Globe-trotting Grovers: Jax's Polar Express 1st Birthday Celebration

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!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Jax's Polar Express 1st Birthday Celebration

On Saturday, December 22nd at 10:30am, three days before Christmas Morning (and Jax's actual birthday) our game room was converted into a Winter Wonderland of dangling paper snowflakes (from the ceiling) and white balloons on the floor. There was a train track made from electrical tape, and our very own DIY cardboard box Polar Express train! Jax's Polar Express 1st Birthday Party was in full gear!

We even had the most beautiful REAL snowfall, so our Winter Wonderland theme continued past the game room windows to the outside. Our healthy and hearty finger foods and Hot Cocoa Bar upon entrance were the perfect compliment to the chilly wintery day. Our new and old friends from our Mommy & Me classes and the neighborhood helped us celebrate Jax's and ours (the parents) milestone! There was a total of 14 kids and 14 adults..... can't believe we fit them all in our downstairs game room!