Tuesday, August 30, 2005


1st visit to the Dentist! Cherry floss part of the goodie bag. Ella is being the "Dentist" to Nana in their garage right now!

Jane's a big kid too! She loves her big girl bed, daddy took down the front crib railing, she was saying "thank you daddy" the whole time! Note she prefers to clean her teeth, not the dentist.

it was a bath just for the doll. Not Ella.

hot day at UTC playground - the water fountain was more popular

hot saturday to the beach!

Ocean Beach

keep on swimming.......via swim noodle practice, she actually does better without those things.

and jane gets to swim while Ella's in class. With me or Daddy she has a blast. Jane even says 'watch Mom' and then puts her head completely under and stands up on her own. Going every day to the pool this month has really paid off for the girls!

Thursday, August 25, 2005

late summer fun

As the summer draws to an end, we've been non stop with activity. Tonight Ella finishes up swim lessons at the Y, she's been going every evening for two weeks. She was diving for rings with me last night after her lesson, and she is trying to really swim, she just needs to get better at coming up for air. Jane gets to play with me or Dad in the water during Ella's class. Jane totally gets the swimming thing and is already puttting her face under voluntarily by herself.

Tuesday I took the girls to Coronado's new pools, one of them is a large 0'depth wade in 2ft pool. Ella and Jane played and swam, they were so pooped afterwards they fell asleep on the ride home. (Ella asked me before we left if next time we could take Molly there.) Since when Ella naps (which is hardly never) and she is then up until 11 pm, we picked up Dadddy, made a picnic dinner and headed to Sea World for the night. We saw 4 shows,plus the fireworks that we usually see from our house. This time we were in the park, with Jane falling asleep on Dad. They loved the shows, the new Sea Lion one is a hit, plus the Cirque De la Mer is very cool to watch at sunset on the Bay.

Sunday night was another late fireworks night at the San Diego Summer Pops where we saw Bugs Bunny on Broadway via the San Diego Symphony with Nana and Granddad and other families from church. Blankets and popcorn on the lawn right next to the water, Ella and I were laying down for the concert end, and just had to turn our gaze upwards for the fireworks show. Since then she has really been digging fireworks and acted like a old firework fan when Sea Worlds started the other night. "Oh fi-re works! I looooooove fi-re works!" Overall we all learned of another easy, affordable, beautiful and fun event to do in San Diego!

Our latest session of Gymanstics ended yesterday. The girls get a little certificate and hand stamped of course. Oh and a lollipop which they get after their name is called. They each end with a 'ta-da! in front of the class while carrying all their loot. Honorory member Jane, with her big ta-da! is about the cutest gymnastic gesture I've seen! We'll continue the class on Monday's after Ella's preschool in the fall. The teacher is terrific and Eloise loves it. Jane too.

Other than that our schedules have been filled with birthday parties and playdates galore. Two of Ella's friends will be here tomorrow morning, for a couple of hours. Ella's been to two other friends' houses this week alone. Jane and I stay to play a little too, Jane knows everybody's name. SHe is especially good at remembering them and trying out new ones, like "Ross" and "Callum" who we saw on Monday. She was saying "Ross" all day after that.

Adam and I had our big getaway over the last weekend. We stayed one night in downtown SF for Garrett's wedding. Adam wore his tux for the black tie affair, reception at the War Memorial bdlg, while reconnecting with college friends. The girls got a whole day and night with Nana and Granddad - zoo trip and Chula Vista party included. The had a blast. My favorite part was seeing them all pull up at the airport to pick us up, they girls were shreiking with joy and smiles.
Of course, Adam and I want to do this about once a month. :) By the way, today marks 11 years of love for us. coined our Golden Bear Anniversary. Silly. But wow, time flies.


double decker downtown SD bus ride to the Summer Pops concert, Bugs Bunny on Broadway. Ella's "hood" - which she calls it - is standing straight up from the wind.

Monday, August 15, 2005


bye bye Auntie Molly! The girls had so much fun the last couple of days with you. Come visit again! Boy am I chop liver when Molly comes to town, Ella can't get enough of her!

go daddy go! Adam did Awesome in his 3rd annual Daddy 1/2 marathon that runs right by Nana and Granddad's house so the girls can cheer him with Charlie and Lucy by their side.

Bowling last Saturday night!

Happy Birthday Nana, we celebrated her birthday over the weekend, dinner on the deck and bowling. But we haven't forgotten it's family birthday week - Grandpa was 8/12 and Auntie Emily's is tomorrow 8/16! Happy Birthday guys!

ponytail girls. The rare day Jane let me put her hair up. I think Ella and the Sifton's dog are posing with the same tounge-to-the-side smile. Cool.

Jane shopping. She told me to take a picture of her. Does that mean I'm using the camera too much that my 1 1/2 year old says "take a picture" when she knows she's being cute!

breakfast buddies. and for those of you wondering, 1/2 dressed. Ella will tell you, "panties are the rule". (My minimum dress code requirement, right now).

well, the practice of stamping on hand (after gymnastics class or stamps on hand from the zoo or disneyland) I'm afraid has encouraged Jane's belief that it's OK to go to the body art extreme. Ahhh..I hope she grows out of this interest! (FYI this is the result of Jane being too quiet for 5 minutes)

more art

gymnastics gals, do they love it because the class ends with stamps and lollipops? or 'cause it's with friends they've known since very little.Yes, Jane gets a stamp and lollipop too. She's an honorary member. Every Wed. afternoon you can find us here. Love the OB rec center. Playground outside after class and the girls think it's all a grand time!

Wednesday, August 03, 2005


whew-hoo! another trip to Cal and you better believe it more pics.

Look who we found amongst the redwoods! Nothing like reuniting with super fun Auntie Em and Richard!

to the Embarcadero Farmer's Market with Nana

Adam and I head to Max and Ali's wedding, while Jane babysits Ella, with Nana's help and Auntie Em.


2nd down

on the hunt for Oski. Big fans stand below.(summer hibernation almost ending...)

ready for college? not quite yet.

trip to Modesto to honor and remember Great-Grandma Margaret. Although the girls were peeled to the glass doors facing the pool in the 100 degree heat, they did terrific being the ready to party pair that they are. We all treasured learning more about Margaret's family and past. Did you know these girls are at least 5th generation native CA born...pretty neat.

Eloise Margaret gives Great-Grandma Margaret a final kiss goodbye.

Jane's buddy Uncle Paul