Archive for November, 2011

Happy Feet 2 and Thanksgiving…Friday too!

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

Happy thanksgiving everyone out there.  Hope everyone got what they needed today.  We had a great day.  We leisurely woke up, watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, went to see Happy Feet 2 in 3-D IMAX (a little too much) and then went out for dinner at the Crab house.  What a wonderful day to all be together.  We were home by 6 and we were all ready to go to sleep!  Ella played some games and we laughed and talked.  Now I am very tired.  Too tired to post this so I have also added Friday.  We can’t believe how the time has flown by.  It’s been so fantastic having grandma and papa here all week.  We love you guys.  Can’t wait for our family vacation in December.

119.jpg215.jpgHaving a blast at Happy Feet 2.

38.jpg3a.jpg3b.jpg You can’t tell from these shots, but Ella did some seriously high jumping today.

47.jpg56.jpg66.jpg We all loved out delicious early dinner at the Crab House.  We all wore our bibs proudly.

75.jpg85.jpg95.jpgJesse and Heather came by for breakfast today and brought one of their dogs Shirley.  Ella loved getting to hold her.

105.jpg1110.jpg This afternoon, we went back to Pier 39 because Ella wanted to go to the aquarium with grandma and papa.  It’s funny how much Ella loves that place.

124.jpg133.jpg142.jpg163.jpg Tonight we had dinner at Benihana.  These last few shots are of the people in the last shot singing happy birthday to Papa.  Check out Ella in these pictures.  She was seriously cracking up.  Papa was a great sport.  He normally would not like being the center of attention, but he just rolled with it.

16a1.jpg The Benihana family photo.

173.jpg183.jpg193.jpg After dinner, ELla, grandma and mommy played Wii Just Dance.  A great time had by all.

Bowling!

Thursday, November 24th, 2011

We started out our day trying to go to the passport office to renew Ella’s passport.  It was closed.  After we got a bite to eat, we went to SFMOMA.  It was closed.  Then we walked over to the Jewish Museum.  It was closed.  What do you do when everything you try to do is closed?  Go bowling!!!  We had a lot of fun bowling today.  Mommy beat us all!  Papa decided not to bowl, but he did a lot of technique coaching from the seats.  Tonight, Sunny and I went to see Moneyball which we loved and Ella had dinner with grandma and papa.  We all had great nights.

117.jpg Riding the train to the Civic Center to the closed passport officed.

213.jpg Sweet love at Yerba Buena.

36.jpg Check out grandma’s amazing bowling shot.  You look fantastic!

46.jpgElla using papa’s technique…hold it to to the side and fling it.

55.jpg I was very focused.

65.jpg Mommy killed us all!

74.jpg84.jpg Ella was the cutest bowler on the planet.

94.jpg The bowling family.  So much fun.

104.jpg Check it out – Ella scored a spare.

118.jpgThe girls came over and visited Ella and ate lollipops.

Kindergarten Music

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

Today was a big day for Ella.  First of all, she woke up and was able to hug and kiss grandma and papa.  It has been way too long since we’ve all been together.  It was special friends and grandparents day at school today.  We all went to see the assembly.  Ella was the presenter for the kindergarten music.  She did an amazing job.  I am posting the video at the end of this post. After the performance, we all went back to the classroom and Ella did a shape project with grandma and papa.  Sunny and I had to go back to work so grandma, papa and Ella went to Nordstrom for lunch.  Mommy picked up Ella from Nordstrom and took her to her 6 year doctor appointment.  Ella got 1 booster shot and a flu thing up her nose.  Ella was very proud that she didn’t cry from the shot.  We all had dinner at the Epic Steakhouse tonight.  It’s so wonderful to have grandma and papa here.

35.jpg Ella and some of her classmates at the assembly.

45.jpg Sweet happy Ella.

116.jpg210.jpg Hanging out with grandma and papa in the classroom.

54.jpg64.jpg Balloon fun!

An Amazing Weekend in Disneyland!

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

We just came home from Disneyland late this afternoon.  We had such an incredible time.  Thank you Jesse and Heather for helping us make this happen! We loved spending time with you guys.  I am super tired but I want to get these posted.  Here are the Disney Pictures.

114.jpgUpon our hotel arrival, the  woman at the front desk gave  Ella a little bouquet of balloons.  Here is Ella holding the balloons on the top bunk of the bunk bed in our room.

24.jpg34.jpg44.jpg53.jpg63.jpg73.jpg Doing the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.  Ella loved all of the challenges.

83.jpg Ella and mommy right before take off on Soarin Over California.  This is Ella’s favorite ride.

93.jpg103.jpg This was on the Storybook Land ride.  Ella got to be the co-captain of the boat!  Check out the second picture.  We were riding into Monstro’s mouth.

115.jpg Busy trying to de-code a message.

123.jpg Opening up a special card from Ms. Alicia.

132.jpg A little hot chocolate down time with Uncle Jesse.

141.jpg152.jpg162.jpg Waiting on line for the Toy Story ride.

16a.jpg Uncle Jesse and Mommy about to start the ride.

16b.jpg Ella used her gift card to get this little guy.  She loves him so much!

16c.jpg Ella striking up a conversation with Jessie.

172.jpg182.jpg On the Ariel ride with Jesse and Heather.  Ella was a little scared to do this ride, but ended up loving it and going twice.

192.jpg19a.jpg Ella kept picking Heather as her ride partner on Saturday.  They make a super sweet pair!

212.jpg21a.jpgEating the bee off the top of a cupcake.

25.jpg26.jpg27.jpg It’s A Small World all lit up for the holidays.  Beautiful ride…great memories.

222.jpg Saying goodnight to Jesse and Heather after the Disneyland fireworks.  Thank you for a beautiful weekend.  We love you guys.

