tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71513688242120343352024-03-19T02:44:41.362-04:00Annster's DomainThanks for stopping by! I am a Pittsburgh girl - born and raised!
I blog about my city, travel, weight loss, recovery, family, and life in general! I love the Steelers, coffee and my cats! I took a crappy job shutdown and turned it into a positive mid-life pivot - I am now attending nursing school - set to graduate in December 2022!!!
Please make sure to comment and let me know you were here...I love making new friends!Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.comBlogger1265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-4376811031163581612022-12-21T23:54:00.002-05:002022-12-21T23:54:13.317-05:00ICU Nurse it is<p><span style="font-size: large;"> Hi everyone!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I am just here checking in quickly. I almost feel bad checking in as it has been an eternity since I posted!!! UGH! Life has been insane the past two years!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I just wanted to pop in and report that I have officially graduated from Nursing School and have accepted a position in the ICU.</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you all for your immense support, the messages and the supportive notes all along!!!</span></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYisn0LKTZ_IC1yMyS7Pu6piTGwiqhmIeLlhc9jquQy9qohstZz3eJazmeHAWfUYqofHcSN8U9DKNUZvEWbsTaS3-JgQOrNXelmgjA5wfSlTq9txKX9c3zLpTdHLamFAkwouyNocFhk83V2hsu7GICOKr_vBYeREw1hYLeIPYjf0yssRDpu6Y7VjHH/s3000/Wolfe_Ann-Nursing%20Grad%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYisn0LKTZ_IC1yMyS7Pu6piTGwiqhmIeLlhc9jquQy9qohstZz3eJazmeHAWfUYqofHcSN8U9DKNUZvEWbsTaS3-JgQOrNXelmgjA5wfSlTq9txKX9c3zLpTdHLamFAkwouyNocFhk83V2hsu7GICOKr_vBYeREw1hYLeIPYjf0yssRDpu6Y7VjHH/s320/Wolfe_Ann-Nursing%20Grad%202022.jpg" width="256" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">That's the official photo above! No matter how old you are; you can always make a mid-life pivot!! I am sooo super happy!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and I will be checking in more often next year for sure!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Happy holidays ya'll!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Hugs!</span></p>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-22935630701141191112022-07-13T15:50:00.002-04:002022-07-13T15:50:29.662-04:00Wednesday Hodgepodge<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Wednesday!<br /><br />
Today I am joining in Wednesday Hodgepodge with <a href="http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/" target="_blank">Joyce</a> and the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop with <a href="http://pennyspassion.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Pennie</a>.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Gzvgjn6Sk9gUdI7EZ9uU4Qk8IXgmiJ9JV9RQbN8C8Lu-wkPpd2_JMvhVZwTd3c3Xlzb4Kp9b5gXeEg1psCHpC1Vc7nre-ltJb47pXY_3WJIWc2BZoByjnV_VJFWggbPYvKAub70MkrNypeH06vXATOy06Cl9HfZ6odBUC8pZjnDtrtzH41quKIxL/s1024/WonderfulWednesdayBlogHopPennys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="752" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Gzvgjn6Sk9gUdI7EZ9uU4Qk8IXgmiJ9JV9RQbN8C8Lu-wkPpd2_JMvhVZwTd3c3Xlzb4Kp9b5gXeEg1psCHpC1Vc7nre-ltJb47pXY_3WJIWc2BZoByjnV_VJFWggbPYvKAub70MkrNypeH06vXATOy06Cl9HfZ6odBUC8pZjnDtrtzH41quKIxL/s320/WonderfulWednesdayBlogHopPennys.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUk3o0FGNNrRtlPQCtMEEBQMU80WwuXstosbi_eYf6hl3FNfOFIK7p4wawhMaO6LfKdDBtucwNZ_cmMpRxxXeSb3VsBsPEVtuEg2HQSNKgXah2PyfXyOcu-JzkDHhjOfpUavVG1IMAI8ppKD11yYTNaC5iHbdpoz9r_IxgNHitxzblO4-fUo3ButF/s228/hodgepodge-button.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="228" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUk3o0FGNNrRtlPQCtMEEBQMU80WwuXstosbi_eYf6hl3FNfOFIK7p4wawhMaO6LfKdDBtucwNZ_cmMpRxxXeSb3VsBsPEVtuEg2HQSNKgXah2PyfXyOcu-JzkDHhjOfpUavVG1IMAI8ppKD11yYTNaC5iHbdpoz9r_IxgNHitxzblO4-fUo3ButF/s1600/hodgepodge-button.PNG" width="228" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
1. <b>Do you like the beach?</b> I absolutely love the beach!! Any beach!!! anywhere!! When I traveled for work I was lucky to be near beaches and was able to visit a beach at least every night. Now that I am in nursing school I don't see many beaches but I plan to visit some in the future! My favorite will always be Stone Harbor, NJ. We have traveled there almost every year since I was a baby! This picture is from Stone Harbor last year; I went parasailing with my niece Kyleigh.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-px6jFcCSkphi2UvbvlVuW4TH4owzTUpcfsh08LXkfNQKbOesUXzrQlBUk2AVFrXuTsZOxfDuIHi-LUNgJMZisu5N92CiUoSXf2PcJ6x6lYlrFUSu4u1B8znYXIJRVl_PFJT6SxII0rNOvn3zr5NP6mv5BHKV8RGgA8hBy37MOX4OQFDxSiCt1icq/s1440/7593458F-A2C4-4B55-BE0C-58F9928877DA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-px6jFcCSkphi2UvbvlVuW4TH4owzTUpcfsh08LXkfNQKbOesUXzrQlBUk2AVFrXuTsZOxfDuIHi-LUNgJMZisu5N92CiUoSXf2PcJ6x6lYlrFUSu4u1B8znYXIJRVl_PFJT6SxII0rNOvn3zr5NP6mv5BHKV8RGgA8hBy37MOX4OQFDxSiCt1icq/s320/7593458F-A2C4-4B55-BE0C-58F9928877DA.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
<b>How far do you have to drive to get to the nearest beach?</b> Stone Harbor is about 8 hours from my home but so very worth the drive! <br /><br />
<b>Your least favorite thing about the beach?</b> The only least favorite thing about the beach is when biting flies are present. They are only there certain times of the year when the trade winds are blowing a certain way but they are awful!! I HATE bug spray at the beach! <br /><br />
<b>Last beach trip you took?</b> I guess my nursing trip to Nicaragua counts for a beach trip. We could not swim in the water but we did take a boat trip around Lake Nicaragua. It was pretty amazing to say the least!<br /><br />
2. <b>Are you known for making waves or are you more of a 'go along to get along' kind of person? Explain.</b> I like to believe I am a "go along with" kind of person every though I have some tendencies toward OCD and controlling behaviors. I am definitely working on these things as I do not want to be THAT person!<br /><br />
3. <b>A favorite song that in some way references the beach?</b> Toes in the water by Zac Brown Band is my very favorite tune for the beach!!<br /><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/lB8Nkn3Xjes" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lB8Nkn3Xjes/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />
<b>A favorite book and/or movie with a beach-y setting?</b> I think I love any book written by Kristen Hannah. She has written at least 16 books and almost all have a beach theme1 I love her books!
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4.<b>Tuesday is National Simplicity Day...what's a simple pleasure you've enjoyed this week?</b> I have enjoyed sitting in my hammock chair on my porch! It is sooo relaxing and I love every second spent swinging! <b>What's something you could eliminate from your life to make things simpler?</b> I honestly think my life at this poit is as simple as it can be. I have made sure of this because school takes up so much time!<br /><br />
5. <b>What's something you love to do? Do you do it often? Why or why not?</b> I love to read for fun and this summer (one school break) has allowed me to do this a lot! I have read so many books already! I am so happy about that!<br /><br />
6. Insert your own random thought here...I will leave you with the picture of my very favorite beach ever! This is Aruba!! Ahhhhh...
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8znUjXZECwF3j1q-aSAV9z2Gz_OO_5sPC_5NN1xvHbZ0HE5fkqqt5KBsS5gWeI8SW0FMj0Wx5uzdBHGIrwbuZcd73VxWwVBjov17fM6IW5dMf3VbKE5YFsOy02ZgnSRsuMb3z-BP9MU3LH4JVhhL0qXRYfhb43sOjSpVQ1EI9a2JlbCX4lOq3W9Vc/s960/120661757_10158606657574513_7870526082345266205_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8znUjXZECwF3j1q-aSAV9z2Gz_OO_5sPC_5NN1xvHbZ0HE5fkqqt5KBsS5gWeI8SW0FMj0Wx5uzdBHGIrwbuZcd73VxWwVBjov17fM6IW5dMf3VbKE5YFsOy02ZgnSRsuMb3z-BP9MU3LH4JVhhL0qXRYfhb43sOjSpVQ1EI9a2JlbCX4lOq3W9Vc/s320/120661757_10158606657574513_7870526082345266205_n.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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Thanks for hosting this Annie and I hope everyone has a fantastic week!
</span></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-88057787959344020822022-07-09T00:30:00.001-04:002022-07-12T22:50:17.127-04:004th of July Part 2<div><br></div>Hey everyone! Welcome to part two of the Fourth of July post!<br><div><br></div><div>We decided to do an evening pontoon ride with the whole family out to the middle of the lake to watch the fireworks. We went out early and just anchored in the middle of the lake until it got dark enough for the fireworks to start. Here is the back of the boat… Left to right is my father, my sister‘s husband Steve, my nephew Ryan, my niece Aly, and my niece Kyleigh.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_bc38_6707_e080_5a00" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ye-hrHT-rD6SlCkfIU7OgDB1O2fL6Ouz75swfUQc6pCUIzdxkm4Pwjc4r21FBV33l1I" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>And here is the front of the boat… Left to right my sister Susan, my mom, my niece Jessica, my great niece Leighton, and my sister Kerry.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_6a7a_d92a_e44c_dd7e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/AOFghl4lJ9fmlsw-p0EPHYnnuyxvsYj918QhzclplZunMecZl2AxIbgZ-_R7Zm9MjsI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>here are just a couple fireworks…</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_6398_e604_8dcb_8eef" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/EXkS4FZQmWsD7nTzSUXSAZVOI9nvkNB64P-1-M8-knX-Btf6YX_0WuUA8vBOdEAlLHk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Ahhhhhh…I love the reflection on the lake!</div><div><br></div><img id="id_bee4_771f_c03b_f4f5" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wdo3gjSzoi22YzXVPhOwOfuAYttRi8wLvYBJ0SyXLnuhamm16oQCfaW9TxHmZb4jOuE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><div>On the actual holiday we had another visitor join us… my Aunt Marti. She came to spend the day and we all went for a pontoon ride. She was being goofy and posing with her hands on her cheek. Lol!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_5101_35ed_e825_b84d" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/RJnYhIWCH5rZOgKwvC9PQ-03IrRwDkanR_VGb2NplBBa1wsEK7qxsQSCSxNc1v-PgCE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>cute picture of my dad with his dog…</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_dcb2_ff39_e543_511c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CEpXEQViWpbNYX1zYIGQWlYRn7jCroMhIrsziKzkd0C7gLZzI7R8dj0h-GyS61P8xOU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>I love this re-creation… My parents dog Gracie is a year old now. We actually re-created the picture almost to the date of when they got her a year ago. Man she grew up quick!! What a sweetie she is though!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_105f_db70_aaa9_fca5" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/JZ5Ke0NBgYnnfHsNgONUmFjTgZvGEZke7Wp571DgOnOSae8YlCyiHhyhWptQ50IJ6to" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Little cutie patootie out on the patio… She loved this little beach chair.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_4315_b830_d6eb_c534" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_YNf3nwNjPdC62CwjuwOna2iqHZ-OQtYRheKWFaj3SjAKHxcrlA4cwDJEcYYVAy_W7U" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>this young man went with my father and played in the closest to the pin on Fourth of July holiday. There’s a small nine hole course at my parents lake and every Fourth of July they have closest to the pin. This young man actually won it this year!!! Sooo awesome!!! He was 5 feet 4 inches! Yay Ryan! He got $117 which was half the donations collected!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_d765_26b4_7f11_eda3" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/uLC4KeCAMaaf6ELO0nmT1ntRqQ2EZd2ezP9l7JZv_mRrjnWji_ToszZTmAlvFpvr8So" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Winner winner chicken dinner!!!! Yay</div><div><br></div><div>I hope everyone is having a fantastic week!!!</div><div><br></div><div>Sending so many hugs!!! Love ya’ll!!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-73001632786150716952022-07-09T00:22:00.001-04:002022-07-11T21:41:04.002-04:004th of July Part 1<font size="5">Hi everyone!! I promised myself that I was going to post these earlier. I ended up spending last week trying to get things together to start the fall semester. I can’t even believe it’s almost here… We start in about five weeks. There was just a few things that I had to make sure I got done so I took the time to get those organized. This is it guys… My last semester! At least my last semester fingers crossed… Ha ha!</font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">So wanted to share with you a little bit of my Fourth of July. I hope you all had an amazing holiday… I know I did! I pray that you all spent quality time with family and friends that you love.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">We wanted to re-create a picture of these two little crazies. This is what I love about these kids so much… Every year they really embrace the red, white and blue and show so much spirit dressing up! And as you see they’re still wearing the same socks from five years ago! How cute are they??? My older niece, their sister, does not participate to the extent that they do… Lol.<br></font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_c6af_cd6a_3cb2_3ab2" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/WaY_7MP0DrurxWRLafjToNceuEpp5yuWya1K3H85Zm3HdJzuugv3xy6H3xIRvuqKs3k" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>as most of you know if you follow my blog, every year we do a pontoon parade at my parents lake. Everyone decorate their pontoons and different themes. We’ve done some really fun and awesome themes in the past. You can use the search bar on the right of my blog and search for pontoon parade. You’ll see we’ve done this for many years and we’ve come up with some pretty creative decoration ideas for the boat.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This year we decided to just go with good old red white and blue for the Fourth of July. Here we are all on the boat ready to drive out to the bay where we were meeting until it got dark and we began the parade.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_9710_5faf_6b82_bc22" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/2f3L4LDZxejFmsASoPjFnNdk8D1k0_OoX_SPp3zbXNfUgfTw3RvYwQKNQNzQ-m8gWwc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br>A closer shot of everyone huddled together…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_4857_d3b4_44aa_d753" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/xrtx9RxhpZXgQkMO1y-ZwSI-2-ydaYPWPgazu2Ye3SiUMCk_YmCBSmBOKxjnzKVyn-Y" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This is my older sister she came for the pontoon fun! She also brought along her daughter my adorable niece Jessica and my very first great-niece Leighton who is 2 years old! They were in bed as this parade was not going to begin until at least 9:30 PM</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_ae5b_85c5_b4b6_deec" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/b18GqCPLcH-U8YDixj5fFkzkjWp2wqK_ocSLeSr9U2t2q13EbjqvwhTbtZajPjUAJTM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>we purchased this blowup and light up eagle as part of our Decour this year. I got these fantastic Christmas lights that are LED and you use your phone to make them any color you want! They came in super handy for the red white and blue color! I love that I can use my Christmas lights at multiple times of the year.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_1757_4f95_83b8_7f0c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/flRDhmZQ3DMUwy2aLNIT98uw8eztB76M49izvGxOYJjo0LcOhP5M0Ep4v2z9b5SIico" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>That’s my Dad driving and my adorable nieces and nephew behind him!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_4f2c_46ab_9051_63c9" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/qWWHuyvDGZOO3NdmOh8xlOSnpYUA5bjfO96Sdwwv1hrGMKCePOEvyZGxfw84pds7W74" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>The morning after the pontoon parade there was a pancake breakfast benefit the ski club at the lake. We went down and had delicious pancakes and sausage and we didn’t even have to cook them ourselves.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_9043_85b1_c1b7_149" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/oSIYh4MhbuxI06EgVbmgWMNBA0cxMEKTxxsskbGhK3fcCVCiFMQhB4obmcJlTaa1YYQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here is my sister and the two peeps that missed the boat parade last night. They were definitely game to come down for pancakes with us! What a bunch of cuties they are!