Today Christian Women's Retreat

Renew, refresh, focus, compassion, love, family, and sisters in Christ.  These are a few of the words that come to mind after returning from a Christian Women's Retreat this past weekend.  I always walk away feeling so motivated and excited about life, my family and friends and all of the wonderful things God has blessed us with.  I also feel a renewed focus on God and making him a larger part of our lives.  Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

#1:Mom, my sisters & I

#2: Jim, Emily & I

#3: Cousin Diane & Emily   - throwing pennies in the fountain

#4: Mom, Ann & Emily - with bubbles

#5: Me, my sisters & cousin Amy

#6: Emily with Aunt Linda

Jim's B-day

Here are a couple of cute pictures from today, we celebrated Jim's b-day tonight and Emily was just so darn cute.  My parents, grandma and sister came over to help us celebrate in fashion - Pork Loin, Asparagus, Salad, Butternut Squash Soup, Rolls, and Cheesecake - YUMMO!

Playing with her Baby Dolls (& Lucy)

Yesterday while I was making dinner Emily was playing with her baby dolls in the next room, I peeked around the corner to find this!  It was so cute, Emily was covering up Lucy with her baby blankets and Lucy just laid there playing along.  Labs are the best dogs!

Friends at the Treehouse

Wow, I look at this picture and our little Emily is looking so much older.  Today my friend Kelly drove out to visit us from Canton, and we went to the Treehouse and had lunch at our house.  

Jada their little girl who turns one next month is our God Daughter.  It's amazing that she really isn't a baby anymore either, Jada is walking already and looks so much bigger too.

The first picture is of Emily and Luke (3.5) sitting together at the Treehouse.  Luke took Emily under his wing and was so good playing with her, he didn't even mind when she took things from him and didn't share.  Emily is not very good at sharing right now, we are working on that.

Visits with Grandma's

Last weekend we got to spend time with Jim's side of the family.  We really don't get to see them enough.  

The first picture is of Emily smelling the flowers at Great Grandma's house, she was so cute, she liked the dirt the best for some reason?  Then of course she loved playing with Great Grandma's baby dolls.  Baby Strawberry gives kisses too, which Emily thought was  a hoot.

The third picture is at Grandma's office (Jim's mom) in Midland.  Her favorite part there was the juice box - go figure.  

The next picture is Emily playing baby dolls with grandma and then Emily opening up Jim's birthday presents.

Play place in Plymouth

Today we met some of my old co-workers and their children at a indoor play place in Plymouth.  Emily had a great time, although she is a little small to climb on the big structure by herself, but that is what she wants to do so I end up climbing up there with her.  Here are a couple of pictures of Emily, Julia and Luke.  I wanted to get a picture with all of the kids, but that was way too hard with so many toddlers and little ones (7 today - with the school age kids it would be 10).

Fun at Breakfast

Ever since the fancy Nancy party, Emily has been wearing her tiara.  This morning Emily was being so silly and cute at breakfast, I had to snap a few pictures.  She was waving around her wand, talking to our dog Lucy (that is who she is pointing to in one of the pics).  I asked her to show it to me, meaning the wand and she opens up her mouth to show me her blueberry!  She was quite the jokester this morning.