Puddle jumper

We had a cloudy (and still a bit warm evidenced by Connor being in shirtsleeves) day after an overnight rain. Connor had fun splashing around in the various puddles in our yard.

Live Nativity

Sunday evening Connor and I went to a Live Nativity. Ammon was feeling sick and didn't want to be out in the cold. Our Stake puts on a live nativity every year out behind our ward building. They go all out with elaborate sets, real animals (donkey, sheep), and all the characters. Connor was just mesmerized by this real presentation that we've only read about. He delighted to see Mary on the donkey led by Joseph, couldn't wait to see the interaction with the innkeeper, gasped when he saw the star light up and the angel appear, he had some cute little comments when he saw the shepherds and then the wise men approach. He was so reverent as he talked about baby Jesus and how he loves babies. I was so pleased to see his obvious delight. He loved it so much that he insisted on staying to see it again. After that he wanted to see it again but we went ahead and left.

Sorry Mary and Joseph's eyes look a little demonic. I tried my best with the red-eye reductor.

Final scene complete with the innkeeper looking on.

Connor enjoyed seeing the sheep after the performance (he's in the blue hoodie).

Personal Update

I feel I need to open up a bit more and let you know our family- struggles, scars and all. I'm wanting to treat my blog a bit more like a journal than I have so far so forgive me for my excessive babbling.

A dear friend of mine emailed me for an update on our lives. Besides what she reads on the blog, she wanted to know a bit of our personal goings on. Here's a bit of what I said and thought I'd share it with you all.

"For the most part, we're doing alright these days. We've been doing lots of projects, I keep busy with my calling and also organizing our ward playgroup. Connor and I go to our playgroup as well as another one plus we try to get out to something else several days a week. I think it's really important for him to have this socialization since there are no siblings yet to fill that need! Connor is also in preschool a couple days a week which he loves. Hopefully it'll help him be ready for all-day kindergarten next year. I can't believe it- both that kindergarten is all day (this is the only option in AZ) and that he'll be old enough to be in kindergarten!! My baby is growing up! I can't believe you used to watch him when he was an infant. Wow, how time flies. And look at your family- when you were watching Connor, you only had 2 kids- then along came 3 more miracles-- just amazing. Your family is an inspiration.

Update on the baby front for us- you know we started all the testing in CO. Then since we moved here, we did a little with my OB-GYN. That failed and we put off seeing a specialist because it would be a huge expense, all out-of-pocket. We've been seeing a reproductive endocrinologist for a couple months now. He said our chances are extremely good to get pregnant because neither of us have anything wrong with us. That's just the most annoying diagnosis you can get "unexplained infertility"- it's so frustrating because there's nothing you can do! We're trying various interventions before we do the very costly invitro-fertilization, which the doctor said would have a 95% success rate for us considering "no problems" and my age being under 35. I have a friend I walk with that went to him and had triplets! Ammon and I are hopeful (multiples would be very welcome at this point because we have such a huge age gap with Connor almost being 5). We'll keep you posted!"

As many of you know, and the others that surely have figured it out, that we have been experiencing "secondary infertility." We have been trying to get pregnant again for over 4 years. It's been extremely frustrating but I know God is in charge. Looking back, I can see it's been a learning experience. It's made me go to the Lord much more earnestly than I had before. It's helped me understand the Atonement so much more. Christ suffered not only for my sins (and everyone else's) but for my heartache and anguish over disappointments, sadness I feel, struggles, fears and so on. He truly gets it and can help me through anything. I have felt strengthened and I know everything will be just as it should be. Thank you all for your love and support.

Polar Express

On Saturday, we went to the train museum where they had a 'Holiday Express' celebration. Connor loved seeing this huge train.

They had smoke blowing out of the top and real train sounds (that's why Connor's covering his ears- it was very loud). Kinda reminds you of the Polar Express train. They even did a reading of that classic story along with other Christmas stories for the kids in the museum.

