Caleb Joshua Abel

I can not believe how fast he is growing. Today Aug 31st Caleb played peek-a-boo all by himself, he covered his face and Mommy said "Where is Caleb" and he would pull the sheet down and laugh and laugh! We did this for about 20 mins and loved every moment. He now has 4 super cute teeth and his personality is coming out more each day! He is sleeping like a champ and wakes up in the best mood. He loves his brothers and searches them out when they are not in the same room. He is a joy! I love you baby Caleb!!

Kisses for mommy! 

On a totally other subject, I am wearing pants and socks today and I am THRILLED!!!! It has been in the high 90s for way to long here in Yakima and I am excited to actually feel cold. WAHOO!! Bring on the fuzzy pink socks and a cup of hot coffee! Thank you Lord for giving me joy in the little things!!

Week 4 DONE

This week flew by fast! The kids and I keep busy and have a lot of fun doing so. We have been swimming, played at a park, gone for walks and are always coming up with new games to play around the house when it gets too hot outside! Caleb is beginning to pull himself up onto or into things now and recently has discovered a new face while eating. I love it!

Do you see the top two teeth?

 Dave started playing soccer with the school. It is not a league, just a bunch of people who love soccer and want to run off some steam after a day of studying.

Benn and Josiah played on the playground while Daddy played

Benn in red, going up the tree

 On Saturday the school was invited out to a PNWU board members house for a BBQ. The kids played and climb trees while all the adults took a breather from studies.

Josiah up in the tree

Gilbert, Caleb, Benn, Coy and Josiah. These are a few of our new friends

We are having a really good time but are looking forward to it cooling off soon. I have not had to use the AC in our house yet, but always use it in the van. So on Saturday after the BBQ when the fan on the van went out, it got hot in the van. (Can not use AC unless the cooling fan works or the Van over heats) If you have followed our blog you will know that this AC thing has been an issue since the beginning of our road trip. It has always been a different element of the AC but alas, it always effects the AC. So part of our Sunday was spent with Daddy fixing the van. I am sooooo THANKFUL this happened on the weekend.

Prayer Request: This week Aug 27th-Sep 2nd Dave enters TEST week. This week Dave will have a total of 10 tests to prepare for and take. We are all ready and able, but only with the hands of God guiding our way. Pray that Dave will have wisdom and all the info will come to the fore front of his mind. He has been given a massive amount of info these last few weeks.  We are also praying that his study time is double and that he uses his time wisely. Thank you to all who pray for us! We feel it!

Young Lives

Wednesday night Dave and I joined a group of awesome folks for their Young Lives kick off.

For those of you who don't know I have been a part of the Young Lives ministry for almost 7 years. Young Lives reaches out to teen moms and their babies encouraging, loving and disciplining them through parenthood. 

So you could imagine how sad I was to pack up and leave my awesome girls back in Alaska and move to Yakima. I have kept in contact with all of the mentors and girl back in Alaska (Thanks to Facebook) but I have still felt sad being such a far way away. Wednesday night was AWESOME! Dave and I felt as if we had been with this group for the last 7 years. There was great food,  great friends and LOTS of laughter! It also helps that the director Mary and I have been good friends for the last 2 years and it also helps to have a common interest, Young Lives. I am stoked to be a part of the Yakima Young Lives and hopefully learn new and cool things and between Alaska and Yakima I hope that with combined forces Young Lives will grown far beyond what we have now.  Watch out here comes YOUNG LIVES!

In the Picture above left to right, Terry, LeMessa, Cheryl, Breonna, Katrina and Jennifer! This is at Creekside Young Life Camp July 2011. Katrina and Jennifer are mentors and have come along side Terry and have taken Young Lives in Alaska to a whole new level in just this past summer! I am excited to watch them all grow! You go girls!

 Beautiful Terry and Beautiful Heather! Terry is now the director in Anchorage Alaska. She excitedly took over for me when we had to move away! She is a fantastic women and we all love TERRY!!

Terry AK director and Mary Yakima Director at camp 2011

 Here are two of my favorite people!! Terry, who my kids love and adore and has supported me through a lot and been there for me whenever I need her and Mary who has already shown me she is ready to help me out as we adjust to Yakima. Both of these ladies are strong godly women who love the Lord our God with all their heart, soul and mind and I am blessed to call them friends!
Please keep both of them and Young Lives in your prayers as we start up a new year!

