Groneman Family

Hey y'all . Today is much better than yesterday. Yesterday I watched LOST all day long as I was super nauseated , had a fever, and in lots of pain. Thanks Chad for lending it to me as it truly saves me on such hard days. Today I'm not as nauseated but I'm weak and I'm doing the hypersalivation thing. It is totally gross and obnoxious, but I guess it isn't as bad as other things. I don't feel much like talking on the phone with a mouth full of saliva. I'm optimistic about getting better soon and my guess is I'll be home monday . I have to say that my nurses are great and I love this hospital. My abdomen has extra air inside (that is not supposed to be there) so it is really weird to be able to feel the air pocket moving around my abdomen and thus my bowels moving around and kinking etc .. It isn't a problem or anything, it is just weird . Thanks for all of your prayers and concern. I think that the worst of this is now over and it will just...

.....let it snow, let it SNOW!   It's currently snowing...has been since yesterday.  Light and fluffy stuff,  the back yard is a winter wonderland.  Gorgeous.  I love snow.  I love Christmas time. What a great combination.  It's supposed to keep snowing all through today.  YEA!

I read this story and thought immediately of the Dastrup's decision to move to Utah (and our decision years ago to move BACK to Utah) --------------------------- The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied, only a little while. The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time? The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life." The American ...

I talked to Cambrie this morning. She is in the hospital as she was yesterday and the day before. She thinks she is going to get the feeding tube put in today, or tomorrow. The fact that she had leftover nausea meds from Lydia that she has tried and they failed, means she isn't going to have to do all that again to prove that it doesn't work. The people in the hospital think she is NUTS! "WHY on Earth would you do this again??" is the question on everyones minds. But look at little Kiera and Lydia, and you have the answer! Besides, she is racking up a lot of extra credit points in Heaven for being willing to go through this again, to bring a child of God to a great home !! Punkin, I think I can speak for ALL OF US when I say, we REALLY do respect the sacrifice you are making for this next child! Sounds like poor little Lydia is heartbroken. When Cambrie was still home, she still couldn't be close to her because of her smell making Cambries nausea worse. I am gl...

http://www.sundog.net/carolofthechins/flash/card.swf I particularly like "The twelve days of Christmas"

Happy Birthday dude. May your day be merry and dark (since you probably want to sleep). Happy birthday

On the left column, under the weather, I created a section with online multiplayer games. Any time anyone is interested in playing a game, just let me know and I'm in if I'm free.

Below are some pictures from the Groneman (C&E) Christmas. We had a wonderful Christmas.

Steve burried the link to their pictures in a comment to our pictures, so I thought I would put it out here so nobody misses it.  Cute pictures:  http://picasaweb.google.com/CambrieNelson/UtahChristmas Thanks Steve.

I hope all my loved ones are having a good Christmas.  We got to go to Brett & Katie's place and watch them open their gifts. UPDATE as of DECEMBER 26th : I was thinking yesterday would be a boring day since we had a whirlwind, very rushed Christmas morning on the 24th. I was wrong. I had just sat down to my computer to go through pictures when Chad, Erica, and Emmy came through the front door. Brett & Katie came up and Buff was here and we talked and played games and watched a new Harry Potter movie and ate lots of food. Chad even went a round of Tiger Woods Golf with me! Wahoo! Little Emmy ran around doing her "ho ho ho" from time to time, often unprompted. She climbed up and down the couch and the bean bag chair and generally was her little smiling happy self which just added to an already rich day. I was thinking of Cambrie in the back of my mind all day wondering how she was feeling and hoping she had a decent Christmas but all the folks here made my day. Ev...

Yes, I saw that Christa had already posted a happy birthday to Steve, but I had to also! I feel bad for Steve...driving 10 hours with a toddler isn't exactly what I would want to do on my birthday! But in true to Steve form, there was no complaining. I never met a person who can deal with so much adversity (like the kind that came with his wife's previous 2 Hyper-emesis experiences) and never act bugged or ruffled by any of the stress or trials that came with it. STEVE, I think you are an incredible person to just roll with the punches no matter what happens and never get angry, upset, depressed or moody. I have been trying to arrive at that point for 54 years now...but I am not there. I think you are amazing to have nail down that virtue while so young! (Yes, buff, he is still young: All things are relative :) Thanks for being such a great dad to my little California grand-daughters! You are SO DARN CUTE with them...it is no wonder they adore you so! And it seems that since t...

