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Showing posts from December, 2009

Blogging from my hospital bed

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.......

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.....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!

Perspective

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

Update on Cambrie

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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

Christmas Carolers

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

Happy Birthday Bretsker!

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

Games

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.

Groneman Christmas pictures

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

Nelson Pictures

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.

It's Christmas Day

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

Happy Birthday to STEVO Today!

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

Happy Birthday, Steve!

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!

THE YEAR SANTA CAME EARLY....

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

Missing Dastrups

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.

A holiday day at the Groneman house

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 Provo just so Kiera could

Happy Birthday Christa!

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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 birthday.

Nelson's have arrived!

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!

Planet 51

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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.....  ???

Here we come ready or not...

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.

Scholarship

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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!!!!!!
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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.

Go TY!!!

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

A Christmas Surprise

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 phones now open to telemarketers

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.

A video for Breanna's wedding

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.

She speaks!

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

Hey Benjamin!

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

A weekend with Emmy

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 the little Nelson ladies & whom

Speaking of laugh....

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

Good for a Laugh

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

Less than two weeks!

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. He sho

for your laughing pleasure:

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!

A tale of two Brians

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.

2 weeks

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.

Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow????

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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?

Deep Wisdom Quote

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

Buffalo Withdrawals

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

Emmy is ONE!

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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.

Hear YE! Hear YE!

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....

Thanks be to God and Katie!

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

Common Answers: November Results

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.

Halleluia

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

What do Santa's sleigh and Nelson's car have in common?

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 really can't be con