Awesome Weekend For the Win

This last weekend was pretty good, I call it a success.   Two friends from school came down to visit a me and another friend of mine here in California.  They spent Wednesday and Thursday over at my other friends house up in Los Angeles, and I joined them on Thursday to go to Disneyland (second trip this summer).  It was so much fun!  Of course I started to get tired about midday, but once I put on some Minnie Mouse ears I was ready to take on the rest of the day.

In my opinion, Disneyland is infinitely better when you go with people who have never been there before.  It's like all their child-like wonder rubs off on you and you immediately feel like your 5 years old again visiting for the first time.  We finished off our day of merriment, by watching the firework show while standing on the famous Main street.  Talk about magical! 

The next day we got breakfast over near the cutest market place area near Chapman University, and the guys and I hit the road and made the hour and half drive back to San Diego.  We mostly hung around the house for a little and then decided to make a late trip to the beach.  The next day worlds collided and Stephanie spent the day with us at La Jolla Shores.  But not before heading to to Original Pancake House for a breakfast sized for royalty.  

 

It was a pretty successful weekend and it was a ton of fun!  Now I'm back to my everyday grind, or hanging out, Netflix, and card making :) 

xo Ensley

If At First You Don't Succeed, Try Again on Monday

This afternoon, Kjia and I put on our running shoes, filled our backpacks with water bottles, and decided to head over to the Lake Poway/ Mount Woodson Trail.  I've never done it before, and thought it would be a great challenge.  I hear that the hike really kicks your butt, Kjia did it on her birthday last year and said it was definitely nothing to laugh at.

Chalk it up to our summertime laziness, but this hike just did not go as planned.  First mistake was decided to get up at 10:30am and not leaving the house until 11.  By the time we got there it was already 84 degrees outside, and in Poway that might as well by 90.  Kjia had left out the fact that the last time she did the hike she was forced to wake up at 8 in morning by her friends, so by the time it started to get really hot like it was today, they were already on their way down the mountain.  We only last on the trail for about an hour or hour and a half, and Kjia so keenly forgotten to eat breakfast, leaving her nauseous and dizzy with still another hour and half to go.  The view from atop Mount Woodson at Potato Chip Rock is supposed to be really amazing, but we were still able to take in some good sights.  We're gonna try again on Monday, and this time get up bright n' early before the heat catches us.


xo Ensley

Family Time!!

This weekend the family hit Disneyland as a pack for the first time in years!  This time my sister brought along a friend, so we packed for the weekend and hit the road.  I've been Disneyland quite a few times in last 3 years- between having friends who've had passes and my Senior Grad Nite being held there, I feel like I've almost had my fill!  But who can resist the happiest place on Earth?!

Me, Kjia (my sister), and her friend reppin' sunglasses on Main Street & of course my mom is mad photo bombing. 

As excited as I was for this mini family vacation, all visits in recent years, made me skeptical of spending an entire two days in the palace of joy and kid-ish wonder.  Something about the constant music and smiling employees just really starts to mess with my mind.  But it all turned out well and I was able to spend the majority of the two days in bliss with my family with minor altercations between me and Kjia- always a win!

Just a selfie takin' fool.  Don't think those faces could be more attractive if I tried.

Of course me being my normal forgetful self, half way through the first day I remembered, that I needed to finish the last part of a homework assignment for a summer class.  Random, yes I know, but none the less it needed to be taken care of.  So around 11:30am I made the hour and half drive back JUST to finish the last part of a homework assignment.  But don't worry, in case you are concerned, my grade should be fine. 

I finally made it back to my family around 5:45pm and we were able to finish the rest of our day in normal Disney spirit.  The second day went by without a hitch, we decided to spend most of it at California Adventure.  We tried to do everything we could, but the day definitely started to get the best of me around hour 10 and Kjia alerted the rest of the family she want to be at the park until MIDNIGHT!!!   So around 9:30pm I called it a day and decided to go take a nap.

