Call me Kate.

Existential Safety Commission

2011-11-17T09:45:00.000-08:00

For a change of pace, I'm posting a music video by my brother and his band. They are called the Existential Safety Commission. Enjoy!

China...6 months late

2011-09-28T19:08:00.001-07:00

What an amazing trip! We went from Bejing to Xian to Guilin and finally to Shanghai (with lots of small towns in between). I could write a novel about our trip, but I won't because it would never get posted. So here are some of our favorites... The Great Wall, the beautiful gardens, the majestic scenery, the Terracotta Soldiers, the delicious food (however we didn't not want anything to do with Chinese food for several months after we got back), the unique culture, and last but not least the people. We met some wonderful friends on the trip, who really made our trip memorable. We had many wonderful adventures that we will never forget.

The Great Wall

Beautiful China

The Dragon Spine Terraces (my favorite)

Terracotta Soldiers

Real Terracotta soldiers above (fake ones below)

Ancient China

Dumplings Anyone?

These dumplings were shaped like what was inside. This one was duck. Super cute.

We love China

Ryan making friends

We saw an acrobatic show in Shanghai. Amazing!

Shopping in Shanghai (I am the world's worst barterer)

Our morning calisthenics with the locals

Friends

If any of you are interested in visiting China check out ChinaSpree, great company.
It was our favorite vacation by far. You gotta go to China.

Kisses

2011-06-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

This kiss is for Grandma Darby. We have been trying hard over here to keep posts up on our blog. Just for you. We love you!

Our Little Angel

2011-06-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

After a day full of tantrums, it always makes me happy to walk in and see this... Our Little Sleeping Angel. After 2 years of watching her sleep, it still hasn't gotten old. She'll probably think I am creepy when I am sneaking in to watch her sleep at 16, but oh well.

Yucky!

2011-06-21T11:54:00.001-07:00

You should see my and Ryan's skin. We look ten years younger. Last week we had a very intense exfoliating mud bath. Actually it was the San Bernadino Sheriff's Department 5K Mud Run. It was a blast. Along side with some great friends we trampled through mud pits, weaved though obstacles, ran up and down muddy slopes, and got dirt, sand, and mud in every crevice imaginable. You can see from the pictures below that we got just a little dirty. We can't wait to do it again next year. So much fun! Thanks Kent and Nellie for inviting us.

Looking Forward to a Beautiful Summer

2011-06-13T08:30:00.001-07:00

My little brother Chris is marrying this "Beautiful Summer" in August. We cannot wait!

April Visitors

2011-05-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am trying to post at least monthly (thanks to some strong encouragement from my mother-in-law). It is going to be rough but I will do my best. I have no idea how you ladies find time to blog so frequently. You must lock your kids in the closet while you blog or something. Anyways, here is my attempt at giving you a quick update for April.

At the beginning of April my brother had spring break, so he and his adorable girlfriend Summer came down to visit. We had a great time going to Sea World, the Padres game, and just hanging out as a family.

Also in April there was a big national holiday, hope you got the day off 'cause we did. Kate turned 2!! We had a fun pool party for Kate and her friends. It was not the warmest of days to have a pool party but Kate didn't care. We could not get her out of the pool despite her purple and shivering body. Turns out she is hypercolor like her mother.

Happy belated Easter everyone. We had fun helping Kate learn all that Easter had to offer. Dying your fingers, receiving fun presents from the Easter Bunny and eating more candy in one day than she has in the first 2 years of her life. We had fun hunting for eggs (indoors- it was a little wet on Easter).

Here is our beautiful little girl and "Baby" with their matching Easter dresses.

To finish off our month of visitors, my wonderful sister and her girls came down for a week. Kate had so much fun playing with her cousins and I enjoyed every moment of having my sister around. I miss her tons!

We had a busy and fun filled April. We are enjoying our great California weather and looking forward to more fun in the sun this summer.

I promise there will still be a China post coming.

We're Back

2011-04-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

I know it has been ages since I have posted anything on our blog, but I thought I would try to do a catch up (Cliff's Notes version) of what we have been up to the past several months. See ya in another 6 months (ha, ha).

November

2011-04-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of November we had some family pictures taken by our very talented friend Nina Seibert of Blackbird Ink Photography. It was a little challenging to get pictures with a very busy 18 month old, but Nina miraculously managed to snag some cute ones (including the picture at our blog header).

Growing up we would occasionally have holidays spent at my Dad's fire station. This year my Dad's work schedule once again landed on Thanksgiving, so off we went to the fire station. We got to have a delicious Thanksgiving meal provided by the great firefighter chefs. Always a great time.

DECEMBER

2011-04-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Anyone who knows me knows that this is my favorite month of the whole year. I just love Christmas and we had a wonderful one. We got to spend time with both of our families. And Kate and I even got to have our very first White Christmas. Here are a few shots of our Christmas fun!

Meeting Santa... Kate loved Santa from afar but not quite sure about the hairy old man up close.

Enjoying the "snow" at Disneyland

A little Christmas baking

The cast of the 2010 Darby Christmas Eve Nativity

Christmas Morning

Trying out the new baby stroller

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

JANUARY

2011-04-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! We started the year off right with some good exercise.

The second half of the month we were separated from Daddy as Kate and I went to Washington to visit my sister. Kate had a blast with her cousins.

When we got back from Washignton Ryan left for a psychology conference. At the end of the month we were very happy to finally be home and back together. We always miss our beautiful home town when we are away.

FEBRUARY

2011-04-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

The month of love... cute faces... and beautiful weather (well at least in California)

MARCH

2011-04-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

March started sad but ended happy. March was the month that our Disneyland passes came to an end. We had such a wonderful year full of many Magical visits to Disneyland. We will always remember this as the happiest year of our lives. Here are some pictures of our last visit.

March ended happy because Ryan and I took a wonderful trip to China, just the two of us, while Kate vacationed in Murrieta,CA with my parents. I think she had just as much fun as we did. She LOVES her Mammo and Poppo. We will do post dedicated to China a little later.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

2010-11-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

Playing Peek-a-Boo...

Dancing...

Feeding myself (and just eating in general)...

My Bellybutton...

My monkey backpack and climbing on chairs...

Minnie Mouse (Kate is very good at making sure she gets fed)

Playing "Hide the Pig" with Daddy (said Pig pictured below)

Hanging Upside Down...

And last but definitely not least... Eliza Diehl!

A Fun Filled October

2010-11-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy but fun month filled with many adventures and even more welcome visitors. Here are some of the fun things we've been up to this month...

The most important of all the events took place at the beginning of this month...
Kate started NURSERY!!!

And of course she LOVES it. As long as there are friends and toys she is happy.

