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. :)

Welcome 2011!

Some new year's eve fun with friends...






a friendly game of wii boxing.



even Linc played a little wii, he's hunting.

But we didn't hang around until midnight. We were too tired after all our Christmas fun. :)

Looking forward to all that is ahead in 2011!!!

Christmas Letter 2010

Merry Christmas from the Connors Family!!!!

We are wrapping up another year. This is our tenth Christmas as a married couple. Wow, how time zips past. It seems like only a minute ago that we were putting up our very first tree together or wrapping Ella's first gifts.

This year I am especially excited for Christmas. We have so much to be thankful for. I am loving being a mom who gets to be fully in these moments with the kids. I'm enjoying how much they are enjoying every bit of the festivity and the traditions. Each morning finds them running for one (or all) of the three different Advent Calendars we have going this year. They can't wait to find out what the picture will be on the chocolate or what will be tucked under today's cone or even to just move the candy cane to the new pocket. (Yes, three advent calendars may be slightly overkill, but I tell you, I am so excited for Christmas, it seems to reflect the level of over-the top excitement we have going here.) I am so excited to have my whole immediate family home for Christmas this year. It will be so great to have Aaron and Meghan and Greg and Emily all home to celebrate together. I can't wait!!!

Ella continues to love and excel at school. This year found her in a new school building but with many of the same friends from her last building, and she has adjusted well. She is blessed to have the same teacher again this year. Her third year with her! Mrs. Bowen has become family. Ella loves reading and is enjoying preparing for our family Christmas Eve service at church. She has a few lines to share and will sing in the choir. We are so proud of her!

Jack started school this year. He is working on adjusting to the new and very busy schedule. Kindergarten is all day, every day now. His teacher is enjoying getting to know our unique boy and he is helping all the other kindergarteners learn all about police officers. He continues to keep us smiling with the fun things he says. He is a joy and a blessing in our family.

Our sweet baby is growing too quickly. Linc is in a hurry to keep up with his older siblings. He is all potty trained and has been for many months. He talks up a storm and keeps us smiling with the fun things he says too. He and I have adjusted to our hours without the big kids each day. I'm enjoying these special moments with him!!!!

Jace continues to work at the Home Depot. And continues to pursue his own plumbing work. He manages to stay pretty busy. And hopes that if the economy ever changes, he will be in a good position to plumb full time again. We continue to be so blessed by the job at Home Depot and we are so thankful for it. But we look forward to what the future holds too.

I have made some decisions to make my schedule a little less full this year. I have been fortunate enough to be able to continue to be involved in our moms ministry at Community Church. I am missing being more involved in children's ministry but I am happy for the opportunity to focus my energy and that it is allowing me to make my family the priority they ought to be. I know my time with them is passing much too quickly.

Well, that kind of sums up things around here for now. I hope you'll continue to keep up with our family here on the blog. I enjoy being able to share many of the things going on with us here.

May you and your family have a holiday filled with wonder and awe as you remember the gift that God sent all those years ago.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

My Lincoln Log, Old Man and 2nd Grade Alein...

This Halloween, we carved pumpkins twice, once at a pumpkin carving party at school and once at home...



we took our usual pumpkin head pictures; even a real one this time...







we worked for hours sewing a Lincoln log costume...



we dressed as a Lincoln Log, an Old Man, a 2nd Grade Alein, and "Raining Cats and Dogs"...







we had a lot of fun with old friends collecting our candy...

Jack says...

"You can write that down."

after telling an ER nurse that his dad thought about being a police officer when he was a kid, but then decided to not be, now he works for Home Depot and his name is Jason. :)

He charmed all the nurses in the ER the other day. He is feeling much better now.

Kindergarten and Second Grade...

Can't believe that school has started again. And that this year BOTH Jack and Ella are going.

Jack is a kindergartner and Ella is in second grade already. Both were very excited and are settling in to the new year. Linc and I are adjusting as well. The house is pretty empty. :(

Here are some of the first day of school pics. Jack just spontaneously did that silly pose. He cracks me up.

Jack says...

"Hi Ethan."

as he is walking to the bathroom at Target with Jace past a boy and his mom who are walking in.

Jace says, "Do you know that boy, from church maybe???"

"Nope, I just wanted his mom to say, 'Do you know that kid.' I heard her call him Ethan."

