Sometimes its easy being Greene...

Zaney from the Zane!!

2011-06-07T19:46:00.001-07:00

Check back often for more Zaney from the Zane!!

This is my Monkey Man! We see this face alot.....so will you!

Anyone who has spent 5 minutes with my family comes away thinking the same thing, "Zane!" Each of my children are fun and friendly. Zane just seems to stand out in the what he says and does. He is that child at the grocery store in a Flash costume, or that kid who goes toe-to-toe with Bill Cosby and says some funny stuff! Hopefully this post will grow as we remember more and experience more of these Zaney Moments!

What really can be said? Yes, that is Zane. No, this isn't a punishment.

Leave my yard, says Yoda!

Neighborhood kids cut through our yard from time to time to take a trail through the woods. One day a group of kids cuts down our hill hung out in the woods for a minute and came back through the yard and onto the street. Zane watched them and finally flew out the door to chase after them. He was going through a huge Yoda phase at the time...picture him in Yoda garb, a gnarled stick for a cane, and very little 4 year old chasing down 3 gangsta-looking teenagers. And you now ask, "Did he talk the Yoda talk?" My reply....o yaaaaa!

This is the result of Zane feeding the cats...they LOVE him!

The Green House Brown Family

A couple of houses away from ours is a green house. It sits at the top of our cul-de-sac and its where Zane takes his bike to the top of the hill to ride down. One day he went out to ride....as a pirate. Zane returned quickly and irritatedly asking me to help him find his Batman costume. I asked what was wrong, but he only ignored me and grumbled something about "they won't talk like that to Batman."
I watched Zane hop on his tricycle and tear tread up our street to the green house, where he hoped off and headed on foot up their driveway. And he was MAAAAD! And he was telling the teenagers that lived there what-for! I had no idea what he was saying but knew I needed to call him off! So I yelled for him to come home. He turned, said "WHAT?!" Then he dropped his head as he walked dejectedly to his bike and rode home.
As Zane got home, he let me know just how angry he was that I interupted his ride of revenge. He told me the kids had just made fun of him because he was dressed up as a pirate. I told him that that will happen if he wants to walk around in costumes, and people will stare and say things. However, if he likes it then he should do it and cannot go yelling at big kids. He turns and is obviously upset and says, "Mom! I have to defend myself! You have to let me defend myself! I don't like the green house brown family!"

I told you! Its almost like his face is stuck this way!

Must've Been The Raccoons...

Tim left for work one morning, only to return 2 minutes later....carrying a mangled bike helmet. Zane's mangled bike helmet. Zane was laying next to me in bed (wasn't time to wake up yet) reading a Lego magazine. Tim tells Zane, "this is why you need to put your stuff away." Zane replied (without ever taking his eyes off the magazine) "I know Dad. I will Dad." Tim leaves, he's late. Zane then puts the magazine down and turns to me....."I KNOW I put that helmet away. It must've been the raccoons." And he continued to read....

He's Got Your Back, Mrs. Ortiz!

One of my favorite stories from this school year was retold to me by his teacher, Mrs. Ortiz. It was calendar time as the kids in the Pink room sat at Mrs. Ortiz's feet. She began by asking questions about the days of the week, getting the kids to conclude with this particular day's name and why it was her favorite day of the week. As Mrs. Ortiz lead the children to the answers with great questioning skills, various kids were yelling out of turn...they were still in training. When the question was asked, "Why was Friday Mrs. Ortiz's favorite day of the week?" Zane was sitting closest to his teacher and mumbled to himself...."So she doesn't have to hear YOU yell out for two days..."

He LOVES Mrs. Ortiz. Its an unbreakable bond....she will have him next year! Yay for looping!!!

Arrrrrgh!
Everyday for the past month or so, we have heard tails of adventure and intrigue from my son's Kindergarden class. He has had us sitting on the edge of our chairs at dinner with tales of Capt. Barnacle!! And then we dress like him! (Note to Ortiz...he'll do and learn ANYTHING, if there is a costume involved!)

An Oxymoron???

This isn't a tale from Zane as much as it is a need-to-see visual of our Zaney Zane....

I believe this is what learn-ed literature folks might call an oxymoron.

We do CrAzY cute!

2011-06-04T21:10:00.002-07:00

We never know what we are going to get around here on any given day. We could be all business one day, superheroes the next, and colorblind the day after. We ARE CrAzY......and we certainly are CuTe!!!

Sophia had to wear her bathrobe.....HAD TO! And I just HAD to document her clothing choice to prove an argument I just know we will have later.

A pink boa...its ALL that has to be said!

I am not sure when they outgrow the dress up phase...but we are ready for blackmail! O wait. If we post it now then we won't be able to threaten to later, hmmm. O WELL! Isn't he cute?

She's not crazy....she's just adorable! Little Emma is now 4months old!

And Zane! He takes crazy and cute to a whole new level. He is into several things as of late: creating paper battle armor (we go thru ALOT of loose leaf and tape), weapons and warfare of any kind, his flag shirt, and Book of Mormon stories about warfare. On this particular day he was portraying a warrior of the Lord-check out the crest on his sheild! CTR? Its short for Choose The Right.....or else?

2011-06-04T21:10:00.001-07:00

Meet the Emma-bug!!

2011-05-29T20:12:00.001-07:00

We have no pictures of her after her birth...we forgot the camera in our hurry!

Emma Leona Greene

This little girl has brought excitement to our family since the moment we found out we were expecting her. I was certainly in denial that I was expecting, especially since Julia was only 4months old! I began to not feel very well around my birthday last July which got me thinking, "Could I be...." Nah, couldn't be! The pregnancy test didn't agree and threw a plus sign at me! (The nerve!) Almost immediately I experienced some bleeding and I assumed I had miscarried. However, when the problem continued I thought something very wrong was going on...cancer, soft spot, unexpelled tissue.... So I marched right into my doctor's office and told him something was wrong...I had obviously miscarried and still felt awful, something was wrong!!! Apparently, I was to be the day's entertainment.

