Highlights

I've decided to put together a list of my Top 10 Highlights from my recent trip to Kenya. I was going to do all 10 of them in this post, but then I realized that it would be just too much fun to share in one post. So you'll have to come back later for the rest of the list.

10.  Taylor Haltom says the funniest things. When we arrived at our first campsite, Taylor announced to the bus that we needed to go and "pitch our tents." But it didn't come out quite like that. Let's just say he swapped some of the letters in "pitch" and "tents" which led to the statement "pinch our ---- (you are going to have to use your imagination for that word; this is a family friendly blog)." I don't think I have ever laughed that hard in my life.

9. We worked at a children's home in Thika for several days during the trip. We split up into 3 teams for different projects. We had a painting crew, a construction crew who built a playground for the kids, and a group that did farming (They used machetes to do their work. I'm so glad I wasn't on that team. I definitely would have cut my hand off). Needless to say, I chose to be on the painting crew.We painted a couple of bedrooms and hallways in the dorms because the boys and girls had recently switched sides and you can't have boys living in a pink room! The painting proved to be quite a challenge due to limited supplies and the oil based paint we were using. But the longer we worked, the happier we became. Not because we were so excited to be painting (although we were glad to do that for the kids), but because the rooms were not well ventilated and the fumes from the paint were so strong that we definitely got a little buzz. My team was awesome, and we did a lot of laughing!

8. Every night before we went to bed, several of the girls would make the long trip to the bathroom together. Why did we do this, you may ask? Well, two reasons. One- Going to the bathroom was a bit of a scary ordeal. It was pitch black outside so you needed to wear a headlamp, and we imagined that there were lots of scary things that could bite/eat us that were lurking in the dark (I even encountered one on my way back from the bathroom one night, but more to come on that later). It always made us feel safer to go in a group. Two- You definitely didn't want to have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I made the mistake of not going to the bathroom right before I got in my tent on the first night and I regretted it the whole night. This may not seem like a highlight, but it was actually a fun little routine to gather up a group of girls to bravely walk to the "toilet." We had lots of fun conversations, and there was much laughter.

7. One word. . . Krackles. In case you've never been to Kenya, Krackles are delicious potato chips that they actually make in Kenya. Basically, the only ingredients are potatoes, salt, and vinegar (salt and vinegar was my favorite flavor), so they actually tasted like real potatoes. Right after we arrived in Nairobi, we had our first encounter with Krackles. Then when we were camping, we started craving them. There wasn't any way to get any, so we dreamed and drooled over the thought of tasting those delicious morsels of potatoes. Little did we know that our guides had some Krackles on the bus. When we found that out, we basically sprinted to ask them if we could have some, and they graciously agreed. From that moment on, we stockpiled the Krackles and made sure we were never without them.

The night the guides gave us their Krackles. Note the
expression of joy on my face

6. We had the opportunity to go white water rafting on the Tana River during our trip. Let's just be honest, I was scared to death about this part of the trip. I heard that the rapids were intense, and I was pretty convinced that this was how I was going to die. Thankfully, there were no deaths. And I am happy to say that I had a blast! Our guide, Eric, was awesome. Before we left I told him that if he threw me out of the raft, I would kill him. Well, not really, but he knew I was serious about wanting to stay in the raft.

Yep, that's me in the back with the gray long sleeved shirt and
yellow helmet. That's my "this is awesome" face.

Stay tuned for my top 5 Kenya highlights!

Photo Credits:
1. Cari Gold
2. Katie Clark
3. Amanda Craven

Kenya Pictures

I realize that it has been a ridiculously long time since I've updated. I'm not even sure if people still check this blog for updates. Regardless, it is one of my goals for this year to become a more regular blogger. So maybe I can win back some readers with a few pictures from my recent trip to Kenya. Stay tuned. . . more updates to come!

Kenya is beautiful!

We saw lots of fun animals during our safari.

The lions were my favorite.

He could easily have eaten me. We were so close.

Giraffes are funny, yet awesome creatures.

A Semi Book Review

Is it possible to hate a book and love it all at the same time? Well if it is, then that is how I feel about Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts.

