Christmas Pics

Holly Jolly Christmas

I can't believe that Christmas has come and gone for another year! We had a wonderful Christmas here in Florida with G'ma Marcy and G'pa Charley joining us for the festivities. Our week just flew right by and now it seems like forever ago. The Abel grandparents arrived Saturday afternoon before Christmas left the following Saturday. We really enjoyed having them around and don't know exactly where their time here got to. Our activities included going to the beach (the weather here has been unseasonably warm...the beach was fantastic), shopping, Molly sleeping over with grandma...twice, looking at lights, visiting Santa, eating out, visiting with extended family, more shopping, more eating and all of that before Christmas even came.

Christmas eve we attended our early Church service geared more for the kidos. It was cute with a puppet show and kids singing Christmas carols. Then we were off to Jack & Candy's for the Knepp's southern addition. It was nice and it seems like more and more of my family are here in Florida now. Afterward we were sure to get our letter to Santa and cookies and milk out. Molly was terrified that she wasn't going to get to bed in time and Santa was going to skip right over our house. It was a restless night for me doing some last minute rapping and preparations and then when Molly was up at 5:45 am I was exhausted. We held her off until around 7 when we finally woke Roz who was considerably less enthused. Everyone seemed to get what they wanted most from Santa and the day was off and running with a great start. Marcy and Charley arrived around 9 and then my parents and Artie came for lunch at 12. Molly then went with my parents to the pinecraft parade around 3 so that everyone could have a little break from the action. It was a nice day and the part I enjoyed the most was being able to enjoy it at home with my girls and family. Traveling to IN for Christmas is nice but there is nothing like home.

That pretty much sums up our activities for the Holidays. Now the fun part of taking down the decorations and storing them ever so carefully until next year is upon us. No plans for New Years Eve or Day to speak of.

Until next time....

Just a smile...

Today was so hectic...I ran 10 miles to start the day and can't wait until this training lets up a little. I then mixed up a batch of cookies so that they could cool in the fridge and be ready for Molly and I when Roz went down for her nap. After picking up Roz at my mom's and running some errands it was time to pick up Molly and head home for lunch with Ryan. After lunch there was cleaning and baking to do all the while throwing in a craft just to spice things up a bit...and did I mention that our good friends were coming over for supper since things have been so hectic and we just don't get to see them as much as we would like? Well after decorating the cookies and their plates then finishing up supper just in time we had a great time visiting and enjoying our company. As I came in here to finish up some work on the computer Roz was screaming and through her screams (they are loud) I could hear Molly singing Silent Night to her and my heart just melted. It was quiet at first and then Roz became calmer and you could hear Molly's sweet voice trying to comfort her sister. That is what life is all about...the still small calming voice from those that love us the most. Thank you God for my life. My girls, husband and friends are all gifts from you. Help me to not forget......

The MOST wonderful time of the year...

Well things are going good here. We finished our second batch of cookies today for Christmas. I figure that if we bake one each week then it won't be as overwhelming as trying to do it all at once. I love to give a plate of cookies to friends & neighbors...although I do get carried away sometimes....wanting to decorate the packages and all. The whole idea is to save $$ and give something "homemade". Molly really enjoys baking with me. I really have to be careful though. Today I sat and listened to myself get on her for not doing it 'my way', and hated what I was hearing. I really try to make it fun for her and have to watch myself. So far this year we have made 2 batches of cookies (I know I already said that), one gingerbread house and homemade stockings (which I totally love). It really has been fun doing things with the kids and I look forward to spending many more Christmas's with my girls.

I FINISHED 18 MILES! Last sunday I RAN 18 miles. We had a really busy weekend and I just wasn't sure if it was going to happen but it did. I felt really good at the end and the sense of accomplishment was unbelievable. Then monday morning came....wow. My legs felt like 2 huge bruises, I couldn't bend and walking was a real challenge. I was supposed to run again on tuesday but my alarm went off tuesday morning and since I couldn't get out of bed I decided that another day of rest was probably best. Then this morning things went fine. I have a night race tomorrow...it is called the jingle bell run, and it should be fun. I think that everyone wears bells on their shoes and there are lots of lights and festivities for the whole famdamily. The girls and Ryan are going with me so we shall see....