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_cca9_ec57_704b_28ea" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/VliKvBKRxnAUGxYxyduRCrp8pJk4orBeyDcKSE89xvm0RoATq9CPeLP0qaxPiUppsPw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>More of the crew after enjoying their pancakes!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_944_993a_9875_c58d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ZrQ-hxUu3eNwfVRfyRvTYG2cGL7K9AUB6m-ut8KYK0mh8-CX8WUTgWYJy-DBlmEOE_o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>As we ate our breakfast we got to watch the ski club practice their moves. They actually practice on land before they try to do it on their skis.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_5048_ad69_d297_7615" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/MszVmxb6_BMLVZszvyI_d71nPF5LER_rY4q9HupK4H0IXmYdenYn73clmb2PaeIjJPc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>These are my two nieces Aly and Jessica with my great niece Leighton for her very first tube ride. She did not enjoyed in the beginning but once we got the boat moving, she really did have fun.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_b230_19ab_a201_3b81" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Nkzg1n44HaKt-i5knH_nSP2PZTx8ujOz5mpgmaZekFrHC4a4zeMzvL--acrEUcCBv5Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>here is my other niece Kyleigh and my nephew Ryan having a little tubing fun!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_a258_7836_7c58_16b7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vB4QaVFwYJjyq6N8Wk6aAQTE04XdAj9gGwDtwbtXFIT49QE3RaRZE7vJCEeQ8WVMfc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>These two and the dog appeared to be contemplating life…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_31e7_7500_e26e_bf28" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/irG0tSlbCcp91iqkulBamiRppigfPR1V-98g-aJUlqzO8UG3A2jQh0dN1cr1bTYTSI0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>A little paddleboard ride…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_85b1_54b7_f33b_9d46" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/vWchm9Ovh_QwvbsvtWq28VVonwcoFC89MEeonit-2gzLgVR1IXHstkSy90EMoMUT5v0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>And a little tumbling fun on the mat…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_ed50_7fad_9d9a_84a1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3haojcfXqa51YIoegMSUtcC3emuk4o2mfOdZ1XV9Wv7SXVO2c6rl9fpcbhdxfALmhuI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This is everyone loaded on the boat getting ready for a slow pontoon ride. The dog was so excited to snuggle up next to Aly.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_8f23_3ae0_d63b_ef96" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Q7AmoyEEvlSwlxtVj89jM31WY1s6slL_PCLqqGSn_JelezW9Qt77Y3EMk-MuUywJ66I" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>dog selfie anyone? You gotta love Gracie!! Such a cutie!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_90f1_eb20_b87_2278" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/lfmZQ1daT5S-6dFrEzWiIHUUfBKAjssGyZknyXkDV4Qw3-TaKwWsbKT6JY2rBu0zyxk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>The pontoon ride put this one to sleep too…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_fa36_940f_5dfe_814b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/t8cvguOqIcY9mqlnBZS2PouPeLg2Eq_H7ZipWhrkCKl60EgGOpqOrirXVZQR0dnQacQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Gracie had so much fun playing on the mat with the kids…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_8def_da17_1a75_5e89" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/R8JB3mtq_gFyBzOgBEe1VX6Qg0pbkFRxUBBAM3eRzDppKFRAszqWu_1V_fc7a6vjClE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">These two took a little JetSki ride together… This is the first year the kids have really been able to drive it alone. They need to have an adult with them but they are allowed to drive it. Maybe next year they can take it alone? That’s all up to Poppy…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_e32_df6f_8cb9_d412" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JFb2P332yVbcaEL739ZY2vS3CJUs9wZ1lqxDxeheRzBFTKcTbm58_P2_KY2EzpbrUtw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I know this was a really heavy photo post and I didn’t wanna forget any of the good pics so I’m gonna make a part one and part two.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I truly hope you all had a fantastic holiday and got to relax and enjoy yourselves as well.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Sending so many hugs to everyone!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font><br></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-45839301946086269872022-06-30T19:21:00.001-04:002022-06-30T19:21:25.779-04:00Thankful ThursdayI have to say for this thankful Thursday I am very thankful for my family, friends, and health. <div><br></div><div>But, most of all, I am thankful that I had my sweet cat Nermal in my life for the short six years I had him. As most of you know I had to put him to sleep recently and it has been sooo hard!! I am sad daily but I am trying to just focus on the fact that I was just lucky to have him in my life. </div><div>He was such a super sweet, funny, crazy cat and he truly was my snuggle muffin!!! Actually, he was everyone’s snuggle muffin! He snuggled and groomed all my other cats daily and snuggled me too! I think they are still trying to figure out who should groom them now…ha! I miss him everyday but am grateful that my other cats are still in my life even though no one has yet to step up and become a snuggler yet. Lol!</div><div><br></div><div>I hope he is so happy and healthy again up there at that Rainbow Bridge because she is sooo very missed everyday here on Earth both by me and the other kitties!!!!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_dc2d_60b8_4bad_3b14" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EpPhi5i2TRXyg5h_l7dgbkj5hf063L16Rl3zO1x8RsdpkPhAeMekDz_Cp-yPywu_Z1w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_c922_eeae_6d27_6b00" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Gkes80ZZLHPEMqWtBYB4_BJ5Q_xOT6d_j562J5AA6q2q64a7bhJ4bg3s7vIwvUmslZI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_784e_aa85_979b_39a1" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/uEFcW4o4Dy2bH-LQarS87FBMxpJDuAx4tdgH2sJGg9bFH1ZFSEdOx4PIjbCrOvADB0g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5d88_d74d_8239_d9f3" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/BDr1kY6NYMdPOeUJD1pjIsX5k7w6-kL65o3e_xm9nl6rcBWb0IjzIsXKcAXIlUwDnEU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_c515_8f82_7faa_c84b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TE8rCS4GnmeyjsSlJ5PLQibl2ec8cejl5xrU74Wj1IO-S4SNdGqWH5LZehC3rr4l6wA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9313_6e6_832d_178f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1it-eKxELteZIuUQQNqF0ikcNrm6j6lm9q4CQC0GwcHfOfY-VTeO987BD98ScoeUCZQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_41d2_785e_3e78_cbc5" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/TjWYB8e4PDSkAGabOTKznUjdri8pHhURBQ3Y7mqMMiTdeRc9SJxmYabm6rLfBn6n7pU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>I love and miss you my sweet Nermal!!! I am so grateful I had the time I did with you in my life!!!</div><div><br></div><div>Hugs! <br><br></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-40392926027612681732022-06-30T18:59:00.001-04:002022-06-30T18:59:20.062-04:00Friday Five<font size="5">Happy Friday everyone! Not only is it Friday but it’s a Friday before a holiday… Could it be any better day of the week? Nope, not possible!!!</font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">As you’re reading this I am headed to my parents house for the Fourth of July weekend! It will be a weekend full of family and fun in the lake and I cannot wait to start it. I promise I will be posting a lot.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Let’s get started for my Friday five…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">1. This is gonna look like it’s an advertisement for Aldi’s but it’s not. Or, maybe it is as I’ve been finding so many things lately that I love there. I found this awesome tin in the toy aisle. My family has always played the license plate game on trips ever since we were little kids. We would just keep track on a piece of paper when we were kids. Now that we are adults, we all have a download app that we use on our phones. But this magnetic game looks amazing. It has these cute little spongy license plates that are magnets and you stick them onto the state when you see that license plate. The state license plates are not flimsy at all… This is really a quality car game. It was only $5.99 at Aldi‘s. there were other car games too but this is the only one I purchased… I recommend you run and get yourself one!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_fd4a_8888_cec_7c4c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WmqxSZkvGIQ-X1IaeELkL_HkCNYalr4IOR8W6mGBAI9g2jnqXkbNP-bb5U6RTLCZ5lQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_40b3_49a3_4f6d_11a0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/427jqBwH_cZe7Ct7S72C54AHZK7OhkA1AuE_clDRAGBX2o8Cg4QpKbRotv_3a8S7nAE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br> <img id="id_6156_1677_b82a_7141" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/KYUjUrkBupx6za6FQtRpi2UIbPCbmug8kOtQG1AfvyKO_kQaD-Lu90ZHMky162XJYwI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>2. This next item also comes from Aldi‘s. I can’t recommend that you run and get it because it was on an end aisle with a bunch of other lemon things and it was limited time only. I actually went back to purchase more because I love them so much and my Aldi‘s is all sold out. I think these were like $8.99? When you love something you have to buy multiples because it just may not be there the next time you go back. If you like lemon these are a dream come true! </font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_b28a_826b_2eca_f55f" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ThVSZlqWrlpdeMMEgqnRlnLn04Sov1JrmIsvr49l-7YZd-RSg7bxSS1bJqRJgACvJBI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>3. And I promise this is not an ad for Aldi‘s so the last item that I love this week is the last item from Aldi‘s. They always have the cutest and most fun cat and dog toys. I got my cats two toys this week each were $7.99. My cats adore them.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This first one is white and has a battery. You push that little white button and it spins around and shoots a laser around your house. It runs for about three minutes and then it shuts itself off. My cats are obsessed with this thing!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_732a_5ac_26de_443e" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3qRH4jVREpjAk_GCJWIjGt_HY-Hny_g-dY8ZEsxTwz7W2oadnzbe9aJHY3pz8UOPV7o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This second toy that’s a blue has no battery. You fill it with treats and wobbles on the floor like those old weebles used to do. When the cats bat at the toy or balls on it with their paws, it drops treats out. Best $8 ever spent- lol!!!<br><img id="id_544_e04b_f837_b201" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/kbm0Jcyw2z5zHL0CgJlk9XezRA1G0JM89dzqmxMPRHKp5OER_j-vWTiQXq1pxFt__B0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>4. My fourth obsession is this amazing honey. I just picked this up on the way home from Nicaragua. We bought it in the airport in Iberia, Costa Rica. It is absolutely to die for!!!! I wish I had bought more!!! I have been eating a small drizzle a day on a small plain cracker… it is sooo yummy! I will be seeing if they will mail order this product!!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_3ff1_edc8_4350_d0e5" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/yh5IWIUuRT5SOUf_UI0JZVFEsjf1ax2mG2dipYQCfNQQ_ht5bbKt4ngAoFE6SWxXXGs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>5. Lastly I will leave you with my favorite summer pie recipe!! I believe I got this recipe from a blogger many years ago; if it was you please reach out to me so I can give you your deserved credit. It is delicious!!! And easy!!! You mix together 1 tub of whipped topping (I used low-fat generic brand), 6 oz frozen lemonade concentrate (I could only find pink lemonade so I used that), and one can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix that all together well, pour into a graham cracker crust, and freeze! That’s it! I promise it is delicious!!! I sometimes add extra lemon zest or lemon concentrate because I love “puckery” lemon flavor.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_8bab_6761_497f_f9c7" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/7kz54HV45v427dnDtMiJ6rjZecLZobz53rcpjr4bMnjglRT_j7chgY1uDkujfeG3aBs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>That’s what it looks like prior to freezing. Top with lemon zest or thin lemon slices if you have them! It is my absolute favorite pie for a hot summer day!!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I hope everyone has a fun and safe 4th of July holiday!!! </font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Hugs to you all!!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br><br></font><br></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-70381125620676513802022-06-28T09:52:00.002-04:002022-06-28T10:21:27.831-04:00Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4<font size="5">Looking back... </font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Hello everyone!! Today I will be joining <a href="https://tuesdaysplace.blogspot.com/2022/06/looking-back.html" id="id_8c69_f752_9aaf_da58">Annie</a> for her Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. I am so happy to be joining in for the first time ever! Annie’s friend Toni started this and she continues it weekly in here memory! I am grateful to be able to join in!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">1. What music were your parents listening to when you were a kid? When I was a kid my Dad listened mostly to country. <b>That was 60’s and 70’s so there was a lot of Dolly Parton, Oak Ridge Boys, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Roger Miller, etc.</b> <b>Let’s say old country</b>. Does that music bring back memories for you? <b>It absolutely does…I still know all the words to all the songs</b>.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_aaa5_81e3_4c07_f978" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3dhPFDHF47XwD5p6mhCbeMLQtpHCZUWKuErL3zFRyR4yvKfZhB9RyjfISxtaCIuANNs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">2. What was your favorite meal and beverage as a teenager? <b>As a teenager I loved a Big Mac!!! We didn’t really get to eat out a lot so it was a special treat when we got to go to McDonald’s for dinner. I was always so excited when I could get a Big Mac and Coke.</b> Is it still or have things changed for you? <b>It is definitely not the same now! I actually had a big Mac about three weeks ago and it was awful. I don’t think I remember it that much better than it was so Big Mac’s have changed. I remember them being delicious and it really and truly was not delicious. Anyone else notice this or is it just me??? I guess the good part is that I will not ever get another Big Mac again. LOL</b></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_44d8_77c9_6de7_d8d4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vnSQv8-si3cwdgIl7N3LNlY6UlTN_skgrWNS_EQPTaBiuJrI09k96xLVoD0P0QB1oRM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">3. As a teen did you live in a city, country, small town? <b>I lived in a suburb of Pittsburgh called Bethel Park. I could not have picked a better hometown to grow up. I have a lot of hometown pride still to this day. I love my Bethel Park Blackhawks and I love the town itself. I still live nearby in adjacent town called Bridgeville. I was a majorette in the band and loved every second of it. This picture recently came up on my Facebook: it is of our majorette squad in 1985. We were performing for something the school organized called Telerama. I am the one in the back row alone…lol!</b></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_af33_2208_5c3c_9ea4" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p_LWdxGDmVXPw_jkMAEjOPLLjD26fJ7f29PjYjkafrSL1i7Bgq9XXn6nF7Digo00asc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">4. Would you like to live in your hometown today? <b>I think I loved it so much growing up there if I had children, I would definitely still be living there!!