The Gooder Greenways

She's 2!

2012-01-27T18:43:00.000-05:00

4 Years Old!

2012-01-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

William just turned 4! We had a little birthday for him during joy school, and when dad got home from work, he got the presents he's wanted for months. So now we have a four-year-old and a mini darth vader running around our house.

2011-12-18T16:30:00.000-05:00

Hello all! As I mentioned, I've been pretty busy lately and eventually I'll get around to taking pictures of all of the projects I've been working on but I thought I'd share a simple tutorial for a Christmas centerpiece I made this week with William. Here's what you'll need:

An assortment of clear glass containers with a lid

(I used old canning jars as well as a salt and pepper shaker and a bigger sugar shaker from the dollar store)

Mini Christmas Trees

(sold in 2 packs at Dollar Tree)

Epsom Salt

(yup also at the dollar store...are you noticing a pattern here?)

A Glue Gun

Now for the directions... Simply hot glue the trees to the lids of the canning jars, pour in about 2 inches of epsom salt "snow" and put the lid (with the tree glued on) and the band back on the jar. Turn the jar upside down so the tree is right side up and ta da! So cute, and so, so easy!

Now for a few more tips that I discovered along the way. I decided to leave the salt and pepper shaker and the sugar shaker right side up for a little variety, so I glued the trees to the bottoms of the jar. It required a pretty big glob of glue, but since it is covered in snow, it didn't matter. I also had to use tweezers to get the trees inside the salt and pepper shakers. Because I liked the look of the holes on the lids, I glued a clear piece of plastic inside the lids so the snow couldn't get dumped out.

Oh, and the Dollar Tree didn't sell trees small enough to fit inside my smallest ball jar or my salt and pepper shakers. So I cut some of the trees down with a pair of wire cutters. The only tricky thing about doing this is that you end up cutting off the plastic base at the bottom of the tree. Which means that my hi-temp glue gun was too hot for the branches of the trees and started to melt them. So I ended up blowing on the glue to cool it down a little, and working really fast to get the tree attached to the bottom of the jar. The good thing is that the snow covers a lot of mistakes.

I've been busy...

2011-12-01T20:49:00.000-05:00

I've been busy finishing projects these last few weeks. I finally finished painting and antiquing a desk, making a wreath, hanging curtains and helping my husband build a headboard out of reclaimed pallets (okay, so I basically told him what I wanted and let him build it. Every once in a while I'd throw in my two cents.) I've also been taking a writing workshop once a week, turned 30, drove to NJ to be with my brother and family for Thanksgiving, had my parents visit from Chicago for a few days, decorated the house for Christmas and made a huge batch of delicious and dairy-free (Will-safe) fudge. BUT I don't have pictures to show of any of it, at least not yet. So in the mean time, here are a few more photos of the kids.

DC Temple Trip

2011-11-04T14:05:00.000-04:00

At the beginning of October our ward had a family temple trip down to the DC Temple. We were encouraged to bring our family and let them experience the temple grounds and visitor's center. We watched a movie about Joseph Smith, had a picnic lunch (provided by the ward) and walked around to mini-stations around the temple grounds where ward members taught the families about different aspects of the temple. I was a little skeptical about bringing a 1 yr old and a 3 yr old, especially with a 2 hr drive time, each way. But they did great and I'm so glad we got to go.

Trains and Dirt

2011-10-15T20:26:00.000-04:00

William was given a set of wooden train tracks for Christmas two years ago and they are stilll the most-used toy we own. As he's gotten older his tracks have become more elaborate and he enjoys building and rearranging even more than actually driving the trains on them. I'll have keep my eyes out for more tracks.

And Kathryn... well what can I say? If it's not sugar, it's dirt.

Sugar Kate

2011-09-29T19:23:00.000-04:00

My daughter has a sweet tooth. She loves anything even moderately sweet. I'm afraid she takes after her mother. She is also an incredible climber. So when I heard the unmistakeable clang of the lid being lifted off one of my crocks, I knew she was getting into trouble. I found her perched on the counter, helping herself to the contents of my sugar jar. She would lick her grubby little hand and dip it in the sugar then suck it off before going in for another helping. Thankfully she hadn't eaten very much before I found her. or I would have had one hyper little girl.

Can I Make It??

2011-09-21T13:33:00.000-04:00

And now...it's time for another episode of "Can I Make It??" where Lynn finds something she really likes and tries to make it herself. Will she be successful or will the strain be too much? Find out in the exciting next episode of "Can I Make It??"!

Okay so I've seen this arrangement in the Pottery Barn catalog and loved it, but the price tag? $199?! You've got to be kidding me. So I'm gonna try to make it myself. I know where to get a bunch of twigs, courtesy of the recent tropical storms. And I know my elderly neighbor won't mind, she's been trying to get rid of them. So the kids and I loaded up their little red wagon this morning and now I've got a pile of sticks by the side of my house. I've just got to find something to use in the center...styrofoam? burlap wrapped cans? We'll see, I'm on a pretty tight budget here.

