot. Abigail's excited daddy booked a session months before Abigail was born with the fabulous Katie at Peekaboo Photos. If you are expecting an addition to your family, she is a fantastic newborn photographer! Mr Darling and I are just so thrilled with how all of these pictures turned out, from the Princess and the Pea to classic family photos. You can find more pictures of our sweet Abby, as well as information on Peekaboo Photos here.

Behind the scenes, you will find hairdryers, space heaters, pacifiers and parents nervous that their little one will not cooperate.

Katie is super experienced and manages to keep Abigail warm and asleep for the entire 3 hour shoot!
Here are a few of my favorite results! Here I am with my little Baby Abby! She is already so much bigger and it has only been three weeks!
This is one of favorites. How she gets infants to sit like this is pure magic (and a little photoshop)
Here is our proud papa. He looks wonderful holding our baby girl! The resemblance is so uncanny. Abby has his nose and lips and when she smiles, it is all him!
I love this sweet shot! I guess I just want proof that she is a little angel. So sweet!
There are many more pictures, but blogger is so obnoxious that I will probably leave it at these few. I am glad that we were able to capture this unique time in her life on film! She is simply so much fun to hold and cuddle right now. Blogging with her snoring on my lap is a new addition to my list of favorite things. And three nights in a row now she has slept for a consecutive six hours. Of course, I don't sleep for six hours since I still hear her screaming in my sleep. I hope that hallucination passes soon!

Angels Among Us

2010-01-06T10:42:00.004-07:00

I realized this morning that my house was blessed this holiday season with angels. I also had the unhappy realization that my angels have left.

With all of the company that we had in and out of our home and in Arizona with my husband's family, I was constantly in awe of what was accomplished while I slept. This morning I awakened thinking I heard Abby crying (a pretty common hallucination right now) only to check on her and find that she had a clean diaper, her pacifier and her sleep sheep on. The sleep sheep only runs for about 40 minutes, so some blessed angel had come in and taken care of my baby so I could sleep. I also found my house completely empty except for Weston, myself and sweet little Abby. Weston was sleeping and said it wasn't him. My wonderful mother must have done this chore for me before she left for the airport this morning.

The other night I despaired at my messy house, only to come down after feeding the baby at midnight and find the kitchen sparkling and my father wiping off the counter. In Arizona, I would find myself overwhelmed by Abby's crying, unable to figure out what was wrong, when my mother in law would sweep in, take and calm my baby so I could calm myself. I have come home several times to find that neighbors and friends have dropped off food, treats, and offers to help. How can I thank all of these wonderful people?!

I am so blessed and so grateful for this help. The introduction to parenting has been so much easier due to the amazing people I am surrounded with! With that in mind, I would like to throw a general thank you out to all of you. Even just posting happy thoughts in my comments has helped! So thank you, everyone!

Happy New Year to everyone and may your 2010 be blessed with angels, love, and hope.

These Are Special Times

2010-01-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

This New Year brought a much more meaningful fresh start for our family. Abigail Jean Woodruff received her Baby Blessing from her father on January 3rd. Our sweet baby Abby attended church dressed in a gown hand made lovingly for her by her Grandma. Many of our friends and family members were able to make the trip and come witness and assist in introducing and naming our little girl.

Watching friends and family stand in a circle around her and give her the first blessing of her life brought me happiness. Knowing that she is loved and surrounded by those who will set examples of the gospel principles, who will guide her down the straight and narrow path brings me unmeasurable joy.

On the morning of her blessing we had a brief breakfast before it was time to get Abby dressed and ready. Both of her grandmas helped in getting her ready. I even had time to quickly get my hair done.

Here is the entire family group who traveled from near and far. I was especially grateful that my mother and father were able to make their flights and that Mr Darling's parents were willing to make the drive from Arizona for the fourth time in as many months. It was wonderful to see our little girl surrounded by people who love her.

And further proof that Abby does, on occasion, fuss. After two solid hours of being passed around from person to person she resorted to her adorable little cry to try and motivate someone to (pretty please) feed her.

So her first white dress event has passed. The dress hangs on the nursery wall, a reminder of that special day. I know she can't remember the day of her blessing. I only hope that when she grows up she can look at the dress, the pictures and realize that she is loved, wanted and blessed by her family.

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

2009-12-31T16:15:00.000-07:00

This year, we braved the wilds of highway 89, flat tires in the middle of nearly vacant indian territories, frequent stops to feed our 8 day old infant and the freezing cold weather, snow and crazy drivers to visit balmy Arizona and Weston's family.

