I took a video while we were on the boat. It was absolutely amazing. I had to stop shooting the second video when the water raining down us got too hard for my phone. Enjoy the view.
The first video is a better, but the second has a really clear picture of the rainbow.
Showing posts with label Vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vacation. Show all posts
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
God's Glorious Creation - All Lit Up
They light up the Falls at 7pm from the Canadian side every night.
That is alot of water pouring over the falls. All the mist is where we were earlier today. The water going over the Falls is only 50% of the water that was in the river because half of the water is stopped and redirected to be used in the New York power plant. How cool is that? Niagara Falls generates enough power to power New York City, the surrounding area, and all of Ontario, Canada.
Breathtaking Beauty
I took this picture from the Maid of the Mist. It's a beautiful day. I have always loved rainbows, but this year they hold a whole new meaning. They were all over and very visible while "driving" into the falls. We got really wet, but it was so worth it. We even saw a double rainbow.
Our Retreat: Niagara Falls
Steve and I are taking a few days away. It's been a very stress filled year, so this should be a rejuvenating trip. Steve has never been to Niagara Falls and he found a Groupon online to get a great deal on a hotel here, so here we are. We arrived last night after an 8-9 hour drive. It was a fairly easy drive. We are staying at the Four Points Sheridan here in Niagara Falls, NY. At first glance, it looks really fancy and the $8 bowl of oatmeal for breakfast proves that. I bet it's really good bowl of oatmeal though. I don't think we will be splurging for it though.
The picture is our view from our room. It's a very peaceful view of the Niagara River.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Orlando: Equip-Weekend
I would like to call this picture "The Calm Before the Storm." It never actually stormed yesterday, praise God, but it looked it was going to.
Yesterday, we got up and went our morning class. We only had class until 10 then the rest of the weekend is ours. Class yesterday basically consisted of us practicing our 5 minute Wycliffe speech. I did mine in 4 minutes, 57 seconds. Woo hoo!
Then Steve's mom, Step-dad, and baby picked us up and we headed South to Vero Beach. We thought the weather would be better a little South of Orlando. It was a gorgeous, very relaxing day. It was Julie's first trip to the Ocean, so I took her down to the water and put her little feet in the sand. We dodged some waves to and I got a little wet preventing her from getting wet. By little, I mean really soaked. How nice of me?
Then we drove a little more South the West Palm Beach to visit one of Steve's cousins that I hadn't met yet. We spent some time with them and then went to bed. It was a great day.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Our Response From Delta
Delta sent me an email asking for some feedback about our flight. I got this response in my email today.
This is what I said:
The first leg of our trip was from Chicago to Atlanta. We took off on time from Chicago but landed in Atlanta behind schedule. Then we ran to our connection flight to our destination of Tulsa, OK. The flight was delayed because they were waiting for the crew to show up. We were finally in the air and ready to land and because of the storm we were rerouted in Little Rock, AR. I actually thought this part of the trip was well taken care of for us. Some other passengers were sent to really bad hotels but we were sent to a really nice hotel for a free night. We also received meal vouchers and a $200 travel voucher. I really appreciate how the pilot decided at the last minute not the land because it would have been too dangerous. The gentleman that helped us book a room seemed genuinely concerned about getting everybody a hotel room for the night. Delta redeemed itself but unfortunately the rest of the trip was not so good. On our trip back, we had a layover in Minnesota and then a flight back home to Chicago. We arrived at the airport early and got to the gate just to find out that they were overbooked on the flight or so we thought because they were looking for people to give up their seats. Our flight was not even boarded yet at the time we were supposed to be taking off. We found out later that the real reason that we were delayed was not because they overbooked, but because 3 flight attendants and pilot wanted to fly deadhead and there wasn't room for them. So Delta kicked off paying customers and delayed our flight because a flight crew wanted a free trip to Minnesota. We finally started boarding 20 minutes after we should have been taking off. On top of that, since only 3 people volunteered to switch flights they actually kicked a guy off the flight involuntarily. I don't get too upset if the delay is caused by a mechanical problem because I understand that safety is a priority, but delays caused by a missing flight crew or because a flight crew wants a free trip is not acceptable to me, especially if there no room for them and they are delaying a takeoff. Well our flight finally got into the air and we landed in Minnesota only 15 minutes before our flight to Chicago was scheduled to take off. The flight attendant told the gate number the Chicago flight was supposed to at and told us she hoped we made it. We ran through the terminal to the gate thinking we would get there barely on time anyway just to find out the flight attendant was WRONG!!! We were at the wrong gate and so we had to run through the terminal to the right gate thinking there was no way we were going to make the flight. Well it turns out that Delta's inability to take off on time worked in our favor this time. We finally got to the right gate just to find out that the flight hadn't even boarded yet due to engine troubles. Our 2:15 flight finally took off at 3:30. So where I am thankful that we didn't miss our flight, if the flight would have taken off on time, we would have because of the delay taking off in Tulsa and the flight attendant giving us the wrong gate information. This is not the first time we have had problems with Delta, but certainly the most upsetting.
This is Delta's Response:
Dear Mrs. Pitney,
RE: Case Number 3185831
Thank you for writing about your recent flight experience while traveling with your companions. On behalf of Delta Air Lines and our Connection partner SkyWest and Compass Airlines, I sincerely apologize for our flight delay and lack of assistance from one of our flight attendants. It is abundantly clear that your experience was far from a shining moment in airline travel and far from the level of service you had every right to expect. It was good to know that despite of a flight diversion on your departure flight your situation was handled appropriately.
Moreover, I understand the frustration you experienced when your plans were disrupted due to the delay of our flight for crew reasons departing Tulsa. Your report about the manner in which this was handled by our representatives concerns us. We clearly recognize that we cannot become complacent, and we are actively and aggressively seeking ways to improve all areas of our operation.