Anyway I'll keep playing around with it when I have a spare minute and let you know what I come up with.

A Chair Makeover

2011-08-04T10:14:00.001-04:00

Here are the before and after pictures of a chair I have been working on. I found it at a barn sale for $10 and knew with a little work it could be great. I already had the fabric, trim and spray paint. I did buy a deglosser so that I could skip the sanding step. It is a solvent that preps surfaces for painting and helps the paint to stick. You just rub it on with a clean cloth and let it dry. It worked great and saved me some time. I'll definately use it again. Anyway, here you go:

Number Three!

2011-07-28T13:44:00.000-04:00

A Little Help ... Please

2011-07-01T21:03:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone,

By now many of you know that John is going to write his Master's Thesis this fall. But, before he can write his thesis and graduate we need a little help from you. Well, actually a lot of help. John's thesis topic is on the general public's perception of historic preservation. He believes that most people know very little about the goals of historic preservation and that preservation programs need to focus more of their resources on better educating the public they claim to serve.

So, that brings me to what you can do to help him graduate. At the bottom of this post is a link to a survey he created to evaluate people's opinions toward preservation. Please click on the link and take the survey. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!! Please pass the link on to your family and friends through your blogs, facebook, twitter or any other social media network. We need as many people as possible to take this survey. The only way John will be able to graduate soon is if this survey is successful. So PLEASE, PLEASE take the survey then beg your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors to take it and pass it on.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HistoricPreservationVitality

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Greenway Family Reunion

2011-06-09T14:56:00.000-04:00

What a busy summer! We no sooner got home from FL with my family, then John's family came to town for the first ever Greenway Family Reunion. My in-laws have turned in their mission papers and wanted the whole family to get together before they leave on their mission. So the whole family got together for a day at a little amusement park, three days of camping, bowling, a service project, and a temple trip for the adults. Here are some of the picutres from that crazy, fun week!

Florida

2011-05-22T19:16:00.000-04:00

I'm back! My house still isn't unpacked, so I won't show any pictures of it yet, but instead here are some photos from our trip to Florida last week. It was sort of an impromtu family reunion of my family, the LeStarges. I'm sorry the pictures are in no particular order, but this blog is run on the most basic version of blogger, and it isn't very picture-friendly. Oh well, we had a great time, as you can see!

(If you are wondering why my family is fully dressed, it is because we were going to the airport straight from the beach, and I didn't want to travel with sandy kids. I'm just not that adventureous.)

Moved

2011-04-26T06:46:00.002-04:00

We've moved. I'll be back when I get my house unpacked.

in the basket

2011-03-17T14:22:00.000-04:00

My Newest Acquisiton

2011-03-07T22:56:00.000-05:00

I found this beauty on craigslist two weeks ago. It was only $35 and I really, really love it. As you can see, there is some damage to the veneer on the bottom. I haven't figured out yet what I'm going to do with it. It would be difficult to repair because of the diagonal grain on the bottom door... but I'm not sure about painting it either. But I'm more than happy to use it as it is for now. Oh... and if you are wondering, the quilt on the door in the second picture was originally made by my great-grandmother. My mom salvaged what squares she could and made them into a baby doll blanket for Kathryn.

A Spring Tutorial...

2011-02-25T22:54:00.003-05:00

I have toyed around with the idea of starting a blog for my decorating/painting/sewing exploits for some time. I'm not sure I'm ready just yet, but I thought I'd try it out here on my personal blog. So here is a quick tutorial for you...

We had a few days of beautiful weather and I was inspired to add a few spring touches to my home. I had almost no money and very little time, so I ran to the Dollar Tree to see what I could come up with. I bought two of these

And two of these. (Plus a toy gun to keep my son occupied. Thank goodness for dollar toys!)

The birds themselves weren't too bad, but they were a little too pink. Besides, they were from the dollar store so their paint was a little sloppy looking. That was an easy fix with a coat of Heirloom White spray paint and a little distressing.

I mixed up a thin glaze with a squirt of acrylic craft paint in burnt umber and some water, then brushed it all over the bird. No need to be neat, just brush it on quickly. Let it sit for a minute or so and wipe it off. So easy, and acrylic paint is very forgiving.

When they were dry I put them in my pedastel hurricane vases and wrapped a little baker's twine around base. So easy and cheap! My kind of decorating!

Hershey Bears Game

2011-02-20T16:01:00.000-05:00

For Christmas I got John two tickets to a Hershey Bears hockey game. They are part of the American Hockey League (which is kind of like the minor leagues for hockey). I guess that most pro hockey players work their way up from the american hockey league, and the Hershey Bears are the best team in the minors...Anway, I don't exactly follow hockey but it was still fun to go on a date with John. We had seats just four rows up from the ice and got to see a lot of action close up.

But I have to confess, I'm not sure I exactly get hockey... I mean I know about the 3 periods and about the puck and the goal, but at one point two players started brawling. Hockey is a rough sport so I wasn't exactly surprised when I saw the helmets fly off. What did surprise me was that the refs skated over and then just stood there while these two players pounded on each other. It went on for a few minutes and then they both seemed to get tired. So they just skated over to the penalty box. I failed to see the point but John thought it was hysterical. Perhaps that was the point.

