Tag Archives: family

Family in front of the Ark Encounter

The Ark Encounter

Bible, Blog, International Travel, Kentucky, Uncategorized, United States, ,

Have you ever wondered what Noah’s Ark really looked like? Well, travel to Kentucky (of all places), and you’ll get a pretty good idea. The Ark Encounter, a project of Answers in Genesis, is a life-sized ark based on the dimensions listed in the Bible.

Using the theory that that each pair of animals represented one “kind,” they filled the ark with models of these creatures based on prehistoric fossils. There are also several displays within the ark, including an exhibit provided by the Bible Museum and one that shares flood legends around the world.

It’s a little bit museum and a little bit theme park, which appealed to my five-year-old who loves science. Our visit to the Ark Encounter was an awesome experience for our whole family, from my parents (who brought us!) to my kids.

Judging by the major crowds at the Ark on the Saturday we visited, this is a popular destination. Perhaps this is, in part, because children’s tickets are free. The venue also hosts conferences and concerts–the day we visited, there was live music by a well-known Christian band included with the price of a ticket. We didn’t attend because there was so much to see!

Definitely a fun trip and one I’ll repeat when my kids get older and mature enough to appreciate new things about the experience.

Screen Printing! Africa Day 9

Africa, Blog, Burundi, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, , , ,

While in Burundi, East Africa visiting family last summer, my sister-in-law Joy taught me how to screen print!

I’m not sure if Burundi has screen printing shops (I imagine they exist, but probably not many), but this undertaking is an example of the ingenuity embodied by expats (and immigrants) around the world who want to recreate things from their home countries.

The table was built from scratch for the purpose of screen printing, and the other tools were ordered online and brought over by friends. We brought the shirts and the ink in our suitcases, and I’m glad the ink didn’t explode all over our clothes in the plane! At least it’s washable before it sets…

Joy’s vision was to create matching t-shirts for our huge Johnson family reunion, which would take place in Tanzania soon after. So she created a custom t-shirt design and, along with me, her three boys, and some of her employees, spent a couple of days printing about 35 shirts.

I need to stop taking on new hobbies, but this was really fun. I’m resisting the urge to get my own screen printing stuff.

We also ended up tie-dying the white shirts once everyone was together, but that is another fun and messy story for another day.

Please don’t ask me why we look like we’re waiting to be gathered up by a galactic starship in a sci fi B movie

Africa Day 1: 30 Hours in Transit

Africa Day 2: Crossing Burundi

Africa Day 3: A Dowry Ceremony

Africa Day 4: A Burundian Wedding

Africa Day 5: Gisuru School for the Deaf

Africa Day 6: How to Make Mudbricks

Africa Day 7: How to Make an African Coil Basket

Africa Day 8: Touring African Hospitals

Blueberries for Johnsons

Blog, International Travel, Michigan, United States, , , , , , , ,

 

Have you ever read the classic children’s story Blueberries for Sal? I have, probably a hundred times or more. Ever since I was a little kid flipping through the mid-century monochromatic illustrations in the book, I have wanted to go blueberry picking. I didn’t even like blueberries as a kid (they seemed like big, purple peas to me, and who likes peas?), but I wanted to hear the “plink, plink” of blueberries dropping in a bucket.

 

 

Arizona doesn’t exactly have an abundance of blueberry patches. Michigan, however, does! We moved to Michigan after blueberry season had ended last year, but berry picking stayed on my list until July.

 

 

When Ben’s brother Jesse, sister-in-law Joy, and their boys Zach, Micah, and Elliot came to visit from Africa, I wanted to do some fun quintessential Michigan activities. Something really different than the activities you can do in sub-Saharan Africa. So, I suggested we take a trip to a u-pick blueberry farm. I guess it was a little it selfish, because it was something on MY to-do list for the summer! Luckily for me, it was also on their “America bucket list,” and so we loaded up in the car and off we went. As a bonus, Ben mentioned to his supervising resident that his brother was visiting from overseas, and, on a whim, the resident gave Ben a rare half day to come with us. How lucky is that?

 

 

We decided to go to Dexter Blueberry Farm, which is fairly close to Detroit.

 

 

It was a great choice! The farm’s u-pick arrangement is pretty casual. You walk up, grab a shiny red bucket, and head to a sprawling field of blueberry bushes to fill your bucket. Plink! Plink!

 

 

Of course, we were all more interested in filling our bellies than we were in filling our buckets. Chilled blueberries in a grocery store carton are yummy. Sun-warmed blueberries from the bush are simply decadent. Like, close-your-eyes-and-savor-it decadent.