Also, it was disheartening to learn that our flight crew advised the wrong gate number for your flight. As our customer, you are in the best position to point out areas that need attention as our goal is to provide accurate information at all times. We will not tolerate discourtesy, and we do all possible to prevent anything similar from happening in the future. Your feelings are very important to us and please know your feedback will be shared with our Airport Customer Service leadership team for internal follow up.
Mrs. Pitney, as our valued customer, you are an integral part of our customer base and we are always interested in your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to write about the flight disruption and poor customer service. Your business is important to us and given the opportunity of serving you in the future, I am confident Delta will not only meet but exceed your expectations.
Sincerely,
Henry P. Torrence, Coordinator, Customer Care
Delta Air Lines/KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
This is what I said:
The first leg of our trip was from Chicago to Atlanta. We took off on time from Chicago but landed in Atlanta behind schedule. Then we ran to our connection flight to our destination of Tulsa, OK. The flight was delayed because they were waiting for the crew to show up. We were finally in the air and ready to land and because of the storm we were rerouted in Little Rock, AR. I actually thought this part of the trip was well taken care of for us. Some other passengers were sent to really bad hotels but we were sent to a really nice hotel for a free night. We also received meal vouchers and a $200 travel voucher. I really appreciate how the pilot decided at the last minute not the land because it would have been too dangerous. The gentleman that helped us book a room seemed genuinely concerned about getting everybody a hotel room for the night. Delta redeemed itself but unfortunately the rest of the trip was not so good. On our trip back, we had a layover in Minnesota and then a flight back home to Chicago. We arrived at the airport early and got to the gate just to find out that they were overbooked on the flight or so we thought because they were looking for people to give up their seats. Our flight was not even boarded yet at the time we were supposed to be taking off. We found out later that the real reason that we were delayed was not because they overbooked, but because 3 flight attendants and pilot wanted to fly deadhead and there wasn't room for them. So Delta kicked off paying customers and delayed our flight because a flight crew wanted a free trip to Minnesota. We finally started boarding 20 minutes after we should have been taking off. On top of that, since only 3 people volunteered to switch flights they actually kicked a guy off the flight involuntarily. I don't get too upset if the delay is caused by a mechanical problem because I understand that safety is a priority, but delays caused by a missing flight crew or because a flight crew wants a free trip is not acceptable to me, especially if there no room for them and they are delaying a takeoff. Well our flight finally got into the air and we landed in Minnesota only 15 minutes before our flight to Chicago was scheduled to take off. The flight attendant told the gate number the Chicago flight was supposed to at and told us she hoped we made it. We ran through the terminal to the gate thinking we would get there barely on time anyway just to find out the flight attendant was WRONG!!! We were at the wrong gate and so we had to run through the terminal to the right gate thinking there was no way we were going to make the flight. Well it turns out that Delta's inability to take off on time worked in our favor this time. We finally got to the right gate just to find out that the flight hadn't even boarded yet due to engine troubles. Our 2:15 flight finally took off at 3:30. So where I am thankful that we didn't miss our flight, if the flight would have taken off on time, we would have because of the delay taking off in Tulsa and the flight attendant giving us the wrong gate information. This is not the first time we have had problems with Delta, but certainly the most upsetting.
This is Delta's Response:
Dear Mrs. Pitney,
RE: Case Number 3185831
Thank you for writing about your recent flight experience while traveling with your companions. On behalf of Delta Air Lines and our Connection partner SkyWest and Compass Airlines, I sincerely apologize for our flight delay and lack of assistance from one of our flight attendants. It is abundantly clear that your experience was far from a shining moment in airline travel and far from the level of service you had every right to expect. It was good to know that despite of a flight diversion on your departure flight your situation was handled appropriately.
Moreover, I understand the frustration you experienced when your plans were disrupted due to the delay of our flight for crew reasons departing Tulsa. Your report about the manner in which this was handled by our representatives concerns us. We clearly recognize that we cannot become complacent, and we are actively and aggressively seeking ways to improve all areas of our operation.
Also, it was disheartening to learn that our flight crew advised the wrong gate number for your flight. As our customer, you are in the best position to point out areas that need attention as our goal is to provide accurate information at all times. We will not tolerate discourtesy, and we do all possible to prevent anything similar from happening in the future. Your feelings are very important to us and please know your feedback will be shared with our Airport Customer Service leadership team for internal follow up.
Mrs. Pitney, as our valued customer, you are an integral part of our customer base and we are always interested in your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to write about the flight disruption and poor customer service. Your business is important to us and given the opportunity of serving you in the future, I am confident Delta will not only meet but exceed your expectations.
Sincerely,
Henry P. Torrence, Coordinator, Customer Care
Delta Air Lines/KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Monday, April 18, 2011
Our Tulsa Vacation was Definetly Memorable
So we had a pretty eventful vacation. I'm going to call this vacation, "If it can go wrong, it probably will." I am going to premise the story by saying that I really hate to fly. I get nervous and have a small panic attack at take off and with even the smallest turbulence.
Thursday: We left for our trip around noon and headed to Chicago. We met up with Damian and got to see him for a little while and he brought us to Midway. Midway is pretty good airport. We don't normally have a problem with flights going out of Midway. Our flight was on schedule and we headed to our layover in Atlanta. I don't know if it's Delta or just the Atlanta airport, but we never seem to have flight in or out of Atlanta be on time. Some how we took off from Midway on time, but landed in Atlanta late (which is typical). We ran to our connection flight and of course if was behind schedule because they were waiting for the crew to show up. We finally took off and we should have been in Tulsa an hour and a half later. The pilot told us that we were on our final decent and that we should be in Tulsa in the next twenty minutes. Apparently, it was storming in Tulsa and the pilot came back on the speaker and said that he didn't feel that it was safe for him to land during the storm (which we found later was probably the right decision), so we were on our way to Little Rock, Arizona. The rest of the flight was nothing short of terrifying. The plane shook and it felt like at any moment it would break apart. Now as much as I will complain about Delta in this situation I thought they did a great job. The Delta representative gave us hotel vouchers for a really nice hotel. Apparently some on our flight were not so lucky. A few of the passengers were given vouchers for a hotel called Roadway Inn, which we found out later is similar to the Wooden Indian Inn. Those passengers showed up at our hotel and luckily were able to get a hotel room. One lady said her cab driver refused to even take her to that hotel and brought her directly to the hotel we were at.
