Riley's Potty Boot Camp

After having a friend share with me about Potty Boot Camp, I decided to embark on this experience with Riley and as I am sure that it will be full of laughter and tears, I decided to share the experience with you all.

We started off with a trip to the Dollar store to purchase rewards and supplies. Riley's own potty cup has been decorated with the picture attached to this blog. This cup is full of water and juice at all times.

Upon returning home, we went on an undies hunt where Riley was excited to find many pair of Grant's old underwear. He was very excited about Spiderman, Bob the Builder, construction, and cars. The pull-ups have been put in the bottom drawer for night time and Riley threw away the pull-up that he started out the day with.

Every 20 minutes we travel to the bathroom to give it a try. Riley loves to pee standing up like Da-da and does very well, but pooping is a whole other story. While hanging out on the toilet, we read stories, scream for fun, and do pretty much anything Riley wants to do (while sitting in one place).

So far we haven't had any messes, but when it happens, Riley will be in for a big surprise. He will have the priveledge to clean the mess and himself up all on his own (I will help him the first time and will do a secondary clean up there after). This should be an experience for both of us!

As you think about us the next couple days, please keep us in your prayers.

Fabulous Quotes by the Burns Kids

"I don't believe in anyone. I believe in the Holy Spirit!" said Lydia while mad at mom and little brother

"Jesus is the only real superhero and he could lift up a tree if he wanted to." - Lydia

"You ruined my life!" - Lydia

"I already know how cute I am." said Lydia after mom said, "You should go look in the mirror to see how cute you look."

"Look at my window, it is flushy out." said Lydia when it was slushy outside.

"Christopher Robin sailed over from Spain." said Grant while looking at his paper bag map (should have been Christopher Columbus)

"Ma DA-DA! Da MA-MA!" - Riley

As you can tell, Lydia provides us with plenty of verbal material and all of them give us plenty to laugh about.

Grant's Wife Wish List

The following is a form that Grant made (with only my typing help). He is only 7 years old and is wanting to make sure that "she" has all of the qualities listed below.

WHAT I WANT IN A WIFE
By – Grant M. Burns
1/12/2009

No Yes Maybe Do you believe in God?
No Yes Maybe Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins?

Courage
Kindness
Loving towards other people
Giving/Shares well
Helpful
Fun
Honest & truthful

Name: __________________________________
Birthdate:________________________________

SuperMom Janci by—Jason Burns

“I think she can I think she can.” Well, Janci did it and she is not any worse for ware. For any mother of three with as many hats as Janci has, that is impressive! The only consequences that can be found from another year as mom, wife and everything else is a period of time where her hair was straight (she claimed it was for her sanity) and a new tattoo (a great big S across her chest –ha ha). The cape is still on backorder. In fact, she can take a shower faster than Superman can change in a phone booth. So what all has she been doing? Well, other than running around like a speeding bullet in a green Suburban with three kids holding on for dear life, she has been working part-time as the business manager for Stayton Christian School and as an office assistant for Focus Heating. Time is carved out to serve each week with the junior high at church and was able to counsel with those same junior highers at Camp Tadmor for one week this past summer, help out at Winter Retreat, and go with the girls to the Revolve Tour. She also had the opportunity to take photos for people throughout the year, including family and Senior portraits as well as shooting a wedding. Her hobby business, PBJ—Photos by Janci, is finding her on the side of the camera that she likes. She also is spearheading a Pregnancy Resource Center here in Stayton with a passion to serve the community. So if you see a green blur going by, be sure to wave as it is Janci en route to take the kids to school or the library or some other important event. A picture would be included, but she does not allow photos to be taken of herself. And if there were to be any photos, they are destroyed before they reach the computer. But we did catch her in action just one time (see above, ha-ha).

The Burns’ Kids Corner

Grant is now 7 & 1/2 years old and enjoying a great year in first grade at Stayton Christian School. Although reading is a challenge for him, he says that it is his favorite part of school. Thanks be to God for a great teacher that is filled with patience and understanding. Grant started the year doing the AWANA program at home and has since decided that he wants to attend the weekly meetings and is doing great with his Bible memorization. For fun he likes to draw, write stories, play educational computer games, and ride his bike. Grant is a “golden retriever”, always making sure that everyone is taken care of and loving those around him.

Lydia turned 5 this past November and is in PreK at Stayton Christian School. Her class is combined with the kindergarten, so Lydia is learning a lot. She is starting to sound out words and loves to write. Her first word that she wrote was “watch”. On her own, she sounded it out and came up with “wotg” (pretty close phonetically). She loves to play with her dolls and stuffed animals. Anything that has a princess on it she thinks needs to be on her year round wish list. Rules and regulations govern how Lydia plays and relates to others. Towards the end of the summer, she learned to ride a bike without training wheels, but I am sure that she will need a refresher course once summer rolls around.