Another Birthday!

2011-01-28T22:55:00.000-05:00

Kathryn is 1! She's so fun and so full of personality. What a cutie...even if she won't let me put on a bow!

A Birthday...

2011-01-12T21:55:00.000-05:00

I can't believe he turned 3 today!

Altering Furniture

2010-12-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

I decided to rearrange my living room furniture last week. I live in a long, narrow row home with long, narrow rooms. I'll spare you the details of what I put where, but I decided that what used to be my tv stand would really make a great console table. Except that it was just too wide to fit behind my couch.

Not anymore.

I figured that it was a cheap junky laminate thing any way, and if I screwed it up, oh well. So I got out my husband's jigsaw. Will's eyes lit up when he saw the power tool so he was promptly buckled in his high chair and Kate was strapped in her swing. With the kids safe I proceeded to cut the back off the tv stand, right there in my living room. I gouged a straight line in the top with a metal ruler to give myself something to follow. The jigsaw had no trouble going through the particle board and it was smooth sailing for about the first two seconds.

Then I realized something. I can't follow a straight line. I mean I really can't follow a straight line. It was bad. So I marked another line and tried again. It was worse. So I got out some hand tools to fix it. Now you might think that a contractor's wife would have a plethora of hand tools. Not so. John's tools were all on the job site with him and there was no way I was going to wait until he got home to fix my mess. It would have been too embarrassing. I eventually found an old rusty hand saw and got to work straightening the back of my table. About the time my arm started to ache I realized that if I had just clamped a piece of 2 x 4 to the top I could have used it as a guide for the jigsaw and cut a perfectly straight line on the first try. Drat.

Well, I eventually did get the table top fixed and I love it behind the couch. It stores the kid's toys and defines a play area for them and an office space for John and I. And it only took me an entire afternoon.

A New Project...

2010-11-20T21:38:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I can't help myself... I actually managed to go more than a month without any projects, but well, it was my birthday.

Any of you who read decorating blogs may have heard of Miss MustardSeed. She is a wonderful blogger and a very sweet person and writes the best decorating tutorials. Her style is a vintage french provincial, which isn't my personal favorite but it is still fun to get ideas... Anyway, I had a set of very french provincial bedroom furniture that I inherited from John's aunt. I had sold the first two pieces to Miss MustardSeed and was ready to get rid of the last piece - a nightstand. So I contacted her again and this time arranged a furniture trade! I actually got to go to her house and look around and pick a new nightstand from her stash of furniture. Sooo Fun! This is the one I chose, a short bombay chest, already primed and ready to be painted!

Keep an eye out for updates...I think it is going to end up dark...and maybe slightly metallic! Crazy, huh?

Oh and there is a link to Miss MustardSeed's blog on my sidebar if you're interested.

Family Photo

2010-11-15T11:36:00.001-05:00

A belated Happy Halloween...

2010-11-06T21:29:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd share a few pics from Halloween. I meant to get around to posting these earlier in the week, but... I haven't been able to get the pics to upload the right direction. So, you'll have to turn your head sideways for the last two. If anyone has any advice....

Kathryn was dressed as a little grey mouse for Halloween, but only after the fact did I realize that I didn't get any good pictures of her in her costume.

William was a kangaroo and loved dressing up and acting the part. I think he jumped to every house we visited.

We went trick-or-treating with cousins Isaac (Buzz Lightyear) and Sadie and had a great time. Well, at least William and Isaac had a great time. Sadie wasn't too impressed and Kate just wanted to be held.

In case you were wondering... most trick-or-treat candy isn't safe for Will's allergies. But we wanted him to be a part of the festivities so we watched him carefully to be sure he didn't eat anything when we were out and about. When we finished we swapped out all the unsafe candy for treats that he can eat, like skittles and starbursts. This year he was none the wiser. Next year he'll have to be part of the swapping, and when he gets bigger maybe we'll offer to trade his un-safe candy for money. With a little creativity and a whole lot of vigilance he can have a fun and safe Halloween.

Library Chair

2010-10-14T21:13:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure if you remember, but about a year ago I bought what I thought was a 1940s library chair on craigslist. John decided to make it his own personal project and refinished it for me. He did an amazing job, and what's even more amazing is that he discovered a date stamped on the chair's hardware...1918!

I love the original number plate... I think it adds character.

The wooden casters are not original...there was only one left when I bought the chair last year. But this summer I found a bag of wooden casters at a garage sale for $3. I was thrilled!

I really love the hardware...John cleaned and oiled it for me and it works wonderfully well.

There she goes...

2010-10-06T19:39:00.000-04:00

Kathryn has actually been crawling for a while ... in reverse. She just figured out how to go forward recently.

Finished!

