Saturday Night Out

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Saturday Night was our neighborhood Cocktail Party. The party was a Vegas theme and was a really fun night hanging out with our neighbors (without the kiddies for once!), drinking Prosecco and a little gambling of course! Last year we hosted the "Caribbean Party" at our house- we have a fun group of parents in our neighborhood and it's always a fun night!

The girls in their bubble suits (thanks Kat!) before we left... Francie went over to Jannie and Grampa's and Maisie tagged along with her parents

Maisie is ready for the party

she hung out in the sling with me most of the night... her little feet hung out to keep her cool!

Heff and our "McKendry Curve" neighbors Miles and Ben

...and their wives Chrissie and Sandra with Maisie and I

Some of the party planners



Shuffle up and deal!

Lemonade Anyone?

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This weekend was HOT in Menlo Park (99 degrees!) and our house turns into a sauna when it's hot so we just tried to stay cool... Francie helped our neighbor Owen with his Lemonade stand, she got the hang of the collecting money from strangers part pretty quickly ;)

Heff and Maisie were good customers ;)

After the Lemonade Stand we brought out the baby pool and hung out in the backyard

big stretch

Heff practiced shooting his crossbow and Francie said "good job dad."

Ruffle bum

Francie wanted to change Maisie's diaper "A-self"

and we brought out the silly bath bucket and the potty too ;)

Warm Nights

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The weather has been so nice... summer is here! Thursday night Maisie and I walked down to the market to get a few things for dinner while Dad and Francie were out on a run. Despite the multitude of strollers cluttering our house I needed room for the groceries and Maisie just wanted to be held so I packed her in the Bjorn and carried the radio flyer wagon behind me :)

We brought back some strawberries for the Little Doo

Maisie hung out in her bouncy when we were making dinner

and Francie put on her apron to help Mom cook quesadillas

yummmmmm... Francie is quite the chef ;)

and played peek-a-boo with Dad after dinner

Friday morning we hung out in our PJ's most of the morning :) Francie called her Jannie on mom's phone to say "good morning!"

and my "Little Ham"

Silly Sister

Thursday Lunch

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Thursday Maisie and I met six other moms for lunch at the Red Currant in Allied Arts... most of us left the toddlers at home for a slightly more enjoyable lunch date with friends :) Maisie and two other babies were there and Leo represented the older crowd and was a perfect gentleman the whole 2+ hour lunch.

Our lunch spot: the red currant

Maisie happy in her stroller while I got to eat

Leo representing the "first children"

"Utah!" Paige (you're so POISED Paige!?... haha;)

Off to pick up big sista

Shopping with Em

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Friday afternoon we picked up Emmy at SJSU after her last final (YAY EM!) and celebrated at our favorite spot... the slightly-ghetto-but-best-kid-stores-mall at Valley Fair and had lunch at CPK to top it off- table for four with Maisie for the first time! Em and I are experts at this mall... we hit up our favorites and found a few things for the girls. No "Picture People" photo op today but maybe next time ;) Thanks for a fun day Em!

Sansie driving the Hot Dog truck... no swine flu on these things!

and on our way home after stopping to change a diaper in the 'family lounge'...

Lounging Around and Playing with Friends

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This little girl is all leg (I see now why her ultrasound "femur" measurements were always 2 weeks ahead of everything else)

Wednesday we had a playdate with Francie's friend Rose and mom's friend Lena... the girls were in their matching PaperLili "sparkles" outfits that Francie says "Rose give her" :)

We loved their giant "circle chair" for reading books and strumming the guitar- thanks for the concert big brother Adam!

Lena took this picture of Maisie-Moo... my little baldy is getting pretty good at holding her head up!

both girls fell fast asleep when we got home from our lunch date.

Francie pulled her "silhouette picture" Emmy made her of the shelf to sleep with ;)

Maisie relaxed with me on the couch

this is the life

Date Night

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Wednesday night Heff and I went out without babies for our first date night since Maisie was born! It was really nice, we walked downtown Palo Alto for sushi while Jannie and Emmy watched the girls at our house. (and yes those are roadies in Heff's hands) Sushi and Beer... so fun not to be pregnant! We had a nice night out thanks to Jannie an Emmy, who reported a fun evening with their grand-daughter/goddaughter duo... thank you guys!

Leaving the girls in charge! (Jannie is mid "cheese!" trying to get Francie to smile ;)

Emmy told me she was a "Maisie hog" and held her almost the whole time... Maisie sits and stares at Emmy forever, she loves her godmom!

