AJ and I are packed and getting ready to hop on plane to Denver. We'll then drive down to Amarillo with my family to attend my Granddaddy's funeral. I'm looking forward to seeing all the Powells, some of which I haven't seen since we before we moved to Canada 5 years ago. JD and Addison are staying here. The cost for 3 last minute tickets was insane! Thankfully Ayden is still free.

I won't post any blogs while I'm away so I thought I'd leave you with a funny photo of the McCulleys. Our friend Jackie had a photo booth (creatively built and decked out by the Karys) at her wedding earlier this month. It was definitely a hit! Everyone wanted a turn.

Addison & my Granddaddy ~ August 2007

Today my Granddaddy, C.B. Powell, went to be with the Lord. It was a very sad day to be sure. And yet, it was also a day in which I was able to rejoice as I thought of the man he was, the hope that he had, and the faith that he lived by.

My granddaddy is no longer a stranger here on earth. He is now in the presence of Christ, his Savior, who knew him before he was ever born; who formed his smiley eyes and ornery personality: who gave him a gentle spirit and loving heart; who made him a man of integrity; who thought of him as He laid down His life on the cross; who provided him with redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of his trespasses, according to the riches of His grace; who sealed him with the Holy Spirit of promise; who weeps with us now in our loss.

While my Granddaddy was so very special to us, he is even more treasured by Christ who shed His blood to cover his sins and provided a way for him to spend eternity in heaven. Thank you Lord that by Your provision I can have peace about my Granddaddy's death and confidence that I will see him again one glorious day in the future!

My Granddaddy was unique in many ways. He was man of few words. However, when he spoke everyone listened. I think he truly understood James 1:19 ~ be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. And often when you were sure he wasn't listening to a conversation he'd chime in with something very insightful or else something quite funny. He was great at one-liners!

Granddaddy was so easy to be around. I loved sitting outside with him. We'd often be surrounded by a comfortable silence that eventually would be filled by his gentle humming. The fact that he was a loving man was evident by how he treated my Granny and everyone for that matter.

Yet here I am on the verge of 30 and after all these years what spoke volumes to me about my Granddaddy was how he conducted himself in these past many months. Though I was unable to go visit him, I would hear of the struggles of his failing body and of the challenges he faced on a daily basis. And no matter who would be passing on the details, I would also hear of how sweet he was being, how patient he was, and how he never complained. He chose to be a light in his darkest hours. He will be so dearly missed!

JD and I love cooking, love eating, and love our panini press. We have several favorite grilled sandwiches, but the Caprese Panini has definitely won our hearts! The classic combination of fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil sounds incredibly simple, but their combined tastes are seriously mouthwatering. Plus the balsamic vinegar adds a pleasant oolala factor!

We put a slight twist on Williams-Sonoma's caprese panini recipe by mixing in pesto with the mayo that is spread on each bread slice. It's also good to give the finished product a short 20 second zap in the microwave to ensure the mozzarella is melted to that ooey-gooey-stringy point where the cheese just melts in your mouth. Yummo!!!

Yesterday was a fabulous day for a picnic! The weather was perfect, and we were surrounded by wonderful friends and lots of great food. Some of the older girls planned various activities that made the get together very memorable for all the kiddos. Addie was especially proud of her balloon flowers and seemed to really enjoy navigating her way through the obstacle course they set up.

We spent half an hour on the paddle boats. Ayden wasn't particularly fond of his life jacket, but he did enjoy a nice nap while we cruised around.

JD used our point and shoot camera to capture some of the day's events ~ I think you can tell we had fun!

When Jim's parents were up for a visit last month, we spent a day at the Calgary Zoo. It was so much fun! Addie loved the attention from her grandparents and had a ball checking out all the animals. The elephant even squirted some water at her! Ayden had it pretty good too; he got toted around all day, was full of smiles and even got to nap on his Nonnie's shoulder.

The entire visit with David & Connie was fantastic, but I think our trip to the zoo will be especially memorable for all of us in the years to come. There's nothing like watching a 2 year old get excited about animals that she's been reading about in books and seeing on tv. Plus we've been waiting all winter to have some fun outdoors and spend time with family!

