Rants, Recipes, and Running

After I finish uploading this photo-o-happiness...I will be packing our suitcase for a very unique get-away! We are headed to Bisbee, AZ! It is a historic mining town about 2 hours from Tucson. This town is notorious for being highly populated with some serious "hippy love". In the summer, apparently people are barefoot in the streets selling their home-made goods and singing. Being there is a part of me that is a bit of a flower child-wanna-be....(due to my love for Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, the harmonica) -- I'm kind of excited to see this. After our weekend I will post pictures of the neat places we'll be staying! (since I don't want any creepy stalkers out there reading my blog showing up at our hotel room tonight....) Now onto some happiness pictures..I can't settle with one! This was the 1st time Ryan & I "locked eyes" on our wedding day. I still remember it and how nervous I was! This pictures gives me butterflies.... The Great O...

Before I start my "30-blog-challenge-sibling-post" -- I need to give a shout out to all the Veterans who do such a great service to our country! Ryan and I had our traditional (3rd year now) Veteran's day lunch at Applebee's -- where he got a free meal. I also ran 20 miles prior to this lunch date - so let me tell you I was ravenous!!!!!! Now onto siblings.... I started writing a post 2 days ago on this. But it turned into a book. I started writing about each sibling I have, and the unique traits they have that has impacted my life. But it would've gotten long -- for my siblings are as follows: Chad, Emily, Kevin, Julie, Emily, Jason, Lisa, Erin, Nick, Michael, Alexa, Sophia, and Jack!!! That's a long list! I consider my sister/brother-in-laws siblings too. When you marry someone, you truly marry into their family I believe. So instead of writing a 700 page book on sibling love, I'll break it down into 2 sections 1) My Immediate Siblings: (Chad,...

I'm taking a break from the 30 Blogs challenge today to partake in the 10 on Tuesday! Before I go on, let me tell you -- last night was not fun!!!! I had my "New Employee Health Screening" yesterday. I received a multitude of vaccines and blood draws. I was a little off to start with - I had a low grade fever and a blood pressure of 78/50. Eeek. Once I laid down for bed - I started feeling horrible and it only escalated. I had a fever of 102.4, and my heart was racing like mad! Not a fun night. Feeling better today! But wow! Never will I get that many shots in one "shot" again! Alright, 10 on Tuesday! 1. Who makes your Thanksgiving dinner? When we go home, my Mom does! And she does a darn good job at it, too! Last year Ryan & I did our 1st Thanksgiving dinner -- and it was a team effort. 2. What is your favorite recipe the includes pumpkin? (bonus points for including the recipe) Hmmm...I always love good ole, traditional pumpkin pie! Or the hom...

As you all know, from the Mother's & Father's Day tribute-posts, and the uncontrollable excitement I get about trips home......I have an very close relationship with my parents. There isn't a day where I don't thank God for the parents who raised me. The parents who were a little more "strict" than the "16-year-old know-it-all Abby" wanted them to be. And now, I am SOOO glad they were strict!!! I am SO glad I was the only kid in my class with an 11 o'clock curfew (when all my other friends would stay out until 2). I am SO grateful of how tough of critics they were of any boy I tried to date . They never approved any boyfriend of mine -- until they met Ryan. I think there's a darn good reason for that ;) I am glad to know I grew up in a home where dinner was had at the table as a family every evening. Prayers were said before dinner. We had dinners as a family whenever it was possible -- although sometimes it was impossible with...