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.