I was immediately sent for an ultrasound. And the ultrasound tech said, "Uh.....uh.....let me check....Uh, there's a baby here!" She laughed and jokingly called me Myrtle, "Ya, know like Fertile Myrtle!" Oh, I knew what she meant....I just wasn't in the mood to laugh. After a few minutes alone I had composed myself when in marched the Great Bald Wonder, "Priscilla! You really do love me, don't you? You just can't stay out of my office! Before you tell me you aren't sure how this happened, I have charts and diagrams....I can explain." Like I said, I was entertainment. Honestly, babies are great news. I was just overwhelmed with the idea of how to care for 2 babies since they would be less then a year apart. I also felt bad that Julia was getting shortchanged on her babyhood. My worries seem so ridiculous now, because 2 babies are my new normal! I can't imagine my days without them!

The arrival of Emma had surely surpassed the excitement of the knowledge of her impending birth. Just after Christmas we learned that I had placenta-previa. This is a potentially dangerous condition where the placenta covers the opening of the cervix. My condition can be blamed on the repeat C-sections from Zane, Sophia and Julia's births. I was immediately put on bed rest....and blamed for the further balding of the Great Bald Wonder...it was the LEAST I could do! Bed rest was exciting (not) and I learned how to let go, let others and trust that God knew better than myself of how things were to work out. I also learned how loved I was by so many. I had more helpers than I could schedule, more phone calls then I could answer, and my fridge was always full!! I was able to see how seriously my extraordinary husband takes his roll as caregiver and provider. I hated being dependent, but I grew t0 cherish the experience and the new perspective it brought me. I was scheduled for my C-section on February 10th, and couldn't wait!
Really. I couldn't wait! I woke early in the morning February 5th, in labor and bleeding very badly. We kept calm and quiet as we got ready and found a friend to come be with the kids. Tim rushed me to the hospital, while I made a few phone calls....the doctor, my mom, my besties. So, I had the hospital on standby, my mom "in-the-know" and calm, but no answer from either of my best friends. I did get a text from Emily's husband, Jeff, asking if all was okay. Strangely, it brought me peace as Jeff went through all the "doctor" questions and then insisted on waking Emily so she could call me. I was in some strangely calm, quiet place. All I could keep thinking about was whether or not I had felt the baby move. I wasn't sure, and I kept praying.

Once we arrived at the hospital and made our way to the maternity floor, the rush kicked into overdrive. The first thing they did, because I started to panic because I could not remember feeling the baby move, was to put the baby heartrate monitor on my belly before I had even sat down on the bed. What a huge relief to hear that heartbeat!! I settled back and let everyone do their thing while I gazed back and forth from Tim's face to the heart monitor. As long as both were there, I could remain calm. Tim kept things very calm and constantly reminded me that we were in good hands. As soon as enough fluids were forced, in to surgery I went! I didn't realize how much pain I was in from being in labor (I had other things on my mind) until the spinal was in....o sweet medicine!!! Forty-five minutes after our arrival at the hospital, a very uncomplicated section was performed and Emma was born!! How sweet the moment was and how beautiful this little girl was!! We knew what she had overcome to get here, and we were all the more appreciative of our Heavenly Father's plan for us, our family, and for our little Emma-bug. The whole experience made us sincerely grateful of the time and place in which we live. Emma and I faced a potentially deadly situation and were fortunate enough to have been led to great doctors and facilities prepared to handle our crisis.

Emma is a great baby, with a beautiful spirit. We are honored to have her here in our home!

What ya gonna do???

2011-05-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

So, I introduced you to Julia....FINALLY....and have updated the blog....FINALLY....it's only been a year!!! We have been crazy busy around here. We struggled with a broken and crashed computer. I had full-time Richie duty and family functions, and books to read. Then in the middle of all that we found out that we were expecting another baby Greene.....just wait till I show off the Emma-bug pictures! It could take a while....so hang tight!!

The Missing Year of Julia....

2011-05-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Julia came to our family in March of 2010....and our family just hasn't been the same since. Julia has the most beautiful blue eyes, and they have been wide open ever since the day she came home. Her full name is Julia Anne, but is often called Ju-wah because that's what is best pronounced by Sophia and Richie and our bestie playmate Caroline. Ju-wah also stuck, because that is what Julia calls herself! She often cruises around the house just sing-songing her name. Sometimes Julia's chant of her name reminds me of the Siamangs' chant at the zoo. She starts off loud and slow, "Ju-wah, Ju-wah, Ju-wah" and then gets louder and faster. "Ju-wah, Ju-wah, Ju-wah"! It's the best noise I've ever heard!

Julia also has the best disposition, eats like a grown man, sleeps well, and smiles....ALOT! We love her and are sooo blessed that she picked to come to our family.

Its a girl!! The OR team had a blast making wagers about whether we were having a boy or a girl. This is our first look at Julia Anne, 7lbs 14oz, born at 8am sharp!

I loved her instantly!

She really hates the bow....

Wyley, Zane and Sophia meet Julia for the first time.

Zane and Julia

Sophia and her baby!

Lily and Julia, with Uncle Matt, on the day of their blessing. No, she's not in a coma, just a busy day is all!

She eventually likes the bow...when she's asleep.

Julia's first road trip at 1 month...we did "the mall" with our Hill/Hoffman/Posey friends!

Lion roar? Nah, just a sleepy baby!

Ju-wah brings out the moosh in even the toughest of kids....

Julia at 2 months old, and so super sweet!

Wyley instantly took to Julia and has been her #1 fan....and mommy's #1 helper!!

Mommy & Julia

Hug Me???? OK!

Julia and Lily

Julia and Uncle Will June 2010

This is how Julia does Golf Tournaments....3months old

So cute!

Daddy and Julia at family pictures in Pennsylvania.

Camping 4month old style....

