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