Inside the museum, Connor loved seeing the ABC's on this wheel. It was a demonstration of the old Telegraph and Morse Code system used by the railroads before telephones were invented.Connor had fun riding the kiddie train.
I love seeing the train depot in the background.

Then Santa and Mrs Claus arrived-- on a Harley!! Check out Mrs Claus' red fishnet stockings! My friend Teresa wouldn't even take a picture; she thought it was a bit too raunchy. Yeah, I agree. I just thought it was funny. Connor and Scott were occupied at the craft table so they didn't see Jolly Ole Saint Nick's biker chick showing some leg.

Thankfully that skirt came down to her knees so I felt comfortable letting Connor get his pic with them.

Cute little pedal pusher train car they were raffling off. Connor thought it was adorable.

Handy Manny

I have to explain what he's wearing and the bucket next to him in the previous washing machine/"tv" post. He's dressed up like Handy Manny. As soon as we read his Handy Manny book, he went to change his clothes and get his "tools." For the hat, he stacked up some stools and clothes to get daddy's hat from the top of his shelf. He was quiet for a few minutes so I went to find him. I couldn't believe he could reach it and not fall! He was so cute going around the house "fixing" things. He'd saw and hammer and measure things as he was fixing. So cute. In the Handy Manny book we read, Manny spoke on the phone to someone needing his help. Here's Connor "taking a service call." He had a whole conversation with them; much of it was the dialogue from the book. I tell you, he's an actor! He knows lines to things he's read and seen better than anyone.
I just love how his little butt looks in these Levis jeans! I love how little the jeans are and how cute he looks when he's in them. :)

Look what's on "tv"

I was doing laundry the other day and Connor said "mommy, do you want to come over here and watch a scary movie with me?" He was referring to watching our washing machine! We have a front-loading washer that he thinks looks and sounds scary when it gets to the spin cycles. He's hilarious! He just sat on down and ooh-ed and aah-ed at every sound the machine made! And then there were the boring parts.

He's pretty engrossed in this movie. (Check out the cute underwear hanging out).
What, who's back there?
He'd also make funny comments like "mommy, my ball jammies are on tv!", "there's a snake in there!- oh never mind, it's a belt."

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

'Tis the Season

We decorated for Christmas last Monday for FHE. We had a great time. Connor is at such a fun age where he loves everything holiday. His pictures usually reflect this. He's been drawing lots of pictures of the nativity, a book about "the baby" meaning baby Jesus, and Christmas trees. We set up our new pre-lit artificial tree. Connor wanted to make it look just like the picture on the box complete with presents. We didn't (and still don't) have any wrapped presents to put under the tree so Connor improvised. He was cute "wrapping" up presents and bringing them to me to open. He would find various tins and decorative Christmas boxes and put found items in them (ex: his piggy bank coins in a box with sequins on it in the shape of a tree, his stuffed animals inside clear bags (hmmm, wonder what that is)). I'm glad he's in the giving spirit rather than the "I want" mentality (I think we can credit that to not having tv- we only watch movies or tv shows we like on DVD that we buy or check out from the library).

At the end of the week, we went to our ward Christmas party. I arrived early to help my YW set up the Santa room then rushed home to get the ham and homemade rolls we signed up to bring. Once there, we could finally relax after a crazy long day- this was the day Ammon installed the new door and in the morning, Connor and I went to a kids' symphony performance and out to lunch with his friend Scott and his mother. We had a good time.
Both Ammon and Connor had parts in the Christmas program. Connor sang "Away in a Manger" with the other Primary children. He loves this song. He's been singing it all week.

Ammon also had a part singing with the choir. (Back left).

