Groneman Family

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...

So I just got this as an email, but it sounds like something you might be interested in pursueing. So I will just copy it: I've been working with Deseret Book and they have made 8 of their books available for FREE DOWNLOAD at http://deseretbook.com/free . Several of the books are ones I thought you might be interested in. The books are: 1. Please Pass the Scripture (by me). 2. What I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was Single (by John Bytheway). 3. Women at the Well (by Richard and Jeni Holzapfel). 4. Digging Deeper (by Robert Eaton). 5. 10 Secrets Wise Parents Know (by Brent Top and Bruce Chadwick). 6. Growing Up: Gospel Answers About Maturation and Sex (by Brad Wilcox). 7. Saving Kristen (by Jack Weyland). (fiction) 8. The Hidden Path (by C.B. Andersen). (fiction) Also, Cambrie just called. For today only you can go to Ophra's website for 50% discount couplon for 50% off all shoes at Payless Shoes. So if they are on...

Does anyone have a problem with a Christmas Eve Groneman family Christmas party /Steve birthday celebration?  Of course white elephant gifts, games, and prizes.  If the 24th is a problem, it's still early enough to schedule a different day.  Cambrie, do you folks know what day you are coming yet?  Brett do you have a work schedule for that time of the year yet?  If you can't do it on the 24th, please propose another date.  Christa....wish you & fam could be here but there's always the 4th of July!!!!

We bought this movie...I saw it and knew Marilyn would like it....and she did.  It's about a guy who used to work for the CIA and has "special skills".  His daughter gets kidnapped in Europe  to be sold into slavery and the dad must find and free her in 96 hours.  Lots of action and bad guys getting what they deserve.  This guy could beat up on Jack Bauer.  Worth watching.

I can finally post now that Emmy is fed, has a clean bum, and is sleeping in her bed. And that I have had lunch. Okay, here's the micro scoop of how it went down this morning (since my arms are so tired it hurts to type, this will have to be the bite-size version). Chad mentioned pretty much all the big stuff, but I had no idea it would be that crazy. I kind of thought not many would be there since we had just found out about it this morning and we've even been checking and looking around for places that have it. I knew there were a lot of people there when we couldn't find a parking place and had to park on the other side of University Ave and walk. Not a big deal. I saw the line out the door and thought, "Aw man, we'll have to wait outside for a bit." Then someone told us the end of the line was in the parking garage. It wasn't just in the parking garage. After winding in and out of the lines trying to find the END of the line, we finally got in the line...

I got to work early this morning and found out that the Utah County Health Dept. was doing H1N1 shots today. We've been wanting Emmy to get that shot so we can take her places again. I called Erica and told her about it, and we decided to go for it. Erica got to the Health Dept around 7:30, and the immunizations started at 8. There was an enormous line. She'll have to comment or do another post completely, but from what I understand, it went out the door, around the building, into the parking garage, and did loops on every floor of the parking garage. With Emmy and Diaper bag in hand, she got in line. She'd rushed out the door to get there, since we had previously heard that if you get there 10-15 minutes before it opened, you missed the lines. In rushing out, she forgot to get a bottle, and didn't think to get the stroller (why get one if you're going to be in and out in less than an hour?). Fortunately, the diaper bag did have Cheerios and a sippy cup with juice i...

Hunger Games.  (Currently $9.00 at Walmart) Christa recommended it to Katie who recommended it to me.  It's a great read...hard to put down.  Apparently it's the first book in a series.  I don't really understand why everywhere this is listed in the "Children's Book" category...I don't think it's a child's book at all. Nothing about it is a child's book.  I must say I loved the book right up to the last page...but the end left me saying "What?!?  That's it?!?"  Of course, there is Book 2 so it may just pick up where 1 left off.  One of the better books I've read in a long time.  I highly recommend it.

I hate to bump down the previous blog, but here is the weekly Nelson update (nothing huge to report). 1. Buff and I took Kiera to a BYU ballroom dance concert 2 weeks ago. Kiera LOVED IT. She was totally overwhelmed and of course was convinced that all of the females were princesses. After the concert one of the girls came and said hi to Kiera. She just stared back. It was a fun concert and I'd pay $13 a ticket again in a heartbeat. 2. Lydia has become a little vain in her 1-year-old life. She LOVES to play dress ups and when she finds a dress in a pile of laundry she'll try to put it on (put it on top of her head or try to get it to stick to her chest). Then when she gets something pretty on she'll twirl around and dance in front of the mirror. Who knew a 1 year old could be so into clothes/dressups? 3. On thursday afternoon steve got home a 3:30pm and he said "why don't we go to disneyland?" so we did. Have I mentioned that I love this semester o...

