R is for Ronnebeck!

Eric Headed over to spend the day with the kids at Lazy F. So we have been spending time at home together. After 4 hours worth of non-stop scrapbooking glory I felt a little bad because Aquaman had sat there the entire 4 hours patient as a saint! So... I took him out to the park as a reward for being such a good boy! The Grass is ankle tall and really wet since It hasn't quit raining all day! But it was nothing a sweater couldn't cure, and now I have a napping puppy sleeping beside me on the couch. Bliss. Hope you're all having a fantastic Saturday!

It took me a long time to fully embrace the melting pot in which I live. I still find myself craving meat and potatoes weekly, however I also find myself wanting rice almost on a daily basis, so to say the least my tastes have changed over the past couple years. I never thought in a million years I'd make the leap of like to love over Indian food. Even though I don't want to order everything on the menu, I have a few favorites that I start to hunger for and need to satiate as soon as possible. Korma Chicken, Butter Chicken, Garlic Naan , Basmati rice and Veggie Samosas speak to my soul the way Steak, Au gratin Potatoes and broccoli used to. I have opened my heart to LOVE Indian food! Over 6 months ago our favorite Indian food restaurant closed their doors as Eric and I were often the only people there when we ate. We started to get the feeling that we perhaps were their only customers, and while we would eat there often, we didn't eat there nearly long enough to ke...

This picture has not been darkened or tampered with... this is how gross it looks outside today... It feels like October ... OCTOBER... Mind you it's not, it's MAY... The END of May at that... The only thing that felt like it was missing as I walked through the rain this morning was the two pumps of pumpkin syrup in my coffee to make it taste as fall as it felt. My Barista at Starbucks (who always has a hot cup of White Mocha waiting for me for free) (FREE) made sure a little extra sunshine was added to my drink today... Thanks Barista!

A couple hundred thoughts are rolling around in my head right now; I think I’m just going to spill them out in random order because I don’t know really how to form them. -Yesterday was a really rough day. Mom was hospitalized and though she is doing well, still had us all up on our tippy toes. Prayers for her recovery would be appreciated. If you want to keep up with her status please head on over to her blog { www.dianneshope.blogspot.com } , I’m trying to keep it as up to date as possible with all the different things going on! We’re pretty emotionally and physically sleepy today. -But look at how beautiful she looks… This picture makes me smile in the midst of it all! -Working on the call committee at the church has been quite the ride. We’re finally getting near the time to do interviews, so I just have to hang on and know that our hard work will pay off. -Eric has such an amazing time on Wednesday nights with his friends watching movies it makes me smile. Hopefully one ...

I’m hereby officially posting a retraction – Mom’s procedure is TOMORROW… and I said it was today… because I’m a noob. Thanks!

I went to school with this guy… Clark Kimble. He's 24 years old; he was a grade younger than I was, and we weren’t super close friends, in fact the only real connection we have to each other is that our Mother’s went to school together, and his older brother Ryan Yoder helped lay the carpet in my Mom and Dad’s house on Pelican; but my heart goes out to him. He’s currently waiting the biggest verdict of his life, for his life. Clark went into liver failure in July of 2009 – He received a liver transplant and from there, everything that could go wrong with the transplant… did. He’s been fighting off illnesses and diseases ever since, with trips to and from the hospital in Utah. He has hit his maximum for insurance for his life time, and is currently in a fight with Medicaid to receive a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) which he cannot live without. If you’d like to read ALL the details, check out his Blog at www.superclarkkimble.blogspot.com The trial has been about a week ago now, and ...

The weekend was nice and relaxing, I had a lot of bonding time with my scrapbook table, and there was a lot of True Blood to be had as season two comes out on DVD tomorrow! *YAY!* It was a nice weekend, lots of bonding time with Aquaman who decided to be a total Momma's boy and some wonderful breakfast and shopping time with a dear friend of mine. Eric and I are looking forward to the long(er) weekend coming up, but this week will not go by without our worries. A few prayer requests if you will. - Mom is going in for her Bronchosocopy tomorrow - we will wait with baited breath to hear the results, and the findings of the procedure, but also we will pray without ceasing for her while she is under anesthesia and for her recovery after the procedure. - The call committee meets this week to narrow down our choices for interviews for a new pastor for Grace. It's a prayer our church needs, we really need someone to come in and shake up our world! Thanks guys! Hope your weekend was s...

