Burnham Family photos 2007

We just got our pictures back from our photo shoot a few weeks ago. So, I thought I'd share. We were able to get Mackenzee to smile (after several shots), which I was worried about. My "Jessica Wall" has been officially updated. Newer, cuter, capture the moment pics. Love them! Here are the "formal" pics.

Kenzee just doesn't sit still so poor Jessica was running around after her trying to nab a good shot of her. Kenzee would find a spot that she liked, pose (for two seconds), and then go pick another spot. This one turned out super cute. Shows her little dimple and everything.







Actually...this one of Landon is the one I took in October down at Shoshone Falls. Before his hair got so shaggy it drove me crazy! It was another month after I took these pictures before we had our photo shoot so you can imagine how long it was in the front. I tired to spray it down, as it tends to go everywhere when its long, but then it just looked wet. Sigh. This is the second time he's wanted to grow his hair out so that he can look like a skateboarder. Is that what a skateboarder looks like? I didn't know that. He does look so handsome in this picture though...so at least we got something. Especially after I forgot it was picture day at school and the school photos turned out HORRIBLE! Long hair, going everywhere, and an old worn t shirt. Yeah. Good job on that one mom!

And then, our family picture. Honestly, it's not my favorite of all time. But it works. I feel like Jaysen's arm completely covers me, it's a family picture with my head poking out from behind. Oh well. At least everyone is smiling and looking forward.

And...I can get last years picture off the wall! Yay! Not a huge fan of that one. And now we don't have to take another family picture for a while. It's done!

What Were They Thinking?

Sigh. It WAS a calm Sunday morning. The kids were playing. Jaysen was back in bed and I was reading the newspaper. Good stuff. Landon runs up the stairs asking me if I have a box big enough to turn into a house for him and Mackenzee to play in. There is no such box at my house. Disappointed, he goes back downstairs with Mackenzee trailing behind him.

A few minutes later I hear..."This will be a perfect turbo shoot for us! Come on Kenzee!" After investigating I find my children with the box that holds the Christmas tree after it is taken down. I had put it in the basement after putting the tree together. His plan, had I not foiled it, was to have them both climb in and then slide down the stairs in it. What??????? I told him that I was going to need the box after Christmas was over, so he was out of luck. (Here I was thinking I had made it impossible for him to "turbo shoot" down the stairs)

Again....a few minutes later he brings the box that Toby's doghouse had come in up the stairs (not sure why Jaysen put it down there instead of in the garbage) and wants to know if I "need" that box. What is a mom to do? I don't need the box. At all. So, I tell him I don't need it for anything. The turbo shoot is back. Of course, he decided it first required some decorations. So, Kenzee and Landon took some markers to it and made it "beautiful". Landon added some flames. Sigh.

At this point Jaysen figures out what is going on and gets all excited about it. "This is the kind of stuff we did as a kid!" So, he got a knife and cut holes in the sides of the box for handles and made sure we used EVERY pillow in the house to use as padding at the bottom of the stairs. He even had to try it out first to make sure it was "safe". I think he just wanted to relive his "glory days". ;0)

So, we load Landon on and push him down the stairs and there was no turning back. Even Kenzee wanted in on the action. Yes, my two year old! (though with Kenzee Jaysen only let her go from the halfway point down the stairs) They even made me try it. Seriously...it's not my idea of a great time. But I'm a playful parent...I like to have fun with my kids. So I went for it. Once. That was plenty. Though I did get a round of applause from the kids ;0) Sigh. They'd still be going at it if it weren't for nap time. And now Jaysen thinks it needs "improvements". He wants to "fix it up". It's a box for heaven's sake! Boys! They are crazy!

I Told You So!

Today is the first day of December! We are officially in the MONTH of Christmas! And, miraculously, even with today being a Saturday, we truly had NO plans for the morning or afternoon. So, I reminded Jaysen that there were oodles of Christmas lights in the garage waiting for him to hang on the house. His reply, "It's only going to be like 30 degrees today. It's too cold." Sigh.

Let's flashback two months ago. It's October. Still pretty nice weather outside. I mention to Jaysen (A couple of times!) that perhaps he should get the Christmas lights hung before it gets too cold outside. I even remind him of last year when he waited until December and froze to death hanging the lights.

I have no pity for the man.

