Triplet Lunch Date

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Thursday we had a pizza oven party at my parents house with Georgia, Kim and the Carter triplets Danny, Drew and Dylan. They are out visiting for two weeks from Philly and it was so much fun to see how big they have gotten. They are almost 15 months old now and had never met Francie as she was born right after they moved to PA. We had fun running after three babies all afternoon and Jannie cooked up some delicious pizzas for all of us!

Jannie says "Francie we've got THREE cute boys coming over here to play!"

Danny not giving up the football

Georgia and the busy little guy Drew

"You want a piece of me?" Dylan

Francie wore her "Three Cupcake" bubble suit to meet the three little carter cupcakes :)

Danny holding hands with Francie

Georgia, Kim, the triplets and Francie hanging out with Jannie's toys on a blanket in the shade

Danny giggling on the upswing

And double duty with Andrew

Busy babies on the swing set

Kim and Danny

Virginia and Dylan (she was a big help when they were newborns too)

Francie and Danny exploring

All three boys surround and Francie bonked her head but she's tough enough to handle these big guys! :)

We walked them back home (three doors down the street) after lunch. That's a lot of baby :)

Francie at the Elkhorn Ranch on Rock Creek

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Monday we left Greenough and drove to Rock Creek for a few more days of our Montana vacation. Rock Creek is a place Heff spent LOTS of time in his bachelor days fishing. We stopped first at the "Rock Creek Mercantile" for flies and fishing tips, at the beginning of a long windy, dirt road that parallels the river for forty miles. When we walked in to the "Mercantile" (think beers, fly fishing equipment, sun flower seeds and a bunch of old men sitting around a table in the middle of the store reading newspapers and talking fishing) the owner says "Brian Heffernan... where ya been?" and then looks at me and Francie and says "Oh, I see where you've been. Busy!" Heff spent 9/11 with these guys watching the sad coverage on their little fuzzy black and white TV during his three month post-taking-the-bar-pre-starting-real-work fly fishing/camping excursion in Montana in 2001. He has been back a half a dozen times since then and Heff says it's the same guys and their families in there, running the restaurant next door and serving the coffee out front. They gave us some advice and we drove on a few more miles to a little cabin at "Elkhorn Lodge" on a big grass flat across from the river. It was the perfect little cabin for our little family and even though it wasn't "glamping" it was a lot of fun to unwind (still NO cell service anywhere), read books and explore the area (well explore for me, Heff knew it like the back of his hand) We stayed for two nights in the "Stonefly" cabin.

"Mom... this cabin is fun but where are the gourmet S'mores and the nice people who made me bacon every morning?"

Looking for trouble

"Ohh... I see sprinklers!"

Opa would be proud of her fascination with water and water pumps :)

Silly girl

Dirty knees and a drooling "O" face :)

We went to dinner at the "HOME COOK'N" little old restaurant back by the Mercantile. Francie was SOO worn out she was falling asleep in Heff's arms (not even on his shoulder, like face planting forward with her head bobbing!) So we pulled the carseat out of the truck so she could sleep through dinner.

Knocked out under the table. We missed her presence but... it was peaceful. :)

We went back to the cabin for a head to head Scrabble game (I WON by four points:) and read our books. Francie slept with us since they didn't really have cribs on hand here and I joined Francie in bed after awhile but Heff was up in the living room reading for a little longer. SOMEHOW she woke up without making a sound and I didn't notice her moving, saw Dad in the other room where the light was on and high-tailed it out of bed over to see her dad. It was dark in the room so he didn't see her either and she crawled STRAIGHT OFF THE BED! Heff and I JUMPED up at the thud and she was screaming her head off right away... we checked for broken parts or bumps and bruises but she seemed ok. It scared us but she recovered!

She was wide awake and full of pep the next day when we went back to lunch at the same restaurant

"Did you tell them I fell off the bed mom?"

After lunch we played outside on the swingset and in the old covered wagon

It was a little cloudy and rained for a few minutes Tuesday morning so we took advantage of a morning of doing NOTHING but reading and playing with Francie in the cabin before we put on some warmer clothes and came over here for lunch (I love those days:)

"Let me outta here or my mom my get some crazy idea in her head and make me have a Pioneer Party for my 12th birthday." (Jannie... did you ever think that birthday party would result in endless teasing by my siblings and sister-in-law still to this day!)

