Globe-trotting Grovers: Playdates are the new "happy hour"

our story

It all began on the evening of Nov 29th 2003, at former Chat Noir French Restaurant in Costa Mesa, CA. Brad approached me [Jana] and we instantly connected; it was love at first sight. The next 4 years that followed were a whirlwind of romance, growing pains, and adventures. We circled the globe, traveling to South America, Europe, and Asia. Then one night, Brad surprised me with a romantic beachside proposal. We made it official on August 23rd 2008 with an intimate wedding at a hip art gallery in Laguna Beach. A year later we finished redesigning our home in the beach village of Corona del Mar.

On May 18th, 2010, we were blessed with a sweet little miracle of our own, our baby boy Taj Leon. He stole our hearts and took our breath away! Then, 19 months later, his incredible little brother, Jax Franz, arrived on Christmas morning (December 25th) 2011. What an amazing gift we received! In an effort to slow down the clock and enjoy our beautiful family, in Spring of 2012, we sold our CA seaside home and moved across the country to our dream lake house in Brad's hometown of Bemus Point, a resort village on Chautauqua Lake in Western New York! Even though we are living a more slow paced life, we are living a life far from ordinary!

From the West Coast to the East Coast, our Grover family adventures continue! So won't you come along and join us on this journey of love, family, and travel we like to call our La Vida Grover!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Playdates are the new "happy hour"

Have you heard? Playdates are the trend now.... for mommies like me! Especially when my other mommy friends and I were on maternity leave and had summer break! Might be a little difficult to get our babies together as often because most of us are now busy being both supermommies and passionate career women! :) So, as promised, here are the highlights of our summer playdates.....

Playdate #1, Tammy & her sweet little girl DJ

Playdate #2, Taj "chillin' like a villian" with his homie Regan LOL

Playdate #3, South Coast Plaza lunch with Rhonda and our boys :)

Playdate #4, Fashion Island with my awesome work friends Michelle and Rhonda... and their baby boys! Michelle, Rhonda, and I got engaged the same year, married the same year, pregnant the same year, and now we have baby BOYS the same age!! Rhonda's little guy Ryan (Ry Ry) is 4 months older and is Taji's daycare buddy, while Michelle's darling boy Cade is 7 weeks younger than Taj (and lives close by, so I'm sure the boys will grow up surfing together!)

Playdate #5, at the scenic Mason Park in Irvine with Tammy & Dj! Here I am holding little DJ, then a pic with Taj!

Playdate #6, just yesterday, Michelle and I got our "twin" boys together since she is still on maternity leave and I'm home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. At work, Michelle and I are often told we look alike, and it's funny because we really do have sooo many things in common..... including being married to husbands named Brad! too funny! So of course, our baby boys would also look alike...... they are too cute for words!

Look at how smiley Cade is! I loved taking these pics of him! Here I go again doing my photography thing...... I'm really enjoying the camera these days!