Just In Case You Didn't Know...

About dearelder.com

It's a really REALLY easy way to write to Spencer from your computer (Grandpa)

All you need to do is set up an account. It's free, don't worry. They you can click on write a letter. For Spencer, since he is in the MTC you just select MTC for the mission and then the only info you need is

Elder Spencer Grierson
MTC Mailbox # 317

Type something up, and they send it to him. It's great! Once he's in Brazil I think it will cost something, but even then I don't think it's too much. What I did when some of my friends were on missions was put like $10 on my account and then every time I wrote a letter it took it from that balance.... Anyway, make sure you write to him this week!

Happy Birthday!

Little miss Sara turned 3 on the 26th! Happy Birthday Sara!

Jose also had his birthday on the 26th! Happy Birthday Jose!

We hope you guys had great birthdays! We love you!

Heidi's One on One

One-on-one time with my dad in a family with 9 kids? That was a very rare thing! I do remember one night waking up in the middle of the night having had a bad dream. Dad took me down to the green chair and rocked me and sang to me. No conversation or anything, but it was really nice to have him to myself for that small amount of time and I felt very comforted and safe.

Teresa's Answers

So I'm still here, just been quite the slacker when it comes to blogging. :)

My fears- I don't remember having alot of fears when I was little. I remember having to sleep facing the wall because I was nervous about those huge Texas bugs climbing up the wall and getting in bed with me. So I guess you could say I'm "scared" of huge bugs. They really give me the creeps. Im also scared of alien movies. When I saw Signs in the theaters, I almost left in the middle of it when they watch the video of the party in Mexico and the alien shows up. Its not so much the actual movie, but the music buildup was pretty good at getting you good and scared. :)

Junk drawer- haha which one?! I have quite a few junk drawers with different junk depending on what room your in. The junkiest would probably be the drawer next to my bed... medicine, crayons, scrapbooking books (mini ones), pictures, tape, jewelry, nail polish... and thats just what I can think of off the top of my head. Thats really where I put stuff when I find Cassie has something she's not supposed to be playing with. :)

A moment with my dad- I'd have to say one of my favorites was our 2 week moment when the 2 of us went to Spain together. We made it a habit to get these lemon slushies and churros con chocolate on a regular basis. It was really nice just to be in Spain and it just be the 2 of us so there was no arguing or anything (cause that was before me and my siblings really starting getting along and playing together on purpose). That was a really fun trip and I can't wait to go back with him someday.

Holly's Junk

My junk drawer is full of the same stuff as everyone else's. Like Amy's, mine is kind of small and I have yet to organize some things, so it is quite stuffed right now. I have the typical pens, pencils, tools, batteries, scissors, picture hangers, etc. One unusual thing I have is a large lump of coal that Matt got for Christmas last year from his work. I know, I know--teachers in Utah get paid very little and hate their jobs. What can we give them for Christmas that will help boost morale? A lump of coal! Very poetic. But, I am keeping it in case we ever need it some day. Might be useful for a child's stocking.
As for this week's question, I think the most memorable one-on-one time with my dad is when I was attending Ricks College and he came up and drove me to Victor to see his old haunts. On the drive there he told me about the summers he used to spend there and some of his favorite memories. While there we saw his grandparents' house, the location of the ditch that used to be there where his cousin drowned, the cemetery (very pretty, by the way), and his cousin's house. It was a very nice trip and I got to know my dad a lot better.

New Question.

Question of the week:

Tell about a one -on-one experience with your father.

Amy's Junk and Stuff

I know I am really late but it's been crazy at my house. Anyway, my junk drawer in this house is a lot smaller than the old one so it is crammed full. I have rubber bands, pencils and crayons, picture hangers, crazy glue, balloons, a bag of miscellaneous hardware, I think that's about it. I use some of it occasionally but I keep it there because I don't want to clean it out. There are so many other things in my house that need cleaning, the junk drawer is on the bottom of the list.

