Blogland Tour

I don't know exactly when it happened, but when it did, I knew it was going to be great. I met Brooke sometime within the last year or so.  We were both expecting our first babies and due about the same time.  It was awesome to share our pregnancies with each other (She has an adorable and incredibly stylish little girl!).  Not only that, it's amazing how many things our little families have in common, especially our hubbies.   Go check out Brooke's blog!

Brooke nominated me to be the next stop on the tour through blogland (Thank you Brooke!), and set me up with some questions. So here goes:
What am I working on right now? I think the better question for me right now is "what am I not working on?"  My typical Darby Fashion would start and finish something well and fast, so as to race through a perfectly color coded to do list.  Right now, however, I am a hot mess.  I have about 3 bazillion projects going on at the same time, and I don't know where to start so I will start a new project.  I've got half of the laundry done, 39 unfinished blog drafts, 4 craft projects on my dining room table, 3 recipes I'm testing in the kitchen, 3 piles of papers I should be grading right now (don't worry kiddos if you're reading this I will have them done for you by tomorrow morning), 5 books started with a bookmark in the middle laying around the house, part of Dutch's baby album finished, and really I could go on and on with this list.  So I think my new process of working on projects is different: I can't stay as focused as I used to on one thing so I do a lot of little parts instead.  I'm not sure how effective this is (in fact, I'm pretty sure it isn't effective at all), but this is where I am right now at this point in my life.  I'm a little messier and a lot slower than I used to be but I'm learning to accept this aspect of my new life.  I know it is just a phase and wont last forever so I'm embracing the fact that my dishwasher door is open and half loaded.  
Why do I write/create what I do? Why do I blog? Because I adore the blogging community.  It has encouraged me in more ways than I could list.  In short though, blogging makes me a better person.  Sounds crazy, right?  Not really.  I have met so many amazing women (in real life) as a result of blogging that have changed me.  They have encouraged me psychologically, spiritually, relationally, professionally, creatively, etc. Why do I make new recipes? Because, quite honestly, I love to eat :-) Why do I craft?  I find such joy in making things with my hands.  Creating something is relieving for me....and a lot cheaper than therapy lol (refer to Monday's post on Steel Magnolias ha!) Why do I take a million pictures? I certainly do not have any plans or dreams of becoming a photographer.  I don't have that kind of talent, but I do find photography to be a fun learning experience and hobby for me.  I think everyone should have something that they find fun to work on or to learn.  It's always a good thing to be growing.  Photography is my thing I like to learn about and grow in.  I find it fun, but I do apologize for clogging up your social media feeds.  I get a little carried away sometimes ooops!
How does my writing/creative process work? If you refer to the first question, you might be thinking: chaotic. For the most part, you would be correct in that assumption.  Generally though, I will get an idea while I'm exercising or showering and then I just research my options and dive in.  I don't think too much about it and I just go.  Most of the time this is good, because I don't leave myself time to think or develop fear and back out.
Ok so there you have it! If you would like to be the next stop on the tour, leave a comment! Happy Wednesday folks!

Lessons From Steel Magnolias

Hey friends!  I know I have been back and forth, but I’m trying my best to get back regular here. 

Truth is:

I miss blogging,

I miss you,

and I’m struggling to juggle the whole mom, wife, and professor gig.

But I’m working on it.  I’ve got a million drafts written, and I just need to add a few tweaks and get them published.  Thanks for your patience!

Okay enough of the apologies, it’s time to get to business.  As any true southern girl will admit, Steel Magnolias typifies the traditional southern lifestyle.  I am no different.  The movie is a classic and I can relate to it in more ways than I can count!  With this year being the 25th anniversary of the movie, I think we should reflect upon the 10 lessons we can learn from Steel Magnolias.  I think you will agree with every single one :-)

image

“1. Pain Does Not Discriminate. When we meet Shelby she seems like a spoiled princess with every advantage. Then she nearly falls into a diabetic coma at the beauty parlor and we feel like jerks for misjudging her.  That one early scene reveals the heart of the whole film: everyone suffers; try not to do it alone.

2. Holidays & Events Are Meant To Be Celebrated. And unless that celebration can be seen from space, it doesn’t count.

3. ‘Thirty Minutes of Wonderful’ Is Better ‘Than A Lifetime Of Nothing Special’.

4. ‘Personal Tragedy [Should] Not Interfere With [The] Ability To Do Good Hair’.  Or wash your face. Or put on a pretty dress. Southern women understand half the battle to regain your footing is looking the part.

5. Perfection Is A Myth. Also, boring. Every character in the film is his or her own brand of crazy, and as such, none seem crazy at all.  They seem human.  Which is why we love them so dearly.  We should be so kind to ourselves.

6. Old Southern Women Are ‘Supposed To Grow Vegetables In The Dirt’. And wear silly hats. An utter off-color remarks. Eccentricity is our birthright.