As for our busy weekend last weekend, I can't really remember what we did other than church Saturday night, the beach Sunday morning (followed by the 'kids eat free' at the Oaks BBQ), my run and then dinner at Artie and Madelyn's. Artie fixed us tacos and I have to admit that he is a fine cook. We like spending Sunday evenings with them, it give the kids something to do so that we can all watch football! Yeah!

My Christmas shopping is just not really happening. I am trying to be extremely frugal with the ecomony and our work being so light so I guess that my strategy thus far has been to just ignore that gifts for the girls eventually do have to be bought. Hopefully things will change....and like soon. I did finish and order our Christmas cards yesterday...I really enjoy making them and hopefully they will come out to my satisfaction. Well I need to get going. I am leaving you with a couple of pics of the girls.

Molly and her Gingerbread Creation

Ryan and Roz watching a Christmas movie
Molly and her 'masterpiece' cookies

Until next time....

Home again...

Well we made it back to Florida Sunday morning around 6:15 am. I think...I was totally delirious. That traveling through the night twice in one week was too much for me. Sleep was impossible when we got home since the girls had slept most of the night and were raring to go. Finding a sitter at 6:15 am on Sunday is also impossible so needless to say I wasn't worth a darn on Sunday...or Monday for that matter. We did get our Christmas tree and decorations put up yesterday. It was so much fun putting them up with the girls. Roz did take a nap and gave Molly and I some time to finish up. Molly was so good...she knew exactly were she wanted to put everything and I must admit she has a great sense of style (most of the time).

As for our trip, it went good. We got to see most of our family and enjoy the cold weather for a change. Molly spent a lot of time playing with Allison. They played so good I was totally amazed. I know that I only heard of them fighting once or twice which is a big change from when her and Maddi get together. I guess it is always fun to play with someone new and Allison seems so easy to get along with. She is so soft it is unbelievable. Especially compared to Molly. One day we went to visit my Grandma Needie and Shawna & Allison went with us. As we were leaving the parking lot I asked if everyone was buckled in only to look back and see Allison tearing up. She couldn't get her seatbelt buckled. If that was Molly there would have been lots of screaming and thrashing but not Allison...only tears for her. She is so sweet. Being around her and Shawna make me wish that we could live closer...or better yet they could live here.

I got all of my training runs in while there. It was a challenge finding routes to run and trying to stay warm and out of the wind. The hills there were definately not easy and my thighs were burning for several days but all in all I am sure it was good for me...especially after consuming all of that turkey, dressing & dessert on Thanksgiving.

Marcy & Charley were the best hosts as usual. They always make us feel right at home and I appreciate them more and more every year!

Now onto another busy week of work, school (for Molly & Ryan) and preparing for the Holidays...the MOST wonderful time of the year.

Oh yeah, we are potty training Roz this week so please say a little prayer for me...I hate messes!

Until next time....

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, to IN we go....

Well we are leaving for Indiana this afternoon. It has been a really busy week trying to get ahead on work, Ryan with school, finding warm clothes for the girls and all of the regular stuff too. Molly is so excited she is just about ready to come out of her skin. I am hoping the excitement will ware her out and she will sleep good in the van as we travel through the night. Roz keeps saying "anyanna" (her version of Indiana). I don't know if she really knows or just wants in on all of the excitement that Molly is showing. Either way I can't wait for everyone to see the girls and how much they are growing. Molly is such a 'girl' now. She grow up more and more every day. Don't get me wrong we still have our moments but she is really starting to mature. Roz is doing new things all the time. She is starting to put 2 words together for mini sentences. She says "mommy won" (translation mommy run), daddy work, and one of the cutest "Molly cwy" (translation Molly is having a breakdown). She is so funny.

I am really starting to notice their different personalities. Molly is all about the big picture. She is not concerned with 'details'. She wants to learn as much as possible about any and everything. I can't wait to see what she becomes! Roz on the other hand is all about the details. The other day her and Molly were chasing each other through the house and I seen Roz stop to fix the corner of the rug that was turned up...now that is a child after my own heart! Either way I am so proud of the both of them...and that God made them so unique.

I finished my 16 mile run yesterday. It was not easy...I had to stop for walk breaks in the last few miles...but complete it I did. I felt such a sense of accomplishment when I was finished, and was terribly frightened of having to do 10 more miles for the marathon. I can't wait!