Several trips to DISNEYLAND.
I could be there every day and be happy.

Can't get enough of that holiday decor. Love it!

Kate's not quite sure she likes meeting Chip

It was a bit wet the day we went with Ryan's parents, but that made for an empty Disneyland. We decided we are buying galoshes and going every time it rains.

We had a blast with Ryan's parents at Disneyland. They got so excited over all the rides. It was like watching 5 year olds at Disneyland for the first time. Thanks again for visiting!

Fall fun at the Bates Nut Farm

What a cute kid

Family photo op

Look how big our Kate has gotten. Almost a year later to the day.
6 months

18 months

Pumpkin carving fun... and watching the Charlie Brown and Garfield Halloween Specials (Classic!)

And finally... HALLOWEEN!!!!
Kate was a chick/duck this year. We weren't quite sure which one it was supposed to be so we settled with "Adorable Bird".

With my parents at our ward's Trunk-or-Treat

Our wonderful friends Chris and Lyndsey brought their adorable kids and joined in on the fun.

Side profile. That little tail wiggled as she walked
(actually Kate never walks--so ran) around. So cute!

Farmer Sarah and Scarecrow Ryan

Look at that excited face

Getting the goods

Kate with her BFF Eliza

And remember kids Colgate works best to get that leftover chocolate ring off your face.
(One family was passing out candy and toothpaste. Awesome!)

We had a great Halloween, and October for that matter. Hope yours was great too. We are now listening to Christmas music with gusto and hoping for the best holiday of them all to come quickly.

Summer of Fun

2010-09-15T22:42:00.001-07:00

Summer is now over :( but what a wonderful summer it was. We got to do and see a lot. I've been promising my mother-in-law some pictures, so here is a brief synopsis of what we've been up to.

Camping!!! (Humboldt Redwoods St. Park, Oregon Coast, and Washington Olympic Peninsula)

Seeing all the sights

No photoshop. It really was this green.

The Crazies in Seattle

Looks like the Sound of Music... who knew they filmed it in Washington

A Very Happy Anniversary to Us in Portland!!!

Visiting with Family

At home in La Jolla... thanks for visiting us Grant and Sharon

In Washington with the Leinenbach's... Kate LOVED playing with her cousins!

And just goofing around....

Kate will talk on anything that is rectangular shape... cell phone, remote control, granola bar

It was a wonderful summer watching our Katelyn grow. She is getting so big and is just a jabber box. She is learning new words every day it seems. She is so much fun and keeps us on our toes. We are loving every minute of it!

A Belated Happy

2010-05-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Mother's Day (2 1/2 weeks ago)! I was lucky enough to be spoiled by my sweet hubby and the cute little face pictured below. Hope yours was great too.

Casting Call

2010-04-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

So there have been many requests for the story of how Kate got her purple arm. So here it is... we don't know. I wish we had a story to tell, but unfortunately we don't. Kate is a tough girl and did not show many signs of it being injured. There was no big fall or ear shrieking scream. Around the time of the mysterious incident, Kate had been practicing her walking skills and wasn't crawling quite as often. She would play with her toys and pull herself up to stand as if nothing was wrong, but on the rare occasion that she would crawl we noticed that she was using her right forearm instead of her right hand. We of course thought that was odd, but just continued to watch it. We started noticing that when put into her car seat Kate would make a face and sometimes a small groan when pulling her right arm through the straps. Finally, as Kate started crying when she had the smallest of falls, that would normally be no big deal, we made an appointment to see the doctor and sure enough BROKEN! We felt horrible that we let it go so long. We thought it was a strain at most because of how normal she was acting. I guess we just have a tough kid. The cast has not been holding Kate back though. She is just as active , if not more, as she was before. This girl loves to run around. Kate gets to keep this darling souvenir (that is starting to smell like foot) for another week and a half and then she will be able to enjoy bath time once again. We cannot wait.

Kate's Big Disney Day

2010-04-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

On Monday we lost a baby... and gained a toddler. That's right, our precious little Kate turned one. Unbelievable, I know! And we could not think of a better place to celebrate that first birthday than with a first visit to DISNEYLAND!! Kate's first birthday and first Disneyland visit on the same day. Can't get any better than that. We had a great time riding rides and walking around the park, checking out Minnie's house (definitely a favorite) and eating churros. It made for a perfect day. After we soaked up all the Disneyland fun we could, we headed home for presents and delicious cake and ice cream with Mammo, Poppo, and Great-Grandma Lillenberg, and Grandma and Grandpa Darby via Skype. Here are some pictures of Kate's big day. (Apologies for not knowing how to make those cute photo collage things. You're just going to have to risk getting carpal tunnel and scroll down to view our many bday photos)

Starting off the day with some Mickey Mouse pancakes

Best Mouse ear photo we could get.
She would only keep it on for .3 seconds.
And yes if you look close you will see a very cute little purple cast on Kate's right arm. First cast before first birthday :(

Can't you just feel the Disney excitement?!

Strolling down Main Street with Daddy

Happy Disney family

Just in case we forgot how old she was turning

Another great strategy of getting the sword out of the stone- eat it!

Kate literally watched the Minnie's dishwasher run for a solid 10 minutes. Favorite part of the day.

I just love walking into Disneyland and being greeted by Mickey's floral face. And NO I am not pregnant, even though this picture may suggest otherwise.

Time for PRESENTS!! However, Mommy was much more into it than Kate. We had to bribe Kate to open her presents.

Mommy worked long and hard on this cake that would only take moments to destroy.

"Happy Birthday too you..."

Delicious! Kate loved her first taste of cake. And going...

Going...

GONE!!!

We can't speak for Kate, but Ryan and I had a BLAST celebrating our big girl's first birthday. It has definitely been the best year of our lives. We are so grateful for our sweet Kate. She brings smiles and happiness to our life every day. We love you Kate!!!

An Eggcellent Easter

2010-04-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Spring day in Southern California and a perfect first Easter for our Sweet Kate. The Easter Bunny made a visit bring a basket full of goodies and later in the day we had fun in the backyard searching for eggs. Kate loved shaking the candy filled eggs like maracas. We could have filled them with rocks and she would have been just as happy. We are so grateful for the atoning sacrifice of our Savior and His resurrection that we get to celebrate this time of year. We hope you all had a wonderful Easter filled with sugary goodness.

Loving Life...

2010-03-01T15:33:00.001-08:00

and therefore too busy to blog. We have been a little absent in our blogging because we are just enjoying life way too much. Kate is crawling around and exploring everything in sight. Everything is new and so exciting to her which makes it so much fun for us. We are just loving life with our sweet little Kate. Here are some of the things that Kate loves...