5months old

This is why we always called her "Big Eyes"....and Zane called her "Code Name, Big Eyes"

I couldn't resist...she will one day hate me, but just look at those cheeks!!

I love it!

Julia, 6months, with a just married Uncle Matt.

Princess Peach, Mario, Luigi and.......TOAD!!

We might be a little obsessed with the game...

All those training sessions Julia sat through in utero have inspired her
Check out that plank!!!

All the Greene Grandkids, at Massanutten....Julia 7months.

At Petco Field, San Diego

Julia and Mommy at the Bradford's for Thanksgiving Dinner!

8month old Ju-wah with her new buddy Benjamin Lewis.

The favorite Christmas toy for 9month old Julia.

Julia LOVES her blankie!!!

Yes, that a fruit loop on her 10month old noggin!

"Uhhh. What do you mean, I'm not the baby?"

11months old

All 5 kiddos....Julia still the center of attention!

I LOVE THE CAMERA!!!!! and my granddaddy....

I can walk, I can climb....check me out!!!

1st Birthday Cupcakes for Julia!!!

Some 1st Birthday mess!!!

Julia and daddy.....and his sunglasses, she finally got them!!!

Ju-wah and her new towel....

OOOO those eyes!!!

Julia, 13months, at Easter....with Zane and Sophia!

Julia, 14months old, was being pushed around in a box by Zane. Kids took a quick timeout to pose for me. All I had to say was, "Guys! Let me get your picture!"

California in November.....

2010-04-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

Sophia!!!!

2009-10-31T10:39:00.001-07:00

Sophia and Abe....part of our "Indoctrination Tour". She's so sheepish...

Sophia and her Daddy!

She is just so darn huggable!

Zane and Sophia riding the Indoctrination Train!!! They were pumped, can't ya tell!

Wyley had to have his picture taken before he went to school to see what his picture day picture was going to look like....someone else wanted theirs taken too! Nice PJ's...

Watching the boys play at Aunt Paige's wedding with her babydoll.

At the beach in Rodanthe, playing ladder ball with Uncle Matt.

Miniature golf, Sophia style.

This was the effect the Statue of Liberty had on Sophia.....

Doing what she loves to do best.....bugging Rachel for food!

Sophia the party girl....getting into the mood and the music!

Just waking up from a car ride nap.

She throws a good fit too!

Our big girl on Halloween 2009....Tinkerbell!
A little bit of old candy, a little bit of new candy, a little bit of sticky and a dash of snot for good measure! BEAUTIFUL!!!

Winning Pumpkins!!

2009-10-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

The boys (including the biggest boy) worked hard on their pumpkins this year and they turned out great!!!! Wyley won Silliest Pumpkin and Tim won Best Pumpkin Overall at our ward's Halloween Party.....we can brag a little right?

Wyley created his own from his imagination and even shares with us the model he used! And Zane just loves to make the silly monkey face. Since its soooo cute we let him whenever he wants! (almost whenever)

Tim and I think it reminds us of the David books by David Shannon....you can't argue with our logic, huh?

Of course Zane wanted a Star Wars pumpkin and chose to make a clone trooper of some kind....

Tim put a lot of thought, research, and work into this pumpkin.....and it looks great. He did NOT use a stencil. He took a few ideas from pictures he found online and drew them free hand and then transferred that idea to the pumpkin-again free hand-and then carved and sculpted!

This is a nightime view of Tim's masterpiece. If you look at your laptop or monitor from an angle you can see the contrast of light and dark....its my photography skills that need the work!

Zaney Zane!!!!

2009-10-26T10:55:00.001-07:00

Zane the tie goes outside your shirt....he's upper class in the making?

Another day, another costume opportunity.

See a theme.....Z likes his costumes. And we like it when he rests!

I LOVE this picture. It came out kinda blurry, but I love it!!! We took this picture on our "Indoctrination Tour" of Washington, DC in September. We were there for the Sept 11th T-Party rally...and Zane in this picture sums up better than anything why we love our country and want to scream that it is the best and we will do what we can to make it the best!!!

Zane in Rodanthe, August 2009. We were watching the waves build larger and larger as a hurricane went up the coast (about 300 miles away). He loves his costumes!

A messy Zane eating a Statue of Liberty lollipop! Good thing Tim has on the hat!

"This place is lame. There is nothing to do, nothing to see. O Wait! A feather!!!"

Building cheese sculpture at Michelle's wedding.....I kept trying to get him to stop playing with his food, but Aunt Lee kept sneaking him more blocks. So, I gave up and got a great picture!

"Zane, smile!" And we got.....this.....isn't Brooke so beautiful!

He turned the camera on me.....

Z would rather get pics of his toys.

This is how Z passes time at those silly swim meets.

The Many Faces of Wyley

2009-10-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

Every time we pull out the camera, Wyley is the first one in front of it. And he will never just smile...okay, he will but only when he forgets to be a goofus! Even when I am frustrated and am yelling at him in that low voice...."would you just smile!"....he still gets a goofy one in there. So here is my tribute to WYLEY and his many goofy looks!!!

So I admit it, this one is kinda cool....
"Uh. You're kinda....big."

"Mom wants me to smile."

"Again with the smiling!?!"

Another cool one...."He's slurping my hair!"

Self portrait

He's so peaceful....when sleeping.

"What ya say ladies?"

On our way to a pioneer celebration at church...he likes to dress up about as much as Zane does.

Okay....cutie....we like that face any way it comes!!!
Love you Wy!!!

I always seem to miss august!

2009-09-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

Hello to the four people who check in on this blog!!! We seem to find ourselves soooo busy each August that I miss posting anything about its events. We were busy, busy, busy that is for sure. Our family spent time in Pennsylvania and at the beach in North Carolina. It was fun, fun, fun and many pictures to share. So check back soon, as I will no doubt post in the night-time hours, after bed time!

Zane.....nuf said.

2009-07-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

This is Zane.....and that's all that really needs to be said, right?!

sleeping, yes, in his sports coat

Cool man in his coat!

