Emma's Hope Musical

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This morning we went to Emma's Hope Musical summer camp "day of the show." This year they performed The Sound of Music and Emma played Brigitta- one of the VonTrapp kids! We sat in the back but Francie sat enthralled on the edge of her seat holding the flowers she had picked almost the whole time. Maisie lasted an hour on my lap (watching only when they sang!), climbing in chairs and trying to escape down the isle. We went to LuLu's for lunch after the show and got to catch up with our very much missed neighbors!

Arriving at the theater - Francie was sooo excited to see a "real" show

The performance (from the second to last row :)

LuLu's lunch crew

Francie thinks she is such a big kid around this crowd

after a long lunch in the sun (and Maisie taking a short siesta on my shoulder) we headed home for real naps. Francie BETTER not be transitioning out of naptime- it's my saving grace! But a couple days in Black Butte she went the whole day without a nap- one day coming out of the room WITH Maisie (who she somehow managed to get over and out of the pack and play) saying "Hey guys- look who I found!" and when I asked her if she napped she said "No. I was just too busy."

So it's a struggle but she usually still gives in pretty easily if we catch the 3-6pm window and I (with my "mole arm" of course) lay down with her for a while. Here was the view from nap time today when she took over my iPhone

Silly Little Stinker

Wow Wow Wedding

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Last Saturday Heff and I left the girls at the beach with everyone and drove back over the hill for the wedding of one of my best friends from high school and college- Renee Robinson. Renee was a star basketball player at Sacred Heart and we became good friends freshman year in science class trying to keep her in line and from offending our hippie teacher too much. We both took the same van from the train station to school sophomore year and then once I got my license I drove her to school everyday. She played bball for UVA and I went to W&M in Virginia about 2 hours away so I saw a lot of her in college. We couldn't be more different (a teacher once asked us "you guys are REALLY friends?") but we've stayed good friends for a long time!

Renee married her girlfriend of 6+ years, Skelly. They were pronounced "hersband and wife"!

It was a GORGEOUS setting for a wedding at the home of a family Renee trains and coaches basketball for their kids (that is a private 3 hole gold course in the background!)

The theme for the wedding was "black and white" and all guests were asked to wear black and white (not black tie) on their black and white basketball ticket stub invitation. Here is Renee coming down for the ceremony with her nephew LJ. I wanted to whisper "tie your tie thing Renee!" but apparently this was the look ;)

NaNa and the preacher (an athletic dept tutor she became friends with in college who said "like most people when I first met Renee- I didn't like her. She's hard, abrasive and rude." WOW! It's kind of true but we all love Renee!

Bridesmaids and.... I'm not sure what you call groomswomen (there was one brave guy!)

and the bride's two daughters who stole the show- they were so pretty and a lot of fun. And both so supportive and happy for their mom and Renee (even though they told me she is "strict!")

The bride Skelly in black and white escorted by her son

The wedding party

They did a really nice heartfelt exchange of vows

and that's it! 'Hersband' and wife :)

Let the party begin!






Cutting the cake!

The Guestbook

bathrooms were here by the INDOOR pool!


Renee and Skelly are both basketball refs. They had 12 professional WAC and PAC-10 refs at the wedding!

and there is a really, really, really good story behind stage left. I can't blog it.

The host giving a really nice touch about Renee, saying she was a great role model for his children to learn hard work

Maid of Honor giving a toast

Renee introducing their family

CONGRATULATIONS NANA and SKELLY! :) Thanks for letting us be a part of your big day.

At The Beach

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After our Oregon vacation and a nine hour drive we stopped at home for three hours, did a load of laundry, packed up some sand toys and hit the road again! My parents rented a great beach house in Aptos for a week with all of my siblings, fiances/girlfriends, and my Dad's brother Bill, his wife Tere and their family. Jimmy, their oldest, and his wife Erin have an adorable new baby Mick who is six months old. We've been relaxing, playing games, lots of poker tournaments, reading, playing beach volleyball and running in the waves. Foggy in the mornings but it's been burning off by early afternoon everyday! (and as usual thanks for the pics Emmy :)

This is the cool outdoor sleeping porch upstairs on the deck with five bunk beds! Heff and Francie had a sleepover out there one night.

My Aunts threw a wedding shower for Baby Ann and Pat on Sunday afternoon at the beach house

more pics coming up...

BBR Reunion Recap

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Our favorite parts about a week of family vacationing in Black Butte Ranch...

not leaving the ranch and running around carseatless between cabins

or going to the sea of bikes and kid trailers to pick a ride

spending alll day and night with our Daddy (he didn't even leave to go on a solo fishing trip this year :)

Unsuccessful (albeit hilarious) attempts for Oma and Opa's grandkids in one picture.

