I Just Love My Girls....

I just had to share a couple pictures of Emma and Ashlyn. I get so many great moments on camera, and I really wish I could post them all, but these two photos really make me smile. First, we have Emma and her new found love of washing dishes......she dumped the dishwater, and well, you see what happened. We both got some great giggles out of how wet and soapy she got. Notice the pink dishpan......you've never seen a four year old so excited about a dishpan.

Next, you have Ashlyn, who loves to take her clothes off and wear whatever she decides to put on.....lately she has had a thing for the tutu and Snow White skirt combo. This is how she came out of Emma's room the other day......it reminded me of a princess/professional wrestler combo, with her bare belly and sparkly bracelet pushed up past her elbow to show off her "pipes"......the socks top it off.


I just LOVE my girls!!!!

Happy Easter!!!

Sometimes this blog format seems to change the rules on me....I have no idea why the pictures are aligned they way they are, and I can't get rid of the big spaces between the pictures and the captions....I'm just going to go with it. :) We had a wonderful Easter weekend! In true UP fashion, the day before Easter, we needed winter coats and hats at the egg/candy hunt, and by the next morning, we could go to church with just sweaters......gotta love it! Here is the weekend in review. :)

Ashlyn at the candy/egg hunt

Emma, Ashlyn and some of their friends.













































Coloring eggs. I think Ashlyn had all of hers cracked before the process was over, but she didn't care.














Saturday night, right before bed. Time for some beauty sleep with their curlers in!

Easter morning, and the hunt was on!




Enjoying their new coloring stuff from the bunny!

Em with some of her friends at church, practicing for the program before the service.

Home from church, all dressed up.

The Jones Girls.

Nothing Too Exciting......

We're just hanging around. :) Brad is still working on the basement, and all of us are enjoying the spring weather heading our way. I love how 40-50 degree temperatures in the spring time feel so warm, and everyone is so excited to be outside. The changing seasons are awesome!

Emma, our expert climber.

Last week, the Lord took my childhood friend and role model, Shana, home to heaven. She was a 35 year old- mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, physician....... and all around wonderful person. Praying for her and cheering her on during her 3+ year battle with cancer has taught me so many things. Life is a gift. Each day is a gift. Each breath is a GIFT, with no guarantees. I was able to go to Traverse City to attend the celebration of Shana's life with my parents. It was an incredibly sad, and wonderful day, and I am so thankful I was able to be there. The link below is to a song that was played at Shana's funeral service, at her request. It says a lot about who she is/was and how she faced her struggles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qG1ThtgguE I ended my quick trip to Traverse City by meeting my friends' brand new baby boy, Carson, and seeing their home for the first time! It was great to see Trish, Trev, Lauren, Camden, and Carson - if only for an hour. Thanks Tkach family for letting us drop in and change our clothes, and thanks Mom and Dad for inviting me to make the trip with you. I thank God for each of you, and for making this gift of life so amazing!