</b></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Thanks again <a href="https://tuesdaysplace.blogspot.com/2022/06/looking-back.html" id="id_df1d_e2d1_b8ab_5b15">Annie</a> for hosting!!! This was so much fun and I hope to be joining in each week!!! Can’t wait to make some new friends!!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Hugs to everyone! Have a great week!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-31568532232123470282022-06-27T18:31:00.001-04:002022-06-27T18:31:21.829-04:00Heading Home from Nicaragua<font size="5">So this is day eight and we are finally headed home… it’s been a truly amazing trip and I am definitely ready to be headed home. </font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">We had to be ready for our chartered bus to pick us up at 5 AM at our hotel. We took that bus from our hotel to the border of Nicaragua where we crossed the border on foot and then got in another chartered bus and road to the Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s the picture of all of us in front of the hotel…</font></div><div><font size="5">From left to right- Shawne, Dennis, me, Sr. Gupta (hotel owner), Mom and then Jeremy behind her.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_8957_a0f8_298c_ffa" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/T0okiUqcJTOuJCYVx9QKFi560MgSKkdUmf49chKyngR3o32qdjgepVhKIri5vWUqmgE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Then this picture of Senor Gupta in the door of the hotel as we drove away…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_f896_cc2a_3078_5c1c" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/AIFdSOtU5PhtPbs2vGUiDEG9IFIX3pZgnN7rrskij_SJKvVR1aqgIVVSPFwk_oEMKdo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here are the pictures of the windmills that we get to see on the drive from Nicaragua to Costa Rica…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_2c21_3472_8b1c_15f0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/oyU4Lz7frmY2BymOzpI25__MuQCXHXVzCXC44TXhjQjGpFO9Fa0XeWVXiBDyQvtI9IY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9db9_89bf_4f3d_ebd" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/FFhYaBOprzgH8zfIdLaovV4-MPF-Lv4MdIF4rerCL04FzeNRlLdrSgML-8zoa5kIUFk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>When we checked in for our flight to fly from Costa Rica to Miami we saw this drug sniffing dog. This is at the gate before you board the plane. They take the drug dog through all the people and all of the carry-on luggage.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_af69_709f_691b_95a3" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/iVY4i-94KHs2vldaj2q3nE-MStJDpf8Id2NcONNTx6QxpojYQ5b7Aka6aYwG8rvMwjY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e396_e862_8ec9_7434" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ae8d8t22aE4XpNCZPv5mPgaJzG5KP2wIyDlOfJjreKLFMK_B5RI3HUVwejAEWoklu9c" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>The dog came closer and closer and we just kept commenting on how cute he was. But when he got to my mom his bag he stuck his nose in her bag and was rooting around with his nose. She was worried he was trying to eat her boarding pass so she kept trying to grab the boarding pass. The officer with the dog kept telling her no no no. And asking her not to grab her boarding pass. After he had the dog sit he explained the dog notifies him of drugs or cash. My mom had her envelope of cash in her purse and that’s what the dog can smelled and triggered on. It was definitely an amusing moment watching my mom try to fight with a drug dog. Ha ha ha</font></div><font size="5"><img id="id_f100_c343_92e0_b7b1" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/mCxJmyxUTa2fPjk95nmZtWYrxWgkICT9eGv2OeziL5k63K6lw36R30qkyts08wQgbk0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 356px; height: auto;"><br><br>I knew I was home when I was able to just order a cuppa coffee. The hotel owner made us coffee every morning in his coffee pot. It was delicious but it was a mix of herbs and coffee… That’s how many people drink it there. I have to say I really missed plain black coffee. This was my favorite treat in the airport!<br></font><div><font size="5"><img id="id_905a_ba71_b80d_19ec" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0xRv9eGyOI2G8B6sGikPI2oKj6_aqE-4LaJzeXz2x7xRENc56D9lVmJ3Ber8X8JA1fc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>We had a flight from Miami to Pittsburgh that was scheduled for 7:30 PM. Keeping in line with all the delays recently in the airline travel… First it was delayed till 8 PM, then it was delayed until 8:30 PM, then it was delayed until 9 PM, then it was delayed till 9:30 PM. After the 9:30 PM delay they explained the reason it kept getting delayed was a crew shortage. Finally we took off around 9:30 and got home around 12:30 AM. Mom spent the night and then drove home around 7 AM the next morning.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">It is so great to be home and just beginning to get unpacked. I cannot wait to do some laundry and put everything in its place. I love a good vacation but it also feels so amazing to come home!<br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">They won’t admit it but I think the cats really missed me too! They’re going to be getting lots and lots of snuggles over the next couple days!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Hugs to you all I hope you enjoyed the trip as much as I did! If nothing else please know how very very blessed we are to have everything we need… Maybe not everything we want but definitely everything we need!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-14730093284618599872022-06-27T18:02:00.001-04:002022-06-27T18:02:52.522-04:00Patio Reading Anyone!?<font size="5">Hi everyone! Happy Monday!</font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I’m officially back in the USA and settled at my home. It truly was an amazing trip but I’m really really happy to be home!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I will be spending the next couple days catching up on your blog post and seeing what everyone has been up to! While I do that I will be sitting on my deck.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here is the current situation… Thank goodness I have an excellent cat sitter that takes care of watering everything while I am on vacation! She waters and feeds the cats and she also waters my plants! I am so grateful for her because I can take trips and know everything here is under control… She probably does a better job than I do myself!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I love my Clematis! I had a different purple one the past three years but it finally died this year. I had to replant this beautiful one at the beginning of the summer.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_2303_3511_b2ba_a8dd" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/yR53W1GdgFmxA9AZOavLra8KnRA1CGF8DZUQ24L--EOkv0nqmkv2-55qmX11vXW7yVQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>I only have the clematis and three other flowers. The whole rest of my patio is herbs. I use these all summer long to make some really fun recipes. Maybe one day I’ll do a post of all the recipes of things that I make with my herbs I grow.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Isn’t this one beautiful!?!? Love the color!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_5fb_51b4_8b59_1864" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/8N2eehyiZgviDtCzTHEmCyCwZIJtZWua73iqlb04txUEnYLhe60gH3PeOLSgj7NdSSg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>And this one… I get one of these every year… The hummingbirds love this plant! The place I get it from grows them so large it takes up a whole side of my patio… It truly is my favorite plant next to my clematis!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_f4b3_26be_e876_8df3" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BlhVbUFCaPfxMBArtBobhfB4ICXat3Q6xASOzSlbyvbhfjJxUbUfwsiW3KfIG-fygcg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>and here are all the herbs…they are all doing well this year with the exception of basil. I bought a basil plant with brown under leaves…the lady at the store told me that is would be fine once it got sun. Well I planted it between my other two basil plants and it turns out it had some kind of mold that basil gets. I was so angry within three days all of my basil plants were covered in molds and brown spots. Don’t ever listen to people at the store… Listen to your gut. I only purchase it because it was the last basil plant they had left - I should’ve listen to my gut! Ugh!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I usually have A LOT of basil but I planted this little guy under the clematis and he’s the only basil plant that survived.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_57ef_2c29_c52_988c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cm7dfBlaD3KRzE6_gB63lbzF34i1WBZPoWWcsXzqaa2v3u-RtZ8k974RsJyQsod-X4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s the curly parsley - I use this in my Tabouli<br><img id="id_b7be_5781_9afe_c4dd" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tw0ylNpyS1d3xnKkD5Fxg7enxlhoKhapqp3OisgeWkVTsrpQAu1T-2X_hv7EDam7Xco" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s the sage…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_77ec_378d_70aa_a79e" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/l9Cex_cAc-MmwtDkfWo4aAV__oNHWK_idP8DuT1-_kFf3iTwpr7SJGoW9Axby7VFFH4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s the oregano….</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_6836_aa00_2d1d_d2e3" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/DWN1VWOeupukspnjtRzwuz1ENAKA7TOE5b_N6X2eWAeGmnG4R8tKPDC9uTNx5z8gknQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>And now the dill…this is delicious on potato’s and salmon!!<br><img id="id_adb5_8063_3a31_7b3d" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/9g9OWPJyupw2yEwA9HseQtmmAQH6Hw7qdyD_l8NJ1pioyus4B6t7Ps89qoJx-AyrW3k" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here is the lemon oregano…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_e543_c3c2_771d_71f9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3oHC_ZoL78SDbQsbJs9KUiRl4CfKtGd-0fajeg_ipS98BlkFBI9XvB94oFS6IaRNpew" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>And then here is the rosemary…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_c734_d78c_3bf4_5af2" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ZtapBtkewNtkxQhEyJPyfT2KFOHhZtDCD4xtcqxphEFE0ZP5YNBqbv39Ybz-UnX2uQA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Next is the mint planter…it has sweet mint on the sides and chocolate mint in the middle…yum!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_72c0_2136_42b3_bb17" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Ul8wp4L3vFxaMudUdGNWJC8uLegsVNqZy2ECcud7Kgi1kXq67hItmo9FyB4A1lBlHBU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Last but not least is my favorite tree that then I will be bringing in once winter comes… It is a pineapple guava tree. Fingers crossed I can actually get fruit from this someday!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_16b1_9137_78a0_defc" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/iU1GX1rRPlIhOBTfLzRUk3iSDGrfpa3Xx2MM8BKT-C4FC4-KDyGgrFO5jRY7PUnoDt0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>I hope everyone is having a great Monday!! I am off to read what everyone has been up to!! </font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Hugs to everyone!! Be grateful for both what you have and what you do not have!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font><br></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-38723946601374370732022-06-15T23:09:00.001-04:002022-06-27T17:32:28.661-04:00Day 7 Afternoon Nicaragua - Vera Cruz <font size="5">In the afternoon of our final day in Nicaragua we were having a clinic in Veracruz. It had been raining from the day before and had not slowed down at all. Many streets were flooded so when we went to go to Vera Cruz the main roads were all flooded out. We had to drive the back roads that the locals use. Thank goodness we had Carlos, a very experienced driver, because it was a very sketchy ride. Later in the week I will post the video of him driving. </font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This is what the road look like on our way there around noon on our last day. We took this back road because the main road and bridge had been flooded out. As you can see the back roads are fairly flooded also… Lol!</font><div><font size="5"><img id="id_1778_872d_6694_b367" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/QFo4KOEPQsJ2LkxkDSkFyvYNKk6ocU7cX7gFcqQWTnhunVTme1R1likHHKhd34qwmAo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This poor family was walking apparently had called for a ride… We were following the pastor to his church… He is the one in the Toyota in front of us. We needed him to show us the back roads that were still available to drive on.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_7cda_bde9_af1c_b5f5" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/OjSrYTwqqmWHfDDCizuARRt00sW_m9xWmtmlr7rtrpmMPVwedButJhsbJqACBsqBBD4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This poor family had to walk through this river of a road!! Ugh! Those cookies you can see on the dashboard below I called brown sugar cookies. They are delicious! We all shared them in the van! They were made at a local bakery!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_1d6f_fa0_7b14_118c" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/uwExM8U-BIARBJOxCjtjUWglJrmkc7iTSqS9vW_Hg7hwjZITuixgpXLHQgn6fHQs23I" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Our final clinic in the afternoon was held at a nursing students house. He went to his house to his church to hold the clinic inside. It was super nice of him because we were unable to access the church due to the road flooding. Here we are all set up…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_7c6b_6968_7672_b3f0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Gm-WJ21jyuBdDnEmVGtTuWwYiFW17u6C2XsTLdT75CqTHRsdK2dV8u4E-Ax-SUoMkcs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Another photo… all the kids were absolutely adorable!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_66a4_96af_5bb3_be6c" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/nBfQKmuTbZ4-WhpsjwGE9b8DI9SDaVNxAGk-dSvqv5TmdjaWnFZiImQHMJSicEOqeBc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Another shot of the clinic and the pharmacy…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_9794_e27f_199b_b4fc" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/9U4Sbe_C3KDa4GpBA63e31YHZbq1VxfPmHM5tPDaSh4KUsNymBO9147z94PIoC91iF0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">and this time a stray cat ran through the middle of the clinic… Lol</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_f827_d5ff_2ba3_eeff" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WnhXDczhn7MaVWcl__ZKrdgKr3Bd2wLLUji58Ooqz61XGyIaO_iKPclHMxzu7oA0ip8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>A local family was unable to get back home due to the rain so they hopped in the back of the van with us and we dropped them off when we were finished with the clinic and headed home to the mission.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_ff01_310f_d89d_3f0c" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/vUN7IUzrZFG1A4hdvQk3uF6BT6JekBQYezMFZHWdOvhupA1-zgQYsbBF0y4iN2f1wzk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is a picture of the flooding when we returned home… The water was so much higher it was to the bottom of our doors in our Land Cruiser. You will see you when I post a video how absolutely crazy the drive home was. I was honestly worried that we would be stranded and not make it back to the mission. The person you can see in the front seat in this photo is the pastor‘s wife. We gave her a ride home as well.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_50fe_ca43_c5b_6d34" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DQUGoiO5DuoF9BvmF0rmWcl-7Ersmkz709JkAdgR99EDiZZr1DBDPoRwfjPkUqFAD5s" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Crazy high waters! It’s like we were driving down a river!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_2eef_7c33_dd6d_5fcb" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/aMJQvMBjZSDX_xLxEZ8ZCvFcAKSjykfQ1YWa2gYUDAX8D_l5FrR7PvrMBo785t3TeXI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here is a video of the high water travel.</font></div><div><br><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/722696123?