2010-09-13T14:11:00.001-04:00

I've finally finished my dresser! Actually, it was done two weeks ago, but I was waiting to sell the old one so that I'd have room for the new. If you don't remember, here is a before:

I found it on the side of the road, and made my husband go home, get the truck and go back and get it. It was solid oak, but in pretty sorry shape. The doors were lying next to it and one of them was broken in half. The finish was black-speckled and screamed 1980s and the hardware was atrocious:

But, I have an affinity for ugly, cheap furniture and I knew I could do a lot with this one. So, I sanded it down, primed it, painted it, antiqued it and sealed it. The new hardware came from a surplus store that sold antique hardware for 50 cents! It needed a coat of spraypaint in an oil-rubbed bronze finish:

And here it is now (a perfect match with my quilt, if I do say so myself):

Historic Steam Engine Show

2010-09-04T21:56:00.000-04:00

We spent the afternoon at the Williams Grove Historic Steam Engine Show. We saw steam tractors, a steam powered mill cutting down logs and rode on an old steam engine train. I'm not sure who had the most fun, William checking out the tractors and trains, John taking pictures, or Kate and I just watching the boys be boys.

A Sneak Peak

2010-08-27T08:50:00.000-04:00

Here is a sneak peak of the dresser... it's almost done!

And here is the new toy John bought me so I could finish working on my projects. My very own drill!

Featured Project

2010-08-20T08:50:00.000-04:00

Hey everybody, my art boards and crayon bags were featured on The Sleepytime Gal go check it out!

Projects

2010-08-17T20:20:00.000-04:00

I found this poor thing on the side of the road. It was so lonely that I had to take it home. That, and the fact that it is solid oak... John is helping me fix it up, I'll post pics when I'm done.

These art boards were birthday presents for a good friend's little girls. The bags have a box of crayons in them, and the design on the front was drawn by Will and then I stitched it in with dmc floss.

And finally, I'm trying my hand at embroidery. Nothing too spectacular, but I'd never done it before. This little butterfly is part of a simple quilt label for my neice.

Photo Shoot

2010-08-08T17:42:00.000-04:00

I now feel sorry for professional photographers. I tried to take a few photos of my kids together and it was chaos. Kathryn was fussy and William wouldn't sit still without making faces. Phew, what a chore! These are the two out of fifty that turned out the cutest, but don't think the kids were being sweet. In the first one they were yelling at each other and in the second Will was trying to bite Kate's headband. Uhhh... I mean they were laughing and kissing each other. My kids never misbehave. Do yours?

Kathryn Laughing

2010-08-05T10:42:00.000-04:00

Sitting Up

2010-07-28T21:40:00.000-04:00

I took a bunch of photos of Kathryn sitting up but there wasn't enough light and they turned out grainy. So I played around in photoshop and this is what I came up with. Cute, huh?

2010-07-15T21:53:00.003-04:00

Fourth of July dinner

Playing with cousin Jonah

With friends Lydia and Dalton

Hanging out in the truck.

At Timberlake

Timberlake

Doug's Homecoming dinner - Chicago Style Hotdogs!

Watching the fireworks with Grandma

2010-07-13T22:21:00.003-04:00

I've just realized that I haven't posted anything for some time, and I've got some great pictures of the three weeks spent visiting my family in the suburbs of Chigago, but it's late and there's this little voice that tells me I shouldn't be playing around with my blog when I haven't even finished unpacking from my trip and an even louder voice that's telling me to go to bed. I told them to shut up. At least while I type this brief update...

I'm home. I have a lot of pictures. I'll post them. Just not tonight.

Strawberry Picking

2010-05-24T23:02:00.003-04:00

Have you ever heard the hollow snap of a strawberry being pulled from its stem? It's a lovely sound, particularly on a late spring evening. We went strawberry picking at a local farm for family home evening. William's attention didn't last more than a small handful of strawberries, but I picked about twenty-five pounds of berries, while John held Kathryn and chased William. It was an enjoyable way to spend the evening and the thought of all those berries waiting in the fridge makes my mouth water.

Out for a walk

2010-05-13T20:11:00.002-04:00

Father/Son Campout

2010-05-12T09:18:00.006-04:00

William got to attend his first father/son campout. It was a ward campout so Grandpa was there, as well as cousin Isaac and uncle Ty. William had a blast and loved sleeping in the tent. We'll definately have to start family camping trips. (And in case you were wondering, the bruise is from falling off his scooter earlier in the week.)

Happy 5th Anniversary!

2010-05-01T15:23:00.006-04:00

What a week it has been! John and I celebrated our 5th anniversary on Thursday. He surprised me with a huge bouquet of flowers and a beautiful necklace just as I finished putting the kids down for a nap. I wanted to surprise him with his gift, a new power tool, so I hid it in the shower. Not one of my more brilliant moments. Thankfully it was mostly waterproof.

Then, because our dinner plans had fallen through (thanks in part to food allergies and a hysterical two year old) we decided to have a family picnic at Children's Lake. We opted not to pack food but to get take out instead--it was our anniversary after all. I was in the mood for sushi and John for ribs, and we topped it all off with lemonade from Chick-fil-a. We had a great time. Who needs fancy resturants anyway?