Kate loves to look out the window...

Read books, or at least turn the pages...

And loves to be on the go...

This girl loves her Cherrios...

Her big girl sippy cup...

And giving big goofy smiles...

Kate loves to eat (gnaw on) EVERYTHING...

Katelyn loves playing with her Daddy...

Playing on the swings...

and doing this when we say "hooray!"

And of course Kate loves to steal the camera away when Mom is taking pictures.

We love our sweet sweet Kate. She is the joy in our lives.

Awesome Giveaway

2010-01-29T20:45:00.000-08:00

A very generous Rachel Thurston is trying to spread her photographer name, and so doing is giving away a trip to Seattle to one lucky winner. There has to be 100+ people to post a comment for the giveaway to be valid, so sign up and spread the word. http://www.rachelthurston.com/blog/

Good-bye Clean House

2010-01-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

It's official. We have a crawler.

Yoga Instructor

2010-01-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

Kate has acquired so many new skills recently, one of which is yoga instructor. Kate helps me get into proper position as I do my yoga.

So Proud

2010-01-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

I loves Kate's face here. She is so proud of her walking skills.

Self Sufficient...

2010-01-22T07:16:00.000-08:00

Well almost. Kate had her first fully self fed meal yesterday. It was fun to watch her feed herself, but not so fun to clean up afterward. Kate is getting so big so fast. She is 9 months now. I cannot believe it. In my head it feels like she should be 3 months or something. It is all going way to fast.

Kate had her 9 month doctor visit yesterday and she is a whopping 15lb 6 oz and is 26 3/4 inches tall. She moved from the 2nd percentile to the 4th percentile on her weight, so she is practically ginormous now. Kate is loving to walk around with her "old lady walker." Last week she was immobile and now she is all over the place. Needless to say we've been baby proofing the house all week. Here are some pics of our big 9 monther.

Kate and Daddy chewing on their fingers

Kate loves Minnie Mouse. Her mother couldn't be more proud.

Practicing for the band

Kate is so proud of her new skills. It is fun to watch her get excited when she learns something new. And I'm sure the fact that she has her own personal cheering squad doesn't hurt.

I guess the holidays are over...

2010-01-15T12:42:00.000-08:00

With much regret I have to finally admit that the holidays are over. It is, as the songs say, "the most wonderful time of the year." We had a wonderful holiday season spent with family. First Thanksgiving with the Darby clan and then Christmas with all the Lillenbergs (expect for Jaymie and family- we missed you!) More wonderful memories built. There are going to be a lot of pictures so hold tight. Here is our Christmas in pictures...

And now the count down to Christmas 2010 begins!

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-21T22:11:00.001-08:00

Jenna Grace Lillenberg

2009-11-19T15:15:00.000-08:00

My beautiful niece was born on November 10th at 9:03pm. We are so excited Jenna is finally here. Congratulations to Josh and Marisa!

Big Giraffes and Little Giraffes

2009-11-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

Since Kate was a giraffe for Halloween, we just had to take her to the zoo to meet the rest of her kind. We had a lot of fun, but I think this is the last time we take her to the zoo dressed up. We got way too much attention. Kind of creepy when 40 something year old men take pictures of your baby on their iPhone.

Hooray for Halloween

2009-11-06T13:58:00.000-08:00

Halloween was super fun this year because thanks to Kate we got to go Trick-or-Treating. I have not done that in over a decade. We only went to 3 of our neighbors doors, but it was still nice to be out there. This year for Halloween Ryan wore another "Ryan Created" costume. I'm not going to even try to explain what he is because it will just cause too much confusion, but let me just say that he isn't a clown. And our little Kate made one adorable giraffe. Holidays are so much more fun with Kate around!

And of course we had to get some pictures of the giraffe in her natural habitat.

Pumpkins and Half Birthdays

2009-10-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

I just love having all these firsts with Kate. This week we headed out to the Bates Nut Farm to enjoy a nice autumn day, pick out pumpkins and celebrate Kate's Half Birthday. We were even blessed to have Mammo and Poppo (my parents) join us for the celebration.

Birthday present time!!!

She is a natural at opening presents. I think she liked the tissue paper best of all.
Now we know what to get Kate for Christmas...Kate loves her birthday presents from Mammo and Poppo

Giving love to her first baby doll

We had so much fun with our little bean. Thank you Kate for making our lives so wonderful! We love you!!!

My Big Helper

2009-10-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

Kate has been my helper with doing the laundry this week. She likes to ride in the basket with the laundry. It makes it easier to only have to carry one thing to the laundry room instead of two. She has also been helping me play the piano. She is going to be our little piano prodigy. Kate, thanks for helping Mommy.

Another Giveaway…

2009-10-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Natalie has a great card making business. Click here to get hooked up.

5 Months and Counting

2009-09-24T06:11:00.000-07:00

Our little baby is growing up way too fast. I cannot believe she is 5 months old already. It just cannot be. She is laughing and jabbering and continuing to grow her two little piranha teeth. We love every moment with her, even the gross ones. Yesterday I was playing with Kate, holding her up in the air over my head when the most dreaded thing happened. Thanks to Kate's two little piranha teeth she is now drooling in the excess. Before I could react a long string of drool comes pouring from Kate wide grinning lips and drips right into the back of my mouth. It was so gross! Ryan couldn't breathe he was laughing so hard. Life with Kate never seizes to be exciting. Here are some 5 month pictures of our big girl.

So Proud...

2009-09-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

of my cousin Allie! She is doing so amazingly well in the world of fashion. This last week she had a show for her 2010 collection and it went so well. The collection is beautiful and fun! I know I am a little biased but she really is so talented. I love my cousin and am so happy that things going well for her. Keep your ears open for the name ALLISON PARRIS. You'll be hearing it a lot some day.

Allison coming out after the show

Mama Times Three

2009-08-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my sister gave birth to another bundle of perfection. Naomi Lynn Leinenbach was greeted by two extremely excited big sisters who have been aggressively loving her all week. We are so excited that little Naomi is finally here. I cannot wait to meet her and see her sweet face in person. I am so happy that Kate can have a best friend cousin (and one more on the way when my sister-in-law delivers in November).

The Happy Leinenbach Family
Ashley and Ella could not be more excited!

And the only signs of Jaymie having birthed this child is the fact that she is in a hospital gown and sitting in a labor and delivery bed. Only Jaymie could look this good after giving birth.

Congratulations Jaymie and Derek! We love you Naomi!!!