As seen in a previous post... HERE ... This girl Miss. Laurel lights up my life! She has grown into such a beautiful young lady and I am proud to say I am fortunate to be a part of her life. She was one of my youth when I interned out here in 2003. I kept in touch with her, because she is just that fabulous and when I moved back out here, everytime she's home from college we find time to grab coffee or breakfast or more importantly Spaghetti Factory. This morning was breakfast... We shared our love for Eggs Benedict and our boys. We talked about life, marriage, shopping, and my Mom. She's such a wonderful sister in Christ and support system. In October I will be shooting her wedding - my first wedding shoot ever- and I am so excited! It was so fun to share some love this morning. I miss her.

Some days I start to think about moving out of our apartment; our cluttered place, and our lack of yard for Aquaman to run around in. I think about Gracie, how her littler box drives me crazy and how I wake Eric up when I shower and dress in the morning because our apartment is cozy. I think wouldn’t a house with a back yard and a white picket fence out front be sublime? Wouldn’t it be fun to have my own scrapbooking room? Then I look around our place; I think about all the memories that have been shared in our apartment. It’s where Eric proposed, it’s where I brought Aquaman home to when he was a puppy, it’s where I can call home, and it’s my refuge at the end of a long day. We may not have a lot of space, but we really just need to throw out junk. I may not have a whole room to scrapbook in, but I do have a little desk that feels just right. The litter box would only be ignored if it weren’t right under our noses… and we have a beautiful back yard… it’s just not accessible out our ba...

A little thoughtful today... a little sleepy... so time for a Slice of Life... Outside my Window - Blue skies and SUNSHINE! I'm thinking - We need to paint & Rearrange our apartment (hence the "homey" edition) I'm thankful for - Quiet time... I need some of that right now. From the Kitchen- Leftovers, and a whole pile of Cheese from the Cheese Festival last weekend. I'm wearing- My Zebra print flat shoes, and pants that are two sizes too big... HATE that :) ! I'm Going- Home after work - and kicking up my feet until my meeting. I'm Hoping- Mom gets good news from the doctors office. I'm hearing- Country music... my heart... makes me think of South Dakota (Hence the Homey edition once again). I'm wondering- If I will have as much ambition when I get home as I do now. A few plans for the week- TV night with Eric tomorrow and that's about it! Yay for free weekends! A picture for a thought I'm sharing- Home is where your Rump Rests! The J...

Hello Everyone, My name is Abby and I am a shopoholic ! I really can't help myself and it's good that Eric keeps me on a stringent budget otherwise I'd be shopping myself out of house and home. I really do have control... for the most part, and I am getting SO much better. I found myself dreaming of this tote, for whatever reason and I just had to have it! $24.04 (after tax) later, it's mine, and I am in bag love! Doesn't it just scream SUMMER!!!!!!!!? And, the thoughtful people at Nordstrom had them made out of 100% recycled soda bottles, you would have to think they're economically friendly if they didn't wrap everything you buy in two layers of tissue paper as you take it out the door! And no, I don't normally shop at Nordstrom, I think I've actually purchased two items there, ever, and neither exceeded $25. I did strike a deal with myself and my husband though, if I buy new, I have to get rid of the old... so tonight my job is to look at my bags...

Yesterday was kind of rough. I had to stay after work because of the stupid mail machine and it's ink cartridge crapping out on me. And then I got the news that Mom isn't feeling so hot .... By the time I got home (Near tears the whole way home On the late bus) I was feeling kind of cranky. Eric greeted me with a warm hug, and said "Wanna go for a drive?" I nodded, put Aquaman in his kennel, and we took off. First to the post office, then we just started to drive. We found ourselves looking to try a new place to eat, and after getting clear to White Center, we turned around and really dedicated ourselves to finding dinner. We settled on a Pupesaria (Ecuadorian Food) on the side of the road in an area Burien we rarely go. It was a run down little area connected to a Hispanic grocery store, but the workers were friendly and the food was delicious. It was hard to not eat every bite - but there was a lot of food and I had to save room for my Reeses peanut butter cup b...