Tummy Time

2010-04-21T21:08:00.005-04:00

As you can see, Kathryn doesn't particularly enjoy being on her tummy...

And she's quite vocal about letting us know.

Not Fair

2010-04-08T11:30:00.002-04:00

Not only does William have food allergies, but he has horrific seasonal allergies as well. We went to the park for playgroup yesterday and while there his eyes started to get puffy and red. He spent the rest of the day with awful goopy eyes that he could hardly open. Sometimes life isn't fair.

Allergies

2010-04-06T11:34:00.002-04:00

We took William to the allergist today. I didn't think the allergies could get any worse, but I was wrong. Nearly everything we tested had actually gotten worse. But it's okay, because we're already used to this lifestyle so we don't have to make any changes, just keep doing what we're already doing.

Sibling...um, Love?

2010-04-01T08:50:00.003-04:00

Is it love... or torture?

Actually, it's love. Kathryn hates being in her car seat, and William was trying to climb in to give her a kiss.

A Blessing Gown

2010-03-21T20:37:00.002-04:00

You wouldn't believe how hard it was to find a simple white dress for Kathryn's blessing. My wonderful mom eventually found one for me that was almost perfect. We spent the morning removing pearls and sequins, flowers and bows and netting and using lace from an unwanted bonnet to replace lace that was damaged by glue. But in the end, with my mom's help the almost perfect dress really was perfect.

My Children

2010-03-04T16:35:00.002-05:00

Helping Grandma in the Kitchen

2010-02-04T09:45:00.002-05:00

She's Here

2010-01-29T12:36:00.003-05:00

Kathryn Ellyn Greenway was born on January 27, 2010 at 10:29 am. She weighed 6 lbs 6 oz and was 18 in long. Both mom and baby are doing well and are recovering at home now. Dad and William are thrilled.

Nesting Boxes

2010-01-18T20:44:00.002-05:00

I found these nesting boxes for a great price (thanks to a 40% off coupon) at Michaels, and decided they'd be perfect for storing toys. I painted them to match the baby's dresser and added fun scrapbook paper to make them a little more interesting. The larger one has car paper and now holds all of William's cars and trucks. I kept the smaller one generic because I'm not sure what will go in it...perhaps rattles and teething rings.

My handsome boys

2010-01-10T17:53:00.002-05:00

Santa, how could you forget?

2009-12-28T20:31:00.008-05:00

Here are a few pictures from Christmas morning, and our day with John's family. We had a wonderful time and as you can see, Santa was very good to a little boy.

Except, silly Santa spent a week making a set of wooden alphabet blocks and a drawstring bag to store them in, then forgot to put them under the tree! That's okay though--there's a birthday coming up in two weeks.

p.s. for other cute craft ideas like this, check out my friend Nicole's blog

Let it Snow!

2009-12-19T12:01:00.004-05:00

Anything for a break...

2009-12-11T08:17:00.003-05:00

We've had a rough morning. William has a cold and molars coming in and didn't sleep well last night. It took the combined efforts of John and I to keep him from crying all morning long and when John had to leave for work I was more than a little apprehensive. I told John that I was perfectly capable of cutting tile, and I'm really good at caulking, if only he'd stay home to take care of Will. No such luck. So when William opened the fridge and found a tub of frosting, I kept quiet. I watched him stretch up on his tiptoes and find a spoon in the silverware drawer. Then he came and sat down next to me and had a frosting feast. Chocolate frosting may not be the best thing for a cold, but after a morning like this one, I'd do just about anything for a break...

At Uncle Matt's

2009-12-02T14:31:00.003-05:00

We went up to my brother Matt and his wife Jenna's house for Thanksgiving this year. As you can see, William had a great time, and now every time we get in the car he asks "Go Jenna House?" Unfortunately I didn't think to take any pictures of the actual Thanksgiving side of things...Oh well.

Rumbling with Uncle Matt

Band Hero with the Big Boys

Another refinishing project...

2009-11-18T20:45:00.004-05:00

For everyone that commented that they wanted to see some of my furniture projects...

I found this dresser on craigslist for $5 in pretty rough shape. The top drawer was unrepairable and most of the handles were missing. So I enlisted John's help to remove the top drawer entirely. I'm going to buy a shallow basket that can slide into the space to make it functional. The knobs are just a plain brushed silver circle, but I doubled them up... they remind me of rows of buttons. A little sanding and a few coats of paint that I already had and ta da! A dresser for the baby.

Happy Autumn!

2009-11-11T08:26:00.002-05:00

My most amazing and very talented mother made me this wall hanging a few weeks ago, and although I've had to put away the Halloween decorations, this gets to stay out until the Christmas decorations go up. I love having nice things to display in my home, so thanks mom!

