The First Of An Annual Tradition

Sometimes spur of the moment ideas come together better than long drawn out planned events.  This was the case with our 'Just us Grunst Gals' get together.  While following a Facebook post started by one of the Grunst cousins, Kathy commented, "Maybe it's time for a get together".  I followed up with a private mess asking if she was serious....it went from there.  We had it put together for three weeks later.  

Thank goodness Curt and Kathy were willing to host this loud, hungry yet friendly bunch. 

Uncle Dood, Aunt Etta and Cousin Sandy.  I doubt if Sandy learned anything at this table

Curt showing Cousins Sharon and Sninthia (Cindy) the park-like back yard.

Speaking of Curt-this was supposed to be a Grunst Gals get together but he seemed to find a way to join the group.

He did make himself useful by holding a captive audience with his many stories (usually about a Grunst blunder )

And washing dishes

Fetching this and that (or giving Sninthia shit about her buns-an explanation on that in a bit)

Relieving me of my picturing taking duties here and there

And serving Etta the appropriate serving amount of ice cream in an itty bitty little shit of a cup.  Needless to say Curt didn't win this one, Etta ate both servings.

Eventually he shushed his mouth long enough to eat....HA..gotta love that Curt.

The food, oh the food.

There was German potato salad, a crock full of ring bologna with sauerkraut and mashed taters on top of it all

Broccoli salad, home made salsa and very good for you California wraps which Dood and Etta were not impressed with

There was crab tarts and sloppy joes (made like Aunt Opal used to make)

Oh and the deserts-no pictures - but we had Uncle Ed's homemade ice cream to be topped with Grandma Grace's hot fudge topping (thanks Kathy).  Apple bars and apple crisp, Deb's cookies (famous with all of her kid's friends), the best chocolate brownies ever and...I am sure that I missed something.

We had three of our Biehn cousins there-the three each brought something for the potluck.  Deb the sloppy joes, Sandy the desert and Sninthia.....oh Sninthia.  She was in charge of bringing the buns for the sloppy joes.  Now no one ever expects our Cindy to actually MAKE something (ya gotta know her...and to know her is to love her).  There are so many places that bake wonderful burger buns it's easy to buy them every bit as good as home made.  Not Cindy, oh not not her.

Our Cindy finds the cheapest friggin buns in the store I am sure.  They were dry and hard and able to be tossed like a Frisbee.  True story we tested it.

Yep-to know her is to love her:)

The night was a huge success despite those horrific buns (and partly due to them)

Lotsa smiles

And jokes

And tales being told

And serious business going on????  Nah I doubt it

And laughs

And Uncle Ed sneaking a second helping when Auntie Sandy isn't looking......

Here they are-the Grunst elders (Joy notice you are not in this photo-yes you are the eldest girl cousin but you are not officially an elder...I could not resist)

I took two pictures and had to post both because you will notice in the one above  Uncle Dood is wearing his usual facial expression.

But in this one he has that 'light up his face' smile

The group as we were

With the glue that holds us together

This was so much fun, thanks to everyone that could make it.  We have decided to make this an annual event to be held the third Saturday in September hosted by Curt and Kathy Krohn-until they get damned sick of us and then we will have to find someone else to put up with all of us :)

Since this one was such a success, Curt has requested that we invite the male Grunst cousins and those married to the Grunst gals.  Get it on your 2013 calendars Grunst clan.

A Month Has Come And Gone

And it's been a busy month.  We remodeled the motor home a bit.  No big surprise right?  The motor home came with two sofas, one longer than the other and not as comfortable as the other. 

This is the longer, uncomfortable one that we were fortunate to sell

 

 Once it was removed David set to yanking out the carpet.  Neither of us are fans of carpet so this was a double win for us.

 The carpet removed and new sub floor put down

  After adding an extension to the sub floor the chair was set to be sure that it would fit.  Peeko checks it out giving it a paws up.

David installed a wood floor in place of the carpet.  This section is raised because of the slide out.  The chairs are from Ikea and we like the look and the comfort.  Another successful remodel.

 

 Lots of time was spent with our MN grands.  We had a sleepover or two and whenever the girls come their first want is to 'walk the boys'

Julia is becoming more confident in her ability to hang onto the leash as the boys 'walk her'.

 

 The TV outside was a huge hit.

  Before we hit the hay Julia and Grandpa worked together bolting the sleeper sofa back to the floor.

 The boys tend to sleep with Julia all night long.  But when Shelby wakes up she wants in on the action. 

 

Mary and I went to The Great Minnesota Get Together again this year.  We were the smart ones going on opening day.  It was the nicest day they had weather wise.

Much to our delight there was a Husky show being held. 

 One of Mary's favorite breeds may very well be the Husky since she has one herself.  Yoni is her girl and we get the pleasure of having her for daycare when Mary needs it.  Her she is on her first motor home ride; our Yoni.

 
 Back to the State Fair-One of the highlights for us this year was the Luminary Building.  A great place to go at the end of the day and relax.  It was a 'building' kept up by air and made of...well I don't know whatever those bouncy houses are made of.  Anyway walking in it felt great on the feet as it was cushy and comfortable.  There were various 'rooms' to walk through all with luminary lighting

 That made for interesting pictures

 Mary and I followed the lead of others and took a relaxing rest (them's our feet) before we had to leave.  You get only 15 relaxing minutes in the building so as to make room for the many others waiting.

 We actually saw the parade this year.  I had heard that the StPeter band was going to be in it but we missed them.

We did spy this pink flamingo

As well as many other talented marching bands

 And ran into President Obama in the DFL building.  Yep, had to have out pictures taken....BTW remember to vote no.

 And pork chops on a stick, makes me hungry thinking about them.

 And people, lots and lots of people.

 The seed art is always interesting and pretty darned amazing-

A wedding cake made from seeds

 And some interesting clothing

 And, oh yes, Vote No seemed to be the big them even with the seed art.  This was one of my favorites.

  August brings the Nicollet County Fair and this year was especially fun because we took the girls.

Julia loved the rides-ya think?

 Shelby not so much but I love her facial expressions

 They both went fishing

And won a prize.  Shelby picked the safe Dora ball.  Julia picked the ever annoying horn that she blew all the way through the fair grounds.

 Until next year's County Fair

And then Sibley Park.  I love Sibley and it was fun to share it with the girls.

Again that face:)  She makes me smile.

 We petted the animals

 

And the girls climbed

 And slid

 With big smiles

  And grandpa pushed them on the swings

 Get a load of the hair

 

 Even Shelby's flew in the breeze

We had another Monaco Motor home parked beside us for a few days.  Our friends Tudd and Diane stopped by on their way back from Montana.  No pictures but a lot of laughs, some raunchy jokes and talks of meeting up this winter.

  It was a fun filled month for sure.