Yes, Virginia...

So, the other day I was chatting with one of my favorite people in the whole wide world.

Emma.

Our conversation went a little something like this:

Emma: So, Mom. Most of the kids in my class don't believe in Santa.
Me: Are you serious?!?!
Emma: Ya. But, Mom. I believe in Santa.
Me: Me too.
Emma: Ya, because, I told Brighton (her buddy), "Santa has to be real because last year he gave Lily a bed. A BED! You can't hide a bed in your closet! Your mom and dad can't go out in the middle of the night and buy a BED! So, Santa has to be real." Then Brighton said, "Ya, you're right. Santa must be real." So now both me and Brighton believe in Santa.
Me: Awesome.

I am soaking up every minute of this Christmas.

Sweet, sweet, smart and analytical Emma.

Merry Christmas to all!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Hard Core

Moving on from the ovaries...



My HARD CORE Halloween family.

You know how some people were meant for certain costumes...

Yeah. We might be in for a little trouble.

SERIOUS trouble.

Except with this one.

Happy Halloween!

Dear ovaries

Dearest ovaries,
Let me first tell you thank you for serving me well for 32 years. I know I asked a lot of you, and you fulfilled your duties well. You gave me three kids in pretty much the time I asked you to. You were quiet and efficient and I am grateful.

However, it's the past two years I'm a little upset with. Specifically, the last week and a half. I know your tired. I know that we've been through a lot together. But, honestly, do you have any idea the grief you are causing me now? Do you hear me cursing and yelling in my closet? Do you see the pathetic state you have brought me to?

Let me just spell it out for you...I can't fit into ANY of my pants. Yes, ovaries, you read correctly. NONE of my pants will zip up. Your little escapades last week have apparently caused so much swelling that I am wearing my "I just had a baby and everyone says I look great but really I look like a bloated walrus" pants. They are the pants I never EVER wanted to wear again. And guess what ovaries, I wore them yesterday. And today. And probably tomorrow.

Lets not forget the fact that even if I could do up my pants, zippers and multiple incisions don't really go so great together. Especially that lovely incision right into my belly button, which causes dry heaving just by thinking about it. That's right ovaries, right INTO my belly button. Nice work. And guess what. Rumor has it that this swelling will not be going away any time soon. Did you hear me? At least 3 weeks. AT LEAST. One reliable source said it can be 6 months. Let me repeat. I could be wearing this one pair of pants for 6 MONTHS.

So, ovaries, in light of all of this new information, I would ask that in the future you just chill out. Don't make any rash moves. Don't take on any hitchhikers. No hemorrhaging, no cysting, no torsioning (I know those are not actual words, but I'm pretty sure you know what I mean). Just do your thing like you did for 32 years. I'm counting on you. I need you. Together, I know we can accomplish great things. Thank you.

My best to you and yours,

Megan ("No, I'm not pregnant. Just swollen.") Greenwood

Before the percaset makes me forget...

I have a funny story.

I've been in the hospital. Just a little (or actually, as the ER doc said, rather large) ovarian cyst issue that required some attention. One surgery and 2 1/2 days of hospital stay later, and all is well (thanks to the above mentioned percaset).

So, while I was in the lockup, everyone pitched in beautifully to take care of the girls. They were quite freaked out at first. It's never fun to wake up to a note from Mom saying she's at the hospital. My Dad, bless his big humongous heart, came over in the middle of the night and took over for us. That night at dinner he asked the girls if they had any questions about what was going on with mom. Emma said that she didn't really understand, so he commenced his highly informative discourse on the female reproductive system and all it entails (thank heavens for google searches). This is how it went...

Side note: My father is and has always been terrified of having the sex talk (or anything that remotely resembles a sex talk) with any of his children. He breaks into a sweat if he even sees a tampon. My sex talk consisted of barbie and ken discussing how they wouldn't kiss until they got married. And that was when I was 20.

Back to the dinner...

Emma: I don't really understand what's going on with mom
Fred: Well Emma, every girl has something in her body called ovaries.
They are very important. Mommy had a big sore on her ovary that the doctors have to
go in and remove.

