New Years Week 2010

Ella had a fun week (and I did too since Gary and I took most of the week off work)!

She had breakfast at Corner Bakery with her friend Reese and had a super fun time running around and around the fountain (Reese was there, but I couldn't get them close enough to get a photo together!)...


We went to happy hour at Taco Rosa with friends, and Ella loved hanging out with Hannah and Reese...all the girls were so good! They clearly want us to take them out more. ;)


She went to the Long Beach Aquarium with her friend Ryan for her big New Year's Eve (day) celebration.

We've been wanting to take her to the aquarium forever because we thought she'd love it. WRONG. She had ZERO interest in the fish. We were so happy that we went with friends since it ended up being just a fun day and lunch with friends, rather than a fun day at the aquarium since Ella wasn't a fan! At least Ryan seemed to like the fish...Ryan staring at the stingrays while Ella stares at Dee!


Sea otters and seals, both under and over!

Ella touched a giant starfish...

Even when we set her right by the glass, she would immediately run away!

So we had to entice her with daddy, but she still had the most fun running through the hallways (where there were no exhibits, silly girl)!

She did think it was pretty cool when daddy made friends with a bird...


We went to lunch at Bubba Gump, and that was our BIG New Year's Eve party!  Oh how times have changed.  ;)

Gary and I celebrated a New York NYE because it is very unlikely I can make it until midnight our time!!  So I made us a yummy dinner, and we rang in the new year at 9:00 p.m.!

We had Arancini Bites (rice balls filled with Fontina cheese) for an appetizer, Cannelloni (but really fussilli with cannelloni filling) and garlic toast for our main course and sock-it-to-me cake for dessert.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Merry Christmas!

On Christmas morning, Ella opened a few gifts at home under the tree and then saw the play kitchen Santa brought her...she LOVES it!

As you can see, Ella and I had matching Nick & Nora pajamas! I ordered them for Gary too, but they ran out and canceled my order. :(


After opening gifts at home, we went to grandma and grandpa's house. We opened stockings by the fireplace...

And then went to open the presents under the tree (the majority of which were for Little Miss E of course!)...


Her favorite gift was probably the Radio Flyer wagon that grandma and grandpa got her...

But she also loved the picnic table that great-grandpa got her...

She also had lots of fun with her tea set from Great-Aunt Maxine!


She could have done this all day!




On the day after Christmas, we had another Christmas at Uncle Bryan and Aunt Katie's house with grammy and pop pop too. Ella was not very happy on the drive down, but she did a complete 180 once we arrived, and she got to play with Brett and Brice!

Brett got a wagon similar to Ella's for Christmas, so Uncle Bryan took them for a ride...


It was a wonderful Christmas season filled with friends, family and tons of fun, and we all feel so fortunate and blessed. We are looking forward to a happy and healthy 2011!

Christmas Week

Tuesday 12.21.10
Ella had her friends Mason and Reese over to play to reduce the cabin fever from all this rain.  Reese, innocently unaware of Ella's attachment to her chair, bore the brunt of Ella's rage when she sat in Ella's chair.  First, Ella pushed her out of the chair.  Reese worked her way back in, so Ella sat on her...



You like how she crosses her legs in the last picture like "what? this is comfortable." When that didn't work, she took a ball and threw it right at Reese's head. Oy vey, how mortifying. I just love that they are too young to discipline, yet old enough to embarrass you. Luckily for Mason, he was not interested in the chair so he didn't have to endure the wrath of Miss Ella!

Wednesday 12.22.10
 We did a date night with four of our friends at Taco Rosa and to see "Meet the Little Fockers".  The margaritas were of course delish, but the movie isn't as good as the first two were.  It definitely wasn't as bad as the reviews say, but not nearly as funny as "Meet the Parents" or my favorite, "Meet the Fockers".

Thursday 12.23.10
We all woke up early and went Christmas shopping at 7:15 a.m.!  We did breakfast at IHOP, and Paige came over to play with Ella after naptime.  The girls had such a fun time together!


There was also A LOT of kissing going on!


After Paigey left, we went to look at Christmas lights with grandma and grandpa, but we forgot the camera! Too bad because the lights were outstanding, and Ella just continuously said, "ooooooh".

Friday 12.24.10
Ella attended her first Christmas Eve mass (she wasn't allowed to leave the house last year)!


After mass, Ella got to open one gift at grandma and grandpa's house...a new phone (notice how the photo Gary took is focused on the beer bottle and not us?!).


After putting Ella to bed, Gary and I decided to open our gifts on Christmas Eve so we could actually enjoy it and pay attention rather than having to chase Ella around on Christmas morning!


Next up...Christmas weekend!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!