Friday: The storm followed us to Little Rock and the tornado alarms were going off all night. Friday morning, they gave everyone a breakfast and lunch meal voucher and $200 flight voucher for our next flight. I don't know if a lot of people complained or if they just felt really bad about the situation. Getting 109 people booked in different hotels at 10pm is probably not easy after all. So by 9:30, we were on our way to Tulsa for the second time. I was so tired by the time we actually got to Tulsa. When we picked up our rental car and finally got settled into our hotel room, we met up with the Steinbachs and helped them finish setting up the hotel. I was good to finally see Liz and her parents. I have missed them. If I can find a bright spot so far the Little Rock issues did give us a free hotel room for a night and one less day for the rental car. That saved us at least $100. We went to dinner at the same restaurant they had the rehearsal dinner. We weren't with the party, but we sat at a table near them.
Saturday: Saturday, we did some shopping around the city and got ready for the wedding. Amy was a beautiful bride. After the reception, we helped clean up and hung out at Liz's house for a little while with her family.
Sunday: We showed up at the airport on time. Of course, per normal Delta, the flight was delayed. We only had a 40 minute layover in Minnesota, so I was getting nervous that if we didn't take off on time that we would miss our flight home. We thought the reason the flight was not taking off was because Delta overbooked the flight because they were asking for volunteers to leave the flight. We actually considered it because they were going to give us $400 each but they couldn't get us on a one-way flight to Chicago until after 10pm, so wouldn't have gotten home until long after midnight. Since we had to work today, they wouldn't work for us. We found out later that they actual reason we were waiting was because three flight attendants and a pilot wanted to fly deadhead on the flight and there wasn't room for them, so Delta kicked paying customers off the flight because some employees wanted to fly for free. I don't mind waiting if there is a mechanical problem because I understand they want to keep us safe, but waiting for flight crews to arrive or kicking off passengers for a non-paying flight crew is unacceptable in my book. We finally boarded the plane almost twenty minutes after we should have been taking off. Only three fliers volunteered, so actually had to kick one guy off not voluntarily. He did not look happy at all. We landed in Minnesota with fifteen minutes to spare before our flight to Chicago was to take off. We asked the flight attendant for the gate of our connecting flight and ran to that gate just to find out that the attendant was wrong. We were at the wrong gate, so we ran to right one knowing that we probably would get there just in time to watch the plane take off. That however was not the case. They hadn't even boarded the plane yet because there was an engine issue with the plane. This time the delay actually worked in our favor. Our 2:15 flight finally got off the ground at 3:30 and we were on our way home. Damian picked us from the airport, we drove home and went to bed.
It was a crazy vacation that involved a near nervous breakdown, but Steve knows my comfort food and he got me some ice cream while we were waiting for our Chicago flight to board. He is such a great husband! The positives are that I got to see Lizzy and her parents and we did save some money on hotel and rental fees, but the rest of it...Let's just say that I'm glad to be home.
Thursday: We left for our trip around noon and headed to Chicago. We met up with Damian and got to see him for a little while and he brought us to Midway. Midway is pretty good airport. We don't normally have a problem with flights going out of Midway. Our flight was on schedule and we headed to our layover in Atlanta. I don't know if it's Delta or just the Atlanta airport, but we never seem to have flight in or out of Atlanta be on time. Some how we took off from Midway on time, but landed in Atlanta late (which is typical). We ran to our connection flight and of course if was behind schedule because they were waiting for the crew to show up. We finally took off and we should have been in Tulsa an hour and a half later. The pilot told us that we were on our final decent and that we should be in Tulsa in the next twenty minutes. Apparently, it was storming in Tulsa and the pilot came back on the speaker and said that he didn't feel that it was safe for him to land during the storm (which we found later was probably the right decision), so we were on our way to Little Rock, Arizona. The rest of the flight was nothing short of terrifying. The plane shook and it felt like at any moment it would break apart. Now as much as I will complain about Delta in this situation I thought they did a great job. The Delta representative gave us hotel vouchers for a really nice hotel. Apparently some on our flight were not so lucky. A few of the passengers were given vouchers for a hotel called Roadway Inn, which we found out later is similar to the Wooden Indian Inn. Those passengers showed up at our hotel and luckily were able to get a hotel room. One lady said her cab driver refused to even take her to that hotel and brought her directly to the hotel we were at.
Friday: The storm followed us to Little Rock and the tornado alarms were going off all night. Friday morning, they gave everyone a breakfast and lunch meal voucher and $200 flight voucher for our next flight. I don't know if a lot of people complained or if they just felt really bad about the situation. Getting 109 people booked in different hotels at 10pm is probably not easy after all. So by 9:30, we were on our way to Tulsa for the second time. I was so tired by the time we actually got to Tulsa. When we picked up our rental car and finally got settled into our hotel room, we met up with the Steinbachs and helped them finish setting up the hotel. I was good to finally see Liz and her parents. I have missed them. If I can find a bright spot so far the Little Rock issues did give us a free hotel room for a night and one less day for the rental car. That saved us at least $100. We went to dinner at the same restaurant they had the rehearsal dinner. We weren't with the party, but we sat at a table near them.
Saturday: Saturday, we did some shopping around the city and got ready for the wedding. Amy was a beautiful bride. After the reception, we helped clean up and hung out at Liz's house for a little while with her family.