Well I need to get going. I will post pictures soon. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Until next time....

Catching up...

It sure has been awhile but life hasn't slowed any. Things are busy as usual here. We are fighting sickness, trying to keep up with kids and work as usual. It seems that the more time I think I am going to have the longer my list of things to do grows. My friend told me that they usually make a crash landing into Thanksgiving and boy is it ever true for us this year.

We are planning to come to IN for Thanksgiving this year and hopefully everyone will be well enough to travel. (Feel free to pray for health and safety for us if you get the chance.) It should be a nice time and hopefully the weather will be cool enough for the girls and Ryan to get their winter fix.

I have taken some time off of my training schedule due to the stomach flu. Hopefully it won't do too much damage on race day. I plan to be back on track next week...hopefully God has the same plans;)

The girls are up to the much of the same: being cute then terrible then cute again. I love them dearly and it is a good thing sometimes.

I will leave you with a slideshow of the last few weeks.

Until next time....

13.6 and counting....

I officially survived my long run of 13.6 miles this morning. I took off a little after 6 am and met my water girl (my mom) along the way for some refueling. At the half way point mom decided to ride her bike behind me. It was really motivating to know that someone was watching and there to help if needed. She finished the run with me (on her bike) and boy was it awesome...thanks mom!!!! I logged my training online and found out that I burned 1410 calories...yeah! Now off to the unlimited buffet of food today (to refuel of course, ha ha).

Have a great weekend and I will post more about all of us later.

Until next time....

Parent Teacher Conferences, Sports & Cold....

First of all Molly's parent teacher conferences were last night. I had mixed feeling about it because I know that her behavior at the beginning of the year was a little less than desirable (to put it nicely). But after talking to the teacher I couldn't help but feel a little proud of my scholar. I don't know how long Mrs. Beauchamp has been teaching, but she said that Molly is the most advanced reader that she has ever seen at this age. Molly just really enjoys learning and sometimes the other kids even ask her to read to them. I have to admit that was a really good 'mommy moment' for me...even though I can take zero credit for her abilities, which are all God-given. The other day she came to me and said "mom I can spell champion, C H A M P I O N". I think she had seen it on the cereal box but she definitly wasn't looking at the time. She really is amazing...and only 4!

Here are the school pictures that we got to pick up last night. The class picture is just priceless! And the one of Molly is so perfect...she couldn't leave the house for picture day with out big ribbons (which I totally don't get into) but I chose to let her pick. I can't wait until she gets to pick out more of her clothing...ha, ha!

Ryan and I were so excited for the Colts v. Titans football game last night (Ryan is a big Titan's fan and I DON'T like the Colts). We were a little torn over how to keep up with both the World Series game and the football game so we did lots of channel switching between innings and plays. We put up a good fight but decided to use the good ole DVR after about 10:30...I know we are weaklings. We were so glad to check things out early this morning and find the Titans were victorious (GO TITANS!...sorry all of you Colts fans) and that the Rays have another chance to redeem themselves. I love fall sports season!

I don't think that I mentioned that marathon training is not going real great. Last week I was battling a cold and couldn't train much so my weekend run that was supposed to be 12 miles turned into only 7 and I couldn't even run that whole distance. It was a real bummer for me so this week I have some ground to make up. This morning was my first run since feeling better and it went really well. The temp was around 50 when I left and it was quite a change compared to what I am used to...a welcome change I might add. We are supposed to have a high of 66 today but back up to 80 by the weekend.

The girls really had to bundle up this morning for their walk to school. I thought you would enjoy the picture. Ryan laughs at us but it really seems cold when you are used to 75+ everyday!

I guess that the laundry is calling. Until next time.....

Marcy Update

Marcy is home!!! I am happy to report that Marcy's last test on friday proved that she is healed and ready to enter the outside world again. She came home yesterday and although I haven't talked to her, I am sure that it is good to be back in the comfort of her own house. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she continues to recover at home.

As for us, we are on the mend as well. Molly missed school Wednesday - Friday but is showing signs of improvement today and I am sure she will be back to school on Monday. Roz is acting her normal crazy self again and everyone slept through the night last night...yeah! Hopefully next week will be a little bit more normal.

Until next time....

Abel Family Update

Well with all the chaos lately I have been wanting to post these pics and videos. Alot has happened and so I will just go through the pics.