Playing on Fort Greenway

2009-11-09T08:31:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-29T21:45:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween to all our friends! Here are some pictures of the festivities of this week. In case you were wondering, trick-or-treating is done on a different night than Halloween around here. I think it is silly, but oh well. William had a blast trick-or-treating. I thought he'd get bored after two or three houses but we did several streets in grandma's neighborhood and he'd have kept going if he could. Also in case you were wondering there were very few treats that he could eat, so when we got home we swapped candy and now he has a bag full of safe candy that he can enjoy.

Playdate!

2009-10-21T15:32:00.002-04:00

William had his first playdate today. We went and picked up Johanna and brought her to our house for two hours so her mommy could have a break. They had a great time playing the piano and playing with buses. Then they had popcorn and raisins for a snack, played in a "tunnel" and read books. What a fun morning!

A Genetic Defect Perhaps?

2009-10-08T13:25:00.003-04:00

I bought a 1940's wooden library chair on wheels from craigslist today. It was cheap and sturdy and with a little bit of work should return to its former glory. That got me looking around the house at the furniture I've acquired during my four years of marriage. There's the blue hutch that stores my dishes. It was a beat-up paint locker and looks nothing like it used to. Then there is my garage sale sewing machine cabinet, now being used as an end table. My pseudo butcher block top cabinet was covered in 1950's formica and metal. My dresser, the baby's dresser and William's dresser all have been refinished and are quite different from when I got them (one for $10, one for $5 and one for free!) Not even my couch has escaped... I've lived in this rowhome for three years and this is my third couch. All free and all in good shape. What can I say? I love redecorating, and when your budget is tight, you've got to be creative. I take after my mom. She's just figures that her home will never be finished and so she's always moving furniture or rearranging things. In fact my dad has come to accept the fact that everytime he goes away on business the house will look different when he gets back. My mom is a die-hard thrift-store shopper and garage-saler and her home is beautiful. Mine's still coming together, but I'm always calling for advice and even though she's several states away, she's my co-conspirator. I didn't know these things were inherited...must be a genetic defect of some sort.

It's a...

2009-09-15T18:14:00.000-04:00

GIRL!

Zonked

2009-09-11T09:06:00.002-04:00

Pine Grove Picnic

2009-09-09T08:48:00.002-04:00

On Labor Day weekend, we went on a picnic to Pine Grove Furnace state park with John's family. We found a shady table next to a stream and it was only a matter of minutes before William and his cousins were in the stream splashing and tossing rocks. Luckily I brought a swimsuit. John was nice enough to supervise, that water was freezing!

Fisherman William

2009-08-29T08:42:00.002-04:00

William is going to a dress-up birthday party later today. Since he loves looking at the fishies at the store, and since I already had the vest, he's going as a fisherman. The hat and plastic fishing pole are compliments of the dollar store. Add a few cut-out lures and fish and he's ready!

More Bad News on the Allergy Front!?

2009-08-26T07:38:00.003-04:00

I took William to the allergist yesterday. I'm not sure why I take him. Every time I do we get more bad news about his allergies. Actually, his allergist is a really good doctor and always does a good job of talking to me and answering my questions. Anyway, we've discovered that in addition to all his other allergies, William is allergic to sesame, all nuts, lamb and possibly chicken and turkey, although we're going to retest those last two. We also discovered that he is allergic to cats, dogs, grass, trees and several other environmental allergens. But to be honest, I'm not too upset about this latest news. I had already cut all nuts from his diet and the allergy medicine he takes for his food allergies is what he needs for his environmental allergies. So there is no change in our lifestyle and he's really a pretty happy and healthy little boy.

Pottery Barn Anyone?

2009-08-24T14:55:00.004-04:00

So who doesn't love flipping though the pages of a pottery barn catalog? Unfortunately even the throw pillows are too expensive for me. So I made my own. I thought they turned out pretty good.

A Fish Out of Water, and Loving It

2009-08-12T09:04:00.003-04:00

John and I went to the Chicago temple last night, while my mom and sister took care of Will. Then after our session we went out to eat. John was in the mood for Indian food, so before we left, I got online and found an indian resturant near the temple. Chilli's Garden was in a run down strip mall, sandwiched between a video rental and a dry cleaners. The street out front was under construction and the big stripped orange barrels and flashing signs didn't help our first impression. We could see into the resturant and it was completely empty except for one waiter who was watching TV at the bar. I'll admit that we considered going somewhere else, but I'll be forever glad that we didn't. As we walked into the uninspiring resturant, three more patrons joined us--indian men. I considered it a good sign. As we sat down, we felt a little like a fish out of water, the menu was extensive, and though I've eaten Indian food before, there were few items I recognized. We went ahead and ordered an appetizer and it was delicious. Bouyed up by the good food we ordered our main dishes, spiced lamb chops for John and Basmati rice with lamb, chicken and shrimp for me, plus several types of bread. Huge steaming portions were brought from the kitchen. The food was an incredible blend of spices and flavors and textures. I ate until I could eat no more, though John was thinking about dessert. So we bought one to take home. I've often thought that sometimes the best food comes from the most unlikely places. Last night proved me right.