7. There Is No Such Thing As ‘Too Much’. This applies to hair, jewelry, laughter, heel height, cake, cleavage, pulled pork, emotion, faith, persistence, and revelation.  Contrary to the old adage, less is actually less, and more is divine.

8. Busy Is Better Than Therapy. Just as M’Lynn goes right on cooking as Shelby delivers the news of her health-threatening pregnancy, women know that when calamity comes knocking, you don’t sit on your fanny and do nothing.  Productivity beats wallowing every time.

9. Women Can, Should, And Do Share Everything. TMI did not exist in the world of Steel Magnolias, and the women were the better for it.

10. Life Is A Joking Matter.  Southerners know the more serious the situation, the more critical it is that we laugh.  Humor is as lifesaving as any flotation device in the rough sea.”

Happy Monday sweet friends :-)

Glock, A. (2014, October). 10 Things I learned from Steel Magnolias. Southern Living, 49(10), 111.

“Uh Oh, It Broke. Mommy Fix It”

My best friend was watching Dutch the first week I went back to work, and it was a HUGE blessing.  It helped both Dutch and I transition into our new routine.  One of the best parts though, was getting to see my best friend and her boys when I got home from work.  One day when I returned from work, the older boy (2 years old, whom I will refer to as Mark Twain for the purpose of this story), saw that the table top for Dutch’s Bumbo had fallen off.  Thinking that it was broken, Mark Twain immediately looked at me and said, “Uh oh! It broke! Mommy fix it.”  This phrase hung around in my memory for several days.  It got me thinking about how when things break in our world whether it be physically, mentally, or relationally, we immediately try to fix it ourselves.  This is not what Mark Twin did though.  Without any worry or hesitation, he immediately looked to his mom, his caregiver, and had complete confidence that she could fix it.  There was no crying or concern; he was not anxious about anything.  As Christians this is what we are called to do.  When worries or problems arise we are not supposed to take them on ourselves.  If you are like me and have tried this, then you know we will always fail.  Instead, we are to immediately hand over our struggles to the Lord who promises to take care of us.  We should have complete confidence in His ability, because after all He can see much further into the past, present, and future than we can.

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalms 55:22

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:25

I guess it is true what they say: children really can teach us so much about our own relationship with God.  Thank you Mark Twain for reminding me where I should place my trust.

The Time of My Life

I am not a fan of summer.  It's just not my season, and I don't even really have a reason for not liking it.  However, now that the fall has officially commenced (due to school, not the weather obviously), I am looking back on the best summer I have ever had.  The past three months have been the best months of my life and I treasure them dearly.

This summer I didn't:

go to the beach, or on vacation

read a book or magazine by the pool

work in my garden

go shopping

catch up on sleep

do a single DIY project

rarely cooked, blogged, or saw the sun

watch a single baseball game

host a bbq

prep for the school year

look forward to the fun of the fall and Christmas season

This summer I did:

go days without a shower

spend days covered in spit-up

woke up all hours of the night and rocked a baby to sleep

mastered the art of 7 loads of laundry a week

figured out cloth diapers

washed pump parts multiple times a day

rarely peeled my yoga pants off (and if I did it was to put on my skinny jeans or leggings and a maternity shirt)

forgot about email

walked around the neighborhood with a stroller

learned all about baby poop (color, scent, & texture)

played on the floor

read children books

watched all 10 seasons of Greys Anatomy

watched the 4th of July fireworks on TV

mastered the majority of communication with the outside world through my cell phone

wore a nice spot on the couch that matches the shape of my new giant rear-end

learned that Saturday and Sunday means nothing

built a stock of breastmilk for my return to work

discovered hgtv, diy network, and Chopped!

To be honest I didn't miss a single activity that I would have normally done in the summer.  Not one. My perspective has completely shifted.  Instead, this summer ended up being the best of my entire life, and I'm sad to see it end.  For the first time ever I am holding onto and day dreaming of the "dog days of summer" and looking forward to the fun of next summer!

Scalloped Fettuccini

Like I mentioned last Friday, I’m a big fan of cheese and carbs.  Pasta is my all time favorite comfort food. Yum! Going back to work has been tough and called for some comfort food that I can easily & quickly whip up so all of my extra time is spent snuggling with my little boy.  This might become a new staple in our house!

Ingredients

1 lb fettuccine noodles
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper, to taste
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
coconut oil
1 lb scallops
Italian parsley, to garnish

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Over warm heat, melt together butter and cream.  Add cheese and stir as it melts, then add salt & pepper to taste.  Reduce heat to low.
2. Heat coconut oil in a skillet on low-medium heat.  Add in scallops and brown on both sides for about a minute and a half.  It will not take long to cook the scallops.  If you leave them on the heat too long they will end up chewy (like shrimp).  So pay very close attention.
3. When the scallops are done add them and the cooked pasted to the alfredo sauce and mix. 
4. Dish up your pasta and garnish with parsley.
5. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Happy Monday!

