Happy 21st Birthday to our oldest daughter, LAUREN

Let me begin by saying that I could not believe that I was having my first child on April Fools Days!! Do you know how many people DID NOT believe me when I called them and told them that I had given birth to Lauren???? NOBODY DID! They would say yeah right you are April Fooling us!! This was a very difficult day to say the least in trying to get people to believe me. Also another very unusual thing happened that probably won't happen to anyone else...... my best friend in high school Pam Cantrell Green had her first child, a son on the same day that I had Lauren!!! Talk about crazy!! We could not believe it!! So best friends had children on the same day and same year.

Oh I ment to tell you too the reason why no one believed me was because Lauren was not due until April 21!! She was 3 weeks early and breech on top of that . So off to have a C-section I went. Believe me a C-section is not the way to go if you can avoid it. It just about KILLED ME!! But I did survive!

21 years ago on April 1, 1988 our first child was born! Lauren

Weighed 6 lbs. 11 ozs.
I have posted some pictures of Lauren as she has grown into a beautiful young lady that we are very proud of!! She is presently in college at MTSU and majoring in Elementary Childhood Education. She says she is not taking after me and teaching PreK. She better watch out though she might eat her words!! We sure do hope that she has a great 21st birthday and look forward to seeing her accomplish her goals in life.
We love you Lauren!!!


Lauren I think was almost 2 here. It just about killed me to lean over in the bathtub to give her a bath so we just filled up that little baby bathtub there at the sink. This picture was taken in my "thinner" days as you can tell. Oh well life happens doesn't it??

Isn't this picture sweet???

then next picture below is the devil coming out in her!! LOL!

Ready to swim!!



Lauren's 1st birthday! If you look closely at the cake it is a rocking horse. I actually made that cake believe it or not!! That was when I had just a little bit of free time to do things like that.

Oh NO not Santa she says!

This picture was taken at Dollywood with our tractor pulling friends!! This is Rachel, Erica Groves, Leah and Lauren



Don't you wish you could do your legs like that and watch T.V.?
I guess it's all those years of dance!


The following pictures are some different years of birthdays that I found. Thought you might enjoy how Miss Lauren changed through the years!!
The first picture she absolutely hated me for giving her the "bowl" hair cut. Oh well it was cute at the time and in style!

I'm getting older here! Can you tell?

Just a swangggginnnnn!!

Lauren and one of her best friends, Holly posing for a "photo" session with mom!

Lauren and another one of her best friends, Anna dancing in the May pole day dance at the Black house in the 5th grade.

We're definitely getting older in this picture!! This is freshman year in high school!

Lauren took dance lessons all her life practically. Since she was 4 years old. Her senior year in high school, she was given the lead role in the yearly dance recital as Peter Pan. This is Lauren with Holly, aka ...Wendy dressed for the recital. This was one of the all time favorites I think that they have had for a recital. Lauren's sister, Leah got to be Lauren's shadow in the recital. Kind of touching with sisters dancing together!!

Getting ready for summer dance practice!!

There are many more pictures that I could post but I am running out of time.

Lauren we wish you the happiest of birthdays. We can't believe it has been a very short 21 years!!! We hope and pray that you will continue to accomplish all your goals and you will be a wonderful teacher one day and mentor to others!!

Love you bunches! MOM!

Pioneerette Dance Clinic is this week!!!!

The 2009 Pioneerettes Dance Clinic will be held this week Monday thru Thursday from 3:15 p.m. (or whenever you can get there) until 5:00 p.m. in the W.C.H.S. gym. The clinic is for grades Kindergarten thru 11th grade.

Cost is $10.00 for the week of clinic and a dance CD of the music and $10 if you would like a clinic t-shirt. You can't beat that for $20.00. The t-shirt is optional. If you are in the 8th grade and up and are interested in trying out for the team, the entire team will be staying from 5:00 until 5:30 each day to give individualized instruction to girls that might have questions regarding the tryout routine.

We will also have concession there for the girls to buy. We know they are all hungry after school and this will save parents from having to stop somewhere and get something for their child to eat and also help out the dance team.

We hope to see you there!! The girls have a lot of fun during the week and there are lots of award winners at the end of the clinic on Thursday.

Tryouts for the 2009-2010 team will be Friday afternoon.