Soooo cool!

What I did on my birthday.....

2009-07-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

Well, most know that I LOVE to go to the gym....its 2 hours of child care while I get to sweat and get my FOX News fix! (Yes, even a stay-at-home mom, by choice, wants a break for a little while!) I have been getting my booty back into shape since my kids and I have mangled it.

Part of my getting back into shape routine has been running! Running has become a bit of an addiction for me. I actually love to do it and crave it when I haven't been able to go for a run (like at girl's camp!). My friend Drea got me back into running and then encouraged me to try some races. We are logging some 5k's and then hoping to do a half marathon in the fall. I have done 2, 5k races to date. Drea and I did a race yesterday (July 4th) at Robious Landing. It was put on by the Marine Corps League and proceeds benefited several military charities, one of which is the Wounded Warrior Project. It was a bit of a challenging trail course, to me. I loved it though! It was 5k, or 3.1 miles in length, through the very shaded woods, with a few slight hills and lots of sharp twists and turns. It felt a little longer than the advertised 3.1 miles!!

I was pleased that I finished....I always am! I finished 2nd for my age group with a time of 29:40. I wasn't pleased with the time. I really thought that i was going faster than my time shows. My first mile was 8:25....apparently I really slowed down after that! Actually it made me realize that while I am in better shape then I have been, I have got some more work to do!!! It would be so much easier to run faster if I was carrying about 30 pounds less!!! So to the gym I go.....bring it on Trainer Hoffman!

That's me, number 82!!! I look happy right now, huh? That's cuz its only the start!!

There I go, following the trail into the woods!!

I have made my 2nd loop on the trail and am heading toward the final stretch of the trail and then to the finish.

I believe I was telling Tim and the kids, who were great cheerleaders by the way, that I was TIRED!

Crossing the finish line!!! Yeah I am done!!!!! I completed the Patriot 5k-yeah me!!!

My birthday flag from my talented mother inlaw, Karen! A patriotic flag, for a patriotic day!!!

FHE....Greene style

2009-07-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

Tim gave a great lesson on family night last week. He spoke about Pres. Uchtdorf's occupation as a pilot and a talk he gave about how we are like planes and our faith is what gives us lift. The kids talked about what things can give their planes lift or build their faith. We then made paper airplanes and flew them while Tim reviewed what we discussed. (My kids have a great daddy!)

Sounds all happy shmappy, huh? FHE always turns interesting around our house! Someone cries, someone threatens, someone laughs, and someone gets even more angrier. Its kinda like a cycle of events. As we were finishing flying our planes, Wyley turns to me and says..."Scary eyebrows!!" And this is what I saw looking at me:

And once I laughed at that, he kept going with, "FANGS, MOM!"

And then there was the crying......ah, thank goodness for the familiar things.

Happy Birthday USA!!!

2009-07-04T21:57:00.000-07:00

I love this great country of ours! I am touched by the dedication of so many to preserve our values, our way of life, and to then share it with others around the world. Whether they be military or missionary!

I have NEVER been disappointed with our country....NEVER.

I am in awe of how we mesh together so many different cultures and norms to create our own uniqueness. We can be proud of our ancestry, but rooted in our future. We are unique, we are great, we can be proud, we should be proud. We have much to share and teach other, and at the same time much to learn.

I am so grateful that the Lord provided this choice land. Every where we look we can see the greatness of HIS creation, of HIS might. Let's celebrate and be happy that this country was born!

The eagles pictured are from the National Zoo in D.C. Wyley and I got these pictures while visiting there in June. Such awesome creatures. So glad it wasn't a turkey!

Food for Thought.....

2009-07-02T22:24:00.001-07:00

Saw this posted in a display of the Amazon at the National Zoo. I think its funny. I thought I'd share. I like a good soup, hmmmmm.....

Meet our newest family members!!!

2009-07-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

No, no one got married or had any kids.....nothing that I know of at least......

The Greenes got new kittens! Our lovely lady, Matese passed and we have been pet free for a while. These precious little ones were left behind near the zoo parking lot. The keepers were looking for homes, and of course our crazy household came to mind....once you have met the cats it all fits together!

Tim and I let the boys name the cats....both of which or Male/Its. A few of you out there may know that the boys are Star Wars FREAKS!!! They love all things about it. (One of the best stories I have about Zane is a hilarious incident he had with Sarah at Emily's, which typifies just how Star Wars Nuts he is. Sarah will have to tell it, its hilarious! Write it for us, won't you Sarah?) So I'll give ya'll 5 guesses what they named their cats and the first 3 don't count.

If you guessed R2D2 and Chewbacca, you are correct!!!

Aren't they cute? Thankfully they don't talk Wookie--

Meet R2D2. This would be Zane's cat.

Awwwweeee....

Meet Chewbacca! Wyley claims him.

They look awfully cute until 2 am, when they really perk up and our house becomes a NASCAR roadcourse!

We love them though, even Tim. Even though he'd never admit it.

Funny Faces!

2009-06-28T21:21:00.000-07:00

Zane is ready to go food shopping......
Either I drive fast and he's the Red Barron or our van is full of water!?!

That was some gooooooood milk!

Gangsta go-fish?!?!
Where does our whitey-white boy come up with this stuff??

Willie gets creamed at Golf picnic!!!

2009-06-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

Soooo, Willie was being a turd. No big surprise, right??!!? He freaked Wyley out by sneaking up on him and dousing him with a super-soaker! (It was awesome, by the way!) Besides spiders, the other things that will freak out my kid is sneaking up on him, and being squirted with water.

Aunt Hope and I helped Wyley plan a retaliation.....pie plate with some remnants of something yummy, and lots and lots of whipped cream PLUS Aunt Hope sneaking up on Uncle Willie EQUALS GOT YA!

As to be expected, Will didn't let Aunt Hope off that easily. She had to help him clean up! Wyley got an ATTA BOY for planning!