While Chad and Erica went to an apparently sorely disappointing game.... We chopped up pumpkins. Too bad they didn't join us.

It was a sad day for us really.  Jeep decided to divorce Prius.  It was probably a good thing really because it wasn't 15 minutes after the divorce was final that Prius ran off with another man. I wonder how Jeep felt about that.  Anyway, it didn't take Jeep long to get back into the game.  As you can see from the picture he decided to shack up with a much younger girl named Yaris.  Though she isn't as heavy & has a slightly trimmer rear end than Prius and......how do I put this delicately.....she's much more "round" in the front than Prius, she just seems more shallow to me.  I guess that's the way it usually is when an older guy ditches his gal for a younger model "trophy wife".  Yaris doesn't seem to have as much get-up-and-go as Prius did but I have to admit she's a looker!  I snuck this picture this morning as they were sleeping together in the garage before she had a chance to put on any makeup.  Oh the scandal!  Why a Yaris?...

Yes, indeed! If Kim weren't playing with Emmy, I am certain he would have posted a picture...but he can take care of that tomorrow! The Prius sold on Thursday, and we bought the Yaris last night. It isn't anything that resembles deluxe, but we don't need deluxe, just a commuter car. I shall miss the Prius. I loved that car! But cars don't last forever, and we wont miss the costs of maintaining a hybrid when things start to go.

OK, so I know that everyone has already been informed, but I just have to have this AWSPICIOUS EVENT in our Groneman Family History (as Kim prints them all off) ! I only gave it about a 20% chance that they would actually decide to come here over a much better paying job in Vegas...but my prayers have been answered again! THEY ARE COMING HOME!!! :) Yes, I realize my prayers were minimal to theirs, but I don't really care WHO's were answered as long as they are coming home- that is AWESOME! I know we won't get Cambrie back here, but hey, when she does come, she'll be able to see the whole family! PARTY, PARTY, PARTY! WE ARE THRILLED!

BIG FAT SMILE!!!!  :D

It's going to be a scary Halloween !  Just look at what I received in the mail... a haunted house .  A haunted creek ....and a scary story with a happy ending.  Thanks Benjamin!  I'm really in the mood for Halloween now!  The only part that is a little confusing is the text bubble coming out the lower right window on the haunted house.  Marilyn nor I nor Katie nor Brett could figure out what it says.  What do you think? (click on each for a larger picture)

This is mostly for Cambrie's benefit, as she has a coffee table with a glass top. I saw a news story the other day about how dangerous those tables are. There are a lot of toddlers (who like to climb) who are severely injured or killed when they crawl on top of a glass top coffee table, and the glass breaks. It showed a little girl's x ray after the glass broke and a large piece of glass went between her ribs and narrowly missed her heart. With Lydia and possibly other sweet grandkids in our family exposed different places to such hazards, I just thought you all should know. Did you hear about the 19 lb baby that was born in Indonesia? Check it out! http: //msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/091019/tdy_iwms_baby_091019.300w.jpg

Our ward currently has five families with confirmed Swine Flu. Because of this, we're not taking Emmy to Church today, or at least until there are zero cases. Maybe longer, but we'll see. We've heard that Pediatricians all over Utah are recommending that any kid under 2 not attend church for the entire duration of the flu season this year. We've also heard that with Swine Flu, infected people are contagious a full day before they exhibit any symptoms. That's why we're going to be extra careful. So, for the next little while, Erica and I will take turns at Church. We'll need to be careful in public in general. Let's hope that nobody in our extended family catches the swine flu, under two or not.

Today we made apple pancakes with caramel syrup. It was an invention of your mother's. Tasty! Our apple trees outdid themselves this year and we have bushels of apples. Two full trees of Golden Delicious. They're also good to take for lunch. Next year we should also get some Granny Smith apples as our 3rd tree is now old enough to have babies.  I love fall.  It's beautiful, it feels good, it smell's good, and it tastes good.  We picked raspberries yesterday and had what will pobably be our last triffle for the season.