 

 

Somehow, we did manage to collect enough berries in the buckets! A few pounds of consumed berries and a blueberry war later (I won’t tell you who started it, but his name is spelled B E N), we had filled our buckets and were ready to check out.

 

 

At Dexter Blueberry Farms, u-pick berries are $2 per pound. Compare that to supermarket prices! In the end, our massive amount of blueberries only cost $20. I guess it makes sense that berries in the store are more pricey, because picking those berries is actually a lot of work. It’s a lot of fun for an afternoon, but I imagine it’s a pretty intense full-time job.

 

 

It can be hard to find activities that adults and kids ages eight through 13 enjoy, but blueberry picking was a winner. Plus, we ended up with a massive amount of blueberries that tasted amazing in cereal, ice cream, and snacks for a couple of weeks.

Picking blueberries was the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon!

 

 

Visit Dexter Blueberry Farm

When to visit: Blueberry season is in July

Address: 11024 Beach Road, Dexter, MI 48130

Phone number: 734.426.2900

Cost: Blueberries are $2 per pound. Eat all you want for free!

Good things to know: Wear sunscreen! The sun can get intense. Hand sanitizer or wipes are a good idea, since you’ll be eating out of your hands as you pick. Also, there are only porta-potties at the farm.

Cherry Picking at Westview Orchards

Blog, International Travel, Michigan, United States, , , , ,

One of the best things about living in Michigan is the availability of fresh produce. And I’m not just talking about dirt-cheap local peaches at Meijer, although those are amazing. I’m talking about the endless u-pick farms that offer everything from apples to asparagus to strange fruits I have never even heard of.

 

 

During my year in Michigan, I visited u-pick farms as often as possible. One fruit-picking season that I was particularly excited about was cherry season.

 

 

Cherry season just happened to peak during the time that Ben’s sister’s family was visiting, so I drove them out of the city to a cherry farm for some classic summertime fun. Ben had to work, so he missed out on the fun, but he did get to enjoy the result of our visit.

 

 

Westview Orchards in Washington, Michigan is the place to go with kids! Of course, my two nephews were perfectly entertained by picking (well, okay, eating) fresh cherries off the tree, but there were also plenty of other things for them to do, including a hay maze, a unique playground, and a petting zoo.

 

 

As far as fun experiences go, though, the cherries really take the cake. We pulled in to Westview Orchards the morning of cherry season’s opening day, and we were greeted by enthusiastic employees who seemed just as excited for the cherries as we were. The gentleman who monitored the picking itself was very helpful, pointing out the different cherry varieties in the orchard and giving fruit selection tips.

 

 

My nephews had a great time in the orchard, exploring the unique tastes of each tree’s fruit, climbing ladders, and choosing favorite trees. Even we adults had a hard time filling our bags faster than we could eat the cherries!

 

 

After a picnic lunch and ice cream, we headed home to bake a cherry pie.

 

 

I helped Annette pit the cherries, and she made the best cherry pie I have ever had. The perfect end to a great day on the farm!

 

Visit Westview Orchards

When to visit: Cherry season is in June, but Westview Orchards offers u-pick almost year-round.

Address:  65075 Van Dyke, Washington, MI 48095

Phone number: (586) 752-3123

Cost: Cherries are about $8 per person, which includes entrance fee and a bag to fill with cherries

Good things to know: Outside food, backpacks, and large bags are not permitted. I was able to take in my backpack camera case without a problem, however.

 

 

Arizona Christmas Lights

Arizona, International Travel, Uncategorized, United States, , , , , , , ,

 

When the snow is deep in Michigan, a not-so-white Christmas starts to look pretty good! Ben and I made the four-day drive from Detroit to Phoenix to see my family for Christmas.

Arizona may not have snow, but it does have enough colorful lights to create a magical Christmas vibe!

One of my favorite traditions is making a few evenings of Christmas light viewing. The Phoenix area has two major light attractions: Zoo Lights and Glendale Glitters.

 

 

Zoo Lights at the Phoenix Zoo isn’t a great time to see the animals, unless you like a couple of camels and a creepy animatronic giraffe. However, the light show is fantastic! They even have the lights around the duck pond set to music. We thought that decorating the ducks with lights would really make the show! If I ran the zoo, that’s what I would do. I’d probably get shut down, but that would be one heck of a light show!

 

 

This yeti was not awkward, but my mom and I took a photo with it anyway (If you got that joke, then we’re best friends forever).

