The Force Is With Us

We are trying this new parenting technique in our home. Every day if the kids do the chores required of them they get a sticker on their chart and if they get a certain amount of stickers in a row then they earn Smiley Faces (I know what you are thinking Burton Clan - but it worked for us didn't it). Well Anne had earned enough smiley faces to choose something to buy. She has really been wanting a Light Saber. A Light Saber you say - isn't that more of a boy toy? Now let me explain. Star Wars in our home has become the new "in thing" Because Zac has been off work this week they have been watching it a lot. (I only let them watch it with Zac around) So off to Walmart we went while Zac was in the Priesthood Session on Saturday to get Anne her blue Light Saber. Two Walmarts later we met with success. Pictured here are some of their recent battles with the evil Lord Sith, Daddy who asked how much the Light Sabers were because I think now he wants one too.

These are their best Jedi faces - I asked them to smile but they said Jedi don't smile.

Chocolate muffins and General Conference

We have a tradition in our home. Because we live in Hawaii, General Conference starts bright and early at 6am. We watch it on the internet and are able to watch it when ever we want to throughout Saturday and Sunday. The one constant though it Costco muffins. Friday before conference I buy the pack of delicious muffins to eat during the Saturday and Sunday morning sessions. We set up a card table in our computer room and dine in...the kids love it, I love it. Plus as a added bonus the kids are sitting still and listening to the speakers, well at least until they are filled up with chocolate muffins (their current favorite).

Kaneohe Bay

My family is in town this week. Zac is off this week. Anne doesn't have school this week. So lots of fun to be had this week. Today we rented a Pontoon boat at Kaneohe Marine Base and we drove it out to the sand bar in the middle of Kaneohe Bay. We were a bit down hearted that it would dare rain on our fun but soon the kids were in the water and not minding a bit. (Pictured above is our fearless captain - Zac)

Left Picture is all of us just before we had to leave our sand bar. Right picture is the family plus a wonderful bonus - Uncle Rob visiting the island also!

This is the actual beach they used to film the opening credits in "Gilligan's Island" Not much to look at eh?

Can't pass up a beautiful view!

All the gang in the water...minus me of course! Isn't it so neat the kids could run out in the middle of the bay?

Grandpa Howie, Anne, and Andrew and their sandcastle.

Now the thing about this sand bar is that it just drops off all of a sudden. So everyone had a blast running then jumping in.

Funnies by Andrew...

Today I had a check-up at Tripler Hospital. In case you didn't know it, Tripler is pink. Yes, the whole hospital is pink. So driving down the hill to the hospital you really can't miss it. Actually you can pretty much see Tripler from anywhere on our side of the island. The kids always get a kick out of pointing out where Dad is from way over by our house. Anway, as Andrew and I were driving down the hill today he said, "Look it's the place where Daddy lives!" I just had to laugh because sometimes it does seem like Daddy lives at the hospital and visits us at home - we love all his hard work - and we all love when he "visits" us at home!

YMCA!!

So a few weeks ago I joined the YMCA. It has been great so far. Andrew and I go every morning after we drop Anne off at school so as not to get distracted with anything else. They have a fabulous child watch center there which Andrew loves...he calls it his school. So far I have tried a few of the classes. My favorites so far are the Pilates and the Hi-Lo classes. Hi-Lo is pretty much a flash back to when I was a kid and my mom would turn on Jane Fonda and we would dance around the living room...only harder. This week I have been taking advantage of their machines up stairs. I love the bike and the treadmill - mostly I love being able to do both! Yes, I do have my own treadmill...but does it have child care? No. All the machines have TVs attached which has been nice. A friend came up behind me while I was on the treadmill and started laughing. She found it humorous that I was watching the Food Network while exercising. I call it motivation!

Dancing Queen

I had to share this video I took the other night. Anne was sitting on the couch reading when the music changed on our MP3 player (previously it had been calming music). Well you can see what happened!

Happy Labor Day!

The kids and I set out early this morning knowing that we needed to get to our favorite beach early if we wanted to get a parking spot...but alas we were too late, the spots were already filled and at 8:45am! So we turned to the next best thing...the pool.

I have to say I am missing the days when we used to just get up and go swimming at the pool or beach. Ever since Anne has been in school we have missed our spontaneity. Today we swam and swam and swam. Actually I had a hard time getting the kids to leave but I knew we had reached the time quota and our sunscreen soon would protect us no more. Love the pool - love the sun!

My Little Girl

My Anne has always had a flair for the dramatic. From the day she was born and she let out her first wail I knew she was always to let me know where she stood and what she wanted. She has never let me down in this regard. Since she has been in school Andrew and I have missed her so much. Andrew especially. I took him to the zoo the other day while Anne was on her first school field trip and after I asked him if he had fun. He looked at me and said, "No mommy. I wish Anne was here." She has a magic to her. I would rather sit on my couch and watch her dance and sing than any movie. Someday I expect I will sit in a theatre and watch her do the same thing. I look forward to that day.

I let her try on a few of my things today...she starts strutting around saying "Look at me! I am a movie star!" Zac of course says, "She is your daughter Joy." I can't help but smile.

Water Slide!!!

We just discovered the pool and water slide at Schofield Barracks. Oh my goodness, we sure have been missing out for the last two years! Anne was able to go down the slide by herself because she can swim really well and I took Andrew down on my lap. We were so excited to get the picture of Andrew and I (pictured below). The only bad part was when we had to leave...there were so many "just one more time Mom" I just stopped counting. I think Anne has found her new favorite place to go.

2007 Pictures

Anne and Andrew Turner 2007. I know we all have terrible memories of our parents making us go to a studio to have our pictures taken. I always promised that I would never do that to my kids and yet there I was pulling my kids into the local Sears to document yet another year's passage. Anne and Andrew really were such good sports. Both were wonderfully patient with a photographer who really didn't know what she was doing. I give full credit for these great pictures to my extremely obedient children...ok, I did promise them a bit of a treat if they smiled. But that is just positive reinforcement right?