A teepee

After lunch we went for a two hour drive all the way down the creek and saw some cute little cabins, fishing lodges and lots of trailers :) It was beautiful and fairly untouched country. I got some mom time after lunch and Dad took Francie on a hike on the river. They crossed this bridge which made me a little nervous!

Francie was obsessed with this fish on the entrance sign and we visited it a few times a day

Wednesday morning we packed up to head home. Francie and I out in front of our cabin the "Stonefly"

Staying out of trouble momentarily while Dad packs up

You can't the Montana out of the girl... in her JORTS!

Dad ready to go home with beers for the road! (Just kidding.... we gave the last of our cooler contents to the nice guy who managed the cabins but you CAN get to go cups from restaurants in Montana)

Hopefully we'll be back here again Francie!

We stopped at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation n Missoula before our 3:15pm flight

She pretty much had the "OOO" face looking at all these huge elk the ENTIRE time we were in the museum

ELK, more ELK and BEARS... OH MY!

"It's not playing with me like Ollie does Mom :("

Francie checking out some of the highest rated Elk in history

Leaving Paws Up Ranch

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Monday we woke up early to get the most of our last day in camp. I was picking out a "morning outfit" (in case you haven't already figured out... she goes through a few outfits everyday) and found some sticks and leaves in the top drawer of the dresser. I had been finding sticks in with her clothes but figured Francie had been throwing things in when the drawers were open and hadn't thought twice. THIS time I realized she couldn't reach the to drawer and looked over at Heff like "Did you put this stuff in here?" He looked over and said... "That's a rat's nest." EWWWW. I HATE rats. Heff investigates, pulls a few drawers out and a PACK RAT jumps out at us!!! I grabbed Francie out of the crib and ran out of the tent. (so much for the "g" in glamping huh!?) Heff tears the cabin apart trying to get this little critter out and all of the staff were in our tent with brooms and boxes trying to round it up and get it out. At one point I saw it sticking it's little nose out from under the bed and to give it some credit, it was an outdoorsy type, squirrely looking thing, not like a sewer rat but still.... EW. SO even though we are late to breakfast and supposed to check out in a few hours I have to wash ALL of Francie's clothes!!

Francie's face after she saw the pack rat!

Naked girl playing in the river while Mom washes every article of clothing she has on the trip :)

Nothing like a naked baby butt sitting in the mud

Look at her cute dirt hand prints on her bum!

Dad splashing with the doodle

A view of our tent from the river

Francie thought this rafting boat was funny going by with a big pirate flag

Francie chilling in her high chair while we pack up the tent (no small task, you saw my bags)

We made it in time for granola pancakes and goat cheese omelets... The camp "butler" took us aside to apologize but said "I probably shouldn't say this, but if this had to happen I'm glad it happened to you guys!" What can you do... we were out in the "wild wilderness" :)

Leaving our little tent behind for the next adventure :)

We stopped back up at the main lodge for lunch on our way out and Francie couldn't believe her luck... Imogen and Jasper were there too!

When the "big kids" aren't even making her laugh anymore... it's time to go :)

"Which direction are we going now??"

Glamping Night Three (Sunday)

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We had a delicious dinner Sunday night at River Camp and got to talk to the other families... a nice family from LA with two pre-teenage boys, a couple from Oregon who were in the tent next to us (and said when they arrived they thought "Oh, a baby who will wake us up at night" but when we left said "Oh we love this baby!"), a family from the UK with CUTE little kids, a newleywed couple and some girls on a "girls week out" vacation. The staff were really nice too and made for a memorable trip.

Mom and Francie loving the glamping life

"Jasper" Francie's boyfriend at camp :) This family was from London but living in Massachusetts and were returning visitors to Paws Up. This kid was SO adorable... just imagine that face with a funny four-year-old UK accent!! (think "Charlie bit me!" video!)

