Summertime

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

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

I Saw The Sign

Whenever I see a sign like this....

All I want to do is turn left....

Photo Credit: Right Lane Must Turn Right by Manish Bansal

Thank Heaven For Little Girls

Here are our second set of baby pictures of Baby Woodruff! We are very excited to introduce everyone to Abigail Jean Woodruff! You can tell she is going to be super adorable! I mean, look at that bone structure!
And here are her little feet together! At the ultrasound you could actually see each and every one of her little metatarsels!
Rather than have the ultrasound technician announce it to us at the appointment, we had her write it down and gave the sealed envelope to my adorable BFF (who has been integral these last few months!). Ashley then baked us a cake, enclosing the gender in pink or blue form within a delicious confection meant to be shared.
Later that night at Brick Oven, we sliced open the cake and....tada! IT'S A GIRL!!!!
Thank you to everyone who attended my slightly over the top gathering and I hope everyone else had fun, too! Thank you to my sister in law who chose two very cute outfits I am sure will come in handy.

And I am just so excited and overwhelmed at the idea of being the mother to a little girl! I am already shopping for cute little girl outfits!!! Thanks to a very convenient coupon to baby gap, here are a couple of the things I have found so far to keep Abby warm this winter!

Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys

Spanish Fork Fiesta Days is a few weeks past, but I couldn't not post about it. Sweet Husband and I started the morning with his mom and dad wandering around the festivities. Our local Segway shop had set up a course and we couldn't pass it by!

Then we ate BBQ Sandwiches with Texas Twisters and Tornado Potatoes but we did decide to pass on the deep fried oreos and twinkies. Then, after a brief nap, it was off to the rodeo!!! We saw patriotic cowgirls...

And bucking broncos...

And some really nasty falls...

Mr. Darling and I enjoyed watching and photographing the crazy antics of the cowboys and I hope that the in laws enjoyed it as well!!

And here I am at about 21 Weeks. This night marked the first night that I couldn't button my jeans...but I am past the half way mark!!!