Hmmmm, fears. I was always afraid of the monster under the bed at night. That's why I wet the bed so much as an older child, I was too afraid to get up. I think the only thing I am afraid of now involves my family but I try not to think about that much. I think fear is a terrible emotion and I really don't understand why people like to feel it. I am not afraid of roller coasters, I just really don't like the feeling of falling. I love to fly but hate the landing because of that feeling.

Have You?

We wrote to Spencer today. Have you?



Also, I'm starting to do the food storage blog again in hopes that people will actually start sending stuff. Send ideas and tips you have for your food storage! Even recipes for food storage items is a great idea!

Write to Him

Spencer William Grierson
MTC Mailbox # 317
BRA-BRS 1222
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Family DVD

Attention All Family Members!!!! If anyone would like a family video done this year like we have done in the past I will need photos NO LATER THAN November 15th! Please mail me a CD with the photos you have that you want included. If I don't get any from you I will assume you don't want to be included and or want a DVD. Totally up to you, if you want the DVD send some photos! :) TRICIA

Thanksgiving and FR 2010

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and Jeny and I were talking the other day about who's coming! Please comment and let us know whether or not you're coming. I know some of you won't be able to make it but hopefully the rest of you can!

Not much of an update for FR 2010 other than please remember to send Dad money for the FR fund. As a reminder this fund will be for our food and miscellaneous things at the reunion!

Happy Anniversary

Happy late wedding anniversary to Mindy and Jason! They celebrated their anniversary on the 15th of this month! Congratulations!

Mindy's Junk

So I actually have several junk drawers. One is full of tools that I use in the house, so it's really full. Another has different kinds of tape, some extra plastic floor protector things (you know, the things you put under metal legs or wheels to keep the carpet from rusting), thumb tacks, and other fastener type things. Another drawer has the phone book and other little phone directories for the law school students, elemenary school, ward. There are also papers in there about upcoming events, stamps, extra film for my old camera that I don't even use any more, and the sharpy. The last junk drawer has envelopes, note pads, pens, stapler and staples, glue gun and glue sticks, extra batteries, scissors, and a car charger for a cell phone that we no longer have. Hmmm. Time to clean out the junk drawers.

Heidi's Junk

My junk drawer is right under the phone, so it has the phone book taking up a lot of room. I also have spare Christmas bulbs because it's easier to get them out of the drawer than out of storage when I need one. Some pens and a pad of paper, and strangely enough even some dental floss. That gets used occasionally to cut dough, or for a quick fix after some corn on the cob. Don't worry, there's a bathroom right next to the drawer, so it' not as though we go flossing in the kitchen. There are also keys that I don't know what they open but still have a hard time throwing away, chapstick, and phone chargers. Oh, and that's where we keep our "Don't Eat Pete" game for FHE.

No Brazil Yet.

Well, we just got the word. Spencer will be entering the PROVO MTC on Wednesday, Oct 21. The Brazilian consulate just decided to change it's Visa application process, so no visa's have been received by the group that was going there next week. They are going to be in a Brazillian group in Provo until those visas are complete. This is good, I think. Now Spencer will go and figure out what he has forgotten before I have to send it to Brazil. And I get to keep him for an extra night!

Mom's Junk

My junk drawer has all the things you use when you don't have time to run get them. Pens, Pencils, Picture hangers, rubber bands, scissors, drawer protectors when baby comes, glue, white out, batteries, a couple of balloons, safety pins.

It has really been cold here. I think it was 22 on Saturday night so now all the beautiful leaves will turn brown and drop off. But the sun is feeling nice here today.

Everything is about the same. Nothing. new.

-Mom

Question of the Week

I forgot to put a question, So here it is. Name the things in your junk drawer and tell why you keep them.

-Mom

Spencer's Non-Farewell.