Jasper giving Francie LOTS of hugs while big sister (equally adorable with her cute UK accent!) "Imogen" helps Francie stand up

Jasper wanted Francie to wear his cowboy hat:)

He had lots of lovin' for Francie-pants! (Heff was watching closely:)

Our last dinner at River Camp... the food was amazing, so was this peanut butter truffle pie dessert ;)

Francie agrees... she polished off this drumstick (kidding of course, Dad ate most of it:)

Francie loves the big kids! Imogen and Francie

Jasper again... keeping us very entertained!

"Can we bring them home with us Mom?"

Francie Goes Fly Fishing

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Sunday we set out on a family adventure to Ovando, Montana (about 20 miles north but an hour trip on dirt roads from Paws Up Ranch) to go fly fishing. Heff and I went fly fishing on our honeymoon and again last summer together so why not take Francie while we are here right! Heff strapped her in the "Sherpani" backpack (a gift from all my "yellow house" college roommates, thanks girls!) and we set out hiking up the river with our waders and gear.

"You mean I get to go try this fishing thing too?! Would Grandpa an Opa think this is safe?"

"I want you to catch FOUR FISH Dad."

Francie and Dad crossing the river (it looks deeper than it was, I promise we were safe)

Mom gives it her best shot... I mean cast

FISH ON!

This takes talent... big fish on the line, baby on the back and no net (it didn't really go with Francie's outfit) Let's see if Dad can pull this off...

Good work Daddy!

Francie notices a "fish out of water" and makes her "What does a fishy say" pucker noises!

Bye-bye fishy. catch and release...

"You mean dad just let my first fish swim away!? WHAT?" (I don't get it either, if I catch a fish I want to keep it!)

We hiked back to the truck and Francie konked out

while Heff and I devoured our much-earned sandwhiches for lunch on the tailgate

Leaving Ovando to head back to "Glamp"!

Francie's Glamping Trip ~ Day Two (Saturday)

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We woke up Saturday morning, crawled out of our heated down comforter beds and bundled up in the cold Montana morning for our gourmet breakfast in the River Camp mini-lodge.

Francie in her sweatsuit and Uggs at Breakfast (getting a little small for those big Simo-Heff feet!) ABA.... can you find the next size up please? :)

Dad getting his coffee fix... this was the River Camp dining area and that is our "camping chef" making omlettes and Huckleberry French Toast. I know, this is SO cheating!

"Mom... Where did Dad go?"

Heff got some time on the river to fly-fish Saturday after breakfast so Francie and I went to the "Cow Poke Corral" to check out the baby goats, cows and bunny rabbits the kids got to pet and bottle feed.

She got a little frustrated when they kept nibbling her fingers... who can blame the goats? Her chubby little fingers look just like their pellets!

Francie got to play in the sand with the big kids for awhile.... they were constructing "the world" making little sand continents with flags and lots of water moats in between.

"If that mother of mine isn't looking I can climb right in there and get these white jeans filthy dirty in no time...."

Francie-Do with her mom waving bye-bye to the goats

Steady on the rocks... ready for lunch

Francie and I had lunch on the grass at the main Lodge. I realized one of the perks of having a baby who can eat real food... you get to order stuff off the kids menu and eat most of it yourself! (Their chicken fingers were so much better than my fancy BLT:)

"Hey, are you eating MY food mom!?"

"OHHH... Dad just came back from the river and he caught two dozen fishys!"

Heff takes the Doodle down to play in the river. She loves making the rocks SPLASH in the water...

The Do loves her Dad! and vice versa :)

The view from camp

Holding on for dear life in that rushing river :)

The weather warmed up after breakfast but that water is COLD! I don't know how Francie could stand it but she kept climbing right in to play in the river

Cute dad :)

Looking for "heart shaped rocks" to take home to her Jannie for her collection

Mom's turn

"ENOUGH pictures already MOM!!"

"I'm done. What's next?"

Our tent cabin "Bitteroot" They were all named after Montana rivers, but another sign these Paws Up people aren't locals and might not be that well liked around these parts... Bitterroot supposed to be spelled with two R's. (we had a security guard at camp 24/7 to prevent people coming off the river and getting into trouble at camp:)

Dad jumped in his waders and into the river for another quick fish before dinner while I read my book and Francie took a little nap. Ahhh.... I see why they say Nap Time is the new happy hour.