I started trying to make a fun music video of Lydia. But my program would boot me out every 30 seconds. This is as far as a got before I gave up. So much for Windows Movie Maker.

I thought I posted this yesterday but obviously not: Yesterday kiera lydia and I were looking at a picture book of animals and there was a picture of a buffalo. Kiera started kissing and hugging the picture and then told me "mommy did you know it's real name is 'Breanna'?"

For all my Genealogy Enthusiast children and Hubby! As of Monday, New Familyseach will be available to Utah and Idaho residents, finally! Now, don't all stand up and cheer at once, it could put the earth off balance. But this is going to really help in the doing of geneology and you won't be able any longer to do the work multiple times for the same person very easily. And it will be more acurate than the old system. There are numerous training videos imbedded within the program, so if you have questions, they will help give you the information needed. I need to be up to date on helping out members with their questions. I wish I could say I am confident on my ability to say show them how they can print out their temple ready names at home. Never done it. Anyway, this is a great stepstone to a better way of doing our family history. Now you know. I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon trying to become better aquainted with the new system. I have been fighting a minor f...

I am concerned about the 6 year old boy who is currently alone in a hot air balloon that he crawled in and turned loose in the Denver area. They don't know how to rescue him yet. Pray for those in the know to know what to do and get it done quick. The balloon can go to 10,000 feet, which with freezing temps at that level, could kill him quick with hypothermia.

What a COOL Halloween picture of Kiera, Gramps, and a pumpkin.   Thanks Kiera!  I love these kind of pictures.  It's so fun! B rett & Katie cooked us lasagna the other night.  Mmmm good.   That was nice of them.  We're invited over to Emmy's house for dinner on Friday so I'm looking forward to that.  It's great to have kids and grandkids.  Oh...and if you haven't seen it yet, that picture of Lydia and Steve with their mouths open on the Nelson blog is just fantastic.

Thanks to my Sister-In-Law for bringing this to my attention. The Daily Universe published the recipe to BYU's famous mint brownies on Friday, October 9th . Chocolate and mint ... is there a better combo? BYU Mint Brownies Recipe courtesy of BYU Dining Services Makes one 9-by-13 pan Prep and cook: 90 min. Cool: 1 hr. Ingredients 1 cup margarine 1/2 cup cocoa 2 tablespoon honey 4 eggs 2 cup sugar 1 3/4 cup flour 1/2 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped walnuts 12 ounces chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.) Mint Icing 5 tablespoons margarine dash of salt 3 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 2 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon mint extract 1-2 drops green food coloring Directions: 1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter in...

...came across this passage which really describes this well: "The older I get, little by little I drift farther from the shores of my experiences until they are but distant faint memories."

We have a Leapfrog letter factory video that teaches kids all of their letter sounds. Kiera has had it down for a while now, but Lydia is actually learning a few letter sounds. She can do about 5 letter sounds. Its tough to get it on video, but we got this which is cute.

Today was a lot of fun in Albuquerque! As you can see from the pictures that CK posted, we did the Balloon Fiesta! What a unique and fun experience! It was pretty amazing! We got up at 5 am so we could get through the traffic and arrive before the best parts were over. We weren't THERE for the "glow" period. That happens as they are firing up their balloons in the dark. But we did see the balloons that were already up there in the dark glowing when they turned the flame on and off to keep them rising. It was pretty cool, cause there they were in a black sky all lit up! But to be there as they are blowing up their balloons by the hundreds all around you, and have them be 360 around you...well you really just have to experience it for yourself. But it was cool! We made cinnamon rolls yesterday to take today, Christa pulled out her winter box and got stuff out for the 45 degrees that it started at this morning for the boys...we collapsed the jogging stroller (which C...

Awesome. You guys missed out!

Got an email from your bank?  An email telling you your order is on the way?  Be carefull.  Be VERY careful.  Unless you are absolutely sure of who is sending you this stuff, err on the side of caution.  I recently put up a camera for auction on craigslist.  Someone wanted to buy it...but wanted me to send it to her "daughter"  Ding!  Ding!  Ding!  alarms in my head went off.  I played along for a while and the person eventually sent me a very real looking paypal receipt saying she had sent my money.  Gee..for some reason the money never showed up in my account.   See THIS ARTICLE .  Scumbags are getting smarter (well, some of them are).  I ordered something from Walmart...a couple of days later there was an email about my Walmart shipment.  Heck, almost every week I get an email aboug a Walmart shipment whether or not I ordered anything from them. Scams everywhere you look....so please be extra careful...