Oh, my great observer. He misses nothing.

Summer Fun...

Hello!

I seem to fall off the grid a bit when summer hits. We have really been enjoying some down time. VBS, vacation, blueberry picking, fun at local parks - have been keeping us busy.

Here are some fun photos of playing with kites in the yard recently. Clothes have been optional for Jack and Linc lately. Jack is wearing underwear in this photo, even though they are hard to see. :)





Linc is all potty trained - he is doing awesome. Jack is still saying funny things but I have been keeping track less well. Ella is missing school a bit. But she is enjoying having down time too. She has to have her tonsils and adenoids removed in a few weeks. :(

We have started a new project - switching the kids rooms around. It will allow us to move Linc to a big boy bed. It may be a very slow project. :) It seems to be happening in small steps. As long as it is done before school starts, it will be fine. Plus, when the rooms started as complete disasters, there is extra work to be done.

Hope to post again soon.

Ella's art project...

Ella has a really fun art program in her school. They have art once a week on Wednesdays. Last Wednesday they made paper sculptures. So Ella got the family paper sculpting.



This is Ella's up close.

We all, even Linc and Jack, sat and cut paper and made beautiful creations. Some people took it a little seriously. Cough, cough, JASON. I guess he thought we were turning them into school. But now we can be sure where Ella got her creativity from.

And here is that fabulous creation made by Jason:



Check out the frog. You can't see it, but he even has a fly on his tongue. You probably didn't know he was an artist...

Fun was had by all!!!!

Prayers and Jack's Belated Birthday Blog

Jack turned five since I blogged last. I can't believe he can go to kindergarten in the fall!!!! It really is unbelievable to me.

He was able to celebrate his birthday again and again, of course. The picture above was the day we celebrated with Jason's mom and sister-in-law. But he also celebrated earlier in the month with my family before Aaron and Meghan went to Africa. And we celebrated on his birthday with ice cream at McDonald's and then we had a couple friends over for a bonfire in the back yard.

It was a good birthday. And he is a good boy. I am loving watching him grow!!!!!



This is Lincoln a couple mornings ago. Can you believe those eyes??? They aren't even photo shopped and they are so gorgeous! He has a milk mustache.

I wanted to blog his recent prayer - it was just so cute. Read it in a slow, sweet baby voice to get the full effect:

"thank you for grandpa, uh,

thank you for ice cream,

thank you for sprinkles, and

thank you for fire truck shirt.

AMEN!"

Too precious. Love that he is really thinking about what he is thankful for - he had seen grandpa that day, worn a fire truck shirt and ate ice cream with sprinkles.

And it really is the little things, isn't it? Like sprinkles and fire truck shirts. What more could a boy ask for really????

Lincoln did...

have VERY dry skin the day before Easter.

And he did find some lotion to help him with that problem. He did get the lotion all over himself, the laundry room, and around the kitchen table before Jack came to tell me that Linc was making a mess.

Dry skin no longer...

So innocent looking. :)

Linc's 2!

Linc turned two this week. He is such a sweet and wonderful little guy. His birthday celebrating is lasting all week. We celebrated with my family last Sunday, our immediate family on the day (St. Patrick's Day) and we celebrate with Jace's family today. Nice to have a birthday last a little longer. :)

On Linc's birthday we took a trip to the still quite wet local park. It was fun in spite of all the water and the weather was just great all week.

Here are some fun pictures from the park...







And a picture of Linc with his birthday milkshake. :)



Happy birthday my wonderful Linky!!!!!

The KING of Dress Up

Many of you who see us on a regular basis know that Jack is the king of dress-up. And it is all about the details and the accessories.

Most often he dresses as some sort of policeman but sometimes there are other outfits too. And very often (at least for awhile) the outfits revolved around his footy pajamas. Those are the pj's pictured above with the animals on them. We had to cut the feet out, he had worn them so long.

I thought I would showcase a few here. They will be sure to make you smile. :)



This is my favorite policeman uniform - most days he wears this. It has real county patches from a friend. I'm not sure why this day it also included, strawberry shortcake glasses and a lightening McQueen hat????



This is his Mr. Rob outfit. Mr. Rob is one of his teachers at church.



This is his Grinch outfit. Hence the mean face.



This is his Santa outfit. Yep, that's a dress that was Ella's. :)

I love you, creative boy!!!!!