On Christmas Eve-Eve Weston's Aunt Jean and Uncle Bill joined the Woodruff's for dinner. My mother in law prepared a LOVELY dinner which I didn't help with...I still feel guilty, but I am so GRATEFUL that she did prepare it and plan such a wonderful evening where we got to exchange lovely gifts. This evening made some great memories!
Then came Christmas morning. Weston got new dirtbike gear and the dog was completely baffled by the whole event. We are glad Callie got to be included (Thank you, Sam!)
I already had my biggest Christmas gift but Weston and his family continued to spoil me.
Here is the whold gang and the HUGE pile. How did we ever open all of those in one day?!
And, of course, a photo from the traditional ambush of the Whatcotts. Everyone was COVERED in Silly String except for Abigail and I. We were granted exemptions just this once.
And Abby got the most gigantic teddy bear from Weston's parents. It is about four times the size she is! But she looks just so adorable in her bear's lap.

So thank you for looking at our Christmas photos. We had a wonderful time and we were really really grateful for all of the grandparents, aunts and uncles who helped with our cute little addition!

Sunday Morning

2009-12-26T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today was Abby's first day attending church. I will admit I was a bit nervous taking her out in a very public (germ-infested) place, but I gathered my courage and got her dressed and ready. Her little dress looked so HUGE on her tiny 3 week old body!

We went to a ward in Mesa where Abby's grandfather and Uncle Kirk were speaking. Kirk's talk was fantastic and I was excited to hear Sam speak when Abby decided she didn't want to be in her carrier any longer. Even though I was assured that Abby's little cries were too quiet to disturb anyone, I spent most of the rest of the meeting trying to keep her calm and quiet.

Here she is with her Granny on the same Sunday. She is simply a beautiful little angel and we are so glad that Heavenly Father sent her into our family. What a wonderful Christmas gift she has been!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

2009-12-25T22:15:00.002-07:00

Could we have been given a better Christmas present? Is there a better way to remember the birth of our Lord than welcoming a new little daughter of God into our home?

I can't think of one gift I would rather have. I think maybe some other people out there like her too.

So from our house, to yours, Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas To All

2009-12-25T16:38:00.002-07:00

We are wishing everyone a VERY merry Christmas!

This year, our big gift to each other is a beautiful, healthy little girl who is just a delight. Despite giving up sleep, regular schedules, showers etc, we are so happy to have her!

My sweet husband had pink cigars for the boys!
And we got home as quick as we could so we could enjoy our adorable, tiny bundle!
Look at her hair!!!! We absolutely love playing with it and it is SO soft!
And I don't think I could have done it without my mom! She spent Abby's first week with us and we are so grateful for her help!!! Doesn't she look great with a little grandbaby!
I hope your Christmas is as blessed as ours!

What A Difference A Day Makes

2009-12-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, December 12th, I woke up in the dark of the morning to the knowledge that my baby was on her way. I felt relieved and scared and excited and nervous. I imagine all expecting moms feel like that as their body announce the beginning of a new little life. I tried very hard to lay still, to not disturb my sweet husband, and for a few hours, I was successful. But, by 7 am it was very hard not to bolt up in bed as each little spasm worked its way through my body.

Once it was light out, I got up, still trying to let Mr. Darling sleep but hoping that just being vertical would help. It didn't.

The clouds hung thick and low. Their great, grey presence set my mood. It was hard to be excited while my body betrayed me, but I tried to just keep busy. I sewed Christmas presents, scrubbed the floors on my hands and knees, vacuumed, and once my pains were too close together and I was too tired to do much more, I laid on the couch and watched Night At The Museum 2. I have NO IDEA what that movie was about. I think we ordered pizza for dinner, but that too was a blur.

By 1 am on Sunday, my contractions were over 1 minute long and 4 or 5 minutes apart. Weston grabbed my bag and we headed to the hospital. I felt like I was watching myself from overhead. I remember trying to walk carefully. The driveway had frozed solid and snow was falling thick and wet on top. The slick surface made me nervous. Once in the car, I watched the clock waiting for the next contraction and praying it wasn't a false labor. Weston drove slow. We could barely see the road through the snow. Soon enough, we were in the hospital and the nurse announced that I was officially in labor.

I tried the natural birth thing, but after more than 24 hours of labor, I was exhausted, and gave in to the offer of an epidural. And I am so so glad I did! Within an hour my body had relaxed enough to start pushing. With my extremely supportive husband and super experience nurse, I began the actually baby delivering process. Two brief hours after that at 9:15 am, Abigail Jean was born into our family. Weston loved her from the moment he laid eyes on her.

My first visitor was my mom, of course. She brought balloons for me and cookies for the nursing staff. She is just wonderful that way.

Soon after, my husbands family came to visit. First, Uncle Scott and Auntie Megan came by and loved on my beautiful little girl. Then Kimber and Casey came to see her. She calmly let everyone pass her around. My sweet husband passed out pink cigars for the boys!

