Flashback......

Summer In Motion....

Well, I'm BAAAACKK!!! For my friends and family who thought I'd left blogger world for good, I apologize!
The Ekenseairs have had a WONDERFUL summer so far!! We went on vacation the third week in May to Destin, FL, and had a blast (as usual). The Fulghams went again this year, as well as the Fosters, and about 9 other families we know!! What a week!! The kids had so much fun this year- it's so fun to see how much they grow and change from year to year. It seems like Sophie F. should still be Ella's age, which is how old she was the first time we traveled with the Fulghams 5 years ago!
Ella enjoyed spending time with her friend Allie Foster and her brother Noah, too. Ella danced to live music with the gang at restaurants, went crab hunting with her buddy Bradon one night, and played hard on the beach and at the pool as much as we could. It was not the most perfect weather trip we've ever had, but we soaked up some sun nonetheless! It was also neat to watch Kris Allen win American Idol while we were there! Conway was definitely represented from Florida that night! =)
Michael and I were so ready for a break from work (the month before our trip was CRAZY)and Destin is truly one of our favorite places to be with friends. Ella loved the beach again this year, and we were so thankful! She also got to play in the fountains at Destin Commons SEVERAL days, rode go-carts for the first time (she LOVED them), and went on her first crab hunt!
Life is great in Conway. Michael is really enjoying spending time with Ella on his day off with her during the week. They go to storytime at the library, the park, and many other places together. BUSY!! She certainly loves her Daddy right now, and it's easy to see why! =) He says his day with her is the best thing about working at UAMS.
My job is still going well. We made it through a rainy Toad Suck Daze weekend and several other events in May, and are now renovating the front of the Chamber- which means 12+ people are squeezed into my usual-4-person office right now! It's crowded, but fun!
Connie and Emily were here for a week in May, and Ella enjoyed getting some time with them! She's headed to Mommy Tot and Daddy Bob's this weekend and she's been asking every day if we're going yet. For some reason she doesn't really understand what Thursday means yet. =)

SO- I am going to try to be a better blogger this summer! Life is just going by too fast, isn't it? Here are some of the photos from our trip that I took (a few are ones that Karin took- mine pale in comparison). I'll post more when I'm able to go through the CD she gave me. Love to all today!

EASTER 2009

We had an awesome holiday weekend! Ella went to several egg hunts on Saturday because we knew the weather on Sunday would be less than ideal. She had a blast opening all of the plastic eggs- especially the ones filled with CANDY!!! We enjoyed a great Easter service at church on Sunday followed by lunch with Mimi, Papa, Chris and Mica!
What is Ella into these days? Books and Music. Still. She has quite a song list going!! She talks NONSTOP these days- some new phrases I love are:
Oh My Word!, What the world? (What in the World), Awesome!, That's for MEEEE?, It's so CUTE!, Thank you SO MUCH!, etc., etc.
Her favorite books right now are Goin' on a Bear Hunt, Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus, and Panda Bear Panda Bear What Do You See? (She can read this one for memory by herself)
She is taken with SOUND!! This girl can hear a train, airplane, helicopter, garbage or fire truck from miles away before the motor has started- she'll say, "you hear dat?"
Papa and Mimi gave her The Sound Of Music (my favorite childhood movie of all time)for Easter, so I'm sure we'll be adding many performances to our repertoire!



THE THINKER (plus egg)


Easter Morning!! He came!!!




Before Church






Recent trip to the ZOO



Ella's Monkey Face

Foodie.....

I only have a few minutes to post before we catch the ferry to Sausalito, but I wanted to share a few pics from my "foodie" day yesterday! I took a culinary tour of North Beach/Little Italy on Friday afternoon. I drank the most delicous cappucino, tasted fresh-baked breads, pastries, truffles, olive oils, meats, and cheeses, and learned so much! What a beautiful area! I visited the very spot where Frances Ford Coppolla wrote the Godfather and where Bill Cosby got his start, saw the most beautiful cathedral, and ended up at a beatnik museum(random, i know). Connie and I dined at a French restaurant last night near our hotel and had one of the best meals I've ever had- and the most delicious wine and dessert. A foodie's perfect day!

Clang Clang Clang Went The Trolley....