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0" width="500" height="281" id="v_id_62ed_6259_ea89_dd3" frameborder="0"></iframe><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Once we made it safely back to the mission we wanted to get a few pictures of the mission staff. Here are the wonderful people that we worked with all week! (Left to right… Laura - mission pastors wife, Blanca one of our translators, my Mom, me, Shawn fellow nursing student, Dennis nursing professor, Jeremy fellow nursing student, Carlos one of our drivers - down in front is Angel one of our translators)</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_be18_7dd5_2fc_3486" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/QY-WhNwEGuSJbjnqmtO3o7gwg0nIt4vfZus8UQHHrBJ6o60YTYsM1TEtr9FdX3nQd2w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>so this picture is the same people as above except Angel is taking the picture and add it on the left is Drew. Drew is the pastor that runs Straight Street Nicaragua which is the mission that we volunteered with. This entire crew of people is so amazing. They are the most selfless people I’ve ever met in my life.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">There was an uprising in 2018 in Nicaragua. The people tried to overthrow the government… There were protests in the street and in order to stop the protests; the government was just shooting people, including children, in the street. Over 400 people lost their lives before the people finally gave up because too many of their children were being shot for no reason. The people who run Straight Streeet Nicaragua stayed through this turmoil. They could’ve went home to Tennessee and instead they stayed to help the people of Nicaragua. This is the same for our translators and everyone that works there. We asked them why they didn’t leave and go to another country and they said they have a calling to help their families and the people of Nicaragua. I have so much respect for every single person we met here and I hope and pray daily that these people can someday have a democracy and be able to live the lives they deserve to live.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_6adf_ffd7_9141_3186" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/FaHMRvi8zB2XlZtqoZr6T8vk98vTwgHfEptS4q28eI2Tjft9xb1y_uizebvsWYEha1I" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Our final night we went to a nice dinner at the Garden Café in Granada. This is a view of the restaurant inside… It was absolutely beautiful! They also have a cute little store you can shop in while you wait for your meal.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_ff81_cd5b_d550_a5df" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Fjw8Rsx3MR2dpLY2Rhzqgc4he9fbJadKN12qjd7zfu_U2P05xfZ5sYUVHNcaqdDQnx8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This was mom‘s dinner she got the salmon and green beans and zucchini. There’s also a side of couscous that was absolutely delicious!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_1825_cc29_79b6_bbc" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/cxK9wR_Sxs8wtiI9_LGbMs8rLWj-npBQpy3-NQ_YSy8PpkGVQU7C6Al2NqYqgWn78BA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Jeremy got a hamburger they served it with a side of chicken salad.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_4b24_c270_f3f9_5b4f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pW8Kucn0e4UUTeiXyH6Sr2yGg7o9zZhLDVdEvlbQdWg3WBgF2uS_Gkw8Aju-EwwjCzY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s a little selfie of the whole crew… At this point I think we were already to be home. It’s a lot of together time and it’s a lot of personalities. By the end I think we all needed a little time apart… Lol</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_1b79_b0fe_b4c_3ef5" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/u95cYe86yx4CLgExV8lAw8P_iF-jZN0io389GUBJEcP_bVEcGnwkUs-eTn6ztR3JpFY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"></font></div><div><font size="5">I hope you all had a fantastic week! Feel blessed for what you have and where you live! Sending so many hugs to you all!</font></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><br><br><br></div><div><br></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-20616714344582155502022-06-15T22:48:00.001-04:002022-06-27T17:30:31.663-04:00 Day 7 Morning Nicaragua - El Varillal<font size="5">Today is our last clinic day. Tomorrow we will be boarding a bus at 5am to begin our travels back to the USA.</font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This area we are in today is called El Varillal. It rained the entire drive to this church. It was pouring down rain all morning during a clinic so thank goodness this church had a sturdy roof! Here is a few people in our crew getting the clinic set up. </font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here is a little tour of the location…</font></div><div><br><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/722695770?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0" width="500" height="281" id="v_id_7154_ede3_4e08_6c5e" frameborder="0"></iframe><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I have a couple great videos that I will upload next week that I actually show us driving in the rain and you can hear the rain pouring. The last two days it just poured nonstop in Nicaragua.</font><div><div><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="5"><br></font></span></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_a545_9929_4ceb_27b0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/J3R9ab_BTJ-xcYGEXyYqMzLL42t740Xl_8Ou97mH9KwQxPTU8_Ta8pMtB0OCPjAhLZM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Even though it was raining really really hard we still had a lot of people that showed up for a clinic. Here’s a whole group of construction workers that all came for consultations.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_9e08_9a3b_bd7_9f1b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/JRDt4lBLbia7j_yVPIQIxfPH2q3bwyWni-tSr86YVFLhltjTm6MKcoaR4UUjgzsd4QA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is just a shot of the yard outside of where we held our clinic.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_d663_8577_fc5b_b889" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/wMI2w9VqLMSKMwhLIVn2Sf03AeyAWzg2_vfS6920hJE8j3t7ju0rDgNF5egs5DYNZKc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Behind the logs below is the location of the bathroom.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_50ad_ee0_20f5_ee30" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sfm31wSfRSB6ZZaoXFBx3th32I_5joFV6bsmH_2uBm6ARakHbPixEBD1zs2hugaD77E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Yet another stray dog visiting the clinic.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_9db2_d697_7108_3afa" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/INi17HyqtvD28bzDvKo86eCm4hN-4CppDxZmJ7pkeqcDthogjyNp9NOK5mbSNWaqY1U" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here is some people attending the clinic…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_c2e4_72c4_68cf_adc0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/hMnKkNDZXDm7L0WUdNgPgjcn0NvKtxrcY5n5kS-qkk7SKFS1Zlh5CBWs_Sv_Epvew-Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">One of the translators the mission uses is Blanca. She knew of a woman who had two sick children and no medicine. We made sure to give her medicine and toys to take back with them so the next day she came back and gave us this picture. She said the woman was very grateful for the medicine and the children enjoyed the toys! Soooo cute!!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_caaa_f0bb_7a81_47d" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/cO8GLU34lUUoxl9LTOizafVBRYQAhSdBNEAhVtm8M56bODxnOK0XFSwurRLl-kRIFRA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>OK! This horribly frightening creature is called a whip scorpion. Horrifying right???? Apparently they are common in Nicaragua!!! The boys actually found one of these in the restroom by the pool at our hotel. Obviously they screamed pretty hard when they saw it hiding behind the trashcan. The owner of the hotel came and told them it was just a grasshopper. They were terrified but dying laughing when they told me - I’m sorry but it looks nothing like a grasshopper. I completely 100% agree it is not a grasshopper! The kicker is I asked them if they killed it and they said no. So this thing was still roaming around the hotel grounds… ICK and UGG! I am super happy it’s our last day! </font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_475b_6237_2efa_d5e1" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Q5BJqpKgYdQl3nOa8UAsOHNMrQSytTS9LKEyc2WQuV00sNbwDaSDyJBibz_BFY4je9s" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br>That thing is the thing of nightmares!</span></font></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="5"><br></font></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="5">Well, sending lots of hugs and I hope everyone is doing fantastic!</font></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="5"><br></font></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="5">Part 2 coming soon!!!!</font><br></span><br><br><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-32810130636520714302022-06-14T23:34:00.001-04:002022-06-17T21:49:01.338-04:00Day 6 Tuesday Nicaragua PM<font size="5">Hi everyone!!! After a morning clinic in the Tisma area we drove to this church in Pilas Orientales. This is the front altar of the church and it is also where we set up our Pharmacy. That is Mom in the picture in front of the pharmacy. The mission actually brought our lunch here and we had chicken fingers, homemade pico de gallo and beans and rice prior to the clinic starting.</font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_a4_b850_d02a_ec30" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d-u4_41bOxMK87bWIC8iy9kb6QlVkiK8f9xq6htg4agSdRsOiaIDv_Cp-_41idm0rvI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>You can see our lunch in the Tupperware containers on that table. And the woman with her hair in a bun is the pastor‘s wife. I was trying to feed the cats and they would not eat the cracker I gave them. The pastors wife took some of her plain rice and put it on the ledge of the wall and all the cats jumped up to eat it. These are just stray cats but apparently they hang around a lot. The cats here are not big fat cats like mine… Lol! Just about every animal here looks hungry to me. I really wish I could’ve packed them all up and brought them home with me! </font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_5742_5b2a_9e27_1b8a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/46zaLBURazmJp1uI90fnoESB9vhvkTlbOcoo1qslrc_qq4fN8hSqXZ6vobT-IvPo2Bo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>These two adorable little kids came to the clinic with their mother. They were so appreciative of the beanie babies and socks. We also gave them a bunch of candy and bubbles.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_2c67_3384_a88_c8e6" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/4W_gMcLA9b8FqR382rsOTEW6bliLbdJVV5BcK06r9OWbKnKKjrGH9KSnUXFiwPxxRgc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s a picture of another adorable little kid that came to the clinic with his mother. We gave out a lot of cars and things like that for the little boys too. You can see his mother holding his socks full of candy and him holding his truck. Look at that head of hair! So adorable!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_6ec6_97b1_5146_9400" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Zp_nNtv-MlXmzWgA_N4MyjoXN8CEg0UjhjNlc7bkre3NRwznqHVjOOHAW3DqvEVMxaM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s a picture of the clinic in action…</font></div><font size="5"><img id="id_4a1f_8b2f_a938_b595" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3PuIyVbn4ejRGYyfH20FxMSx8uDiPp0EY9_7BHqi2-q6vDAJv-dXDmst-krViQZo524" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Many of the churches where we had our clinics were rural areas where nobody else would go. They were very unkept, back roads. We were on one of these roads when a farmer came by with eight of his cows. We stopped our truck for them to go past us… Look at this tight squeeze - the cows are literally right up against our vehicle. Lol!<br></font><div><font size="5"><img id="id_de29_9fe5_c187_5926" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/TR7xsC7M43Q2vD0UNyrir_nKOiinWVkwxfhojEgvrUWZiUsXPKlFc1ES9uDxMuhR5QU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>A lot of people ride on mopeds here. They said that they can drive for two weeks on one tank of gas on a moped. They ride with two people three people on mopeds and probably the same amount of people on pedal bikes. But they all ride on the road with the cars. There were so many times we were in tight quarters with mopeds and bikes. It is hard to believe that more people are not killed on these roads every day. I had never been happier to not be driving a car!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Well that’s today’s recap! I hope you all had a fantastic day and I’m sending so many hugs to you all!</font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><br><div><br><br></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-89550277382591305822022-06-14T23:23:00.001-04:002022-06-17T21:37:21.283-04:00Day 6 Tuesday Nicaragua morning<div><font size="5">Today is Tuesday and we are off to two different regions of Granada again today.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This picture was taken on the walk from our hotel to the mission where we have breakfast and load up our van for the day.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">The picture shows all the kids walking to school or what just happened to be across from the mission.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_6994_720_e8cb_9970" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/QRp8Q8Iuj0uKrdkyqp2J2Qiwfn-brwuP1ang8UtxeE_jJSOqBnXI1U_u7VHGX1EMoZ0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>We encountered these beautiful flowers along the way…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_cb3b_600c_f893_63b1" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3RSRF2hZERZUPL_bkv0qBJ58Wi-3LbSAgS6LX8C-0fFmXxWrwNbcsOIXHhP78rauUBI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is a photo of the kids going into school in the morning. The man at the door makes each of them Use hand sanitizer and put a mask on prior to entering the school. The amazing thing to us is these people do not have washing machines and most live in homes with tin or concrete walls and dirt floors but they all have sparkling clean, white uniforms on. They take extreme pride in their appearance. One of the mission translators said they believe no matter how you live or how poor you are you should always present yourself in the best way possible.<br></font><div><font size="5"><img id="id_a1c0_eb5_5264_755c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LEB-Xnj_0WTtK0h8V2DAeFEjDiNotzNysUR9ueVQ8BnLrqKUV8qx0gdRabQvIo0_lHQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>These are pictures of us loading the van to go to our first location in the morning. Today we will be going to the Tisma area of Nicaragua in the morning from 9 to 12 noon.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_a23e_29ba_38c_41cf" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mzYlPCX8YE4abhC1Yn2vLds5jdXPR_TitwEYJYf-2yJJTzzSncFKvTRVWH-MBwiyrtQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>The woman in the jeans and blue backpack is Blanca. She was one of our translators and she is just such an amazing person!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_427b_a12f_7f77_474f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/uY2wRWXmEXl8_NCHY_z2SvQYhOFrQ2zKWLYES3-2WWZO9tYNiSSffT5UYtx3a9lMrQk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s a local dog that came to visit us at our church location… He was definitely a stray as he was so thin and had fleas everywhere! It was just heartbreaking…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_bbce_5556_25a4_14a0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/YkvBSN5p1TMzq3cFCafaIrwg4hPaLFEjkB7zFI3PLkGBq-kzMr4l159IbTdCT3IPrDE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"></font></div><div><font size="5"><br>Here is what the set up look like in this church. All the people in the back of the picture are people waiting to attend our clinic. The table at the front left is Dennis my professor and Angel our male translator. The table on the front right is where Jeremy and Shawn got patient vitals prior to sending people to consult with Dennis.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_57a3_eb93_2ae3_a3d9" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/VAim3C0RzAhR4PfC7UDtlF_o3VSeMlcSppLcArsQP3y9tPuwWEfHKVaYgD7m3oB-7y8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Another shot…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_4709_825f_63d7_4d66" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/v80QC06DZ3Cpps9nDsFn8-vNxmZiHzvzyvUbM1p3Zdk7JiCom4TqY3r6krg00Bm7gQI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s the name of the church for today…Iglesia Sinai. As you can see our pharmacy was set up on the stage of the church. This was my Mom and my station.