Van Cortlandt Park

This weekend we had the opportunity to stay in the City because of a meeting cancelation.  We took Saturday afternoon to do some more Bronx exploring.  This time we tackled Van Cortlandt Park.

Van Cortlandt Park is the third largest park in New York City.  It is bigger than Central Park by 303 acres!  There are a lot of sports fields and a couple of playgrounds, but most of the park is wooded areas with foot paths. 

Ben read online that there was a lot of poison ivy.  We discovered that to be an understatement! We couldn’t get off the path much at all because the poison ivy was so rampant.  The kids enjoyed collecting acorns, and Ben did some stroller 4-wheeling. 

We hiked out on one rocky point behind the Van Cortlandt family burial plot to get a lovely view of the cricket fields and the City beyond.

It was a perfect day to spend outdoors!

I am looking forward to calling this part of New York City home!

Place of Service

I’ve had this written in the flyleaf of my Bible since high school graduation.  I never would have guessed that 13 years later, God would have led me to serve alongside my husband in the largest city of our country, and one of the most influential cities in the world.  But here I am, and New York City has become home.  God has been so good along each step of the way. 

~Andrea

It’s a City Thing: Bagels and Pizza

New York City is known for great bagels and the best pizza.  Personally, I think they are even better in Brooklyn, but the whole city shares this reputation.  Why are bagels and pizza so good here?  It’s in the water.

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This is how we eat bagels in NYC – smothered in cream cheese or layered with salad, and eat it like a sandwich.  My favorite is a Schmagel Bagel with Bacon Cheddar Cream Cheese!

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That’s right – the water here makes the best dough, which turns out the best bagels and pizza.  There is a famous pizzeria called Grimaldi’s at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge.  They have been making coal-fired brick oven pizza since 1905.  You stand in a line for hours to eat there – no call ahead, no delivery, no take out.  But it is so worth the wait!  Grimaldi’s also has locations in other parts of the country.  Here’s how they serve the same great pizza outside of NYC:

“It has been said that the secret to true New York-style pizza is the water. Grimaldi’s believes that too, going to great lengths to keep the integrity of the water used in the Brooklyn pizzeria by hiring a chemist to analyze and recreate the mineral content and exact composition of the water to ensure the dough tastes the same in Idaho.”  {source}

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So come visit us in Brooklyn, or the Bronx, and we’ll take you for some great New York pizza and amazing bagels.  The best in the world – the secret is in the water!

A Maineiac Hike

My kids have thoroughly enjoyed this week in Maine.  They have gotten to explore and enjoy the Great Outdoors in ways they didn't know existed.  Living in NYC, rocks and sticks and leaves are the only novelties to collect on a walk.  Here they have hiked, canoed, chased butterflies, romped in the grass, picked up toads, collected wildflowers, foraged for wild berries, and enjoyed picnic lunches.

 

Yesterday we went for a hike in the Bigelow Preserve here in Stratton, ME.  We were hoping that the road would take us to the lake, but it didn't go all the way through.  We parked on a logging road to hike to the lake, but after a while the foliage became too dense for the kids (and for Mommy who was carrying a baby!).  We had a picnic in the woods.  The kids loved sitting on a dead tree to eat.   

Elaine found some tiny toads and chased them.  Liberty got in on the action.  There were tons of wild raspberry bushes so we stole a snack from the bears (and then got out before they found out it was us!).  It was totally worth all the bug bites and raspberry bush scratches!

 

Nolan nearly disappeared in the wildflowers!

Liberty's toad.  Not so sure that he survived!

My kids are collecting grandparents all over the country.  They have really enjoyed being here with Mr. & Mrs. Pease.  I love listening to them talk in a beautiful Maine accent!

A Missionary Ladies Brunch

While we were in Colorado with Beth Eden Baptist Church, I got to be a part of the ladies brunch.  I especially enjoyed this because we were on a deputation trip when our home church had the ladies luncheon earlier this year.  My girls got to attend with me, and Mom came along too!  I was asked to give a three minute testimony along with the other missionary ladies.

 

The church did a great job of decorating.  It was an international brunch, so there were different tables with cuisine from around the world - British, Italian, French, American, Mexican, Asian, etc.  Everything was delicious.  Elaine loved that she got to have ice cream for breakfast!

 

I didn't take my pictures until later, so most of the food had been consumed!  This is the Mexican table.

 

American

 

Elaine made a friend at Beth Eden, and she was tickled to get to sit with Hannah for part of the bunch.  Apparently they were entertaining, too!

 

 

 

Liberty enjoyed her first ladies brunch! 

 

 

One of my mom's friends from BSF attends Beth Eden, so we sat with her.

 



A Canoe Outing

We have had several meetings in Maine this month.  Last week we had to travel home on Monday so that Ben could finish a job he was doing in Brooklyn.  This week we decided to stay in Maine in between Sundays.  We had some accommodations in a prophets chamber during the week. But as we were leaving on Saturday morning, a college friend (who is a missionary in Siberia) emailed to say that she had seen we were in Maine, and that her parents would be glad to have us stay with them if we needed a place to stay.  The Lord answered an unspoken prayer to take care of our accommodations this week! 

 

We have had a wonderful time in rural Maine.  The kids are experiencing parts of the "great outdoors" that they never knew existed in New York City!  We enjoyed a canoe ride (another little thing that the Lord worked out - Nolan has been asking to go on a boat!), a couple of picnics, a hike, foraging for wild raspberries, looking at the stars, and "moosing".  We might have to come visit again in order to see a moose, though!

 

We have been so blessed to stay with the Pease family this week and we are grateful for their hospitality!

 

Twinsies ready for the boat

 

Some happy "big kids" enjoying the up front view in the canoe

 

 

 

Nehemiah is NOT a water lover.  He enjoys his bath, but prefers to stay dry otherwise.  He wasn't too thrilled with his life vest or being out on the water.  His attitude improved when he got to hold one end of the oar!

 



A Stop on the Farm

Last week we traveled to Maine round trip in one weekend.  The kids were pretty tired of being in the car, so we made a fun stop at a farm in Massachusetts.   They had a playground, and ice cream stand, and a barn of animals - llamas, sheep, goats, a miniature horse, and a cow.  There was also a little creek where Ben helped the kids catch some frogs.

 

We arrived right at feeding time, and the kids loved it!  They have always enjoyed feeding the goats the NYC zoos, so this was right up their alley.  Liberty was old enough to get in on the action, too.  She was completely fearless as she offered bits of grain and feed to the goats! 

 We had "purple cow" ice cream covered in sprinkles - to Elaine and Nolan's delight!

Liberty discovered that she is a "big girl" now - we had a hard time pulling her off this swing!

 

 

Our kids enjoyed this so much that we stopped at the Davidian Bros. Farm again on this trip to Maine.  Liberty recognized it and went right over to the fence by the goats!