Sunday: We showed up at the airport on time. Of course, per normal Delta, the flight was delayed. We only had a 40 minute layover in Minnesota, so I was getting nervous that if we didn't take off on time that we would miss our flight home. We thought the reason the flight was not taking off was because Delta overbooked the flight because they were asking for volunteers to leave the flight. We actually considered it because they were going to give us $400 each but they couldn't get us on a one-way flight to Chicago until after 10pm, so wouldn't have gotten home until long after midnight. Since we had to work today, they wouldn't work for us. We found out later that they actual reason we were waiting was because three flight attendants and a pilot wanted to fly deadhead on the flight and there wasn't room for them, so Delta kicked paying customers off the flight because some employees wanted to fly for free. I don't mind waiting if there is a mechanical problem because I understand they want to keep us safe, but waiting for flight crews to arrive or kicking off passengers for a non-paying flight crew is unacceptable in my book. We finally boarded the plane almost twenty minutes after we should have been taking off. Only three fliers volunteered, so actually had to kick one guy off not voluntarily. He did not look happy at all. We landed in Minnesota with fifteen minutes to spare before our flight to Chicago was to take off. We asked the flight attendant for the gate of our connecting flight and ran to that gate just to find out that the attendant was wrong. We were at the wrong gate, so we ran to right one knowing that we probably would get there just in time to watch the plane take off. That however was not the case. They hadn't even boarded the plane yet because there was an engine issue with the plane. This time the delay actually worked in our favor. Our 2:15 flight finally got off the ground at 3:30 and we were on our way home. Damian picked us from the airport, we drove home and went to bed.
It was a crazy vacation that involved a near nervous breakdown, but Steve knows my comfort food and he got me some ice cream while we were waiting for our Chicago flight to board. He is such a great husband! The positives are that I got to see Lizzy and her parents and we did save some money on hotel and rental fees, but the rest of it...Let's just say that I'm glad to be home.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
"Stay-cation" 2010
Steve and I both took a week of vacation time this week from the YWCA. I had to work a few nights at Sears, but Steve had off from both jobs. Steve and I decided to use our vacation time to fix up our bathroom. It's been on our to-do list since we moved in, so we figured we had the money saved up, it was as good a time as any. The bathtub was chipped and really dirty, so it is being replaced with a Whirlpool tub with tile on the wall around it. The toilet is being replaced with one that is more water bill-friendly and will not leak. We are getting a new vanity and sink too. The cabinet and mirror, we are keeping because we like them. My dad put in the tile floor new when we moved in, so we are keeping that too.
Steve spent Tuesday, with the help of our friend Stacy, planning the project, taking measurements and ripping out the dry wall. Stacy helped with the drywall part mostly. I think they had some fun doing that. The drywall had to be replaced because there was some mold behind the old tub that we have to get rid of. Wednesday and Today was spent going to Lowe's and Menards way too many times to get everything we need for the project. Steve is working on the electrical right now, so we can put up the dry wall tomorrow and put everything in where they go. The plan is to have the project completed by the end of our vacation. I'll post pictures of the finished project when it's done.
Steve spent Tuesday, with the help of our friend Stacy, planning the project, taking measurements and ripping out the dry wall. Stacy helped with the drywall part mostly. I think they had some fun doing that. The drywall had to be replaced because there was some mold behind the old tub that we have to get rid of. Wednesday and Today was spent going to Lowe's and Menards way too many times to get everything we need for the project. Steve is working on the electrical right now, so we can put up the dry wall tomorrow and put everything in where they go. The plan is to have the project completed by the end of our vacation. I'll post pictures of the finished project when it's done.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Vacation Fun!
Last week, I took a few vacation days. I realized a few weeks ago that I don't have many real crafty skills. I love to scrapbook but that's really all I'm really confident with. My Grandma was in town this week for my brother's fiance's shower, so I decided that I would ask her to teach to me how to do something. She gave me some private lessons on blanket making on Wednesday. Crotcheting is a lot harder than it looks. Wednesday night was my brother's fiance's Bridal Shower. That was pretty fun. Eleven days and counting and little brother will be married.
On Thursday and Friday, I drove back over to my parents house for another crotcheting lesson and some more practice. I started my project but I'm not far on it yet. I had all day to work on it and practice some more. It's pretty exciting that I'm actually creating something. I hope it turns out really good. Thursday and Friday night, I had to work at Sears.
Saturday and Sunday, Steve and I requested off from Sears because we were going to go camping with his brother but those plans fell through. Steve found out this week that one of friends from back in Lima passed away last week, so on Saturday we drove three hours to Lima and spent a few hours there and then drove three hours back home. We did stop at the Elkhart County fair on the way home, so that was fun.
On Sunday since we had the day off, we went to church then we went to Potato Creek for some relaxation. We went Paddle Boating on the lake for about an hour and a half. It was so peaceful just relaxing out on the lake. I had forgotten how much I loved Potato Creek. It was Steve's first time there. I think he enjoyed the experience. I love that Sears has been giving me Sundays off lately. Having Sundays off gives us an actual day off from both jobs, so we have time to do fun things like go to the fair or go boating at Potato Creek. It's also a good day to destress from the week and catch up on cleaning the house.
My Grandma lent us the book The Shack this week and I loved it. The imagery in just made the pictures jump out of the book. It starts with such a heart-breaking story, but it ends as a story of hope. Even in our deepest hurts when we are angry with God it does not mean that God has left us. God does not cause hurts, but sometimes he uses them.
On Thursday and Friday, I drove back over to my parents house for another crotcheting lesson and some more practice. I started my project but I'm not far on it yet. I had all day to work on it and practice some more. It's pretty exciting that I'm actually creating something. I hope it turns out really good. Thursday and Friday night, I had to work at Sears.
Saturday and Sunday, Steve and I requested off from Sears because we were going to go camping with his brother but those plans fell through. Steve found out this week that one of friends from back in Lima passed away last week, so on Saturday we drove three hours to Lima and spent a few hours there and then drove three hours back home. We did stop at the Elkhart County fair on the way home, so that was fun.