Dinner at the Rver Camp Lodge... Francie made fast friends with the other kids there!

"OOOOH, the ribs sound delicious. I'll have that for dinner."

"Some salad fixings first from Dad's plate..."

"Then corn on the cob for my next course."

Time for the Camp Campfire...

Making friends with our fellow campers

"You mean I get S'mores AGAIN mom?!"

"I'll take one of those please."

SO many things to see from my perch on Dad's lap

Time for bed... gotta get a good night's sleep in for another day of Glamping!

Francie Goes Glamping

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We're back from our family adventure/vacation in Montana!

Late Thursday night we arrived in Missoula after some turbulence through a wind storm... Francie LOVED looking out the window on Dad's lap at the lights as we landed. And no, we don't travel light :)

We stayed at a hotel in Missoula Thursday night and were up early Friday morning to head to Greenough, Montana to The Resort at Paws Up for our "glamping" portion of the trip. (Glamping? you ask... glamour camping of course!) We drove through downtown Missoula and made a few stops (in our rental F150 pickup truck so we didn't look like complete tourists!) before we arrived at the ranch for lunch. Francie found the horses first

We checked in and found our way here to our "tent"

Now this is "Glamping!"

They had a great little crib with cowboy bedding for Francie "I could get used to this"

The tent before I unpacked. I am a little obsessive about unpacking EVERYTHING as soon as I get anywhere... I love having dressers in tents

Heff got down to business setting up his flies and fly rod for some fishing... the Blackfoot River (where they filmed "A River Runs Through It") was steps away from the deck of our tent

Francie took a nap, I got to play with my new lens and Dad got to fly fish... nobody was complaining.

Friday night there was a camp wide dinner at the main Lodge/restaurant called "Tank and Trough" with a live band and a crazy hatchet throwing guy on the lawn.

Francie made lots of new friends

Sangria and cowboy boots... (Dad took them off, he said she couldn't really walk in them but isn't fashion more important??)

Francie and I watching the music from the deck where we had dinner

Dinner on the lawn

Hanging out back at our tent after dinner (Sunset wasn't until after 9:30pm!)

Francie trying to work her way into my Leatherman case

Dad got to do a little more evening fly fishing

while Francie and I watched from our deck... I think she missed her Dad and was calling him back up :) And yes, they even had a high-chair and "Paws Up" bib in the tent for her!

Then we all went to the campfire at River Camp (where our tents were) and met the other 5 couples/families staying there with us. Francie tried her first S'more

She was a "Wild Banshee" as her dad calls her (yes even before we let her try marshmallows) and the marshmallows I roasted to a perfect golden brown waited too long for their Hersheys and Graham Crackers so my patient husband made me one after Francie fell asleep on me... he took my instructions very well :) YUM!

Whew... that was just the first day! Lots more to blog tomorrow :)

The Heffs at Lake Almanor

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More fun at the Lake! Mare and Heff with pro-golfer-to-be Spencer Flynn...

Saturday Francie and I went to the beach on the lake with Aunt Kat while Heff and Donald put Oma's new fishing boat in the water to give it a trial run. The smoke on the lake was crazy! There are something like 1,100 fires buring in Northern California and you could see it in the air... a little ash even fell on Francie's head on a walk!

Aunt Kat drinking down a cold Coors Light... Francie pounding some Sweet Potato Puffs

Then we got a little swing-time in at the park on our way back to the cabin

Heff and I snuck away for 9 holes of golf with Spencer and Brendon on Saturday afternoon... the course was jam packed with the damn deer!

Spencer told me when I saw him a the 4th of July party "I'm really good at golf" so I had to see him in action! He kept a very honest score card for himself "I got it in 13 that time!" and we had fun playing a very relaxed game of drinking, I mean golfing :)

Bucks on the Greens! Where is my shotgun? (kidding... kind of)

Wait the hole is the other way? Spencer told me he'd give me $10 from his piggy bank if I hit a deer... sorry Kristie, your son has been hanging out with me for too long!

"Hole in One... I mean Thirteen!"