*as Fred said when he told me and Wade the story "I could have stopped there, Meg. I could have stopped. But...I didn't. And now the two of you have to clean up my mess. Sorry."

Fred: The ovaries are actually the part of a woman's body that make eggs. That's why they're
important. When a woman's body is ready to have a baby, her ovary releases an egg and
it travels through the fallopian tube into the uterus where it gets fertilized and grows
into a baby.

*at this point, as Fred says, he knew he had gotten in a little bit over his head. That was confirmed when Emma looked at him with a very confused and slightly disgusted face and said...

"THEY FERTILIZE WOMEN!!!!!"

Hence the mess we now have to clean up.

I love Emma

So, last night Emma and I were standing at the sink doing the dishes together.
Let me just add right here that Emma is the sweetest, most elegant (as her soccer coach says), most well behaved child I know.
As we're standing there chatting about her day and the ways of the world, Emma says to me (dead seriously),
"Mom, I know it's impolite. But it just feels so good to toot. It's just such a relief."

I almost peed my pants.

p.s. Wade says Emma will kill me for posting this, but I can't resist. So you all have to promise that you'll NEVER mention this to Emma. EVER!
Thank you.

One of my favorite things in the whole wide world...

...is my brother, Chris (formally known as Dude). I adore him. He is an amazing uncle, very smart, beautifully creative and artistic, and cute. Like I said, he's one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.
So, for Sophie's birthday (which I realize is in June, so this is a little late) I asked him to help me with her invitation. "Just a little something that might look a little like a movie poster for the Wizard of Oz (the chosen theme)", was my request. This is what he came up with...

Click on it and look closely...the details are amazing.

I love Dude.

TBI

Morgan says Wear Your Helmet!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

The Bloody Baron part II

The Bloody Baron

I think we've gotten a little too into Harry Potter because...

Sophie lost her first tooth!

It was quite an exciting moment (actually it took about 45 minutes). We owe a great debt to Lily, or as we now call her, Dr. Greenwood. She twisted, pulled, and yanked that sucker for about 30 minutes. She even used her finger nails.
It was the perfect task for our fine-motor-skills-oriented 4 year old...until she saw blood.
Then she looked at me and said,
"um...I don't like the blood. I'm done."

Then it was Dad's turn. He yanked a little, there was some toilet paper involved for good grip, and pulled it right out. Of course, we immediately grabbed the camera and video camera. This was the first shot we got...

Sophie saw herself on the viewing screen of the video camera and yelled out...

"Bloody Hell!"

Hence the need to take a break from Harry Potter for a while.

Ouch

Lily got her first case of road rash.

Owie. Owie. Owie.
Considering she doesn't like band-aids, she has done quite well.
She only screams when we look at it.
Or touch it.
Or talk about it.
Or breath around it.


Don't let the smiling face fool you.

Today I am very tired...

...but it was totally worth it.

Last night we hosted a fabulous pioneer party for the neighborhood. It was lots and lots of fun. All kinds of games, crafts, activities, dinner, etc. etc.
Totally worth my aching legs and beyond tired brain...totally.
One of our favorite things was a little pioneer photo booth we set up. Since I never put any make-up on (I ran out of time), and since I can't remember if I ever got deoderant on (which, let me tell you, went really well with the 102 degree weather), I was very authentic.

I can't say the same for Wade or Lily.
Nice legs.

Our Girls Trip

So, I hate for my blog to be a travel-log.
But....

Let me begin with Sophie's B-Day.
The big 6.
Fabulous Wizard of Oz birthday party on Saturday (no thanks to the weather).
Lovely Bop and Sophie family party on Monday (the actual birthday).
And the grand finale, for Sophie's present we gave her a trip to San Francisco to see Wicked! No, we are not rich (unfortunately). No, we are not famous (again, unfortunately). We are just a little nuts (and I can be pretty creative when I want to be).
Sophie's response will remain one of the most treasured experiences of my life. She opened the card and Emma read it to her,
Sophie just began crying. And crying. And crying.
She couldn't stop.
She cried for the rest of her party. About 2 hours. She was so overwhelmed and nervous and excited and confused and she had no way to express herself.
So she just cried.
She would go out on the deck and pace back and forth trying to gain composure, come back inside, and as soon as someone mentioned anything about a trip or Wicked or an airplane or a suitcase, she would excuse herself to the deck and start crying all over again. It was so tender. She definitely has her mothers emotional disposition (poor child).