 

 

The other major Christmas lights attraction is in my hometown. Glendale Glitters is an annual month-long event! the historic downtown area is decorated in lights, and every weekend brings entertainment to the amphitheater. I used to be in shows there with a performing arts group as a kid.

 

 

Ben and I visited Glendale Glitters with my sister and our friend. It was a bit cold when we were there, so we browsed through the stores downtown. We were followed for a while by a creepy man in a pink sparkle shirt and pink skinnies, so we girls ducked into a comic shop to avoid him while Ben discouraged him from coming inside. I found this superhero inside, but Ben is my real hero!

 

 

This year, we missed all the Glendale Glitters shows and food trucks and vendors, but we still had a lot of fun. Street performers own the night, and many Glendalians take it upon themselves to provide entertainment. When we were there, we saw an impressive parade of decked-out trucks and ATVs blasting music. The procession wrapped around the whole district! The street was transformed into a show of blinking Christmas lights, waving kids, rap, classic Christmas songs and norteño, This is Arizona holiday culture!

 

 

Even more impressive was the UFO that lit up the sky that night. It silently flew through the western sky, lighting up the horizon and drawing everyone outside. It turned out to be a rocket launch from California, but it looked like the world’s biggest Christmas light display!

 

 

This is what an Arizona Christmas looks like: clear streets, clear skies, a little bit of Mexico, and enough light to illuminate the whole world. It was good to be home.

Still Alive Up Here in Michigan

Michigan, Nature, United States, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hey everyone!

It’s been a very long time since I posted! So, what does life look like from Detroit?

All I do is work, work, work, work, work

Ha ha, now that song will be in your head for the rest of the day. You’re welcome.

It’s just been very, very busy around here! The transition from St. Maarten to the United States has given me the opportunity to work a lot more, and I’ve been taking advantage of that. Gotta pay off those student loans, you know?

I’m still writing, and I’ve been adding new clients to my list of regulars. One of my new favorites is Forever Bride, a Minnesota-based wedding company. I’m loving love!

 

 

I’m also working as an online English teacher for Chinese-speaking children! As you know, I love teaching ESL and I love working with kids. It’s so much fun to see my students online everyday and teach from my desk at home!

VIPKID is the most fun I’ve ever had at work.

 

 

It’s been so good that Ben decided to apply to VIPKID, too. He got hired last week and just finished his first weekend of classes! Woohoo!

If you know anyone in med school, you know that working during medical school is not always feasible.

However, VIPKID gives Ben the ability to choose his own hours and work when he can, whether that’s 8 hours like last weekend or half an hour on a Friday night. Or nothing, like this week.

 

By the way, if you have a college degree and could use a fun job, you should totally apply! Email me with any questions. Here’s a link and a code for your application: 04MXB1

It’s Cold, Boiiii

As you can see, I may have left the tropics but I still took some island slang with me, boiii.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take any of that sunshine. We’re literally taking vitamin D in pill form at this point.

It’s already snowing here in Detroit! Not enough for any photos, but enough for dancing in the cold with a scarf on.

 

 

Kito doesn’t know what to do about this cold. We go on daily walks along a pond near our house, and she keeps trying to walk into the water to chase the Canadian geese!  Today, she was surprised when she stepped through a thin sheet of ice. I haven’t seen anything so funny since I watched Nacho Libre last week.

 

 

Detroit is pretty cool

It’s cold, but it’s cool.

One thing I love about living here is that a lot of the public venues are totally free. Others are really cheap. A lot of the museums downtown are free for Michiganders!

 

Before we found out we were moving to Michigan, we got a U.S. parks pass. We were sad when we found out that Michigan doesn’t have too many national parks!

 

 

However, we have a TON of state parks. And the pass is just $11 per year! We’ve been all over the place between the US/Canadian border and Lansing.

Ben’s brother and his wife live in Grand Rapids, so we sometimes explore a state park with them.

 

 

In addition to the cool places, Detroit has some pretty cool people. We’re starting to meet our neighbors, and we’re making friends at church and Bible study. We finished the membership class at our church, so we have somewhere to belong in Michigan now.

 

Medical school marches on

Ben’s now about 5/8 of of the way done with med school. And yes, I’m counting down the months!

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s not so bad. The endless studying of years 1 and 2 are over, and now he’s having a lot more fun doing rotations in the hospitals.

He’s on his internal medicine rotation. He honored the first part of the rotation!

 

 

So, that’s our life in Michigan in a nutshell! It’s starting to feel like home. <3