If you're ever in Chicago: Chilli's Garden, 8971 N. Potter Rd, Des Plains IL 60016

Fun at Grandma's!

2009-08-04T12:42:00.003-04:00

Will and I have been in at my parent's in Chigago suburbs for the last week while John was at school. Here are some of the things we've done.

Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

2009-07-20T13:45:00.002-04:00

Saturday was a beautiful day, so we decided to take a trip up to Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. It is sort of a cross between a zoo and a petting zoo. Some animals, like the lions are in cages, and others, like the llamas are in a petting zoo. But the coolest part was some animals like the zebras and ostrichs are behind a wire fence and will come up and stick their noses through and check you for food. Sorry guys, the fruit snacks are for Will.

Hide n' Seek

2009-07-16T14:44:00.002-04:00

I did it!

2009-07-15T18:31:00.001-04:00

I submitted a story to the writing contest that I had blogged about earlier. It was a close call, I honestly wasn't sure I'd get it done in time. Thanks for all the encouragement, I couldn't have done it without your support!

Number two!

2009-06-30T20:35:00.000-04:00

I'm expecting my second baby! Hurray!

A first draft

2009-06-12T12:07:00.002-04:00

I am excited to announce that I've finished the first draft of my story for the cheerios contest. I have to admit I wasn't sure I'd even get this far. Finding time to write is a challange and I haven't finished any fiction since my last writing class at BYU. But I actually finished the first draft. Most of it was written while pushing a stroller. I'm definately a pacer - I think best when I'm walking. That and it kept Will happy and contained. I've still got a long way to go but I'm excited to start revising.

Summertime

2009-05-24T17:56:00.001-04:00

Trouble a brewin'

2009-05-22T18:24:00.001-04:00

Pneumonia

2009-05-13T20:28:00.003-04:00

It's been a bad few months for Will and I. We've both gotten sick a lot and have had a hard time staying well. The most recent diagnosis... Will has pneumona. He was running a high fever yesterday and last night it kept spiking over 104... So I took him to the doctor today and he has a mild case of pnuemona. Because we caught it so early, I just need to keep him on antibiotics and at home for a while and he should be good as new. Its just another one to add to the list of ear infections, sinus infections and tonsil infections. Between the two of us I think we've got the market on communicable diseases.

Do I Dare...

2009-05-06T21:46:00.002-04:00

So my friend Sasha has a great blog called Sharing the Deals (www.sharingthedeals.com) where she put links to coupons and free stuff. She's doing a giveaway this week for some children's books, sponsored by Cheerios. I didn't realize that Cheerios sponsors a writing contest for unpublished children's authors. Do I dare enter?? I'd only have two months to write a short story for the contest, and that's not much time. But the grand prize is $5,000 AND a major publishing house will review the story. Cool! So, I think I might go for it. What do you think?

Will's Mohawk

2009-05-03T19:50:00.002-04:00

Will's cousin Gavin got into Grandpa's drawer today and got out the vapor rub. He managed to spread it all over the walls, the bed, clothes, and Will's head before he was discovered. Will spent the rest of the day with a mohawk. I think it's a good look for him. :)

Maryland Science Center

2009-05-01T22:15:00.002-04:00

Will and I took a trip down to Baltimore to the Science Center this week. We went with our friends Ellie and her kids Drew and Audrey, and Laura and her son Bennett. Will had a great time playing in the dinosaur nest and dinosaur tracks, but the best part was definately splashing in the water table. Fun!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T22:47:00.002-04:00

Surfin USA

2009-04-09T06:56:00.002-04:00

A Little Help Please...

2009-04-02T21:15:00.004-04:00

Here's a shout out to anyone who loves Sesame Street. And not just Sesame Street but all of the programs on PBS. If you hadn't heard Gov. Rendell has proposed cutting out WITF (Harrisburg PBS) from the state's budget. I don't watch a lot of TV but when I do, I often watch programs like Wuthering Heights on Masterpiece Classics or perhaps Everyday Food or even This Old House. And don't forget the cartoons. PBS is the only basic channel that has programs for kids on everyday. I can't afford cable, and if WITF can't afford some of its programs, my son might have to grow up without any kid's shows. And while that may not be such a bad thing, I'd still like to have the option... So here's my plea: If you live in PA please take a minute to click on the link below and send a note on behalf of WITF. It doesn't have to be long, it doesn't have to be eloquent,it just has to be sent.

http://netcommunity.witf.org/advocate

Out for a Walk

2009-03-22T18:26:00.001-04:00

Will's New Grumpy Face

2009-03-15T07:30:00.002-04:00

This is the face that Will makes when he doesn't like something. Like when I try to feed him cooked carrots. Or when I tell him to stop fishing in the toilet. Or when I make him wear his shoes to go outside. He seems to be making this face a lot these days. He's an opinionated little guy. Stinker.

Shamed into Facebook?!