The next day she was much more composed. It was a good thing because...we were off! We left Lily and Dad home for their own adventures and boarded a plane to San Francisco.

Let me start by saying a little something about "Sugar Uncles". You may have heard of "Sugar Daddies". They are nothing compared to "Sugar Uncles". Uncle Timmy spoiled us like you wouldn't believe. Dinners (the best sushi I have EVER had, and I have had a lot of sushi...sorry Wade), museums, aquariums, theater, more dinners, ice cream, Michael Jackson memorial car rides, hikes, beaches, and best of all, nightly Harry Potter readings (which I will remember always).I have never been taken such good care of in my entire life.
If you don't have one, you've simply got to get a "Sugar Uncle".

Here are some of the best photos of our adventures...

The very excited (and a little nervous) first-time fliers


Oh, Wicked!

Emma and Tim making serious work of some serious cheesecake


This is Sophie and Emma dissecting regurgitated mouse remains from Owls (seriously)
at the new California Academy of Science (very cool museum).

The roof of the California Academy of Sciences building (a little like Teletubby land. And by the way, I am proud to say that I have no idea how to spell Teletubby)

Blurry tuna shot


The Monterey Bay Aquarium (if you've never been, you really should)



They love the ocean!



And they're cute


Me and Tim on a killer day at the bridge.
The fog would come in and out, hide the bridge and then reveal it again.
It was spectacular.


A CRAZY bridge that we walked across to get to a beautiful light house
(and Sophie eating an apple).


Sophie drinking (or attempting to drink) coconut milk from a very large coconut.
Not so good.
But hey, when in Berkley...

We had a fantastic time.
Thanks Tim!
We love you!

Oh where, oh where, did our spring go...

And suddenly...it's summer!

May for us, as for anyone with children over the age of 5, is a marathon. Dance recitals, math-bees, class parties, soccer games, piano recitals, field days, choir concerts, soccer practice, programs, etc, etc. It's a party!

And I haven't blogged any of it.
So, here is a teaser...more to come.

Sophie's big spring achievement!
We should have known...it was a piece of cake.
Brenda, bring on the ice cream (and sprinkles)!




She's definitely feelin' the power.

Our obsession

We, like everyone else in this city, have become obsessed with the musical Wicked. We listen to it far too much and know far too many of the words. I even got to enjoy a girls weekend with friends and saw it this past weekend. (Let me just say, FANTASTIC!)
I do, however, feel deep guilt that I didn't take my two oldest daughters.

So, instead, we made our own production.

Without further ado, the Greenwood Girls proudly present...

Popular
from the Broadway musical, Wicked

Credits

Lead Singing............................... Emma
Back-up (crazy eyed) Singing..... Sophie
Producer....................................... Wade
Director ........................................ Meg
Background sounds (blocks)........ Lily
Dialogue Coach............................. Meg
Camera Man (or woman)............. Meg
Props ............................................ Sophie
Choreography............................... Sophie
Macarena Dancing....................... Sophie

Lily, oh, Lily...

Funny story...

So, today I had a little parent teacher conference with Lily's preschool teacher, Miss Chris (who we LOVE). I know, parent teacher conference for preschoolers seems a little silly. Really it's just a chance for me to catch up with Miss Chris and make sure that Lily isn't causing too much trouble (which she isn't, by the way). Miss Chris always cracks me up with stories of 3 and 4 year old adventures at school. She had a good one for me today.

Last week she was having a little trouble keeping Lily's class under control. They were discussing whales and sharks and every child had a story to tell about their trip to SeaWorld, their book about fish, or their last trip to the bathroom.
So, she said to them all,
"We're almost done, guys. Please stop talking so that we can finish. If you need to say something, please raise your hand."

So Lily raises her hand.

Miss Chris says, "Yes, Lily?"
and Lily immediately starts talking... to Bailey, her buddy next to her.
Miss Chris says, "Lily, do you have something to say?"
and Lily says, "Yeah...to Bailey."

