Random Thoughts

It's been a crazy 6-8 weeks for our family. Started with pneumonia in November and progressed to what we thought were common colds that have left both Mike and I with "plugged" right ears for over 6 weeks, fluid in the ear and nothing they can do to relieve it. I've tried everything I've read about, you wouldn't believe some of the things I resorted to using just to get it to pop. But alas, it still hasn't popped and I'm done putting odd liquids in my ear. I've tried a bunch of Chinese herbs given to us by a friend of ours and every homeopathic treatment I've come across, but nothing helps, not even the antibiotics prescribed by my doctor (I feel I've given it a good try, attempting every form of treatment and not being picky). It started out really annoying and now is just part of life. It's amazing how we adapt and make the most of our circumstances, I think it's just human nature and a blessing from God. I only really notice it if I'm in church or when Mike and I sadly attempted a dinner date and ended up both using raised voices just to hear each other, it was quite funny to watch I'm sure of that.
Random thought #2
I've been thinking a lot lately and I've come to realize over the past few months just how careful we need to be in where we allow our children to go and spend their time. I have to say that there have been some eye opening moments of late that have left me to think "THERE REALLY IS NO SUCH THING AS BEING TO OVER PROTECTIVE" when it comes to your own kids. I am amazed at how the standards vary from home to home. Even people who appear from the outside to share the same values and standards as we do in our home have come to surprise me. My children are truly the safest in my own home, and I'm going to do my best to make it that way for all the children who come here.

I've also come to value even more the importance of being at home with my kids. In a world where careers for women and the phrase "MY TIME" tend to take over mothers lives. I see an even greater need and importance for me to be at home with my kids. In all honesty there is NO WHERE that I can go, nothing I can be doing outside of my own home that even compares to what I do IN my home. At times it may seem like a huge sacrifice to give up the "girls nights, dinners, parties, get together invites, showers, luncheons, fund raisers, etc." But looking back on each of these events that I chose not to attend, I wouldn't trade my choice to decline and spend that time with my children.

As they say "there is a season" and I know that there will come a day when I don't have little ones in my home, when I have much more free time to choose to spend doing those things that seem to make me happy. For now my children are my life and I have to remember that they are what is most important and my time with them can't be replaced and I can't pay someone to give them what I can give them. It feels really good to know that I am needed and as a mother I truly am needed, no one can give my children what I can.

My children will be grown and out on their own before I know it. For now I am more than happy to be here with them, day and night. How else would I ever see the pain or needs on their faces if I'm busy scurry about to my own events and desired destinations? Being a stay at home mother is not easy but I know at the end of the day it's where I am supposed to be and being able to say I tuck my children in, kiss them good night, wake them and feed them 3 meals a day may seem trivial to some, but to me it's the greatest blessing in my life. I love what I do, every tear, every smile, every hug... it's so worth it. No career could ever compare or give me more satisfaction than this!

A New week, full of thanks!

I'm so grateful to be starting a new week! The kids are all on the mend. Hailey is still suffering with some minor asthma issues but nothing that requires a 6th doctor's visit in less than 2 weeks! I'm so glad for her and for me! I'm so thankful for a sweet husband who let me sneak away to see my movie on Saturday... a much needed break and may I just say... mind you I know that I'm a 33 year old mother of 5, but to repeat my friend Lynaya "that Taylor is just pretty", I agree... and from the gasps and giggles that came from the tween/mom crowd of the theater they seemed to agree too :)

Oh, how I look forward to this Friday, I like Thanksgiving but I'm just not that into "fancy" food, it's over rated in my book. I enjoy a good meal, but something about standing on my feet for 8 hours straight preparing everything really doesn't appeal to me! Then there is the 10 minutes of inhaling and it's all over! Oh the joys of the feast!

What I am looking forward to is getting out my Christmas decorations, cutting down our Christmas tree and all of the music and smells that lead up to Christmas! I made My husband a promise that I wouldn't decorate before Thanksgiving (I did one year and it really took away from our Thanksgiving day... so I'll wait, just 4 more days!).

My list of Thankfuls!
-My Sweet, loving, thoughtful, helpful, handsome and respectful husband! Mike I love you!
-Beautiful, mostly healthy, helpful, loving, kind, happy, silly and thoughtful children! I love you Faith, Hailey, Noah, Ammon and Elizabeth!
-Employment, when so many friends are out of work, how grateful I am that we can provide for our family.
-Fall, I truly love the beauty that surround me this time of year, the smells, the colors Everything!
-My knowledge that I am a child of God, I can't imagine my life without knowing this, it makes me who I am and lead the choices I make each day.
-My parents, who love me and support me and my siblings every day!
-Mike's parents who love and support us even though we took all of their grand kids 2,000 miles away.
-My siblings, for always being there to support and love each other.
-My "other" family here in NY who allow me to lean on them and help me when I need it!
-My sisters in the Gospel, who teach and show me how to be better every day!
-My Savior Jesus Christ, for his example, for his love, for his church!

And many more to come!

More Elizabeth!

She's growing like a weed, still so sweet, still so loved (more loved)! Grandpa Ray and Grandma Linda are here for the week and the kids had fun in the sprinklers with Grandpa!

Snow Fort Fun!

A work of art! This has to be the best snow fort the Connors Family has been part of! The neighborhood really did a great job on this and it's still standing!

SNOW!!!!

Ammon Napping while his siblings play in the fresh snow...

