A very merry christmas...

From Ella, Jack and Linc...

Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas from the Jason Connors family!!!

In years past, we have looked back over the year and have seen God’s goodness and faithfulness in His care for our family, His provision in times of lay-offs and job changes.  In the present year, another job change happened…  and more of God’s goodness and provision.  Jason began working on his training to be a State Farm Agent just before Christmas 2011.  He finished his training this year and opened the Jason Connors State Farm Agency this June.  What a wonderful challenge and blessing this change has been.  We are praying for this adventure and would love your prayers too!

In years past, Ella was just learning to be a big sister or a student.  This year, she is a fourth grader, in another new school building, settling into new friendships and learning new things.  She continues to love school.  She is on the student council and looks for ways to serve the people she goes to school with.  She was also baptized this fall at Community Church.  She had been asking for awhile when she might be able to declare her faith in Jesus through baptism and this fall the opportunity arouse and we celebrated with her.  She shared that Jesus has helped her to be kind to her brothers even when they aren’t nice to her and to be a friend to people who don’t have many friends.  So blessed she is our girl!!!

In the past, Jackson was dressing up daily as a police officer, or the Sheriff of Nottingham, or Desproux the mouse.  Today he remains just as creative.  He is always dreaming up a new lego creation – complete with all the details, like travel trailers with bunk beds, doors, lights, air conditioner units…  The daily dress up outfits have become a thing of the past but he still loves to put a good costume together.  Halloween is always a favorite event for him.  :)  This year he was Luigi and Linc was Mario.  Jack has made plans for the next several Halloweens – Luigi with fire power, Luigi with fly power, Luigi with penguin power…  He wanted to know how old he would be when he had to give up dressing up for Halloween to be sure he had enough years to fit in his plans.

Lincoln was the baby, in years gone by, just keeping up with his older siblings.  Now he sets his own pace while he continues to hang out with me while the big kids are at school.  He loves Mario and the challenge of a video game.  He is looking forward to school and practices his careful coloring and writing his name.  He often makes us laugh out loud.  He seems to have his dad’s knack for comedic timing.  He is a joy.

The past was busy with having babies and then toddlers and volunteering at church for me.  The present is just as full with more volunteering at church.  I’m still involved with the moms ministry at Community Church and some of the women’s ministry events the church is beginning to offer.  Of course volunteering now also regularly includes time in the kids’ schools…  popping popcorn, cookies for a party, reading intervention groups and the like.  I’ve also found a regular “job” at Jace’s office.  I am book keeper, errand runner, decorator, office cleaner, and the like.  It has been fun to be able to help him as we have begun this new adventure.  I just need a few more hours in each day.  :)

At Christmas, we remember that event from the past that has the power to change our lives – God becoming one of us.  How thankful we are, in our present, that Jesus came to save us, to give us a purpose and a hope.  May you find His life change real in your own lives too!!!

Romans 8:28-30

^"28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."

Back to school... Back to blogging?

So, I guess I needed a year off from blogging because I just took one. :) Today, I'm trying the blogger app on my phone. Might the convenience of blogging on the go get me blogging again? We will see.

Here are Jack and Ella on their first days of second and fourth grades. Ella is in a new building and doing well. Jack is starting to settle in now. He has our favorite teacher, Mrs.Bowen. Linc and I are enjoying one more year together at home.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Christmas 2012

Well, it's that time again. Time to update you on our family's life. Time to think about all the things the previous year has held. Time to wish that I had kept up with the blog better this year, so there would be additional blog posts to link to and share with you. :)

Ella is a third grader this year. She continues to excel in school both academically and socially. She is a joy to those around her and a joy to our family. We are so thankful for her helpful spirit. Her teacher this year shared at conferences what a great job Ella does with her kindergarten reading buddies. She works with two children who her teacher says are not particularly easy but Ella gets them reading and enjoys working with them. We are so proud of the girl she is growing into. We can't believe that this will be her last year in the lower elementary building she is currently attending. She is growing so quickly.

Jackson is a first grader this year. He continues to make us smile and astonish us with his uniqueness. He recently wowed a room full of people at a cousin's wedding with his Michael Jackson moves. Friend me on facebook and check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2672631182192. He works hard at doing his very best at school and he loves spending time with his friends and playing legos.

Lincoln is three and half this Christmas. We love watching him grow and change each day. He is a mature three year old who loves to write and color. He is already "writing" his name. He has the L, the i and the c down. He continues to write an o instead of a n. :) He enjoys going to "his school" - our momLife group on Wednesday mornings at church. He does his best to keep up with his older siblings. We are so thankful for our sweet boy!!!

Jason is taking on new challenges this year. It's a year of change again for the Connors family. Jace left the Home Depot in October and he is currently an agency intern with State Farm. It is an extensive and challenging training but he is enjoying this new opportunity that God placed in our path. We are amazed at how God brings about His plan for us when we remain open and hold our plans loosely. This is a big move but we trust Him with what lies ahead of us; we know He has put these plans in motion.

I continue to be involved with the leadership for momLife mornings - Community Church's ministry to moms. It keeps me very busy but I enjoy doing it most of the time. :) The church has recently hired new staff to watch over our team so we are getting to know a new staff person and settling in to a new groove. I continue to ask God to use our efforts to change women's lives and impact entire families. I'm blessed to still be able to be at home full - time (beside my volunteer hours. :) ). I'm thankful that I get to raise my children and be there for them as they grow.

We hope that this Christmas finds you and your family doing well. We are thinking of you and praying that you have a blessed year ahead!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

"in God, we LIVE and MOVE and have our BEing..." Acts 17:28

Back to the blog: Pumpkin Head pictures

Hello blog! How've you been? Why, oh, why has it been over six months since I posted a thing on you??? Well, here's to getting back to it. Let's start with something current...

The annual pumpkin head photos. We had a couple rather large pumpkins again and continuing to cut the bottoms out means that Jason's head and Ella's head are really inside the pumpkins. :) Linc was not about to let us put a pumpkin on his head this year.









I love the picture of Ella especially. She is such a cute pumpkin head. :)

It's good to have a brother...

who understands you.



Last night, Linc drew the outline that you'll see in the following picture. Just the outline (the large shape in the picture)... He went running for his brother. "Jack, Jack, I drew a pirate ship!!!" Jack comes running to see Linc's creation. And Jack says, "oh, you did, but you forgot the flags and the cannons. Here let me help you." And Jack created the rest of this lovely picture. Including, Peter Pan flying in the sky and Captain Hook standing on the ship's deck.



It was such a cute moment. And such a picture of these two's understanding of each other. I love them!

Jack says...

"Uhhhh. I don't know... I think it's hair dressing..."

when asked by Jace what exactly he was putting into his hair one evening while standing at the sink in his bathroom.

It was hair GEL. :)