The heart attack moment of the weekend was right after we took this picture... I put my camera in it's bag into the cart and took Spencer inside to get a soda. When we came out Heff and Brendon were in front of the club and and I jumped in the car with Heff. Only when we got back to the cabin did I realize I FORGOT MY CAMERA! Heff ran back to get it and it was gone. I was freaking out! We went back to the course AGAIN (it was 5 minutes away TG:) and asked everyone and anyone if someone had turned it in. It was looking bleak until finally we found it in a lost and found bin in a maintenance garage. I learned my lesson and will from now on wear my camera in a fanny pack. Always.

Francie's 4th of July ~ PARTY at the Weber's

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Friday afternoon we went to the West Shore to the Weber's cabin for a big 4th of July party with the Red Bluff crowd. Lots of red, white (no Kat, not talking about the wine) and blue and lots of fun!

Sutter, Madeline and Francie

In her 4th of July dress and saltwaters

Ronan is walking!

Playing with the big girls

The boys at the grill... Donald, Heff and Greg

Francie laughing with Dad

and partying with Shana, Jane and Trisha

The twins in tandem poses :)

Mary, Kat and Kristie

Kendall in her bubble suit looks like a big girl this summer

I tried to tuck Francie's dress up in her bow so she could crawl around... now it looks like a bubble suit too :)

The Flynn's (Kristie, Eva and Brendon) in their 4th shirts the kids tye-dyed in the morning

More Flynn kids on the rock by the lake

Jane Flynn (the matriarch) with her little girls Eva and Mary Claire

All the Flynn's!

Heff and Francie with Sutter and Spencer

Greg and Trish... only 3 months until their wedding!

Getting some love from Oma

Madeline was a machine with the water gun :)

Trish, Mare, Francie, Kristie and Katherine

Happy 4th of July!

Red...

White...

And Blue!

Francie's 4th of July ~ Out On the Boat

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We had a great long weekend up at Lake Almanor with the Heffernan crowd for Francie's first 4th of July. We drove up Thursday afternoon to Claire and Tom's cabin to meet Katherine, Donald, Mark, Sarah, Jacob, Cathleen, Margaret, Ronan, Tom and Claire. As usual we had lots of good meals, some family games, walks, bike rides and beach fun. Thursday night we were greeting on arrival with a big family meal ready to sit down to on the patio.

Friday morning we went out on a patio boat to try some fishing. Dad researched online to find Francie a "US Coast Guard approved" pink lifevest for the trip. (Safety First... and Second :)

It accentuates her chipmunk cheeks!

Francie snuck in a nap on the boat while Mom and Aunt Kat got some sun and gossip in

Dad hanging out with his wife and baby while Donald commands the boat

Donald and Katherine

Oma takes a break from fishing

The Heffs

Wind blown Doodle

Not a bad way to spend the 4th of July

Back on dry land with Mom and Aunt Kat ready for lunch

With cousin Margaret and a sleeping cousin Ronan

Francie in her bikini playing on the grass after the big boat trip...

"Mom, if I suck in does my buddha belly look smaller?"

Walking with her Oma

Happy First 4th Francie :)

Kids on the Block

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Wednesday night we caught up with the neighbors on the sidewalk. The babies crawled all over the place (cute little Ruby in the picture above is only 8 days older than Francie!) and Emma talked her secret baby-language talk to them. Emma cracks me up, when I told her our dog had died while I was holding Francie Emma said "If your dog died why is Francie so happy?" and when I told her Francie didn't really understand yet she said "Oh. Well do you want me to tell her!?" and proceeded to say straight to Francie "Do-do-blah-blah-blah-la-la. La-la-la." and looked at me and said "Now she gets it." before running back in her house. She is hilarious!

Emma getting a kiss from Francie...

Francie and I with Emma!

Francie was a little dirty after crawling up and down the sidewalk all night so she got her first real bath in the big tub without a baby bathtub inside it! Such a big girl...

Her top tooth is about to break through, you can see a tiny little white blister... She didn't seem too bothered by it until it was time for bed and she was screaming her head off so Dad saved her to read her favorite book one more time. Can you see the big tears still in her eyes!