It's a Love/Hate Relationship

Go Herrons!

That is the name of Landon's soccer team this year. Doesn't sound very fierce does it? :0)
Landon has been really excited for this year in soccer because he's got his two best friends on the team, Cole Dixon and Hatim Eujadyl. It was fun to watch them play together because all three of them have the same approach to soccer......watch your teammates do most of the work and occassionally get up enough steam to to kick the ball every now and again. :0) OK, so it's not really as bad as that. All three of them got in some good kicks last night and Landon worked a lot harder in this game than I remember from previous years. He didn't score a goal, but then again, he only played forward for one quarter.

Doesn't he look like he is working so hard? :0) Because there are 11 members on his team and only 7 or 8 spots on the field, a few kids have to sit out for one quarter per game. During Landon's quarter out he was attacked by a swarm of little girls. Maggie gave him a good spanking. I'm sure he deserved it. :0)
Anyway...this was just the first of 8 games for this season, so we are just getting warmed up here. Landon is dying to score a goal, so hopefully he gets one in. We'll be rooting for him!

2008 Photo Shoot

Yes, my friends, it is that time of year again. School starts and the new crop of school pictures are taken. As I am a slacker mom, I tend to completely forget about picture day at school and Landon ends up with crazy unbrushed hair or wearing one of his shirts designated only for outside play at home. You know the shirts I'm referring to right? :0) So, in an attempt to create the illusion of perfectly groomed children, we usually have them done outside of school. Last year I got brave and took the kids down to Shoshone Falls and tried to nab pictures of them. After an hour of taking photos, I ended up with some really good ones of Landon....and that's about it. Mackenzee was a bit trying {to put it nicely} and none of the shots of her worked out. So, though the formal shot of Landon last year was professionally taken by yours truly....we had to have someone else take Mackenzee's picture. Sigh.
This year, I resolved to start a bit sooner, before it got too cold outside. So, I took the kids out to Jerome to Grandpa Burnham's farm on Friday and snapped away. Oddly enough, this year I got so many adorable shots of little Mackenzee, and the ones of Landon were not so great. He's started doing this weird thing with his chin when he smiles and so not only does the smile look totally forced, but he looks like he's got a double chin. :0) Yes, my child that you can count the ribs on looks like he has a double chin. Crazy, huh? Oh well. We'll have to try again with him.


This one was the best on I got of him, and though he looks insanely handsome, I'm not loving the hand positioning.
This one is going to be blown up and framed. Sure, it's not an uncommon sight to see Kenzee loving her mommy, but Landon.....that's a different story.

Are you ready for some football?

Today was the first Bronco game of the year. Boise State University played Idaho State University. Oddly, though we cheer on BSU in our home, my cousin plays for ISU. So, we rooted for the orange and blue, but cheered for one player on the opposing team as well. :0)

Being the fan that Jaysen is, he wanted to have a kickoff party. So, we invited oodles of people and made oodles of food and got ready for the big game.

Do you think we had enough to eat?
On top of the snacky foods, Jaysen decided to break in his new charcoal grill. Apparently the nice gas grill he got for Father's Day last year wasn't going to cut it. :0) {Pictured are Rob, Jaysen and Ryan}

Unfortunately the game was fairly boring as BSU was ahead several touchdowns by half time and ISU wasn't ever able to catch up. Humorously enough, we had ISU alums at the party rooting for their team at the party too {It was Zach and Holly...not that I'm naming any names here...}. :0) I'm thinking perhaps they should have chosen the BETTER team. :0)
The kids had a great time playing outside and in the play room in the basement. Mackenzee was in heaven having so many friends over. As usual, she was sure the party was for her. :0) {Pictured is Cole who decided to make a funny face instead of smile}
Here are some of the kids messing around in the play room. {Logan, Jackson, Landon, Shelby, Maggie, Breanna, and Mackenzee}And, as usual these girls were inseperable. Mackenzee was so excited to be able to finally wear her new BSU cheerleader outfit. She even begged to sleep in it tonight. But, as I have told you all before...I'm a mean mom, so she had to change to jammies. :0) Jaysen has got her saying, "Go Broncos!" and "Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.....touchdown!" all while shaking her blue and orange pom poms. He's already brainwashing her. :0)

Maggie was Mackenzee's quarterback and looked super cute in her little football uniform. It was so nice to have so many kids around that were close enough in age that they each had a playmate to goof around with.

All in all, I think we ended up with about 28 people at our house. It was crazy! But, we had a great time and were so glad we have such good friends to share in our good times. :0) So, we have now officially moved on from weekly golf league to weekly BSU games. It's never ending around here, but it's fun to have something we can enjoy together as a family. {Even if I don't really care about the game even the tiniest bit....}

I have a 3rd grader?