Sounds like your birthday is going to get a little steamrolled this year, but we hope that you are able to do something fun for yourself-- maybe a little Sports Center or something. Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I have a heavy heart this evening. Cambrie is struggling to keep anything down and needs to get home before she needs to be hospitalized with pregnancy #3, so we sent a message to Santa that we need a special delivery tonight at our house so that the Nelsons can go home tomorrow. HOW I WISH SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN!! We had our family Christmas party this morning, and we took the little girls outside to go down the sled and experience snow for the first time. That was fun. And the little girls wanted to play in the playhouse, so we did that too. We have eaten WAY TOO MANY SWEETS...and my next goal in life is to NOT do any sweets for awhile. 5 of the family played on the Wii this afternoon. Steve took the little girls to Cabela's to see the fish and stuffed animals...and Cambrie is being distracted from the nausea watching "Silent Night" with Kim. We were having so much fun...I really hate that the Nelsons have to leave tomorrow. But I do understand ...

Day summary: Slept in as Gramps/grandma took care of kidlets. Had first bit of nausea this pregnancy (very mild). Kiera and Lydia were infatuated with the snow falling. Went to McDonalds for lunch with the whole clan (minus bert and Katie) Kids had a blast and Emmy was the bravest of them all. Katie finished with school and is now on break! Played lots of games. Watched football with my little Nelson family. Very surprisingly my girls watched it too.

I had a good day.  Brett stopped in this morning after seeing Katie off to school just to say "hi". The two little Nelson princesses got up and played.  (I played princesses at Disneyland with Kiera for a little while).   We all piled into the Jeep (Us, Nelson's, Brett....and Buff drove separately since she had to go to Provo after) and we made our traditional trek to DI!  Then, as the song says:  "City street lights, even stop lights, blink a bright red and green, As the shoppers rush home with their treasures.".  We had cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch.  Then, as cold as it was....not really...the snow was starting to get soft, we went out with Kiera and Lydia and played in the playhouse.   Really.  In December.  Close the door and get enough bodies in there to warm it up and it wasn't too bad.  We had Orange Chicken for dinner and we watched "Anastasia" thanks to Buffalo who went and got it from her appt. in ...

Happy birthday Bug!  Let's see....you were born in 1977.....that makes you.......whoa!  Nevermind.  Ya know....I was watching "Finding Neverland" (thanks Katie) the other evening and there was a line in there that kind of struck home.  The guy said something to the effect of don't be so anxious to put your kids to bed because the next day they will just wake up one day older.  So true!  It seemed like I was always looking forward to the next milestone in my kid's lives instead of enjoying them fully as they were.   You grew up way too fast and were gone before I was ready.   When you were born I was just a stupid kid that had married the girl of my dreams and I didn't know anything about having a family.  You came into the world and changed our lives forever.   For the good I might add. And you were just the first of five. "Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset....swifly, flow the days...."  I hope you have a WONDERFUL bi...

The Nelson family arrived at about 6 last evening.  Kiera and Lydia were so excited to get out of the car and come play in Grandma's house!  I thought maybe they may hesitate a bit because they haven't seen me in a while but both of the little princesses were comfortable right from the beginning.  I've only seen Lydia a couple of times but she held her arms up to me for hugs and snuggled into me while I was on the couch.  Melted my heart it did.  Buff came over and Brett/Katie came up and we had a grand time.  Kiera wanted to go out to the playhouse of course but I had to tell her it was too dark and cold.   What a fun week this is going to be!  The little ladies are currently having their naps then later today we go over to Grandma Haslem's house to see Webers and Malesa...Chad & Erica & Emmy will meet us there.  I love Christmas time!

I wanted to take your mom on a special date so we went this afternoon to see "Planet 51"  In fact, I wanted it to be really special so I reserved the entire theater for just she and I!  We enjoyed our special alone and romantic time together alot.  The movie was mildly entertaining...not something I'd want in my collection but it was a couple of hours of entertainment.  ( Don't tell your mom I didn't really book the theater....it's just that nobody else bothered to come watch the movie )  Oh...and we received a Harry Potter movie in the mail that we didn't order.  Yer mom says she vaguely remembers somebody may have said something about it, but she doesn't remember.  Old people are like that.  I assume it was sent by one of you fine folk.....  ???

Leaving 4 Utah about 7:30-8am. Wish us luck! We need it! Lydia is not very fond of her carseat! I'm guessing we are going to get in about 8ish but who knows.

Sorry to bump everyone down the line, but i had to say that Steve got another scholarship today. This one was from The Acadamy of LDS Dentists. It was only $1000, but hey, it helps! Other news is that tomorrow are Steves last 2 finals before we get him back for three weeks! yeah!!!!!!

Hey all, this is just an annoucement to ya'll to let everyone that doesn't already know that Last night, I interviewed with the bishop and started filling out my mission papers.... that is all. Resume with your daily lives.

For further details, see Christa's post on the abqdastrup page.

Yesterday Brigham and I attended a dinner that was hosted by a recruiting emergency medicine group (one that Brigham actually interviewed with in Vegas). You may be wondering why on earth we would go when we've already signed a contract with someone else. The answer is simple: for the food. It was at one of our favorite restaurants here-- one that we cannot afford unless it is a special occasion. So we went and enjoyed a fantastic dinner (complete with appetizers, salad, and dessert)and listened to a speaker who actually shared some valuable information on what to expect from a first job. We were feeling pretty pleased with the evening at the end, but then each couple was given a $100 gift card so that we could return to the restaurant again in the future! Not a bad night...!

Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month.  All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls if you haven't registered your cell phone.  You could be charged for those calls.  To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone : 888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.

If you're like me, you'll be crying before the end of THIS VIDEO .  I really think it's the love video that should be played at Breanna's wedding.

I finally got a couple of videos of Emmy talking. They're posted on the Groneman Bunch blog for your enjoyment.

Why do cats like to walk in sandboxes at Christmas time?  So they can have Sandy Claws!  HA!

Chad, Erica, and Emmy came over Saturday morning just for no other reason but fun...they stayed the day.  Emmy is a good walker now!  She holds her hands out over her head when she walks, but she can do it!  Also, she has a new trick.  When someone says "What does Santa say" she comes out with the cutest little "ho ho ho" you've ever heard!  Saundra/Randy came over for dinner and we had Roasted Raspberry Chipoltle Chicken and home made Mushroom soup.  Mmmmm.  Dang I'm a good cook. BUT WAIT!  THAT'S NOT ALL!  Emmy & crew came back on Sunday morning early so Emmy & I could play while the rest of the crew braved the snow and slick roads to go to the Music & the Spoken Word.   Emmy and Gramps had fun but we had a crisis!  Emmy's pacifier was nowhere to be found!  It was sad...but we lived through it and we got some good play time in.  One more week of work until I have a week off for Christmas to spend with th...

Hey Benjamin!  What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus? Claus trophobic.   HA!

Thought I'd share this for all the Twilight fans in the family. Twilight Years from Tom on Vimeo .

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy...I'm so excited.  Less than two weeks until Christmas and a week until the Nelson's arrive.   I'm taking the entire Christmas week off so will have plenty of fun with my kids and the little princesses that visit my house.  I get to play with Emmy Sunday morning while Marilyn, Chad, Erica go see Mack & the Tabs.  Cambrie is preggers with yet another grandchild.  Benjamin, Jacob, and Ty will be here to play in the playhouse this summer.  Marilyn is cuter'n a bug's ear.  Life is good.  It really is the most wonderful time of the year.   " Out upon merry Christmas! What's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer...? If I could work my will," said Scrooge indignantly, "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' upon his lips should be boiled with his won pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart....

Lydia frequently enjoys unrolling the toilet paper roll for us and shredding it into tiny pieces and spreading the love all over the house. So today while I was in the middle of braiding Kiera's hair (and therefore couldn't stop her) she went and got some toilet paper. However, this time instead of shredding it she walked over behind Kiera and proceeded to wipe her bottom and seemed quite pleased with herself. Later she enjoyed chasing Kiera around wiping her bottom. I love it!

THIS GUY   has to be having a hard time right now in Utah trying to make a name for himself and selling his music given that THIS GUY has quite a musical history too and has more press coverage.   Some people are just born to have bad luck.

What would YOU do if you had 2 weeks to live? We have this lovely hand-made calendar with a Christmas tree on it that tells me how long I have left and a toddler who reminds me frequently. I made scallops for dinner last night. Now the thought of them makes me nauseated. Major fear-induced insomia. I think that my biggest fear is in inpact this is going to have on my girls. Kiera was no longer a mommy's girl after my last go-around. It took me a long time even to get her trust back as being someone stable in her life.

Mixed blessing. That is what snow is. We NEED the snow for water and to give us the Christmas Spirit but... This morning at about 6:30 AM BJ called me...she had pulled over to clean the blades of her wipers to better see, and had gotten stuck in the snow on the way to work.... Yesterday, I was droping off some Christmas goodies to the Kirks (they live on a corner). When I do that, I usually just stop the car in front of the house so I don't have to back out to leave...but without really thinking about it, I pulled into the driveway. I had just got out of my car and there was a teenage driver who had just come around the snowpacked road corner...out of control and slid sideways into where I had just pulled in, and where I would have parked if I had opted to park on the street. So my new car missed being in an accident by about 4 seconds. Staying inside to watch the snow fall is looking like a better option all the time! So Buffy how late were you for work?

"A thought of gratitude towards someone that isn't expressed is like wrapping a Christmas present for someone and not giving it."

Whenever we miss Buff, we just shut her old bedroom door and it's as if she were still here!

Happy FIRST birthday to Emmy! One year old today. Looking at her big toothy smile on my fridge, I can't wait for her party later on today.