Little Miss Rosebud

2009-08-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

Our little girl is 4 months now! Wow, I cannot believe it. I went back to work last week and I hold these little babies and cannot believe my Kate was that tiny. It is amazing how fast they change. Well, I guess Kate isn't changing as fast as some though. Last week she had her 4 month check up and she weighed in at a whopping 10lbs 13oz. The following day I delivered a baby that weighed 10lbs 13oz. Granted that was one large newborn, but I still thought it was pretty funny that my 4 month old weighed the same as a newborn. Here are some recent pictures of our little rosebud.

Maui Wowie!

2009-08-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

We are having a great time in Maui! My oh so generous grandparents have treated us to a fun filled, two week vacation in Maui. We have done a lot of snorkeling and swimming and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Yesterday Ryan and the rest of the family went on a day long snorkeling trip to Molokini Island and a few other snorkeling hotspots. (Fun underwater pictures to come) But since they dont make fins in Kate's size, my mom, Grandma, Aunt Amy, Cousin Lisa, and I took Kate to the Maui Ocean Center. Kate absolutely loved watching the sharks and sting rays and little fishies swim around. We may have a future marine biologist on our hands.

Here are some more shots of our many Maui adventures!

Kate getting her first feel of ocean water out in front of our condo

Ryan ready for a dip in the ocean

Me and my cousin Brianna after pool games with Ryan and my cousin Austin

Good thing Austin is so strong. Ryan enjoyed using him as a diving board.

Kate giggling with Aunt Deb

Peering down the blow hole

Watch Out!!

What a handsome boy!

My brother Chris and I getting sprayed by the blow hole

Family photo moment (minus Kate)

Me and my mama a little wind blown

#1 Before

#2 Here comes the wave

#3 Soaked

Ryan and I before heading down stairs for some snorkeling

(we saw 3 sea turtles while we were out- so fun!)

Kate and Poppo in downtown Lahaina

They look happy now, but this was before eating it

many times on the large, steep crashing waves

Kate and Mammo enjoing the sun

Wiped out after a fun day in the sun

Blowing the conch shells at sunset

Kate with cousins Bre and Lisa

My cute parents even got to celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary while in Maui.

What a treat. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!!!!

Tomorrow we leave Lahaina and head over to Hana, on the west side of the island, to spend the remainder of the trip. We are so lucky to have such awesome Grandparents.

More pictures to come of Maui Vacation: Week 2

Adorable or Drag Queen?

2009-07-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

Kate rarely wears much more than a onesie, but today I decided to add a little pizazz and give Kate a frilly head band. I thought she looked super cute, but when I brought her out to show Ryan he started laughing and said she looked like a drag queen. So let us know what you think... is it ADORABLE or DRAG QUEEN?

Kate the Orangutan

2009-07-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

Over the 4th of July weekend we had a fun family trip to the San Diego Zoo. Kate even got to be part of the orangutan family.

Kate meeting the pandas with Daddy

We even had fun looking at the Tapirs. I always comment on how funny looking they are but then Ryan tells me to stop because I might hurt their feelings. (There is a tapir back there somewhere in the shadows)

We love the zoo and we are so glad that we can enjoy animals without them being in our home (we aren't pet people)!

And yes we also got to enjoy a beautiful firework show above the wonderful San Diego skyline. A gorgeous view from Coronado Island. Thanks friends for inviting us!

In Love Times 2

2009-07-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was mine and Ryan's 2nd wedding anniversary. It has been two years full of smiles and laughs and lots of love with many many more to come. It doesn't get any better than being madly in love with your best friend.

P.S. Thanks Mom for hanging out with Kate so Ryan and I could go out. We had a great time!

Our Little Rollie Pollie

2009-07-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

This past week our active little girl figured out how to roll over consistently. About two weeks ago she rolled over for the first time but just that once. Now Kate is rolling over almost every time we put her down for a nap. She is not even 3 months yet. I'm afraid we're going to have a crawler here in no time.

Faces of Kate

2009-07-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

We love watching Kate figure out different expressions. She is always making new faces. The best thing is that she will smile back at you now. It is just the greatest!

Catching Up

2009-06-25T00:20:00.000-07:00

I do not know how all you moms out there are constantly updating your blogs. I am in awe that you find the time. Here is some catch up of what we've been up to.

Love My Daddy

2009-06-25T00:17:00.000-07:00

Ryan with his little angel on his First Father's Day.

Kate Meets Grandma and Grandpa

2009-06-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Last week we had the pleasure of taking Kate up to Alaska to meet Grandma and Grandpa Darby and Uncles Matthew and Grant. We had a great time visiting and Kate was constantly oo'd and aww'd over, especially by Grandma.

Beautiful Alaska

2009-06-24T23:43:00.000-07:00

We always enjoy visiting Alaska, not only because the company is great but it is breath taking too. Here are some shots of the sites around Anchorage.

This picture does not capture a quarter of the beauty. The gorgeous glacial blue ocean water and skies are off behind us.

This and the next picture are literally in Ryan's parents back yard. Amazing.

This picture is taken at 1am on the longest day of the year.

Ready for Take Off

2009-06-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday Kate had her first ride on an airplane, going to visit Grandma and Grandpa Darby in Alaska. She did wonderfully. We only got a few dirty looks.

Our Big Girl

2009-06-24T23:30:00.000-07:00

Kate had her 8 week check up last week. Ryan and I have been watching her grow, thinking that she was getting so big, but we found out that she is not quite as huge as we thought. Here are her stats.

9 lbs 1 oz (14th percentile)
21 1/2 in long (23rd percentile)

Here is a picture of Kate 9 weeks old.

We love our home

2009-06-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Ryan and I decided to introduce Kate to beautiful Torrey Pines (just a few minutes north of where we live in La Jolla). This gorgeous hike is on top of the cliffs over looking the vast Pacific Ocean. We absolutely love were we live. We could not be more blessed.

Kate was a great hiker!

Another great thing about were we live is that we have the Padres. We aren't die hard fans or anything, but we do enjoy going to the games. Kate got to go to her first game a few weeks ago and the Padres actually won. It was an exciting night.

A Blessed Little Girl

2009-06-02T06:13:00.000-07:00

Over Memorial Day weekend our little girl was blessed in church by her daddy. It was beautiful. I am so grateful that Ryan has the priesthood and was able to give Kate her baby blessing. Thank you to all of our family and friends who made the trip out to see Kate be blessed. We love you so much!

One Month and Still Breathing

2009-05-22T23:14:00.001-07:00

And that "still breathing" is a big accomplishment for Ryan and I. When we brought Kate home from the hospital a month ago this was our one goal. We can now proudly give ourselves a pat on the back. We still don't have much of an idea of what we are doing, but we are enjoying figuring it out. Luckily Kate is pretty patient with us. We have had so much fun watching her grow this past month. We cannot believe how big our little baby is already.