When did he get so old? When did I get so old? Sigh.

Today my baby started another year at school. But third grade? That means he's halfway through his elementary years! Sixth grade will be part of the middle school then, so after this year there's only two more left at Morningside Elementary. For him anyway. As soon as he leaves Morningside, it will be time for Mackenzee to start kindergarten....and then we'll start all over again. :0)

Last Hurrah of the Summer

The last time we went to Bass Lake, I was the only girl to get IN the water. Sure, some of the gals got in up to their knees...but that doesn't count in my book. :0)

My friend Montay even told me that she was going to come and do a cannon ball with me off the dock, but alas....she did not. I told her she was bluffing. She said she really intended to come in....so I called her bluff. I told her to prove it. :0) Aren't I a stinker?

So, I told her that the next day that her hubby, Rob, had off we were ALL going down to Bass Lake for a little dip in the water. NO chickening out this time. We went down last Friday {August 24th}. Wanna know if she did it? Keep reading.....
This is why it's called Bass Lake...I think. No matter...there are fishies in this here water. Landon asked me how the fish knew not to come into the swimming area they have roped off down there. :0) I asked him why he would think that there were no fish in the swimming area and he looked at me with a look of shock as he realized there WERE fish swimming WITH him. :0) Good times....
All those in attendance came suited up to get wet. Even little Sadie was in her adorable little bathing suit. She LOVED the water too. She sat, and then walked through the water and thought it was so great. The other little girls had a great time digging in the sand and splashing around on the shore. The boys {including Jaysen and Rob} swam out to the dock, but Rhett was content to stay with the little girls. Such a handsome kid!
Here are Rob, Cole, Jaysen, and Landon jumping off the dock together. Love this shot! :0)

Landon was dying for me to get a shot of him jumping into the water, and when I said yes, he really made an effort to look good for the camera. Isn't it a fun shot?
Rob took his boys out for a canoe ride as well. It is so pretty down there, I really have enjoyed the time we've been able to spend down there.

And now...for what you've all been waiting for.....{drumroll please}

She did it! Kudos to Montay for proving me wrong. :0) This shot is too funny....we are both mid-inhale and have the faces to show it.
Montay, I cropped this picture just for you. Because I love you. :0) But seriously...don't I have great cannonball form?

Any of you that are wishing to out splash me....bring it on. :0)

Thanks for a fun night at the lake Dixon's! This was probably the last time we'll make it out there this year as school starts tomorrow and the lake closes down next weekend. :0( Off to the next phase of the year. It's kind of sad to say goodbye to summer, but I'm ready for school to start and for the routine of the school year. It doesn't mean that it has to start getting cold though......

Landon's turn

I did this with Kenzee a few days back and thought it would be fun to see what Landon had to say as well. It will be obvious to you what his mind is usually focused on. *sigh*

1.What is something mom always says to you? "No"
2. What makes mom happy? "When I'm good and take care of my sister"

So how come we struggle so much in that area?
3. What makes mom sad? "If I'm mean to Kenzee and put her head under the water a lot."

After which he looked at Kenzee and said, I love you sweetie! Yes, yesterday he almost drowned his sister at Bass Lake. He is still feeling the effects of the lecture he got from his mom apparently.
4. How does mom make you laugh? "tickling me"
5. What was mom like as a child? "good and respectful"
I'm going to let him continue thinking that FOREVER!
6. How old is your mom? "29"
7. How tall is your mom? "42 inches"
8. What is your favorite thing to do? "play video games"
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? "play with Kenzee"
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? "movie star"
Is he saying I'm overly dramatic?
11. What is your mom really good at? "Yoga on Wii Fit"
And let's not forget about Hula Hoop!
12. What is your mom not very good at? "Wall climbing"
Yeah, but just wait until I get bit by a spider and become Spidergirl!
13. What does your mom do for her job? "gonna be a feelings doctor"
14. What is your mom's favorite food? "fish! {he laughs} you totally eat cereal a lot"
Isn't he so funny? He knows I don't like fish. And, as I said before....I've been eating a lot of cereal lately....
15. What makes you proud of your mom? "when she let's me play games a lot"
Really? That's it?
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? “Minnie Mouse because you are both talented at gardening and like to be cute."
Interesting explanation on that one....
17. What do you and your mom do together? "play Wii Fit"
Are you starting to see the trend here?
18. How are you and your mom the same? OK...he seriously had to think for a LONG time on this one. Afterwhich he finally said, "I don't know...play outside or something"
Apparently we are just SO different that it's hard to find any similarities between us.
19. How are you and your mom different? "I'm good at video games"
20. How do you know your mom loves you? "She gives me hugs and kisses all the time and I HATE IT!"

Doesn't it just make your heart melt?