~Our Happy New Year Colombian PICNIC!~

~Pastor Jimmy and his family and his parents invited us to join them and others for a FUN picnic outside of Bogota.  I think it was about 1.5 or so hours away from our home.  Before we left my Phillip made some "Tinto" (dark sweetened coffee) and took a couple thermoses of it.
We saw pretty scenery like this on the way.~

~Then we got to the park and enjoyed some more pretty scenery like this. =) ~

~It was chilly there, so we were GLAD to ENJOY some of Phillip's hot Delicious coffee he had made.  (Our Colombian friends said that they can tell he is now "Colombian" for he knows how to make great Colombian coffee.  =)  Here are the kids munching on apples.~

~We were glad for the sun to keep us warm.  Us ladies getting the potatoes ready to put on the grill.~

~Mary and her sidekick Stephanie.~

~Gaby and Sarah playing with their dolls in the shade.~

~Natalie and Kimberly taking pictures of each other...(only I don't have the picture of Kimberly.) =(
Kimberly and Natalie kicked the soccer ball around, batted Kimberly's baseball, and played other games the whole day.~

~Pastor Jimmy just sent me the picture of Kimberly taking Natalie's picture. =)~

 ~TWINS, separated at birth...Sarah and Gaby!  =D~

~We had a nice little spot and rented 2 grills to cook ALLL of the food their was.  We all brought lots so there was PLENTY of food to enjoy!~

~The potatoes are now on.  They serve these with a guacamole type dip... that has avocado, onion, and tomato, a little hot sauce, cilantro, and lemon juice.  YUM!~

~They brought LOTS of steaks and they were yummy!  The way they do a BBQ or grill out here in Colombia, is that as soon as one steak is done, they take it off the grill and cut it up so that everyone gets a bite.  And they do the same with all other steaks that come off the grill, until everyone is F.U.L.L.  =D ~

~Elijah enjoying a mango.  There were fresh grapes, mango, apples, and I brought a fresh fruit salad, candied almonds, and choc. chip cookies to go along with our picnic.~

~Raul and Judy brought their tent for the kids to enjoy.  Here's Sarah, Gaby, and Mary, and little David inside the tent.~

~Some of us prepared and brought chicken to grill.  We thought the way they told us to pre-cook the chicken was a great idea.  Before we came...at home....We boiled the chicken legs for about 30-40 mins. in water with salt, lots of onion, fresh garlic, and I think Phillip used some chicken bullion. (I was cutting up LOTS of fresh fruit for my salad, so he volunteered to do the chicken. =)
Then they just basically "warm up" the chicken on the grill, so it gets that grilled taste, but doesn't take long at all to be ready to eat.~

~Here are the kids enjoying their chicken legs.~

~Sis. Farly's sister Judy and some of her family taking a rest. =) After we ate it just felt like...THE THING TO DO...to lie down and rest for a little while.  =) ~

~Here on the grill you can see: Arepas cooking on your left in the upper corner (small tortilla type things that are thicker and are served with lots of butter and salt.  Because of the butter and salt, they remind our family of a popcorn taste.)
In the left hand bottom corner are Plantians  (similar to a banana) cooking IN THEIR SKINS =),
Corn on the cob, chicken legs, and steak.~

~Our beautiful view.~

~We didn't get one of these pavilions, for they were all reserved by 6:00 A.M. that morning.
But, Jesus gave us a nice spot and a WONDERFUL time where we were.~

~We had a beautiful day, with beautiful people, and beautiful scenery!!  =)
As we were leaving I snapped this picture of the lake that was in the park where we were.~

~Phillip enjoyed seeing the country again.  I teased him that we've been in the city too long...he was snapping a pic of.every.single.cow.he.saw. =D ~

~Phillip snapped this pic on our way back home after a wonderful day of Delicious food and Fun fellowship! It looks like I didn't get any pictures of Philip. =(  I think he took a lot of these pics, and most of the time I was doing other things besides taking pictures. =)
This was a New Year's Day that we'll never forget!~