And we got home as quick as we could so we could enjoy our adorable, tiny bundle!

Look at her hair!!!! We absolutely love playing with it and it is SO soft!

(Picture by Angie of AM Photography)

Thank you thank you everyone for the visits, well wishes, and outpouring of love. We are simply enthralled with this new little baby and so grateful to know that she already has so many people who love her. We can't wait to get to know her!

Our new bundle of Joy

2009-12-13T22:12:00.004-07:00

Amanda and I are pround to announce the birth of Abigail Jean Woodruff. She was born at 9:15 this morning, 7 pounds 5 ounces. She is healthy, happy and VERY cute. Amanda was increadible! We feel so blessed that everything went well and there were NO problems.

More to come once we catch up on our sleep; here is Amanda and a 5min old Abby.

Weighty Issues

2009-11-24T10:04:00.003-07:00

I don't have a lot to say right now except I HATE pictures of me! I cannot believe how much weight I have gained, especially in my face and arms! I don't feel like myself and looking in the mirror is shocking.

On the upside, just a couple more weeks! The nursery is now officially ready, although I have a few optional projects to keep me busy while I wait for Abby's arrival.

I am excited to meet her!!!

Luckily, I can still:

Touch my toes
Shave my legs
Paint my toenails
Sit in perfect lotus position

However, I can not:
Walk up stairs without panting
Sleep without hiccups
Eat without heartburn
Think about tomorrow without imagining my new baby girl in it

There Is No Arizona

2009-11-01T18:33:00.005-07:00

Ok, maybe there is an Arizona. My sweet Mr Darling and I have been visiting his family in Arizona while his youngest brother returns from his two year mission in Oaxaca, Mexico. We are very glad to have Kirk home and while that seeing him is fun, there are many other highlights to our trip!
We caught the same flight as most of Mr Darling's siblings and were able to sit near each other on the plane.

Our first day here, we visited Tia Rosa's where I enjoyed the salmon tacos. If you have never had these, you are missing out! The trip to Arizona is a small price to pay for just one taco. We leave tomorrow and plan to eat there one more time at lunch!
Then, Kirk arrived!
We spent the next day with Kirk and putting together a bridal shower for Kimber. Then, today was a quiet sunday and Weston and I saw a famous Arizona sunset from the balcony of his parents' home!
Tomorrow we return to our sweet home, our most beautiful puppy, and before we leave, we plan to eat at least a couple more salmon tacos!

Sorry for not blogging for so long! Hopefully this final month of our Double Income, No Kids lifestyle will be fun, productive and *painless*!

Shhh...don't tell Amanda!

2009-10-13T17:23:00.006-06:00

Hey everybody, Weston here. I have hacked in my darlings little blog in attempt to post some very sneeky pictures, hopefully I don't get into too much trouble. Anyway, so yesterday after some sweet talking, a benadryl and 2 juice boxes ;-) I was able to convince her to let me take some maternity pictures; and they turned out so good I just had to share. She is about 31 weeks along and LOVING it!!!

So, here you go world...enjoy the pictures.

Like An Apple On A Tree

2009-09-13T22:04:00.005-06:00

While taking engagement pictures for one of my dear sisters in law, I persuaded Mr Darling to pretty please take a picture or two of me for posterity and my blog...

Here we are in an apple orchard. It is fall and the trees are so heavy with apples!

And here is a picture of me standing up, so you can see Abby's little bump a bit better. I am glad Abby is healthy but she takes up so much space!

For the record, I am 6 months along and just at the end of my second trimester, which was hyped up to be the fun part. I may disagree with that, but I am still thrilled for the arrival of our little girl.

Does anyone have any recommendations for getting rid of heartburn?

A Very Merry UnBirthday

2009-09-12T22:54:00.003-06:00

It is no longer Mr. Darling's birthday, but on September 9th we celebrated his 28th anniversary of joining everyone here on this big blue and green marble!

He is my very best friend! He is always helpful, cheerful, and fun to be around! I am so glad to celebrate how wonderful he is. Thank you, Kimber for the lovely little family get together. Thank you, Sweetheart, for always being there for me. I hope you had a happy birthday and you have a wonderful 28th year!

Thanks, Casey, for the photo! I stole it from you...hope that is OK!

Keep It In Your Pantry

2009-09-11T11:40:00.004-06:00

This week we had an exciting change in our household. While many many many people claim that I am "nesting", I like to think I am improving, organizing, and preparing our home for a new addition who will take a fair amount of our time and make future projects a bit more difficult.