My idea of snow shoes... kinda drafty!
Noah and his pink cheeks really loving the snow and the fort!
Faith adding to the huge fort!
Hailey checking out the outside of the fort! Our Neighbors were over for some snow fun!

So the weather man said 6-7 inches.... well that's what I shovelled at 7:30 this morning... and went down again around 1:00 pm this afternoon and took care of another 4-5... and it was still snowing when I came in... I poured lots of salt on the driveway and walk ways... hopefully that will do the trick!

I ask again... WHERE IS SPRING???????

Easter Help

Yikes, I know Valentines day was just yesterday but I've been starting to look ahead to next month.. Easter is early this year, and I'm determined to do something besides CANDY this year... we've made it a tradition to put coins and a few $1 bills in the eggs instead of all candy but still I really want to come up with something unique and fun for our Egg hunt this year. If you have any suggestions please share!!! It's hard to balance holidays with family tradtions... religious meanings and feel like I've suceeded. We do our Egg hunt on Saturday because growing up my mother refused to mix the "fun" Easter celebrations with the "true" easter celebrations so even though the "easter bunny" visited all of our Mormon neighbors on Sunday, he always came to our home on Friday night... looking back what a wonderful lesson this has taught me, and now with my own family I've continued it as well. The world is so full of "stuff" that I feel the need to seperate the 2, the holiday from the true meaning of the season... we do the same thing if Christmas falls on Sunday, Santa visits Friday night that year. I think for me it's been important to teach my children the difference between what the world celebrates and what we are truly celebrating during this very special holidays.

Spring where are you?

I don't know if it's just me or if EVERYONE I know is really sick... it is so crazy to me. There are so many different illness making the rounds I can't keep up... Throwing up... fevers, sore throats, coughing, aching, sneezing, barking, crying, whining... it's every where. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Connors family is going to stay healthy for a while now... I think a month of the ups and downs of such a variety of illness is more than enough for one family.

So I ask the question... SPRING where are you? Please Spring hurry and take away the mucky, yukcy, wet and cold weather that seems to be lingering longer than it should. PLEASE Spring, find us. Yes, I am fine with the fact that the day after the 1st day of Spring I will turn 32... at this rate with all of the sickness and germs the aging process seems pretty trivial... I'm wishing for you to come QUICKLY... please...

Helping with the neighbors dog!

Hailey Petting Bono after taking him for a walk, Jillian watching ready to play

Hailey taking care of Bono

Ammon pretending to be a puppy like Bono. He has also started giving "puppy kisses" (licks)Puppy wants some of the popsicle
Summer means lots of popsicles on a very hot day!SUMMER IS almost half over, my goodness how time flies!

Swimming

Faith & Ammon, Noah on the steps with the Noodle and Hailey Diving (her favorite thing to do)

Ammon really wanted out at this point and was NOT happy that I was taking this picture!

Hailey, Faith holding Ammon

Faith & Ammon, Noah and the Noodle

Ammon really wanted OUT!

Ammon Splashing Faith

Noah's float suit didn't fit, so he used the noodle to splash his sisters!


The kids had a great time swimming in our friends above ground pool yesterday. It was nice and refreshing, in the awful heat! Thanks Joanne and Jillian!

Park in the HEAT, HUMIDITY and YUCK!

Noah at the Park (look at that red face) Hot and icky NY weather!

Sweet Ammon peeking through the play ground to find mommy!

Faith on her way to Basketball Camp

Ammon (1/2 of him) Hailey (Vica and Connor friends from church) and Noah all climbing!

Hailey, NOAH!

I think this was the first time that we went to the park and the kids kept asking when we could go home. It was so hot nearly 100 degrees but the humidity about did us in. The heat is bad enough but with the humidity everything is sticky, your hair, your body, your clothes stick to you, it seems harder to breath and it just really was awful. Unfortunately for the kids Faith started her Basketball camp and I wanted to watch her play so we were there for nearly 2 hours, even at 7 pm it was still Icky! Faith was the only girl at the Co-ed Basketball camp apparently 2 others had signed up but weren't there the first night. Hopefully on Thursday at least one of the others will show up. She is doing well, learning how to play as a team, pass, shoot, dribble and a few plays. Hopefully she will stick with it and enjoy it more.

Back to Work

Faith ready to pounce, Ammon egging her on, Hailey ready to protect Ammon and Noah getting got by Dad!!!

Gotcha Noah Grant!!!! HA HA HA said Dad

Hailey watching Ammon Fly with Dad while Noah lurks ready for his moment!

Well, Mike is back to work after being home for 11 days straight (I think that was a record for him). He has been having bi-weekly appointments for the post surgery follow up and so far so good. He had to have a bunch of Gauze stuck in the right sinus because it was growing together, sounds pretty uncomfortable doesn't it!! Hopefully that will be removed tomorrow and he can be some what normal again.

Maritime Aquarium in Connecticut

Ammon the Turtle
Ammon the BIG turtle (Hailey on on the side)
Celeste the Turtle
Faith the Turtle
Hailey the Turtle

Mike, Faith, Hailey and Celeste checking out the fish, none of them would turn around for the picture, and I even asked...

Ammon trying to touch the stingray, Faith watching him...

Our friend Celeste from Church invited us to the Maritime aquarium

It was a fun day, the kids really like the aquarium. It really

made us appreciate the AMAZING Long Beach Aquarium of the

Pacific that we were members of in California.
It was still fun for the kids, especially Ammon, he loves Fish.