We are Crrrraaaazzzzzyyyyyy!!!!

2009-06-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

This post is for you Nannie! You have asked us to update, and I thought maybe you could use the distraction! We won't go into the mega story about why its been so long since an update....its boring and really who reads large blocks of text on blogs like this one? Its boring and silly babble!

So, we took out the camera tonight and got busy doing what we do best...being ccccrrrraaazzzzzyyyyy!

OO, OO, AH AH!!!

Oh so sweet!
Its all a ruse, she seems all innocent....she is the craziest of us all!

Everyone knows that Wyley looooves a camera. He likes to take pictures and movies. He likes to be in pictures and movies! He LOVES to make crazy faces. So this wouldn't be anything out of norm or really crazy for Wy. However, Zane is into wearing socks at all times. These socks with their blue line....Star Wars socks cuz they have light saber blue on them. One thing....he HATES to change them, EVER. And some days the fight is not worth it. SOOOOOO, what is crazy.....Wyley letting Zane put these nasty, filthy, stinky socks on his head!!

"Zane! Be crazy!" And this is the result!

This is the cutest monkey you will ever see!!!

So cute! So Silly!

This one is especially for you Nannie and Granddaddy! This should make you smile!
Someone said to me tonight that you raise what you are.....well, we got cute and crazy-who new this about me? As another good friend said, "They didn't get it from strangers!"
(I take full responsibility)

Can you tell who the tame one is in our house?

An attempt at serious! Not working out so well for us thanks to Wy.

We love our crazy family very much! We hope and we pray....cuz faith preceeds the miracle!!!

Now smile!!

Snow Daysssssss!!!

2009-03-05T11:30:00.000-08:00

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow! (and it did!)

We missed 3 days of school for this snowfall!

So, we see snow once or twice every 5 years. And when it comes, it comes and shuts the joint down. We were lucky enough to recieve 6 inches of glorious white precipitation. Of course, we are not prepared with snow suits and truly appropriate gloves....again, we get it every 5 years! So, we put on everything we can.....hats, wind pants, pajama bottoms, plastic bags, triple socks on hands and feet, and rainboots!

Are we ready for snow??? YES WE ARE!!!!

I think it was my biggest kid that enjoyed the snow the most. Check out this video...is it Rachel, or Wyley?....

Is that Tim? Why yes, it is!

Brayden's Baptism

2009-02-11T14:39:00.001-08:00

This is Brayden, my nephew. He isn't usually this crabby. Wyley just caught him off-guard when he snapped his photo!

This is Brayden's family.....my brother Willie is dad, his mom Brandy, and little sister Brooke. This pic was taken on Brayden's baptism day. His outfit was made from Brandy's Grandmother's wedding dress by her mom. A special outfit for a special day!

Sophia chilled with Pop Pop at Brayden's big event.....looks comfy, ey? I think she thinks he's weird!

Of course, the Mormons show up and act all reverent and stuff......not!!! Check out that well-behaved Catholic girl.....you go girl! (Too bad you took out all your irreverent behavior on my Book of Mormon, one page at a time. Did Aunt Sue put you up to that, I've been wondering...)

We can always count on Wyley to bring out the goofiest, funniest, craziest faces. I allow the Kmetz's to take full responsibility for his wackiness! By the way, he took this one himself. I found him sitting in the pew taking his own pictures....he was feeling the spirit alright.

Mommy and Zane stay in.....its cold outside!

2009-01-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

It IS very cold outside today....yes, even in Richmond.
Zane and I stayed in and vegged-out. When that got

boring we got out the camera.

This is Zane and his gun! FYI, he is always packin' heat and no, he doesn't have a permit.

House Update.....

2009-01-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

Almost ALL of the work we started is complete. We have a few items to do...details, details, details. We wouldn't want Tim to have NOTHING to do on his days off, now would we???

As you may have seen in previous posts, we did some changes to the kitchen. We painted the cabinets and changed the hardware. We replaced the countertop and added a new section too. And we got a new stove and dishwasher. I don't know that the stove has helped me cook any better, but my dishes never looked so good!

Aunt Priscilla gave me her old dinning room set. You would never know by looking at it that the furniture is as old I am. We felt really lucky to get this nice set! Thanks Aunt Pris!

We then expanded the living room, while removing a bedroom. The gate shows the entry to the new basement stairs.

And these are the curtains....that I made! I have a few more to go, but I thought that they came out pretty darn nice, if I do say so myself! Hopefully Tim will put up the curtain rods this weekend. I got so excited when I completed some of them, that I tacked them up. I wanted to see what they would look like up.

We're Back!!!!

2009-01-14T17:18:00.000-08:00

Wow!

We have been off line for a long while now. Almost 9 months, yikes! We were busy fixing things up around the house, then moved into the school year. Somewhere in October I lost my camera and have been unable to post updates because my camera wouldn't let me log in to blogger! Jeesh! I have now got a new camera, fixed the security issues that kept us off, and have a newfound desire to blog! It doesn't say much about my tech-related talents when it took me nearly 6 months to resolve my computer issues, does it? Ah well, here we are. And here are some updated photos and commentary.

Sophia is on the move now. Crawling is her transportation of choice. She is Lightning McQueen fast! We see one or two steps here and there....perhaps soon she will take more than 1 step at a time!

Zane likes cereal. And lots of it! He also likes costumes.....and as you can see from the two pictures of him we like to put him in masks. Its for our own fantasy...we like to pretend that he smiles. On this particular day he is Batman. Some days he is a Star Wars Legos Guy, or Clone, or Chick Blaster. Tim and I know how our day is going to turn out based on the character he shows up as. FYI, Chick Blaster will let you brush his teeth. Yippie!

Sophia and Aunt Rachel

This is Wyley on Christmas morning....he got a new bike from Grandma and Pop Pop!

Sophia turned 1 on December 27th! She loved the cake facial, its all the rage! All the 1 year olds are doing it!