WEEK 3 DONE!

Helping Daddy mow before Dave heads to school

 We are still doing amazing. Honestly, I have to keep asking myself. "Has Dave only been in school 2 weeks?" (3 weeks, but only 2 weeks of actual school.) We have all fallen into an amazing routine and everything is still smooth. It is weird know we just started. Shouldn't there be more hiccups??
Dave feels like he is keeping up with his studies and I am keeping up with the kiddos.  God has blessed our communication and understanding as a family and in that we hear each others hearts and feelings and deal with them accordingly. God has blessed us in mighty ways. We only thrive because HE lives in us and guides our every move!

They found good use of their pool and new swing

Sitting like a champ!

 Sunday we got up and left town for a hike out in White Pass on Highway 12. However, we decided 95 degrees was to hot to hike in and splashed in the Tieton River instead.

 While we were splashing about Dave noticed a man down river also splashing about. . . in his birthday suit. The man took notice of us but continued on in his "birthday" celebration. Oh Dear!

 We have really enjoyed exploring our new home. Thank you God for your amazing creation and for allowing and giving us the ability to enjoy it!

So here we go onto week four,

we can only do this with our knees on the floor.

I give you this week, it is yours my Lord

Please bless us as we move forward. 

Kidnapped!!

 Shhhh don't tell, but Friday we kidnapped Daddy from school for a long lunch break and took him swimming! The boys and I have been coming to the pool 2-3 times a week and we wanted to show Daddy all the neat stuff the boys have learned. We had tons of fun and Dave had a good time playing and taking a break from the books.

 Benn has become a FISH! He is able to swim the length of the pool (width wise) and loves to jump in!

 Josiah as also taken well to the water, with his water wings. He has also began to jump in. He is IN, OUT and jumping again before I reach him. But he loves it!

 The life guards take a liking to the boys and stand near while they jump in over and over enjoying the splashes they receive on the hot days. The children invite them in and all of them say: "I wish I could, but can you jump in again so I can get wet!" The kiddos all oblige willingly.

The boy in blue and to the right is Big Caleb. One of Benn's friends.

Baby Caleb also loves our pool time

We are sad because after school starts all the outdoor pools shut down. But we recently joined up at the YMCA and intend to use their pool often!

Swing Set!

I have accomplished something huge! Okay, maybe not so huge! But still. . .

I hooked up our trailer to our van and drove 45 min to pick up a swing set for the boys I found on craigslist. It was a good deal and I did not want to take the chance of someone buying it before Dave could get out there and get it. I bought the swing and the guy helped me load it up and tie it down. (I should have taken a pic of that) On my way home I stopped to get gas and realized that one of the straps had come loose and almost fell off. I am glad I figured this out before getting on the interstate.
I fixed it and got on my way home. Everything made it home safely and I was excited to have done something I never thought I would do by myself. Hook up and Pull a trailer!!

 Oh but I forgot to mention. . . the battery was dead in the van. This has been an ongoing issue so I asked my neighbor to put the new battery in that has been sitting in our garage. I thought about doing it myself, but could not bring myself to do it. Years ago, my Dad and I had a battery blow up while we were doing something under the hood of our 84 Bronco. Needless to say, I don't do battery stuff anymore. :)
I still felt super accomplished!!

Finding things to do in Yakima

With Dave being gone at school, I have hired a couple cute Mr. Fix-its!

 Finding things to do while Dave is at school all day has been EASY! There is a lot to do here in Yakima and on this blog I have only post a few.

I have taken up the art of hanging clothes to dry to save money on gas

I am learning to can foods. These are some peaches I scored for free

there is my hired help again picking some blueberries!

 They are not Alaska's wild blueberries but they are still yummy!! We spent a couple hours picking almost 7lbs of berries the other day at Yakima Berries.

When these are ripe we will pick them too! YUMMO APPLES

This is only half! My boys can pick them like no other!

Blueberry pancakes on a Saturday morning!

Not the prettiest, BUT YUMMY!

I also made blueberry muffins

Give them a try, you will love them!

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Combined all ingredients and fill each greased muffin tin to the top with batter.  I used paper liners, but be sure to spray the top surface of the pan. Sprinkle a generous helping of the crumb topping over batter.
• Crumb Topping
• 1/4 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon  
• combine with fork
• Bake muffins at 400 degree for 20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. ENJOY!!!