Each day there are little things that make me wish I could freeze time ~ that I could somehow etch certain moments in my mind as to ensure that they might never fade from my memory. Specifically I'm enamored with how my children show me love. While moments like these may be even more amazing as the years go by, I never want to forget the way their affection makes me feel right here, right now.

At 2 1/2 years old, Addison is quite vocal about her feelings. She'll be sitting restfully in my lap then will spontaneously turn towards me to say with conviction and sincerity, "Mom, I LOVE you." Then looking at me with those big brown eyes she likes to cup my face between her little toddler hands right before giving me a gentle kiss on the lips. It's the sweetest thing.

Other times I'll see Addison hugging on JD and Ayden and announcing, "I love my boys!" It makes me want to run over and scoop her up! One of her favorite lines is, "I love you EVERYDAY!"

Ayden has his own unique way of giving hugs. First he'll throw his arms around my neck. Then he'll lay his head on my shoulder. After a short bit he'll move both his arms to his sides and wiggle his little body against mine. Once he stops his wiggle dance, I give him a good squeeze. I love our little routine!

These types of moments are even more special as I realize daily that my squirts are growing up so FAST! We'll celebrate Ayden's first birthday in less than a month! My how time flies. Oh how I wish I could freeze it...if only for a moment.

I'm clearly a bit behind on blogging. Not that there is a quota to keep up with or anything, but we do typically post more often than we have lately. It's been a busy few weeks for us. We've all been dealing with colds and both of the kids had a short lived virus that included fever and crankiness. Seems like everyone is up to par once again though.

Addison recently decided she was ready to be done with diapers so we gave potty training a go. She caught on quickly, and the first 3 days went smoothly. Then the fever arrived, and we had about four days of battle. Thankfully she snapped out of her funk soon enough and decided she was ready once again. She hasn't had an accident for a full week and rarely needs to be reminded to go. Yippee! It's great to have that behind us.

Now we are looking forward to May Long Weekend and Jim's parents upcoming visit. Then Josh, Missy & Mandy will be home from school for a few weeks and our string of weddings will begin. So there are definitely some fun days ahead!

Addie has been asked to be a flower girl in two weddings this year. She is quite excited and often talks about the "fancy dresses" the will get to wear. Hopefully we can get her down the aisle. If nothing else, she will be entertaining ~ that's our Addie!

The past few weeks have FINALLY provided us some opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. We've taken the munchkins to the park, spent some time in the mountains, and are once again enjoying hanging out on the deck. Yesterday we spent most of the day outside and even wore short sleeves. Woo hoo for warmer weather!

The rest of the week doesn't look that impressive, but we've finally experienced some tangible evidence that winter isn't here to stay so we'll try to be patient. One thing is for sure, Alberta summers are worth the wait

This was Ayden's first adventure on a swing and he LOVED it! He was literally giggling the whole time. If only we had gotten it on video. Check out that tongue!

You could say Addie's a little "positively charged" in this pic.

Collecting rocks.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Stuart Townend

Ayden is 9 months old today!! He's a funny little guy, and we're anxious to see even more of his playful personality in the months to come. He has a stubborn side too, but don't we all.

Today is also the day Ayden said his first word ~ Da da! I bet his proud daddy will post the video of it soon.

After weeks of scooting around backward, my munchkin is finally crawling forward...albeit slowly. Before too long he'll be everywhere and into everything. Last month he started clapping, and every once in a while we can coax a wave out of him.

Let's see...things I want to make sure I remember...the little dude is super ticklish. Different tickle spots trigger different types of laughs. Aren't baby giggles fantastic? I adore his tiny toes. I'll be sad to see them grow into little boy feetsies. He's a people watcher. He listens closely as you speak and studies your face intently.

He loves it when Addie slows down long enough to sit and play with him. I'm pretty sure once he's rocking and rolling with the crawling he'll be on her heels every chance he gets. They are looking more and more alike ~ those two make a great pair!