Ten Reasons I haven't been blogging lately...

1. I have been sucked up by that monster called work.
2. Halloween is in two days and I haven't bought candy yet, wonder if it will be on sale now?
3. I have an observation from my principal tomorrow during our ELD grouping. Joy.
4. Emerson had her first speech therapy appointment yesterday from 4-5pm. LOVE her therapist!
5. My tivo box is SO backed up I cannot seem to catch up, even watching 2-3 shows a night.
6. Our field trip today started out as a total disaster...no buses, hotter than crap outside, and 1.5 hours late for our tour at the pumpkin farm.
7. My laundry pile is just rotating between dirty to washing machine to dryer to dirty again. Notice that I left out folding and hanging and putting away.
8. My to-do list is growing by the mile, and I have sadly not crossed much off of it lately.
9. I read others blogs and then it is too late to blog myself.
10. Okay, no more excuses, I promise I will be better.

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Hargreaves Visit

Wow, look how far we have come since college!

Last weekend we were finally able to go and visit with Hargreaves. We had such a nice visit with them. The kids all loved playing with each other, especially Emerson playing with Baby Austin. We were able to help celebrate Andrew's birthday (a great surprise for him!) and even enjoyed a nice adult dinner out on the town.

Thanks Connie and Andrew for a wonderful weekend!

Hayden enjoying his ride on the swing.

Brennan swinging!

LOL! Isn't this face great!

Brennan loving on Austin

Lots of love,

The Grady's

San Diego Fun

So after an amazing Buffett show we were able to stay in San Diego one more night for a little more fun. We spent Friday in La Jolla, enjoying the great weather close to the beach. We had a great lunch outside, then walked to the beach. We were able to the seals, surfers, and the sea.

Friday night we had a great dinner celebrating our friend Amy and Tad's brother Eric's engagement. We rode a roller coaster (crazy!), walked on the boardwalk, and had a late night cruise on the Bahia Belle, a smaller riverboat on the bay. What a awesome getaway it was!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

We are the people your parents warned you about!

Seven Buffett shows and counting....this one certainly did not lack in excitement, great entertainment, and awesome memories with great friends. Our group totaled 18 people, some Buffett "virgins" in the mix as well. One of the highlights for me was surely the fact that Carrie and Austin flew all the way from Ohio to join our crazy mix of friends at our annual Buffett party.

Good times with the girls!

Nina and Tif pre-partying

Jeff and Austin

Carrie and I enjoying the fun!

Jeff and I

Whitnee and Joseph

Eric and Tad with their "Buffett" Hats

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Fins UP!

The car is packed. The suitcase has the appropriate Hawaiian shirts folded and ready. The ice chest is full, ready for ice. Chairs, leis, blankets, decor, and much more all ready to go.
Tickets printed and ready for use.
How do you make a crazy week great? Go to a Jimmy Buffett concert with 18 of your greatest friends of course!!!! Tomorrow morning at 9am the fun starts!
Making it even better? Great friends flying from Columbus, Ohio just to join the craziness!!!! CANNOT WAIT.

Lots of love,
The Grady's

My Day.

What a day. I am not even sure where to begin.

• Teacher union meeting (before school EVEN started) discussing how the district doesn't care about teachers and how if we back down on negotiations we will lose some pay and they may also stop paying for the PPO insurance our family desperately needs.
• Students come in for ELD time, trying to teach kids correct English=EXHAUSTING
• Meeting with parent about child's potty mouth.
• Phone call to Ob/Gyn because I have a sore breast and "might" be feeling a lump. Yes, a lump. They tell me that I need to come in today at 3pm. Friend/coworker comes to cover my class while I rush the 20 minutes to the Dr. Dr. does his exam and decides that I do have lumps but nothing that needs to be worried about because I have Fibro-Cystic Breast Disease (or rather condition). Basically, there is nothing wrong except for breasts that are more prone to cysts that can cause pain. Great.
• Race from my doctor's office to get Emerson from school to her dentist appt. all the way across town. We arrive 3 minutes early only to wait for 20 minutes before we are seen. Then spend 40 minutes getting x-rays, cleaning, Dr. visit, etc.
• Finally get home after 5pm, unpack backpacks, go through mail, make dinner, etc.

I should really be going to sleep now...but oh well. Why rest now?

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Apples, Pumpkins, Fresh Air

It has been months since we have been outside and been able to really enjoy the weather. Our weather the past few days has been incredible, dare I say, almost fall like. Saturday morning we decided to take a trip up the hills to Riley's Farm.

It was a very brisk day, but beautiful! The kids had so much fun running around in the cool weather and open fields.

Brennan and Lauren looking at the goats, sheep, and horses.

Lauren proud of her little pumpkin.

A trip to Riley's Farm would not be complete without some apple picking. We picked our fair share of apples and promptly made an apple pie when we got home. Yummy!!!
Now that is my idea of a great Fall day!
Lots of love,
The Grady's

OH goodness...

I am SO annoyed by Obama right now, watching the debate. He irritates me behind belief! If he has to interject one more time, with a retort to something McCain says I might just scream. So irritating, follow the rules, you idiot. I feel so bad for poor Tom Brokaw. Best quote of the night by Tom Brokaw"Don't worry, I am just the hired help." (LOL!!!)

Lots of love,
The Grady's

p.s. can you tell who I am voting for?

Bad way to start a week

You know it is bad when you are sitting at your desk, Monday morning and wondering how quickly Friday will be here.
Bad.

Lots of love,
The Grady's