By far my favorite rides of the day were California Screamin' and Grizzly River Run.  Choice made by the fact that I've always been a huge roller coaster fan and the fact it felt like 100 degrees outside!! MY GOD! I've never been so happy to walk around all day with wet shorts.

1. Daddy and I preparing to be total badass on California Screamin'  

2. Daddy and Kjia hamming it up in line 

3. Mom's only roller coaster ride of the day.  What a trooper.

For shits and giggles I thought I'd include some of the on-ride snapshots from the weekend.  Sorry ahead of time for the crappy quality.  Enjoy! 

                                

The new Cars ride in Cars Land is actually pretty good! And then there's my mom's picture.

California Screamin' is always my favorite.  I think my mom's face explains why she only went once.

                        

And finally Hollywood Tower of Terror!  Always a joy!  I look a damn fool in the first photo haha!

And that was my weekend in a nutshell! It was a lot of fun. 

Til next time 

xo Ensley 

Me, Myself, and I

I've recently made a promise to myself to do things for the benefit of me.  I have a tendency to do things to either wanna prove someone wrong or because I feel like it's something I should do, but very rarely do I do things out of my pure interest for them.  I find myself always compromising on my own desires and ambitions to make other people feel more comfortable.  Maybe thats why it's important to me that I'm starting my own business doing things that I honestly love.  While I do enjoy trying to help other people when I can, I've decided I need to keep in mind that I'm my no.1 person.  In honor of doing things for me, and my slightly impending birthday, I've made a list of things I'd like to accomplish by this time next year.  In my last year as a teenager I'd like to:

1) Take on more creative challenges
2) Observe life around me
3) Become a healthier human (Run my first 10K)
4) Take more risks
5) Put myself first

These are all things I'll be working towards in the next year and I'll be coming here to update on my progress.  I already have plans of how to kick off number 4 with a big bang :)

xo Ensley

Mini Adventures in San Diego

If there's one thing you know living as a San Diegan within a stone throw of Pacific Beach, it's that THE Baked Bear is BOMB!  For those of you who may not be aware of The Baked Bear and all it's awesomeness, let me assure you it has nothing to with drugs or getting high (that's what I first thought when someone told me about it).  But on the contrary, it's this popular ice cream sandwich joint right next to a Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville- heaven am I right?  There's a plethora of options to choose from, whether you want your sandwich made with two red velvet cookies and peanut butter fudge ice cream, or strawberry cheesecake ice cream sandwiched between one snicker doodle cookie and one waffle (my personal favorite).

I made a trip to this little slice of heaven with two of my closest friends Stephanie and Sarah (you'll most likely be hearing a lot about them in my stories) at the prime time of 10pm.  I wasn't really sure if I was up to the trip considering I was in the middle of designing new wedding and engagement cards for the Etsy shop, but I'm so happy we did.  After doing last minute window shopping in both Brandy and Urban, and promptly proceeding stuffing our faces with hot and cold delicious goodness, we decided to make a run to the near by CVS to buy some water- not paying $1.50 in the store just to hydrate myself.  

On our way home, since I'm the driver, of course we would get lost.  Getting lost was the best thing that could have happened to our night.  We ended up making a wrong turn that eventually led us up hill through a gorgeous neighborhood of what was surely million dollar homes, that hill somehow led us up another to the La Jolla Scenic.  The view was SPECTACULAR!!! Watching the San Diego city lights grow smaller as we continued to climb was breathtaking.  So breathtaking we decided to pull into a parking spot, get out of the car, and take it all in.  Watching the freeways busy with cars, and seeing my favorite landmarks, like The San Diego California Temple, light up in the distant night was amazing.  Turns out the big cross on the hill was the Mt. Soledad Veteran Memorial, its was beautiful. 

I was surprised that in all my 18 years of years of calling this wonderful place home, I've never taken in this sight.  Since it was so dark I couldn't snap any pictures, but Sarah and I already have plans to go back, so I'll definitely hook you guys up with some kick ass imagery.  

This night made me realize how luck I am to be living to life I am, with the people who mean the most to me.  I have beauty all around me and it's time I soak it all in. 

xo Ensley