Friday 5 Facts

I’ve shared some random facts before (here & here) and it’s been a long time since I shared.  Too long.  So I’m fixing that today my friends!

1. Bangs- I have not had bangs since I was in 2nd grade.  That was several decades ago folks.  I need a hair cut badly because these split ends are about to drive me up the wall.  I’m actually contemplating getting bangs again, but I’m so nervous!  I’ve got a round face, and the last thing I need is to accentuate my chipmunk cheeks with bangs. Decisions decisions!
2. Comb- I don’t know why my focus is my hair today, but it is. Ha!  I never brush my hair; I only comb it.  I feel like brushing my hair is so aggressive so I only brush it with a wooden comb.
3. Food Groups- My all time favorite things to consume: chocolate, carbs, cheese, and coffee.  I think I should have the authority to change the food guide pyramid. Don’t you?
4. Snoring- I absolutely love to hear Dutch and the puppies snore.  The Mr. and I will mute the TV so we can hear them snore.  We just think it is the sweetest and funniest sound.
5. Back to School- I went back to work last week and Dutch started school this week.  Everyone told me that it would be tough to return to work, and I believed them; I really did!  But like most things you don’t understand until you experience it, I was blown away by how tough this was going to be.  Tuesday, Dutch’s first day, was terrible!  Both Dutch and I struggled all day long being away from each other.  Wednesday was better but it was still pretty tough.  We are navigating this uncharted territory (to us) and really learning a lot.  This has been the toughest back to school week for me.  Each day is getting better, but I still rush through the day to go get my baby boy from school.  I know logically that what I am doing is good for him, and now I just need to wait for my emotions (errrrr hormones) to get on the same page.  Dutch doesn’t know this yet, but after this week I’ve decided I’m officially going to college with him.  Think he will be okay with that? ;-)

Tell me some random facts about you! Have a great weekend!!!

Spatchcocked Chicken

A friend of ours introduced this type of roasted chicken to us and it is A.MAZ.ING.  This meal takes 30 minutes tops (including the prep work), and only 1 pan!

Spatchcocking is just the process of removing the back bone of a natural fry chicken.  When you get your chicken from the butcher ask them to remove the bone.  It makes the chicken flat and faster to roast while still maintaining the juices and yumminess.  This does not cost more money.  My entire chicken (organic & natural) was $5.41.

Ingredients:

1 spatchcocked chicken

salt & pepper

2-15 oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained

Italian parsley

Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Place in a cast iron skillet and cook at 500 degrees for 15 minutes.

2. Add chickpeas into the skillet and roast for 15 more minutes.  Add the parsley before serving.

3. Enjoy!

What I’m Lovin’ Wednesday: Milkies

Whoever said “there is no use crying over spilt milk” was clearly a big fat liar or not an exclusive breast feeder and they deserve to be punched in the gut (I kid of course…..no punching, but maybe I nice talk’n to).  I have definitely cried over spilling my milk and feel that it is completely justified!  The stuff has greater value than gold! I’d heard of Milkies before but I didn’t want to spend extra money on another product, that is, until I got closer to going back to work and realized how precious every drop of breast milk was.  Milkies is an insert that slides into your nursing tank/bra to collect the milk that leaks while you’re nursing on the other side.  I was noticing how absorbed my nursing pads were and was frustrated because my child could be having that instead of it being wasted and thrown in the trash. So I ordered the Milkies.  These things are amazing!  I had no idea how much milk I was wasting and now I don’t have to.  They really are easy to use, comfortable, and collect up to 4 oz. that you can dump into a bottle or freezer bag. I highly recommend Milkies for mamas who are going back to work, or have a low supply and want to make the most of every drop.

Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post; I just really like this product.

Indian Butter Chicken

I posted this picture on Instagram last week not thinking too much of it.  Because of the number of responses and comments I received, I decided that I better post this recipe stat! This was my first attempt at making Indian Butter Chicken, but I'm sure I will be making this again; it was yummmmmmmy!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken tenders cut into smaller cubes
salt & pepper
4 tbs unsalted better, divided
basmati rice
small onion
3 tsp curry
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground ginger
6 oz tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed & drained
cilantro
naan

Directions:

1. Salt and pepper chicken.  Brown the chicken in a skillet with 1-2 tbs butter, and set aside.
2. Prepare basmati rice following the instructions on the container. 
3. Melt 1 tbs of butter in a stock pot.  Add onion and cook on medium heat until translucent (4-5 minutes).  Add curry, chili powder, & ginger to the onions and stir for a couple minutes.  Add in tomato paste & sauce, then stir again.  And lastly, stir in the cream.  Once everything is incorporated, add the browned chicken, reduce the temperature to low and cook for 30 minutes stirring frequently. 
4. About 5-10 minutes before serving, add the peas, and 1 tbs of butter to the tomato cream. 
5. Serve the butter chicken over the basmati rice, garnished with cilantro and naan for dipping.
6. Enjoy!