Katheryn told me this morning that she was able to get tickets for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. She has 6 of them for me. Just enough for Chad and Erica, Brett and Katie, Me and BUFFY...with Kim to tend Emmy cause he couldn't be drug there with wild horses! Yes, these are the same tickets that they have 11 requests for ever 1 ticket that they have to distribute! And their concerts are MUCH BETTER in person than that which you have heard on our Cd's. So how many are interested? ALSO, the Haslem Family Christmas party has been canceled for this year...but not permanently. So you can scratch that off your calendars! Also, just so you know: I had the hospice people bring over the liquid morphine for mom yesterday. She often has heart pain and back pain that nothing seems to help. Now dad will have something to give her that works! If he remembers it when she is in pain....

I really HATE close calls of this nature. Perhaps you have seen Brett's post on facebook, but if not, Brett went into Insulin shock last night while he slept....which caused a seizure, which woke up Katie, and she scrambled to help him and found his glucagon shot which saved him! If she hadn't been there, he would be dead! The thing is with Brett working nights at the hospital, frequently he comes home and goes to bed right as Katie is leaving for work...so no one is there to help him. Katie yelled for our help, but we were sleeping, and I had put in earplugs and covered my head with a pillow cause my sweetheart was snoring, so I didn't hear a thing! Brett bit his tongue pretty bad and got blood all over his pillow, and managed to swallow a lot of blood, so he was up the rest of the night too nauseated to sleep, and Katie with him, because she was nervous about it happening again as Brett couldn't keep down anything he ate...so he couldn't bring up his blood sugar...

174 Christa Dastrup 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 22 6.38% 305 Chad Groneman 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 13 3.03% 504 Brett Groneman 6 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 1.10% 771 Kim Groneman 3 5 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 0.40% 869 Breanna Groneman 1 1 8 1 4 1 1 2 1 14 0.27% 1197 Katie Groneman 4 5 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 14 0.06% Way to represent the Dastrup family Christa! Whomever doesn't take part in the DECEMBER COMMON ANSWERS at BrainBashers is a dirty rotton bah-humbug! It's fun! It's Christmas themed!  Be sure to enter your answers THEN verify by responding to the email they send.

In case you weren't already in the Christmas Spirit, this might help.

They're both coming to our house for Christmas!   YEA!  Nelson's will be driving up on the 20th and leaving either the 26th or 27th.  I'm taking that week off from work.  I'll be missing the Dastrup family this year, but they've already given me the greatest Christmas present they could ever come up with so I'll have to be patient until the week of March 14th to see them.  I can't wait to see Cambrie and Steve again, and to play with those two darling little princesses. It will also be fun to see them first hand (not just in pictures) playing with Emmy.   I love Christmas time...it's just magical.   Speaking of Dastrup family, they'll be moving out of their house at the end of May and, if they'll have me, I'm planning on going down to help them pack up and move.  Dunno the exact dates yet (it's up to them), but Memorial day is May 31st.  Bringing my own air mattress and sleeping bag to throw out among the mess.  It re...

Me: Kiera , time to go to bed...time to go potty. Kiera : but I just WENT potty Yesterday! Other news: I decided to put up my Christmas lights on my house independently today since it gets dark around 4:30 and Steve doesn't get home until 5:30 and we have plans for the next few saturdays so I saw no prospective time of putting them up with his help. Portions of it I could do from my 3-step ladder and parts of it required getting on the roof for. I figured I didn't want to be on the roof while Kiera started hurting Lydia or something so I took them in and put food and a show in front of them ( lydia strapped in her high chair) and then I'd do Christmas lights and go check on them every 5 minutes or so. I climbed to the top of my ladder, stepped on to the top of my 1 inch wide gate and lifted myself unto the roof. I did a great job making our house look festive for 5 minutes and then decided it was time to get down. Getting down was not nearly as easy as getting up....

Hey!  I found Frosty the Snowman's baby picture !

A rip-roarin' Groneman Family Christmas Party and white elephant gift exchange will be held 3:00 PM Christmas Day (early so the little people won't be tired).  Be on the lookout for some great white elephant gift.  I already have mine, it's wrapped, and under the tree for some sucke...er.....lucky soul.  Also it's traditional to have finger food night....little smokies, cheese and crackers, veggies & dip, etc. etc.  so be thinkin' about what you wanna fix & bring.   As for the morning the fat man comes, I do believe Bretsker will be here sometime around 7am after working with all those poor souls that have to spend Christmas Eve in the hospital so we'll just hang around and start our Christmas when he shows up, all tired and ready to go to bed ( I wonder if Santa will bring him presents since he won't be asleep at midnight...hmmm......)

Like yer mom said, we had a good crew over the day before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day, it was just Marilyn, Buff, and I (until later on in the evening when Katie & Brett showed up). The highlight of my weekend were three visits from Emmy. Besides on Wednesday, she came over on Friday and played with me for a while, then I got to tend her for a few hours on Saturday while Erica & Chad went to the football game & Marilyn & Buff went to some book club "party" at Kathy's. That little sweetheart is getting SO interactive and playful. She distinctly said the word "Ball" every time she picked up the ball. ("Ba!"). Marilyn and I both swear she said "Er-nie" when she was playing with our tickle-me-Ernie. She's growing up fast. I love how their family can just bop in for a visit and I can be a part of her life. It was really good to have Buff around and not have to worry about her taking off to far off lands again. I m...