We had a blast in the city today We walked down the steep slope to Fisherman's Warf this morning without anyone rolling down! Success! We saw Hyde Pier and had a delicious meal at a street side cafe. The clam chowder was awesome! There are flowers blooming everywhere, and it's amazing how clean this city is- as large as it is! I think I'm in love with CA! The weather was sunny and a perfect- 55-60 degrees. We visited Ghiradelli Square (lots of chocolate) and could see Alcatraz from the Pier. We rode the cable cars all day- too fun- and Connie did not get motion sickness, thank goodness! Afterwards, we went to Union Square- SHOPPING CENTRAL! We're talking Neimans, Saks, Barney's, Macy's, etc., etc., TIMES SEVENTY! I've NEVER seen so many stores in all my life!! I loved just walking in and touching some of the designer fabrics. I did find a Michael Kohrs dress I loved at Saks, but I assumed Michael might blink at the $1300 price tag. gasp!
Last night we dined at the Nob Hill Cafe, just a block from our hotel. It was the MOST declicious pasta I have ever eaten. I will never forget the music that was playing when we wialked into the candelit venue. What an atmosphere! I love all of the quaint little bistros that line the sidewalks.
I cannot say enough about this awesome hotel! It's the most comfortable feather bed I've ever slept in, and probably the highest thread-count sheets! Bliss!
I have a San Francisco culinary tour planned for Friday while Connie is in meetings, and we plan to go see the musical Wicked Saturday evening. Here are a few unedited pics from our Wednesday. Love to all!

We Made It.....

Well, we are actually in our hotel room in San Francisco!!! We made it safely!!! Thank you, Lord! Our hotel is absolutely awesome! I cn hear trolley cars out our window as I'm typing this!!! We're about to go eat at the Nob Hill Cafe. I'll share more later!

Prep....

Okay, it's Sunday night and I leave for SF in 33 hours or something. I just had to share this. Am I packed? Not in the least. Do I have everything I need to go? Probably not. Is Ella's bag packed for Mimi's house? Not a chance. Do I have to work a full day tomorrow? yep.
HOWEVER- the GROCERY trip has been made. Michael just went and bought all the stuff he and Ella will be "needing" while I'm out of town. Any time I'm not at this house for a day or so, he uses valuable alone time to eat all of the horrible, I mean neat, stuff he misses out on when I'm the one cooking. Usually he high-tails it to Subway for a Meatball Sub (don't even get me started. I'm getting sick just thinking of the smell). Anyway, he just returned from the store, and I just wanted to share a few of the grocery sack items that I helped him unpack: (mind you, I'm only going to be gone for 1 (one) week:
1) Polish sausage (seriously, vomit.) He says they will be making hot dogs with these.
2) Manwich Sloppy Joe mix (used to love this, but for some reason, the last time I made these I decided my life was not enriched or fulfilled in any way by consuming it)
3) Stuff for tacos (with taco seasoning- at least he won't have to separate my meat without the seasoning this week. whew.)
4) Little Smokies (yes, I like these, but for some reason this is a staple when Jamie's gone- I like to tell myself that pigs-in-a-blanket are the much-needed comfort food when he's too upset to talk about me being gone. sniff. yeah, right)
5) Items to make spinach dip (seriously, what husband makes spinach dip on his own, for himself? mine.) To clear up any "man-points" issues, I would like to add that he did purchase the already-chopped frozen unions, so at least there won't be any "dicing" involved.
6) Chocolate covered mini doughnuts, pop-tarts, and popcorn. (in case they get hungry)
7) Ella has two bunches of bananas, 3 packs of fruit cups, apple sauce, two gallons of apple juice, another box of oatmeal, and a lunchables that "he thought he'd see if she liked" to consume during this week. I hope Michael's in for some late nights. =)

I also noticed items for philly steak, which brings the current bread total to four: hamburger buns, hot dog buns, HOAGIE rolls, and regular bread.

You'd think I never feed the boy.
SO- if you're hungry this week, stop by the Ekenseair's. There's lots of meat, I mean food, to be eaten. I would not be at all surprised if there's a bisque or souffle involved! I do hope he remembers that our daughter just got over the stomach virus. polish sausage. enough said.

A side note- I remember a couple of years ago leaving for a trip with a girlfriend- had not made it out of the neighborhood and remembered I had forgotten something at the house. I came back in the house and noticed the oven was on. Michael had mixed up a cake and it was baking in the time it took me to get to the edge of the subdivision. I'm talking greased the pan, mixed, poured, preheated, the whole thing. I swear he must have had it in the works for days- all the little mini-pinch bowls and spatulas and pyrexes laid in the most convenient spot to grab and go to work as soon as the door shut behind me. Flour on the forehead.... I digress....I've laughed about that one for years. I'm not the only foodie in this house, for certain! =)
P.S. He will KILL me for sharing the cake thing. And all my friends thought he bought the Kitchen Aid mixer for me. hmmm.......