Greene Day Four

The youngest Greene boy is Braeden. He's at that age where just about anything he says is pretty much adorable and worth writing down. While I was staying here last week due to an unfortunate plumbing problem in my own home, he came back to the office/bedroom to hang out with me for a while. We started talking and I asked him if he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. He thought about it for a minute and then said he wanted to work at Domino's.

So I asked him why he wanted to work at Domino's. "'Cause I wanna see how many different kinds of pizza I can make." He then went on to list all the different crazy toppings he would later experiment with. Mostly he just wanted to put lots of spicy things on the pizza to see how hot he could make it. After a stint as a pizza artist, he wants to be a "dirt biker."

Another trait that he has is the sticking out of the tongue. It's not in a sense of someone sticking their tongue out at you. He just sticks it out of his mouth and lets it hang there. Usually when he knows he's done something he shouldn't be doing or getting into some kind of mischief.

When you get into a conversation with him, you might get confused at times. See, sometimes, Braeden switches out his Rs for Ls. For example: His name becomes Blaeden. His last name is Gleene. His brothers are Blyce and Blett. It can be pletty funny.

Greene Day Three

The eldest Greene girl is Makenna. As a six-year-old girl, life is filled with Hannah Montana, High School Musical, and drama, drama, drama. About two or three weeks ago I was invited to go along with grandparents from Virginia and neighbors from next door to Makenna's dance recital. I felt kind of special to be on Makenna's short list of people to invite. I was very impressed with the whole production. And Makenna's two dances were both very good.

I found out via the blog that Nicole keeps for the kids that Makenna lost a tooth on Monday. This really clears up a lot of stuff for me. See, Monday night, I was sleeping quite soundly when I heard someone stumbling around upstairs. I was more than a little alarmed, so I grabbed a baseball bat and ran upstairs. I was ready to pounce until I saw some chick with wings. Needless to say I was taken aback by this sight. She almost bolted, but after seeing the wings and the sceptor with the giant tooth on top, I figured she was the Tooth Fairy. I stopped her from flying out the window long enough to ask if she was looking for one of the Greene kids. She looked at her list and said she was looking for Makenna. I told her they were down in Myrtle Beach on vacation. I wasn't real sure of exact directions, but she said she could find them. But I guess it took an extra night, 'cause I hear she didn't visit until last night. So kids, just remember, it's never a good idea to lose a tooth while you're out of town. 'Cause then the Tooth Fairy might get confused.

Greene Day Two

Next in line for the throne is Brett. When I was his age, I would have been intimidated to hang out with a kid like him. Not because of anything that he's done or said. But because I had very little self-confidence and the cool kids, frankly, scared me. Brett's pretty much a cool kid.

A few weeks ago I was invited to go along with the family to Brett's class play. It was a re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood with a "get along with your environment" message and set to the music of the 1950s. The girls had the poodle skirts, the boys had the t-shirt and jeans with the hair slicked back. Brett kind of looked like an 8-year-old James Dean. I told you, cool.

Turns out, his girlfriend is the one that played Little Red Riding Hood. Dude, extra cool points for dating the star of the play. Dating... psh... they're eight...

I'm told that he had a few girlfriends by the time he was in preschool. Don't hate the player. Hate the game.

Late Day Edit: I failed to mention earlier that Brett gave me a family portrait that he drew himself. He gave it to me so I wouldn't get lonely at my house. I put it on my refrigerator. Some six months later, it's still the only piece of art hanging in my kitchen. You too could have your art hanging on my fridge. All it takes is for you to hand it to me, and a willingness to have your work seen by the four people who visit my kitchen annually.

Greene Day One

Welcome to Greene Days. Each day this week I'll devote a blog post to one of the Greene kids, concluding with the Greene adults on Saturday. Today I begin with the oldest Greene kid, Bryce.

Being the oldest, I actually knew Bryce as a baby. He was born not long after my family started going to North Roanoke, where, as mentioned before, we initially became friends with the Greenes. Actually, back then, it was my parents that were friends with the Greenes. I was busy graduating from high school and then leaving for college. I'm pretty sure I heard Nicole say that Bryce used to get a kick out of my Dad and his wacky cartoon character ties.

Despite the fact that I knew him 'til he was about two years old, I knew he wouldn't remember me when I moved down to North Carolina. So I was a little nervous. Not just around Bryce, but around all the kids. I've never been one to hang out with kids on a long-term basis. So initially, there was uncomfort. But it didn't take too long for the kids to warm up to me. I think.

Anyway, at this point, Bryce is the only one who can really give me a run for my money when it comes to wit and sarcasm. Well, he tries. And he gets it honestly. It might just run in the family. Which means if it does, I need to watch my back for the other four as they get older.

Mark Comes to Visit

I've had college friends say that they would come down to Wake Forest to visit. But until this weekend, none of them actually went through with it. After nearly a year of living in North Carolina, I finally received a visit from one of the old Bluefield crew. Thanks for visiting Mark.

He made the drive on Saturday evening and arrived in town around 8:30 or so. He brought stuff for hamburgers, so there was no way I was turning him away. Now, remember, I am house sitting for the Greenes, so Mark was able to stay in a much nicer place than what I would have normally been able to offer. It's just a shame the Greenes weren't here to enjoy the Mark Hipes experience. I think everyone would have gotten along just fine.

