Brigham and I returned late last night from Brett's old stomping grounds in North Carolina. (Actually we were in Chapel Hill and Durham, and I don't think that Brett actually ever stomped there. But we thought of him anyway.) We left the boys with some friends so that I could go to Brigham's interview day at UNC with him. I'm very glad that that I was able to go for many reasons. The first of which is that I was able to take our car into a mechanic while Brigham was interviewing. (It started stalling every time we got to a stop light after we arrived in NC-- and in case you're wondering-- yes, this is the same car that broke down between his interviews in Pittsburg. You can all start a guess chart on how long it's going to survive. Winner gets the Orioles dice hanging on the rear-view mirror.) To make a long story short, though, we were both very impressed with the program and the friendliness of the people there. It has moved to the top of our rank li...
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So this guy used to be my supervisor a few months back in my Loss Prevention position. He interviewed me for the job. I worked with him and his wife before they both got fired. His story is pretty sad. He used to be a really good guy, and made some not-so-good choices that completely messed up his life. Frankly, good thing he's in jail now when he's doing stuff like that. Salt Lake Tribune's Story KSL's Story
So, here I am, again. YES Today, the Santa Anna winds have raged fiercely all day. Alls I can say is that if there were indians that lived here 150 years ago, they didn't live in tepees or theres no way in heck they had any protection durring this season! The apartment trembles under its rage, and dirt blows in nice little piles under the door seal, and the gas fireplace howls relentlessly. The first little pig wouldn't have stood a chance here either. Honestly, I weathered a hurricane with the Dastrups in Maryland, but this has felt worse. Now to start over on the long blog that I added yesterday. It was about the star of the show, Kiera. I thought I was coming to California to help. But I am here to tell ya, that Cambrie doesn't need any help, from Steve or I and she has both! Kiera is the EASIEST newborn that I have ever had the privilage of taking care of! She is amazing! She is so patient! AND Easy! She only got up once last night in 10 hours of sleep! Cambrie g...
So I haven't created a post on here for a while. Lest ye all think I vanished, I'd just like to announce that I have an 8-10 page paper due on Edgar Allan Poe tomorrow (Thursday) which needs much work. I have a quick little date tonight to the BYU Synthesis concert. I've been out with her twice before, but one was back in the summer and the other was probably last winter/spring. And there's 1 1/2 weeks left of classes. Hallelujah! And there's your update on my life. Now to business: Dastrups, I have you for Christmas this year, and frankly, the "gift wish list" blog isn't helping me out at all... I vote you do something about that. :)
Let it snow! It snowed slightly as yer mom was leaving for California (in the AM) and it started snowing hard about noon yesterday. It sure seems a lot more Christmassy (is that a word?) around here. Just nobody to share it with. :-( Marilyn: I went to Wallgreens and got some more people on the way back from One Man Band with Dad yesterday. Yer mom always seems to have the camera when I need to take pictures (I used our webcam for this). I hope you are taking lots of pictures of Kiera! I wish my grandsons were here to slide down our back hill. UPDATE: It was 13 degrees when I left home this morning. Brrrrr! I love it. Update to the update: 7 degrees this morning (Thursday)
I would just like to tell everyone what I wonderful husband I have. As you all know, Steve loves BYU football and today was the big rival game of the year and steve was so excited to watch it. Well, much to our dismay, last night Kiera started vomiting dark brown stuff so we took her to urgent care this moring and and were there for 2 1/2 hours getting tests and such. Steve didn't have to go with me but he volunteered. We thought we might be able to make it back in time for the game but we didn't. I know Steve was dying inside but he didn't complain or anything. he was so sweet with his little daughter. He scored some major points with his wife too. they didn't find any problems with Kiera so we're just suppose to watch her. They say it's possible she swallowed some feces in the womb and that she is just now vomiting it up. Poor baby!!!
Thanksgiving at Gronemanville Here are some pictures. It was a great day. Mom cooked up a storm (bless her little heart...she'd been working on pies/rolls/etc. for a few days). Buff had spent the night, Chad and Brett came over about noon. Grandpa Groneman came up and we all spent the rest of the day together. We had a great dinner and some fights over pie (as you can see in the pictures :-) We played a lot of games and of course I won most of them (Who's your daddy?!?!) and we watched a movie. Friday was spent putting up Christmas decorations and playing a few games. Today we put the finishing touches on the Christmas decorations. Hey! There's presents under the tree for everyone from the oldest of family members to the very youngest!