Emma, Molly & Abby

The Otto's came over for supper last week and we all had a good time. The girls played together so well and we really enjoy hanging out with them.

Last Wednesday night was 'crazy hair' night at church. Maddi was a great sport and wanted to show off her hair. Molly decided not to participate....girls!!!
I came home from work 2 Saturdays ago to this beautiful bouquet of flowers. Molly picked them out because they were her favorite color pink but they were really from her awesome dad!

We enjoyed a picnic at the park a few Sunday's ago and the girls had a great time. The weather is really starting to cooperate with picnic season here in FL.



There is this patch of flowers (weeds) in our back yard that the girls love to play in. I just can't stand to get rid of it so I don't. They love to pick flowers for me and I have to admit that I love getting them.

Roz is definitly a show phanatic. Ryan let her take a pair to bed with her the other night and this is how I found her before I headed off to bed myself.
The ice cream truck finally made it into our neighborhood the other night. We were super excited and the girls thought it was soo cool. The ice cream was awesome and we encouraged Mr. Softee to return anytime!

Ryan was doing storytime duty tonight and I couldn't resist the photo op.

Last but not least is some footage of the girls swinging again. They just love it...thanks again to Marilyn our neighbor for the swingset...what a blessing.

Both girls are sick as of this evening...nothing major just the usual fevers, coughs and runny noses. Hopefully they will make a quick recovery and be better by the weekend.

Oh and Marcy is still doing good. She must be feeling back to herself a little because yesterday when I talked to Renita, Marcy had sent her on a candy bar run. I will let you know if anything changes. Just keep praying that we can have a fully recovered G'ma, mother and friend back as soon as God sees fit.

Until next time.....

Marcy Update 10:24 am Oct 20, 2008

Not much has changed with Marcy. She is still doing great by all post-stroke standards. Yesterday she was abel to get out of bed to go to the bathroom and today walked there on her own. She is eating a little bit but her appetite is small. They took some of her IV's out yesterday to allow her to move a little more also. We think that all of these things are great. The power of prayer is awesome! Thank you all so much for saying a prayer for her.

Ryan made it home to us yesterday around 1 pm. We were all so glad to have him back! It is amazing how much of the load that he bears around here. I appreciate him more and more every second. That is all I can say about that without embarrassing him too terribly much.

Renita is still in Nashville with Marcy and Charley returned to Montgomery this morning for a few days of work. We are kinda playing thing by ear but hopefully Marcy can come home this weekend. There will be a long road to recovery but having her closer to family and friends will be a big help.

Until I know more.....

Good News Update 3:21 pm 10/18/08

I just spoke with Ryan and the angiogram that they did this morning on Marcy came back with really good news. The doctor could not find any problems in the arteries in her brain which leads him to believe that it must have happened in a vein. The dr described that as really good news and said that a lot less damage is done when it happens in a vein and there is little concern for it happening again. He was very thorough in his examination this morning but said that they must preform the angiogram again in 7 days. If the same thing is seen at that time, she will be released.

This is awesome news and we are so thankful for the results. None-the-less, 7 more days in the hospital is not a vacation so please keep Marcy in your prayers for that time.

I will continue to keep you posted with updates as I get them.

Until next time....

G'ma Marcy Update 9:41 pm 10/17/08

I just spoke with Ryan and not much is changed. All outside appearances are good, she is coherant and knows what day it is, and all other relavant facts; she knows exactly what has happened to her and remembers the whole thing; she can eat and move all limbs, fingers and toes; she is just really tired due to medication and a bad, bad headache. Tomorrow, hopefully in the morning, they will do the angiogram which will tell the doctors the details and a better idea of what has happened and will need to happen in the future will be established. Thank you all for your prayers and keep them coming.

The girls and I have survived a day without Ryan...although it was not fun, we did make it. I didn't realize the wonderful helper he is to me and how much the girls depend on him. I hope he knows how much we love and appreciate having him around.

Until tomorrow....