Because Emmy woke me up at 2:30 this morning, and I couldn't go back to sleep, I decided to check the Black Friday ads on the computer and see if there was anything I could go get. After thoroughly reviewing the ads from stores I thought we might be interested, I decided to go to JCPs' for some Emmy clothes, and Walmart for some more Emmy clothes. I arrived at JCP about 10 minutes after they opened (at 4 AM), and even though the parking lot was full and the inside was crowded, I was able to quickly make my way to where the baby clothes were and casually peruse the wares until I had selected about $60 worth of stuff. I waited in a checkout line about five minutes, and headed off to Walmart, who started their sale at 5 AM. I got to Walmart at about 4:45, and the entire parking lot was full. The parking lots of the neighboring businesses were full. The streets were lined with cars. I parked on the street and proceeded to hitchhike back to walmart, and got in the doors at a...

So I am sure that you all had the opportunity of perusing the Walmart Black Friday ad. Practically giving stuff away in instances. Kim and I haven't gone for several years out on B Friday shopping, but we couldn't resist this year (AND we need to support our local Walmart), so we leaft at 4:40. We were shocked! The parking lot was full already, and I got one of the last 2 shopping carts available in the store (with a kiddie seat on it :( It was pretty crazy in there. They had the stuff stacked up in the big isles blocking access to all the smaller isles . Most of the stuff you couldn't touch to take (with employees guarding) until 5 AM. There were people who had been there all night who also had to wait until that magic moment! It was pretty nuts! Thanksgiving was a bit weird here. Brett, Katie, Chad &Erica and Emmy came over for dinner Wednesday since they were spending Thanksgiving with the other side of the family...so we had Tilapia with them. That was pre...

This is Buffy... I can't get on my account for some reason to blog as me... but it is I... Truly, it is. So just so ya'll are aware, I am now officially employed by IHC at Primary Childrens Medical Center on the Neuroscience floor. I start on monday and I'm super duper excited about it! In light of the previous announcement, I will be following the migratory patterns of other YSA's my age and will be going south for the winter to a warmer climate (be it a slight variation of temp.) That's right, I'll be moving to apartment 221 in the Centennial Apartments on monday after work. This brings me much joy and happiness as it also means I'll be able to make friends again with the locals :-) Anyways, that is all. Continue about your regular business....

First, absolutely, is the gospel of Jesus Christ! It brings me so much happiness in every conceivable way. Because of it I am a consistently blessed. Because I have a prophet to give us counsel (which we followed), we have avoided a lot of the economic problems currently stressing people all over the world. Because of the gospel, my children and grandchildren don't have the problems of pre-marital pregnancies, drug, alcohol, substance abuse. They have no addictions. They are good productive members of society...not perfect but trying to become so, same as me. Because of the gospel I have peace, happiness, love, rejoicing, faith, forgiveness, more patience (than I used to have) and joy in my life on a pretty consistant basis. I have learned that living the principles of the gospel has it's own reward in bringing this happiness into my life, and although I know I don't deserve the blessings my Heavenly Father pours out upon me, I truely feel grateful and "stand al...

In no particular order: Marilyn Walmart's frozen food section Toilet paper Seedless grapes Sci-Fi movies The garbage man & his truck Electric hair clippers My bed Indoor plumbing The fridge Kids Grandkids Kid & grandkid hugs Pumpkin pie DI Whoever invented Peanut Butter

N ow that we've had a chance to recover from our vacation, we can post about our trip to Loma Linda. It was a fairly quick trip - we left for LL on Friday afternoon, and returned home Monday night. Emmy was very good for the traveling, except that she had a hard time falling asleep in the car. Erica and Chad were pretty good too, but got tired. The whole Groneman clan was extremely tired while we were there. Emmy was so excited about being in California with girl cousins roughly her age, and with so many toys! So she didn't take her naps like she should have. Chad and Erica were tired from Emmy waking up at 4 AM, and late nights prior to the trip, so they went to bed earlier than any person in the Nelson household had ever even thought about going to bed. Emmy loved being with her cousins. She was a little on the grouchy side because she wasn't taking her naps, but she loved following Kiera and Lydia around and playing with their stuff. She loved interacting with the...

Your mom could use this for Christmas . Be sure to look at all the product images and to read all the customer reviews. Why should the police be the only ones able to use their laptops as they drive?

Find out what is on sale where for black Friday. Our Cedar Hills Walmart black friday ad Amazon.com black friday deals If you have more black friday deals, just edit this post and add them.