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_5c7d_99aa_b065_7418" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/iKZgp1QDhYTC1mJnXViB-Kd-m656lKvIHfpXYxMGl39WxDVzaKBK8_oanqlG6C5YJrU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>A photo of the front area of the church… Two more stray dogs<br><img id="id_94ac_1ea1_c049_51b8" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/UuSlLeEZb1uEiSObAnVTKe55oh_WbpoB_wX1VAzwY4LlGC49lBD6so5vJkVkBkMx5ic" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">One of the dogs stopped in to visit Dennis at the clinic… Lol</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_3ca6_ee50_eaf6_1acc" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/qnUtOE__VI4eXmyG4QCFkDNtWM3LmLG_FuQ1e1IueSMN4FDBHtlkOoVqGAek0yfb8kE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br>The lady in the pink Steelers shirt below came to the clinic. She was a patient. She walked in and we saw her Steelers shirt which represents the town we are from… Pittsburgh PA. We here in Pittsburgh PA love our Football team called the Steelers. We were blown away! We asked her where she got her shirt and she did not even know what the Steelers were. But what a coincidence that she had a shirt on that was from our hometown. All of us that went on this trip together are from Pittsburgh. Crazy coincidence and small world! We had to get a picture with her before we left! (Left to right - I’m in the pink, patient, Shawn, Jeremy, and Dennis my professor) My mom did not want to be in the picture… Lol!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_5b34_c7eb_a29a_6ee6" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/DkITRgM6Lo0qMj4GHU7VbgilVdNr8KrccT2GGL8uoajumJE6XcELT4HjaVMmBsZ6YGw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>I will follow this post up with a part two that will include the location and pictures from the afternoon session.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I hope everyone is doing well and I’m sending so many hugs to you all!</font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br></div><div><br></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-90583968754201491222022-06-14T23:10:00.001-04:002022-06-27T17:26:13.113-04:00Day 5 Nicaragua Monday<font size="5">On Monday, Day 5, Mom and I started off the morning going for a short walk. Everyday she would walk with the owner of our hotel at exactly 5:20am but she slept in a little bit this day. So we decided to take a short walk and look for a place to buy coffee. Many places in town are closed due to the fact that the locals do not have a lot of money and the tourism is way down since the 2018 uprising and COVID. </font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">We walked into a local church and here are the flyers that were posted on the wall.</font><div><font size="5"><br></font><div><font size="5"><img id="id_6e05_f471_777b_4e33" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/JNuWv7asM2wLCIeWQ35_dlckH9pvJB9rSOKwEjJEeHDCKHy1vDjQIodSvNy5FHGhrrQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Another…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_5ff3_4cad_a2fb_1100" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jQA2VI7g8ggfSNKR9wTmDCEGfRS9Rrsuh5wsNU9rRKvY4z3oX1-SKsQNNM-CJbVTjxk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is the inside of the church that we were able to see. It was absolutely beautiful! The church is currently in renovation so this is the only room that’s currently open for use and prayer.<br></font><div><font size="5"><img id="id_d8eb_f2e6_25ed_bcca" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UBq0iB3wwd35ZpM0adYc9c6DZjLPfkE8WgHxX9WnB7HUWa7PSYnNqi0oPfFwEOtq-gk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Another shot of the other side of the church wall.<br><img id="id_4737_bcd8_81e5_a3e6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gydDvCXc3FMtvQa_dqCWISE0WwMSRQc7fb0PJzIlkGhDIKcusY7Uv0JBEU6JZvQcQlk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>We walked down toward Nicaragua lake and we saw these two horses. The horses just roam free all over Nicaragua… Along with chickens and dogs and cats and cows. These two horses weren’t tied or anything… They were just hanging out in the middle of the median. People use the horses to pull their buggies just like the Amish do. </font></div><div><font size="5">Many times when people take one of these horses in and become the owner: they will tie them to the side of the road and allow them to eat the grass on the side of the road in order to feed them. It is not a very good existence for animals in this country…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_9816_cbfa_75e9_118e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/03pRKoSqZJ9ZwjaRWUr53nJIh21nCpyID1xorvpmLUjYOigiYcufV-xRNt7OopedWW0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 355px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">After our morning walk we headed down to the mission for breakfast. After breakfast we spent the entire day in the Diamanté area of Granada, Nicaragua. Diamanté means diamond. We had a clinic from 9 to 11 and then the mission brought us lunch. We ate lunch on site and then did another clinic from 12 to 3.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here is a shot of our vehicle on the way… We had to hop out and move some thing so I was able to get a shot of the vehicle in route …</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_d690_6c15_eab7_fc4a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/6O7hMdSnOGF9Th4Ag4Zr5tsm7LJ-_5n-8I8Srf3IE-mWfceXuM-GiVS2dvo-2JqUDsE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Arriving at our destination…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_c59b_521e_a4c9_655a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/k2vgW0JI02M7lanKT3RcT8V1duCKQCQSxOkWlKdWnHa6ldvmEwaz-ZYp5JObku4i9cs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>this is the church where we held the clinic on Monday. This sign loosely translates to “The Potters Home”. The potter in this reference refers to Jesus. A lot of people here use plastic soda bottles, bleach bottles and water bottles, cut in half, as planters. You can see one hanging below the sign.<br><img id="id_6312_37d6_9dbd_209d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/vO8pp3SGvjsS4vMAfcrFDBgv6cUifWKpdRdLltagUug-QhKO2nvykDl3KTPUDgHyHWA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This pig belongs to the family that lives next to the church. When a family owns a pig they raise it from a baby. If it’s a female they’ll allow it to have babies at least once before they kill it and eat it. If it’s a male, they will just feed it until it’s large enough and then will slaughter it and eat it. This pig is tied in an area under a mango tree… Mangoes constantly fall from the tree and he literally just sits and eats the mangoes.<br><img id="id_fd2e_92ad_c67b_72b7" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/LBYcNLpl4VF5MGo6lYb-ehfwGqja6i1-__S4fRs8UJmV9_lme6zY8c0i_fatEE4IiJ0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Another picture - I loved this sweet pig!! But you can’t get close… Because I don’t think he or she was very friendly. They are definitely not treated as pets. I don’t believe anyone truly has a pet here. Cats and dogs are not really pets either they’re more considered pests…it was hard to see this but I tried to understand that this is how they live. Many days they are lucky to eat or survive so it’s hard for them to also worry about the animals around them.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_1416_9df8_4bae_8450" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_eofRJ2tTjk43nCyGWjfVQAECzEWnl5B-vV8wPwphY-14MMoJXhD-e_QdfmFjVr7-38" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This fruit was delicious. This tree was right next to the pig also it is called a Manono. You crack the outer shell and then you suck the sweet yet sour fruit from around the seed that’s inside. If you’ve ever had a rambutan, it’s like that, except it looks different on the outside.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_8b31_525a_bcf9_5a74" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/zTOlOXrNHKraVnQgXCjr_XGzaYqgOp3Q5W53jnHITGYg14ZjRRpmRM8z2ETCBcs-Eo0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s what a Manono looks like on the tree… Ww ate so many of these the day we were in Diamanté.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_fe62_6a52_9e70_adf8" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mWxxlA7MXQbg_Wl8xWpZYuahwgjZCb2fcSduf5fIojxSXhEG0cVJpct-QnepDjmWKTM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here is the vital station of the clinic… The “boys “ran this station. My professor Dennis was the consultation table. My mother and I were the pharmacy.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_ca1d_7a35_7c1_d0f8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BKzqWljSHVVN_Emz7vTOOQR9wx31RyNyD6Lt5cxBCWI-mU5-ympI1V32bGAsb9jZF_U" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here is Dennis at his consultation station. That is my professor on the left… His name is Dennis Collins. The gentleman on the right is Angel. He works with the mission and he was our translator and a majorly phenomenal person! And that is one of the residents with her son explaining what their current ailments are.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_b801_f247_7828_e6d4" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/G7BSP-glIeRS7IpZKJZd99rOj57w_sJL519T2o6hJEswracJKJ3n-RYTz61BxYARIk4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s a shot of my mom and I at the clinic! Mom is the one in the blue shirt!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_d600_2f37_dd31_33dc" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Thtc5YF911LjAiWRqIGc42jOEUktrTjGJgtEB9CDhZvIayxuN4_oCU7wRS9PXn_CRyE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is a picture of the whole church from the backside of our Pharmacy area.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_b6cf_5f4c_c59f_f139" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Lub0cxRb2Ujd4Fz-CenJaFQgC-pnxhB3oSCoEPMty45eMhXtGW7ZTHrBIun74w8wgZs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>And another… There are many common meds that everyone needed. It’s very hard for these people to get vitamins so we gave out a lot of those. Also many people have different worms, fungus is, bacteria‘s. We gave a lot of meds to fight all of these.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_f7d8_78f7_f9d9_f1fd" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Fs92syPM2fzSzjslDVSTSbqLu7oNmXm2je6CrdTB55kyrq5IxAHz8PAOUAouTsN0dj0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Just a picture of an ongoing consultation…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_a6bb_ff33_b46d_2a9c" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/UjF8TCrTqx0MrHUcB0ChnNFj2jtgXlnXnRdDUOP-RXC_Qgi9gPQ2eignhCHQ-20vUGs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s a picture of the roof and the wall of the church. Most of the roofs here are made of tin siding. One of my friends donated money to specifically be used for toys and candy for the kids. These children rarely get candy because their parents can hardly afford food. We also used it for Pampers, socks and female pads. These these things are very hard for these people to get.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_dae5_deb6_a14a_d61" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rhAGqd9h4Z_wvDBkPvDJK5ecsKnAym2sNGOGdlhSWpWpQC0D3M0e-tkpo1G8qkLTuBA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s an ongoing consult. This mother wanted Dennis to listen to her sons lungs and the son was not very happy to have that happen. We told the mother sometimes we cried like this when we were around Dennis in clinicals… Lol!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_d6ba_e8a3_e19_db90" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/apdiKp-58y_TONLcUBuwBV3oxplAUGAt8VsnJjnmVuqTK_EdyHVVXzCltVECUbNYIGM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br>Picture of clinic…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_e563_6ae8_b3af_7447" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gBQfaNnBqG38KAyGerRK7X6ek1J9jXxt2bZV3p8oE0G5KG_6ofiMoVFJbL25_Jn4YNI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>this young man happened to walk by the clinic… He had been down at the local lake and had caught all of these fish to take to the market and sell. People here do whatever they can to make money.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_6907_ba92_7cf6_741b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MI5-MOqgaT9fD6zFQERgCs-MpBBvj-NueXC-UOkev0joHPSLhe2f1HKQDsIcXQV5W8U" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s a close-up of his fish…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_39b6_af59_9182_c2e0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/9JB1Prbjh93aTBvM_CY5fn6KKygA6Q-MmFP-nGd2RORsvOn3W_BYSFbsK0ZGL6Wfk1Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This is a picture of the pastor and his wife at this church.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_2f59_dd36_e7c2_d8df" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/x8aQFvGP4AFO0oJD32fwN1Ziye1pSawUnLVsaLhjZ5_3zZkJfTMsqyNWjHevpeALNW8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br><br><br>This is one of the guys that came on the trip with me. This little boy was fantastic and so cute and funny! We gave him a lot of candy and treats and he went home and changed his clothes and came back again. We pretended not to know him and gave him more. Next time he returned he brought a whole bunch of friends with him. It really makes your heart feel good to know that if only for a day you’re giving these kids some joy! </font></div></div><font size="5"><img id="id_9e1d_1463_a2a2_80d" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/vE4HBFZo2POAiOTHuJWGQMKxZuujCiq8hLrw_z-OYoU8V2mvvUUTE62ub3nT6DgeUis" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>The little boy spent so much time with us he then wanted our team to walk down and see where he lived. This is the home where he lives with his brother and his mother who was at work.<br></font><div><font size="5"><img id="id_a3dc_6643_e36b_2103" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/dgt-MGCBoiKKb2dCuFZ_Lkicjw7h3HDkO7mbXAjaN45YXKymMLn_S4RAPtiWvY-ihAI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s a close-up of him and his brother…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_2ce3_b4ad_53e2_e317" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/JzZLJ7EVA93zx_CpkDRxvQAKtuOkK9nLeuP7QY03B-qp0ChQN-ipyJkIJLrpd6oj5-8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s a picture of the lake with that boy in the previous picture caught his fish… It is just behind the houses where they live in the church.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_89bc_6e79_4a41_8022" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Hb17N_2aQMJvw3XKKgigxbZAGJgrQtORPRDHyhKvN4l-_0PesI3YIugjgC1-5b4kpXw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>After the day we went back to our hotel to relax before we had dinner at the mission. This was an arrangement that the owner of the hotel put in the lobby. He had cut these plants from his own garden at home. I had to get a picture because they were beautiful!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_29bf_13de_f656_ae0b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/8XwFKZWBq4fcRmmJAwT_2CAwsUWQPrkLy18LIbncX8Z883e8pwFln7U9YCIpuE54XQk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s a close-up…it is called an Easter Heliconia! Beautiful!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_123f_f33d_8b35_ba97" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Fqf0zRsZaCsd_Q5o-XND2Vnd-vdl-ftgzOMWL1ryAnRTXo6xWdOrR2eEOOFivfa_Abw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>That’s it for Monday! I hope everyone is having a fantastic Monday and I’m sending many, many hugs to all of you!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">XOXO</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">More tomorrow!!</font><br><br><br></div></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-73831432318230512632022-06-12T23:56:00.001-04:002022-07-28T15:52:09.102-04:00Day 4 - Masaya Volcano Visit -Sunday Funday<font size="5">Day four in Nicaragua continued. </font><div><font size="5"><br /></font></div><div><font size="5">Day four was a favorite because it was Sunday Funday! We had our boat ride in the morning and then we ate lunch at a delicious local restaurant. Afterwards returned to our hotel where we just explored a little more than we had been able to prior. Around our hotel there are tons of very interesting plants and cactuses as the owner is a big enthusiast. Here’s one of the really cool flowers on a cactus by the pool. It looks like a tiger flower.