He really wasn't here long. Just long enough to go to church this morning and play the mandatory SingStar this afternoon. I'm not sure if I've previously mentioned that Nicole has a rule that anyone who comes to the Greenehouse must participate in SingStar at some time or another. And since this was Mark's first, and possibly only, visit to the Greenehouse, I deemed it necessary. Luckily, Mark does not embarass easily...





In other news, not to be outdone by JenStock 2008, the Greenes will have a week devoted to them. So, this coming week, while they are still at the beach, I will be bringing you Greene Days. Get it? It's a play on the band name. Green Day. Get it? Shut up, you know it's funny.

Also, in unrelated news, an anonymous someone left a comment regarding my blog post from Thursday. I love getting comments. I don't even mind it when they're completely anonymous. But whoever you are requested a copy of something for sentimental reasons. Are requesting a copy of the farewell video that Jen and I made? Are you requesting a video of my upcoming trip to LA? Again, I love getting comments. I'd love to get comments from people on everything I do. I was just left confused by this particular request. Please, dear mystery commentator, reveal thyself that I may honor thine request... if I can. If it's about the Todd video, I don't have a copy of it anymore. I sent my last copy to Jen some time ago. April may have the original somewhere, but I really don't know. Holler.

My New Love

While the Greenes are at the beach, I'm staying at their house taking care of their pets and plants. That's right, I'm a full-service house sitter. I'm also taking care of Nicole's car. And let me just say, I'm in love. This car is awesome. A Honda S-2000. I was a little nervous about driving it at first. It had been several years since the last time I drove a straight shift. But Lucy's a lot easier to drive than my sister's Miata ever was.

Lucy is the Honda's name, btw. You can see Jade (my car) in the background. Probably jealous...

See, she's almost smiling, but she looks kind of mad too. That lets you know she's serious!

I think she looks better with the top down.

I quote Ferris Bueller: "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."

JenStock 2008: Day 5

There are so many things to say about today. First of all, it's Independence Day in the United States. Our country is 232 years old today. Fairly young by global standards. Second, and most importantly, and possibly the most heartbreaking, it is the last day of JenStock. Take a moment to take that all in.

Because it is the 4th of July, and because it is day 5 of JenStock, I wanted to somehow combine the two events. I'm not sure if I managed to pull off such a feat. I don't have fireworks and I don't have photos of Jen signing the Declaration of Independence. But I do have one more video. I'm sorry to say you won't see me singing in this one, but you do have Jen, so don't panic. In the upcoming clip, she'll be performing Eye of the Tiger on SingStar. You'll also see Nicole and I'm pretty sure you hear Kevin off-camera. I figured this was appropriate for today because, while this song was originally featured in Rocky III, it was also played at the beginning of Rocky IV, where we all know that Balboa became the embodiment of America. I mean, he singlehandedly ended the cold war in the boxing ring. If that's not patriotism, I don't know what is. Anyway, here's Jen, doing better than Survivor ever did. She really takes her SingStar seriously.

JenStock 2008: Day 4

The year was A.D. 2000. The flying cars and jet packs that we had been promised so many years earlier had yet to appear. That disappointment was setting in. But my spirits were raised with the meeting of Jennifer Hamilton.

That summer she and I were both "leaders" at SuperWeek, a church youth camp held (at the time) at Bridgewater College. I'm not sure when she deemed me a worthy adversary/partner in crime. I could have been when I tricked her into leaving her table at one of the meals and then turning her drink into a gel.

Sidebar: I had this stuff that bought at a magic shop. It was this powder that turned any liquid into a gel. I bet the folks doing dishes had a blast with that.

Anyway, about mid-way through the week, Jen and I came up with the idea of making a farewell video for Todd Brock. He was our youth minister, who would soon be leaving for Montana to start a new church. So there we were, two kids in a small town with just a camera and a dream.

Our first, and thus far only, production consisted of documentary style interviews with the kids in our youth group, a few killer action shots, and of course, an ending musical number.

It was a rousing success. The short film was shown in a youth room and a sanctuary across the North (Roanoke Baptist Church). I'll be bringing a video camera with me to Los Angeles when I go visit her in a few weeks. Just to see if we can recreate that movie-making magic in documenting my first trip to the west coast. So Jen, scout out some locations.

JenStock 2008: Day 3

Today I have still shots. Photographs if you will. These are all pictures taken from Jen's sister, Nicole. I use her pictures because, sadly, I have very few pictures of Jen myself. I don't use the camera as often as I once did, and therefore a visual record of the people in my life over the last five or so years has become somewhat diminished. I give you the Day 3 Gallery. Commentary is free of charge.

This is Jen.

This is Jen with a camera.

This is Jen with Ryan and Nicole.

I love it. Now make me hate it.

Perfect.

Tomorrow there will be another story. It might not be as good as the LiquiGel incident, but it'll be good enough.

JenStock 2008: Day 2

I promised video footage and today I deliver. Today I give you a duo destined for great things. In this rare scene taken from a time before they were stars. Performing Part of That World, here are Jen & Aaron. And please, pay no attention to the idiot trying to figure out what goes into the dishwasher.