At least she raised her hand.

the wedding...

the Greenwood Girls love weddings...especially when they get to wear fancy dresses, curlers in their hair, and gorgeous shoes.
And they ESPECIALLY love weddings when it's for someone we love.

Erin and Scotty's wedding truly was a miracle.
It reminded me that having hope is OK.
That happiness can come if you don't give up.
That the most intimate moments are definitely the best.
And that heels make me taller than Wade.

And, most importantly, that the Greenwood Girls can definitely get down.

It was a perfect night.

the BEAUTIFUL bride

the curler brigade





Sophie, seriously focused on her duties as a flower girl



Emma, perfecting her do



Lily, being very Lily (oh. my. goodness)



Emma says that this picture shows how bored she got during the ceremony



My personal favorite Bride & Groom shot



The whole good lookin' clan



...just us




and then came... the DANCING


oh, how they love the dancing



they get that from their father



and their Grandpa

Seriously, it was a PERFECT day

Inauguration 2009

Posted by Wade

I am proud to be the first guest blogger on 3greenwoodgirls, I hope I am found worthy to participate in the future.

It has now been a month since my unbelievable trip to Washington DC for the inauguration of Barack Obama. The trip was a surprise Christmas present from Meg and included fabulous travel partners; the Thomas family. It was an amazing time to be in DC, and I've had a hard time putting my experiences into words. I think what struck me most deeply was how meaningful it was for black families, many of whom came from all over the country to see the inauguration first hand. On the train ride home that Tuesday I was sitting next to one of these families. An older man said, "When I was younger I used to ask my friends do you think we will ever see a black president? We always said no way, not in my lifetime. I never thought it would happen ... but today I saw it, in person". It was so inspiring to see thousands of black grandmothers and granddaughters dressed up in their fanciest Sunday hats and coats to show respect for the symbolic occasion. The day after the inauguration we were at the White House where a dad was talking to his boy about the same age as Sophie. He said, "Did you know that's the house President Obama lives in?" the boy turned to him and said "Barack Obama lives there? That's a nice house!"

I was told from the time I was little that I can accomplish anything if I try hard enough. But to a large group of people in this country, the term anything is rhetorical. While that may still be the case for far too many (women, Mormons among others), that symbolically changed last month.

While race was on my mind a lot that week, there were many other feelings too. I felt a tangible change in the air. A change toward more optimism, less fear; more inclusion, less polarity; more pragmatism, less absolutism; more transparency, less secrecy. I feel the next four years will bring more respect, compassion, equality, tolerance, diplomacy, trust, accountability and competence. As clichéd as it sounds, I feel hopeful. While I’ve been accused on more than one occasion of hero-worshiping, I am cautious. I know we must not expect one person to swoop in and save everything, and President Obama cannot and will not do that. What I believe he can do is be a catalyst to motivate each of us to do more. To be more responsible in our own families, but also to our community, nation and world. I am excited and proud to have a president who speaks without insulting my intelligence, one who values cooperation and unity, and I am grateful that I got to see President Obama in person!

When I got home I put together a couple of youtube videos of our trip. (If you want to watch in full-screen be sure to click on the HQ icon in the bottom right corner of the video).

The first (14 minutes split into 2 parts) is a montage of our day on the National Mall, which began before 4:00 AM. I inserted news clips into our home video to get extra perspective.

As though the day itself wasn't momentous enough, McKay decided to make it more so by proposing to his girlfriend Stephanie.

The final clip is a slideshow of our day in DC.

Winter Math

Take...

Three crazy girls + huge tubes + a big snowy hill + a little hot chocolate

and that equals = a good, GOOD, day!

My kind of guy...

So, if you're in the mood for a little irreverent humor, and I mean the Mormon kind (which, I myself enjoy from time to time), you should check out this blog.
http://myregisblog.blogspot.com/
Really, it's one of the funniest things I've seen in a while.

But, here is my disclaimer: If you do not enjoy laughing at yourself, making fun of yourself, or seeing humor in otherwise serious things...do not proceed.

Thanks to Sarah, my friend, fellow Democrat, and swimming teacher, for the recommendation!

Well, that was WEIRD...