Dinner at Pat and Tricia's cabin on the golf course Sunday night








and a great video Dan made remembering 10 years at BBR

Bargaining for turns on the swing at our cabin (we shared with Kat and Donald- a few houses from Oma and the rest of the crowd, across the back patio from Bob and Francy's)

Lounging on the hammock

Jannie brought needlepoint projects

Dan brought (and blew up with his own breath) 6 huge 3 foot balloons. They were a huge hit for a whole 6 minutes until they took them outside and popped on impact with the pine trees

playing in the sandbox

Grampa being very patient and pushing on the swings

Spending time with Opa and eating all kinds of delicious food

Taking pictures of cute kids- most of them much more willing participants than my own


Jessica- Roman and Trillium (aka Tilly B)

A surprise baby shower for Kat, Donald and Baby Doverspike!


Doing lots of art projects and coloring at LaLa's game table


Dinner outside in between playing/eating dirt

more swinging and hoping the whole crowd doesn't flip over

meeting for lunch at Uncle John and Barbara's house

Movie afternoon after lunch

Just playing around in Opa and Lala's backyard

"LOVE this look on you Clara"

"Why are you crying Thomas?! Just come play in the dirt."

A more successful shot (I bribed them with ice cream sandwhiches- they came out for dessert and we intercepted the passer-outter- "WAIT! Make them sit still for a picture to earn their ice cream." so mean :)


and no family gathering is complete without a talent show! (they only needed a little prompting to get started but then they were great- but in 5 years the talent shows are going to be off the chain :)


and no week is complete without a few injuries... Maisie fell hard on the edge of a paver and scraped her forehead to leave a not-so-pretty scabby scar

Wednesday morning tour of the firestation was a big hit





and Oma treated ALL the kids who wanted to go for a horseback ride. She led them around and around for as long as they wanted to go!



Donald brought some of his family beef (just SOME;) and Kat made her famous Guacamole

Burger Bar for dinner Wednesday night

Mr and Mrs Doverspike came down from their ranch for a night too- it was an in-law/out-law event!

Packet and Tilly after the dirt party

and celebrating Isabel's THIRD birthday!

The Heffernan Brothers. Thanks for bringing us all together for another week of family and fun!

Emerald Ranch Family Day

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Saturday is usually "Bob's Big Sports Day" at the reunion- the day we get most of the family there and Uncle Bob treats us all to some fun and food. This year he changed it up (after increasing injuries from the softball games every year!) and he rented a horse ranch for the afternoon for horseback rides, swimming and boating on the lake, a great BBQ dinner and square dancing lessons. It was a blast and the kids had soo much fun.

Maisie doesn't even know where to start

Francie: "Izza I LOVE your boots and your outfit."
Isabel: "Silly Fraaaan-cie, it's a romper!"

cousins

Uncle Kevin volunteered to take Francie out for some rafting- gotta have your lifejackets on!

Bumpin' boats with Uncle Donald

Opa Bob tried to up the little ones ages so they could ride the horses too

Ashley on her lounge chair

shade spectators

Aunt Tricia, Aunt Francie and Claire

Maisie wanted to get in too of course so Jannie jumped in Donald's boat to hold her

Lucky Maise

Sarah, Mark and Clara Marie

Jannie and Grampa walking over for horseback riding with cocktails in hand

The ranch had a stash of boots in the tack room for the kids to take their pick of

Kate and Doug

Thomas coordinating his binky to his leisure suit nicely

Happy foursome

These boots are made for walkin!

Francie's turn on a horse named acorn

Ashley and Francie were riding buddies

Maggie and Kate playing in the dirt

Sisters Maureen and Kat

Oma giving Maisie some love

the middle generationers sitting around

and the lovely ladies of the only-slightly-older-generation

the four brothers- responsible for this whole crew

and it didn't take long for the kids to find the mud swamp and get dirty!

pretty happy kids

My little shark and her big personality coming out

and then we let Francie go out with her big cousins Kate and Ellie "all by them selves"... she wasn't ridiculously excited or anything

just relaxing with happy Maise and her snaggletooth

kids nowhere to be found so a picture of just us

lots of family fun


squaredancin lessons! some participated- some hid in the horse stalls :)

misty horse alone in a big arena- they told us after we let the kids pet it that it had hepatitis. Hummm.... maybe should have left this one in solitary confinement

Thanks Opa Bob- We love you!

PJ'ed up for sure to fall asleep in the car on the way home

had to stop and pet the horsies

what a fun day for all 18 kids and counting!

Pool Time

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The first few mornings up at BBR we hit up the pool for some sun, swimming and snack bar. They have at least four pools on the ranch but our favorite is Glaze Meadow with a great kiddie pool, big pool, indoor pool with a slide and water features. We staked out chairs early enough, swam with cousins and then stuck around to read and relax.

Grampa walking Maisie Shark around the splash zone

baby pool time

naptime at the pool- that's Francie under the hoodie. Finally Jannie and I got to sit and read for a while!

