Whitney's Birthday on the Ranch

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Wednesday we went out to Morgan Hill to Dea's Ranch to celebrate Whitney's birthday! She wanted a cowgirl party out on the ranch and even had a pony and little petting zoo come out for the kids. We were happy to be included (especially since Whitney's cousins alone are just about double digits now!) It was a FUN day.

Cowgirl lunch

My cute godson James and his cowboy brother Wil

Cowboys are too cool for photos Aunt Mary!

Maisie Moo taking things in

My man Joe

Stella snacking on PB&J

MaryFrances

The grandmoms Arlene and Jannie with the birthday girl's Mom, Nancy

Cowboys on the fence

On her way down to play with the big kids on the swingset

WOAH Nellie!

Stella Stink Eye

Maisie and I enjoying our chili

Kids and chickens

Whitney watching the action

Sofia taking care of her little cousin

Giddy Up Whitney

Maddie wants my camera

Outlaws

What is that look Francie Pants?

Me and my girls

waiting on the PONY

skeptical

Jannie and Nellie

"Don't forget about me!"

Petting zoo

Guniea pigs, fancy chickens and bunny rabbits

Janna and Stella- due with number FOUR in a month!

"LOOK it's a pony!!!" (That just hopped out of a VAN!! :)

"Where's my hat mom?"

"That's better"

Lil' Cowgirl

Just chewing on some hay

The birthday girl gets the first pony ride

Yee-haw

While the big kids waited in line for a ride- Maisie Moo snuck in with the animals

Big Guy Joe

Let me outta here

More Pony Rides




Nellie, Julie, Jannie and Maisie

France on "Shorty"

Adorable Nellie

Running wild

Trying to get a group shot

Francie with "big girl envy"

Cowboy James with a Cowboy Scowl

Closest we got

Time for handwashing

That's right - no more licking your dirty hands Ms France

This day just gets better! Decorating mini cakes...

Look who wants some too- going for it.

Her favorite part

The beautiful birthday girl

Presents!

Stella :)

Silly boys

What a good big brother

All tuckered out

But before we left I had to broker a PIG from the fair :) The meat was finally cured/smoked/butchered up for Janna and Molly

Lobster Feed

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Sunday night we went to a really amazing Lobster Feed to benefit NVCSS in Red Bluff. They cooked the fresh lobster in huge pots outside with artichokes, red potatoes, huge shrimp, corn on the cob, garlic, onions and seasoning- all in the same pot. Then they had everyone stand back, push in their chairs and they poured it all out on the table to feast- or feed- on! Claire and Jane helped with the event and did a great job, it was a really fun night.

Ready for the feed

Lobster pots

Maisie cozy-ed up sleeping when we got there

Brian, Oma and Maisie (she didn't sleep for long)

The event was a benefit for Northern Valley Catholic Social Services

Madeline and Ella babysat Francie for us :)

Brendon and Kristie pouring wine (I don't know how they were still standing after giving tours & selling Olive Oil all day then jumping into pouring wine all night!)

They honored Veterans that night

Patty and Ella kidnapped Maisie and kept her happy!

These guys had the timing down to the second

YUM

Outta hot water

A lemon wedge appetizer

Stand back- here it comes!

They also threw down some french bread, melted butter, mayo and lemons...

Ready for everybody to sit

Silly Aunt Kat's lost a claw!

Oma likes hers

Even Francie got in on the action

That's a lobster feed

Madeline snuck some popsicles from the office :)

Uncle Rick's pile of carnage

The girls waiting to see if our keys opened the treasure box

That was fun! We headed out and drove back home after the dinner-
thanks for treating us Oma!

First Crush Pacific Sun Olive Oil Party

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Before the Crush party, Sunday morning we went to 8:30 mass to hear Claire and Cathleen sign in the choir! Francie said "Good job Oma." Sacred Heart is such a pretty church and it was a nice mass with all the music. Francie got an A from Dad (he said he didn't hand out the "plus" because of a few little yelps but for the most part they behaved.

We saw this new "Sugar Shack Cafe" downtown Red Bluff and thought of our friend Suzi and the Menlo Park Sugar Shack! Too bad it was closed on Sunday morning... because more people don't want breakfast then anyway right?

Then to the First Crush Party! Pacific Sun throws a Crush Party every year and invite people to come see the Olive Oil Mill and processing plant, enjoy good food and music, sample the olive oils and balsamic vinegars and just have some fun. People even get to pick their own olives in the orchard and turn them into their own blend of olive oil. Pretty cool!