Here are the reasons that I didn't like the book:
1. The writing style- I really hate poetry. I know that probably makes me a bad person, but I do. I would rather someone just say what they mean instead of using flowery language to dress up what they are saying to the point of people having a hard time understanding what they mean. I mean, come on, just say it like it is. Anyways, Ann rights in a very poetic manner, and it was like torture trying to get through each chapter. However, if you like poetic writing, this book is for you.
2. Redundancy-For the most part I felt like she just kept saying the same things over and over again. I found myself page after page saying/yelling, "I get it! Let's move on to a new point." I almost feel like I could have read the first chapter and the last chapter and still have gotten the same value from the book. Some people may enjoy the redundancy and the reinforcement of the point she was trying to make, but I didn't.
(Note: I know the internet is smaller than we like to think, so Ann if you are reading this, keep reading. It gets better, I promise. And sorry for dissing your writing style. I'm sure it is perfect for some people).

The previous two things made the book a pain-staking read for me. I was so glad to be done reading it. But even with all of those negative things, this may have been one of the most enlightening books I have ever read.

The whole premise of the book is about thanksgiving, or as she calls it "thanksliving." She believes that to really live this life to the fullest, and to have the most joy possible, we must live a life of thankfulness to God in every situation. The book title comes from a project that she did to make a list of 1,000 gifts. Her list not only consisted of the common things that people often list as things they are thankful for (family, friends, house, etc.) it also included the most random little things ("laughter at twilight, glow of the front porch light, the last cry of geese"). She argues that with each act of acknowledging and offering thanksgiving for a gift from God (no matter how small and no matter if it is in the midst of a difficult circumstance), that we are able to bask in the love of the Father. This produces joy and great intimacy with Him.

This idea of a life of thanksgiving, really affected me. I tend to be a complainer (that may be a bit of an understatement), and I also have a tendency towards jealousy (another understatement). I know that both of these things are sinful, and I long to rid myself of them. As I was reading the book, I realized that the best way to combat these things in my life is to constantly express my thankfulness to God for the gifts he has given me (even the ones that manifest themselves in difficult ways). There is not as much of an urge to complain when you are focused on the positive. And there is no need to be jealous of others when you count the ways that the Lord has blessed you on a daily basis. A life of thanksgiving causes you to live fully in the present, reflect with gratefulness on the past, and trust the Great Provider who holds your future in His hands.

I don't really know if there has been any outward change that people have noticed in me after reading this book (although I hope that there has been), but there has definitely been an internal change. I have experienced the Father's love in ways that I have never experienced it before. And although I will never be rid of the sins of complaining and jealousy, I have found that in those moments where I want to complain or am feeling jealous, if I will just take a minute to count the gifts I have been given, those feelings subside.

I am so thankful that I read this book, even though it was hard for me to read. I have now started my own list of 1,000 gifts, and I am loving the effects that it is having on my life. And I would encourage you to do the same. I pray that Thanksgiving will not just be a day in our calendar where we stuff ourselves with food and say a few things we are thankful for. But rather, I pray that it will be a way of life--that every day we give thanks to the Giver of all good things for his abundant gifts.

The Love Affair

So, I have begun a love affair. No, not with a man, but with my new Crock-Pot. I have only used it once, but let's be honest, it was love at first sight. I mean, it's kinda like having a personal chef that will cook for you all day and then deliver a delicious meal. I'm hooked.

My inaugural Crock-Pot meal was this "Super Easy Crock-Pot Soup" that I found on Pinterest. It was indeed super easy, and it was also super delicious.

Super Easy Crock-Pot Soup

1 can of Rotel
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans (drained & rinsed)
2 frozen chicken breasts (I couldn't believe that you could use frozen chicken breast! I hate thawing meat.)
8 oz cream cheese (I used 1/3 fat cream cheese)
1 packet dry ranch dressing
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook 4-5 hours on high. Shred chicken, and enjoy!

Life Updates

It seems like a good night for a blog post, so how about a few life updates:

1. Getting ready for Kenya- I leave for Kenya in a little over 2 months. So I have been busy getting shots, buying supplies, getting a visa, and filling out forms. I still have a long way to go before I am actually ready, but at least I have made some progress.