Jannie took Francie duty :)

Maisie got lots of time to bond with her godmother


and Francie got a bath from her Jannie

Heff and I had a GREAT quiet date night but were glad to get home to our baby girls!

Francie all clean and giving out the kisses to Maisie too

Then Sansie got a special treat... Emmy and Jannie took her for a "Slumba Party"!! A whole night with only ONE baby to take care of sure was a breeze ;) Thanks again girls, we'll have to do that more often!

Tuesday Playgroup

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Tuesday afternoon (Francie's favorite day second only to "Thursday Nastas") we went to our friends Mary Catherine & Darerca's house for playgroup. They had yummy snacks and tea for the moms and kiddies and lots of toys to keep them entertained. All of these moms in our playgroup have been so nice and are still bringing meals over... we are spoiled! The kids have fun together and it's great to see the same group every week. Thanks for hosting MC!

Sansie on the slide

Darerca's turn

Elijah looking for trouble

Mary Catherine helping Darerca and Francie figure out whose pink Croc's are whose

Isaac... all boy with the footballs/soccer balls one minute to happily serving up tea the next!

Katie loved the babies

Wyatt and Maisie... the newest additions

and while we were watching the cute babies in their carseats... these two were kissing over tea cups! Francie has a thing for Isaac ;) He kept shaking his head all crazy and when he'd stop Francie would say "Do it Isaac! Do it!" T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

Mother's Day Weekend in Red Bluff

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We went up to Red Bluff Thursday night through Sunday for Mother's Day Weekend. Oma and Opa had all three of their sons (Brian, Mark & Craig) with their wives and baby girls at the house for the weekend! It was great to see the youngest granddaughters together. We had a shower for Aunt Kat (Heff's sister who lives in Red Bluff) who is getting married in two months. Her fiance, Donald's family came down from Oregon for the shower so it was fun to meet his mom, aunt and grandmother too. We hung out around the house passing around babies, played with the ponies, goats and chickens and were entertained by Isabel and Francie as usual. We brought my devil-dog Ollie up with us and he tried to help Oma with her ground squirrel problem... Heff took matters into his own hands though and brought our his crossbow to attack the problem! It was a great weekend in Red Bluff :)

The Flynns came over for dinner Friday night- Francie and Isabel loved playing with the big girls

Everyone checking out the finished product ~ Oma's new chicken coop with 6 little teenager hens

Madeline (Heff's goddaughter) holding Maisie, she is so sweet with babies and very patient with the toddlers

Heff and Kristie Flynn

Thing 1 and Thing 2


Andrea was working away to put the finishing touches on quilts she made for Maisie and for Clara... they are beautiful, she put in a lot of work to make them! Thanks Aunt Andrea (or as Francie was calling her 'Uncle Dre-a"

Donald's Mom, Susan, kept Maisie very happy

Silly Sansie in her PJ's but nowhere near ready for bed :)

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Saturday started out with a dip in the spa

Kat steering clear of the splashing monsters, looking pretty for her shower!

Maisie snoozing on Susan

Aunt Kat and Francie snacking at the shower at Cathleen's house next door

time for presents

I am at a loss for words on this picture... I'm sure you are too.

Good thing sweet little Maisie was inside sleeping through her Dad's squirrel tirade

Nugget the Pony is trying to sneak a peak at someone's bare bum!
(Isabel preferred to run around in only croc's and a hair bow for the afternoon :)

Oma's mother's day gift the boys put together... a trellis for upside down hanging tomatoes! Trying to outwit those darn squirrels. Maybe Oma just needs to get a crossbow?

Susan and I made Kat and Donald endure an engagement photo shoot... they are a cute couple!
as Kat says: "He's a little bit country and she's a little bit rock and roll!"



Can't wait for the wedding!

Craig and Andrea down by the barn

Ronan and Margaret

Great look France

loving her new headband flower bow

Oma and her four youngest grand-daughters: Francie, Clara, Maisie and Isabel

Great Grandma with the babes... Francie was off throwing a fit because someone was holding "Mom's Baby" and refused to get in the picture

My Little-over-protective-drama-queen ;) still upset even though Maisie is back in my arms

Family shots... The Brian Heffernans ;)

The Craig Heffernans (Craig, Andrea, Isabel 20 months and Number Two Due in September!)