<br /></font><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_2de4_3d65_831b_9a1f" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ncHB_GHhWXg791Ric8K7eEKdq4lg1Fm7j0ReBKOiNhyQb9UO8TgiQhVK0oD8igQChVc" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></font></div><div><font size="5">In the evening we traveled to Masaya to see the active volcano in the area. <span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86); color: #4d5156;">located in Masaya, Nicaragua, 20 km south of the capital Managua. It is Nicaragua's first and largest national park, and one of 78 protected areas of Nicaragua. It is an active volcano that began erupting in 2015 and continues to present!!</span></font></div><div><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86); color: #4d5156;"><font size="5"><br /></font></span></div><div><font color="#4d5156" face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif" size="5"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);">In March 2020 Nik Wallenda actually walked across the volcano on a tightrope… below is his picture. They call this volcano the mouth of hell.</span></font></div><div><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86); color: #4d5156;"><font size="5"><br /></font></span></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_1641_ee7d_cff7_9895" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/CtKI5pLcoreVJptgtR-g-YUrO7qNe7xJevcv4WdqJNK2IrFCwnt2S1uC8mi_y_ikW98" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></font></div><div><font size="5">There’s a museum that has all kind of interesting back information on the volcano. It is an open air museum as you can see by the bats on the ceiling above the exhibit. These are bats below just hanging out in the museum… Lol!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_a756_7f52_d297_835e" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/izHyi3ySCAse8bAYKMqBFpiE8HFR25sEGsPWIzJNTPT7lITG4p63qYPIOsKvZ79nGqg" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />I bought a small picture by this painter in the town and was told his painting was in the museum. This is his painting of the volcano and the surrounding town.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_6447_f06d_aae1_50fa" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/vDNC5iIqKTEHvdByBGKDVTy8wSBxi5IAA2hfa2q4-G1RMlMjsKFwEgKheJSf46KHkiE" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />Beautiful view of all the preserve nature area around the volcano.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_570e_2232_1b9d_1f65" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/M2lum1L2w4Z6DQMdEX4DHPouESzL9gZeYw9_5g1rLShXfoMJK7SIKchNvh42hgQtUUo" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></font></div><div><font size="5">This is a huge termites nest in a tree on the way up the volcano.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_9115_c413_ffb8_f7e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Daf7mTvAGRo5D6UUZBmjV6yKrq6FQgQ0RNwx5xKEXqfQ9f9NmtgclcAc4XL7puq7aG4" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></font></div><div><font size="5">Another beautiful view…</font></div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_9fb8_270e_a2d6_4a81" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/FRDxXR3LiwUpwmZMBza2LKbr0KQWVh9lBNgf3rHHRyTpAbZ228KqNk8pnGejgQDdpjU" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></font><div><font size="5">A big look into the volcano…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_3fbd_593f_fa2c_19fd" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Cp71sTUYeWmUXjd0PhZV183-hKrMC_EkYMnRpXhY7Na2cOn9nYW_TxthCeCsavP52ZU" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />another angle of the volcano… You can see the red lava below and around the outside of the red is the freshly hardened black lava</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_ea4b_3414_f979_394e" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/2ijDcq2cjMVRaNhNzF7z9oGY21rXDdsmXFPHy0BeuTHxxOm5LtZQMCLUOes_hBsAV_w" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></font></div><div><font size="5">Another view… Depending on which way that smoke that you see is going sometimes they evacuate the volcano. There are many men up there with meters that read the amount of sulfur. Many days people are told to leave or not even allowed up depending on the way the wind is blowing and the amount of sulfur coming out of the volcano.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_bb32_7c33_a55d_a124" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Ij_eny4PBEi0r0ZivC3DzTjwWwgXZM_pIH2Ai0Ibp7SiyRCiPxfPUIGijCVBlIMsX1k" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></font></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="5"><br /></font></span></div><div><font size="5">Another view of the volcano…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_b8a3_d2b5_a50e_56b3" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/biygTgeBhp5go7OTLZcN3cUxofS4Sg5rLoe6e8VRhF6nmiMGzl0BXLXjMnyYd_odn_A" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />This is the view of the city from the volcano… Absolutely beautiful! God is amazing!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_b6c1_d54b_45e4_f898" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jKQSe_BpT40DFrh4uOKxxPDoxlunazz3CXrDyajKbnXiGCuFNCWdT0z6Z6LYScvrb-M" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">This whole trip has really given me a new appreciation for how blessed I am. I am so blessed to have the conveniences that I have and to have been born where I was born. I will have a whole post to write about my feelings on this trip when I get home safe to the US. </span></font></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="5"><br /></font></span></div><div><font size="5"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></font><br /></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-78980614082420389382022-06-12T23:50:00.001-04:002022-06-27T17:23:24.202-04:00Day 4- Sunday Funday - Boat trip<font size="5">Day 4 in Nicaragua is what we all decided to call Sunday Funday!! We had the entire day off and we were able to sightsee and enjoy a day out and about in Nicaragua. We all decided together we would take a boat ride to what is termed monkey Island on Nicaragua lake in the afternoon and then in the evening we would go see the active volcano that is in Masaya.</font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here is the boat that we traveled on.<br></font><div><font size="5"><img id="id_916a_4c5_13c0_417b" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/4oMiRH3XPJkrTO--hZsX9F7EDxDkogIcKE8451p9t9WIStvvbbMtWe13f0QHeh2jAok" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Enjoy the trip introduction provided by Edwardo…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font><font size="5"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/720629470?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0" width="500" height="281" id="v_id_8164_8321_8cf0_6580" frameborder="0"></iframe><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">The locals bring their horses down here to bathe and eat and drink. Hear the locals use horses just like the Amish. They use them to pull buggy carts down the roads. See the cute little baby in the center of this picture?</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_4f9_aa1_a0d9_14aa" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/KQiNBs_veOHLLpff1eIj9NfO1iW6oyG5ncrMGT-6GauF5tUVyJS8KXwfuoP1Zvd4VM0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This is the view from inside the boat across the lake when we first started on our boat ride.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_44c6_6045_c0d2_3945" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_8k_eSu8IvQ1BmRxe9590rAWsVosIJUxVozNTRx0ErNTcmIn5-UjpDjEWlKTSQZnPk4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Many wealthy people have homes in this area. There are many little miniature islands on this lake. The owner of Toyota is one example. They built a huge home on one of these islands.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Here’s one of the monkeys a monkey Island. There are used to be six. They are now down to three. It is thought that the monkeys were put there because people grew tired of their pets. A local story is that when the volcano exploded the last time the monkeys ran to this island but in the end almost everyone believes somebody had the monkeys as a pet and just left them there.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_7883_357f_6b8c_5e4f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/oT0BxvQCTTnnscx9fkEmXTyYmr9JX9VK1UqBlsnorZ_zzXGNaj-DkfjaxMWo0LLy3ww" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">See the monkey in the tree? You can bring the boat right up to the island and feed the monkeys fruits. We heard many many stories of this going a bad way. There are stories of people being bit and fights with the monkeys so we decided to keep a safe distance and stay in our boat right beside the island. </font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_5d1f_f7a8_8223_4c59" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LmleTFevNvRxUcrrhAKedzTra43Nl6YaMdOqSglbACl2oxVB_GDq10wP4CXeWU7Cr4g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Two of the monkeys playing on the rocks. They wouldn’t come close to us because we did not feed them.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_d066_c6a7_f2d8_778c" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/OsuqhRIPBxGm8UheVmShjkh2e2pPEy6ToYDJSsDBPaak04rRbR5KOSSvXh05GEwRYeg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">We saw this cow on the side of one of the islands and then we noticed something swimming in the water. Do you see it? We think that the things swimming in the water was getting ready to ambush the cow until we pulled up… Kind of crazy we wanted to get a closer look at the cow and we ended up finding an alligator. We heard stories that they were alligators in the waters but very rarely do you get to see one. Again everyone thinks these are pets that got abandoned in the water. It is said that there are maybe three or four in the whole lake.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_6dc4_33b9_4d59_13e6" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Q9oBcY6E2jAkha_hojcS-U1fuq9gzalwpN5Q1CNQozvWyRMcK596LZWjxSroT7R8gLo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here is a video of the alligator…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font><font size="5"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/720629204?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0" width="500" height="281" id="v_id_f534_e00d_42f0_3553" frameborder="0"></iframe><br><br><br>Just another view of the lake. Just for information… People do swim in this lake, the locals that is. They also fish here and wash their clothes here. They also dump their outhouse here. All of these local lakes are used for ALL uses. It’s kind of a multi functional way to put everything in the water… It is not suggested that non-locals swim there… Lol. It is honestly really hard to believe that not more people are sick here due to the way they live daily.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_eebd_ead6_a85b_b7d2" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3HN7d8C2NNitPvtVmSth_86YBumefJafsbn-NPoXiH-JixR0NWZkYeOz9smuLHd0p2Y" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>here’s a picture of our whole crew before we got off the boat.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_e56c_a178_3568_4598" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/yWOxLWmjEgzItfyi2ClswdhrXPqhqQKhMmGoNrq4CP3OFH64bFJiys0AuBkfetOgU5M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Sunday fun day started off great and it was about to get even better. We ended up going to lunch after the boat ride.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">We ate lunch at a place that everyone we’ve talked was so far had recommended called Pita Pita. It is a delicious Mediterranean restaurant and it is safe for Americans to drink the water there. The food was absolutely phenomenal!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I hope everyone is happy and well and having a fantastic week! Hugs to you all!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Part 2 coming soon!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><br><br><br><br></font><br></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-55080097926219800272022-06-12T23:20:00.001-04:002022-06-27T17:00:52.363-04:00Day 3 Nicaragua<div><font size="5">Hola!!! Day 3…Nicaragua….today we went to a small village outside of Nicaragua and ran a health clinic. We took vitals and gave out medications to help the local residents. We also gave all the children stuffed animals and candy!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_fbf7_70b2_5d56_b5c4" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/pQHaRDJMMnJn0qgUEEBJITawu-LTe0KiyVTJlzuS-NiyOuzDNmvtAqtewobZY7faaUw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Seriously…how cute!!!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_df84_a8f_3583_afa4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/utPI9z2ziJScO2juJiv488vourQ252HebkLM8gaO_G_erkUwbRtTcv4X5wDGpAoGKwg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">We made a home visit to a gentleman that has recently become a widow and has been feeling sick. This is the gated entrance to his home. Almost everyone that has a home has barbed wire and a large gate around it. </font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_9238_efb6_d43e_c728" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/kYlI0tQHw-RsXbIZkVZYDXHvTQ6LlFu3ZDkvo9--XnVCst59vvOpNIwMtr0u0pFPOvM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This is just a view looking down the street in his neighborhood.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_b2d6_ba0d_d73a_c8da" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/bMvjgPqEY1P4WokAD8ArE-HVEdbw6M9t6_WWs96kUn2JgdT24-S9lKQtHL5tP8nG9R8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is a view looking up the street.<br><br><img id="id_5c6d_74ea_16fb_ca46" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_ynC2K0T1SkMnGeBGh4eeAbB2T1Fzqb1EaKYrksA9OtdJmGrLHVqFwdWTu3eGe9R04M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>As a thank you for the home visit; the gentleman’s daughter made everyone an amazing fruit salad cup using the fruits from their yard. You can see my mom holding hers in the picture below. It was delicious!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_10db_f57f_aa3a_beea" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/uJEQyHmmmpiU_sABKRfIDr1hpK7D-Xk5NKwdkDaaIqQNXd0ALb9uBVTt5YNO69HEzQc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">We stopped at the store again and replenished our supply of candy, toys and medicine!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_a99f_3a59_2782_bcb9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eYTp_Advo2Y6d-h9d1j9FLhIxiddyXuFxO1RV8ly5cuYDdpWgjXYkKBefhdcLkZHPmo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Then we returned to Seeds of Hope and each one of us took a turn and talked to the kids about why we wanted to be a nurse and how they should work hard in life and they can be whatever they choose to be. This is how we found the kids when we arrived…lol!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_771_e5c5_816d_bec1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rwbQb6qwqKjrrGwwuLL1pfxQludb4p2zkzqQpEBAUrHkbIYg24SghG8lDOO7-KUHkiE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">As you can see here, my mom went first…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_bbfe_4d25_43b5_4ba9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d7_u5v3X0cTN8gBXKXQeG9XjPJciRWMS_BEwkoKBFfOIAmrSaUEsx5TRveIERgCtq9g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s a closer view…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_90a4_d13f_7e52_1bdb" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xayHOtDYAlCjCpKFPWWwxLEBpCdSvnnIMIB_en-fMqJl_Hfhi3g0D5egqCXApHBjwSk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">And then I went ( don’t have a picture of me) and then Jeremy … he is in my nursing class.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_421c_4551_35ce_9226" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/u3mKlRCMWTT6pmX7LZ7T0WUA5_JraO-y92LsjKlH4x2cTTajwCFt_NY6lm6FQ0AFxNM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">And then Mr. Collins went. And the Shawne went.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_2fb6_2971_2ad_9905" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/f89MdGheSjVT3ajnciVxIHxA4mm6lShYx7E6r2XeWNFS1DTQGiKdVA-3hzkbVG3sMEs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>We also demonstrated basic first aid and what to to help if you ever see an accident or injury in public. The kids enjoyed listening to Shawne’s heart with the stethoscope.