Lapped By A Fanny Pack

In the morning Dutch & I go walking to work on our baby fat (Dutch it lookin’ to gain, and I’m lookin’ to lose…thus he sleeps while I walk).  Anyways there is an elderly woman with an obviously serious case of osteoporosis & a large fanny pack that we see.  She walks every morning and I see her through the kitchen window walking again when I’m doing dishes after dinner in the evening. When we walk in the morning this woman passes us every day.  I mean this woman is bookin’ it through the neighborhood.  It’s both embarrassing and inspirational.  She motivates me every morning to do better and try harder.   Ah-maz-ing fanny pack woman!  See how small she is in this picture?! That’s because she is so fast I can’t get my camera out fast enough after she passes us. Happy Friday!  Go and be a fanny pack woman! hehe

Keep’n it Real…..Again

It’s been a while since I shared some “real” pictures with y’all (here & here). It’s time to confess again. Here is what my living room looks like these days: a tangled mess of baby products & laundry.  To be honest, I love my new living room “décor”.

Baby Boy Pumpkin Patch

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I was dreading the fall.  I still am.  In an effort to change my perspective, the Mr. & I have been thinking about activities we will get to do this fall.  These activities we have done before, but this year we get to share them with Dutch.  Going to the pumpkin patch this fall is going to be so much fun.  Yes we will be those parents that take a bazillion pictures with our kid leaned up against a pumpkin just to get the one perfect shot.  Of course the Houston weather will not have received the memo that the temps are supposed to drop in the fall and so my kid will be overdressed.  Oh well!

Baby Boy Pumpkin Patch by darbyhawley featuring a khaki hat

I’m co-hosting over with Kelly & Megan for Trendy Tot Tuesday.  Stop by and link up :-)

An InLinkz Link-up

Men In Spanx

I saw this yesterday and I die laughing every time I watch it.  I hope you get some Friday laughs from this lol Click here if you’re having trouble accessing the video. Happy Friday!

No Fall Please

I am a fall person.  You know it, I know it, the man on the moon knows it!  I love the season…the leaves, the food, the sports (oh how I love the football), the festivities & holidays, my pumpkin spice lattes, and the fashion (I have way too many boots to be living in Houston).

But not this year.  I’m not looking forward to fall. Not at all. 

For the first time in years, I’m loving summer and in denial that fall is right around the corner.

You see “fall” is synonymous with “work” in my mind right now.  I can’t believe that my 3.5 months of my maternity leave are almost over.  I just can’t believe it.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like my job (I still really love & enjoy the work that I do), but I am not ready to leave my sweet little boy at home while I’m away during the day.  Just the thought of it brings unbelievably large crocodile tears to my eyes.  I’m not ready, and I’ll probably never be ready for it (not for his first day of kindergarten, or college, or his wedding day….none of it!).  Dutch and I have been attached, literally, for over a year.  Not having him with me all day every day makes my heart just ache and my stomach fall to my feet.

I know that I’m going to blubber my way all the way to school that first day back (let me be honest here, we all know that those crying sessions are going to occur more than just the first day).  I know that this is going to be a huge learning curve from everything to learning to juggle working outside of the home with motherhood and being a wife, to accepting that I am not going to be perfect or an overachiever in any area of my life.  I’ve got a lot of lessons that I’m getting ready to start learning.

If you have done this before, please share your tips with me.  What will make this easier for Dutch? What will make this easier for me?  Please say a prayer for us if you get a chance while we prepare for this transition. 

For now, I’m embracing every single hot day in Houston this summer.  I am NOT complaining about the heat.  I am NOT filling my agenda with “to do’s” and extra events.  I am NOT freaking out about meeting deadlines.  I am NOT counting down the hours of baby snuggles; I’m cherishing them.  I’m staying around the house in my pj’s all day loving on my baby.

Summer Baby Boy

Before I found out Little Peep’s gender, I was shopping for baby clothes.  (Doesn’t every new mama do that?!)

I quickly noticed how larrrrrrge the little girl clothing section was, and how incredibly small the little boy clothing selection was.  Since then I quickly found stores and brands that had the best selections for boys.  This summer we haven't spent much time outside yet with Dutch, but here are some of the clothes we will be sporting next summer.  rhino gingham shirt - chambray shorts – crab swim trunks – “one” onesie – rugby shirt – star flip flops – plaid shirt – overalls

Today, I’m link up with Megan & Kelly for Trendy Tot Tuesday; hop over and see some other great styles for kiddos!