This is my daughter, Leah on the left and her friend Laci. They have been such good friends and have grown closer each year on the dance team. Wow I can't believe they will be seniors next year!! This picture was made I think at the 4th of July perform downtown last summer.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture here. This is Leah doing a "stall" in hip hop terms. This was in the football routine that we took to nationals last year and place 9th in the national with. Needless to say, you have to be pretty darn in shape to do all these dance moves and technique that is required.
Who says that a dance team is not considered a sport??? I tend to differ on that for sure! They are the most physically fit girls that I know!!!

Ya'll have a good week! And I will say this one more time....
this is my last tryout that I have to stress over!! I have counted them down now for the last 8 years!! Yes you heard that right!! I have been a dance team parent for 8 years in a roll if Leah makes the team!! Plus all the other years that I helped coach the dance team!!
WHEW!!!!

Time is running out!!!

If you are thinking but not sure if you are wanting a spring bow or bows to hang outside to deocrate, you need to hurry and make your decision. The ribbon is running out and there is a limited number left that I can get.

They are $6.00 and Leah will make $3.00/bow right now on her sales. Thanks so much to all of you who have bought from her this year!! Right now we have sold 80 bows and I am going to have to request 10 more!! WOW! I can't believe we have sold almost 100 Spring Bows!!!

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!

Special prayer please

Another addition as of Saturday morning: Please keep the Rudie Thomsen family in your prayers. His mother has passed away in Kentucky.

Also another prayer is needed tonight for Hazel Griffith, Joy's mom. She is having severe pain in her shoulder. Another appointment is scheduled with the doctor in Nashville to see if something can be done to help ease her pain.

I am also saying a prayer for Joy who has had to make so many trips to Nashville lately for not only herself but for with her husband and mother as well. Last year it was Dillon and all his mishaps. Oh I forgot about Katie her daughter as well. She has a broken bone in her hand right now too on top of everything else and that's trips to M'boro!!

Spring Bows are Here!!

Aren't the spring bows gorgeous???? They look just like and Easter egg to me! What a great way to bring life to your porches/mailboxes, etc with a spring bow!!

My daughter, Leah is now selling these for the dance team and it also helps her dance team expenses as well. They are $6.00/bow and I now have 20 to sell and I am waiting on more because I think these will sell out quickly.

Just drop me a post or send me and email if you would like to purchase one or even more and I will get them to you ASAP as long as they last.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO EVERYONE!

I could not resist putting this picture on here. This looks just like our dog, Deacon. Lauren would die if we dipped him in green dye like this!!
Too cute though!

Lucky me!!

Well you guessed it!!! And in both eyes!!!

Found another sweet picture!

I was looking through some pictures this afternoon and found another sweet picture of my children along with John Ryan and Katie "pooh".

This picture was made if I am not mistaken at a Nashville Sounds game.

Leah as around 5 and Lauren and John Ryan around 9. Katie was around 1 year.

My how time flies when it comes to how fast your children grow up!!

In Appreciation

I was so excited an honored to have received an award from my friend Joy yesterday. As you can see she gave me the "Thoughtful Blogger Award".

When I started "blogging" in Sept. of last year, I really didn't think that I would stick with doing this because of the time it took to just sit down and be able to edit pictures/post etc.

I have truly enjoyed this new hobby of blogging. The purpose of blogging in my eyes is to just let family and friends have a way to keep up with what we are doing esp. for those family members who live out of town.

Hopefully my blogger friends enjoy reading all the day in and day out things that the "Grandey" clan is up to.

Thank you Joy for saying such nice things. I truly appreciate it.

Everyone have a nice weekend! Rainy one that is....

Whooooo Hooooooo It's Finally Here............

Thank you Credia!!!!

Today was inservice for teachers in our school system. After lunch, my assistant and I went back to our prek classroom and dove right into cleaning up all the things that we just don't seem to have time to do in a regular school day!! Boy we were slinging, flinging, shredding, dusting, disinfecting, and throwing away today!! Our classroom now smells and looks sooooooo much better!! We have been needing to take the time to do that for awhile now. Now I am motivated to start on my house since we are now on SPRING BREAK!!

Thanks so much to Credia, my assistant for staying and helping me until after 5:00 today!! She is the best teacher assistant anyone could ask for and I am so thankful to have her working with me and having her as my friend. She does so many things to help so many people out in the Rock Island community. She is a jewel that's for sure! She sure would make someone a good wife too!