Click on the box below to watch her video...I'll figure out later how to click the actual video onto the blog (I did it for you Punkin'....) (I made it a decent size for you dad...) I made it small on purpose so it didn't take so much room on the blog! Just double click the small ones and they show as big ones.
Happy Holidays! Brett and I are here at the parents' house watching Dad put up Christmas decorations. We're doing a good job of cheering him on. We started thinking (dangerous, I know), and tried to think how Gift Exchanging was going to work this year. We couldn't think up how to do it, so we decided to take a vote. Choice 1: Draw names Choice 2: Everyone give a small gift to everyone else Choice 3: Everybody give gifts to Chad Choice 4: Everyone just give gifts to the older brother of your choice. Vote now by adding your comments! Disclaimer: Voting is not anonymous. Gift giving is void in the following states: Nevada, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Texas. All warranties are void after 30 days. Cash value $0.00005.
I'M A GRANDPA TO A CUTE LITTLE GRANDDAUGHTER!!!!! My first granddaughter! Born at 3 'o something (can't remember). She has curly blond hair and dimples. Cambrie is fine but very tired...she only got about an hour's sleep last night. Well done Cambrie & Steve. Hope to hear from you after you get some rest. Oh yea....looks like Chad was almost right on in his guess.: ....Chad Groneman said... ....Date: November 22, 2006 ....Time: 07:18 AM PST ....Weight: 7 lbs 0 oz ....Hair: Brown, but on the bald side ....Name: Juanita Esmerelda Nelson
(Drum rolls in the background, accompanied by the heralding cry of the king's guard trumpets!!!!!) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN (AND ANY OTHER CREATURES THAT MAY BE READING THIS) CAMBRIE AND STEVE NELSON ARE EXPECTING THEIR BABY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! THE DOCTOR BROKE HER WATER, SO NOW THE BABY MUST COME IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. STEVE JUST CALLED ME WITH THE HAPPY NEWS. SO FAR, CAMBRIE ISN'T IN LABOR, AND ISN'T WALKING AROUND BECAUSE WHEN SHE STANDS UP SHE IS STILL GUSHING WATER...BUT ME, IN ALL MY MOTHERLY WISDOM, HAS THE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM AS WELL! I TOLD STEVE TO TELL THEM TO GIVE HER A DEPENDS SO SHE CAN GO FOR A WALK AND GET LABOR STARTED AND GET THIS BABY HERE!!! YOU MAY ALL WANT TO SAY A PRAYER FOR THE UPCOMING PROCESS THAT IT WILL GO SMOOTHLY AND WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS I AM UNDER INSTRUCTION TO PASS ALONG THE FOLLOWING: "DON'T CALL US, WE'LL CALL YOU WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING TO REPORT" WE ARE SO HAPPY FOR CAMBRIE THAT SHE CAN END THIS MISER...
So I'm just wanting to get the details of when everyone is coming home for Christmas. Last I heard, Dastrups were coming from Dec. 18 - Jan 13. Is that still right? What about the Nelsons? What about everyone else's plans? I'm trying to just see in advance when would be the best nights to request off of work so that I can make sure I can come spend it with the fam when y'all are partying. As for me, school gets out for me on December 7, minus perhaps one test I'll have to take the next week. The rest is just scheduling my life around work and activities, etc.
OPEN INVITATION FOR LUNCH I'm in Provo a lot. I'd like to go to lunch with anyone here of my immediate family that's in Provo and would also go to lunch. I'll buy! You just have to let me know when you're available and we'll do it. This is an ongoing invitation (we can go to lunch next week and the week/month after that...etc. etc. etc.)
I would like to propose the following sleeping arrangements for when we all come in December as a solution so we don't have to boot Grandpa out of his home: Mom+Dad's room: CK and Brigham Mom+ dad's closet: Bubby and jacob guest room: mom and dad Basement: Nelsons (so nobody has to hear our baby cry) computer room: Brett or Buff (who both say that they MAY spend the night and if they do they would be happy to sleep in the living room). Chad's appartment: Chad (who doesn't plan on staying the night in Cedar Hills at all). Beings that Grandpa's little basement appartment is all that he has left as his, I think it would be terrible to boot him out of it at Christmas time. And what a way to make someone who is already depressed feel unwanted. I would far rather stay in the spidery basement than do that to Grandpa. Besides, I bet the best christmas gift we could give him would be to make him part of our holiday instead of getting rid of him. What does...