Last week my sister and brother-in-law came down from Portland to see Kate and while they were down my sister took some beautiful pictures of our little girl. We absolutely love them. Thank you Jaymie!!

P.S. I cannot get the text to change from black right now, so I hope you can read the wording. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.

The Best Present Ever

2009-05-12T11:00:00.001-07:00

My first Mother's Day was perfect thanks to my two special people. Ryan stayed home with Kate so that I could go to church with my parents. When we got home from church Ryan had Kate dressed up beautifully in a little pink dress and had a tiny gift bag hung over her arm. It was the sweetest thing I had ever seen. I had to fight back the tears. My sweet Ryan got me other little gifts, but the best one of all was my beautiful little girl.

Mother's Day was also wonderful because I got to spend it with my mom. I love her so much and I am so grateful that I have such a wonderful example to follow as I try to figure out how to be a mother myself.

Happy belated Mother's Day to all!!!

One Happy Kid

2009-05-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Okay so it might just be gas, but we will enjoy the fake smiles until the real ones come in.

Sleepy Head

2009-05-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

It is true when they say that newborns like to sleep (at least during the day). Kate is a champ when it comes to sleeping. You could do anything to her and it wouldn't even start to stir her from her comatose state. Now I know how Anne Geddes gets her babies to stay asleep in all those weird positions.

...And Baby Makes Three

2009-04-25T20:10:00.000-07:00

On Sunday April 19th our little family grew to 3. At 4:12pm Katelyn Melodie Darby was born weighing in at 6lbs 13oz. Ryan and I are so excited to have our new little addition. It is amazing how much you can love someone the instant you meet them. Our little Kate has Ryan and I mesmerized. We cannot stop staring at her beautiful little face. We could not imagine a more perfect child and thank Heavenly Father every day for sending her to us.

Food Fight!!!!!

2009-04-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

This last Saturday we went to an awesome birthday party. It was a combined birthday party for our friend who was turning 26 and for another friend's son who turned 3 (a little bit of an age gap). Well, what made this party so incredibly awesome was that it ended with a food fight (planned, but a surprise to the birthday boy) that Ryan had the pleasure of starting. Here are some shots of the excitement. (I was able to stay out of the line of fire by being photographer)

Birthday boy Mark and his wife Jenn

Ryan about to get decked with a piece of cake

Time for a shower!

Ryan Sean Darby

2009-03-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the 29th birthday of my sweetheart. I thought that we could take look at Ryan though the ages and see how he became such a handsome man 29 years down the road.

Happy Birthday my honey!!! I love you with all my heart! Thanks for being so good looking!

Baby Showers

2009-03-18T08:37:00.000-07:00

I have been so lucky to have 3 wonderful baby showers. The first shower was with my coworkers, thrown by my friend Connie. It was a lot of fun. Everyone at work has been so sweet to me throughout my pregnancy. I am the only one of 6 pregnant ladies at work who is having a girl, so I get a little special treatment. Who doesn't like to buy cute frilly girl stuff right?

Shower number 2 was given by my mom, my sister Jaymie, and my sister-in-law Marisa. My sweet sister even flew down from Portland just for the day to be there for the shower. Isn't she the best? There were people at the shower who I hadn't seen since my wedding, so it was really nice to catch up. I got so many great things, but my favorite of all was the stroller/car seat combo. I had so much fun pushing it around the house, pretending there was a baby in it. I really felt like a mom.

And the last but definitely not least was last Saturday at my wonderful friend Maren's home. She also threw me my bridal shower. You could not ask for a kinder, better friend than Maren. And this shower was with all the girlfriends. So much fun! We had a blast eating, playing games, and just chatting.

Thank you everyone for your love and kindness. Our little Kate would be naked and Ryan and I would be in the poor house without your generosity. I had no idea babies needed so much stuff.

Sorry I only have pictures of the shower at my mom's. She is a picture taking fiend.

Making sure it fits

I love pretending to be a mom

Our belly bumps (my about to pop belly and Jaymie's tiny 14wk belly)

Love my Marisa

The Lillenberg Girls

The Best Day of Your Life

2009-03-02T10:59:00.000-08:00

Hello fellow bloggers, I got this from my friend's blog and I thought it was super fun. I want all of you to post your favorite wedding and engagement photos! Answer the following questions and pair them with a photo if possible. Please share your cute lovey dovey pictures. We'd love to see them.

1. Wedding Date
2. Where did you get married
3. How long did you date / were engaged
4. Were you a Bridezilla
5. Wedding colors
6. How many bridesmaids
7. Where did you honeymoon
8. Where was your reception
9. Is there anything you regret or would like to redo
10. Did you save your cake top and eat it on your first anniversary
11. How long have you been married NOW

1. Married July 14, 2007

2. San Diego Temple

3. Ryan and I dated for 6 months and were engaged for 3 1/2. This is a picture of Ryan and I the week we met.

4. I dont think I was a bridezilla. By the time it came to us getting married, I just wanted to be married to Ryan and didnt care that much about the rest.

5. My wedding color was sage green and I guess there was a hint of pink in the flowers, but the wedding party mostly wore black. I just wanted it to be simple.

6. I had 6 beautiful bridesmaides.

7. Ryan and I went on a cruise for our honeymoon to Catalina and Ensenada. We didnt go far but we had a blast. It was perfect.

8. Our reception was at the Coronado Marriott. It was beautiful. We also had a ring ceremony before the reception with our families on the Marriott grounds just at the waters edge. I just love San Diego!

9. Not a single thing. I loved my wedding day. It could not have been more prefect.

10. No. Everyone told us that it gets freezer burned and tastes disgusting. So we ordered a fresh wedding cake top on our 1 yr anniversary.

11. We have been married now for 1 year, 7 months, and 16 days. And it has been the best 1 year, 7 months, and 16 days of my life!

Welcome 3rd Trimester

2009-01-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

Six months down, three to go. We cannot wait to see our little girl. I have had many requests for baby bump pictures, so here they are. I don't think the pictures do much bump justice though. I think I look bigger than the pictures.

3rd Annual Monster Truck Rally

2009-01-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year again. Last Saturday Ryan and I got to attend the San Diego Monster Truck Rally for the third year in a row. It is quite the experience. We dress up in our finest white trash apparel, tailgate in the parking lot before the big event, and then heading in and screaming as loud as you can for your favorite monster truck (Grave Digger, Tropical Thunder, El Toro Loco, Shocker, etc). Between the monster truck competitions they have a demolition derby, a mini motocross competition, and even little remote control cars flying in the air off of the monster truck jumps. We had a blast and are looking forward to next year.

