Weekend in Review: Roadtrip!!!

I have been meaning to blog for a few days, but this week has just flown by. I mean, walking Aidan to school and back home again has taken its toll. I am exhausted this morning. Aidan was, too, so I asked Jonathan to give him a ride. He was so slow getting dressed that I was glad Jonathan was driving him. He is tired today.

On Monday we went on a family roadtrip!! We don't usually do this, but on Monday we thought we would do something fun as a family. We piled into the car and set off on our adventure.

The kids had no idea where we were going, but that was alright. They had books and some music to listen to, as well as looking outside for animals. They are usually pretty good in the car.

We ended up in Nanton, Alberta. It is about 50 minutes south of Calgary on highway 2. Anyway, we used to always stop there for supper when we were going on holidays. (They have this cute little drive-thru right off the highway. Really good milkshakes!!) Anyway, they have opened this new train store: Big Sky Garden Railway. I have never been there before, but it sounded really good...It was!
They have a huge garden railway in the back that has three sections: North American, Swiss Alps and European. They also have two covered areas for Thomas the Train sets that the kids can play with. We spent a couple of hours there. I did the scavenger hunt. Jonathan said I could be the kid and do it!! YAY!! I love scavenger hunts!

Emma played with Thomas the whole time. Aidan went back and forth from Thomas to the automatic trains. For only $14 we could come and go as we pleased all day long. We could have brought a picnic, too!

We had lunch at a little diner. Some hamburgers, fries and milkshakes. Then we went on to the WWII air museum. It was a bit boring for the kids, but there was a few planes they could go in and Aidan had lots of questions.

On the way home, I misdirected my hubby and we ended up going home through Chestemere Lake. I remember when it was a little while from the city to get to Chestemere. Now, it is right next door, pretty much. Definitely a bedroom community for people who work in Calgary. Anyway, we let the kids out to run around for a bit. They were facinated by a jetskiier. In awe, actually. Meanwhile Jonathan and I were terrified they were going to fall in.

All in all it was a wonderful day!! Probably the last one until next spring. (Sigh!)

Sunday Reflections: Oh How He Loves Us

We go to Center Street Church, in case you don't know. Our church has always really focused on small groups since our church is so big. This year they are starting a wonderful 6 week series called "40 days of love". Anyway, it looks like a really good series and I can't wait to start it.

Last night Jonathan's worship team was on and they did a special number during the offering. This time they focused on the Love theme and did David Crowder's "Oh How He Loves Us". I really enjoy the lyrics in this song. I mean, it starts off with "He is jealous for me". That line alone speaks to my heart so much. I mean, we spend so much time focusing our affections on other things instead of on Him. That is all He wants: our love; our heart; to be in relationship with us! Not so much to ask, but it is hard for us to do, isn't it?

Anyway, the song is really such a reminder of how much God loves us and what He did and is willing to do for us. We are loved by an amzing Father who loves us more than we can ever understand and fathom. Even if you do not believe in Him, guess what? He still loves you! He will always love you no matter what you do. He loved us before the world began. Before he created us. So there is nothing that we can do to make Him stop loving us. I guess I just find that encouraging. I hope you do, too!

Have a wonderful blessed Sunday!!

Friday Fill-in: Guides and other stuff!

1. I feel tired, yet relaxed because I did not have to rush around this morning. Jonathan drove Aidan to school and I do not have Maggie for the next week. Emma and I are still in our Pjs watching Treehouse this morning. It is nice!

2. Doing Girl Guides is always fun. We may only have a small group so far, but it was still fun to do Guides last night and to see how everyone has grown over the summer. Should be an interesting group!

3. Right now, I can hear these things: my daughter saying she wants to crawl like a baby; the kids on "Are We There Yet? World Adventure" on Treehouse and the hum of the computer fan. It is fairly quiet in the neighborhood today since it is a long weekend. I think a lot of people took today off to go camping, out of town, etc.

4. Today is Friday and I'm glad because I didn't really have a weekend last week. I spent all day Saturday on that Orientation for Guide camps. This weekend proves to be a bit more relaxing. Hopefully I can clean up a bit around the house. Also, Jonathan is on worship team so I get to hear him play and it is with his regular band again (and my favorite worship leader). I get excited just thinking about it. Can't wait!

5. The last time I knitted was almost a week ago. It has been too long. Time to get on that again today. Perhaps this afternoon!

6. I hope to spend lots of time with my little family this Labor day weekend. Perhaps doing something fun on Monday as a family is in order. Road trip??

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching a movie with the hubby, tomorrow my plans include cleaning and sleeping in and then worshipping at church and Sunday, I want to have a supper with my family and just enjoy the day!

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I apologize for not blogging much this week. My neck has been so stiff lately that the computer has been painful. It is feeling much better today.

That and the fact that it was the first week of Kindergarten. Boy, am I ever tired. After all that walking, though, I better lose some weight. It is an excellent exercise program!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Manic Monday: On Time

My weekend was spent doing orientation for Girl Guide camps all day Saturday. I even missed going to church on Saturday because it took so long. I was really looking forward to going, too. I haven't been in awhile because I helped out so much in Promiseland over the summer. Anyway, next weekend I will be there!!

The camps were fine. One of them will have to be closed down because of a leaky roof and TONS of mold. That was not so pleasant. Other than that, nothing unusual. We saw a couple of fruit bats and a dead mouse. Bats=cool. The mouse=YUCK!!

One of my favorite riding stables was closed down. It is on the way out to one of our campsites. We used to go there all the time with Guides. It was the first place where I went horseback riding all by myself...and fell hard on my butt. Big Red and Little Red were my favorite horses. Anyway, they were closed down which made me quite sad. It also made me wonder what other casualties will result from this downturned economy. Kind of a sad thought.

Sunday we spent playing Wii Resort. My sister is letting us borrow it. My arm is just killing me from playing so much. It is fun, though.

It is a full week of school for Aidan, and I am having to walk him every morning. Well, this morning and tomorrow I am going to drive him because I will have the car. Jonathan is in Edmonton for a training workshop. He is renting a car, so I can have our car. That will make it a bit easier for drop off and pick up...Thank goodness! And this coming weekend is the long weekend which is nice.

Here's a wonderful Manic Monday to start things off...(on a side note (for the first question): I wrote this blog on Sunday night so it would be posted on time!!)

Are you usually late, early or right on time?
I am always early. Sometimes I can be right on time, but even when I try to be on time, I am early. It is hard for me to be late. Almost impossible, actually. I am always well organized and give myself plenty of time to make it somewhere.
What would be harder for you, to tell someone you love them or to tell them that you do not love them back?
Surprisingly enough, it has always been hard for me to tell someone I love them. I am not sure why. Anyway, now that I am married and have kids, it has gotten much easier. I would say now that telling someone you do not love them back would be harder. I hate hurting other people (read: I am a people pleaser), so that would hinder me telling them something negative!

Which would you rather have: a high salary or job satisfaction?
Job satisfaction... I would rather have a job that I loved then have to get up and go to "work" everyday. Working is different than doing something you love to do. That's why I became a teacher. Not a lot of pay, but the satisfaction you get from helping someone to learn is worth more than gold.

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Happy Monday!!