Silly me. When I was a young buck I talked a pretty and wonderful girl into marying me. It was a miracle...dunno why she agreed, but she did. I probably had better powers of pursuasion then than I do now. Anyway, here she is. This wonderful girl kicking around my house day in and day out. It's still a miracle. So I was hassling her in a subtile way about something and of course she got mad at me....it got me thinking: How much does it hurt me to have cupboards and fridge and freezer and storage room stuffed to the point of explosion? If she wants to keep a bottle of pearl onions in the fridge for 6 years, so what? Cleaning supplies filling every bathroom cupboard and the shelves in the washroom don't hurt me at all. If she wants to grow a garden on top of the fridge, big deal. If she wants to hang dirty dishrags on the sink instead of out of sight it should be her right. I'm announcing this publicly because I want something written anyone can refer to in the f...

(see Nelson blog for more juicy details). It was tons O fun to have Chad Erica and emmy come visit. They helped us to celebrate Kiera's birthday, we watched the byu football game with them, Erica converted us all to eating green oranges with salt (yummy!). Lydia and Emmy were persecuted by people trying to arrange cute pictures of them, we played games, went to the park, fed the ducks, went to a dog park, and had lots of fun. You all missed out. I have cute videos too, but since I'm leaveing for arizona tomorrow I'd better go pack and be done blogging : )

Christa: Kim:: Benjamin: Brigham:: Kiera: Cambrie:: Emmy: Erica... Brett and Katie, we have hunch what the first letter sound will be for your first born...don't break a family tradition Buff, we already know what name you want, which means you better stop going out with guys unless their name begins with an "Ah" sound... is there an Ahndan out there?

Eggs - Pumpkins - Annoying Orange - Christmas Cranberries

So they are voting tomorrow on the beginnings of National Health Care in the Senate. Take a minute and contact your state Senators.... and tell them to vote no! You can do a google search to find the phone # of your congressmen and senators. I know (cause I have called already) that Utah's Senators are voting against it...but you out of staters need to to let your voice be heard! If Americans knew what I know about Natl health care they would be up in arms about this! So we need to do what we can to sway our elected officials, some of whom are as clueless as the majority of other Americans!

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University. On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee, inspected the elephants foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day. Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked ...

Some folks tell me Lydia sometimes reminds them of me. I'm not sure what it is...the hair? The eyes? What do you think: http://tinyurl.com/yfpkcle

So my adventures thusfar haven't been too exciting but i'll report them anyways since mom keeps bugging me about it. Yesterday morning, I had my interview at Primary Childrens Hospital up in SLC. It's on U of U's campus and only as I was driving past all the signs that say "home of the Utes" did I realize "hmmmm.... maybe I should have taken off my license plate frame that says 'the car may be red but the driver is blue. Go BYU!' I sure hope my car doesn't get keyed or anything..." I'm all for BYU pride but, if I get this job, i've decided that for my car's sake, it might be wise for me to take off the license plate frame. Anyways, the interview went well I felt. She was very encouraging and seemed to be happy with the fact that I had some previous experience working with similar type cases with the kids on that floor (it's the Neuroscience unit I applied for). I should know by the end of the week if I got the job. ...

It is rumored that she moved back in here with us, but I sure haven't seen her for awhile! BJ, I think that it is about time to report your activities...job interview and the rest...

I've holding a few things hostage around here. All of the following are in my possession: Shower cap Red towel Scale lots of gel, medications, shampoo, other random bathroom stuff white purse popcorn and slimfast, sweet and sour sauce Bosch mixer alarm clock If you ever want to see your possessions again you must come down to california to claim them. WAAAA HHHaaaaa haaa!

Kiera is a step closer to being able to stay "Lydia". Lydia is getting teeth in (in a very unusual pattern). Her 4 front teeth came in from right to left (instead of inner to outer). She looks pretty silly with 2 teeth on the right side and none on the left. You can sortof see it in the picture with grandma. She has been a FUSSY little lady and an awful eater lately because of it. Kiera only gets in free to disneyland for 1 more week and I planned on taking my girls twice this week but with lydia being so fussy it probably won't happen. Kiera would like everyone to know that there are only 6 more shopping days until her birthday....j/k

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Almost 4pm in the afternoon and it's  28 degrees and snowing outside .  It's a good thing Grandma and Buff put off their drive home until tomorrow...the weather *should* be better.  It does remind me of a  good joke for Benjamin though:  What kind of carpet do Eskimos have in their igloos?  Are you ready for it?.....BrrrrBrrrr.

So just in case any of you missed out on my awesome news, I'm an LVN graduate! all i have left is to take my boards but cheesy ceremony and all, I've graduated from the San Bernardino Adult school Licenced Vocational Nurse program. I celebrated by eating half of a chocolate covered bananna, compliments of Cambrie, a bowl of ice cream, and watched the movie "Forever Strong" with mom (Great movie by the way). Ya'll missed out on a cheesy 1 hour ceremony where we lit fake candles and walked around with our white nurses dresses and hats. I did recieve the Clinical Award though... i'm just cool like that. Anyways, here's some pictures so ya'll don't have to feel like you missed out.