Jason grilling us some delicious burgers before the rally

Nothing is more white trash than a pregnant belly hanging out of a shirt that doesn't fit anymore (and no I did not walk around all night like this)

El Toro Rocks!!!

Come join us next year, you'll have a blast

Much Belated Christmas

2009-01-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

I know we are about a month late, but yes we did celebrate Christmas this year. We had about a week full of festivities. Certain people could only celebrate Christmas on certain days so we basically had Christmas 5 times over. I'm not complaining. We had a wonderful time with my family and we even managed to have everyone together at the same time (for a few hour block).

Ryan and my cousin Erin competing to see who could spin an M&M the longest...

My nieces (Ashley and Ella) eagerly awaiting to open Christmas presents...

I think our unborn baby got more presents than we did...

...and of course it wouldn't be Christmas without my mom's famous cinnamon rolls

Merry Belated Christmas everyone!!!

My Wife Doesn't Eat Rotten Food

2008-12-14T20:21:00.001-08:00

At least, that is what she tells me. I offered her a banana today. She took one look at it and said, "those bananas are only good now for banana bread and pancakes. I can't eat those." Apparently, bananas have a really short shelf life. As in, 3 seconds. If you want to use them for anything but cooking, you'd better eat them in the store. Here are the suspects in question.

Christmas Time Is Here

2008-11-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

In the world of Sarah (Lillenberg) Darby the Christmas season starts the day after Halloween, November 1st. So now that we are a few days in, I am just loving it. I just fills my heart with joy to see all the candy and decorations on sale at the store. Now don't get me wrong, I am not an all year round Christmas light hanger, decorations don't go up until the day after Thanksgiving. Nov. 1st is the day that I can "officially" start listening to Christmas music and start doing Christmas things (although in reality I listen the joyful carols all year round). This is definitely my favorite time of year and Halloween is included in the "this time of year" category because it is the big bang that kicks it off the whole season.

This year we enjoyed passing out candy to the cute trick-or-treaters, carving pumpkins, finding our way through a corn maze, haunted houses, making caramel apples, etc. Each holiday must be enjoyed in its own right.

I Think I'm Dying

2008-10-18T10:18:00.001-07:00

So, for the past two months and counting I have been horribly sick. No, I do not have terminal cancer, even though I think this is what it feels like, I'm just pregnant. I will be 14 weeks on Monday and I am hoping to feel like a normal human being soon. Our little one should be showing up sometime around April 20th. It is rather exciting to think that we are going to have a cute little baby around the house soon. However, delivering the baby will be a little awkward since I work in labor and delivery. My co-workers will be seeing things no one ever intends their co-workers to see, but at least I already have a pretty good idea of what to expect. We will keep you posted on the sex of the baby come December. Hooray for Baby Darby!!!

During our last Dr. visit, we got to see some great shots of the baby during the ultrasound. We got to see our cute baby squirm in my tummy. One of the shots that she got was perfectly head on and oh my gosh, our baby has an alien face. It was kind of freaky. We are hoping he/she starts looking a little more human like soon.

MILK JUGS

2008-09-24T09:04:00.001-07:00

Thanks to PETA's sound suggestion to replace the cow's milk in Ben and Jerry's ice cream with human breast milk ( http://www.wptz.com/news/17539127/detail.html ), I have decided to become a factory owner. I'm calling it "Milk Jugs." It's a Lactation Factory/Gentleman's Club. Hopefully Sarah won't mind.

Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton

2008-09-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

I want to be Dutch

2008-09-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

So last weekend Ryan and I got to spend a day in Denmark; well kind of. By the pictures you may think that we spent the day on the set of Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang, but no we were actually in the cute little Dutch town of Solvang, CA. Founded by Dutch immigrants, Solvang has kept its charm with windmills, cobblestone sidewalks, and all. We had a blast. We even got to pick apples at the nearby apple farm. If you are in the area, I recommend a stop in Solvang, at least to get some Danish Aebelskivers-- quite tasty.

Beautiful Alaska

2008-08-13T11:14:00.001-07:00

I Do Not Have Alaskan Skin

2008-08-04T18:17:00.000-07:00

While we were in Alaska, Ryan's brother Grant took us to Homer, Alaska (a tiny little fishing town in the southern part of Alaska) and took us out on his boat. We camped the night and then the next morning got ready to go out on the boat. I am not sure of the exact recorded temperature that day, but mind you it was really cold. Well Grant, Sharon (Grant's girlfriend), and Ryan each had a long sleeved shirt on and were perfectly comfortable. I, on the other hand, with my California blood, was rather chilly in my t-shirt, three thermal tops, sweatshirt, down jacket, leggings, jeans, wool socks, beanie, and gloves. Even one of the old fishermen in the coffee shop made mention that I must not be from around here.

Animal Whisperer

2008-08-04T17:55:00.001-07:00

The whole time we were in Alaska Ryan's parents kept calling me the animal whisperer because all kinds of wild life came out when I was around. We got to see bald eagles soaring, Alaskan salmon swimming up stream, cute Puffins (relatives of the Penguin), common muirs ("the penguin of the North"), sea otters, seals, sea lions, mosquitoes the size of sparrows, a pod of porpoise, a pod of orca (killer whales), and a humpback whale (the porpoises and whales all came right up to our boat on the glacier cruise). We of course saw moose everywhere. They are like wild dogs in South America; okay maybe not that bad, but there are a lot. And the most exciting animal encounter of them all was when Ryan and I got charged by a mama grizzly bear. True fact, not lying. We were on a canoe trip with two of Ryan's brothers. Ryan and I had gotten a little ahead of his brothers and we were paddling quietly, enjoying the scenery. We came around a bend in the river and suddenly we hear a loud growl/roar. We look over to find a mama grizzly bear 10-15 feet away charging into the shallow water after us. Oh my gosh, we had not paddled faster the entire trip. We flew down that river like a power boat. I guess she was just trying to protect her two cubs who were on the shore because after we took off the scampered into the woods, but boy did that stop our hearts for a few seconds. Lesson learned, never sneak up on a grizzly bear. Oh and we also saw a dead black bear in the back of someones' pick up.

Humpback Whale taking a dive...

