Wow...I look kind of scary in this picture now that I see it up close. :0) It was one of my no makeup, don't do my hair days. You know...my usual. :0)

I don't have oodles of pictures of me and Mackenzee and so was so excited to see that this one ended up in my camera after the holiday weekend. I am usually the one taking the pictures. So, even though I'm scary looking...which is not so rare of a sight...the picture is a rarity. She's a doll. Everyone says she looks just like her mom...but based on this picture...I'm not seeing it. :0)

Time to play catch up

Has it been crazy for everyone else? Holy cow!

I figured I needed to hurry and catch everyone up on what has been going on this last week.

We started out on Tuesday night with Landon's piano recital. My mom decided to forego the Christmas recital this year and hold it in November instead. The theme was American folk songs relating to patriotism as this year was an election year. So, songs like 'God Bless America' and 'Yankee Doodle' were played. Landon played Yankee Doodle Boy, County Fair, and then You Are My Sunshine with me as a duet. He worked so hard on all of his songs and did such a good job! You Are My Sunshine is one of the lullaby's I sang to both my kids when they were babies. Mackenzee still requests it. So, it was really nice to be able to play that one with Landon this year. County Fair was played by four kids at once, on three pianos. They each have their own part and so the song ends up having the main melody with three different harmonies playing along with it. They did SO good with their counting and were able to stay together through most of the song. Landon enjoyed having his cousin Taryn to play next to as well. At the end of the recital my mom played a medley of different patriotic songs. It was amazing. I haven't heard my mom play like that in years and I know it's hard for her to do. She did beautifully and everyone around me was in awe. {I'm not kidding mom!} It was good to have her students hear it too because not all of them knew she could play like that. :0)

Wednesday night my siblings showed up for the Thanksgiving weekend. My kids were DYING from impatience. We just love having family come and visit and end up practically living over at my mom's house when they are here. We don't get to see them nearly as often as we'd like and I know the kids miss their cousins immensely. They don't get to chat on the phone or swap emails with each other like us adults do. :0)

My whole family {minus a few kids who were with their mom this year} was able to be here for the holiday this year. So, Landon got to hang with the boys and Kenzee got to run around with the little girls. She was so excited when her "nana nana" got here. That is her nickname for her cousin, Savanna, whom she adores. I'm pretty sure she would shrivel and die without her. :0)

Of course, Thursday was Thanksgiving and we went to my Grandma Casperson's house for the day. She roasted an amazing turkey. There was so much food there, it was insane! Everyone filled their tummies, and then filled their tummies some more. Of course, my neices and nephews filled their tummies mostly with my mom's layered jello salad. They can never get enough of that one. :0)

Thanksgiving night is the official lighting ceremony for my Grandpa Casperson's outdoor Christmas display. He has been working for months on it and the kids were SO excited for him to turn them on. Mackenzee couldn't wait, so I took her and her cousin, Alina, out for a walk to check out the displays before it got dark.

When the clock finally struck 5:00 pm it was time! Everyone went out to see the lights on and to see what additions my Grandpa had made this year. He has something new every year and has added so many lights over the years that he actually decorates the entire street. It is awesome. The kids were amazed at the display and oohed and aahed at all the lights. The boys decided to play "statues" afterwards, which involved them posing behind the displays on the front lawn when the cars drove past. Even Shelby got in on the fun and had the boys walk up and down the street singing Christmas carols.

On Friday night my sisters and I went to go and see the movie, Twilight. I won't go into detail, but let's just say that I enjoyed the company, but the movie was kind of lame. It definitely did not do the book any justice. Afterwards, Jaysen, my brother, brother-in-law and my sisters brother-in-law {did that make sense?} went to go and watch a movie of their own. Apparently they didn't want to be left out. :0) This only meant that the kids felt they were being left out of the movie loop. So they were promised a movie night the next day at my mom's house too.

Saturday afternoon, though, we had a birthday party for my neice, Greta, and my nephew, Riley. Greta turned five this last week and Riley turns four on Wednesday. I can't believe they are getting so big. It's crazy!

When we were done, my sister Crystal had to get home. After saying our goodbyes and giving hugs, the rest of us girls went to get the boys their movie and a promise of movie candy was made. Each kid was promised they would get their own movie-sized candy. Holy cow...there was a lot of candy being passed around. The girls piled all of their onto a blanket like they were having their own little candy picnic. Of course, due to the rush from the sugar intake my little Mackenzee and her cousin Alina went psycho! They were running around screaming and giggling. It was crazy! But, they had so much fun together.

Saturday night was our night to say goodbye as everyone was heading home the next day. Though it was a whirlwind of a weekend, we enjoyed seeing everyone. With the Christmas holidays now in full swing, I don't foresee things slowing down any time soon. It's time to break out the Christmas music and to wear our pretty Christmas dresses. :0) Landon is already playing Christmas carols on the piano and we are putting up the tree tonight. Tis the season!