Apparently in Utah we have found ways to get around the "don't have a missionary farewell" counsel. The soon-to-be missionary speaks in sacrament meeting the Sunday before he leaves and that is everyone's cue that there is going to be an opened house for him. It's not a farewell, because none of the rest of the family can be part of the program. I suggested that I might not do the opened house, and was told that people are going to show up anyway. So here is the announcement to my family that Spencer is having a non-farewell next Sunday. He speaks in church on the 18th at 11am. You can sit with me and make faces at him. BBQ at my house afterward, during Sunday school. I feel guilt - a little. Come join us and we will feed you. 8 more days until he leaves.

Tiger

We finally got Tiger to let us hold... it. I still don't know, but we say him. So now you can see how big he's getting.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Emma!! I can't remember how old you are. I want to say 7 but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway we love you and hope you have a wonderful birthday! We can't wait to hear all about it!

Lori's Fear

Did I say that, Jeny? Go figure. I was probably trying to sound very wise.

Anyway, like Heidi, I was afraid of everything! Electric sockets, zucchini poisoning, not having enough of everything, Kristi's karate chops in the middle of the night, being grabbed by the "monster" as I climbed up to the top bunk (Kristi exploited that one endlessly), and of course the piano keys at night (because, you know they come alive and turn into teeth when no one is watching). I truly thought Dad was trying to kill me when he pulled me over to the kitchen in Fremont during the night to "touch" the "monster" and show me it really wasn't there. That monster had made me wet the floor in my bedroom door-frame more than once and I guess it was starting to smell. I still don't like scary movies (I do believe in ghosts and evil spirits), and I don't like the unknown very much, but for the most part I'm not such a scare-d-cat anymore. Good thing since I live alone in kind of a creepy neighborhood, right?

Holly's Fear

I, like everyone else, was afraid of the person under my bed grabbing my feet when I stood up. Did someone tell us a story that made us all afraid of that? That fear stayed with me for a long time. I was scared of a lot of things as a child, but losing Mom was probably my biggest fear. I was afraid of roller coasters and water slides for a long time. I'm not afraid of a whole lot anymore. The thought of losing a family member is scary, of course, but I am able to vacuum and shower when I'm home alone and I can sleep with my door closed.

Kristi's Fears....

Honestly I don’t remember being afraid of anything when I was a child. I know there were periods when I was afraid of the dark, afraid of someone under my bed grabbing my feet and other standard childhood fears. None of the fears have continued into my adult life though. 2 years ago during the fires I was terrified when we went to help a friend evacuate and the smoke was so thick that I could not see the cars my kids were driving right in front of me (or so I thought). By the time I got to a place where I could see I had no idea where anyone was or if they even got out. I guess that means I am afraid of losing a member of my family. Maybe someone else remembers something I was afraid of. Lori, any memories?

Jeny's Fear

"Fear is a Fool of the Devil." - Lori
I just had to put that in before Lori or Kristi got to it. Good memories. So my big fear as a child was of the hand that was going to reach out and grab my feet when I got out of bed at night. It had to be dark. Apparently the hand went away in the daylight. Now the hand has turned into the axe murderer coming up my stairs. That's why I have to sleep with the door opened. I have to be able to hear when he comes up the stairs. I also can't vacuum when nobody else is in the house. He (the axe murderer) might come up behind me when I can't hear. I'm also very afraid of going downhill fast. Roller coasters are my enemy. Skiing is not my friend. Parachuting and Paragliding are just called stupid in my home. Spencer wanted to go stupid last weekend, and wasn't able because of the wind. I am very grateful for wind that prevents stupid. I'm also afraid of driving in Utah, but it's required. Mark won't take me everywhere I want to go. Mean.
I have no real catching up to do. My world is consumed with sending Spencer to Brazil. My first missionary and my baby. No kids left at home. I am experiencing withdrawal. Right now I only cry in inappropriate situations like at restaurants and grocery stores. Maybe next week I'll cry at home in private, too. My fridge is empty because all my shopping time is spent collecting those all important missionary things like shoe polish kits and 13 pair of socks. I would guess this isn't a big thing for most people, but you just go out and try to find 13 pairs of black sock that would fit on feet the size of skis.
That's it. I really have tons of fears but I try to concentrate on other things so I don't go batty. Oh, wait. That didn't work.