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_989a_9347_2416_3091" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ham3ZgSwtZkBY1tLBPo_8KQJg6wWkRB1EQXrSaBjcV95ur1bvQrRTnsvT4u56dX6Gqo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 362px; height: auto;"><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Afterwards we returned to the hotel and realized that the babies had left the pot nest…here is Jeremy sitting next to one of the newly fledged babies (see him on the window ledge)?</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_5fe9_7264_9583_d003" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LbHisC4jnD7U-q0N_K4uhZHBu92DvENhzbnl5yaHwjvOQoLaWwmkV_gvx5KTE-vJHKk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Closer view…<br><img id="id_a989_b24c_b8fe_1f75" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/djvKCND7-_t8xdtyu_LEq17NfOWm2q0R-2y03AJISQmOXm3r7l9rDYXm3LW7gNANhYA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>In the evening we went for a nightcap at Q’tal. The others, mom included, wanted to try the local rum called Flor de Cana. They all had a shot and beer…I had tea!! Lol</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_17e2_6a8c_24ff_dea5" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/rccODdVPSNiPebIkaVp8Datr2rTz9C_jbQ8ICXI8YNrZldTe9bjsACxMyPXxzlQmJyQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here’s the cheers…</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_4950_613e_12b9_288f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eZpB2-XIH-4A0ZFbzvIagCn6nPADSSJOJhM6J07WSAa536_oD5sEYnrj58Wblu3RUoQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>We watched as this dog waited patiently for any scraps. Animals without owners are ALL over Nicaragua. It is heartbreaking…very hungry dogs and cats. Also cows and horses are tied to the roadside and sometimes just left wandering to survive on their own. Some children too.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_4ce2_d0f1_cc8f_eddf" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/FAAmoopHuV1Vvhux4ExtgZorekX05itlbh3Pf7gv63GLE6ZhPE64Gs_IzhyqN7GCabE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>She slipped him a little something when she was finished…melted my heart!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_aed4_ea3d_12eb_e66c" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/P4EzwTKzN6JAKHb2lukWsVuLVNX7_1yqDf3IrhzZ34neFiNkpnusHl0_gP2PmU3rJHY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br>For dinner we ate at Pan De Vita in Granada. The restaurant was just a few blocks down from our hotel and we heard they had filtered water so it was safe for Americans to drink. The food was delicious!! When we first arrived we saw a couple at a table next to us getting their food. It looked delicious so we politely asked what they were eating. We ended up chatting with them and found out they were from McKeesport, PA which is a suburb of Pittsburgh! Turns out they were neighbors with us all until they retired and they now live full time in Nicaragua. Meet Barb and Ralph!!! Such a small world!! This picture around the table starting in the front…my teacher in the brown shirt, mom, me, Ralph, Barb, Jeremy, and Shawne.</font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_1281_a61_3a71_5d74" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/oDMcgGARuAVG_nVh1Ca5PXutBhSpuOZtRqFdLUd4wasQ1cpcjj1aQ-EHcnPhg_qkNcE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>I hope you all are shaving a phenomenal week! Sending so many hugs and so much love!!</font></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-44775651416085619942022-06-12T09:46:00.001-04:002022-07-28T15:47:23.328-04:00Day 2 Nicaragua<font size="5">Hello everyone! I hope everyone is having an amazing week! I just wanted to give you a rundown of our Day Two in Nicaragua. Today is Friday and we will be going to a small town called Niquinonomo, in the morning, to provide medical care to the underprivileged in that area.</font><div><font size="5"><br /></font></div><div><font size="5">This is the setup we had for the day. This is a small church in Nicaragua. There is a roof on half of the outdoor church and the rest is uncovered. We had a table taking vitals and a table asking what issues the person was currently experiencing. Then the pharmacy table would give the patient the medications they needed.</font></div><div><font size="5">In this photo they are setting up the pharmacy. Left to right is Laura Stockton (Straight Street Nicaragua), Dennis (my professor), Shawne (fellow student), and Jeremy (fellow student).<br /></font><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_c874_320d_2cb6_c53f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/V2m0VfXUe7WMkxGTLu-raNjwgGso2VhFl0OGUR9MjVaO30tZfyClSo6EIefH7Z1AoCY" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><br /></font></div></div><div><font size="5"><img alt="" id="id_f740_4fc7_41e7_852e" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/RX3vvLVbX4D0ArzaA_E_OCH1YRj9Q-nErocQ-23dH10EMM8Afi-W_Y0R6BisPG7ltbI" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_6adc_7637_8e61_c2c0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HzyY_SMLEkjnxprsVNeV7uPsYNkGG5HWxB__xLtJD1cjPGSwRPJ2JUPpZ5AD1LNFWh4" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />Two lovely “pharmacists” my mother and Laura…<br /><img alt="" id="id_3a6e_e07_a641_631d" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/7zSe-FBlq2aoSa-t7Kd_KAbrfJJGft9TvcWhLovtxCIGbvDrnvqHvR055DpXy3lN9kg" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />Angel (employee of Straight Street) and Dennis Collins (my professor)…<br /><img alt="" id="id_3ef5_42b6_8411_49bf" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/S37qGmW0hrj7ZwpTJpU39e9kA3rRcsbJyuM3i6PRJqcnnkeCrrW_B6mvzD5yi6MrZmM" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_d869_429f_79d_4665" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/oZnicRcrun7HRO1nvb994UESQA8kG7ORwk40YyY8GTi7b8QtVP98NfQ0kHVZeGFejDE" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />A group photo in front of the Niquinonomo sign in town…<br /><img alt="" id="id_855f_e82e_fde6_5a92" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OBVnzM1PhrnDqlmJSLleWdRXSzMzllfdgRBxnhJh6qg6kCzvkGuXuxinBOll7wJGEsk" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />We all wanted to exchange some American money for Nicaraguan cordobas. The exchange rate here is 35 cordoba is equal one American dollar. Angel, the gentleman that works for Street Street in Nicaragua, has a brother who is a exchanger on the street. So we drove through in our van and his brother ran up to the back of the van and we began exchanging monies. Imagine that job… Holding a huge wad of cash and exchanging money on the street. It’s very dangerous and many of the exchangers have actually been shot and robbed. Angel is in the blue in the van and his brother is in the Blue Jays jacket.<br /><img alt="" id="id_9050_7be_d74b_4d8a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sFuTvStbhPCAgWSYIMSXRU-oEgs8Wdr9udL39YnJTvYrbpqbt8mT0JwbbeWhUYEnx78" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />He let Shawne hold his wad of cash… According to Angel this could be over $5000 in his hand.<br /><img alt="" id="id_9ef0_125a_fb40_cb3" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Nc3BP12P_stxcD9RycBlj-Nqb4ymXJ2YrygVmUR3KExYbRUeaJO-evo5EvQL_JhsLJA" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_d3a0_2cbc_357_ae85" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/aLEQkN7L27YRWOoqBe_qWD-HJfWKADhqip5Tr51ydXBgYJxQGYqhxSPzGdkEn4mqgGI" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />This is a view from inside the mission. Everybody’s house is partially outside so when it rains it rains right into the middle of your home and there’s a big drain in the bottom. The Mission has this beautiful fountain in the middle as well. As you can see there’s barbed wire around the homes to keep everybody safe from people breaking in.<br /><img alt="" id="id_2bd4_1a63_44cd_3322" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/wjpxC2kOkVRWU6z30rXNjAltFeJWfOg8XgYV5Zrryl6S3DkP_kzpy_g7BTqK3VGoa-s" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /> We made a stop at the pharmacy to buy a whole bunch of medication with our donated money. Most of us had monies donated from family and friends… We have been able to provide a lot of much-needed medication to the people in this area. This is the pharmacist with Jeremy… He thought it would be fun for Jeremy to hold the turtle. Lol<img alt="" id="id_d822_b4a3_cd23_34ed" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xNFDbJ978H6aUX8am0WPiEbjT3amZLnK1LfMjw3X2ybijWF597HAwN-8xApGYj_Vo1Q" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />One of my wonderful best friends Mariela requested that her donated money be sent only on the children. This is our first children run. We bought lots of candy and toys for the kids. With the amount of money she gave us we will be able to do one of these runs each day before we go to these towns.<br /><img alt="" id="id_daad_f98a_3555_330d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/pzCdwMpQg_THOPaY7LsdIrfLEUewPxGk7Nco-4iqr9jD7m4VJPoFK1Iqh_f51AZ6xF8" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />In the afternoon after the clinic we had lunch at the mission and then we went back to a school called seeds of hope. The school was put into place to help troubled children. It’s kids who had some kind of an issue with school. Many times it’s because their parents cannot afford uniforms. When the children go to public schools here they have to wear a uniform… If your parents cannot afford a uniform you are sent home. So this whole does not only cover children that have behavior issues it’s more than likely they just have issues purchasing a uniform or adhering to the rules of the public school. These kids are amazing! We had a blast with them!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br /></font></div><div><font size="5">Our role was to demonstrate first aid and what to do if they see an accident on the street.<br /><img alt="" id="id_3d5b_42f0_7911_7d2c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6LsGVOgSo8gprrzlo4MpDgV0nf6YmkMIa8Hxh-uQn7Y9aB9Lx1vfO5_kfMSikndmwVw" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />The little boy in the white shirt looking back in this picture reminded my mother and I both so much of my nephew Brody. He was so happy and fun and smiling all the time!<br /><img alt="" id="id_47a_2250_405f_b26a" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/t1AhY_y9tpwo3I_pSH92XZu9aNviuw_YomIijaOgjIcJX7vOWCSSOgQCsCXKEsue3pY" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />In the blue shirt in the front of the classroom is Blanca. She works with Straight Street Nicaragua along with Angel. She is a translator… She is what allows us to talk with the children. She is a fantastic person as well!<br /><img alt="" id="id_918c_17c8_1cd7_de35" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_Uu4YwU0VC79nEM3SshQgQ23utoz1Qk2s54FXRMKaUhDiugOgKYltkgO-s2NjT0sJ5o" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />This is the children and Angel demonstrating back what they learned today. They were pretending this little boy was in an accident and was bleeding on the road.<br /><img alt="" id="id_9535_21da_29c6_881a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/sEIX3gvEL_Y63lJ0FK49_83H9KYFRppyh7rZrDLJ8kVob364kE2xIegy0iA6vN8XgBg" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />These children were putting a tourniquet on his leg to show what to do in the event of an accident. It was a great teach back of everything that we had taught them in this lesson today.<br /><img alt="" id="id_2813_76bf_630_e5fc" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/RPIXVEmRF0XlnNO_T4EIHJtwg3j8BkPUjidly92kLJR4cIFKl08emz1b2h-H76suhFI" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_8369_b5e5_a705_d48e" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/8Gtii5GIF562fzgZMpC4fZ0NCrCaAhI727y1W8Xwgf8HCQ635Kvd9t3PXogBE8RjKjM" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br />These adorable little birdies were outside of our door. Mom came and fed them constantly the day that we moved in. They appeared ready to takeoff soon…<br /><img alt="" id="id_c09b_e1c4_7fb6_ab0d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/lNJq7iPkvyqYLVtLT1C7YWm_gWg-XlHgGS8vkdbcyTV--MTQh4djsbBSlEbzXr7GbQ0" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><br />Angel taught us all about this fish. Apparently they catch them in a local lake. They are huge… some as large as people! They are called sabalo and they have a dark fleshy meat.<br /><img alt="" id="id_2c6a_bf4_92b5_b4cb" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jPqyB92j6AWgxtVvyWHBInvUq5wST5dqhQo2mFxyYElXjRtqD8Uv2u8O4TD255vev3E" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /> <br /><br />That’s my day to recap! It’s been eventful and I am realizing more and more every our how truly blessed we are in the United States of America.</font><br /><br /></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-15338950119604554992022-06-12T08:35:00.004-04:002022-06-27T17:22:46.995-04:00End of Day 1<font size="5">Once we arrived in Granada, Nicaragua via bus we checked into our hotel. We are staying at the Boutique Hotel Maharaja on the main street in Granada, Nicaragua. This adorable little cutie will greet you at the front desk. Her name is Gaby. She is named after the owner's assistant who is also amed Gaby. The owner of the hotel is Sr. Gupta and he is an amazing host!! He did everything in his power to make our stay like home and comfortable. </font><div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_904b_1139_c18c_ee56" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/EKSvmR82gOIehJ-edDWkDT4oRrvHHAgVZOn5S_ATgJbz80K9XTToqKFzLl31GeQFMP4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>I think I left this picture out of my last post… It is a picture of the whole group I came with (including my mother) in front of the active volcano here. </font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_d969_30b1_f6f5_5ecc" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/N4QMsMOLGHZR8ALYruoUR8wRLyb3vCql_RXsjx21KHc0hV5iMWFbDnHxfmdq_tU7Nuc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Here are some hotel pics of our room…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_bc48_a51a_8892_ca88" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/oCel2kUblswo8Pf-K8j4FnAZyFtZBx-5ydKBo98x7_CGLv33XGL5ncc3KFGbFsTbtGw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_fcbd_4c07_bf10_9a7c" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3CcnXanU91T5DMWYS9ORLgcsztNQR4RC7tY2qdW0a83jb6lwLT57BZFw-6vgDpPlnKs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7e96_c2c0_4196_8141" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/E4Vx-tn3ST01kOGxpCbsZP_FA9rCbQrag_1gL9UApsER9qwarMDJsI72oryAwtq20DI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is the view the city from our hotel room. We are literally on the roof and can see up and over the city.<br><img id="id_8e35_316f_f86f_c947" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/EENk_2ftwOLM-LdT2jRVhZD6mVH5bd9VpPS8aLCTLNO7OvPO-OO89j06eyQwgCAO6ms" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>If you’re looking for luxury this is not a hotel for you. If you’re looking for an experience a lifetime this could be the place for you. There is no warm water for showers because everyone here finds it refreshing to take a cold shower. It was easy for me to get used to but my mother did not enjoy this part of our trip. Lol! The rooms here are very small but we are only in the room to sleep so it works well. Here are some pictures of the hallway leading to our room.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_2749_614b_7208_6b2e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/k_0WM4RWUo5wdniAjgnM1sYK2HNrKR6vHNeUKUtzFoSTnJpHSoZgii3DcUF3199z0Kg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><img id="id_4edc_aa6e_9633_a25a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/l4GP3KLn_cB0A4yz_WpONUyKajCP8sWGPFZnG0bYY_nw0JaKv76wtZpgdn48xskqRA8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3cd7_56ae_5ded_e7f8" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/01f9Jn9NbYZ1w1bIO7_GzfWfidg20JayswFL3UCPWn3rvjJ4-eZr_1i6X6SnqHGnrNI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_dc56_57b6_90f1_6ed1" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fwjofp5_K6FWfgHqmCDRQLmArTUFTWhz4DLAbyy_Jh_HUffZRyMelGQokFl_U7cRpTc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is truly going to be a life experience!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Hugs to everyone- have a great day - more to come!!!