A 1998 study of induction of labor via stripping membranes concluded that 72% of women who had membranes stripped at 38-weeks had onset of labor within 7 days of the procedure compared to only 8% of those who did not have the procedure done. Another composite of several studies (probably more reliable) indicated that stripping membranes makes it less likely that you will go well beyond 40 weeks, but not necessarily more likely that the baby will come right away following the procedure. Who needs doctors and studies anyway? They're just confusing and expensive! Anyway, not sure Cambrie why your doc told you that there was a 75% chance of labor within 2 days (perhaps a different study and perhaps just a gut feeling). Anyway, don't give up hope, we're all going to welcome our new niece very soon!!
Mommy ran the Towson Turkey Trot yesterday , she was soooo fast. While Mommy ran around like a cheetah, Jacob and I met with some of our local Maryland wildlife. Daddy told me not to get too attached to the big bird, particularly this week--I'm not sure what daddy was talking about. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
Today I went to the store and bought some food. The trouble with buying food lately is that I have to haul it up the 3 flights of stairs to our appartment. So as I was unloading my trunk I was debating which was worse: trying to carry all of it in one load, or making 2 trips up and down the stairs to get it all. I had just decided to go with the one load option when a black male neighbor of mine whom I'd never talked to before came and offered to carry them for me. I was very grateful as it is hard enough to get myself up the stairs lately. I thought it was very nice of him and I thought, ' I hope my brothers are the type of people who would do that'. I think they probably are.
So, at lunch today Kim was reminiscing (? my children got their lack of ability to spell from me!) about Christmas past and he said he remembered one year that we took our children down to Provo and rode the double decker bus (that the city had bought from England). I have zero memories of doing that in Provo. I do remember doing it in England. So I was just wondering if my children can verify that we did it in Provo. If we did, it obviously didn't make a great impression on me....
Nelson baby update: Steve and I went to the doctor's office today where we got lots of good news. Baby is doing great and is in a head-down position -3 station. I'm 80% effaced and dialated to a 3-4. The doctor stripped my membranes and said that she thinks there is a 75% chance I'll have the baby in the next 2 days. So far I'm having a few more contractions but nothing major yet. I'm trying to stay on my feet and let gravity pull the baby out. We are so excited to get this little one here!!
Last night Steve and I went to a the premire showing of Work and the Glory 3 in Hollywood . It was pretty cool to see all the actors watch their movie for the first time and see what they look like in real life. There were also a few other actors from TV there including the grandma on Everybody Loves Raymond and the president's advisor on 24. We came to the conclusion that actors are a different breed of people. Work and the Glory 3 was about as good as the second one- and it kindof leaves ya hangin' (once again). I don't think that they plan on making any more movies those cause poor Larry H Miller is loosing $ on them.
Chad's review of Google Checkout I used Google Checkout for the first time today, and am very happy with it. I was buying a backpack online to hold the mammoth of a laptop work gave me, and when I was ready to check out, I noticed a link to pay with Google Checkout. I clicked on it, having not set it up previously. Since I was already logged on to Google's personalized homepage, it prompted me if that was the account I wanted to set it up for. It asked for the basics - Credit card number, billing address, phone number. Very easy to set up. When I was finished, it automatically took me to a google page with my shopping cart already there. It prompted me to log in again (I was happy with this since I usually stay logged in to google on my computer, and don't want others using my google checkout), and it asked me if I wanted to give my email address to the merchant, or if I wanted Google to act as a proxy and just forward me the reciept. That's what I chose, and th...
Movie Review: The Prestige I went and saw The Prestige yesterday, as it appeared to be the most interesting movie that's come out in a while, and Kirk said it was good. The title comes from the third and final stage of a magic trick, that brings the applause, such as an object that disappeared reappearing. "The Prestige" is about a couple of magicians, set in London in the early 20th century. These two begin as friends, but after an accident, they become enemies who try to damage each other as much as they can, often in ways they ought to be arrested for. Also, one of the magicians is jealous of a trick the other created, and is obsessed with finding out how it's done. The flow of the movie is a little interesting -- it begins in a "present" with one of the magicians in jail, and from there it jumps to a relatively recent past, from which it jumps back and forth from, to more distant past events, all explaining how this situation came to be. It eventu...