Orca... AKA Killer Whale... AKA Shamu

Very Loud Seal Lions

The Horned Puffin... Relative to the penguin

Alaskan Snow Cones

2008-08-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

We are now back from Alaska and oh what a wonderful time we had visiting with family and seeing the beautiful sights of Alaska. One of my favorite things were the glaciers. Ryan's parents were nice enough to take us on a glacier cruise and we got an up close and personal look at the incredible Alaskan glaciers. They were just breathtaking! They really looked like big snow cones. You just wanted to take a big bite. After our cruise, we all hiked up to a local glacier called Exit Glacier. Ryan and I were even able to walk right up and touch the glacier. I was tempted to lick it, but I decided that our unlawful touching of the glacier was enough on its own to help the glacier hurry along with its already rapid rate of melting to extinction. I learned that the aqua blue color of the ice, that gives it the snow cone look, is from rich glacier minerals. The glacier runoff gives many of the lakes and rivers and bays incredible aqua blue water. It is absolutely beautiful. The pictures just cannot capture what you are able to take in with your eyes.

"Little Kid Lover"

2008-08-04T17:30:00.001-07:00

All mothers hide your children because there is a creepy hairy man on the loose. Actually it is just my husband Ryan in a Chester Molester mustache. He looks like he should be behind the wheel of an old van with no windows, driving slowly through a suburb. Luckily the mustache only lasted a few days and Ryan gave in because I refused to kiss him with the caterpillar on his lip. I am happy to have my cute husband back.

Breathtaking!!!

2008-07-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I are currently in Alaska visiting his family and it is stunning here. I have been taking a million pictures but they just don't do it justice. It is the most beautiful place I have ever been. There are a few pictures of beautiful Alaska. There are more to come.

And You Didn't Think We'd Make It

2008-07-20T23:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, we have been married a year now. Shocking I know, but Ryan still thinks I'm alright. It is amazing how much more I love Ryan today than the day we got married. I am one lucky girl. Life with my best friend is bliss.

Date Night

2008-06-27T17:37:00.001-07:00

Since my wife decided to embarrass me with that last post, I decided to return the favor. These are a couple pictures from our date night a couple weeks ago. I think they speak for themselves.

My Husband's a Super Hero

2008-06-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

After watching the Padres lose at PETCO Park, my eight year old husband magically turned into a super hero. As we walked through the streets of downtown San Diego back to our car, I found that Ryan tied the blanket we had brought around his neck and had now proceeded to run across the streets with his newly created cape flapping in the wind. It was quite the sight. My husband has a very vivid imagination.

Having Fun With My Camera

2008-06-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

The more I learn about my camera, the more lost I get. I have a long way to go, but I am having fun trying.

Darby Camp Out

2008-06-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in the blog about Ryan's mohawk, Ryan and I went camping in St. George, UT with his family. We had a great time getting dirty and sweaty. It was a scorcher, but I guess you cant expect any less in St. George in June. We went on hikes and played a lot of bocce ball. And I am happy to report that the anxiety attacks I had on the trip were all in vain because we did not see any snakes. I was a little freaked out at the possibility of running into a snake, but luckily we had no such encounter.

I HATE JAMES!!!

2008-06-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

On memorial day we had some friends come visit us and we all went to the zoo. We had a great time! Ryan and I even bought zoo hats . Yes we are hard core.

Well, towards the end of the day Ryan, James (one of Ryan's good friends) and his girlfriend, and I took the bus tour of the zoo. As we sat in our seats waiting for everyone to load I asked James if I could have some of his water. For about a minute I tried to figure out how to squeeze the water out of this high tech, hiker water bottle. Finally I asked James to help me-- big mistake! James grabbed the water bottle from me and showed me how you had to give the bottle a good hard squeeze in the middle of the bottle to get the water to squirt out. And James gave it a good squeeze alright. He squirted a high powered stream of water right into my wide open eyes. I was soaked with black mascara smeared down my face. Of course James and Ryan thought it was the funniest thing ever. And as Ryan took a picture of James and I to commemorate the "hilarious" event, James held the water bottle up in front of my face to get the whole story in the picture and I don't know why I didn't see it coming, but right as Ryan said three James gave that water bottle a hard squeeze and again, right in my already blood shot eyes. I could of killed him, but I really couldn't expect any less from James.

Ryan's New Look

2008-06-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

So haircut time is not a happy time in our household. I have to beg Ryan for weeks to cut his hair and then when I finally corner him and force him into a chair he requires me to rent him a movie or he will not sit still, but I must say that even with a movie running, I have about 10 minutes before Ryan starts to squirm. I have never seen anyone hate getting their hair cut so much. Well, in the beginning of June it was hair cut time again and Ryan thought it would be a good idea to cut a mohawk. I of course said no, but he pleaded. I told him that he could have a mohawk for a week, since we were going up to Utah that weekend to go camping, but he had to shave it off when we got home. So the clippers came out. Ryan was so excited. It was like watching a kid on Christmas morning. He has never sat so still for a hair cut. I think Ryan was happier after getting his mohawk than he was the day we got married.

Well, the next day we got a call from the Stake presidency at church saying they wanted to meet with Ryan that night. Of course Ryan couldn't go meet with the Stake presidency with a mohawk. He made all efforts to comb it down to make it look normal, but there was no way he could fool them. We had to shave it off. I think Ryan was the saddest I had ever seen him. He was utterly depressed. The mohawk that he was to have for a week (which was already far to short of a time in his eyes) was now cut down to 24hrs. Well at least we got some great pictures. Ryan is now sporting the buzz cut.

I'm Almost Professional

2008-05-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

So for my birthday I talked my loving husband into getting me the a digital SLR camera, a Canon xti. I am rather thrilled about it. It has been a little frustrating though since my knowledge of photography is about equal with my knowledge of nuclear physics, but I now have a lot of books on photography so hopefully I can figure it out. So far the only difference between my pictures and regular snap shots are that my pictures cost more money to take.

45th Annual Lakeside Rodeo

2008-04-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

Want a sure way to become paralyzed? Well I have got just the ticket. Sign up for next years Annual Lakeside Rodeo, or any rodeo for that matter. Ryan and I were lucky enough to spend last night in Lakeside (a piece of Oklahoma dropped in the middle of the Eastern part San Diego), at the 45th Annual Lakeside Rodeo. It was fun to watch the different events throughout the nigh; the barrel racing, the hog tie, the steer wrestling, etc. You've got to be pretty brave and stupid to attempt most of the rodeo events, but the one that leaves me in awe is the bull ride. You get more whiplash from the 8 seconds (if you're good) that you are on the bull than you would from a head on collision. And then once those 8 seconds are up, you have to run for your life away from the animal of death in hopes of not getting trampled or having any major organ pierced with their spear-like horns. Boy does that sound like fun! And on top of that, I hope you are not planning on producing any offspring because once you jump on the back of one of those wild breasts you can kiss your baby making days good-bye. Wow and all of that in a days work. I did however notice a larger than usual handicap section at the rodeo... ex-rodeo stars perhaps? Best of luck to you cowboys out there. Our hats are off to you!