Great News!!

We are so thankful to hear that John's procedure went great today and he does not have any blockages!!! The problem that is occurring is the pressure that his sleep apnea is putting on his heart. That is especially when you "are not" wearing your Darth Vader mask at night like you are supposed to!! LOL!

Thank goodness it was just something as minor as this and he did not have to have anything major done.

I guess he will be up and back to the grind umpiring next week again. I guess the ole saying goes..... You can't keep a good man down!!! Lots were praying for you today John!! We are sooooo glad everything turned out they way they did!

Happy Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear Joy

Happy Birthday to you!! And lots more!!!!!

I would like to wish one of my best friends, Joy a wonderful birthday tomorrow, March 11. I sure do hope that you have a great day! I am glad that you did not have to spend your birthday at the hospital. I know that is coming for you and John on Thursday.

Joy and I enjoyed going on a little "mini" shopping spree on Saturday to find something to wear to the reception. We had not been able to do that in such a long time. We had a ball. It doesn't take much to entertain us that's for sure!! LOL!

I thought this picture was so good. Even though I am not one who likes having their picture made. This was taken at Rae and Scott's wedding reception. We all had a great time and enjoyed the evening with good friends.

Have a great day today Joy!! Enjoy and relax!! Hopefully you will have some good ole birthday cake to sink your teeth into!! Hope you don't have to make it though!! LOL

Saturday night was a blast!!

This past Saturday night we were invited to Rae and Scott Boutte's wedding reception at the Stones River Country Club in Murfreesboro. As most of you know, Rae's mom, Patti and I have been the best of friends for a long time now. We won't say how long but just to give you an idea...Patti was my 8th grade science and homeroom teacher, then I was on the dance team and she was my coach and then I got my teaching degree and began co-teaching with her in 1990 as well as helping her coach the dance team at our high school. Now we spend our time at her and her husband, Tommy's place at the river and sit in our floating chairs relaxing and relaxing!

I will post more pictures tomorrow. It has taken me all night tonight editing my pictures and getting them on this crazy computer of mine!!

Wasn't today an absolutely beautiful day??? Look forward to almost 80 degrees here tomorrow then the bottom drops out again and it starts raining!!! I sure hope it gets out of here before our spring break starts next week.

Looking forward to warmer weather!

I just had to change my header picture today to something warmer!
We have such a good time with friends and family at the river during the summer months! I am looking forward to visiting my friend, Patti at her place and sitting in my floating chair soaking up the rays and watching the kids have fun inner tubing behind the boat.

Patti came to school on Friday and ask if I had been going to the tanning bed. I said nope just left over tan from all those Sunday's sitting in the floating chair!! LOL!

What a great Birthday present!

Last night at around 10:30ish we get a call from the Tubb family telling us or me rather (joey was still up) to get up that their daughter, Katie was going to be baptized at 11:00 at the church!!! We hustled around and I slung my clothes on and off we went. We are so proud of Katie and decision that she made to be a Christian.

Katie looked at me when we first got there and said this is a good Happy Birthday present for you Ms. Susan isn't it? When these kids know how to bring tears to your eyes don't they??

Joy's mother, Hazel was also restored last night as well. The angels were rejoicing in the late hours last night that is for sure!

Thanks Joy for letting me us the picture that you took of us!

I've been tagged by Joy and Kim

Well I have been tagged by Joy and Kim!! I will try and answer all the questions as honestly as I can!! LOL!

