I Hate Snow!

OK...so maybe hate is a strong word. We woke up to snow on the ground Saturday morning. And luckily it melted off of the roads quickly. It stuck on the grass though. Which again...is ok I guess. Landon was gone this last weekend and so I didn't pay much attention to it, though we did go buy Kenzee a pair of snowboots. ;0) PINK snowboots. Of course.

Anyway...it has snowed pretty much all day here. Soft, white, fluffy snow. It is pretty. I will admit that. So, it's time for Landon to get home off the bus and I thought, "We should go out and make a snowman." Keep in mind...I don't like snow. I want nothing to do with it. It's cold, wet, slippery....you get the idea. But, I'm trying to be a playful parent here! So, Kenzee and I bundle up and when Landon got home, we went out to make a snowman. We start with the base of it and Landon is telling me that he wants it to be as tall as he is. Now, when I say "we" started, I meant that I was starting and he was watching. So, I told him to get with it and start getting snow on this snowman. After three handfuls of snow, he wanted to be done because his hands were cold. What? Of course your hands are cold! Your playing with snow! Sigh. So, our snowman shrunk to a midgit snowman shorter than Mackenzee and Landon watched Mackenzee and I finish it. Sigh. This experience only made me dislike snow even more! Bah Humbug!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Tuesday is Grandpa Burnham's (Jaysen's dad) birthday. So, we went out today to wish him a happy birthday. The kids love going out to Jerome to visit. Especially little Mackenzee. She has adored her grandpa since she was just a little baby. He knew just what to do to make her smile. Still does. So, Happy Birthday Grandpa! We Love You!

There's a new game in town!

That's right! I am so pleased! As most of you know, we have a DVD player in our car. It's one of the reasons we bought this specific car. Until we had it, Mackenzee screamed nonstop whenever we went anywhere. She does not like to be buckled into anything! Anyway...though I do enjoy having this option..it does get really old listening to Dora over and over and over again. So, every now and again I turn it off and it becomes "mom time". The kids are never happy when its mom time. But, they get over it. So, last week, we were driving home from Jerome and I wanted to listen to my Christmas music. Of course, the kids immediately requested the DVD player to be turned on. I tried to suggest that they look at the Christmas lights as we drove past them, but they didn't seem too interested. So...I told them it was a new game. Much like it's cousin game "Slug Bug", the person who sees the Christmas lights first gets the points. But, no hitting is involoved. You simply yell "Light Bright!"
Can I just tell you how fun this has been? I get to listen to my Christmas music, and the kids are still enjoying themselves in the car. Of course, this only works at night when the lights are on, but still. Actually, Mackenzee has been the instigator of this game since Wednesday. Even if the DVD player is on...I will hear "Yigh Brigh!" And the game starts all over again. She's really good at spotting the lights too. But, of course, Landon always wins. :0)

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!