So, there I was...
(that's for Bruce)

Inauguration morning. I'm sitting with my kids watching for Dad on TV, lounging in our jammies, and just generally enjoying ourselves. I get a call from my friend, who we will call "Brenda". Her one year old was feeling cranky and needed to get out, so could they stop by and say Hi? "Of course!", I say, warning her that we are still in our jammies and that the house is a mess. "Brenda", her 6 year old son "Noah", and her 1 year old "Reagan" come over and we have a lovely visit. We discuss the inauguration ("Brenda" is a republican and was having a rough day), our trip to St. George (she got all of the details from the girls), and just chit chatted as mommies do. When it got time for them to go, "Noah" was not interested in leaving so we invited him to stay a little longer. "Brenda" left to change a diaper and put a 1 year old down for a nap.

So, fast forward about 15 minutes. The doorbell rings. I go look through the window and see "Brenda" on the porch holding "Reagan". I open the door and see that "Brenda" has been crying, and still is. And, she has the most terrifying look in her eyes that I have ever seen.
She looks at me and says (very scared and pathetically), "Is Noah here?"
I say "Yes, remember you left him here to play."

And, she says to me..."was I HERE this morning?"

So, at this point, I look at her and think, my friend is going crazy. Really seriously, my friend is going CRAZY!

I look at Brenda and say, "I think you'd better come inside and sit down."

And that's when things got very strange. "Brenda" starts telling me that she cannot remember anything that happened that morning. She couldn't remember being at my house at all.
Nothing. Nada. Zip.
She had gotten home, started changing "Reagan's" diaper and then suddenly, she couldn't find "Noah". She started running panicked through her house looking for him. She finally called her husband, "Aaron", who (very confusedly) reminded "Brenda" that she had been at my house and maybe he was there. So, she jumped in the car and dashed to my house.

And, then she started to flip out. She was absolutely terrified. She kept repeating, "Was I HERE this morning? Did WE talk? Did I talk to your KIDS." She had "crazy eyes".

Let me tell you about "crazy eyes". It's the looks in someone's eyes when they feel absolutely out of control. It is not a look that I ever, EVER, want to see in someone's eyes again.

So, I keep trying to keep "Brenda" calm (lest we forget that the house is full of 5 small children who are progressively getting more and more freaked out). Poor "Noah" keeps coming in the room saying, "Are you OK Mommy? What's wrong Mommy?" And, I, in all my wisdom, just keep saying, "umm, go play!"

I keep telling Brenda to calm down and we'll figure this out. She keeps asking me, "Is it really Tuesday?" As the kids keep coming in and out of the room wondering what in the heck is going on, she keeps asking them the same questions they had already answered during her first (sane) visit. Good old Sophie, totally aware that something was up, stays calm and repeats word for word the stories she had already told.

So then "Brenda" starts to get very affectionate, telling me that she's "missed me" and "feels like I haven't seen you for so long". She started stroking my hair and rubbing my back. At this point, I start thinking to myself, "I am watching my friend go crazy right in front of my eyes and I'm going to be the last one who saw her sane!" Not a happy thought. Plus, I was a little worried that she might touch me inappropriately (you never know with crazy people).

Eventually, "Brenda's" husband "Aaron" and her father-in-law arrive and we decide that an urgent care probably isn't the best place to take a crazy woman. So "Aaron" takes her to the Emergency Room where after MRIs (they thought, like me, that she was having a stroke) and tests they determined that "Brenda" was suffering from Global Transient Amnesia.

Now, I know that sounds made up. It does to me too. But if you search it on the Mayo Clinic website and look at the symptoms, it is EXACTLY what happened to "Brenda". A totally temporary, short-lived, short-term memory, amnesia. No side-effects, no record of it ever happening to the same person twice.
It just happens.
She was home from the hospital 3 hours later.
And she doesn't remember anything.
Lucky for her.

Me, not so much.

If you want, you can read her side of the story...
http://eastcoastwalkers.blogspot.com/2009/02/well-that-was-weird.html
But, I wouldn't trust her if I were you. She's a little locco!