I am so happy I can finally share this news with the [blog] world. My Best Friend Heidi and her husband Hermann will be having a Baby Girl in October! I keep telling her, I don’t know when we grew up and decided to get married to boys – which we swore off in college, and started having babies (well her, not me). I’m super happy for them and they are super excited to be bringing the new little one into the world; and I am super excited to have another Niece! Let's face it, these two are going to make one beautiful baby! Congrat's Heidi and Hermann! Can't wait to meet Baby Girl Alikpokou!

Whenever Aquaman is due for a bath, we take him out to the park and let him get nice and dirty! He is always more than excited to find every mud puddle and dirt path to play in. I think he knows what my motive is! After the walk is when he gets suspicious, even if he does know my master plan... Because after the walk, I get into my swim suit and haul him into the bath tub with me! Now we have a really sweet smelling dog! He is also completely tuckered out! Next bath? The week my Mom comes, I want him to be nice and sweet smelling for her :o)!

Normally I steer WAY clear of crowds of any size, let alone a crowd that a festival would attract; better yet, a CHEESE festival. I mean, who doesn't LOVE cheese? We should have taken a cue from the amount of people on the light rail that crowds were not going to be easy to avoid today but again, who doesn't love cheese, crowds or not ... we were on our way to the Annual Seattle Cheese Festival! After a very squishy ride on the light rail we got off at the Westlake center and walked down the block to the Market. This is what we saw... tents upon tents of Cheese!!!!! We're newbee's to the cheese festival so we just hopped in a line and started to eat, because that's what everyone else was doing - with the exception of a few people who apparently didn't see the lines wrapping around each booth, and would just stop and reach their arms in (how rude). We made it out with two chunks of cheese for home, a really pungent Brie that Eric loved, and a goat cheese wit...

This week has been crazy busy. I have been working 7-4 which is unusal because I'm filling in for an absent co-worker. It's weird to think how much of a difference 45 minutes makes! I'm happy it's Friday though... Here's a little slice of life on this very sunny Friday. Outside my Window - A VERY SUNNY Seattle... I wish I could go outside and play I'm thinking - a million things all at once, Relay, Mom, Relay, Mom, Play, Mom, Relay, Mom. I'm thankful for - My supportive husband who brings me back to reality when I really need it. 'No Abby, I don't think you need two pounds of pony beads for Relay". From the Kitchen- Homemade sloppy joes and veggie chips... Mmmmm - oh and I found a can of chunky pineapple in the cupboards that I didn't know I had for lunch and that made me super happy. I'm wearing- some khakis Capri pants that I didn't fit into last summer... but I do this summer and that's freaking fantastic, my " Dian...

Came across these two pictures today... they made me smile... So did the new background... Yay for Spring / Summer!!!

Alone time... A few months ago I would have said "Alone time? ... not me... I don't require alone time". Today ... I sing a different tune. It's not that I don't LOVE my family, my friends, or the public... let me be clear about that. I love all of thoes things. I love Eric deeply... with my whole heart, and this is not about being away from him. That being said... I am really LOVING the little bits and pieces of alone time I've been getting recently. Realizing and relishing in the quiet moments, the too much facebook time, and a few scrapbooked cards here and there. Life has been so busy that I haven't spent time on myself, for myself, by myself. I have never been one to just sit in my room by myself and be alone. At least not in the past 10 years or so. Eric is at the Santo residence for a movie night, here I sit with Saved by the Bell on the TV and laptop in my lap; pouring out thoughts here and there about life... who knew once I got older I would beco...

Do you ever have thoes "aha!" moments? Christians call them "God Moments"... thoes moments that the clouds seem to part and the sun shines on you in a way that makes you feel warm and fuzzy and uplifted all at the same time? I had one of thoes moments today... as I was walking to work, in this urban jungle listening to The Wizard of Oz soundtrack on my Ipod. I was literally skipping as I walked "weeeeeeeeeeer're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of oz, we hear he is a wiz of a wiz if ever a wiz there was..." I dont' know what triggered it but I just had that aha! moment that made me oh so happy; so happy to be here, and so happy that my Mom and Aunts will be here to see my life now that it's more well established since the last time they were here. Just wanted to share my moment... If you get a moment share it with Eric, and send him a little prayer... he's getting cozied into the dentist chair as I type to get one of his wisdom t...