232.jpg We finally found Mickey and Minnie!

241.jpg We also bumped into Pluto.

28.jpg One last time on the Little Mermaid ride.

29.jpg Very last ride on Sunday…Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.  Jesse let Ella “drive”.  Ella loved it.

2 days of birthday fun!

Sunday, November 13th, 2011

We have been celebrating Ella’s birthday since Friday morning.  On Friday, we took Ella, Stella and Juliet to the Academy of Science and then out for an afternoon tea.  We continued the birthday celebration with dinner, a delicious cake made by mommy and then a sleep over.  The girls woke up pretty early this morning and then Helen and Ron took Ella with them.  They had breakfast, played at Yerba Buena and then had lunch at the Ferry Building.  This afternoon, Ella and Stella went to taekwondo and after class, 2 of Ella’s friends from school came over.  We took them to Benihana for dinner and now the 3 of them are sound asleep.  Ella had a fantastic weekend.  She loved being with Stella and Juliet for over 24 hours in a row and is having a lot of fun with Emmi and Emily.  Next weekend, we are going to celebrate Ella’s birthday in Disneyland.

112.jpg23.jpg33.jpg43.jpgElla rockin’ out on her birthday present – a new drum set!  Notice Ella’s drumming face in the third photo.

52.jpg Ella and Stella reading some notes that Ella took the other day.

62.jpg72.jpg Best buddies.

82.jpg Looking for sharks.

92.jpg102.jpg113.jpg122.jpg The girls were trhing so hard to be still so that the butterflies would land on them.

131.jpg The end of a really fun day at the academy.

151.jpg The girls had some kind of magic pink tea.

161.jpg Ella’s beautiful birthday cake.  Great job mommy.

171.jpg Happy Birthday to you!

181.jpg Our beautiful 6 year old!

191.jpg Ella and Emmi doing some drwwing.  The JB on Ella’s paper stands for Justin Bieber.  Miley is out, Justin is in.

201.jpg Emily, Ella and Emmi at Benihana.

211.jpg Sweetness.

221.jpg Check out the onion volcano.

231.jpg The girls were loving the amazing cupcake lollipops that grandma and papa sent for Ella’s birthday.

Happy Birthday Ella!

Friday, November 11th, 2011

Happy birthday sweet Sweet Ella.  You are so wonderful.  you are such an amazing person.  We love you so much and can’t wait to celebrate you!

You are the greatest.

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48 More Hours…

Monday, November 7th, 2011

…and we should know who the next Sheriff of SF will be.  Hopefully our guy Chris will win.  Mommy has been working so hard over these past few months!  We love you mommy and we are proud that you are working so hard for what you believe so strongly in!  This weekend, Ella had her last soccer game.  She had a blast at the game and loved getting a medal at the end.  Ella is very excited about her birthday which is next week, Disney which is in 2 weeks, and grandma and papa coming which is in 2 1/2 weeks!  So are we!!!

111.jpg Fun on the field.

22.jpg51.jpg That little guy is Trilby, Ella’s class mascot.  Each kid gets the chance to take him home for a weekend.  This weekend was Ella’s friend Cecilia’s chance.  The kids loved having Trilby at the soccer game.

32.jpg Ella seemsvery excited about something!

42.jpg Run Ella run!

61.jpg71.jpg81.jpg We all know that Ella is a bit of a close talker but this is crazy!

91.jpg Our happy girl.

101.jpg The Black Widows!

121.jpg Nothing like a cukpcake after getting a medal.

The Drumming Ballerina

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Check out the video in this post.  I shot some cute videos at Ella’s ballet class on Tuesday and today I was able to watch about 5 minutes of Ella’s drum lesson.  She did a great job!

110.jpg21.jpg31.jpg41.jpg Fun in ballet class!

Halloween continued

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

hopefully this will work…

11.jpg Ella with her friend Tessa at school.

12.jpg Ella with two of her favorite friends, Leo and Luke.

12a.jpg Trick or treating in our hook before meeting up with Stella, Juliet and KJ.

13.jpg Ella took this one of herself.

14.jpg Ella was sporting a double braid today.

15.jpg Ella and her favorites!

16.jpg17.jpg The prince and his royal cat.

18.jpg Ella and Juliet having a blast together.

19.jpg Action shot on 24th Street.  Ella bumped into one of her classmates who hung out with the girls for a little while.

20.jpgElla and her thrid grade friend Gracie.

Pet Pride in Golden Gate Park and Halloween

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

Although our lives have been busy with work and campaigning, we have had lots of time for fun with Ella.  On Sunday, we went to Golden Gate Park for Pet Pride Day, an event sponsored by the SF Animal Care and Control where Becca is the director.  We brought Towby with us this year!  He had a great time and we had a great time.  Ella met all different kinds of animals.  After Pet Pride, I got a pedicure and Ella got a manicure.  After the mani/pedi, we had a sweet dinner wtih Debby, Toby and Rachel.  Today, Sunny volunteered in Ella’s class to get the kids ready for the Halloween parade.  She had such a fun time being there and Ella loved it that her mommy was with her at school.  We met up with the Kim/Arena clan tonight for some amazing trick or treating in Noe Valley and then we ended the night watching Ella’s favorite band, Vons Du Qua – the 7th grade girl band from CDS.  What a fun night.  Ella loved every minute of it!

1.jpg Getting ready to go to Pet Pride.

2.jpg3.jpg4.jpg5.jpg6.jpg Fun at Pet Pride and in Golden Gate Park.

7.jpg8.jpg9.jpg Nothing like a manicure on a Sunday afternoon.

10.jpg Beautiful Ella as Jessie from Toy Story 2 and 3.

Something is going on here and I can’t seem to download more pictures.  I am going to publish this one and then start another Halloween post.