Happy New Year!

We celebrated New Year's Eve at our friend Nina and Greg's house this year. No better to way to celebrate then one where you are surrounded by friends! We watched the ball drop in New York and actually made it a few more hours before heading off to bed. The only problem with this great night, the fact that our kids still woke up at their usual 6am! Ouch, not so fun after only a few hours of sleep ourselves.

Tif and I trying to stay warm!

Nina giving Jeff a New Year's kiss.

Nina, Whitnee, Tiffany

Whit and I

New Years Day was just as great! We all hung around in our jammies watching football, eating lots of food, napping on and off well into the afternoon....what better way to celebrate the new year!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Year in Review

I thought the best way to review 2008 was to take a good look at it in photos...because photos really do speak volumes, don't they? Here is a favorite photo from each month of the past year...

January

Stacy and Scott invited us up to Sacramento for a fun filled weekend of wine tasting and the royal treatment at the Kings game.

February

A visit to Disneyland to celebrate Mason and Kaitlyn's 5th birthdays.

March

A beautiful Easter Sunday.

April

We took Emerson on her first hike at Indian Canyons in Palm Springs.

May
Our little man's 3rd birthday. Ahoy Matey!

June

A great visit to Ohio to see my dear friend Carrie and family. Cameron, Kennedy, Brennan, and Emerson having a ball in the bath!

July

Emerson and Daddy enjoying some time on Lake Union in Seattle.

August

Brennan learning how to boogie board in Huntington Beach.

September

Our baby girl's 1st day of Kindergarten.

October

A year is certainly not complete until we attend a Jimmy Buffett concert! This year there we more than 16 of us, including those dear friends of ours from Ohio!

November

My annual scrapbooking/wine tasting trip to Santa Ynez. Such a fun weekend with great people!

December

Our sweet little munchkins!

So as we get ready to send 2008 out with a bang, we wanted to be sure to wish you all a wonderful new year. I cannot wait to see what 2009 will bring!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Our Christmas

We had a wonderful, relaxing Christmas this year. I have to admit that not having to pack up and go anywhere, even across town, was really nice. It was a mellow Christmas with just my parents and the four of us. Christmas Eve, Jeff and I took Emerson to mass at church, arriving about 40 minutes before mass we thought we would be rather early, but we actually we able to grab the very last seats in the whole place. The church quickly filled up with standing room only. Then we had dinner at my parent's house, then finally back home to prepare for Santa's arrival.

Emerson and Brennan showing their excitement over Santa's treats!

Admiring the tree before bedtime

Brennan opening one of his gifts on Christmas morning

Emerson opening her Hannah Montana MP3 player!

Brennan rocking out to our new family gift, Guitar Hero!

Emerson strumming along.

Brennan taking a rest with daddy

We had a wonderful Christmas and hope that yours was just the same!!!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Christmas Cookies

Christmas isn't Christmas until you have made and decorated sugar cookies for Santa. The kids had a great time this year!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Christmas Program

Emerson and Brennan had their annual school Christmas program last week. It is quite a whirlwind night, dropping off the kids in their classrooms, standing in a LONG line to get in the church, finding a seat, then waiting for another 30 minutes for the program to start. But all of that was so worth the wait!Kaitlyn, Brennan, Lauren, Joseph, Emerson, Domenique

The preschool went first, all three little classes walked into the church and marched up onto the altar. Now remember, Brennan has had two little singing performances at school already and cried through both of them, out of sheer terror. Tonight, well tonight was different. Not only did he not cry, but he smiled, and sang, and laughed. It was the greatest thing ever!

Brennan singing his little heart out!

The program continued with each grade level performing a Christmas song from "around the world". Kindergarten was last, with their rendition of "Mele Kalikimaka", complete with Hawaiian attire and hula dancing.

Emerson and Kaitlyn
Hula Emerson

This program certainly put everyone in the holiday mood.

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Ahhh...