Aquaman jumped on my chest and began licking my face to wake me up this morning. Happy Mothers Day! He's still very much a puppy in that regard; and Gracie... really didn't want the Love that I was willing to give her. Oh seriously woman... you call yourself my mother... I wish you would move out! I am so blessed to have my furry kids, but really today and every day I'm blessed to have my Mom. After the past year it is even more important to celebrate Mothers Day! I called her today to tell her I love her, but I call her every day to tell her I love her. It's important to me to talk to my Mom every day, it helps bridge that 1,800 mile gap from Seattle to Watertown . My Mom is a brave woman and I count my blessings for her every day, and I can't wait for her to come out in 35 days! And a very Happy Mother's Day to my 2 nd Mom, Kay. She's staying a float down in Tennessee and we've been thinking of her lots! I'm so very blessed to have you as a...

Friday night was a dream come true. Eric and I went with our new youth director John to see one of our youth in the Kentwood production of 'The Wizard of Oz". I am so wonderfully in love with The Wizard of Oz that I was giddy like a three year old, but no doubt I had reservations of a high school's capabilities to put on my favorite production without it being completely painful to watch, because let's face it, if it was anything like our high school productions they were usually half assed by everyone involved. Let me just say I was pleasantly surprised by Kentwood . They knocked this out of the park! It was such a wonderful rendition of a show I already love! Haley was the girl we were going to support and I happened to nab this photo of her marching and singing in Munchkinland . She's the one in the blue dress and white apron on the far left hand side; and that's Glinda the good witch of the North in the middle! She also played a Poppy which was a real...

When this is what breakfast looks like you know it will be a sweet day... Oh I love you Top Pot ! Happy Wednesday!

WOW - Post #400... you guys have been listening to me blab for quite a while... Thank you! Now that the trauma of the cell phone experience is more or less over, more or less meaning I have a cell phone, but not the one I bought just a few short months ago. *Let it go Abby… Let … It… Go. Sigh… any ways… like I was saying, now the trauma is over, I can tell you about our weekend! We were pretty relaxed all weekend long and there’s really not much to report now that I begin to type about it. On Saturday we met up with Ivan & Dawn at Calamity Jane’s for breakfast and it was yummy! It was really nice to chat it up with them, and get to see them more than once every other month, which has been our recent pattern. After breakfast on our way home Eric and I swung by our local library and checked it out! We borrowed two books and I was a little sad that I didn’t have my library card yet to use. But no worries folks, it came in the mail yesterday! And it’s super cute! It’s got a little Octo...

Seems like a simple enough equasion ... right? Remember this Post??? Yep, that's me complaining about my cell phone issues, and how I can't ever keep one intact for more than a year... well, today I think I beat my record. I have had my cell phone since the beginning of March. Today, my Nokia leapt out of my pocket and into one of the 2,000 puddles in the streets of Seattle. Awesome... Currently, my phone is in a bowl of white rice attempting to suck all the moisture out of it. I have heard this works miracles, but I'm not counting on it. So, I have my Voyager dug out of the "dead cell phone basket " and am looking forward (not) to not being able to use the front side of my phone as was the reason I got a new phone to begin with. Again, Awesome... Ugh... Happy Monday. Also, please send extra prayers to my Momma. She's awfully sick from her chemotherapy and has had a hard week. She could use a little extra cheer. All my Love, A

I saw this sign in the Las Vegas airport and it kind of made me laugh. I immediately took a picture of it and texted it to my friend Katherine bcause she truly does believe libraries are amazing and I thought she would find it funny too! That being said, I haven't been to a library since college - Heidi and I actually spent a LOT of time in the library at college but I can't say we borrowed a lot of books, we mostly just giggled in the Internet cafe and tried to do our homework which we usually failed at and then went to our respective rooms to get something done. I realized a couple weeks ago how much money Eric and I spend in Borders or Barnes and Nobel on books that we're interested in reading. It's just silly. The King Country Library circuit is actually pretty amazing. You can put any book on hold that the library owns and they will send it to your local library for you to pick up. So If the Des Moines library doesn't have it - some other library may a...