Daddy Proves Mommy Wrong

Geesh... I hate writing this post because I hate to be wrong! Who doesn't, right? Well, I have been giving Steve a hard time lately that he hasn't been doing enough with the girls with the time he has them after school. Well on Thursday since I stayed home from work, I was able to go with him to pick the girls up from school. From there, we all headed straight to the park. I rested under a tree with a camera because I still had a migraine but it was certainly obvious that the girls and Steve do this outting all the time. Charlie even had a little friend at the park named "Ernie"! Charlie played with Ernie while dad and Ryan practice softball. The proof is in the pictures.

Sorry Steve. I promise I won't give you a hard time anymore!
I love you.

Old School... (Literally!!)

Today Ryan was a bit under the weather so I kept her home from school. I had some errands to run so she tagged along. I had to visit my girlfriend in her classroom to return some things I borrowed which just so happens to be the same school where I was a teacher too. It was fun for Ryan. She got to see where her mommy was a teacher. She got to see the inside of a Kindergarten classroom (which she will be in Kinder next year). And... see lots of mommy's friends too.

Many of you who read this blog never knew me when I was teaching so a little background about my old school is important. International School is an elementary school in the middle of downtown Long Beach. It was finished being built after my second year of teaching at International and is situated on very limited square footage in the very crowded downtown area. It is 3 stories tall, all concrete, with the playground on the roof. Originally, the old school site was supposed to only be temporary but the downtown enrollment kept growing. It was just a bunch of bungalows in a parking lot. It's a rough area and we had many "lockdowns" because of our location. The new building was built to be very secure...and as you can see, that it is!

Ryan posed as a student in the lunch area. The kids eat in a covered concrete patio area. Good thing it's covered on rainy days like today!

Ryan is looking into the window of what used to be my classroom. Room 12. I was the first teacher in this room. Oh, what memories. This first floor of classrooms is basically underground. The only windows to the outside are at sidewalk level on this side of the building. But the equipment is awesome... state of the art.

Here is Ryan in the middle of the quad. Behind her are the 3 floors of classrooms and the playground is to the left on the second floor roof. The Kinder play area is behind the cement wall on the ground level.

Here is Ryan is Auntie T's classroom. Her students were so sweet. They showed her all around the room and what to do to be a good student. I think she's ready!

Urban Education at it's best!
Funny, unlike the school Ryan and Charlie currently and will go to, she couldn't quite grasp it... She kept asking, "Where's the grass mommy?"

Just Because...

...I'll be mad at myself later in life if I don't have a record on the blog of what our Christmas picture was this year! Here was the winning Christmas card photo as you all know:

It turned out pretty cute I must say.
But that doesn't mean it didn't come without it's fair share of outtakes:

Have a happy weekend everyone!

Christmas Night at the Carey's

Okay everyone (especially Coleman side of the family), I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to get this post up from our night at the Carey's house on Christmas. There were so Christmas events and so many pictures to go through and because I am really finicky about making sure the posts are in order, Christmas night had to be last out of all the Christmas posts.
Anyway, a little background on the set up of the post... Little Stephen was absolutely anti-blog so of course I put him first even above my initial text and I never do that (Hee-hee). Colby Miller was excited to be a new part of the Growing Up Grace blog culture so a big welcome to you Colby! And I am embarrassed to say that with all the pictures that were taken on this night I did not get ONE picture of our gracious hosts, Ginny or Big Tim! I think that is because Ginny took most of the pictures! But nevertheless, sorry guys! Thank you for hosting such a huge group of us for a spectacular and very festive Christmas night!
~~~
I hope you all enjoy the picture recap of a great night...

COCKTAIL HOUR
Steve Grace Sr. was the one-man-welcoming committee

The Coleman Girls... Kelly, Kyla, and Robyn
Godmommy Katie and her favorite "nieces"
Liz and Jeff Grace enjoying the warmth of the living room

DINNER
Ginny and Tim had prepared a wonderful feast for a sit down dinner for 3 dining tables of guests (plus a mini "just for kids" table for 3)

Colby making his Growing Up Grace debut with his mom (and Ginny's best friend) Kay Miller.COZY OUTDOOR TIME
Patrick and Marzie! Lookin' hot in pink Marz!

Me, Ryan, Kelly, and Kyla trying to keep warm
Don, Stephen, and Robyn probably doing a better job by staying by the heater!
Colby feels comfortable with the camera now!
Cousins Steve and Patrick. What's in the cup Steve?

Mommy and her big princess
Charlie teaching Kyla all about the ways of the world

Hmmm....Maybe Kyla wasn't paying close enough attention and Charlie had to find a way to remedy that. GIFTS
Charlie wasted no time getting comfortable around a room full of gifts. She tore into any gift someone would hand her whether it was for her or NOT. Uncle Jeff was a big help to help read the tags before she went too crazy!
She was very busy though because...
... someone had to open her sister's gifts too! Ryan had had enough of the day! Thanks Aunt Casey for holding our exhausted little one the whole time!
Thanks to everyone for sharing your Christmas with us!
Happy New Year!
Love, The Graces

The 10 Steps of Christmas Morning

Christmas morning must be the best part of being a parent.
Here's a play-by-play of how the morning went...
~~~
#1: The girls stood at the top of stairs and stared down to see what Santa had left

#2: Of course, Santa strategically placed the toys where the girls could see them from their positions at the top of the stairs. Well done Santa.

#3: Daddy forgot to get out the video camera ahead of time and made a 4 year old and 3 year wait (yes, WAIT) on the stairs until he returned with the camera! How cruel.

#4: When they finally got the okay, they jumped right into their gifts. No pun intended!

#5: And then went to the stockings and found their number one want on their wish list..."Real diamonds and real emeralds" in the bottom of their stockings. Well, Santa might have embellished the "real" part just a bit but it will take them a few years to realize the difference I hope.

#6: Daddy had to put the toys together that Santa didn't have time to do beforehand. Oddly, the girls heard a lot of 4 letter words during this part of the festive morning.


#7: We got ready for the troops to arrive for our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.
#8: The troops arrived to find that Santa had left yet another toy for the girls in the front yard that they had missed up until this point in the morning. Steve is telling the very animated tale about how many pieces the "elves" had to deal with in making the little toy.

#9: The girls were summoned to the driveway to see that they had missed a playhouse that Santa had left for them. There eyes lit up... they were so adorable.


#10: Finally, we all went inside for some good ol' fashioned Holiday cheer (oh ya, and puppet show by Papa)!




A very Merry Christmas morning indeed!

Preparing for Santa

After a late night at Mike and Nancy's we still had to make all the preparations for Santa's arrival.

Charlie made special reindeer food in her pre-school class that she was instructed to put out on the lawn to guide Rudolph to our house and fill up his tummy for the long night ahead!

Here is the note attached to the reindeer food.

Charlie really thought long and hard about where the best place was to put the reindeer food.


Ryan decided that under the tree was the best spot.



Next, we had to put cookies , milk, and our lists for Santa by the fireplace.

By this time, it was hours past their bedtime... don't they look exhausted???


Finally, it was time for the annual reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas"
Nonna was the lucky reader this year.

Grandpa was the lucky "disciplinarian" when Charlie wasn't quite sure she wanted to behave anymore! LOL.