-Jeny

Heidi's Fears

What wasn't I afraid of as a child? That's the real question. I was terrified of the dark, bugs, getting stuck in snow drifts and freezing to death, and thanks to Mom's story about Grandma, evil spirits. I have grown out of most of my fears, not out of maturity, but out of necessity. When Jason would go out of town for basic training, TDY's or whatever, I had to learn to overcome the fear or I got no sleep. Lots of practice has cured me of my fear of the dark. With kids now afraid of bugs, I have to be the tough one and kill them, and I now find some bugs very fascinating. I think my height has fixed my snow drift fear (either that or I haven't seen Colorado snow in way too long) and my faith has almost eliminated my fear of evil spirits. That one might still need a little work.
I'm glad to see we're getting things started again on the blog! Our basement bedroom is almost finished, so I will have our most exciting before and after pictures yet to post hopefully by November.

Mindy's Fear

I was afraid of ridicule as a child. That's the reason I never learned to roller skate or do a cartwheel, and why I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was 12. I didn't want my siblings and friends to make fun of me. It's been a hard lesson to learn, but now I'm able to take myself less seriously, try new things, and laugh at myself sometimes.

I want to do another Tiger update, but he really doesn't let anyone hold him. He bites whenever I get near him. Advice, Jeny? He's getting big. He's about 9 inches from tip to tail now. He eats a lot. Loves crickets and grasshoppers the most. He needs a bigger tank. I've been watching Craig's list and have been amazed at the amount people want for their tanks! Too much.

The kids are doing great. Jonah has started piano lessons this school year, so now all the kids are taking lessons. Good thing we have a piano and electric keyboard so they can all practice every day! Dylan's getting really good and hoping to play piano in the jazz band this year. Megan just started taking karate classes at the community center. She's enjoying that a lot. Kate plans to do ice skating lessons starting the end of this month. Jonah's already looking forward to Spring soccer.

Jason and I are doing well in school. Jason loves all his classes except one. I have staight A's so far. Anatomy is hard, but really interesting. My kids are learning it too. They quiz me with the flashcards while I make dinner or fold clothes. Jason and I do homework together at night. Oh, cute. That's my life now. No time for projects, just school, basic family and church stuff, and sewing.

Conference was wonderful. I feel so blessed to be able to watch it all at home over the internet. Technology is great sometimes! When we were kids we only ever went to one session. Now my family watches all 4 general sessions, and the kids even get excited for it and pay attention. Jonah's not quite there yet, but the other kids love Conference.

Aladdin.

Don’t get bored at the beginning. You have to keep watching -Kristi

(P.S. while I was watching this Aaron thought it was two different people. Look this guy up on YouTube he's got a few different ones. )

Mom's Answer + an Update

I was put in a basement bedroom alone. The stairs didn't have backs and I was always afraid as I was walking down them that someone would grab my ankle from behind. I still hate to go downstairs in the dark without backs on the stairs.

It's really autumn here. We got a good freeze last night--it was 30 when Dad got up this morning. The begonias are very frozen. The leaves have been falling all week and it's really beautiful. We have leaves of every color now. If you drive down Summerset a bit, you can see bright yellow, red, orange and green trees, Pikes Peak, and Garden of the Gods if the sun is shining on it. It really is an amazing sight. I think winter is close. The wooly catapillar is very wooly now.

Matt got busy today and started peeling the linoleum in the laundry room. It is really glued on good. I think it was more work than he thought it would be. Will be nice to have it look good. When he does something it really is done perfectly. He detailed Dad's truck and it looks brand new.

Please write and let us know what is going on at your house.

New Question of the Week.

Hey you guys, We need more blogs. I miss you all too much to not hear about you. So, here is a new question of the week.

What were you afraid of as a child? Did it carry over into your adulthood?

-Mom