On Sunday since we had the day off, we went to church then we went to Potato Creek for some relaxation. We went Paddle Boating on the lake for about an hour and a half. It was so peaceful just relaxing out on the lake. I had forgotten how much I loved Potato Creek. It was Steve's first time there. I think he enjoyed the experience. I love that Sears has been giving me Sundays off lately. Having Sundays off gives us an actual day off from both jobs, so we have time to do fun things like go to the fair or go boating at Potato Creek. It's also a good day to destress from the week and catch up on cleaning the house.
My Grandma lent us the book The Shack this week and I loved it. The imagery in just made the pictures jump out of the book. It starts with such a heart-breaking story, but it ends as a story of hope. Even in our deepest hurts when we are angry with God it does not mean that God has left us. God does not cause hurts, but sometimes he uses them.
"Forgiveness is not about forgetting. It is about letting go of another person's throat......Forgiveness does not create a relationship. Unless people speak the truth about what they have done and change their mind and behavior, a relationship of trust is not possible. When you forgive someone you certainly release them from judgment, but without true change, no real relationship can be established.........Forgiveness in no way requires that you trust the one you forgive. But should they finally confess and repent, you will discover a miracle in your own heart that allows you to reach out and begin to build between you a bridge of reconciliation.........Forgiveness does not excuse anything.........You may have to declare your forgiveness a hundred times the first day and the second day, but the third day will be less and each day after, until one day you will realize that you have forgiven completely. And then one day you will pray for his wholeness......"
— William P. Young (The Shack)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
A Must-Try Recipe: Mali Peanut Butter Sauce (Tiga Dege Na)
Below is the recipe for Peanut Butter Sauce (Tiga Dege Na) that we ate on Monday of Total It Up. It was really good. The lady who made it sent us the recipe.
If we were in Mali, I would use everything fresh from the market and not use any canned items. However, since we are not in Mali, I use canned food since they are less expensive. You can use the fresh tomatoes if you like, but I use tomatoes in cans.
1 14.5oz Can Diced Tomatoes
4 Cloves of Garlic-Pressed
1 lg Onion-Diced
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
about 1/2 of the Chicken (chunks/strips of beef can be substituted)
1/2 cup Peanut Butter with no sugar added
3 Okra Sliced Thin
4 Large Hunks of Pumpkin (or squash)
1/2 Head of Cabbage
Heat the first five ingredients in a large stew pan. Add a fourth of a cup of oil and the raw chicken (or beef). Brown the chicken in the tomatoes mixture for about 15 minutes and then cover the chicken with water. Add salt (I like to use Seasoning Salt) and pepper. Let the chicken simmer until the meat is done. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool and to remove from the bone. Put the Peanut Butter into a cup and then add water until the Peanut Butter looks more like chocolate pudding. Add the Peanut Butter to the Stew. Add the Pumpkin and Cabbage to the stew. Let it simmer until the veggies are done. Remove the veggies and add the Okra. Cook the okra until it has become part of the stew liquid. The Peanut Butter and the okra are the thickening agents in the stew. The Peanut Butter will burn on the bottom if it is not stirred often. If you think that it is too thick then add water, if it seems to think then let it cook for a while longer or add more Peanut Butter. Put all ingredients in the stew pan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve over white rice and eat it with the right hand.
IT IS SO GOOD. I hope you enjoy it.
Serves approximately 10 people.
If we were in Mali, I would use everything fresh from the market and not use any canned items. However, since we are not in Mali, I use canned food since they are less expensive. You can use the fresh tomatoes if you like, but I use tomatoes in cans.
1 14.5oz Can Diced Tomatoes
4 Cloves of Garlic-Pressed
1 lg Onion-Diced
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
about 1/2 of the Chicken (chunks/strips of beef can be substituted)
1/2 cup Peanut Butter with no sugar added
3 Okra Sliced Thin
4 Large Hunks of Pumpkin (or squash)
1/2 Head of Cabbage
Heat the first five ingredients in a large stew pan. Add a fourth of a cup of oil and the raw chicken (or beef). Brown the chicken in the tomatoes mixture for about 15 minutes and then cover the chicken with water. Add salt (I like to use Seasoning Salt) and pepper. Let the chicken simmer until the meat is done. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool and to remove from the bone. Put the Peanut Butter into a cup and then add water until the Peanut Butter looks more like chocolate pudding. Add the Peanut Butter to the Stew. Add the Pumpkin and Cabbage to the stew. Let it simmer until the veggies are done. Remove the veggies and add the Okra. Cook the okra until it has become part of the stew liquid. The Peanut Butter and the okra are the thickening agents in the stew. The Peanut Butter will burn on the bottom if it is not stirred often. If you think that it is too thick then add water, if it seems to think then let it cook for a while longer or add more Peanut Butter. Put all ingredients in the stew pan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve over white rice and eat it with the right hand.
IT IS SO GOOD. I hope you enjoy it.
Serves approximately 10 people.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Total it Up: Thursday and Friday
Thursday was our final full day of classes. We did some more "Fun"etics and "Fun"ology. In the evening, Steve and I got to eat lunch with a retired couple that lives on campus. There is a beautiful apartment complex for retired Wycliffe workers. They both served in Peru. They met in Peru and have known each other for about 40 years but they have only been married for 4 years. Don and his first wife served Peru at the same time Lucy was there. Don's first wife died some years ago. After all these years, they find themselves both living in the apartments and they hit it off again. Isn't it awesome how God brings people together? One of the things I think I have loved most about this week is listening to the stories of the missionaries and hearing how God brought them to Wycliffe and what they have been doing.
After dinner, the Total It Up crew had a campfire and S'mores. It was pretty fun, even though we were getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.
