Globe-trotting Grovers: December 2016

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!

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Christmas Traditions, Holiday Concerts/ Events, and Snow Play

Our Christmas Tree cutting tradition, at Sanford Tree Farm in PA

Annual Christmas in Ellicottville, and this year we invited the Hricko family to join us

Bemus Elementary Christmas Program

Mom and Son date night- dinner at Forte, then a Christmas Orchestra show at Reg Lenna Theater. Taji especially enjoyed all the classic songs from the Home Alone movie, and could identify the different instruments.

Mama also began the transition back into her long-lost School Psychologist career she put on hold the year that Jax was born! Now that both boys were going to school full-time, full days, every day (Jax kindergarten, and Taj 1st grade), this lady right here was not satisfied just being a housewife, waiting for all her boys to get home from work and school! Though I was working out with a trainer, and had my regularly scheduled grocery and errand time, I needed more intellectual stimulation and earning power! I began by applying for my NY state credential, took the workshops and attended the trainings I needed, and by the month of December found an opportunity to substitute teach for the boys' school district. It was a great scenario at the time, filling my days with school-work experience while on the same schedule as the boys, so I could be home by the time they got home. I was making little money on the side but the advantage was that there were many occasions I was at the elementary school and able to sneak in kisses and hugs from my boys while subbing for the other classes. Of course, I didn't get to sub in their classes as much as I had hoped, but it was still so rewarding (and sometimes very draining) to occupy my time professionally while being with my boys!

Snow play- wintry fun in December!

Our Christmas Elf, Shawnee, once again put the boys to work filling our furry friend's stockings with goodies and necessities at the local Humane Society... this was the 3rd year in a row we kept up this act of kindness!