I've Been Published

Our good friend Lauren, who is a Child Life Specialist at LeBonheur, has started a blog centering around her parental experience! She recently asked me to write up a little guest column for her- here's the link:

LG's SAHM article

Enjoy!

the one where lg gets sick...

You remember how on "Friends" all the episode titles started with "the one..." ? Well, yesterday felt like an episode of "The Darby's" and the title of this one would be just what I named this post.

I have had some type of viral head and throat junk that made me think I was having yet another case of strep throat. But I learned after this past summer's experience that getting to the doctor asap helps. So off I went- throat swab, test negative, thank you, Lord. So after 2 days of antibiotics, I still felt yucky, but no time to slow down in this life!

Saturday morning rolls around, and like most Saturdays during the fall, we had a birthday party to attend. Now, we have not taken Miles to the sacred {dreaded} land of "Chuck E. Cheese"...we have heard of parents who go and they never return; children who go in as perfect angels, and come out as hellions; families who once had a few extra dollars to spend on their children, and their wallets are drained when they leave. Okay, so maybe it's not that bad...but we have somehow managed to avoid the place....until Saturday. Lucky Jared had soccer all morning, so it was up to me to take Miles to the birthday party @ said locale. Owen stayed with my wonderfully gracious mother-in-law so all of my attention could be on the birthday party attendee. I imagined it would be like a casino (now, I have not ever entered a casino, but I would imagine it to be kinda dark, no outside light, no clocks on the walls, a haze of smoke across the room, the tacky carpet in shades of maroon and hunter green...) I was wrong to a certain degree- it wasn't terribly loud (of course it was 9:30 am), the workers were all very pleasant, the games and rides weren't disgustingly stained with snot and drool. Miles didn't know quite what to think, but once he figured out that the tokens made the cars move, he was all in. He was very particular about which games got his tokens, though. Once it was time for pizza and cake (and yes, it was about 10:30 a.m.), it took some convincing to get him to the food table. Once we got there, everything was going good. We both ate a slice of pizza (at 10:30 a.m.) and a piece of cake (at 10:30 am)...then Chuck E. himself came out- and, oh, did Miles have his game face on!! But no major upsets. He played a little more and I could tell he was really getting the hang and I was going to have "that" child once the time came to get out of there! BUT luckily- I had been collecting the tickets at the few games he played that gave them out (and stolen a few from the games where kids forgot to get them after playing--- I know, I know). Lucky me, his 26 tickets got us 2 of the smallest tootsie roll suckers you could get!

I'm sure you're wondering now what all this has to do with me being sick....

Soon after we left, I felt it coming...I was quite the unpleasant sickly person all afternoon. I called our family doctor on his cell on a Saturday afternoon to tell him I had food poisoning. He told me lots of doctor jargon and said I didn't, it was just a reaction my body had to......maybe the pizza (yes, it was the pizza), maybe the cake (doubt it...), or maybe the combination of having it all at 10:30 in the morning?! Anyway you put it, I doubt you will see the Darbys making any type of trip to Chuck E. Cheese any time in the near future- birthday party or not!

Dear precious Amanda,

If you read this, know that I love your darling middle child and I'm so glad we were able to celebrate her birthday with you and I will not forever hold it against you that because of this party I had to make that dreaded first trip and that I was sick all afternoon because of it! I know we will be back there sometime soon for another sweet friend's party, this was all just written in good humor and fun! I just probably won't participate in the "eating" part of the next party...

I love you, sweet friend!!!

Recipe Share!

(turn your speakers up for some nice classical numbers)

Who isn't always looking for a good recipe?! A few weeks back, I posted a status on facebook asking for some new recipes--- I was OVERWHELMED with responses, so I figured I'd share a few of the ones I have tried out! Hope you enjoy!! Feel free to share one back with me!'

This first one is from my lovely soon-to-be sister-in-law- Lauren. Now I'll admit- it wasn't my fave--- but definitely something different and one I'll try again- maybe cut down on the lemon and add some chicken!

Creamy Lemon Fusilli w/ Tomatoes and Spinach

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. heavy cream

3 lemons, zest and juice

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 lb. fusilli pasta (or any kind of pasta, really)

6 oz. spinach (i used a little less)

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes

heat the olive oil in a saucepan. add minced garlic and let simmer. add heavy cream, lemon zest and juice and salt & pepper. bring to a boil - lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. it should begin to thicken.

cook the pasta per directions. drain and return to pot.

add lemon/cream mixture to drained pasta and cook over med-low heat for 2-3 minutes, until most of sauce is absorbed.

add spinach and cheese immediately so the spinach will wilt and cheese will melt. add tomatoes. toss. serve. enjoy.