Wyley proudly displays his weapon of destruction.

Spreading the Wealth

2008-11-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

Halloween is fun!

2008-10-31T14:47:00.000-07:00

Where has August gone?

2008-09-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

Holy Moly!!!! Where has the month of August gone? The Greenes have really been on the move these last few weeks. We have the pictures to prove it! I just haven't had the time to sit and unload my camera and make commentary. Honestly, the Olympics took over our lives. We lived in front of the TV every night. Wyley is now on a first name basis with Michael Phelps. We thought it was awesome and really brought the pro-USA spirit to our home.....until track events started. YIKES! The boys moved downstairs.....scaredy cats only covers 1/3 of their issues. Each night gets easier for them! We then went to the beach with Nana and Granddaddy and family. Our boys are now bronze Gods around the house, but coppertone babies in the bath tub-if ya know what I mean. Renovations are now coming to a close, we hope. Painting is finished, but we are needing some flooring. The end is in site!!! And last, but certainly not least, Miss Sophia is cruising!!! She is pulling herself up like its old hat and is now making efforts to move herself along anything that will hold her upright. Our favorite Sophia moment is her yelling down the stairs to the boys. We have situated 5 gallon buckets at the top of the stairs, blocking her from falling down the steps. (I know, not the best, but until we have it all finished up so we can have a gate there the full buckets keep her from plumeting to her demise.) Anyhow, she crawls over, pulls up on the buckets (full so they don't tip) she stands there and yells down for the boys. "hhhheeeeeeyyyyy" "aaaaahhhhhhhhh" "uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh". She gets all serious, stands up real tall, and pounds on the buckets. When the boys appear, she cracks up. She is so stinkin cute! She is our toy! Well, there are pictures to come, so visit again soon!

Pop Pop is Donald Duck?

2008-08-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

As long as I can remember my dad has entertained many children, including myself, with his Donald Duck voice. Now my children get to enjoy this talent of Pops. No one is ever really sure what dad says, we only know that it enthrals the kids and fills them with delight!

It was a great visit with Mom and Dad....aka Grandma and Pop Pop. The kids love their grandparents!

Rachel is In!!!!

2008-08-04T08:36:00.001-07:00

Rachel the happy homeowner! It is official she is in her house! Congrats Rachel!

The Kitchen

The laundry room off of the kitchen.

The front room.

The den

The hallway from bedrooms to front room.

bathroom....dad thinks its comfy. Spent lots of time in there....looking at the tile, right?

Master Bed....furniture arrives Friday! (Doug, are ya busy?)

Master Bath

Zane and Rachel's shed. Coolest feature of house. Its as big as my living room!

Wyley at CHAMPS!

2008-08-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

Throughtout the swim season the kids are trying to meet benchmark times that would qualify them in various brackets for the end of the season meet, CHAMPS. As you might recall, Wyley first swam a 1:59 in freestyle. Well, he worked his little tooties off and met the time qualification for CHAMPS, in the Bronze bracket. Here is his race from June 26, 2008. You'll notice we need to work on the start!

Wyley did well in this race. He swam his best time of 30.18 seconds. Not bad, huh?! He also qualified himself next year for the Silver Bracket. His final comment on the swim season, "Next year, GOLD!!"

(anyone who knows how to rotate video, let me know!)

Matese.....

2008-08-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Well, after spending the week in the vets office, our kitty is now home! We still haven't narrowed down the issue, but the vet is leaning toward something toxic that she ingested. Well, we are still giving her meds to finish up the antibiotics and are also giving out liver meds. Her blood tests showed that her levels fell either within normal or almost normal. BUT she is not eating like she should. Either the cat is picky....how could this be from animal that cleans itself i ask!....or really hasn't gotten her appetite back. she ate while at the vets and didn't need the tube afterall! Like I have said before, Matese isn't the most social of cats. She usually runs away and hides or swats at you. But she has been quite mushy lately. So much so that when we brought her home from the vet and I was able to cuddle her, Wyley said, "They fixed her! She's being nice!" I have more pics and updates to come so be ready!

Crazy Busy...feel better Matese

2008-07-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been crazy around the Greene house lately. We have been trying to hustle through the last few items on our renovations list, move Rachel to her new house, finish up the swim season, do the family thing, and take care of our sick cat. So, to stay true to the title of our blog..."the easy and not so easy moments of the Greene Family"...I must offer up some of the not so easy moments at some point, huh? Well, while in the midst of moving Rachel to her new house we are also sitting vigil for our cat, Matese. We are unsure of the her status, only that something is off with her liver. Very off. She hasn't been eating, caring for herself, or using the litter box. As it stands currently, the liver issue could be anything from an infection to cancer. To truly diagnose we would need very costly tests and procedures done. So, as of this afternoon she is getting iv fluids, iv antibotics, and a feeding tube. We're giving the idea that she has an infection a try. The fluids and food should revive her a bit and the meds will treat the illness. We should know how she is doing within the next couple of days. And I am sad. Matese and I have history. I got Matese from a friend shortly after the break up of a serious relationship. This cute cat gave me something to care for, something to distract myself with, and ultimately she took my focus off of the relationship so that I could move on. She hasn't been the most social cat, she can barely stand my kids. But I love her. And I am scared for her. Late at night when I am writing this blog, she is usually running around or rubbing up against me....and I am waiting for that and it is not happening. We will all pray for her, right? That she is comfy, not feeling lonely, and that she has had or will have the opportunity to fulfill the full measure of her creation. Thanks for listening, I needed to talk.

Sophia update!!

2008-07-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

Sophia loves her excersaucer. She loves to play with the toys and to bounce around. She especially loves it when I put her too close to my plants and she gets to play with them. Look closely at the photos and see what is all over her tray.....pieces of plant and dirt! I caught her playing in the plant, scooping out dirt. When I found her she was waving a branch of the plant around. She will either be in demolition or in landscaping, it hard to say at this point. She's still developing her skills!

