Week in Review

 Cora was in her tech week with lots of rehearsals for her college play.

Stace, Vi and I played Catan one of the nights. I wish we could make board games happen more often, in place of screens.

On Wednesday, Cora picked up Violet so I could pick up Eloise from school while both her parents worked. She was very excited to ride her bike with me. She was gung ho about wearing all her safety equipment - helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads, until we decided it was cold enough to wear a hoodie, and that would protect her elbows.

Thankfully, she didn't fall at all, so we didn't test out the protective gear. After riding around the big block, into Ralphs to see her cashier fried, and back, she rode up and down the driveway several times, with me running along. We both got our exercise!

So much love!

We had rain off and on all week, makign for a beautiful view on my canyon walk. Green hills in November, normally that's a late winter treat here!

Time with Ellie

Eloise is now 5! She's been in TK (transitional kindergarten, for those kids turning 5 during the school year) this year at her elementary school, and she loves it. 

Her birthday party was postponed until Saturday because of the L.A. fires, which forced some of her friends to evacuate. 

Stace, Violet and I went to her party, while Cora had a Wolves show. Mel had a houseful of 4- and 5-year-olds! Here, Ellie is wearing the coat Violet wore when she impersonated Queen Elizebeth for a school assignment. I thought Ellie might like it for dress-up for a few months before she outgrows it.

Violet and Stace helped with the pinata.

On Sunday, Melanie and Nick dropped Ellie off with us, so they could see Cora's show. We took her to Quigley Canyon for a walk and some nature time.

Ellie was brave and tackled the log bridge.

The horse came near to say hello! A friend gave Ellie a Bluey camera for her birthday, which she had lots of fun with. She took about 3,000 photos on our walk. It's a camera like one my girls had at the same age, with little games, too.

She's always a good girl with us, and we love spending time with her! She's a chatterbox, too.

Day Out with Eloise

Melanie and Nick were both working Saturday afternoon, so Stace and I went to Glendale to hang out with Eloise. Stace was excited to make a trip to the Lego store in the Glendale Galleria, and Ellie thought this was a great idea, too.

(Getting to one of the best malls in L.A. on the Saturday before Christmas? Not a great idea. A 2-mile drive took over an hour because of the traffic!) 

We went to Ellie's favorite sushi restaurant, the place Melanie and Ellie took me a year ago for my birthday. Stace enjoyed his first experience at a sushi place with the revolving belt with the small plates of food going by.

We braved the crowds in the evening to walk across to the Americana at Brand, the fancy lovely outdoor mall with the huge fountain.

Enjoying the lights and decorations with a little one - the best!

It was a great Christmas-y day with our niece!
 

Introducing...

 After two days in the hospital, my sister gave birth to my beautiful new niece Eloise Iris on Wednesday morning, the first birth of the year at Henry Mayo. She's a big girl - 9 pounds, 5 ounces and almost 22 inches long!

 And, she's beautiful.

Violet is absolutely in love! She can't wait to be old enough to babysit.

Since I'm 9 years older than Melanie, it was sweet for me to see her with her. So much like me at that age - I was so excited and proud to finally be a big sister.

Awwww!