Grandma Marcy

My mother-in-law Marcy needs all of your prayers. Yesterday (thursday) she was leaving work and had some severe neck cramping so she drove herself to Dr. Omer's office for a possible adjustment. When he wasn't in she stayed in the parking lot until Charley could get there. When he arrived he found her in distress and she told him that she had already called the ambulance. She was taken to DCH where they told her she had a pulled muscle in her neck and some bleeding on her brain. She was then transported to St. Mary's in E'ville where they could give her a more thorough examination and diagnosis. Once there and stabilized, the neurosurgeon suggested that she be transfered to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN. This was a precautionary move due to things that 'could' happen and not because she was really critical. The drs felt that she could get the best care there. She was transported to Nashville by air some time through the night. Ryan, Renita & Charley all arrived there today around 11 and were just in time to meet the drs doing their rounds. Her diagnosis has been determined as a hemorrhagic stroke. They described it as a 2 on a scale of 1 - 4 with 4 being the worst. She is awake, responds and knows what is going on. She is really groggy from medication but is stable. They plan to do angiogram tomorrow morning in order to determine the extent of the damage. The nurses called this a fact finding mission. After that is completed they will be able to make a better decision on whether or not surgery is required/needed. The last time I talked to Ryan (around 1:30 p.m. friday) they were bringing her something to eat so hopefully that will go well.

Please keep Marcy in your prayers along with Ryan, Renita, Charley and all of her caregivers and physicians. I will try and update this site with any new information as soon as I recieve it. If you have specific questions/comments my email is a78abel@yahoo.com.

My girls and I are really sad so it might help for you to pray for us too.

10.7 and counting....

Well I had to post the fact that I completed my long training run this morning which consisted of 10.7 miles and almost 2 hours. I felt like there were bricks in my shoes when I was finished but I finished none-the-less. I was really proud of myself, especially when I put my training into the computer training log and it spit out that I had just burned 1100 calories! No wonder I am super starved all day after a long run like that.

I hope that training keeps going so well, I stay injury free (my bum leg is lots better) and the weather continues to cooperate. 26.2 here I come........

Videos and Tag

Here are just a few videos that I have taken over the last few days. Molly is sooo good at reading and Roz is up to her usual mischief. I hope you enjoy!

I also got 'tagged' by Susie G. This could be fun so here are 6 rarely known things about me.

1. I am NOT creative but would love to be...I enjoy digi scrapping but have to admit that it is a huge challenge for me.

2. I love to run...running is a bit of an addiction for me and I have to really focus on not letting it take over my life.

3. I look forward to retirement, already.

4. Having a premature baby was the hardest thing that I have had to face in my life (thus far). I can see that God has used that time to grow me but I honestly don't know if I could do that again.

5. I have a tattoo...being 18 was quite an experience for me.

6. I am highly emotional...I can cry over almost anything...good or bad.

Boy I have to admit that was tough...I just don't know many things that everyone doesn't already know about me. I hope you enjoy.

Happy Birthday Renita!

Happy Anniversary to Us...

As I mentioned before Ryan has a love/hate relationship with this blog...this is the hate part,when I talk about him. Regardless, I just couldn't resist the opportunity to talk about us and how we got to where we are. Where to start has been quite a decision, and I have thrown around many ideas over the last couple of days. I hope you enjoy what I have come up with and I ultimately hope that Ryan doesn't get too embarrassed.

It all started when my mom was pregnant with me and Ryan was a newborn. My mom attended the grand march for Prom in the spring of '78 and Marcy was there as well showing off her newborn baby boy. Since it was late in my mom's pregnancy, she was drawn to the new baby that Marcy was so proud of. She held Ryan that night and I like to tease Ryan that his fate was sealed at that point!


Although it was a magical beginning, things weren't always wonderful. We dated off and on for 9 long years. I wanted to marry Ryan early on but am so glad that he didn't decide that I was the one until the perfect time. God had a plan for us.

We got married on a beautiful day in October 2002. Our marriage isn't without trials but I love Ryan more than words can say. He is my friend, companion, cheerleader, counselor and more. I couldn't have imagined life this good with someone if you would have asked me to. He constantly amazes me with his ability to handle the kids, college, work, home & family without complaining or compromising his values or standards. He is the most respectful, courteous and kind person, and such a wonderful example for our girls. I laugh and tease him that they are going to have such high standards for boyfriends that they will never find someone to live up to the example he has set. I feel so lucky to have him as my husband!

Here's to many, many more years together.....

Happy Birthday Renita!