Baked Chicken with Garlic and Tomatoes

1 1/2 pounds combo of chicken drumsticks and thighs (I used breasts b/c that's what I had on hand)

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

4 cloves garlic roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Two tablespoon olive oil

Two tablespoons dry white wine

PreHeat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Place chicken in a baking dish. Place tomatoes around chicken. Sprinkle with chopped garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and white wine. Cook for 45 – 60 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. If it starts to brown too much place foil on top to prevent burning.

(this next one is from my cousin murray ann- her mama is an excellent cook, too! and this recipe is SO good!)

Baked Chicken with White Wine, Mushrooms, Swiss, Etc.

-4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (uncooked)

-sliced mushrooms (8 oz square box or bag of fresh sliced; or, big jar of mushrooms....but i think the fresh r the best)

-swiss cheese

-1 can of cream of chicken soup

-1/2 cup of white wine (I may have added a tad bit more to make it a little more moist)

-pepperidge farm herb stuffing mix

-butter

-salt and pepper

Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix cream of chicken soup with white wine. Place chicken in a baking dish and layer w/ sliced mushrooms, swiss cheese (1 or 2 slices per chicken breast), cream of chicken soup and wine mixture, then stuffing mix. Dot with butter; bake uncovered @ 325 degrees for 45 mins to 1 hour.

If stuffing mix gets sort of brown towards the end, cover the dish with foil and keep baking! I normally cut one of the pieces of chicken open after 45 minutes to see how much longer it needs to bake.

And one last one that ISN'T a chicken dish! Murray Ann passed this one on to me, too, that she got from here. It was probably my fave- maybe add a small can of tomato sauce- it was a little dry and could have used more sauce.) OH and make sure to have some good crusty french bread!

Okay--- I did Ragu spaghetti sauce, no green onions {bleh}, fresh garlic cooked in with ground beef, and had some fresh spinach on hand, so added it in the layers. And I got to use my fabulous Gail Pittman crock in Red Kaleidoscope pattern (that I'm so sad is discontinued...)

Baked Spaghetti

1pound	ground hamburger, uncooked
8 oz.	tomato sauce (roasted garlic flavor, if possible)
8 oz.	uncooked spaghetti, broken into thirds
8 oz.	sour cream
4 oz.	cream cheese
4	green onions, chopped
2 oz.	freshly grated parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef in a frying pan until cooked. Drain fat. In a small saucepan, combine tomato sauce and cooked hamburger; simmer 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook 8 spaghetti according to package directions. Mix in a bowl the sour cream, cream cheese, and chopped green onions. In a 2 quart casserole dish, layer spaghetti, half the sour cream mixture, and the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Top with parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees 25 minutes, until bubbly. Rest 10 minutes before serving. Happy Cooking!! Wish I had taken some pics of my fabulous creations!!

The Second One...

What is it about this child that I just can't get enough of?! Now- don't get me wrong- I definitely love both of my children equally- everything about them and their little personalities (or BIG personalities as I'm beginning to see with Miles!) But with Mr. Owen I am finding myself more and more protective feeling than I was with Miles at this point (the 6 month mark). I am not "trying" to get Owen to do things (crawl, pull up, etc...) It's not that I don't want him to, it's just that I think with this one, I realize how quickly all those milestones come, and once they're here- they're gone just as fast and there's no returning to the days of having your baby be, well, a baby! I think I am feeling more and more comfortable in this new skin of "mom", also. Just for a reminder- with Miles, we had just moved into our home (out of my parent's house). So for the entire pregnancy with Miles and the first 6 months of his life- I had my mom right there and all the extra hands I needed at any given moment! Now- it is all me---don't get me wrong- I have all the help I need or want (or don't want...HA! {just kidding mama}) with both sets of parents living within a 10 mile straight line-- but, still- it's all on me to make sure they're bathed, fed, nurtured, don't watch too much tv, read to, loved, etc., etc., etc.

this.is.the.best.feeling.

This morning after my quiet time (not trying to get "holier than thou" on this one-- believe me this is a consistent struggle in my life) I was staring at Owen and all of a sudden I felt this overwhelming love from God and realized that as much as I love my children and have a desire to protect them and love them- my Lord has that much MORE love for me...it was almost a pinnacle perception---one that so many others have, but for me it was a completely fresh, new blessing for me today. Thank you Lord that even when I'm in a downright rut, You show me new ways that You love me. So today, my challenge to you (which came from the Lord through Proverbs 31 Ministries) is to not believe the lies that hold us captive in our ruts--- believe me- I've been in one- a self-defeating, pity-party, this isn't how I expected life to be kind of rut...

...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5

blessings and love to ya'll today!