Today was kind of a closing day. We talked about what our next steps could be and basically debriefed the whole week. We all got graduation certificates, so I guess we are officially graduates. :o)
Since after lunch, we have been a little on our own since the program is technically over. We helped the leaders clean up a bit, took a walk, ate dinner, and went swimming in the pool. At the pool, we met a missionary couple that is about to go to Papa New Guinea. They are apparently Financial Peace grads, so it was fun to talk to them about their journey. Now we are just relaxing in our rooms. It seems way to earlier to go to bed. "Daddy" Steinbach is picking us up from here tommorrow morning. We are going to spend the day with him and then we head home on Sunday afternoon.
I was a little nervous about this week at first, because I thought the classes were going to be really hard and way over my head. I don't have skills in Linquistics like Steve does. I have actaully learned alot. I'm excited to see what God has in store for us next. I don't think I will be serving in a Language role, but there are so many support/administrative and Computer/IT roles that, with a little more training, I could definetly do. I'm really glad Steve talked me into going on the trip.
After dinner, the Total It Up crew had a campfire and S'mores. It was pretty fun, even though we were getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.
Today was kind of a closing day. We talked about what our next steps could be and basically debriefed the whole week. We all got graduation certificates, so I guess we are officially graduates. :o)
Since after lunch, we have been a little on our own since the program is technically over. We helped the leaders clean up a bit, took a walk, ate dinner, and went swimming in the pool. At the pool, we met a missionary couple that is about to go to Papa New Guinea. They are apparently Financial Peace grads, so it was fun to talk to them about their journey. Now we are just relaxing in our rooms. It seems way to earlier to go to bed. "Daddy" Steinbach is picking us up from here tommorrow morning. We are going to spend the day with him and then we head home on Sunday afternoon.
I was a little nervous about this week at first, because I thought the classes were going to be really hard and way over my head. I don't have skills in Linquistics like Steve does. I have actaully learned alot. I'm excited to see what God has in store for us next. I don't think I will be serving in a Language role, but there are so many support/administrative and Computer/IT roles that, with a little more training, I could definetly do. I'm really glad Steve talked me into going on the trip.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Total It Up: Wednesday
Today was a great day. I even enjoyed the Grammar class. I'm still trying to figure out exactly where I fit into the Wycliffe organization, since I don't have an interest in languages like Steve does. I'm learning a little more everyday. It's been a pretty great week. The campus is beautiful. A few of the other girls and I walked the trails around the campus for about an hour tonight. It was such a beautiful night. It was a little hot, but not too bad. It looked like it might rain, but it never did. We brought umbrellas with us, just in case.
Tommorrow is the last full day of classes.
Tommorrow is the last full day of classes.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Total It Up: Tuesday
We have computer access today, so I can actually type in more than 160 characters. Woo Hoo!
Today, we started with a tour of the campus. Since there was so many of us, we actually watched a video of a tour, instead of walking around everywhere. It was such a beautiful morning, so I was a little bummed about that.
Our second class was another Language Learning class. We have been learning Mandarin. I actually learned a few words. I'm not sure how long I will remember them though. The rest of the day was Phonology and Ethnomusicology. Phonology is the study of sound and Musicology is how music and arts are used in Bible Translation.
Today, we started with a tour of the campus. Since there was so many of us, we actually watched a video of a tour, instead of walking around everywhere. It was such a beautiful morning, so I was a little bummed about that.
Our second class was another Language Learning class. We have been learning Mandarin. I actually learned a few words. I'm not sure how long I will remember them though. The rest of the day was Phonology and Ethnomusicology. Phonology is the study of sound and Musicology is how music and arts are used in Bible Translation.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Total It Up: Monday
Today was full of classes: Phonetics, Anthropology, Literacy, etc...All very good. Dinner was an African Meal. It was really tasty.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Total It Up: Sunday
We landed safely yesterday.
Today, we spent a fun day with the Steinbach family and Lizzy. Tommorrow, the classes start.
Today, we spent a fun day with the Steinbach family and Lizzy. Tommorrow, the classes start.
Friday, May 28, 2010
One More Day!
Tommorrow, we leave for our trip. I'm not sure if we will have access to a computer while we are down there or not. I'm going to attempt to post from my phone, for the first time, during the trip. Apparently, I only have 160 characters though. That's alot harder than I thought.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Summer 2010
For the past few weeks, I have been working about 60 hours a week. I know for some that seems like way to much and for others sounds easy, but I'm starting to feel a little tired. I love my jobs though, so I guess that's a plus. I'm trying to make as much as I can with the second job, because it's going to be a busy and expensive summer.
Steve and I taking a vacation during the first week of June down to Dallas, TX. The Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics is where Steve wants to do his Graduate work to enter Wycliffe. We are visiting to attend a Total It Up week long workshop.
On top of that my cousin Joe is getting married in an amazing girl named Carrie in June and my brother is getting married in August. My parents 30th Wedding Anniversary is also this summer. Not to mention, we have 2 sister-in-laws that are expecting (one of them due very soon), one of my best friends, Tabby, is expecting in October, Steve's cousin had twins last month, my friend Esther is also expecting in the fall, our chef at work is pregnant (also due in October)...This summer/fall is apparently the time for babies.
And...Steve wants to do some work on the house this summer. He wants to build a porch on the front, so we can sit out there when it's nice.
"This five-day course includes introductory classes on phonetics and phonology, grammar, language and culture learning, translation and semantics, as well as field reports, videos, and personal testimonies. Learn in a relaxed, informal setting with experienced translators from many different countries and language projects. Devotions, prayer time and group living build meaningful relationships between staff and students."It should be a very stretching experience for me. We also get to see one of my best friends, Lizzy, and her family while we are down there, so I excited about that too.
On top of that my cousin Joe is getting married in an amazing girl named Carrie in June and my brother is getting married in August. My parents 30th Wedding Anniversary is also this summer. Not to mention, we have 2 sister-in-laws that are expecting (one of them due very soon), one of my best friends, Tabby, is expecting in October, Steve's cousin had twins last month, my friend Esther is also expecting in the fall, our chef at work is pregnant (also due in October)...This summer/fall is apparently the time for babies.