The line to sample and buy the Olive Oil varieties

Madeline took Francie to play as soon as we got there

Aunt Kat and I sampled the red wines

The Tri-Tip sandwhiches were delish, Francie gobbled up the "Rocky meat"

Francie dancing in front of the band- they were good!

Touring the Olive Oil Mill where they process the olives

They go from this....

to this!

We LOVE Pacific Sun Olive Oil :)

I don't know what kind of face Francie is making here - but we had a fun day at Pacific Farms. Home to nap then BACK to Gerber for the Lobster Feed....

Red Bluff Ranch Parties

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We were back up in Red Bluff this weekend for a "Trifecta" of ranch parties at Pacific Farms- the Flynn Family ranch operation that Tom used to manage in his farming days. It was quite a social affair in Gerber! One party Saturday and two parties Sunday... I'll have to blog each one...

The first was the Ranch Party at Pacific Farms for all the farm workers and families- they treat all of their employees like family and throw this party every year

Kristie, Spencer, Heff and Maisie

Madeline and her friend Payton

Who is the tallest 11 year old girl I've ever seen :)

Tractoring with the big kids

Tamales, enchiladas and a whole yummy mexican feast

Oma, Patty, Ella and the girls at the craft table

Happy girl with Patty and a spoon

Flynn cousins MaryClaire and Ava

Hay ride through the orchards!

Kat with the girls on the crazy hayride

Madeline and Payton

Back home Saturday afternoon- time for a pony ride on Nugget and Paco the donkey tagged along

happy face under a helmet (I don't know what she loves more- that she gets to ride a pony with her Oma....

or that she HAS to wear a helmet

Dad walks behind... just in case

Double Trouble

Smooches

Putting away her saddle

Back up in the tack room

"When is it my turn?"

Say CHEESE Santi!!

Katherine cooked up a gourmet feast for us all- 5 courses all from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

we all got into the action torching the creme brulee :) YUMMY, thanks Kat!

Playing Around

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The girls were hanging out in "their" new room Friday... it was a rainy day but we ventured out for some errands (Target, my fav) and kept ourselves busy.

Francie found a tie pink tie "like Grampa's!" (not "like Daddy's" as I would have said when I was little... my Dad still wears a suit and tie to work every single day! Heff dresses a little more casual but still looks handsome going to work every morning ;)

Francie thinks she is a little fashionista

"What is that sister of mine wearing?"

"Can you share your shoes with Maisie?"

"Ok I guess... Here Maise, want to try on my special shoes?!"

"Let me see if this is the wrong foot..."

"Wait... NO! No eating my shoes Maisie!"

"We all know she's not gonna let me wear those shoes"

Back in possession

"Aw, almost had um."

Has to put them on herself

Crazy girl in her crazy get-up

We went for early dinner at Carpaccio's... like really early so I could bring my monster double stroller in the dining room :) But it was just as delicious

and THEN Heff was "a rockstar" as Francie says and encouraged me to head up to the city with Christian for a girls night out on the town! I packed up all of our stuff for Red Bluff quickly, got dressed in my best black-city-going outfit and drove up to SF w Christian at 10pm. He had the girls overnight all by himself so we could stay in the city and not drive home! What a Dad :) Christian and I had fun living it up and Heff picked me up at 8:00am in SF to head straight up to Red Bluff. Of course I didn't take any pictures but had to note that Dad did a great job with both baby girls overnight. Thanks Heff.

Ready for bed in her big girl bed thanks to Dad!

A Busy Day in MP

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Wednesday we pretty much lived downtown Menlo Park! Nothing new about that but here is our day in pictures...

Francie got to try Rose's fancy new footboard for the G2 Orbit stroller- we met Lena and Rose for an early (for me!) breakfast at Stacks on The Cruz downtown Menlo Park

it's like a skateboard, so cool!

We went by Le Cirque (obv) and the girls took over the holiday window display

live child models

watch out Maise

then we had lunch at Cafe Baronne's with Lindsey (Isaac was at school what a big boy!) Parvin and Jasmine. Just making the downtown Menlo Park rounds :)

I think swine flu lives in that water

Silly girls

at home to re-group before dinner... I might have let them watch a little Mickey so I could actually get some chores done around the house (usually we watch Mickey's Clubhouse "only when we wake up" in the morning but Francie tries to lay down and fake fall asleep during the day then say "I just woke up! Mickey!!"