Walk Like the Animals, Talk Like the Animals

2008-04-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

As Ryan and I are not big pet people; however, we do love going to the zoo. They are our perfect pets. We get to see them only when we want, we don't have to feed them or walk them, and most importantly we don't have to clean up after them (I have seen an elephant doing his business and it is not a pretty sight). After many visits we have grown quite fond of our furry friends.

One of our favorites being the baby panda. You can see his fluffy butt wedged up in the tree between me and Ryan.

Our animal friends are starting to rub off on us. We are even developing animal like attributes. See if you can figure out which one is the real hyena.

Lovely Lavender

2008-04-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

Ryan came across a beautiful sight while running along the coast between Torrey Pines and Del Mar a few weeks ago. It was so gorgeous that Ryan had to bring me back to share in the beauty. Here is a picture of us in the sea of lavender.

Aren't our Lord's creations just breath taking? (I know you are confused as to what I am referring to here, but it is the scenery, not Ryan and I)

The Darby's Love the Coast

2008-03-31T15:59:00.000-07:00

You might think that we have a personal photographer follow us everywhere we go, but shockingly no. Ryan bought me the greatest contraption for Christmas (really it was a present for himself, but he put my name on it). It is a little mini camera tripod (see the bottom picture). It has bendy legs so you can attach it to anything; trees, rocks, street signs. Ryan even got it to grasp onto an air condition vent on the side of a wall. It is one of our favorite inventions. So if you are tired of the arm stretch shot, and are narcissistic and like taking pictures of yourself like we do, this is a must have.

What Cute Kids

2008-03-31T15:35:00.001-07:00

We are related to some of the cutest kids around and we have proof! These pictures of our nieces and nephew attest that we are going to have cute kids (well that is if the Lillenberg and Darby genes dont collide and morph into some hideous monster).

My in-laws hate me

2008-03-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought I was winning them over too. Last weekend Sarah and I went up to her parents house to spend a lovely Easter...or so I thought. We got there Saturday night and spent a nice evening talking, it wasn't until Sarah and I went to bed that I found out their true feelings for me. I woke up in the middle of the night with a million "bug bites." They itched like crazy!!! It got so bad that I had to go in to the urgent care. The doctor there said that I have contact dermatitis. The only way I could have gotten it is coming in contact with some poisen ivy on Saturday. Since I spent the whole day in a suit UNTIL I went to bed, the only way it could have gotten on my legs is if someone planted poisen ivy in my bed. I'm not going to point fingers, but Mark is going to get it.

Here's a couple pictures of what he did to me for your viewing pleasure. The first is tuesday in urgent care and the bottom picture is today after almost a week.

Oh, one more thing. Don't throw away your wife's wedding ring. Not only does she not like it, but you have to go dumpster diving to get it back.

Our First Rescinded Blog

2008-03-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

On behalf of the Darby Family, I have been informed that we are really sorry about the last blog that was posted on our website. I have been informed that it is not funny and there is no way that I am going to be allowed to wear the same shirt for eternity. We would like to deny any fore-knowledge of this post and do not officially know how it came to be posted on our sight. Please accept our deepest apologies and fervent denials.

Something Stable in an Unstable World

2008-03-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

John Antonio Mikaelovich once said "Today ain't the same as yesterday." I'm hearing ya John. I'm hearing you. We are all changing and the world is in constant motion. Just yesterday I heard that my brother Matthew turned 19. Nineteen, can you believe it? I even heard he washes his own clothes now! My little bro is all grown up. My heart echos the immortal words of Ralph Waldo Christoferson "Where did all the leaves around my pond go?" Where did all the leaves go? That's why, Sarah and I have decided to do something about it. In a world of constant change, constant motion, we've committed to bringing you something stable, something immovable. I'm not going to change my clothes. The shirt and sweatshirt I present you today are the same shirt and sweatshirt that, according the the photo log that Sarah has presented you on this blog, I have been wearing consistently for the past 2 years and we're not going to change it! From here on out, I'm green or maroon. And that is something you can depend on.

Golden Spoon

2008-03-08T15:25:00.000-08:00

There just aren't words to truly express our love for Golden Spoon. It has become a family staple. With only 65 calorie per serving and an ever changing variety of delicious flavors, you could never go wrong with Golden Spoon. Not to mention double stamp Wednesdays. Oh yes my friends... if you buy this delicious treat on Wednesdays you can get two stamps on your punch card, helping you reach your free frozen indulgence even sooner. The joy that this frozen yogurt chain has brought to our lives is endless. So do yourselves a favor and bring a spoonful of this mouth-watering delight into your lives.

What Has My Life Become?

2008-03-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

Today Ryan and I enjoyed a beautiful day at Seaworld. Just before going home we went on one of their "Roaring Rapids" type rides and got completely soaked. With a waterfall pouring down on you it is just not humanly possible to stay dry. Ryan's shirt was literally dripping, so he took his shirt off when we got to the car. I have always thought that the people who drive without a shirt, 1- look naked and 2- just look ridiculous.

On our way home we had to drop off the move we rented last night. As I got out of the car to run the movie in, I mistakenly look back and saw a shirtless, bearded man, who is apparently my husband, leaning back in his seat behind the wheel of a 1995 baby blue Toyota Camry with a black hood and heard the crackling roar of a broken muffler. I quickly turned and ran, as to avoid being labeled with such a sight, and gasp inside at the realization that I belong to "that" and thought to myself, "I've become white trash!"

I Have a Green Thumb!!!

2008-03-06T17:38:00.000-08:00

Today was a beautiful sunny day and I thought that our apartment could use a little taste of spring. After pasing the garden department at Lowes for THREE HOURS, I finally found the right flowers to plant. Ryan is very glad he wasn't with me.

Before and After

2008-03-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

My head is much lighter now, after cutting 13 inches off. I thought that others could benefit from my hair more than I could. If you want to donate your hair just go to http://locksoflove.org/

We Love Dland

2008-03-06T17:04:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I had a wonderful time at Disneyland and California Adventure with Josh, Maren and Bryan. It is amazing the transformation that I make from adult to 8 yr. old girl in a matter of seconds upon arriving at Disneyland. It is a magical place.

White Trash America

2008-03-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

Here we are at the annual Monster Truck Rally at Qualcom Stadium in San Diego. This was year #2 for us. We tailgated before hand to make the experience complete. The best part of the night however isn't the trucks, but watching the people who attend. It makes for a humorous night.

Gotta Love La Jolla

2008-03-06T16:48:00.000-08:00

Just another beautiful sunset at La Jolla Cove

I Dont Want to Grow Up

2008-03-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

At FAO Schwartsz in Las Vegas. Yes we did get a lot of looks, but boy did we have fun!