And...Steve wants to do some work on the house this summer. He wants to build a porch on the front, so we can sit out there when it's nice.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Currently Reading: Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander
While on vacation, I had some time to relax and read. I finished number 5 of my goal of 12 non-fiction books in a year. I know I need to start reading a little faster. Dave Ramsey requires all of his employees to read four different books; The Total Money Makeover, Who Moved my Cheese by Spencer Johnson, Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander, and QBQ - The Question Behind the Question by John G. Miller. I also started my next book on the way home, The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley. I will blog about it when I finish it.
I already read the first two that Dave requires and when I was looking through Steve’s cousin Meredith books in the room we were staying in, she had Rhinoceros Success. So I grabbed the book off the shelf and started reading it. It was really good reading material to bring with me on the hour and half train ride to New York City. I hadn't planned to read those 4 books first but I guess it's sorted happened that way so far. The only one I have left it QBQ, which i own but haven't read yet.
Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander
In this world, there are cows and then there are rhinos. The cows graze in the pasture with the other cows, unwilling to take a chance at success, thinking that success only comes to those who are lucky, or that they just aren't cut out to be successful. Many live out their lives in fear, thinking they can never accomplish anything, so they never try.
The rhinos, on the other hand, take charge. Focused and unafraid, thick-skinned and unstoppable, they take massive action toward accomplishing their dreams and goals. They understand that success is there for the taking, if only one brings to bear the right training, mindset and work ethic.
It was a really short fun book, about 200 pages. The basic premise of the book was to be a “go-getter.” Don’t just let life happen to you, but happen to it. I know I have trouble with that sometimes. I know I have skills, but sometimes I am afraid to step out of my comfort zone because I am too afraid that I will fail. Fear of failure is probably one of my biggest weaknesses.
I already read the first two that Dave requires and when I was looking through Steve’s cousin Meredith books in the room we were staying in, she had Rhinoceros Success. So I grabbed the book off the shelf and started reading it. It was really good reading material to bring with me on the hour and half train ride to New York City. I hadn't planned to read those 4 books first but I guess it's sorted happened that way so far. The only one I have left it QBQ, which i own but haven't read yet.
Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander
In this world, there are cows and then there are rhinos. The cows graze in the pasture with the other cows, unwilling to take a chance at success, thinking that success only comes to those who are lucky, or that they just aren't cut out to be successful. Many live out their lives in fear, thinking they can never accomplish anything, so they never try.
The rhinos, on the other hand, take charge. Focused and unafraid, thick-skinned and unstoppable, they take massive action toward accomplishing their dreams and goals. They understand that success is there for the taking, if only one brings to bear the right training, mindset and work ethic.
It was a really short fun book, about 200 pages. The basic premise of the book was to be a “go-getter.” Don’t just let life happen to you, but happen to it. I know I have trouble with that sometimes. I know I have skills, but sometimes I am afraid to step out of my comfort zone because I am too afraid that I will fail. Fear of failure is probably one of my biggest weaknesses.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
2009 Philadephia Vacation
We have returned home from our vacation. Steve, Damian, and I left for Philadephia on Wednesday last week. We drove the 12 hour drive because it was alot cheaper to drive than to fly. I love road trips too. I actually slept most of the way down there. It was a little cramped in the car because we didnt get the car we wanted. Steve reserved a Luxury car at Enterprise but when he went to pick it up they didnt have any in stock. Needless to say, Steve was not very happy. They ended up giving us a Full Size Chevy Impala at 50% off. We wanted to leave around 8:30 or 9, but we didnt end of leaving until around noon because of all the car issues. We got to Philadephia around 1am. We stayed with Steve's cousin, Meredith, who lives with her husband in Springfield that is just outside Philadephia.
We basically hopped on 80/90 and took 80 all the way to PA. Pennsylvania must really like road construction because there was more road construction on 80 in PA than non-road construction. It was nuts.
I had a lot of firsts on this vacation...first train ride, first city-bus ride, first major league baseball game, not to mention the first trip to PA, NYC, and Delaware. It was a very relaxing vacation.
Thursday: On Thursday, we spent to day in Philadephia. We hoped on the Septa, which is the train that takes the people in the suburbs into the city. We visited all the historic sites, such as the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Constitution Hall. We went to the African African Museum which is right across the street from the Federal Reserve, where Meredith works. We walked everywhere. It was hot out, but still felt really good. After work, she met us and we took a city bus to the Museum of Art. Apparently that is where Rocky ran up the stairs in the movies, so naturally Steve and Damian had to dramatically run up the stairs. Other than raining a little bit while we were at the Museum of Art the weather was warm but perfect. The rain cooled things and actually felt really good.
Friday: On Friday, We drove to Delaware since we were so close. We stopped in Wilmington and did some site seeing there. There wasn't much there but there was a cool River Walk. At the resturant we stopped for lunch, the host told us that we should visit Newark, pronounced NEW ARK, not NEWERK, like New Jersey :o). Apparently that is where the University of Delaware is. We searched for the University of Delaware Book Store so Damian could a T-Shirt and then headed back to Philly, so we could meet Steve's cousin-in-law, Mike to drive to the Philly game. On the way home from Delaware to PA, we entered Maryland for about a mile, so we could add that state to our list too, unfortunetly it does count because I didnt get a spoon from there, so we will have to go back. Meredith met us there via train. We also met Damian's friend, Erin, that lives in Philadephia for the game. It was a Phillies against the Cardinals. At the very beginning of the game, we had a rain delay. It poured for awhile then stopped and it was cool the rest of the game. The Cardinals won 8 to 1.