Today (Oct 5th) is Renita's birthday and we wanted to wish her the best birthday ever! We wish that she lived here with us in Florida instead of across the country in California. We look forward to her visits and hate it when it is time for her to leave. We always have such a great time with her. She is a wonderful aunt to my girls, sister to my husband and friend to me! Have a great day Renita...we love you!

Yeah Fall!!!

I can't believe that fall is here! There has actually been a change in the weather here in the last couple of days and it feels great. The days are still pretty warm (high 80's) but it actually cools off a little in the evenings through morning time (low 70's). My morning runs have been much more enjoyable and I actually contemplated wearing a short sleeve shirt today. It is hard to imagine that in a few short months I will be in long pants and double shirts;)

Marathon training has been going well for the most part. I have a weird right leg injury or strain. I am not sure what happened but it is sore in different areas. As soon as I get one area fixed up another seems to be sore. Hopefully it is nothing big and I will soon be injury free and on my way to the 26.2 mile race! I ran 7 miles last weekend without a hitch but kringe at the thought that I am only about 1/4 of the way there. I'll keep you updated.

Molly had her school pictures taken today. I ordered the smallest package not expecting a great picture. I'm sure it will be interesting. Molly has been in trouble at school at lot lately and I was mostly freaking out about it until a good friend reminded me that kids are not totally a reflection of their parents and overall she is a great kid. I get so worked up over these things and picture the future as so bleak and than remember that my God loves Molly more than I do and he desires great things for her...what a comfort!

Here is a video of Roz yesterday. She is just so fun (most of the time) right now. I love her expressions and how she loves to love on me. She is very much a cuddler and I love that about her.




Another thing I have been into lately is thegrocerygame.com. One of the mother's at Molly's school told me about it and it has really worked for us. We have saved over $60 in 3 weeks! I recommend it highly...and if you decide to try it use me for a reference (a78abel@yahoo.com). I think I earn free weeks or something. The way it works is that you pay $10 for 8 weeks. On Sunday you log on and get a list of the items on sale at your grocery store of choice, match the sales with coupons from the Sunday papers and voila....tons of savings. It is like a game and so far has been lots of fun. Let me know if it works for you.

Here are some pictures of Molly before school yesterday. She loves riding her bike to school and gets lots of attention from her classmates when she does. I like to let her do it because I can't imagine us living this close to her school for many years. Roz loves it too, we walk with her and Roz rides in the stroller.

Molly has been improving her reading skills tremendously over the last couple of weeks. She is just like a sponge and reads almost everything she can get her hands on. I hope that we can nuture that in her and she can gain all kinds of knowledge from books.

Roz is saying more words and has began to put 2 and 3 words together. She is growing so fast! She is such a little stinker and has really been using her climbing skills to get into trouble lately. Her latest thing is to climb on top of our desk and push the buttons on the printer and computer. She loves to explore and has enjoyed getting to play outside on the swingset again now that the evenings are a little cooler.

Well that is what has been going on here the last week. Until next time.....

Home sweet home!

Well I am back from my travels to IN. I have to admit that home is such a great place to be. It is funny how as a mom for the last 4+ years I have looked forward to the time when I could have a few days to myself. No diapers to change, no snacks to fix and no noses to wipe. But let me tell you, it wasn't the glorious time that I envisioned it being! First of all the reason for my departure was not a good one and that certainly added to the despair that I felt while away from my husband and kids. I was actually sad that someone else was doing all of those 'chores' and that I couldn't be a part of their daily lives for a while. It really is true that "absense makes the heart grow founder".

The events that transpired requiring me to leave my family behind for a few days have really made me think over the last couple of days. I know that God uses all events to draw us closer to him and mold us into his people and in that way I am grateful for what has happened. I found myself seeking him more in the last few days than ever before and I really felt like I drew closer to him. I realized that my everyday frustrations are really small in the grand scheme of things. Life is so precious and it is so important what we do during our lives. My cousin Patrick touched so many people with his kindness and his huge heart. I mourn for those that loved him the most and the void that will now need to be filled by his absense. My prayer is that his loved ones will allow God to fill that void in their lives and heart. And that they can now work toward meeting our savior when the time for our lives are over.