While you're there, get some pictures of the Dastrup family...as a family.  And some pictures of those cute boys to upload here to the blog.   I've been printing out the blog entries to put in the folder and I need more Dastrup pics.

Go to this website to get instructions on how to get the new Snow White DVD for only $5.00.

This is just to urge (since I can't effectively threaten too much anymore! ) my darling youngest daughter to share some of the fun things she did while she was in Utah! No, I am not referring to looking for an Apt or applying for jobs. BJ...you have some fun pictures and a story to tell.... I hit the road for the "Q" tomorrow....here's HOPING that the road construction issues so prevalent here, don't make my 10 hour trip a 13 hour trip! I am bringing Brigham back with me for his first interview for a job! Here's HOPING it goes WELL, on all the angles!

Emmy's first birthday party! When : Sunday December 6th, 4:30 PM Where : Our HOA clubhouse What : Dinner (Pizza?), watch Emmy open presents, watch Emmy eat Cake, eat Cake, watch First Presidency Christmas Devotional on big screen. (We know it's early, but we know how busy December can get)

It almost felt like a holiday. It raind outside, the Halloween decorations were up, and there was a crew here playing games, & watching scary movies. Mom made rolls and BBQ chicken/steak with blackberry pie. Wish the Dastrups/Nelsons could have been here too.

There ain't nothing like popcicles while sitting on the porch watching your 2 parents do yard work. Steve just started his next semester of school. The WONDERFUL thing about this semester is that the little ladies get to see their daddy! I love having my long-lost husband around too. Above is Steve and Kiera "listening" to confrence today. This was the FIRST time Kiera would get in a bath with bubbles in it. She's always been scared to death of bubblebath. It took Lydia demonstrating the fun a few times before she decided it was ok.

I get to enjoy my Buffalo for a coupla days. Wish everyone was here. It's such a shame we can't gather 'round the oboe when the Great Pumpkin makes his appearance. HEY BENJAMIN! Ok...you didn't like my last jokes so here's another: Who won the skeleton beauty contest?.........wait for it........ NOBODY ! Ha!

Salt...simple sodium chloride. All salt on the earth, whether it be found in the sea, in mines, in Salt Lake, etc. is the same...it's sodium chloride. No difference. So......why is it that people (including someone in my house, but I'm not going to name names) are willing to spend twice as much or more for something labeled "sea salt" ? Ooooo.....because someone somewhere said it was better for you. Comon folks, it's sodium chloride. What's the difference between sea salt and table salt? Sea salt hasn't had the impurities removed. Yup....if you add mud, parts of decaying shell fish, and fish poop to it it's claimed to be more healthy and you can sell it for a whole lot more than the regular stuff that has had the fish poop removed. Oh wait....that fish poop has trace minerals that is good for you. Maybe...but I'd rather eat just plain sodium chloride on my watermellon, thank you.

41 - Katie Groneman 691 - Kim Groneman 864 - Chad Groneman 1012 - Brett Groneman 1589 - Christa Dastrup Party Poopers - Marilyn, Brigham, Erica, Cambrie, Steve, Breanna Put your October answers in early!

Clem Robello, our ATV Bud in Marysvale says that according to the farmer's Almanac, this is going to be an early and cold winter. I did notice on our last trip down there last weekend that the squirrels and chipmunks were either fat or had a very thick and long coat...either way, it would help them get through a hard winter. I have never seen such plump squirrels! Yesterday, it snowed in the valley! The hillsides were covered in snow all the way to the valley floor, and it was snow/sleet on my windshield in AF. It froze my tender plants last night, and some years they have made it till just before Halloween. But the cold temps didn't last for long; I was just out picking raspberries and blackberries with no jacket and it is very pleasant 67 degrees. It was a quick change though! The day previous was 86 degrees and that is the kind of weather we have been getting for most of the month here....so the 50 degree drop in one day felt like a rude awakening that we really are in ...