DASHING THRU THE SNOW....yup, it snowed last night. Not tons, but enough to make it really feel like the holidays are coming on! I am so relieved to have my yard finally put to bed so I can focus on some other things for a season! LIKE CAMBRIES BABY PERHAPS MAKING IT'S DEBUT NEXT MONDAY!!! EXCITING stuff! I hope little miss Nelson is ready to come we can play babies sooner...but only if she is READY. We did a NICU baby a year ago, and I am not going to be ready to do it again any time soon!!! So yesterday I spent 8 hours at the family History library in SLC. It is great fun when you find what you are looking for in great quantities. And no, I wasn't finding any new people I don't already have record of...I am doing what we have been instructed that our generation (yeah, that means you too) needs to do. And that, is documentation. Sounds boring. But it is important...because currently the LDS churches geneology is the biggest mess in all the world, because they have...
Which Instant Messenger Program? I reinstalled everything on yer mom's computer..it was running way too slow with too many problems. What IM program do you folks prefer to use? MS Messenger? Google Messenger? AIM? Yahoo Messenger? It's kind of silly to install them all. Does anyone want to use IM video any more?
The Chad Report So I've completed my first week of real work. And it is work. I went to Monterey and to Hermosa Beach (near L.A.) this past week, and worked tons -- 74 hours in one week! It's cool though, because what else am I going to do when my relatives that live nearby are in San Diego? And my company gives me 1.5 hours of time off for every hour over 40 I work in a week. So I earned 51 hours off, which I'm using. I have a cold, probably a mix between being in a confined tube with a lot of other people from all over, and breathing the smog of LA. I'm taking today off to try to work it out of my system. BTW, can y'all send me an email so I have everyone's email address? I have some, but not all. I have Dad's, Mom's, and CK's. But for the rest of y'all I have old, outdated email addresses I think. Send it to the lower case letters in the following: cISFORCHADgronemaAn at the gmail . com.
Good news: I got my flu shot.... AND I had a doctor's appointment today and the doctor said baby Nelson is perfect size and doing perfectly. AND I am 75% effaced and dialated to a 2. So, she plans on stripping my membranes next monday morning (for those of u who don't know-- that means I will very likely be having a baby early next week). We are so excited!!! Steve and I spent this past weekend in beautiful San Diego where we went to a wedding of one of Steve's friends from Loma Linda. (I am the chunky one pictured to the left). it was a a very traditional wedding which was interesting to see. Steve was a groomsman and got to escort the bride and grooms parents and grandparents all of whom loved Steve (of course). We rebelled against the 7th day adventists and ordered chicken for both of the dinners we attended (they are all vegetarians), but that's what they get for making us attend a wedding on OUR sabbath day. So you all officially have permission to sta...
Vote on Tuesday Yea, it's not a major presidential election, but the philosophy of who leads this country, your state, and your town is important. Many lives have been lost through the years to guarantee YOU the opportunity to voice your opinions in the voting box. It would be a shame to waste that sacrifice. Another fatherly advice moment: Take the time to learn something about the candidates and the issues then spend the relatively little time/effort it takes to vote. Even if you feel you are in an area where the outcome is a forgone conclusion, the margin of the election can have an effect on what happens as well as future elections. " Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost ." - John Quincy Adams " Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote. " - William Simon For those around here that wonder how/where to register/vote. GO HERE
So I was just playing with Google's Picasa Web Albums which I think all of you should be using for sharing pictures (instead of, oh. . . say, snapfish for example where I can't see the pictures because they deleted my account). Here's some pictures from Mesquite back forever ago, in case y'all never saw them. Mesquite 4.2005
Holiday Schedule Due to the fact we common laborers must schedule time off during the holidays, it would be advantageous for us to know of the Dastrup and Nelson plans. Now I realize Nelson plans are a little hard to determine at this point, but can we get a start with the Dastrup plans? Which days will you be gracing us with your presence at the Groneman household? I don't want to be working when the family is here and taking time off when nobody is around. I'd think the rest of the worker bees (Chad, Brett, & Buff) could benefit from this info as well.
So i guess since Brett doesn't get on anymore to tell us about things that are happening, i guess I'll tell you about this new update in our stake. So Starting this last wen and going through to the 21st, our stake president challenged us to a "media fast" which means no tv, no music (besides mo-tab and byu choirs) and no internet (besides school things and i'm including this since I want to stay updated in the happenings of the fam) so it should be interesting to see what comes of this. I'm kinda excited about it. Me and my roommates are going all out with it. In other news in my life, most of you already know about this but some don't so here's the story. once upon a time i had a stalker...from ohio. I told him i wasn't interested in him but he still wanted to be "friends" and said I was his best friend and would call me all the time. I didn't enjoy talking to him (because he talked about himself all the time) but I didn't...