I think most of you know this already via Facebook, but for record-keeping purposes, this will be my last semester at the UV(SC/U).  I'm switching to BYUI's online RN to BSN program.  Even though I'm already done with one semester in the UVSC RN to BSN program and I won't be starting the BYUI program until after next semester (starting "Spring" or "Summer" 2010, depending on what your school calls it) I'll be finishing with it the same time I'd finish with UVSC's program. There's a few reasons for the switch: Online classes and homework:  Means I can (hopefully) get the work done faster if I want to.  Of course, as Chad pointed out on facebook, this will take discipline...  But that's what I have to do when Katie goes to teach school in the daytime.   Studying on the living room couch or in the back yard. UVSC was going to make me take classes 3 days of the week next semester, along with working 3 night shifts a week.  The s...

Katie and I wanted to take a look at our money and how we spend it.  After being frustrated by the free spreadsheet templates that I found and their lack-of-usefullness (you know... they're free...) I decided that I can do better than all of them. So I did. I made myself a spreadsheet that is custom-designed for our finances.  Our bank lets you download a "CSV" file of the transaction history.  I made it so that I could just copy and paste the history into the first page of the spreadsheet and all I would have to do is categorize the items, and the spreadsheet would figure out the rest of it for us. It's complete with graphs and charts.  It's got a monthly analysis of expenses and analysis by category.  I'm pretty darn impressed with it. If you have OpenOffice on your system, you should take a look at my awesome work here .  I changed the numbers and added some other this n' thats to it, but you can still see its totally coolness.  Save it to y...

Looks like Brett & Katie can only do a Christmas Party on the evening of the 25th so that's when we'll have it.  Any problem with that Chad/Erica/Cambrie/Steve? Is anyone planning to be at our house for Thanksgiving *Dinner*?

This week I found out that I get to take mandatory vacation time over the holidays. That means I have to take my vacation I've saved up, whether I want to or not. For better or for worse, my mandated vacation will be the entire week of Thanksgiving, and the entire week between Christmas and New Years. Fortunately, there's some of those days that are company holidays, so I'm only being forced to take five and a half days off. So, to make the best of it, we've decided to take a little trip to the "Q"! That's right, we'll be going to visit the Dastrups for a few days before Thanksgiving. Emmy is especially excited to see her cousins. Of course she'd like to see her other cousins too. Hopefully we'll see them all at Christmas!

A direct quote from Steve following the miracle at his intramural game last night. That would be because I (YES, FOLKS THIS IS MOM/GRANDMA ACTUALLY WRITING THIS POST!!) attended Steves game (first game I have attended since Chad was 6-7 years old and playing flag football)! Is that not amazing? BTW, Steves team are the top team at Loma Linda University...undefeated still. Steve made 3 touchdowns! And his brother made 2 plus did some conversion points too. The team wouldn't stand a chance without them :) Steve is still trying to get over the shock, that I actually knew what was going on...I had to remind him that I used to be a tomboy! Anyway, it was a fun game to watch. The other team didn't score. And it was a fun day at the zoo too. It is the best zoo, for sure, that I have ever been to. Great weather, beautifully landscaped, fun little ladies, and frisky animals because it was not to hot! Wish ya'll could have joined us!

This is Kiera sitting on "grandma's bed" talking on the phone to grandma the morning she was going to fly in. She was very excited. She insisted on napping in grandma's bed for 2 days before she arrived. We've been having lots of fun with grandma around. yesterday we went to the san diego zoo. The weather was beautiful, the little ladies loved the animals, and they slept all 2 hours of the way home so it was a great day. Can you tell Lydia loved the stuffed animals? grandma did something last night she hasn't done in years...attended a football game.. to support her son in law. That is love. Also,thanks to grandma for doing dishes. WE LOVE YOU.

I am totally loving myself down here! These cute little girls are just so darling! I never saw such girly girls! Even little 15 month old Lydia ...I put her sunday dress on her this morning, and as soon as it was on she started dancing and twirling so I could admire her beautiful princess self! No prompting of any sort! She just does it! So very cute! Course, she has this big sister that shows her the ropes. But even when Lydia isn't dressed up in something princessy...she wants her necklaces on while she runs around in her diaper! Such a cute little munchkin! They are just so fun to watch that I have been giddy with joy! Sorry for you Gramps! Enjoy yourself in Texas though! Tomorrow we will go to the San Diego Zoo...a first for all of us! The little ladies have never been to any zoo before, so it should be fun!