Silly parents...

just like Izza-bizza :)

The Mark Heffernans (Sarah and Clara Marie- 6 weeks old!)

The girls took a sunset walk down to the barn to check on their favorite pony Nuggie

Mom and her Doo

Aunt Kat entertaining the troops before dinner... Kindergarten songs are their favorite!

Daddy and his littlest love

Bathtime. Playing at the barn all day gets a baby DIRTY!

All clean and snuggling with dad... in matching PJ's of course! (oh I am in heaven :)

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Sunday morning pony ride with Oma and Dad

Ronan, Francie and Isabel sharing the beloved helmets

Taking turns

The love affair continues...

patiently waiting

comparing belly buttons


"I don't think that bike was made to fit a 6 foot 9 silly uncle"

Mother's Day Dinner Out

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Sunday night when we got home from Red Bluff (post to follow after I edit hundreds of pictures ;) we unpacked, changed clothes and headed up to San Francisco. We had dinner in North Beach with Jannie, Grampa, James and Em, Jerry and Ann & Earl Skidmore to celebrate Mother's Day. We ate at a place called Joey & Eddie's, family style italian food and little did we know it was "Rat Pack" night. Frank Sinatra sang to Francie at our table a few times ("You make me feel so young... really, REALLY young!") and she loved it. I had a great Mother's Day with my mother-in-law, my mom and my girls!!

Jannie with Francie and Ann with Maisie (she kept her sleeping quietly almost all of dinner!)

Emily, James, Jerry and my Dad

Earl, Heff and Mary

Oops. Camera phone doesn't always work like you want it to. But it was a delicious dinner and a fun night out in San Francisco!

What Is This Thing!?

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We (my mom and I, Heff had no part of this) got sucked into the hype on the Prince Lionheart WashPOD (it was on the Today Show :) and bought this baby bucket thing to give Maisie a bath. It was a little weird!! The idea is it replicates the "womb" and they submerge in warm water up to their chest while curled in the fetal position... hummm sounds like a decent idea but how do you hold their head up and wash their little bodies all at the same time?

Slip sliding away

"Thank you for saving me from that thing."

all clean :)

Lounging

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I put the little stinker in a "crib time out" for who-knows-what the other day... I hadn't managed to get her dressed yet so she was only in her diaper. I checked on her a few minutes later (ok, maybe a lot of minutes- I was enjoying the peace and quiet) she had pulled her diaper off and was lounging naked reading her Carl book. Oh what a life ;)

and she managed to rip her board book and when she finally noticed me standing over her taking pictures she handed it to me and said "Mom- Fix it."

Emmy's Team Party

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Sunday night my parents hosted Emmy's SJSU soccer team and their families for the end of the year banquet and awards. We are all so proud of Emmy of course who was honored as the Offensive MVP and Overall MVP! She'll be a senior next season and we can't wait for the games. Francie thinks she is the team mascot and loves all the soccer girls. She is always asking about "Emmy's socc-a friends names is?" and was talking up a storm and telling them all her stories. The girls are all so sweet- it as a fun night.

attitude (two girls Emmy went to high school with and hadn't seen in a while MADE these cute bows for Francie! They saw on her blog that she loved to take pictures of kids and figured out Francie loves bows so they made a whole set of cool bows for Francie and her photo shoots.. what nice friends!)

"Who are all these people?"

Katsy, Mimi and Jannie take a minute out of cooking and serving to pose with Maisie

Swinging with her sister (I was going for Spartan yellow and blue but pink always finds it's way in there too :)

Francie grew out of her favorite Lucky jeans Emmy gave her... she went for True Religions this time :)

Emmy and Aunt Mimi with the girls

Sitting with Emmy and Drew for the awards

Riding on Dad's shoulders... Mare, John and Em

Sunday Morning at the Olson's

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We made it out the door for 9:30 mass Sunday morning with the girls in their first (of many!) matching outfits! My mom's friend Jeanette gave these cute dresses to the girls, I love matching sister dresses ;) Our friends the Olsons invited us over for bagels after church- they live a few blocks away and have three really sweet kids- the youngest, Ruby, is a week older than Francie. The kids had fun playing while we caught up on the latest happenings in the neighborhood. Thanks Olsons!

Ruby, Luke, Francie and Lily

Maisie slept through the fun

Yummy bagels

Cute Ruby

Big sister Lily

Jess teaching Francie's doll Pat-a-cake

Mom and her girls