Globe-trotting Grovers: Ringing in the New Year 2013

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!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Ringing in the New Year 2013

Happy New Year!!!
I cannot believe what a year 2012 was for us! With everything that happened and all that we went through, it feels like its been three years rolled into one!!! Boy, am I glad we overcame every hurdle, met every deadline, and survived every stressful challenge! It was a crazy, exciting, and EXHAUSTING 2012!

In 2012, one baby became a toddler, while another a preschooler. One boy learned how to walk, while the other began to wear underwear! Brad turned the big 4-0, and I had to learn to juggle two little pipsqueaks with no help (besides daddy of course!) It was the year that Brad and I regained our social life once again, made new friends, and let go of some of the old. In the whirlwind of a year, we began in California and ended the year 2500 miles on the other coast, in New York. We went on family trips to San Diego, Presque Isle, Philadelphia, Strasburg, Niagara Falls, even to Toronto, Canada. We sold one home, bought another. We also bought a boat and became Chautauqua Lake locals. We've lived 3 separate and totally insane lives.... in Corona del Mar, California, another for 2 months in our cottage in Bemus Point, and then finally made it "home" into our dream house. We started a completely new chapter of our family life, and have never been happier. The journey was a wild one, but we kept our eyes on the prize and eventually got to the finish line. Here's to an awe-inspiring and incredible 2012!!!! And now....... lets hope 2013 will be much calmer, but still jam-packed with travel, adventure, health, happiness, good friends, and memories with our loved ones!

After such an intense year, we decided this year we would once again ring in the new year with our 2 favorite boys, and have an elegant dinner at-home (in our new home!) and entertain our good friends, the Benson family. We couldn't have asked for a better, and wonderfully mellow celebration!