As for how things went in FL while I was gone...I came home to a clean house, clean dishes, clean laundry and clean children! As you can tell Ryan knows exactly what is important to me and how I like things! He is such a great father and husband. It actually made me feel a little unneeded until Molly told me a million times how much she missed me and loved me. I was so glad to see all of them...what a precious sight! Roz on the other hand acted a little strange. I got my hair cut & colored while I was gone and I think that she almost didn't recognize me....or she was giving me a hard time for being gone. As we left the airport she started to warm up a little and by the time we were out of Tampa she kept saying "mommy, mommy, mommy"! What a sweet sound! After dinner I took the girls to the grocery store so that Ryan could have a moment of peace and quiet and I think that it was good for everyone. I just can't say enough how good it is to be at home with my family.

Well, I need to get things back in order here before Molly needs to be picked up from school.

Until next time....

Traveling again....

Many of you know that my cousin, Patrick Delaney, was involved in a motorcycle accident on Wednesday evening and passed away yesterday afternoon. I have been consumed with thoughts of what it must be like for those who were closest to him to have to endure this tragic set of events. It must be like a horrible nitemare that they cannot wake up from and my thoughts and prayers are with them continuously. As horrible as this is for all involved, I think that it is a great time for all of us to take a step back and realize how short life is and what is truly important. I know that me and my family have been doing a lot of re-evaluating and hopefully God is using this tragedy to mold me more and more into who he wants me to be.

Roz and I will be flying to IN on Sunday morning and I would love for you to say a little prayer that we will have a safe flight and travels to/from the airports. Molly is staying with Ryan so I am sure that a prayer for the 2 of them alone for a couple of days wouldn't be in vain;)

The accountant at Molly's school also lost her son in a motorcycle accident this week. He was only 18 and his mother is a very sweet women. Please keep them in your prayers also.

Other than that not much has happened here at the Abel household. A couple of the thing that I wanted to share that the kids have done lately:

The other night while Ryan was putting the girls to bed, Roz fell and hit her head (this happens around 20 times a day). She started to cry and so I rocked her for a while before laying her down for the night. Molly decided that she needed to be rocked also and I just wasn't in the mood. I was looking forward to my 'free time' after the kids are tucked away in their beds and so I fought her on the issue. She moaned and cried and I have to admitt that I was a little harsh in explaining that I would rock tomorrow and that it was time for sleeping now. After 'the look' from Ryan I gave in and decided to rock her. Later that evening before I tucked myself in I was feeling a nudge that I should apologize to her and ask her to forgive me for not wanting to rock. I gently entered her room and asked her to forgive me for being so harsh. I told her that mommies make mistakes and that we need forgiveness sometimes too. She had a funny look most of the time that I was pouring out my heart and asking forgiveness and so after I was done with my speel I asked her if she wanted to say anything. She said "yes mom, could you take this booger from my finger and throw it away on your way out?" I guess that the point was for me to confess but I was really hoping for this precious moment between the two of us and she was worried about disposing of her booger the entire time...the joys of motherhood never stop!

Hello All

I have been trying to upload my pictures from our GA trip all week and it just hasn't went well. I haven't put a ton of effort forth but it is frustrating none-the-less. We had a great time and the trip was smooth for the most part. The van was like traveling in luxury! Everyone had their own space and I felt a lot less violated than I usually do after we make a road trip. Molly traveled like a pro, coloring and watching DVD's with little complaining or "Are we there yet" questions. Roz on the other hand wasn't such a pleasure. She is not interested in movies whatsoever and so entertaining her was a little bit of a challenge. She did fine for the trip to GA because it was mostly through the night and she slept. The trip home was quite the other case. The video that I posted last time says it all. We were all glad to be home and said that night travel is just the way to go for us right now.

We did tons of hiking, as you will see when I can get the pictures up, and really had a good time. The weather was nice and the waterfalls that we seen were running good. It was about the right amount of time to be gone and we are already looking forward to our next trip.

A couple of things that have been going on in my life:
I recently heard about thegrocerygame.com from another mother at Molly's school. I thought I would give it a try...I am not a coupon clipper because I end up buying stuff that I would never have bought only to save $.50. Anyways, to make a long story short I saved over $27 on my first trip to the grocery store on the plan yesterday. We were so excited! I thought it was even fun. The first 4 weeks of membership costs only $1 and it is $10 for 8 weeks after that. Check it out...

