Meet the O'Connor Family

After all of my posts, I've realized how little I have said about my family. They are included in posts here and there, but I thought now would be a great opportunity to introduce them to everyone out there. They are all a bunch of amazing people, and they are always there when I need them.

These are my parents Mike and Rhonda. They're pretty much the greatest parents ever. They've been married for almost 28 years and were married in the Idaho Falls temple. They started our family in Salt Lake City but moved back up to Idaho Falls after 7 years when Amber and I were two. Dad owns his own cabinet business called O'Connor Fine Cabinetry where they specialize in custom cabinets for kitchens, bathrooms...you name it! The business has been around for about 4 years and doing awesome. When Dad actually has spare time he likes to watch Jazz and Utah Utes games, check in on the news, and of course hang out with his wife and kids. Mom keeps busy with all the yard work and getting Adam where he needs to with school and such. And she takes care of the rest of us, so you know that's got to be a head ache! She's also the Sun Beam teacher in her ward. Mom loves to read and spend time with her family. This picture was taken at Hard Rock Cafe' in New York City.

This is my older brother Aaron and his fiancee' Britney Clemens. They were engaged March 14th and are planning on getting married June 21st. Aaron is 25 and owns his own business called Vision Construction. It is a fairly new business but he has proven to be successful thus far. He's a huge Laker fan (which pretty much means the NBA finals are crazy for our family every year) and he also likes traveling. Britney is 21 and from Cedar Hills, Utah. She also likes sports (and is incredibly supportive while the Lakers play, especially when they lose.) :) Britney comes up to Idaho Falls every other weekend to stay with us and Aaron goes down to Utah on the other weekends to stay with her family. It's been crazy, but they make things work. We love Britney, and we're so excited for her to become a part of our family! I totally stole this picture from Britney's blog so thanks, Brit!

Amber (my twin sister) and Che' Miles were married September 22, 2007, in the Idaho Falls temple. This picture is one of their engagement photos. They met working at Carino's a few years back and were really good friends. They eventually started dating, and the rest is history. They now live in an apartment in Idaho Falls off of 17th St. and Hoopes Ave. Amber is 23 and my best friend. We've done everything together since the day we were born. Then she had to go get married on me! Just kidding. I was very happy for her on her special day. Amber likes to hang out with her mom and sisters, watch movies, "Friends", and "Grey's Anatomy", play games, go shopping, and lots of other things. She just got a job in admissions at Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls so this week will be her last week at Carino's. Che' is 24 and originally from Shelley, Idaho. His parents recently built a new home in Blackfoot, Idaho. He likes cars and pretty much anything that has to do with them. He also likes watching movies and hanging out with friends and family. Che' works at A&H Supply in Idaho Falls. And I'm so glad he's my brother-in-law, I couldn't ask for a better one!

And I'm Allison, as I'm sure most of you already know. I'm 23 and a junior/senior at BYU-Idaho majoring in communication with a minor in business management. I'm on the summer/fall track so I just started classes up again about a month ago. After some recent changes in my life I decided to move back up to Rexburg instead of commute from home for school. I live on top of the hill right next to the Rexburg Temple and it is so much fun. I have five roommates that come from all over the country, and they're so much fun. I've been working at Carino's for over 6 1/2 years and I still love it. I have so many friends at Carino's, and a lot of different job areas. And it pays for school, so you can't get any better than that. I love writing, singing, playing the piano, spending time with family, and many other things. One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is bake. Not only is it incredibly fun but it is a huge stress relief when I need it the most. I am going to have the fattest kids ever because they're going to be getting homemade chocolate chip cookies all the time. I love traveling, working out, watching movies, and I love the TV shows "Friends" and "Grey's Anatomy". This picture was taken at the temple after Amber and Che' got married last September.

This is my little sister, Amy. She just turned 19 on May 3rd. She is so much fun, I don't know what our family would do without her! She's a hoot. In the picture, she is seen with Rachael Ray at Madame Touseaud's Wax Museum in New York City. Amy is currently attending Evan's Beauty College in Rexburg and is considered as one of the top students. She does an awesome job. So for anybody who wants to get their hair or nails done over there, ask for Amy! She will be finished in January. Amy likes to spend time with her family and also hang out with friends. She also has a lot of love for her two cats, Snoopy and Cubby. She's been working at Carino's for a couple of years as a hostess and she really enjoys it. Amy has such a bubbly personality, and I can't imagine our family without her.

Adam is the youngest in our family. In the piture, he's on the Circle Line Tours boat going around Manhattan. He'll be 17 on the 15th of May. He is a junior at Lincoln High School where he has awesome grades and lots of friends. He plays drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar and is really good at all of them. He also plays in a band and they are really good as well. Adam likes to spend time with his friends watching movies, going out to eat, and having band practices or doing shows. They've been pretty successful so far with all of the invites they get to perform in the southeast Idaho area. I can't believe he's going to be a senior next year!

And of course I can't forget about our cats. Snoopy is the fluffy white one and she's 11. Cubby is the Siamese and he will be 2 on the 21st of May. So there's quite an age difference between the two of them. They've both been great additions to our family and a lot of fun. The'yre both very sweet cats and we love them.

So that's our family. I love these guys and I don't know what I'd do without any of them! It's been fun having a new brother-in-law who was a friend of mine before, and also having the excitement of gaining a sister-in-law. My family is the greatest!

_______________________________

Just for fun, here are some random photos of our family from various times. Enjoy!

Mom and I in Times Square, New York City - July 2007

Aaron on the Circle Line Tours boat on the Hudson going around Manhattan - July 2007

Adam in Hard Rock Cafe', New York City - July 2007

Amy and I waiting for the Hill Cumorah Pageant to start in Palymyra, New York - July 2007

Aaron and Britney in Utah - April 2008 (another picture I stole from Britney's blog. Thanks again, Brit!)

Mom and Dad with John Wayne at Madame Touseaud's Wax Museum, New York City - July 2007

Amber and Che' coming out of the temple on their wedding day in Idaho Falls, Idaho - September 2007

Amy, Amber, and Adam in Times Square, New York City - July 2007

Amber and Aaron on the U.S.S. Constitution ("Old Ironsides") in Boston, Mass. - July 2007

Our family in Palymyra, New York, right outside the Sacred Grove - July 2007

I love my family. I feel very blessed to be a part of them. I am so lucky to be so close to my family and for us to get along so well. All of us (including Britney) were able to be together on Mother's Day and it was so much fun. We also had Grandma and Grandpa Murri over. We had a bbq and enjoyed one another's company - and it was so great! Sunday's are the only time our family is ever all together so we try to get together whenever Britney is in town.

I love my family more than I can express in words. I am grateful to have been brought up by such amazing parents and to be so close to all of my siblings. I love you guys!