Life With Ella

Today, Ella came with me and some of my students to play a gig at the Exploratorium.  Sunny had a board meeting and couldn’t come, so Ella hung with us.  Ella had a blast hanging with the 13 and 14 year old girls.  It was a really mellow gig, only two students performed, and Ella loved being there.  The kids really loved having her with them.

 Just in case you were wondering how the ocean got created…

Walking on the fog bridge.

 Our cool little surfer.

 During rehearsal.

 The gang.

 Ella and Melissa watching the performance.

 At the end of a super fun night.

On Friday, I picked up Ella from school and then we picked up Stella and Juliet from their school.  We went out for yogurt and then went to visit Becca at SF Animal Care and Control.  Ella was very excited to introduce Stella and Juliet to Pineapple who now lives at the ACC.  Stella was super psyched and put her arm out for Pineapple to climb up on.  Juliet was a little hesitant but after a few minutes of watching Pineapple hop from Ella back to Stella, she put out her arm and didn’t want Pineapple to go to anyone else.  We also met a puppy named Tory who had a terrible thing happen to her.  She was brought in a few weeks ago after beaten so badly.  She is blind due to traumatic cataracts and other things were done to her, but she fought for her life and is doing so much better!  Ella fell in love with her and asked if we could adopt her.  We told her that she needs to be with people all the time but we were sure that Becca would make sure that she would go to the best home in the world.  We didn’t go into details with the girls, but we did tell them that someone very mean hurt Tory.  They had a hard time wrapping their mind around it.  The kids are so loving and beautiful.

 The kids (last one is Becca’s kid Tucker) with Pineapple.

 Tory!

We went to Disneyland this past weekend to celebrate my birthday and because we wanted to go to Disneyland!  We went with the Kim/Arena clan, Jesse and Heather joined us and so did Emily.  We had such a fantastic weekend.  For anyone who was there who is reading this, it was so great to get to hang out.  This was the first time that Ella was at Disneyland with other kids.  Although she had a great time with the adults, she had such an amazing time being there with Stella, Juliet, KJ and Isaac.  Ella went on some rides she was never on before.  She went on Space Mountain – sat next to Heather and had her head buried in Heather for the whole ride.  She made it through and actually said she liked it!  Ella also went on Indiana Jones for the first time…she has been looking forward to doing this ride for a while.  The last new ride that Ella went on was Splash Mountain.  She did not like it at all and cried from the first big drop to the last one.  She is not interested in going back on that one.  Here are some pics from our weekend.

 Getting ready to go on the Star Wars ride.

 On line for Autopia.

 Ella drove me around on Autopia.  She’s not the greatest driver!

 Ella right before we blasted off on Space Mountain.

 Here is a picture of our picture on Space Mountain.  Stella and I were in the front and a very crouched down Ella was next to Heather!

 Ella and Jesse on Buzz Blasters.

 Ella and Juliet caught up with Alice who was kind of a jerk.

 Jesse, Heather and I on Splash Mountain.

 Ella after Splash Mountain.

 Jesse and Heather treated us to a very special birthday dinner at Club 33 – a fantastic private restaurant in Disneyland.  It’s wonderful to have friends in high places!  Notice the fancy toilet…

 Sunny and I on the Cars ride the first time around.

 Our car raced against Jesse, Ron and the kids.  They beat us!

 Here’s the “Disney shot” of Sunny and me on Radiator Springs racers.

 Here’s the Disney shot of Ella’s car.

 Jesse and his posse.  The kids LOVED Jesse and all of the Disney stories that he shared.

Radiator Springs second time around.

 This shot really made Sunny laugh.  Check out my hair.

 Snack break!

 Ella and Juliet reading the Disneyland newspaper.

 Heading back in to DCA!

 Ella is checking off rides from her list.

Ella is such a joy and pleasure to be around.  Her zest for life is incredible.  This week, her class went bird watching in Dolores Park.  She saw sparrows, crows and robin redbreasts.  She had a lot of fun.  There is a very special bird named Pineapple who was rescued by SFACC a month or so ago.  Ella goes to Becca’s work and visits Pineapple.  Pineapple also came to Ella’s class with Becca last week.  Pineapple is Ella’s new buddy.  Ella has learned some new tricks on the monkey bars.  Take a deep breath Papa – she is now hanging upside down like a bat.  She is very careful when she’s on the monkey bars – not careless and I think we have sufficiently put plenty of fear in her about head and neck injuries.  Love you papa.

 Ella birding in Dolores Park.

 Ella and Pineapple.

Ella the bat.

 I love my students!  I took them to play at a fundraiser on Thursday night.  They had a blast and their music sounded incredible.  I am a lucky teacher.

Last week, Ella was on spring break and she had a great treat in the middle of the week.  Grandma and papa came to town for an opthalmology conference and Ella stayed with them for a few nights at the St. Regis.  The four of us went to a fantastic baseball game on Friday night and there were beautiful fireworks at the end.  Sunny and I spent a beautiful anniversary day riding bikes, going to see 42 and having a wonderful dinner.  Thank you grandma and papa for being with Ella all day and night.  We loved having you in SF.  Can’t wait for the end of June.  Love you guys.

 Ella’s latest and greatest self-portrait.

 Ella is becoming quite the goalie!

Friday night movie night!

 Ella and grandma had so much fun together.  Here is Ella with a little clay nation friend that she made.  Great green penguin!

 Beauty before the game.

 We had to wait a long time on the security line but it was all worth it.

 The whole gang!  What a great night.

 Grandma and papa made it onto the kiss cam.

 Getting cozy before the fireworks.

Nothing like watching a kid watch fireworks.

 Ella getting ready to go to TaeKwonDo.

 Ella and papa watching the ballgame at dinner.

 Ella started her knitting class on Monday.  She can’t wait for the next class.

 Panda really wanted to help Ella do her homework.

Another post to catch up on life with Ella!  Ella has started up with soccer, baseball, had a fund raiser with the rest of the 1st grade classes and raised over $1500.00 to purchase a water tank for an elementary school in Kenya and will begin a knitting class in a week!  Ella also is getting ready to do her Peter Pan play with the musical theatre program that she’s going to.  Ella is having a blast in life and we love to watch!

 Sing Along Beauty and the Beast with the Kim/Arean clan.

The signs that the kids made for the bake sale.

 It was a great bake sale.  We make some killer rice krispie treats.

Ella’s first soccer game of the seasons.  She liked playing goalie.

Having lots of fun playing baseball.

ad a fantastic trip back east for Passover.  We loved getting to spend so much time with grandma, papa, AJ and Milo and getting to see other family and friends who we love very much.  I have a lot of pictures, so I’m just going to go along and write some stuff as I post the pictures.

 Ella made an AMAZING charoses this year.  She chopped the apples, added the walnuts, stirred in grape juice and it was perfect!

 Getting ready to go see Annie.

 At Starbucks with grandma before Annie.

Crossing the street in crazy Times Square.

 There’s Annie!

 We were all so excited to go see Annie.

 Happiness.

 Ella on the Annie set and backstage with the actor who plays Rooster Hannigan how is one of AJ’s friends.

 That night we got a sweet visit from Cheryl, Emma and James.  Ella loves these guys.

 Beautiful Seder!

So sweet!  Ella found the afikomen on the first night.

Daughter/mother dance.

 Milo took this shot of me.  I think he did a great job.

 Ella making a thank you note for Ester who knit her a beautiful scarf.

 Thank you Ester!

 Dancing cousins.

So much love, so much fun, so much goofiness!  True love.

I will continue this tomorrow.  I am falling asleep and want to make sense!