Banff

Couple getaway...Banff...Douglas Fir...A-frame style chalet...all to ourselves...unmet expectation...different chalet then last year...wood stove NOT wood fireplace...just not the same...wouldn't stay lit...smoke filled room...a little disappointed...walk around town...in and out of little shops...LuLu Lemon store...bought nothing...liked a hoodie...$108...really...a lot of cash for a shirt...gave up on yearly hoodie-buying tradition there...bought journal at Indigo and Wes bought book "Love Wins" by Rob Bell...delicious supper at the Keg...steak and crab legs...nice seat for two...movie at the theatre...all to ourself..."Lincoln Lawyer"...liked the twists...loved the company beside me...bedtime reading..."Me and My Big Mouth" by Joyce Meyer...9:15am wake up...sleepin' in...have no where specific to be...no one specific to see...enjoying our Tim's coffee brought from home...thank you for having coffee makers in the rooms...switched to a different room...in search of a real fireplace...one of my favorite things EVER...yup found it...went for lunch and for a walk to see the Hoodoos...windy and cool...shoulda brought a jacket and some shoes with socks...nope not this girl...flats with bare feet and a hoodie...back to room...fire with a afternoon siesta...Cozy Toz...wake up to coffee time...marvelling at God's creation out our window...bible reading...bible dictionary look up for "mercy", "Pharisees", and "righteousness"...started reading book of Romans...heavy...refresh outside...different view needed...Old Spaghetti Factory for supper...Shauna-spaghetti with spicy meat sauce...Wes- tortellini with chicken...Apple-tini and Jolly Rancher to drink...Banff Springs hotel...grandeur...love the age...love the "oldness"...the original furniture, light fixtures, door knobs make me happy...hockey game back in room...scrapbooking magazine for me...asleep by the fire...crackling and heat and glow...in a whole lotta love with my man...waking up to a winter wonderland...heavy snowfall...anxious to see our 4 wonders...Wes finished reading his book...back to work mode...back to reality...how lovely it is when seen with a "fresh" set of eyes and ears...how awesome to share it all with a man after God's own heart...thank you Jesus for your unfailing love...to take in and comfort us and to pour out to others because...I stand amazed and full of JOY at the wonder of it all.

For Today...

For Today - Friday, April 29 2011

Outside my window...The glorious sunshine is beaming into my "office" west facing, dirty window.

I am thinking...About the last few days...a little getaway with my loving husband in Banff...how thankful I am for parents that will love on our kids when we go away to refresh...how full of gratitude I am for a good relationship with Aidan's dad and family and that our oldest boy is so very loved amongst both families...how the quiet is nice but the sounds of our children are missed when I have too much time to think...how we serve such an awesome God and I look forward to getting to know more of Him and about His character every single day...how happy the sun makes me as Spring feels like it is finally here as I saw some of my perennials starting to pop out if the brown, dead foliage...beautiful and green....LIFE!

I am thankful for...good girlfriends who share the same passion for God as me and how our conversation is so life-giving, the ability to open our home to friends and their families every Sunday evening for Life Group, for the freedom we have in Canada to own a bible (or several) and take them out in public, and to read them wherever we want....a husband that works so hard for his family and enjoys it...seeing Ashers excitement on his face and in his voice when we gave him his "real" birthday presents today :)

From the kitchen...I made pulled pork sandwiches for supper...looking foward to doing some baking this week coming up... ginger snaps and banana bread on the list

I am wearing...jeans, lulu purple sparkly zip up, bare feet

I am creating...hmmm...haven't been creating much lately...need to get back to getting my Project Life together...more then a few weeks behind


I am going...to take Asher to meet his soccer coach/team tomorrow morning and later in the day watch Aidan play inline hockey twice as he has an Ice Breaker Tournament tomorrow

I am reading... "Me and My Big Mouth" by Joyce Meyer, my bible (thanks to Lori for the awesome bible reading plan), scrapbook magazines, Taste of Home magazine, Paper Crafts magazine

I am hoping...that all of my children make the faith they grow up with their own with minimal heartache

I am hearing...the hum of my lap top and that is all...all the little ones are in bed asleep and Aidan is at Ben's tonight and Wes is out closing a deal

Around the house...a big pile of laundry awaits me from our little getaway and the kiddies sleepovers at Grandma and Grandpas house, going to make a plan to do one cleaning job per day (and maybe give myself permission to take one day off??)

One of my favorite things....a real wood burning fireplace - the crackling sound of the wood, the heat, the light...everything about it

A few plans for the rest of the week...Asher soccer mtg, Aidan inline hockey, serving in 56ers this Sunday as Pastor Mike is away and asked us to switch weekends, looking forward to catching up with friends in our Life Group on Sunday evening as we missed last weekend with them because of Easter, need to have a coffee date with a couple of my favorite ladies, work on Project Life

A photo for today...  the birthday boy...Happy 4th Birthday my dear Asher!  Here he is at Easter outside playing with one of his favorite things...a toy airplane (that is now on Grandma Linda and Papa Ken's roof)  Love you so much my "best friend" (as he calls me)