Saturday: On Saturday, we drove to Trenton, New Jersey and met with Erin, Damian's friend that met us at the game. Steve, Damian, Erin, and I then caught a train in Trenton and took it to New York City. It was an hour and a half train ride. I had never been on a train before except for the little Septa train, so I was nervous at first. Steve assurred me that everything would be A-Ok though. It wasn't so bad and actually kind of fun. New York City was awesome. I dont know if I could live there because there is just so much noise and so many people, so visiting was fun. The atmosphere and the lights were exciting. There were street venders everywhere trying to sell up stuff. The visited Time Square and saw the New Years Ball that drops every year. We walked everywhere around NYC city. In the middle iof Times Square there was a toy store with a Ferris Wheel inside. We got quite a bit of exercise on this trip. We did take another train to Ground Zero because it was too far to walk. There was so much construction around there that it was hard to see anything. It was still interesting to see though. From Ground Zero, we walked to the Stanton Island Ferry and road that past the Statue of Liberty. That was gorgeous and very relaxing. We drove right past the Statue of Liberty and I got some cool pictures of it. We also drove right past Ellis Island. It was a pretty full day. I was pretty tired and a bit dehyrated by the end of the day.
Sunday: On Sunday, We did a "College Tour." Damian really likes to collect T-Shirts from College Universities, so we went to a tour of all the colleges in and around Philadephia with Steve's cousins. Before the "College Tour", we met Erin again and Steve's cousins brought us Jim's for a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. She said that's where to the people who live there go for a good Cheese Steak. OHHHH!!! It was really good. We went to Temple, Drexel, University of Pennsylvania, and St. Joseph University and Vilanova. Vilanova's campus was absolutely beautiful. The stone buildings and architechure was very nice. On the Univerisity of Pennsylvania was the only school that had their bookstore open, so we just walked around and took pictures at the other school.
Monday: Monday was our last day. We got up really early at hit the road, back through the construction. We stopped by Penn State on the way home. That campus was really beautiful. On the way home, we also stopped in Toledo, OH to see Steve's Grandma. We finally got home at about 11pm on Monday night. I went straight to sleep because we had to work Tuesday morning. Overall, it was a very great vacation.
I had a lot of firsts on this vacation...first train ride, first city-bus ride, first major league baseball game, not to mention the first trip to PA, NYC, and Delaware. It was a very relaxing vacation.
Thursday: On Thursday, we spent to day in Philadephia. We hoped on the Septa, which is the train that takes the people in the suburbs into the city. We visited all the historic sites, such as the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Constitution Hall. We went to the African African Museum which is right across the street from the Federal Reserve, where Meredith works. We walked everywhere. It was hot out, but still felt really good. After work, she met us and we took a city bus to the Museum of Art. Apparently that is where Rocky ran up the stairs in the movies, so naturally Steve and Damian had to dramatically run up the stairs. Other than raining a little bit while we were at the Museum of Art the weather was warm but perfect. The rain cooled things and actually felt really good.
Friday: On Friday, We drove to Delaware since we were so close. We stopped in Wilmington and did some site seeing there. There wasn't much there but there was a cool River Walk. At the resturant we stopped for lunch, the host told us that we should visit Newark, pronounced NEW ARK, not NEWERK, like New Jersey :o). Apparently that is where the University of Delaware is. We searched for the University of Delaware Book Store so Damian could a T-Shirt and then headed back to Philly, so we could meet Steve's cousin-in-law, Mike to drive to the Philly game. On the way home from Delaware to PA, we entered Maryland for about a mile, so we could add that state to our list too, unfortunetly it does count because I didnt get a spoon from there, so we will have to go back. Meredith met us there via train. We also met Damian's friend, Erin, that lives in Philadephia for the game. It was a Phillies against the Cardinals. At the very beginning of the game, we had a rain delay. It poured for awhile then stopped and it was cool the rest of the game. The Cardinals won 8 to 1.
Saturday: On Saturday, we drove to Trenton, New Jersey and met with Erin, Damian's friend that met us at the game. Steve, Damian, Erin, and I then caught a train in Trenton and took it to New York City. It was an hour and a half train ride. I had never been on a train before except for the little Septa train, so I was nervous at first. Steve assurred me that everything would be A-Ok though. It wasn't so bad and actually kind of fun. New York City was awesome. I dont know if I could live there because there is just so much noise and so many people, so visiting was fun. The atmosphere and the lights were exciting. There were street venders everywhere trying to sell up stuff. The visited Time Square and saw the New Years Ball that drops every year. We walked everywhere around NYC city. In the middle iof Times Square there was a toy store with a Ferris Wheel inside. We got quite a bit of exercise on this trip. We did take another train to Ground Zero because it was too far to walk. There was so much construction around there that it was hard to see anything. It was still interesting to see though. From Ground Zero, we walked to the Stanton Island Ferry and road that past the Statue of Liberty. That was gorgeous and very relaxing. We drove right past the Statue of Liberty and I got some cool pictures of it. We also drove right past Ellis Island. It was a pretty full day. I was pretty tired and a bit dehyrated by the end of the day.Sunday: On Sunday, We did a "College Tour." Damian really likes to collect T-Shirts from College Universities, so we went to a tour of all the colleges in and around Philadephia with Steve's cousins. Before the "College Tour", we met Erin again and Steve's cousins brought us Jim's for a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. She said that's where to the people who live there go for a good Cheese Steak. OHHHH!!! It was really good. We went to Temple, Drexel, University of Pennsylvania, and St. Joseph University and Vilanova. Vilanova's campus was absolutely beautiful. The stone buildings and architechure was very nice. On the Univerisity of Pennsylvania was the only school that had their bookstore open, so we just walked around and took pictures at the other school.
Monday: Monday was our last day. We got up really early at hit the road, back through the construction. We stopped by Penn State on the way home. That campus was really beautiful. On the way home, we also stopped in Toledo, OH to see Steve's Grandma. We finally got home at about 11pm on Monday night. I went straight to sleep because we had to work Tuesday morning. Overall, it was a very great vacation.
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