Sophie. Poor, poor, Sophie

So, last Monday night the girls and I got home from a little weekend jaunt to St. George (it was my effort to distract us all from the fact that Daddy was gone, living it up in DC). We needed to get out of Dodge...so we did. When we got home Monday night, there was not a whole lot of food in the fridge and we were all a little worn out from a busy weekend. So, I got the approval of my children to have mac & cheese for dinner.

Now, I know this may sound strange, but it was the first time that I have ever fed my kids mac & cheese for dinner. We just don't ever do that. There are a plethora of reasons why we don't, my husband's food snobbery being the first (but he was gone so we could do whatever we wanted).

So, I make the mac & cheese and cut up some apples (trying to redeem the fact that we're eating a highly, highly processes food for our meal) and set it all on the table. The girls came and sat down and got ready to pray.

Sophie, oh Sophie, looked at the mac & cheese and apples, looked at me and said,
"Mom, I feel poor."
I looked at her and said, "wwhhaatt!!!"
And she repeated "Mom, I feel poor. This dinner makes me feel poor."

Oh, sweet, sweet, (poor and spoiled) Sophie.

O-B-A-M-A!

Even though I know that there will be much to post when Wade gets home, I can't resist celebrating today!

I loved watching the inauguration today knowing that Wade was there, right there. (In case you're the one person in the world that I forgot to tell, Wade went to the inauguration) I kept getting emotional (not a surprise) because I loved knowing that Wade was surrounded by history. It was quite overwhelming.

After listening to Obama's speech, watching his wife and girls, and looking at my own children, I feel something that I have never really felt before. I know it sounds terrible, but I have never really felt an emotional connection to my country. That changed today and it changed because of Barak Obama. I know that he is not the messiah. I know that he will not fix half of the things that he's hoping to. I know that he is a man, not a rock star. I know that he will fail a lot.

But, I like how he talks to me. I like what he expects of me and my family. I like what he expects of all of us. I like that he gives me hope in my countries potential. I like that he speaks beautifully. I like that he doesn't tell me how horrible the world will be for my children, he tells me how wonderful I can help make it. I like that he talks about generosity, and compassion, and love. I like that he can't really dance. I like that he loves his children and his wife. I like that he has Aretha Franklin sing. I like, that for the first time since Sept. 11th 2001, I don't feel guilty for bringing my girls into this world.

I like President Obama.



PS-Even Sophie, our McCain/Palin supporter, came around today. After the inauguration, she suggested that we go put our flag out.
So we did.
It looked awesome.

The Party's Over

Like I said, crazy from October through January 4th.

This was taken January 2nd after they exhausted themselves by cheering hard for the Utes in their amazing win over Alabama. The thrill of the game (and the fact that they hadn't gone to bed before 11:00 for a month) was too much.
We are going to be in serious detox mode for about a month.
Happy New Year!

The Wii

Like my friend Carrie said, we got a Wii like everyone else did this Christmas. The girls are quite enthralled, especially with their High School Musical dancing game (courtesy of Geoff and Jess, and Bop and Mimi). Here's a little video of poor Emma (notice her focus, she's about ready to put the remote right through the TV) trying to play while her sisters give in to their dancing urges (they can't ever resist).
This makes me and Wade laugh pretty hard...

Before I go to bed...

So, it's 10:0 and that's my bed time. I've just posted 3 times in one night, and I'm sick of it! But, I couldn't quit without one last Christmas picture post. My favorite of 2008...

Freakin' cute

Ho, Ho, Ho!

The second important night in starting off our Greenwood Christmas season is our annual visit with Santa at the Timmerman's house. It is a tradition like no other and we love it!

And, we all know, without a doubt, that he is THE real Santa Claus...

And, then it begins...

So, for the Greenwoods (with Halloween, 4 birthdays, and Thanksgiving), the craziness starts October 21st...

but then it REALLY starts December 1st.

And, our favorite way to start the Christmas craziness... Erin's gingerbread extravaganza!

It's one of the girl's favorite days of the year because it involves Erin, candy, frosting, candy, sprinkles, and more candy. This year it was even more exciting because it involved Lily's new best friend, Jared (or, Jawed, as she says).
It doesn't get much better than that!

Sophie and our lovely host



The candy chaos

And,
a lovely family photo to end the night
(every party has a pooper, that's why we invited Lily!)