Zoo and Theatre

This weekend we took advantage of the beautiful weather outside and took the kids to the Living Desert. Our annual passes expire next week, so wanted to make sure to squeeze one more trip in. The kids were very content watching the huge train display and playing at Gecko Gulch playground.

Jeff and Brennan panning for gold.

My school district partners with the local theatre to provide art experience to our 3rd grade classes. I am our school's coordinator and this week I was offered 4 tickets to see the Musical Production of Flat Stanley. Emerson and I invited Tif and Kaitlyn to join us at the theatre. The girl's seemed to really enjoy their first theatre experience!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole Recipe

Here is the recipe I used the other night, super yummy!

1 spray(s) cooking spray
8 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow (I used whole wheat pasta)
10 3/4 oz Campbell's 98% Fat-Free Cream Of Celery Soup, or Chicken Soup
1 cup(s) fat-free mayonnaise
8 oz low-fat cheddar or colby cheese, shredded
1/2 medium sweet red pepper(s), chopped
4 oz whole-wheat crackers, mashed into crumbs
2 chicken breasts, cooked, diced

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a 9 X 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, about 7 minutes; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add soup, mayonnaise, cheese, pepper and chicken; mix well to combine.
Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and top with cracker crumbs.
Bake, uncovered, until top is golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

ENJOY!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

10 on Tuesday

1. So last week I am was out of my classroom for three days, and this week I am out for another three days to attend a conference in Pasadena. 6 days of sub plans is not my idea of a good time.

2. There is nothing better than dancing in the kitchen to random music with the kids. Memories to cherish.

3. Once again I am addicted to watching the Bachelor. It is certainly a show I have grown to love and hate. It is like a train wreck, you can't turn away from it. He better pick someone good, and not waste my time.

4. Explain to me why it was 83 degrees today and it is still January! What happened to winter?

5. Why does our house get dirty so fast? I mean we clean, dust, vacuum, do dishes, pick up toys...and still every time I turn around I feel like the house is messy!

6. When did my little girl become a little lady? I mean she acts so mature sometimes, so much like a little lady and not my baby girl! I hate it.

7. I have to wake up at 430am tomorrow and instead of going to bed, I am posting and watching Biggest Loser.

8. Homework tonight for Emerson: spelling words, sight words, and a full page of addition problems. A little afraid that Emerson would be overwhelmed...boy was I wrong. She sat right now and did it all with a smile on her face!

9. Brennan scared the crap out of me yesterday morning. Long story short, he decided to play hide and seek without letting me know he was playing...and I thought he was just gone. All of this happened before 7am, not how I wanted to start my day.

10. I made the yummiest homemade macaroni and cheese last night. Low fat, with sliced chicken, delicious!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Just what we needed...

After spending three days driving, attending grandma's funeral, visiting with family, dealing with Grandma's affairs at her house, and grieving we certainly needed a little relaxation. Our good friends invited us up to their cabin in Lake Arrowhead for the weekend. So we made our way up there Friday night to reunite with our kids and enjoy a weekend of great fun! While it may be close to 80 degrees at home, it was still fairly cold up the hill. Cold enough to have some great snow on the ground. The kids (and the adults!) had a great time sledding, eating snow, and throwing snowballs.

Kaitlyn taking a break!

Daddy and Brennan

Emerson and Mommy

Domenique eating snow.
Brennan sharing his snow with Lauren (one of the cutest things I saw all day!)

Tif getting ready to give Emerson a push!

Lauren getting ready to slide down the hill!

Jeff giving it a go!

Brennan

Joseph and Brennan

Lots of love,

The Grady's

In Memory

Friday, January 2, 2009 Grandma Panero passed away at her home in Visalia. Jeff's grandma was a beautiful woman who lived a long and wonderful life. At 89 years old she has seen two world wars, served in one of them, travelled halfway across the world to be with her love, had two children, 1 grandchild, and 2 grandchildren. We feel so blessed to have been able to spend some quality time with her this past Thanksgiving. She loved the time she had with Emerson and Brennan, loved watching them play and run around. She always said that Brennan was a true Irish boy, rosy cheeks and running wild. She loved to talk to Emerson about school and all she was learning.

We will travel to Visalia Wednesday for her funeral...and to say goodbye to a wonderful grandmother. We love you, Grandma.

Lots of love,

The Grady's

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