Build A Bear

Ellie took her first trip to Build A Bear this weekend with Mimi since Mommy and Daddy had a fancy party to go to! She had such a great time, and we now have a new family member named Honey Bunny who goes EVERYWHERE with Ellie. She's pink, with fuzzy, floppy ears, a pink jogging outfit, pink backpack (with rhinestones), pink lacey socks and pink shoes. I've never been to Build A Bear, but evidently there is quite a to-do...first you choose the bear (bunny), then you choose the heart, then they get stuffed and the heart goes in, then on to the fluffing station where they get all fluffed up, and then you dress them!
Choosing the Heart (stuff station behind her)

Fluffing Station - Ellie used a brush to really fluff Honey Bunny's fur up well and get out all the "snarlies"

Choosing the outfit

Finished product!


After Ellie's trip to Build A Bear, she got to have lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. Brant and I took her there when she was about 2 1/2 when we went to Disneyland (this is all located in Downtown Disney), and at that age, Ellie was just taken in with all the surroundings. Now, at almost 4 years old, she was scared of the gorillas and the thunder and lightening shows they have every 9 minutes! Can you tell we live in San Diego where we hardly ever have "real storms"?
In terms of home improvements...all 3 bedrooms are patched, textured and painted. Now Brant and I are on to the living and dining rooms. I'm hoping to finish those two rooms by President's weekend so that the following weekend we can have our blinds (that have been delivered and are currently taking up space in our garage) installed by the guy from Lowes. Now won't that be nice? I spent Saturday removing the burlap wallpaper from the wall in our dining room. I honestly think that wallpaper has been on that wall longer than I've been alive. And you'd think that would have weakened the glue...at least that's what I thought...WRONG! Man that stuff is nasty! But after several hours of spraying with water and vinegar, and a whole lot of elbow grease, the wall is clean. Brant's been attacking the cracks and holes where the hideous drapes were hung - he's getting really good at plastering and texturizing. Here are some photos of our progress...



Saturday night was the Senomyx Winter Party. This year it was at The Prado Restaurant in Balboa Park - a fantastic change of pace! Balboa Park is such a neat place, so much history and culture to absorb as you meander through the park. The party was fun, and the dinner was yummy. There was even a professional photographer there, so hopefully we'll get some good photos as well!
The last pictures are of Ellie writing her name...well on the top of the page she wrote "Ellie" and on the bottom she wrote "mommy" - she's great at her own name, we're working on the rest!