The plant thing was last week. This picture is from Saturday afternoon. I had just gotten home from Youth Conference and was unpacking and getting some things done in the kitchen. Sophia was lying on the living room floor playing with toys and just enjoying being out of her carseat. I came in to check on her and I found her sitting there staring at me! So I took a picture! What an awesome surprise. She has been sitting up when I put her in a sitting position for a few days, but we didn't know she could get herself to a sitting position from a lying position! She's a genius! Crawling is just around the corner!!!

(Hi Grandma! Hi Nana! Look at me!)

Wyley Did It!!!

2008-07-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

He Did It! Wyley swam across without stopping! His first even last Tuesday was the mixed freestyle relay. He struggled with getting in, but once he did-woooo boy! This was also his qualifying race for the bronze division in the Chesterfield Aquatic League.

This is Wyley's go at his 2nd event: 25yd freestyle. Once again, he crossed the pool. This time he did it without stopping, AND in his personal best: 33.7 seconds! Now he qualifies for CHAMPS in the bronze division. WOW! Way to go Wyley....we are so proud of you!

Wy's relay team won their heat. Here's Wy with his heat winner ribbon.

Our trip to Toys 'R Us was quick. Wyley knew exactly what he wanted- a Pokemon something or other. He doesn't watch it, or play it but he had to have it. Whatever makes the work worthwhile, right?

Go Wyley, Go!!!

2008-07-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is Sophia at one of Wyley's meets.

"You can do it Wyley! Don't stop!"

Summer is here!

2008-07-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

You know summer is here when the watermelon arrives!

I Love My Feet

2008-06-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

We took this video shortly after Sophia found her feet.

She is so stinkin' cute!

Let's Go Wyley, Let's Go(to Toy 'R Us)!!!

2008-06-26T19:43:00.001-07:00

Wyley is showing off his event numbers (25 yds Freestyle and 25 yds Backstroke).

This post is dedicated to the motivation of Wyley.

Wyley is getting set up in his lane. He is worried. Very. And Veronica Harper is trying to focus him on getting to the other side....without stopping.

Wyley's first start-ever! That blue blur grabbing on to the lane line is my boy!

This would be break 1, i think. There were so many, that I didn't take a picture of each one.

The swimming resumes.

And another break.....and so it goes.

He has been working his tail end off in the pool since school let out. He is trying so hard to improve his skill level, his time, and overcome his nervousness. So, we want to hear from his friends and family. He has dropped his freestyle time from 1minute 58 seconds to 59 seconds! That is huge. His stroke looks so good, when he isn't hanging on the lane lines, and his attitude couldn't be better. (Ok, there was the day he begged me not to go.....he still goes.)

His back says it all, huh?

His future goals include:

swim 25 yards freestyle and stop only 3 times=2 push pops from Mrs. Flanagan*

swim 25 yards freestyle and stop only at the end=1 trip to Toys 'R Us with Mom

dive in from side (not off of starting block) and keep going!!!!*

dive in from starting block....i add this one, but he says this isn't his goal until he's 8.

*indicates the goals he is working on currently

Wyley getting a last minute pep talk from Coach Meagan. He tried his hardest at the Backstroke, but fear overwhelmed him and we let him stop half way. Wyley will swim it! Maybe when he's 8, he said.

Soooooo, lets hear from ya people! Motivate my little one! Help him feel the joy of a job well done and recognition of hard work. Reply to this post and I will have Wyley check it each day to see if folks have responded! Feel free to respond more than once by coming back and visiting our blog often! The pictures spread throughout this post are from Wyley's first meet. He's so cute!

Love to all, and we hope to report soon of any of Wyley's progress!

Photos of Wyley with his team. They are getting a pep talk and giving a cheer!

None of That Sissy Stuff

2008-06-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship. You will see no cutesy little smiley faces on this...Just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.
1. When you are sad --I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew!!!!!!!!!!!
2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3. When you smile -- I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in.
4. When you're scared -- we will high tail it out of here.
5. When you are worried -- I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining, ya big baby!!!!
6. When you are confused -- I will use little words.
7. When you are sick --Stay away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.
8. When you fall -- I'll pick you up and dust you off.
9. This is my oath...I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask -- because you are my FRIEND!

Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.

Rachel Loves Being An Aunt

2008-06-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

She doesn't want anyone to know this, but Rachel loves being an aunt. She really loves little girls, and how cute they are. Pink might not be her favorite color, but she sure is buddies with one chica who makes pink exceptional!

Check out that grin!

And Rachie is also really good at changing nasty diapers, putting fussy babies to sleep, warming breastmilk or mixing formula, as well as throwing in movies for older siblings. (She has vacation days available if you should need her in the fall, Will and Brandy!) So, don't let her fool you. She too owns a pink shirt!

Who Knew Fun Would Be A Swim Cap?

2008-06-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

Wyley is on a swim team. And so far the coolest part is the swim cap!

Even Zane thinks so.

He looks so cute! You should see him with the goggles on. Its the cutest thing in the world.

Okay, well his tiny tush in the swim jammers are the cutest!

Zane loves to dress up.

And this is his "Goonies" get-up. (Come on...One-Eyed Willie! You've got to remember that!)

Even best friend Nathan got in the swim cap for some fun!

Renovations UPDATE

2008-06-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

So, the counters are in!! And I am one happy mama! As you can see, there are still things to be done, but we are one step closer to completion! I think that we did a good job on the color of the counters. And Doug did a fantastic job working with all the punches our kitchen threw back at him! LOVE IT!!! Oh...did you see that! See if you can find our BRAND NEW STOVE!

Its right over there!

Its that beautiful piece of appliancery that I am kissing....

and hugging.

Who would have known that a stove would make me this happy? Maybe it will make me cook better too! Hmmm? We shall see.

Thank you! You know who you are!!!

