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...

So today's post is to talk about your 1st love. But before I get into that, I have news to share!..... My hospital called me Thursday evening at about 6:30 pm with the offer. And I got my 1st pick - Telemetry! At my hopsital their telemetry unit is a cardiac step-down unit from the ICU. So I will get to see some pretty sick patients, but no ventilators! I am very excited to get my skills expanded! :) Now on my 1st love.... I am proud to announce that my 1st real love was my husband. Prior to Ryan, I had never been in love. Nor did I even know what the meaning of love was. Never in my life had I committed or dedicated myself to anyone! It makes me happy to know that he is the 1st person and the only person I will ever share that bond with! But I will share the story of the 1st boy that had me "smitten". It was the summer before 8th grade....at the International Music Camp in Canada at the Peace Gardens. He was 1st chair in the band, I was 2nd chair. He had a real...

"The Adventures of Abby and Ryan" Very compelling blog title. Such depth. I choose this name due to lack of ideas. I've toiled with things such as the following: "Running with Scissors" (this would be because I'm an avid runner, and I'm a nurse...so always have a pair of scissors in my pocket)....but that's kind of cheesy. I've also thought of doing "Recipes, Running, & Rants". -- since that nearly sums up what I talk about on here! This whole blog started back in the summer of 2008, when I was planning my wedding. My Step-Mother-in-Law started this up for me (since I didn't even know what a blog was at this point) -- and dubbed me author. Our original idea of this blog was to talk wedding plans . But I'm going to be honest with you guys, I wasn't that "in" to the whole wedding planning thing . I just couldn't find inspiration to blog about flowers and center-pieces. I am not a creative person...

So I am joininging Kelly in her 30 days, 30 blogs challenge. I often have a tough time finding the creativity to write on something - so here it goes! However, I know I won't be blogging 30 days straight.... so my goal is to just get all 30 in at some point in time! Here is how it works: Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name Day 3-Your first love Day 4-Your parents Day 5-Your siblings Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy Day 7-Favorite movies Day 8-A place you've traveled to Day 9-A picture of your friends Day 10-Something you're afraid of Day 11-Favorite tv shows Day 12-What you believe Day 13-Goals Day 14-A picture you love Day 15-Bible verse Day 16-Dream house Day 17-Something you're looking forward to Day 18-Something you regret Day 19-Something you miss Day 20-Nicknames Day 21-Picture of yourself Day 22-Favorite city Day 23-Favori...