Then Wednesday night we had dinner over at our friends Lucy and Don Imwalle's house... Max and Reed were quite the little hosts sharing all their cool toys

I told them to "put your heads near the blocks so I can take a picture of you together!" This is what they did.

as close as I could get (this time, a spider in the camera = better idea)

Maisie can't believe she gets to hang out with the big kids!

"Hey, where did they all go?"

and maybe a little more MICKEY while we ate dinner :) Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog....

zombies

A kiss for Reed before we left- thanks Imwalles!!

More Ballet

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We had ballet again this week and didn't have the usual entourage of at least Jannie, Emmy and Dad to watch (but Heff made it over to hold Maisie while "Mommy and Me" danced! He is so cute through the glass smiling from ear to ear watching Francie so serious about her ballet moves :) Francie thinks she is quite the ballerina... she tries to mimic everything the teacher does but her interpretation is hilarious! These were some photos from last week Emmy took of Francie in her Halloween ballet getup.

Always checking to see if her audience is appropriately enthralled

"I am a BIG, OLD TREE!"

Maisie the Pumpkin Baby watching and waiting til one day she too can dance

time for pinwheels and "free dance" (even more hilarious)

yay!

Good job my uncoordinated little ballerina

Look Who's Standing

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Crazy Maisie Moo! Now when I come in the girls room (they are officially sharing with Maisie in the big girl crib and Francie in the toddler bed- we graduated from the "camp bed" sleeping bag on the floor in various places around our house, we'll see if it lasts!) The only problem is now she gets stuck standing up and grips the railing with all her might until you come save her :)

Oh happy baby

"Now get me outta here Mom!"

Lunch with Friends

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Tuesday we went to lunch with Jannie and some of Kaky's friends she grew up with who came for a little visit. Our old favorite Red Currant restaurant at Allied Arts Guild closed a couple months ago but the new place that re-opened "Cafe Primavera" is even better (they like kids now ;) Then Tuesday night Heff and I had a benefit dinner and Jannie had the nerve to have a dinner planned with her friends ;) So Grampa babysat Francie for the night, they hit up the toy store and got a new Minnie Mouse doll and talking Mickey toy and then had dinner together at the Oasis and played pinball... she loved it! Maisie got to have a date with her BFF Christian and I picked her up snuggled in an adult size cozy Little Giraffe blanket on Christian's couch next to her little doggies- she looked pretty happy but might have screamed for awhile- sorry!!

Francie walked herself to the gate ready to go. She insisted on bringing her suitcase full of clothes she packed herself. I told her we didn't need to bring all that and she pleaded "YES Mom, I need them in case I PEE!"

and a basket of wooden fruit to make Jannie lunch

Maisie saw me sneak both items back inside while Francie wasn't looking ;)

Maisie wore Emmy's dress

and Francie woke up to a berry parfait

Jannie and the girls

Carol Ann, Jannie, Francie and Joan

My big girl!

Farm Girls

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I caught up on the craziness of Halloween weekend and found more pictures from Red Bluff. Here are a few more scenes from the day after Opa's party... the calm before the storm when a flu bug hit 22 of 40 people that were there on Sunday!!! Isabel started throwing up Sunday night and by Monday people were dropping like flies... we narrowly escaped somehow!

Taking turns reading the girls their books

Going for a bucket ride with Oma!

Heff drove them around

Andrea and Thomas

they call him Tomcsi (Hungarian for Tom-chi)

Pony ride time

Double Trouble

Snuggling with their Oma

Madeline got to stay over (on a SCHOOL NIGHT!) for a sleepover! We love her :)

as do all of the little girls

funny faces

Baby face

Isabel loves her zumi

Happy Birthday Opa

Monday morning Ellie took the girls on a nature walk

collecting acorns

on the move

Fun cousins

Playing with Paco the new Miniature donkey

Hugs for Paco (who apparently says "Hee-haw! I want my MAW!" when Nugget leaves!)

"WHy do they all like the dirt so much? Way cleaner up here."

Nice donkey

Kate attempting to hypnotize the donkey

and got a big sloppy kiss instead!

she still loves him

Nugget is back from school and can drive Oma's cart now!

Francie thought that was pretty cool

Tag team on Nugget (Francie not so happy about this, Maisie loves it)

until the next visit to The Bluff!