With that in mind and my frustration level near the breaking point, I subtly hinted to Mr. Darling to PRETTY PLEASE ask his cabinet guy to put in a pantry organizer. Mr Darling is an EXCELLENT listener and soon had plans in the works to improve this mess that had exploded onto the floor:

Where I couldn't find anything and had very little idea of what was actually in my pantry. The stacks frequently fell over and there simply wasn't room for everything.So for Labor Day, I emptied the pantry, cleaned the walls, taped, primed the walls and painted it a color called "perfect fit" which is a nice, bright yellow. The dingy, dirty yellow-orange is gone and replaced with a nice, light clean color!
Then, Mr. Darling had the new organizer installed Tuesday while I was at work. I got to come home to this lovely sight!!! Thank you, Mr. Darling!!!
Then, I spent Wednesday putting all of the food from the pantry, under the cabinets and the garage into my beautiful, organized, new pantry!!!
There is NOTHING on the floor, which is SO nice! And I can see what I have and actually get to it without knocking anything else over!!!
We plan to add some can roller shelves to the bottom and add maybe one or two more longer shelves just so I can add a few more things! Thank you thank you thank you, Sweet Husband of Mine! This is one of my most FAVORITE presents ever!!!

The Pursuit Of HappYness

2009-09-01T15:07:00.005-06:00

On one of my *winter* breaks from college, I was very very sad. I had broken up with a boy nearly a year before and while I did not regret my decision, my heart had not healed. My intuitive mother knew I that something was wrong and one day brought me a very small book.

This aptly titled tome, "The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People", has made such a difference in my life. I reread it recently and thought maybe someone out there could use a little pick me up, too.

Each "secret" begins with a title, then a short explanation. Then, each secret has an anecdote and is then followed by the research that proves the anecdote correct. I love it. None of the topics takes up more than a page front and back so if you are busy busy busy, you can still fit in a little glance on your way to wherever it is you are going.

The book addresses keeping your values, living with morals, building relationships, simplifying your life and pretty much everything else regarding day to day lifestyles.

Some of my favorites that you might not think of:

#10: Limit Yourself To Thinking About One Subject As You Fall Asleep (25% greater happiness!!!)

#26: Root For The Home Team (Increases Happiness 4%..I KNOW this one works!)

#28: Every Relationship is Different (there is no difference in happiness levels between those whose support network is primarily friends and those whose support network is primarily family)

#40: Satisfaction is Relative

#44: Eat some fruit every day (11% higher likelihood of being happy)

#68: Do Things You Are Good At

#83: Enjoy The Ordinary

Anyway, If you are interested, this book is available from amazon.com for ONLY 16 cents! Seriously! If you would like to borrow mine, I will happily lend it out as well.

Summertime

2009-08-23T20:59:00.002-06:00

Summertime is here and with it comes the wonderful time of harvest and generosity.

Yesterday I went out to the garden and pulled the carrots and onions. I also picked another zucchini. Then I was off to the berry patch to pick berries. If you have never been to the McBride Briar Patch in Mapleton, you are seriously missing out. Great berries and friendly people make it fun. Watching small children carefully sorting through the brambles trying to find the "red ones" is even more fun!

So, yesterday this is what I had on hand. Thank you McBrides for the berries and green beans!

Tomorrow, I am hoping to get these green beans and the carrots processed and into the freezer to add to soups through the frosty winter!
These beautiful berries became jam today(pictures and recipes later). The blackberries are amazingly sweet so I ended up cutting the sugar in half and I am REALLY happy with the results! Seriously, if you have time you should get some of these! I had to fight off Mr Darling and darling Pup to get these through the food mill!
And here was tonight's dinner! All the stir fry veggies came from my own garden and the chicken was cooked in a delicious Asian Spicy Plum Sauce I canned last year! I feel so domestic today!
I love this time of year and while I am sad I didn't get more planted due to my exhaustion level this summer, I am grateful that what I planted grew and that there is so much variety and bounty here in this gorgeous valley that I am still able to find good, fresh, healthy food to feed my growing little family.

Also, if you can find them, peaches are ripe and SO good...We have nearly polished off half of a box in just 2 days!

The Best Is Yet To Come

2009-08-20T23:26:00.005-06:00

I am remiss.

This last Monday marked a major milestone in Darling history.

Mr and Mrs Darling celebrated five remarkable and joyful years together.

And we are just getting started!

In honor of our anniversary, I would like to write a little note to Mr Darling and let him know how much I adore and appreciate him!

Dear, Sweet Husband,

You are truly the light in my life.

I love how happy you are.

I love how sweet, how thoughtful, and how kind you are.

I love that you teach me mercy, patience, and charity.

You made me laugh right when I met you.

I haven't stopped laughing since.

You are going to be an amazing father and I am so delighted to be the mother of your children.

You make me want to be better, learn more, and grow both my knowledge and testimony.

Thank you for choosing me and for the five wonderful years we have been able to share.

I love you.

Your (Darling) Wife