There have been several fundraising efforts that the kids have taken a part in lately. One afternoon during the summer they went door to door asking for spare change and pop cans to purchase gravel for a local small business owner that could not afford to fill the holes in her driveway. They raised $55 and were able to help spread the gravel themselves. During the month of October, they raised over $1300 through Biking for Bucks to support their school. This was a fundraiser that Poppa J and Granna sponsored and matched. Poppa J biked 798.6 miles to Half Moon Bay, CA and the kids raised pledges and donations. Currently they are giving from their weekly “commission” to support a pastor from Haitti and a teen from our church that is hoping to go to China for three weeks this coming summer. It is wonderful to see their enthusiasm to raise money in order to help others and show God’s love in tangible ways.

At 2 & 3/4, Riley has such a great sense of humor and attitude (both positive and negative). He loves to make you laugh and the most popular way is by allowing his sister to dress him up as a princess or ballerina with make-up and fingernail polish. If left in a forest, he would be able to survive easily. He is very resourceful and can get into anything if he sets his mind to it. For Halloween Riley dressed up as Charles, the newest addition to the family (a 4 year old beagle). At one point he was on his hands and knees chasing Charles around the house. It was sight to see!

10 Years Already?!

Jason and Janci celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary on 8-1-2008. Jason pulled off a great day of surprises that many of her friends have become envious of.

The day after their anniversary, Jason and Janci headed up the canyon for a day of adventure. Janci was unaware of what was in store other than that they were going to be getting wet and that they would be with someone they knew on a casual basis. Janci was thinking that they could possibly be going on a fishing trip, white water rafting, or learning to scuba dive. As they arrived at Detroit Lake, they walked out to the dock and there was a couple from church with their boat. They were there to take them tubing. Once lunch time approached, Jason and Janci were dropped off on the island where there was a table set up with roses, sparkling apple cider, food from Olive Garden, and candles! They enjoyed their lunch together and then proceeded to tube some more.

Granna & Poppa J had the kids for the day and night, so the happy couple headed into Salem for a movie and late dinner. Instead of going home to their unmade bed, they stayed the night at a hotel and headed home the next morning in time for church.

Not only did they get to have a great anniversary celebration in August, Jason and Janci also spent a week in San Jose de Cabo, Mexico in the beginning of November. Without kids, they went snorkeling, kayaking, cruising, and sightseeing on ATVs for four hours. It was very relaxing and a much needed time away!

Man of Many Hats (hard, baseball, cowboy, etc. . .)

Jason has spent much of the last year continuing to invest in his business, Focus Heating & Construction, Inc. There have been projects that range from heating to cooling, remodeling, and of course paperwork is always more than plentiful. The greatest addition to the Focus Heating business is the completion of the in-home office. The office now has carpet, trim, sheetrock, and paint! It is nice to feel like business can be conducted in a mannerly fashion.

Last March, Jason was able to surprise his in-laws with a home makeover while they were in Hawaii. The project was commissioned by Poppa J, Janci’s dad, and planned by Janci. Jason had already added a large family room to their new home, but it was yet to be trimmed out. During the sixteen days that Jay and Nancy were away, Jason installed new flooring, carpet, trim, and doors. They also received a whole new kitchen and carpet in the family room. A friend of Janci’s helped to “fluff” the house into beauty. It was a major undertaking, but their reaction upon arriving home as well worth all of the time and energy. Jay and Nancy are enjoying their new space and quite often when Janci wants to escape, she drags the family over join them for a Sunday afternoon lunch.

During the late spring, Jason dove headlong into the remodel project on his own home (the house Janci grew up in). For 10 weeks the Burns family was living in two different locations, with Janci’s parents and at the home of long time family friends. Jason was able to complete the addition above the garage, extend the back of the house, and partition off the dining room. It was completed with sheetrock and paint. He was a working fool! The house is still lacking flooring and some trim, but that will come in time as their money tree begins to bloom again.

Although spare time is sparse, Jason did take the time to climb Mt. Jefferson with Janci’s dad in September. The goal was to summit the mountain, but due to inclimate weather, they spent their time hiking around the base and playing a lot of cribbage in the rain.

On Sunday mornings Jason can be found in the foyer of Foothills Church making sure everyone that enters is welcomed. Tuesday mornings he is at the church by 6am for Men’s Fraternity, a meeting of guys learning how to glorify God in all the areas of their lives. Wednesday nights he leads our small group which has grown from 7 to 12 in the past couple months. God is alive and active!

It has been a year full of hard work and in the midst of it all, Jason has made time for the family he loves and the God that he serves!