James & Em are.... ENGAGED!!

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YAY!!! I am so happy for my brother and Emily. If you didn't guess already by my not-so-sly suspenseful posts... James surprised Em at her birthday brunch to propose to her! James told me a few weeks ago he was planning this. He had the ring made and was trying to figure out exactly how to pull off a surprise birthday proposal- it was pretty cute :) He asked Em's dad, my Dad, Heff, my brother Jerry and their good friend Bammer to come up for it too. James and I were texting all morning- keeping the secret was killing me (and Marla and my mom who knew too!) But James did a great job pulling off a very "James&Em" engagement...

The spectators

James with nervous hands maybe? ;)

and they head outside...

and I think these speak for themselves...

everybody watching (and screaming!) from inside






Step back James, here come the girls!

Congratulations hugs for her Godfather

future father-in-law

Father of the bride-to-be

Marla checks out the ring (she helped James design it at Hirzel's in Menlo Park!)

It's gorgeous! Good job James

so excited

and CONGRATULATIONS JAMES & EM!!!

Happy Birthday Em ~ Part I

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Sunday morning we celebrated Auntie Em's 27th birthday at Rosewood with a Ladies Brunch- hats required! Emily planned a great day for the girls to help celebrate her birthday and friends flew in for the weekend to join in the festivities. Maisie tagged along in her party dress (thanks Sarah Coogan!) and her hat too! It was a fun morning and a surprise was in store.....

The table looked pretty

Em and Maisie Moo (who wore her fancy 'head dress' too!)

some of the ladies

Em's sister Marla and Mom

Em and I with my flowery head piece I borrowed from Christian's Kentucky Derby wardrobe stash!

out on the patio- it was 75 degrees this weekend for some reason

Jannie and Em

Em surrounded by her friends (a bunch flew up from southern california- what nice friends :)

Jan and Mare (looking awky attempting to pose in heels/with the Paris arm ;)

Brunching

Crawling (fully on all fours now!)

With the birthday girl

Awww. Jannie got some rare Maisie time and rocked her right to sleep

Jackson game with birthday balloons!

and then my brother James, Joe, My Dad, Heff & Francie joined the party....

and stay tuned for PART 2 ~ The big surprise!! Can you guess? ;)

Halloween 09

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Francie was SO excited to be Minnie Mouse for Halloween- she borrowed Emma's old costume which made it even more awesome (for her and for me) Maisie was the Itsy Bitsy Spider and I was her web :) We hit downtown Menlo Park during the day for the town parade and festival at the park then walked around downtown through their naps in the stroller before heading home to get ready for the Courson's Halloween party in West Menlo, back to the Willows to Trick-or-treat and then hosting a little afterparty at our house!

Minnie ("I'm not Francie anymore") in he carseat heading to the parade

We met the crowd on Santa Cruz Ave and missed the procession from the park- cheaters ;)

Downtown in front of Le Cirque

Stopping in after the festival in the park (forgot to take pics) to visit Christian

Maisie with a rose-studded headband she borrowed from Summer

Summer-Snow-White

Itsy Bitsy

Sleeping Beauty? Oh no, Minnie Mouse ;)

Crazy clown giving out candy!

Home... quick change.... and who did my husband turn into??

FRANKENSTEIN!!!!

We took his old black work boots to the cobbler where they added 6 inches and shined um up!!

A little green facepaint, oversized jacket from Goodwill with hockey pads underneath and the neck bolts Heff put together right before the party with Francie's old headband, paint, bolts and zip ties.

Heff and Steve (guess who he borrowed the Laderhosen from last weekend?!)

Minnie found the bounce house

Heff with the host- Mike Courson

Francie has never really eaten a PB&J before until Amy had them cut into dinosaur shapes- Francie ate two. Brilliant idea Amy!

Max the fireman and Minnie raiding the juice box stash

The Heffs- Maisie was not a fan of Dad in scary face paint! She wouldn't let him change her diaper at home and is looking up at him like he's crazy here

Back home in her snuggly hat to trick-or-treat

We set out with Ben and Alexa- Curious George and The Man in the Yellow Hat

Francie's first trick-or-treat house experience :) at the Ewers

Amazing pumpkin!

Next house- full size candy bars on a silver platter! The legend of the street I had to see to believe

We made it almost to the end of the street and then caught up with Emma and her big-girl friends... that was all we needed to be lured home

party time