Just say no to weirdo freaks

SO, after much deliberation and discussion, I have decided to go private. For those of you wanting an invite, please let me know and I will add you to the list. If you are not sure if I have your email address, please add that info to your comment so you will be sure to be included.

I figure it is better to be safe than sorry. My kids are so dang cute, but the pictures I take of them are for me and close friends and family members. Not for weirdo freaks who stalk blogs looking for cute pictures of kids. :0(

If anyone is unsure how to set up a google account in order to gain access to my blog after receiving an invite, let me know and I can help.

Thanks all!

A Happy Working Song

All right, everyone! Let's tidy things up!

Come my little friends As we all sing a happy little working song

Merry little voices clear and strong

Come and roll your sleeves up,

So to speak, and pitch in

Cleaning crud up in the kitchen As we sing along

Trill a cheery tune in the tub As we scrub a stubborn mildew stain

Pluck a hairball from the shower drain

To that gay refrain Of a happy working song

We’ll keep singing without fail Otherwise we’d spoil it

Hosing down the garbage pail And scrubbing up the toilet

Ooh!How we all enjoy letting loose with a little"La-da-dum-dum-dum"

While we’re emptying the vacu-um

It’s such fun to hum A happy working song

Hmmm

A happy working song

You can do a lot when you've got Such a happy working tune to hum

While you’re sponging up the soapy scum

We adore each filthy chore That we determine

So friends even though you’re vermin We’re a happy working throng

Singing as we fetch the detergent box

For the smelly shirts and the stinky socks

Sing along

If you can not sing then hum along

As we’re finishing our happy working song!

Ahh...Wasn't this fun?

One of our favorite movies around here is Enchanted. {Landon would never admit that though} If you haven't seen it, you are truly missing out. It is such a fun, cute story and the songs are just awesome. As many of you know, I keep my iPod hooked up in the kitchen so that I can sing and boogie while I cook and do the dishes. Mackenzee has been requesting "A Happy Working Song" from Enchanted for the last several weeks while she "helps" in the kitchen.

Well, miracle of all miracles.....Landon hopped up from the dinner table tonight and asked if I would play it for him too. He then proceeded to grab the bottle of cleaner and a towel and not only clean off the dining room table, but he took care of the stovetop, kitchen counter, bathroom, walls, and back door. Of course, Kenzee pitched in and they had such a ball singing their happy little working song OVER AND OVER while they cleaned "crud up in the kitchen". I honestly think they were disappointed when there was nothing left to wipe off. :0)

Who'd have thunk it? Both my kids...cleaning...together...happily....while singing merry tunes.

This may have been a once in a lifetime thing.

Or maybe I need to find more happy working songs. :0)

Private thoughts

So, I am thinking of turning this blog into a private one. I haven't fully made up my mind though. I love that so many family members and friends have been able to look me up through my blog, and obviously each of them will recieve an invite to keep stopping by, BUT I worry about how much personal stuff I share on my blog. Too many crazies out there.

I like to use my blog as my family journal. It is a place where I can quickly jot down the moments in life that tend to be forgotten. Still, they are sometimes personal and I don't like that any random person can have access to my "deep" thoughts. :0)

So, the struggle to decide lies within my worry about lurkers vs. my worry about family still feeling like they have easy access. Those who are not so computer literate may have a hard time with the whole logging in process.

Give me your thoughts. What do you think? Should I keep it the way it is or should I lock this baby up? I've been doing this for almost three years now and have never worried about it until now. Sigh. Dang crazy people anyway!

What's That? You want a muffin?

Yesterday was a busy day in the kitchen. As I said before, I am trying to get my "homemaker" ON. I canned 52 jars of peaches a while back, and then last week I did 21 pints and 10 quarts of applesauce with my mom. I still had apples left over even after all that canning, and so I decided to can them as just sliced apples that can be used later for yummy apple desserts.

Aren't they so pretty? And...they were super easy too. My mom has this fabulous contraption that not only peels the apple for me, but cores it and slices it at the same time. Each apple only took about 20 seconds to do. Even Jaysen was amazed and intrigued. :0)

And, because Mackenzee BEGS to get her bake ON almost every day, she helped me make cinnamon chip muffins last night. When I saw her grab the muffin tins like this I had to take a picture. She makes me laugh so hard. :0) My dear Landon was excited to help as well, but opted to use up one of his video game days instead. The stinker.

Philadelphia Chickens

Have you ever heard of this book? It's actually a song book with a CD of the songs included. Jaysen's mom bought it several years back for the grandkids. Now that most of them are "old", or at least thinking they are "too old", for singing and dancing through the living room, Grandma Burnham passed on the book to Mackenzee on Sunday.

We popped in the CD while we were there and Mackenzee fell in love with the songs and the pictures in the book. She even got her older cousins to play along with her. I wish I had taken my camera so I had documented footage of the little boys shaking it with Kenzee. :0)

Since bringing home the book, Mackenzee has taken over the CD player downstairs and cranks up the volume while she twirls around the living room.

Obviously, she has taken a liking to this book of silly songs about cows, and puppies, and chickens. So, thanks Grandma! She loves it!