House Renovations

2008-06-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

Some of you are aware that we are knee deep and then some into house renovations and upgrades. These are the images of our house in the throws of battle! We forgot to take some "before" pictures, but are really looking forward to showing off some "after" photos! Tim and especially his dad, have been working their tails off to get this project completed. We sure do love Doug's talents, but truly admire how much of his time and energy he sacrifices for the betterment of our home! We love you!

This is the living room. To the left are the stairs to the basement. And what you see on the right is the remainders of our hallway. The big square in the middle is our new closet. We are still spacling (spelling?) and sanding and looking for our flooring.

This is the view of looking down the hallway. Its not there! Yippie!

This is our kitchen. The decision was made to put in new countertops. And we went for broke, making changes and improvements to help with the functionality of the house. So we painted and changed the hardware and added a section to our cabinets. The countertops are coming soon! (Okay, they came this weekend, but I do not have my pictures yet. The counters also came with a new stove...that I LOVE....the pictures of me hugging and kissing it are coming soon!)

Another view of the kitchen. My house is torn apart...my homemaking skills aren't THAT bad. Check out that yucky stove!

I even painted the doors on the pantry! (Not much fun to do, but don't they look so much better?) Stay tuned for postings on the new countertops!

So, you say they are called feet!?!?!

2008-06-04T19:40:00.001-07:00

I often wonder what goes on in her mind. Already she likes to babble alot, so this is what I think that she has to say:

"Feet. I like feet. I can hold them, and slobber on them. I always have something to play with. If I play with them and ignore Zane, he usually goes away."

"Hands. I like them a lot. They move around alot. That's kinda cool. I can make them wave and people think that I am waving at them. I am not, I am just figuring out how these puppies work. But you should hear the big folks when I do it!"

"But my thumbs.....they make me happiest."

"This is my buddy Zack Lewis. He's cool. We roll around alot together. He's older than me, but I am taller. He's what mom calls a "thinker" and I am what mom calls a "mover". I just think he could flatten me if he rolled on top of me. He's tried. Its kinda freaky. But we have a good time together. I like how he laughs...it makes me smile."

One night Wyley went buggy!

2008-06-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

Is this not the cutest face you have ever seen? Wyley's class did a musical play entitled, "Goin' Buggy" The kids were so cute, and we just got a kick out of the entire play. The theme of the play centered around being fair to bugs and how they have gotten a bad rap. If I had creepy-crawlers like this guy hanging around my house, they would have equal rights! (But they do not and they make my boys scream like little girly-men.)

Here's the full view of the Wyley Catepillar!

Zane was so proud of his brother. He didn't even mind that Wyley had 6 extra legs!

The Lion in my Bedroom

2008-06-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

Zane was digging around in my bathroom cabinet and found one of my hair bands.

He placed it on his face and said,

"I'm a lion! Roar!"

The Lost Tooth

2008-06-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Wyley has already lost one tooth. And up until last Sunday has had another wiggley tooth. Just after bedtime we here, "DADDY!!!!" We thought something was wrong, but alas, not so. We entered the room and Wyley held out his tooth and said, "I lost my other tooth!"

Check out that gap!!! And if you look very closely you will even see the impending adult teeth.

My baby is getting big!

Here it is....the lost tooth. I actually remember when this tooth came in!

Let's Play Ball!!!

2008-05-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

Wyley has started his first season of baseball. It is coach-pitch baseball. It isn't quite the snooze fest that t-ball is, but almost. If the boys weren't so dang cute, we'd loose interest altogether!

You notice all the adults in the outfield, right? They are there to keep the boys focused. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Wyley runs after a ball hit to him. It is a rule of coach pitch baseball that once the ball is hit, everyone runs! They run if they need to. They run if they want to. Where the ball is there too is the team. (Improvements are made weekly.)

Wyley fielding the ball from left field.

Check out Wyley at bat! Look at that form. Would the aunts and uncles approve?

You can't tell from the picture, but it was

a great hit. Wyley is good on the bat...we're still working out the bugs on the fielding.

Another rule of t-ball/coach pitch: slide as often as you can. Slide into first, second, third or home whether you are on the batting team or the fielding team. Luckily, Wyley decided to slide into home. Looks good, huh? Oh, hey, gotta go get the phone, I think the Mets are calling.

From Wyley's Perspective

2008-05-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

Enjoy some photos from resident photog, Wyley Greene.
What talent!
Its also a humbling practice to let your 5 year old photograph you and then publish it. As you will notice they are not the most flattering of pics....or are they? hmmmm.

Daddy's hand above, GiGi to the right, and

mommy below with Stewie Monkey.

Uncle Hubie with Sophia and Stewie Monkey,

as posed by Wyley.

Zane and Stewie Monkey at GiGi's house!

Getting ready to go to the temple for ward family day.

Three Hours At Home Depot

2008-05-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

It was Thursday May 1st. It was hot. It was long. It was Home Depot. And we were on a mission to MEET TONY STEWART!

The boys found other #20 fans to chill with during our almost 3 hour adventure.

We call this area the "Kiddie Corral". The kids congregated and played with their Tony Stewart cars!

Wyley and Zane taking a break in one of the Home Depot Sheds.

"Is that Tony Stewart? Oh no, false alarm. Its just my toes."

Sophia waited so patiently. She'll do anything for her big brothers!

Check out that line!

We were at one end of the store and still had to make our way across the front, in a side door, and back across the front of the lawn and garden section, past the grills, and on to Tony!

Zane chillin' on the outdoor furniture!

Another glimpse of the line!

We did it! We made it to Tony Stewart. Isn't Wyley pleased? And Zane of course went into his "Stranger Danger" mode. Tim and Tony exchanged a pleasant conversation that started, "What's wrong with the little guy?"

I don't think Tim has ever been prouder.

And now the favorite car gets signed!

Wyley with his now autographed, Tony Stewart hat.

The Autograph.

Dad and the boys by the Toyota #20 Home Depot racecar.

Isn't great.
I think Wyley saying something about it being the best day of his WHOLE life.