That is the best way to describe how the past couple days have felt....a little break from work and very much needed. I love this time of year!
A few random things to update a bit:

• I have been a baking machine the past week. 6 different kinds of cookies, two kinds of bread, peanut butter fudge, and chocolate dipped pretzel sticks. Christmas gifts on a budget!
• It is COLD! Well, I know I shouldn't complain, I know other people in the country are below zero, but I live in the desert. I live in a place where our average December temperature is in the high 60's. So, the fact that in the last week we have only broken 55 a few days, makes our temps feel VERY cold. Add a few days of rain that nearly floods this whole valley and snow covered mountains, and you might actually feel like it is Christmas time.
• There is nothing better than being at a birthday party with your kids and having your son vomit ALL over you in their house. Nice. Thank goodness we made it to the tile floor.
• Heading out to Target tonight for some last minute gifts. Nothing like trying to shop with two little kids at your feet either fighting, playing around, or telling everyone what gift you bought for them.
• On my 12th load of laundry in 2 days, I think my washing machine is ready to scream at me.
• Emerson and Brennan had their annual Christmas program last Thursday. I haven't uploaded pics yet, but hopefully will get to it tomorrow.
• Cannot believe that Christmas is in 3 days...where oh where does the time go?
• Brennan has his first real dentist appt. tomorrow. We have been before but not for an actual cleaning. So now that we have his antibiotics on hand, first dose ready for him to take in the morning, we are ready to roll. Hopefully he isn't a freak about the whole thing.
• Did I already mention how great it is to have some time off? I really do love my job, but I have not been very good at it lately. I am just taxed; tired of the constant reminding, constant repeating of directions, and the asking them to be quiet. I think my students were just as ready as I was.

Okay, think that about covers it for now.

Lots of love,

The Grady's

It doesn't get much better

Magnificent, majestic, breathtaking...our view this morning

Even better, we don't have to shovel it...just the pleasure of enjoying the view. Wow!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Tag!

Tag! You are it!
My friend Carrie tagged me ...Picture Tag!

The object of picture tag is to:

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer

2) Select the 4th picture in the folder

3) Explain the picture

4) Tag 4 people to do the same

NO CHEATING! (cropping, editing, etc!)Here is mine.....

Funny that Carrie should be the one who tagged me, since this is actually a picture of Brennan while we were in Ohio visiting Carrie! Brennan is at COSI children's museum playing in the water play area, wearing one of the rain slickers. Too funny!

Tag your it!

1. Paige

2. Aimee

3. Connie

4. Gina (maybe this will get her to post again).

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Birthday Cont...

What would make a birthday celebration even better? A trip to Disneyland of course!!!

Jeff's mom made the trip down for Emerson's birthday and was able to enjoy our special trip to Disney.

Small world is finally re-opened!

Jeff and Brennan having a great time on the teacups.

M-I-C-K-E-Y

The beautiful decorations on Main Street.


Lots of love,

The Grady's

Happy 6th Birthday!

Catch up time!

Last Saturday, we celebrated Emerson's 6th birthday by going bowling! The kids had such a great time throwing (literally) the ball down the lane. We finished the night at our house with pizza, cake, and presents.

Lauren and Tad celebrating a great shot!

Daddy and Emerson looking at her shot.

STRIKE!!!!

Birthday Girl!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Future golfer

I have SO much more to post...but right now, check out our future golfer!

http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=J1&Dato=20081205&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=1205003&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=7

do you see Bren???

Lots of love,
The Grady's

6 Amazing Years

My dearest Emerson,
I can vividly remember how 6 years ago you came into our lives. We anticipated your arrival for weeks and finally one beautiful, crisp Thursday morning you arrived. The moment when Daddy announced that we had a little girl, will be one I will remember forever. A girl! We were ecstatic our Emerson was here.

Over the years you have been our sweet-natured little girl. You are so giving, often giving things you want to others just because. You are always watching and observing everything that is going on around you. You are so inquisitive and curious about people, things you hear and see.

This year you started Kindergarten and I am so amazed with all you are learning and doing. I will never forget your first day of school, I am not sure who cried more, you or me. It is such a great thing how much you have come to love your school, your class, your teacher, and of course your new friends.