So, there he was this morning. In the cold, stringing lights. Complaining about how cold he was. So, I enlisted the help of the kids (after bundling them up sufficiently) and we went out to help.

I can't say that anything looks professional. Especially the bushed done by my son. BUT! The lights are up. We are festive! Not anything like my Grandpa's....but it's ok. ;0)

Go Tigers!

Ok...I realize this picture is her Volleyball picture. But, I don't have a basketball picture yet. ;0) At least you get to see what she looks like. :0)

Last night was the big rivalry game between Jerome and Burley. Burley has been ranked #1 this season, but the Tigers haven't lost a game yet. So, last nights game was huge! I'm so sad that we had to miss it, but luckily the games are on 1400 AM and so we were able to listen. Talk about a finish! Burley chucked a shot from half court at the final buzzer and actually made it. This tied the game up and threw it into overtime. But, Jerome wasn't going to let them get on top....heck no!

Final score...55-52. The Tigers won! Congrats Jordan! We are so proud of you!

Santa wrote my son a letter

Yes...it's true. See for yourself. ;0)

He mailed a letter all by himself to Santa several weeks ago. He wanted to get his request in (for a Wii) early so that his name would be on the top of the Wii list. He put it in an envelope, licked it shut, addressed it to Santa Claus, North Pole, plopped a stamp on it and put it in the mailbox himself.

So, you could imagine his surprise when he brought in the mail for me today and there was this envelope with his name on it amongst the junk mail. When he read who it was from he started yelling excitedly. He couldn't even get the envelope open. I made him read it out loud so we could all hear what Santa had to say to him. Because, honestly....not every kid gets a letter from Santa like this! ;0) Did you know that Santa has a Wii too? He plays "reindeer games" on it. I had no idea....

We had piano lessons tonight and he wanted to make sure that we took it to nana's house so that he could show her and have her read it. And, the first thing he wanted Jaysen to know about when he walked in the door after getting home from work was the letter.

I guess Santa Claus is really coming to town! You better watch out!

It's Snowing!

Ok...not really. Landon was so excited to wake up to snow yesterday morning. Again...not quite enough to do anything with, but still...snow! So, I decided that when he got home from school, we should just make snow of our own! Sadly, my son has never made a paper snowflake! I remember making them ALL the time when I was little.

Anyway...we had to wait for Jaysen to get home to help since there were scissors involved and OF COURSE, Mackenzee was going to need to "make" one as well. (She did more tearing than cutting). But, it was a fun evening for us! Landon made some really great snowflakes and was excited to learn how to do it. And so that it could look like it was always "snowing" we hung them up in the front window for all to see.

Good job Landon!

O Christmas Tree!

So, I was a bit of a slacker this year. Normally I put my tree up the day after Thanksgiving to kind of kick off the Christmas holiday. But, with family in town it just wasn't going to happen. And, more importantly, Landon was gone. So we needed to wait for him.

So, yesterday I hauled out my tupperware containers full of my Christmas stuff and started digging out the tree decorations.

We use a fake tree. Real trees give me a rash on my arms when I decorate....so no real trees for me! I honestly don't mind. To get a nice real one you have to fork out mucho dinero! And though I know we all have extra cash lying around this time of year...I just can't bring myself to do it. Anyway...by the time I put the tree together, branches and all, and then spread out the branches, and then put my 8 strings of lights on (at least 8!) it takes several hours. So, if I'm putting this much time into it....it's got to be up for a LONG time!

So, I get the tree all ready....lights, garland, angel on top (with Mackenzee "helping" with the lights).....and then I tell Landon it's time to decorate. He doesn't want to. What? I LIVED for decorating the tree. It had to be done JUST SO. No two ornaments right next to each other, and proper spacing was required. (I know....but I can't help the way my brain works!) So, I started decorating without him. Halfway through, he must have seen how much fun I was having and decided to join in. My ornaments are not properly spaced. ;0) I'm ok with it. :0)

So, the tree is up! Does this make it official? It's really Christmastime?

BTW....I stole this great idea from my sister in law Jodi. She buys her girls a new ornament each year, and then when they leave the house to be on their own...they'll have their own set of ornaments to decorate their tree with. Good idea huh? So, we started this tradition this year too. I'm sure you can tell which ornament belongs to which child. ;0) I've even got a miniature tree to hang their special ornaments on, which Landon thinks is awesome!