Gingerbread Houses!

It's tradition in the Burnham family every Christmas to make Gingerbread houses and yesterday was the day! Everyone was able to make it, which was a miracle in itself ;0) as poor Rita struggled to find a day where we all could get together. Jaysen and I decided to ditch our ward yesterday and head on over to Jerome for church so that we could be there for the big event. Where we don't get out of church until 5:00 it really makes getting together on Sundays hard. So, we happily went to church in Jerome and were able to get out at a normal hour! ;0)

The kids had so much fun decorating their houses. Even the older ones got into it. This was Mackenzee's first year of really being able to participate. She came last year, but didn't really grasp the concept as a one year old ;0) and so she just played with Jaysen while Landon and I decorated the house. But this year, she got her own half of the house and did a great job! I didn't even have to help her beyond the icing. Landon did a great job on his half too, and I gave him the front of the house to make beautiful. He added candy cane light posts to it...it turned out cute.

Such a stud!

I just had to post this picture of Landon in his new "birthday suit". ;0) He looks so handsome.

Thanks to Lisa for cluing me in on where to find this awesome suit. I should have known that Target would have one for me at half the price!

Happy Birthday to Landon!

Though Landon doesn't turn 8 until the 23rd, but we had his birthday party with his friends today.

It was a GI Joe party, so we all wore camouflage and played "army" games. The boys (and Alyssa) had so much fun and it was fun to have them all over. One of Landon's friends, Ben, said at the end of the party that it was "the best day ever!" Made me feel pretty darn good! And Landon was lucky enough to have his cousin Austin come as well. He was so excited!

No...I did not make this amazing cake. My friend Alicia made this for me and I am so impressed! The kids gobbled it up! Thank you so much by the way! It was so yummy! The fondant was good too. The kids were worried because it didn't look like regular frosting and so I told them that it was marshmallow frosting. The only boy who had seriously dug into it said, "Yeah! I can tell!" the others quickly inhaled theirs right after that. ;0)

So, Happy early Birthday Landon! I can't believe you are turning 8 already. You are supposed to be my baby. And now you are getting baptized! Well, not until January, but still! When did you get so big? We got him a new suit and tie for the landmark birthday and I made him try it on. It made him look even older. It truly makes me want to shed a tear to think he's growing up.

Rock and Roll!

So, Landon was thrown a birthday party this last weekend with the Holtmans and came home with quite the new toy. He has been talking about wanting to play the guitar for a little while now, but I told him that he needed a few more years of piano under his belt before we jumped into the guitar. That way he would already be able to read notes and music and what not. He'd have a much easier time learning to play that way. Well, apparently they make a "Learn to Play Guitar" that you plug into your tv.

I'm thinking it's similar to the Guitar Hero game, but this guitar tells you the right spots on the arm of the guitar to push so that you are hitting the right note. You have to strum and press the right spot at the right time. It looks hard to be honest with you. But, he loves it. He strums and sings along. He thinks he is WAY cool!

I told him to strike a pose for me...apparently guitar players are tough. Did you know that?

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)