2. Memphis the Musical- Most of you probably know that Memphis the Musical was at the Orpheum last week. And most of you also probably know that I went to see it three times. Yes, it really was that good! It may seem a bit overkill to see it that many times, and that is probably true, but I feel like I was able to enjoy a different aspect of the play each time I saw it (Note: I did not originally intend on seeing it 3 times. But it's hard to pass up a free ticket!). And for all of you non-Memphians, if Memphis comes anywhere close to where you live, you must go see it. It is worth it; I promise.

3. Weight-loss- Well I finally decided that I needed to officially join Weight Watchers (including going to meetings). Even though it is a tad bit on the pricey side, I really need the accountability that the meetings give. At the meetings you have to weigh in every week. Even though it is not the most fun thing in the world, it keeps me motivated to know that someone else is going to know how much weight I lost during the week. And I am happy to report that it is working very well. I've lost about 15 pounds since mid-September (4 from the real food challenge, and about 11 with Weight Watchers)!

Oops

So I promised this recipe awhile ago and totally forgot. I was looking for a filling yet tasty breakfast food and this certainly did the trick. In fact, it was so filling that I didn't even have to eat my usual mid-morning snack.

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
(Adapted from Macheesmo)

English Muffins (preferably whole wheat)
Large eggs
Cheese

• Crack eggs into a greased muffin tin (this will give the eggs a circular shape so they fit nicely on the sandwich.)
• Bake eggs in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. 
• Place English Muffins on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes while the eggs are cooking
• Once the eggs and muffins are done, assemble the sandwiches with a piece of cheese. (You could also throw some bacon, sausage, ham, or whatever else you want on the sandwich and I'm sure they would be extra delicious)
• Enjoy! Mmmm mmmm good!

These also freeze very well, so go ahead and make a big batch. If you are going to freeze them here are some suggestions:

• Don't toast the English muffins.  When you reheat them the muffins will be extra extra crispy if you have already toasted them. 
• Don't put cheese on the sandwich until you are ready to reheat. Cheese= not so good frozen.
• When you are ready to freeze, put them in the freezer on a cookie sheet uncovered for about an hour. This will allow some of the moisture to be released.
• Then wrap the sandwiches in foil and place in a freezer safe bag.
• When you are ready to reheat, just pop the unwrapped sandwich in the oven for about 25 minutes on 350 degrees. And don't forget to add the cheese once they have cooked for a little bit.

While I was typing this post--a huge, I mean HUGE, flying insect flew into my apartment. So I spent about 10 minutes standing in the middle of my living room with bug spray in one hand and a Birkenstock in the other, trying to send the insect to his grave (yes there was some screaming, and perhaps a few not so nice words muttered). And I am happy to report it is dead and was given a proper burial onto my balcony. Thankfully the bug spray ended his life and I didn't have to squish him. Yuck! I'm sure all of you would have had a good laugh watching this spectacle unfold, so just picture this in your head and have a good laugh anyways.

Garden Veggie Pizza

I made this tasty dish on Monday to last me for 4 meals. It makes a pretty good meal to take to work for lunch because it is super filling, healthy (8 points, if you cut it into 4 squares), and takes very little time to pack. The only drawback was that it was a bit better the first day than it was the following days, but still worth it.

 

Garden Veggie Pizza Squares

recipe taken from What's Cookin, Chicago?

1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
4oz cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 fat cream cheese-just as good, fewer calories)
1 teaspoon from a 1oz package Ranch-style dressing mix
1/4 cup baby carrots, chopped
1/4 cup sliced white button mushrooms
1 tablespoon sliced black olives
1/4 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup blanched fresh broccoli
1/4 cup blanched fresh cauliflower
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

(But really, use whatever veggies you like and have on hand. I'm pretty sure you can't mess this up)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Roll out crescent rolls onto a large non-stick baking sheet or 9x13 baking dish. Stretch and flatten to form a single rectangular shape on the baking sheet. Bake 11 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Allow to cool.

Place cream cheese in a medium bowl. Mix cream cheese with the ranch dressing mix. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange the vegetables on top. Chill in the refrigerator approximately 1 hour. Cut into bite-size squares to serve. 

This is the picture that was on the blog. It looks better than mine did : )