Marilyn flew out yesterday to Loma Linda and is now happily playing grandma with two cute little ladies.  As a side benefit, she gets to spend time with two lovely daughters and a great son-in-law.  She's staying for a week, going to Buff's graduation, and driving back HOME with the Buffalo.  Yea!  Buff will be back in Utah!  Dunno what the Nelson's will do with all that extra space in the house.  Marilyn and I were talking, it's been quite a few years since we had a kid move in with us. (Basement apartment doesn't count since it's totally separate).  I suspect Buff won't be living at home for long as once she has a job here she'll most likely move out.  Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll actually blog about her plans. Anyway, it will be good to have her home and near home.   I have to be in Dallas for some training all this week which leaves Katie & Brett with the responsibility of holding down the house so it doesn't float away....

Marilyn told me that Kiera wanted her to bring the playhouse to Loma Linda when she came.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMe5dOgbu40&feature=player_embedded

Yesterday, we took dinner over to my folks...and invited the boys families to join us. Chad and Erica did,( making Kim a happy camper-he needed Emmy to help him smile). Grandma doesn't like my dad's oxygen machine. He sleeps with it on at night. She used to come in the room where he was sleeping and turn it off, and he would wake up short of breath. So he moved it downstairs into the fruit room, and ran his hose through the floor to his room, so he could sleep with it on without it bothering mom. But, evidently it is still bothering her...she would go downstairs to turn it off, with the same results. So, dad removed the handle off the door in the fruit room, so she couldn't open it (he can with a tool he keeps handy, but she can't). So night before last, she went down to turn it off, but when she couldn't open the door, she picked up a fire-poker thing and must have beat on it for 10 minutes...there is a hole in the door about 12 inches in diameter...but she d...

I just went visiting teaching over at the Charleston Assisted Living in our area. I visit teach a very "with it" lady named Jean Dean. Jean has a son who is a geologist and found and developed several oil wells in So. America. One of the more successful ones he sold for $700,000,000.00. She says that his money makes his life difficult though. He has to spend 10 days a month on location in Columbia, and he has to do his best to look like a looser hippie, or he would be snatched and held for ransom. He has to take a body guard where ever he goes down there. Even paying his tithing is a problem for him. SLC offices that handle money called him and asked him not to write his check and turn it in through normal channels because it is too much of a temptation to the many people who handle the money on it's journey to headquarters. He has been asked to hand deliver his tithing to SLC to avoid problems that could occur on down the line. He also has to be on guard consta...

Why is it that if a person's core temperature gets too cold, they die...even if they haven't really frozen, but they freeze eggs and sperm to thaw out later and they are fine and alive? Something I have wondered about for a long time...and I was brought to think about it again today as I was eating raspberries out of my garden that has frozen a least a dozen times, but the raspberries are fine (see facebook). I sure have DANG CUTE GRAND KIDS!!

Whoa Bretsker! 20 Brett Groneman 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 44.66% 81 Chad Groneman 1 1 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 15.57% 143 Cambrie Nelson 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 1 9.61% 201 Katie Groneman 2 1 1 1 2 1 6 1 1 1 5.96% 481 Christa Dastrup 2 1 1 5 3 1 2 2 1 1 1.19% 1663 Kim Groneman 1 1 1 8 3 2 2 8 3 2 0.00% My problem is a generational thing this month.  John Glen is more famous than Neil Armstrong, and Cher is more famous than Madonna....at least for people my age. [grumble grumble].  That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Click THIS LINK to enter November's contest.

I spent my childhood in pink curlers. Every saturday night I had a poor nights sleep from some curler jabbing me or pulling my hair too tight. So, I didn't feel very abusive when I pulled out new pink curlers for Kiera for halloween. She SCREAMED like I was killing her as I put them in but I convinced her she was ok (even if she looked temporarily ugly) and got her to play outside in the sunshine for 30 minutes to dry the hair. She LOVED the result so I might be able to accomplish it again. But I won't make the poor thing sleep in them.

It is Halloween, and where is my darling daughter to answer my door for all the little goblins! Slacking on the job I would say! Anyone else want to volunteer??? We have a new side by side fridge, and I am going to love it! It doesn't block the way anymore when the door is open! Yay for home improvements! The old one is in the garage till we see if the Dastrups need it when they move. Don't forget to turn back your clocks tonight!

The day is finally here.  The day the Great Pumpkin comes!  Are you guys going to go get lots of candy to share with your family?  Guess what?!?  I made a railing on the bed in the computer room so you can climb up the ladder and sleep in the bunkbed next time you come to Gramps' house and not worry about falling out.  Here's a picture of it.  Grandma made me a triple berry pie yesterday.  Mmmm  it is good.  I wish you were here to share it with me.  I took this week off from work and was able to get some things done.  Let's see...besides the railing on the bed, I made full extension slide drawers for Grandma for her kitchen cupboard.  I made a screen to put in front of the TV to save it from little curious bodies.  I bought a new car.  I bought a new fridge.  I had to take the Jeep in to get something fixed that has been waiting a while for me to do it.  I raked leaves, I'm about to install Wind...