Your brother loves you so much. You may argue and fight over toys at times. You may get irritated with him when he doesn't do something you want or constantly pesters you about things. But when you get down to it, you are the greatest big sister, always looking out for him and doing things that you know will make him smile. He is so lucky to have you.

THis past year you ahve learned how to tie your shoes, take a shower on your own, help in the kitchen, and even do some laundry! Just the other day I caught you washing your brother's hair in the bathtub!

Most parents wonder and dream about what their children will grow up to be. We are certainly no different. You dance around, sing, and have rhythm we aren't sure where it came from. Will you be a dancer, an actress, a singer, a doctor, a lawyer? I don't know, but I am sure you will be wonderful at whatever you do.

I cherish the nights that you ask me to lay with you for "just a minute". Knowing that you still need me, makes me need you just as much. You will forever be my little girl even if are still growing bigger each day. You are my beautiful Em (Emma, Emmy, Emerson, "Em and M"). I am more than thankful for the opportunity to be your mommy. I love you more and more everyday.

Lots of love,

Mommy

TEN on Tuesday

1. I LOVE December, but almost can't handle the whirlwind that comes along with it.

2. My baby girl is turning 6 on Friday and I am a little freaked out.

3. I have a birthday party to prepare for, parent conferences to prepare for, report cards to finish, writing samples to grade, and a trip to D-land to pack for, a winter performance to rehearse with my students...and that is just this week!

4. I *think* I finally finished our Christmas cards.

5. I wore the most uncomfortable shoes to work yesterday, got blisters on both heels, and was stupid enough to wear shoes that rubbed the blisters all day again today. Stupid.

6. Took Brennan to the dentist today only to realize on the way there that we never had a prescription written for antibiotics that he must have before any procedure. So wasted trip to dentist, had to reschedule for over our winter break. Ugghhh.

7. Why can my 3rd graders not write a simple paragraph? I mean really, my almost 6 year old was telling me about CVC(consonant vowel consonant) words tonight.

8. Why oh why did I sign up to teach 3 mornings of tutoring? This will surely send me to the looney bin. The only thing that is getting me through it is the thought of a vacation next summer.

9. Don't you hate it when you are checking Christmas lights for the one light that must be out, and it ends up being the very last one in the whole flippin' strand? Seriously happened to be at least 3 times this past weekend.

10. December 2 and counting...only 23 days left until Christmas....aaaarrrrrrgggghhhhh!!!!

Lots of lvoe,
The Grady's

Turkey Day

What a wonderful, whirlwind turkey day we had! We left Tuesday night for Midpines, which is where Jeff's dad and Kathy have a cabin. After a very rainy drive north, we arrived at little after midnight. We had a wonderful two days up at the cabin, relaxing and playing outside in the cool air. The weather cleared up a bit and we were able to enjoy the trees changing colors everywhere. It was a great visit with Dad and Kathy and a special visit with Kathy's mom who flew all the way out from Ohio to celebrate Thanksgiving with all of us.

Friday we headed down the hill into Fresno and had lunch with Jeff's uncle and then onto Jeff's grandma's house for our second turkey dinner. We were so thankful to be able to see so many people on a short trip. The kids did remarkable well being in the car so much over the course of 5 days, I think I was more antsy than they were!

It was great to visit everyone and just as great to come back home and start decorating the house for Christmas! The kids have had a ball helping this year!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Anyone wondering...

where I have been? Because I have been wondering where the time has gone.... I mean really tomorrow is December?!?!
I promise to update with details of our turkey day and such...just as soon as I come up from underneath the crazy Christmas that has exploded within my house!
Lots of love,
The Grady's

Giving Thanks

I think at this time of year it is always great to remind ourselves of the things that we are thankful for...because we all have so many things to be grateful for.

• the health of my family and friends
• our jobs, even if they are stressful at time, at least we have them
• our beautiful children, who make me smile and laugh every day...I don't know what I would do without them
• our friends, really wonderful people in all different places
• the Internet...yes, I know very silly. But honestly I wouldn't' be able to stay connected with people if it weren't for my email and this blog.

I know there is so much more...but my brain is already on vacation!

Lots of love,

The Grady's