2009-02-20T12:57:00.003-05:00

Okay, I'll admit it. I've been shamed into joining facebook. I didn't for the longest time because, well let's face it, I didn't need any more reasons to waste time online. But my sweet mother is on facebook now, and told me I should join, and when your nearly computer-illiterate mother is on, and you're not... How embarassing:)

Bad News on the Allergy Front

2009-02-11T21:57:00.003-05:00

My son's allergies are actually getting worse. He had blood work done two weeks ago, and when I got the results, everything was worse than before and he had developed two new allergies: green beans and peas. Grrrr... But I had a nice long visit with his allergist, who I love and got some good news. They have likely worsened because his immune system is still maturing, and he still may outgrow most of them. It looks like he'll be 3 at least before he does, but we'll see... Oh, and the doctor decided that his beef allergy was slight enough that I can try him on it. He does have to eat something after all.

Will's 1st Birthday

2009-01-12T20:39:00.001-05:00

Fun with the LeStarges

2009-01-04T21:03:00.005-05:00

We just got back from a two week trip to the northwestern suburbs of Chicago to see Lynn's family, and we had a blast! Her entire family, minus one brother--Doug, who's on a mission, got together for Christmas. It was fun to spend time with every one. The weather was freezing -35 with windchill some days, and we had a ton of snow. But that didn't stop us from doing things. Lynn was pampered with a pedicure, a new haircut and lots of new clothes. John went go-kart racing (the fast go karts, not the little put-put kiddy karts) and got himself a new netbook mini-laptop. William was completely spoiled by grandma and grandpa and his aunts and uncles. One of the highlights of the trip was Lynn's Christmas present from her parents--tickets to see Wicked at the Oriental Theatre in the city! It was a great musical and a great trip and we enjoyed ourselves thouroughly, but as they say, There's no place like home.

Christmas Crafts!

2008-12-11T10:07:00.003-05:00

When we were together over Thanksgiving, the Greenway Girls made these cute Christmas signs. Mine is the one that is red, white and green. The idea was Emily's, she made them with her ward young women. They were super easy! You just trim scrapbook paper to size, and send it through your printer, printing one letter per sheet. Then you modge-podge the paper to a craft board, which you can by at a home improvement store. We also painted the raw edges of the board. Finally we added ric-rac to to finish off the edges between the papers. The hardest part was choosing the paper!

Thanksgiving with the Greenways

2008-12-04T21:13:00.004-05:00

We had Thanksgiving with the ENTIRE Greenway clan this year. It was the first time that all of us got together in a while, Joel was on a mission the last two years and since I've been in the family, someone was usually too pregnant to travel. So we had a great time hanging out with family, bowling, shopping and of course eating! We also had our x-mas gift exchange since we were all together.

Will's new toy.

Yum! (He's eating black beans if you were wondering. He LOVES them.)

Wrestling with cousin Eli.

Grandma, Grandpa, Nate, Eli, Madelynne, Isaac, Gavin, Cecily, William, Andrew, Jackson.

A Useful Skill to Have...

2008-11-13T15:54:00.002-05:00

Crazy driver...

2008-11-05T21:32:00.003-05:00

I hope this isn't a foreshadowing of my son's future driving skills...

The Great Pumpkin

2008-10-30T18:43:00.002-04:00

We carved our pumpkin today. I honestly think it weighed as much as him!

Halloween Costumes

2008-10-17T21:11:00.003-04:00

I borrowed this cute Frog Prince costume from my friend Ellie and decided that John and I could dress to match the story (we were going to a party). So I was a princess, wearing my sister-in-law's old prom dress (Thanks Sara!) and John was a prince. Although you can't see it in this picture, Will had a "before" sign on his back and John had one that said "after". What fun!

Mozart in the Making

2008-10-06T19:01:00.004-04:00

Its Coming!

2008-10-02T08:51:00.002-04:00

Hurray, I love Halloween! Now that it is officially October, I can begin decorating. This is my newest decoration. I made it at my friend Nicole's house. Thanks for inviting me to your craft day!

What Fun!

2008-09-17T20:13:00.003-04:00

This moment brought to you by the number 3, the letter F and Nicole Shiffler. Thanks for letting us borrow the entertainer!

Bath time!

2008-09-05T09:51:00.002-04:00

Will loves to play in the water! Unfortunately our apartment doesn't have a bathtub, so he is usually bathed in the sink. Until we discovered that if we covered the shower drain and let the water fill up an inch or two there is much more room. And that means more fun.

Mowing Grandma's Lawn

2008-08-30T17:27:00.000-04:00

Step aside Stephenie Myers!

2008-08-27T21:22:00.001-04:00

I did it! I just got a letter from Highlights magazine saying they have accepted a recipe that I submitted a month ago. I'm actually going to get paid for my work, though not a lot. Children's writers don't make a ton of money. But that's okay with me. In case you didn't know, I have had other things accepted before but this one is particularly exciting for me. Highlights is probably the best known children's magazine and will be a huge boost in getting others to accept my work. Also, in case you were wondering, I am selling all rights to my recipe. I'm not completely sure of the legal ramifications of blogging, but I have a sneaky suspicion that I shouldn't publish my piece on the blog. So instead here's a picture of my contract.