</font></div><div><br></div><div><br><br></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-72014253263471002022-06-10T18:59:00.001-04:002022-06-27T16:33:34.133-04:00 Day One Nicaragua Part 1<font size="5">Hi everyone! Just wanted to give you a big update on day one… Get ready for a lot of pics!</font><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Day one on June 9 consisted of a lot of travel! We flew from Pittsburgh to Miami and then from Miami to Liberia Costa Rica. Here’s a picture of me and my seat mate… Isn’t mom cute?</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_32ed_745d_77c5_bb9e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wo5m0zLxX_xJ2FIgGRniCoflLCHAKM5g16WW7BeOtJWvjOJ-9poshNyl_cuDIyfN0Eo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>If you haven’t flown lately they now pipe in sanitized air to the plane. You can see the fog before the plane takes off and after the plane lands. It’s really hard to see in this picture but you can see if you look closely at the ceiling and top of the windows.<br><img id="id_a36a_8697_68d6_35e9" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/4LtWs2JjhOlywdPr6nR0QMdtdGtQpFHI5yhbBfpFtNJB5DUkNx5TUm7XS-vtzoK059o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"></font></div><div><font size="5"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span>After we landed in Liberia Costa Rica we got on a bus that was taking us from Costa Rica to the Nicaraguan border in Peña Blanca‘s. This is a little bit of the view out of the window on the way to the Nicaraguan border.<br><img id="id_8b8_e12d_bb49_d234" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/eoVLtl2_PAj8JKhXUgYP8Izzfc0IYKJjrSbn5fq8dwb8SF9hhwn-4wObou7fnCpCuVs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 376px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_c738_5a45_1ff5_32c8" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/KPOOxxXloq9V5DJSC9lrijjD-ABd8sdLsUiIstsGabl7oYm5mz2CbFdKzHzhENwOSqg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>Everything is so lush and green!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Once we got to the border we had to actually get off of the bus and physically walk across the border with our luggage. This meant checking out of Costa Rica and checking into Nicaragua. It was an interesting process but we finally made it through as you can see in the picture below.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">This is a group I went with… Me, my mother, two other students named Jeremy and Shawne and my professor Dennis. Our professor is one that actually organized the trip. He works with a group called Straight Street Nicaragua to coordinate all the different towns that we would be visiting with our medical supplies. They are based out of Tennessee.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_fd95_17b1_5bca_a815" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/RjOj0HokH5JmYkCiHYHoi9NSUlqVrGtJh37ALlF5GbWGa22jhTS8rZHC_o3Xux3yaw8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>After we finished crossing all the borders and we were in Nicaragua, we got on another bus and we were then driven to Granada Nicaragua where we will be staying for a week.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">The bus trip was a little over an hour to get to our hotel and we stopped to get a picture of this amazing active volcano on the way. Nicaragua actually has seven volcanoes that are currently active and others that are not currently active.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_4e81_f3ba_c072_d1c8" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/hsv7MaC20sdplAIvSz4p9oPgtcdR42kRQx3UwxzcFFFfPZeLkbg-vtlNQldjBVXhvCc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_613_2ff3_9ca0_d745" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AtbqfvbGYiqbL6z2Iy5V1TnqslgaNOsP8wQbBtn_2vLMsIcQXBFdzwEjOv5QvjYWX-w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></font></div><div><font size="5"><img id="id_25e4_d57c_a9f0_c1e4" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/xtpmLooyRXCSRDzJQ7K-J8UmkgpfWedaEkoTuLNzOMJO1yVo_VwOxaS9mBdZ09CI1ME" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>We also passed a lot of really beautiful windmills on the way as you can see in the picture above.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><font size="5">Next post coming soon!!!</font><div><br></div><div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-88672317070377370252022-06-07T11:04:00.001-04:002022-06-07T11:04:17.974-04:00Schools Out For Summer!!<font size="5">Hi everyone! I’m crawling my way out of a bit of a blogging funk. I try so hard to only post positive things and it was a pretty crazy, stressful, sad beginning to 2022. </font><div><font size="5"><br></font><div><font size="5">It was a pretty stressful semester in nursing school and my last post here in blog land was when I had to put my precious Nermal to sleep. I have to say both have been pretty rough. I think of Nermal daily and miss him daily. He was that cat that was on top of me snuggling every waking hour I was home. But I know he’s in a better place now and I definitely did the right thing for him. Now no cat snuggles me… my remaining cats are more standoffish …I keep hoping that one day one of them is going to step up and start snuggling me… Ha ha! Fingers crossed!! Below is my sweet Nermie…</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_c445_dc0a_b038_db0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/m03iiBpDMNhWOwNuYmNKLrMd7o4PvtEAl4uhUaQtJefI2eKtjupkFz79FO0TseTqSE0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">My clinical group the past semester was awesome! I had a great instructor and the best clinical classmates ever!!!! Here they are leaving our final clinical of the semester … me in the front, teacher in the fuzzy white jacket, Mable and Katie students like me!!! </font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_abc5_f3a9_abdb_849d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/EJmC4efxHG4LUnFu3RUgLivR36Z-W_I8Yra4fWTEwZRF3glcow9yhpMQkitGtPA-DWU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="5">Missing from the Picture above is Caitlyn. She was my clinical bestie!!! She found out she was pregnant prior to the start of the semester and went into labor two weeks before the end of the semester. Talk about a crazy semester of nursing school. Needless to say, she missed the final clinical week and has to finish up in the summer but here’s a picture of her, her husband and her new baby boy Maverick!!! Yay!!! </font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_c5d0_8050_3d4a_52b6" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/YtfJUFQ_I-yJ5lrsQ6qa2hvapdurq6aSRh59Du4f1ApYDHlfvJ6FQyPOzy8JH2_zR-w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div><font size="5">As you can see below I finished with a 3.6 GPA for this semester so I will be on the Dean’s list! Yippee! I was hoping for straight A’s but I’m also very happy with my 3.6! If you look at my grades below; at least I’m trending upwards… Ha ha!</font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_1c0_e1cc_6e7e_6c85" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/C4i97rpIvLPVZ5mxLPB5ipP_ealC9AbBpPqrN3dwtDaRoHmV0xhYLRjZZaAwI0RGyWk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br><font size="5">So the great news is I’m off school for summer! My final semester will be fall 2022 and then I will officially graduate from nursing school with my degree. Next step after that is to pass the NCLEX and get a real job again!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">I will be working as a CNA at a local hospital in my area for the summer in the Med-Surg area. I am planning to work a few days a week and have my weekends off for lake visits with my parents.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">One really awesome bit of news is that I will be heading to Nicaragua in the next few days. My mother and I will be going with my professor and a few other students on a nursing trip. We will be staying in Granada Nicaragua and traveling to remote villages each day to distribute medical supplies and to perform standard first aid for the villagers. I am so excited as we’ve been planning this for so many months… It’s truly going to be a life experience. This made me realize I need to get back into blogging again! I’ve got to share this amazing experience with as many people as possible.</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">If you’re on my Instagram, then you know that I set up Venmo for people to donate. If you are looking for a great cause you can donate using my Venmo below and we will use ALL the monies to go directly toward medicine and medical supplies for the villagers. I will be blogging everything that we purchase so that you will be able to see everything that your donation went toward. Apparently they are in dire need for prenatal vitamins and basic medicinal supplies.</font></div><div><img id="id_8c5c_983f_6583_326d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/XgRfrrE8t_rpmzmgvSR51aR6SiDGD0lhWm2phk12i7hdDF9BIMzNr8wUa_7G5N-cnWY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="5">So, that’s my update! I will be posting every night, if possible, from the hotel. I would love it if you follow my journey!! </font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Sending so much love and so many hugs to everyone out there!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Again, sorry for the long blogging break I think I am finally ready to come out of my shell again. It won’t be long and you will be begging me to take another break!!! Haha!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Have a spectacular day!!!</font></div><div><font size="5"><br></font></div><div><font size="5">Hugs to everyone!!!</font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-57311192858641331652022-02-10T21:28:00.001-05:002022-02-10T21:28:29.265-05:00Nermie hard decisionHi everyone! I hope everyone is doing fantastic this week!<div>Just wanted to check in because you guys have been so super supportive and I wanted to keep you posted.</div><div>We’ve had multiple check-in‘s with the vet regarding Nermal and his glucose numbers. For those new here- Nermal is my cat that was diagnosed with diabetes about two months ago after losing four pounds in one month. After we first started shots his numbers were in the 700s. After about two weeks we got them down to 500. That was giving him 2 units in the morning and 2 units at night and basically hand feeding him special diabetic cat food. When I took him back the next time his numbers were back up in the 700s again. So the vet moved him to 3 units at night and 3 units in the morning. We tried that for about two more weeks and when I took him back this time the numbers were still up. So then the vet wanted to try 4 units in the morning and 4 units at night. I explained to him that Nerm is not acting like himself anymore. He never plays and all he does is lay in bed and sleep all day. I told him I was considering euthanasia due to him not having any quality of life at all. My vet said since he’s only six he did not agree and didn’t think we should even consider that yet.</div><div>I’ve been doing 4 units in the morning and 4 at night for a couple of days now and he is still filling the litter box within 6 hours with pee. He’s moping around the condo or he just lays on the bed all day. He doesn’t even watch birds anymore or try to play. He used to play all day. He really just lays there. He is not the same cat he used to be and I just can’t justify making him suffer anymore. My vet wants me to continue trying but I’ve decided I can’t put him through this anymore.</div><div>I contacted the at-home euthanasia vet that I used before when my last cat had liver cancer. She agrees that it’s time. So I’ve made an appointment for Saturday at 1 PM to allow him to pass on peacefully.</div><div>Any and all prayers are definitely appreciated. I honestly just can’t justify putting him through this anymore.</div><div><br></div><div>Please pray for me-this is going to tear my heart out but I simply can not watch him suffer with no quality of life any longer.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_8115_d429_e8ec_1e41" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yrSPHwYBbiBOsgVmnkJmZlGWMyaDKtdBriPiK8U-8OxvXXLssm2rj9pw0nUpF4Js7Jw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-38230940869721783322022-02-07T09:56:00.000-05:002022-02-07T19:28:24.308-05:00Newborn Assessment and Just a Few Tests...Three tests in one day ... that's a great idea....said NO ONE ever!!!
UGH!!!
My dream of blogging once a week has been shattered by week 3 of Nursing School! LOL! <div><br></div><div> We had our first test in Nursing Leadership last week and I did okay. Just okay, but next time will be better.</div><div><br></div><div>So today is the day from H E double hockey sticks!! This morning we had our first test in Maternity and I aced it! Yippee! In the afternoon we had a test off in Maternity lab to demonstrate a newborn assessment. I was going to uploaded one of my practices I did at home to show you what all there is to it but it is 15 minutes long and blogger won’t allow it. HA!</div><div><br></div><div>Instead I will give you pictures of Chloe and myself. She is the doll my wonderful cat sitter daughter, Savannah, allowed me to borrow to practice. I have had Chloe for over a week now so I am sure her mother Savannah is anxious to get her back tomorrow.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_8e09_c917_dc74_1eed" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/NCxIQgREp6Ofx89PA53ae1Y8wi0vpH7Ex6Ie3Jd11c99OC_Gp-qPEPUSIlFiJZT5hzQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div><br></div><div>THANK YOU Savannah for allowing me to borrow and care for your baby for a week!!! She is a happy and healthy little baby girl that I am sure she missed her Momma terribly. (I will bring her back to you tomorrow I promise!!) Hopefully I pass the assessment under the stress of observation. HA! </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_e537_628_200b_154a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/VY8iKNCYtmeIvWtGb-7mhEeV0WJ_2qmqWaJCSCgP3VcEX0fwpiHOXxR1juHM2A-hYHc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>Also, for test off days, we have to wear our official school scrubs so that adds to the intensity of the stress. HA! </div><div><br></div><div> Then after test off for newborn assessment, it is off to ATI proctored Maternity testing. They say that these are to prepare us for the NCLEX - I hope they really do help because they feel like torture! UGH
Three tests in one day just seems WAY too much to me - but I guess it is to prepare us for the stressers of nursing??</div><div><br></div><div>I hope everyone is safe and well out there!!! As always, thank you for your kind support always!!!</div><div><br></div><div>Sending so many hugs and I promise to blog whenever I can this semester!</div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-1645472236918608682022-01-24T10:10:00.001-05:002022-01-24T10:10:21.085-05:00I passed! Whoopie! Whoopie!Yes yes yes!!!<div><br></div><div>I passed my dosage calculation re-test with flying colors.</div><div><img id="id_9919_b331_49e_8322" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VMY7qB416OR--6ShaE7ssSuZZ8MqV9KTVmz6pbDIEqfmSFAw4HIA-wvRVV_4BvJmy6o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div>Thank you all for your super supportive amazing comments! You guys are the best community ever!</div><div><br></div><div>I hope you all have a fantastic Monday and hugs hugs hugs to everyone!</div><div><br></div><div>I will post more later in the week but I could not wait to update you since you have all been so super supportive!!</div><div><br></div><div>Hugs!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7151368824212034335.post-42938115394864320682022-01-23T05:00:00.000-05:002022-01-23T05:00:00.279-05:00TikTok SundayHappy Sunday y’all!<div><br></div><div>I’m creating this post Saturday night to post Sunday. I will be studying all day Saturday and all day Sunday for my dosage Calc test on Monday morning. </div><div><br></div><div>Fingers crossed I pass this time…!</div><div><br></div><div>I had some fun before studying and did a few TikTok‘s with the cats… I hope they give you a little chuckle on Sunday morning.</div><div><br></div><div><br><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/668970206?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0" width="500" height="281" id="v_id_eba2_56fd_9482_d173" frameborder="0"></iframe><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/668965444?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0" width="500" height="281" id="v_id_e122_853e_aed8_a15c" frameborder="0"></iframe><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Enjoy what’s left of the weekend! Stay safe out there and stay warm! Hugs!</div>Annsterwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01441074446170101547noreply@blogger.com14