Then Sunday after Church, our ward did a service project for the Giving Tree. This is an organization that receives no government funding (refused actually because they want to integrate God in helping people). Many ward members brought food and the rest of us served it, helped sort donated clothes and canned goods that were distributed to the homeless that came for the meal. The sweet old lady (she's gotta be 90 years old) that organizes this has done so for 19 years!! She provides a meal to the homeless every Thursday and Sunday evening never knowing where the food will come from but the food always comes- isn't that awesome?! Our Church recently found out about this organization and has been doing many service projects on ward and stake levels to help out. Serving there will be something ongoing that I can have my YW help out with too. For those of you in Tucson, this is a great way to help out and get in the giving spirit. It will probably also help calm the "I wants" from your kids because of the need they will see around them. It was good for us to bring Connor as he and Ammon mingled amongst the homeless seeing kids and families that didn't have enough for their needs. What better gift can you give your kids than a compassionate heart?

A window becomes a door

After dropping off the babysitter last Thursday night, I came outside to be near Ammon as he set up the tent for his weekend backyard campout with Connor. I pulled the sliding glass door closed behind me and it LOCKED! We couldn't believe it! We tried all the doors and windows, even those upstairs. Ammon said our house was very secure (comforting but not what you want to hear when you're locked out). We had no luck getting in so Ammon asked "so is it cheaper to get a locksmith or to break a window?" I had him try a little more and then finally we decided to break a window. Ammon broke the one into our bedroom that is just above our covered porch. This window he had eventually planned to turn into a door for a balcony off our room. He just hadn't planned to do it so soon. But, "necessity is the mother of"...home projects that your wife has been nagging you to do...So that was Ammon and my project for Friday and Saturday. He had me go to the store to get the door and supplies (for some reason, he hates doing this and I love to shop so it works out) while he cleaned up the glass that shattered everywhere in our room. He also went to get some free firewood for our fireplace. The "free" part usually involves lots of labor which he says he loves.What's on the tarp is the new addition to our woodpile.
Glass everywhere. Later there will be dust everywhere from all the cutting to get the window out and the door in.
Starting the project with the reciprocating saw we rented from Home Depot. The one we got actually stopped working so we didn't have to pay for the rental and ended up borrowing one from a friend.

These saws are such great tools; they can cut through anything. Proof: cutting through the window pane.
My man doing some manly cutting down the stucco (read "concrete"). He tells me he actually loves these sorts of projects.
The door is IN!! I'm amazed he was able to get from window to door so quickly. Good job honey!
From the outside. We obviously still have some work to do including the trim, door knobs and locks, railing and the balcony flooring but it's taking shape. Can't wait!

Playhouse

Connor loved this huge dishwasher box from getting our new appliances . As soon as I had the dishwasher out, he grabbed a butter knife and started cutting out the windows and door. He has enjoyed moving the little house all throughout our house.

(note: when you get new appliances, your delivery guy only "installs" the range and fridge-- that means they just plug them in! uh, thanks guy. They don't install the dishwasher or microwave so, I installed the dishwasher and Ammon and I together installed the microwave, a 2-person job after I installed an outlet for the microwave. The old one had bare wires and the new one, a plug. Projects, projects.).

Wildlife Museum

For our playgroup this week, we went to the International Wildlife Museum. This place always intrigued me with its castle-like exterior and ivy-covered walls but in the time we've lived here, we have never visited. We went with another friend and her son that also had never been, although they live nearby and have lived here all their lives! The mom said she worried about the stuffed (taxidermy) animals scaring her son. In reality, the kids loved them! Connor even asked to go back again to "the place with the stuffed animals and the bridge."Here he is on the bridge outside.

We went there for their kids' program. They read a story, do a craft and have a real creature encounter. This month they brought in a lizard. I think it's called a bearded lizard (the same used in the movies "Holes" and "Nim's Island").
Aw, my cute little lion.

Going into the "ferret hole." This became a favorite spot to return to again and again. You can see Connor's "tail" tied around his waist. He was still pretending to be the dog.The legs of this life-size (not sure if it was real) giraffe are a little bridge that the kids can walk under.
Touching the cool giraffe legs. This place was all fairly kid-friendly.

Can you see where Connor is hiding in this picture?Connor using the alligator as a balance-beam. The Bengal tiger behind him was hunted down after it killed and ate some 60 humans!!

The boys playing a big drum.