I rather doubt that we have any Oprah watchers in this family..(I don't watch her either...but she has come up with a good thing: "The Pay it Forward" challenge. She gave each member of her audience $1000.00 and a video camera and 1 week to do the most good they possibly could with the money for someone else-neither friend or family...maybe someone they barely know. I will have Kim attach some links to this so you can read more about it if you're interested. Anyway, the recipient of the challenge lives in Lindon and they came with the videocamera yesterday to the Humanitarian Aide Project I was at. They did quite a bit of videotaping RoseAnn Gunther (whose efforts she started 17 years ago gave rise to the church's Humanitarian Efforts) They also videotaped us in action (we were quilting at the time). If hers is selected they will be showing some of what she taped on the Oprah Winfrey show! YUP! you got it kids! Yer ma may be FAMOUS for a millisecond on Na...
HAPPY CAMBRIE DUE DATE MONTH!!!! ARE WE EXCITED??? OH BABY, YEAHHHH!!! Just had to get that off my chest. It has been wanting to come out for a long time, right punkin? Hey, if you all would, could you add Sydney to your prayers tonight. She went in yesterday to have the permanent like pic (whatever it is called-what they give her her chemo treatments through) into her chest last night. The surgeon had a hard time getting it in because she is so thin (she has been losing weight and she was already thin to begin with). Anyway what was supposed to be a simple procedure ended up not simple. They punctured her lung and she had a collapsed lung-the most painful thing she has ever been though she says. Well they had to insert a tube last night to re inflate the lung, only it didn't do the job, so this afternoon they had to put in another at the bottom of the lung that wasn't inflating. So she will be in the hospital again tonight, fighting pain, nausea, and a migrain...and just ...
BrainBashers: Common Answers Wahoo! I'm more common than ever before this month! Beat that! http://www.brainbashers.com/commonprevall200610.asp Kim - 13th Brett - 126th Christa - 361st Chad - 414th Cambrie - 797th Steve - 1176th (Cambrie, you married a very uncommon man.....) Apparently Buff and Mom and Brigham are PARTY POOPERS!!!!!! Be sure to play November's round: http://www.brainbashers.com/common.asp
It's Time for the Great Stork!!!!! Yes, boys and girls, it's the month of the Great Stork. That time of year when couples everywhere wait to see what the Great Stork will bring them. Of course, only good boys and girls get visited by the Great Stork. One night the Great Stork will be helped by his elves to pack his bag with babies to deliver around the world and after dark (yea, it's always after dark) he starts his flight with his huge bag full of babies and delivers them to good couples that have set their crib out by the fireplace. Of course he will only deliver if couples are asleep.......but once in a great while there have been reports of people actually seeing the Great Stork flying through the air carrying his bag in his beak saying "Ho Ho Ho!" as he flies in front of the moon. I'm really excited and anxious to find out if anyone in our family will get visited this month!!!!! I love the holiday season!
Memories of Treasure Hunting.... I remember on the morning after Halloween Brett and I would get on our bikes and roam the neighborhoods looking for candy on the ground that had been accidently dropped by some poor unfortunate soul. We usually found about 10 pieces of candy each. I don't know why we felt the need to do this-- as if we didn't have enough candy (we were usually the first trick-or-treaters out and the last one's in on Halloween). I decided it must be the treasure hunting instinct in our blood. We come from a family of arrowhead hunters, metal detectors, etc.. You'll all be glad to know, I resisted the urge this year to get on my bike early in the morning and go and look for candy on the ground.
Last night we took Thomas the Tank Engine and his sidekick frog trick-or-treating around our complex for a little while and then took them to the ward Halloween party. On the way to the party, Brigham and I were just talking about random things. Out of the blue, Benjamin suddenly shouted, "This is the greatest thing I ever did in my whole life!!!" We asked what was the greatest thing, and he said, "Going to a Halloween party at the church!" We had a great time and Benjamin is enjoying a whole bag of candy at his disposal. As for news on Jacob, as of yesterday he is able to push himself back up to sitting whenever he wants to!!!! It's so exciting to watch! And it's really nice not to have to sit him back up all the time!