Ryan is in full swing with school. He is taking 13 credit hours this semester along with his full time job and his fatherly & husband duties. It is definatly stressful for him but he handles it well and I have to admit that I admire his ambition to better himself and our family. This is one more reason that I haven't been able to blog lately. Every spare moment that Ryan has he is using the computer for homework or class.

Well I think that is all for now. Hopefully things will slow down a little in the coming weeks and I can keep up better.

Until then.....

I'm back...

I promise that I have been trying to make a post for the past two weeks. Life has taken over and things have been busy but I promise to get all the pictures and fun stuff from our first road trip in the van up over the weekend. Don't give up on me yet.... Here is a sampling of how well Roz traveled.



Until next time...

Who knew...

Well it's official...I'm now a member of the minivan club. Ryan and I got a minivan this week. It has been a long time coming but it was just so hard to make that step! I can't believe the room and convenience it has already proved and we are so excited about it! We are so excited about our next travel trip so hopefully we can hit the road soon. So of course our car is now for sale...it is a great car if anyone is interested.

Hurricane Fay turned out to be a fluke for us here in Sarasota. We didn't even get any rain! I am glad that we didn't get any damage but it seemed like a little bit of a disappointment after prepping for it all day monday. Across the state some places got 30 inches so I guess that I shouldn't complain.

Molly absolutly LOVES school and was disappointed today when I told her that she doesn't go on Saturdays. She learned a bible verse, several songs, all about the week of creation and had lots of fun on the playground with her friends. She has been such a good girl this week and I think that school is definately a big part of that. I look forward to all that she will learn this year.

Well I need to go. Until next time.....

First Day of School

Well I can't believe my little scholar is actually old enough for school. Molly started K-4 today and it was so exciting. She couldn't sleep last night from all of the anticipation and was up by 6:30am this morning ready to go. She looked so sweet with her new dress, shoes and backpack and I was so proud of her. She had zero seperation anxiety and did so well. When it came time for the kids to line up Molly actually did the high step all the way out of site...she just couldn't contain her excitement. Maddi came to our house for breakfast and we took her to school as well. She too did great and the two girls couldn't have planned it any better. Maddi wore a pink dress and had a purple backpack while Molly wore a purple dress with a pink backpack. It just added to how well things went.

Ryan said that his mom always had a fresh batch of cookies waiting for them when they got home from the first day of school. You know me, always looking to start a tradition, so I thought this would be a great one to follow. I asked Molly a few days ago what her favorite cookie was and of course she wanted the sprinkle cookies with icing. I should have known that she would pick the most complicated recipe in the recipe box but for the sake of tradition I was up for the challenge.

Roz and I played for a while after we got home from dropping them off and then the baking began. Did I mention that the recipe that Molly was referring to came from my great grandma Rachel (my g'pa Knepp's mother) and that it is called 'Church Cookies'. We have come to the conclusion that it must have been called that because one batch would literally feed a whole church...no kidding. I had to pick Molly up at 12:30 and I still had a few more sheets of cookies to bake when I got home. It is a good thing those things freeze so well or my family would gain 10 lbs each after we were done with those things. They are super good though and we just can't resist every once in a while...it won't kill us right?!?! (Legend has it that those cookies, or should I say a lack of self-control when it came to the cookies, are what put my aunt Patsy in labor with one of her kids...so eat at your own risk).

When we picked the girls up they said that they had tons of fun so I think everything went well. Molly has to sit between 2 boys and she said they were rowdy so hopefully that won't become a problem. She said that there were tons of things to do and they stayed busy so hopefully she will really enjoy the whole year. And the cookies were a huge hit too...she really had a great day!

School is already cancelled for tomorrow. Hurricane Fay has Sarasota County under a state of emergency so all the schools are closed. Hopefully we won't loose power and it won't turn into anything more than a massive rain maker, which isn't so bad since we are still behind on rainfall for the year. None-the-less we have tried to get ready in case it does pick up speed and force. I wanted to title this post "Fay, Fay Go Away" but I thought that Molly's school was ultimately more important. The weather thus far has been pretty mild with a small shower this afternoon (as I was trying to get the grass cut of course). The air this evening has been really pleasant and we actually sat outside and let the girls play it was so nice. This is not usually the case here in August so I guess it is just a sign of something coming. Pray that we will be safe.

I guess that is all for now. Until next time....