1. Who is your man? Joey
2. How long have your been together? Married on July 22, 1983 (26
years this summer!)
3. How long did you date? 4 years
4. How old is your man? The big 5-0!
5. Who eats more? Joey (but he does try and eat healthy)
6. Who said I love you first? he did
7. Who is taller? Joey - 6 ft 2 in I think
8. Who can sing better? Definitely Joey (plays the guitar too as well
as Guitar Hero LOL
9. Who is smarter? Well we both have our strengths in different
things.
10. Who's temper is worse? me
11. Who does the laundry? Up until about 2 months ago, I did most
of it but now we both do the laundry and it sure does help out!
12. Who takes the garbage out? Joey
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Joey
14. Who pays the bills? me
15. Who is better at the computer? Joey
16. Who mows the lawn? Most of the time Joey but I love to mow the
yard too it is so relaxing to me and a great de-stresser.
17. Who cooks dinner? me unless I am not home and Joey can fix
him up something to eat and does have some "self help" skills in
that area! Yeah! My dad used to wait on my mother to get home
and fix him something to eat at lunch and dinner! Even to make a
bologna sandwich!
18. Who drives when you are together? Usually Joey unless he gets
tierd of me "giving directions" LOL
19. Who pays when you go out? me
20. Who is the most stubborn? me
21. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? Hum??? I can stay silent
for a very long time. Hard question on who's the first?
22. Who's parents do you see most? my mom
23. Who kissed who first? he kissed me of course
24. Who asked who out? A friend and I were riding the stripe and we
saw him and rode around with him for awhile. He asked me out
for the next Sunday and it snowed (we were coming back from a
performance at the UT basketball game : I was on the high school
dance team) We still got to go and do something because he had
a big 4 wheel drive truck! We could go anywhere in it!
25. Who proposed? Joey did at Christmas. He got down on his knee
in my living room and asked me.
26. Who is more sensitive? me
27. Who has more friends? we are pretty even on that I think
28. Who has more siblings? Joey (2 other older brothers)
29. Who wears the pants in the family? Well Joey says that he is the
boss but i am in charge!
30. Who is your hero/heroes? I'll have to think on this one.
31. Who snores more or the loudest? Definitely Joey!!!

Okay I am now tagging Toree Craven

Update on our class field trip

The Velveteen Rabbit held at the Cannon Co. Playhouse was awesome! There were some very talented actors/actresses in the play with most of them in high school and under.

My class (4 and 5 year olds) watched the whole thing which was about 1 hour in length without budging a muscle!!! This is a hard task for most children of this age. I was so proud of them! They talked and talked about it the next day at school.

I was very thankful and excited that I had such good participation from my parents/grandparents as well. We had 18 adults go with us! It is so great that they are involved in their children's education.

If you haven't every been to the playhouse before, it is a very affordable fun thing to do with your whole family! Try it out sometime you won't regret it.

Field Trip!!

My preschool class will be going on a field trip this week to see the Velveteen Rabbit. The children are so excited. This will be the first time for most of them to go and see a play in real person!! The TV is of course what most of them are used to seeing. This will hopefully be a nice memory of their year in preschool. They of course are excited about riding the school bus too!! I have included information about it at the bottom.

I am wondering if my friend, Tim and his children (Winton, Dawns better half) are in this play. Last year we went and watched the play Babe the Sheep Pig and they were in it and Tim just about scared me to death during a part in the play!! I was sitting at the front and he saw me so he took advantage of the situation!! LOL!!

Tim and I were childhood friends. My grandparents and his grandparents were card playing buddies! So I tagged along or he did and we had a good time playing together.

Everyone have a nice week!

February 27 at 7:30PM & February 28 at 2:00PM
“When a child loves you for a long, long time,
not just to play with, but REALLY loves you,
then you become real”

The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real is a classic children’s story written by Margery Williams that tells the tale of a boy who receives a Velveteen Rabbit for Christmas. The Velveteen Rabbit is snubbed by other more expensive or mechanical toys; the latter of which fancy themselves real. One day while talking with the Skin Horse, the Rabbit learns that real is not how you are made, rather a toy becomes real if its owner really and truly loves it. Join us in the nursery with a boy and his velveteen rabbit as he learns what it means to love and be loved.

Directed and produced by Tara Deason, this production features Gage Davidson and Bryson Bell as Alex and Alexi Davis and Samantha Dean as Velveteen. The cast also includes Christina Davidson, Mason Leonard, Erin Rowland, Lake Summar, Kaleena Devar, Mellisa Chisum, Erin Brown, Ashley Chapman, Cady Field, Faith Medonis, Emma Self, Jennifer Dennison, Brad McCrary, Megan Beckman, Abby Spry, Sara Dean, Anna Levi Chavis, Zoe Chavis and Holland Martin. The Velveteen Rabbit is first production of the 2009 Young At Arts Series and is sponsored by Wild About Smiles Pediatric Dentistry. Ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for students.

Happy Birthday to our Principal!

A very Happy Birthday wish goes out to my boss and principal of Eastside Elementary, Mr. Doug Reed on Tuesday!!

We hope that you have a great day!!!