Francie woke up and climbed in Grampa's lap

then got to play some Monkey Preschool Lunchbox on my phone while her sister snoozed

coverups and crocs to head back to the cabins

18 Kids and Counting...

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...at the Heffernan Family Reunion this year! We've been up at Black Butte Ranch in Oregon having a blast at the great big annual gathering of Heffs. They have all been coming every year for 10 years now (my sixth trip- I came with Brian right after we met) and there were only a handful of kids when I came for the first time but this year we have 18 under 8 years- It's crazy but soooo much fun. The pic above was from the first night when we broke out the reunion and 13 out of 18 might be as close as we get to photographic evidence of all children awake and at the same place at the same time. 13 of them are under five years old and there are 2 more on the way.

This is the almost nightly dinner and hanging out scene at Opa Bob and LaLa (Aunt Francy's) house. They host us all and dinner duty rotates. This kids have fun in the dirt, on the swings, in the sandbox, on the trikes and then settling in for a movie in the new rec room while the adults sit around to eat and drink

Waiting turns at the swings

Francie pants in her element with all the big girls to follow around (she told them she was five)

and Maisie is just happy toddling around and finding someone to pick her up (aka Mom, Dad or Jannie)

my little godson Thomas- the youngest baby

couldn't resist taking pictures of him

Izza-Bizza who turns THREE on Friday! (no resemblance to her brother in the picture above is there??)

Cousin Ellie and Kate (who just moved back to CA for GOOD!) They are so good with the little kids and we are so happy they are back for ALL the family functions :)

just a few pics from the first night... I have so much to post!!

Hippie Style

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The other night Christian came over to make cookies for her Dad's birthday and we made a batch for our trip. Maisie was being SO clingy and just wanted me to hold her the whole time. Heff was working downstairs so finally I gave in and grabbed my Ergo and threw Maisie on my back while we baked- Heff and Christian were laughing at my hippie mothering but it worked!

After Chocolate Chip we made Trail Mix Cookies (yup- those are Rolos and pretzels- sooo good)

Francie still in Nature Camp clothes and cooking with us at 9:30pm (damn clock in the backgroud gave me away!)

Me and My Maisie :)

Mom's Night Out

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Thursday night we had a Mom's Night Out to celebrate and say goodbye to our good friend MaryCatherine who is moving back to Ireland with her family next month. Somehow we managed to get all 12 moms in the playgroup together at the same time on a mid-summer night. Three nursing babies in tow at Mica's house and backyard- we all had a great time catching up and toasting MC.

Lindsey and Stephi with baby Jonathon

MaryCatherine opening her gift- a photo book Mica made with pictures of all the kids and messages to their friend Lady D

our first attempt at a group photo inside with 11 of 12 in attendance- and of course Sarah arrived just after we took it!

their backyard was beautiful and the perfect setting for ladies, wine and lots of chat without the kids running around at our feet

Mica was such a great host and her mom was so nice to help with her kids

yummy pot luck dinner spread

Parvin and I

Kayley and Jonathon woke up for late night

Salinas Rodeo

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Last Saturday we went down to Salinas with my parents to meet the Mariani Crew for Joe's Mutton Busting competition (where little kids try to stay on a sheep out of the chute as long as they can- it's awesome!) We expected it to be HOT mid-day on Saturday but the fog was close enough from the ocean it was nice and breezy. Jannie reminded us the whole time it's the Salinas RoDEO (like Rodeo Dr) not RO-deo like they say everywhere else and my grandmother was chosen to be Miss Salinas ROdeo and parade around on her horse when she was in high school but her grandfather thought it wasn't very lady like and wouldn't let her. Glad we had our local girl Jannie for trivia and memories!

first stop- the pony rides! Maisie watched first then had to get on her own

Sunkissed and beautiful Whitney

My buddy JoeJoe

Francie loving every minute!

"Can we ride again pleeeeassse?" (they made friends with the kinda creepy horsey operator)

Dad and daughter making the same face

Maisie's first reaction- picking up her feet and clinging to dad

then she got the hang of it

Francie and Jannie watching Sis

"There you area AGAIN mom!"

the girls making funny pictures for a family photo Jannie took

Auntie Dea and Maddie's go around!

Maisie wants another turn

Up in the stands waiting

Baby Nico- he is so cute and looks like a mini version of his cute dad!

Joe decided maybe he wasn't ready to jump on that sheep this year but got in the winners circle anyway

Cousins Emelia and Whitney

Cute Maddie

Jannie and Francie

Big kids lined up watching the bull riders... not sure why Francie started pouting!?

and after watching for awhile we hit up the kids area- Francie went down the bounce slide 12 times and Daddy patiently waited in line with Maisie for the petting zoo

she couldn't have been more excited! The lady had them all sit in little chairs and brought furry animlas for them to hold. Maisie grabbed this bunny, hugged it and wouldn't let go!

Heff was cracking up

On to a quack-quack

nearly pick-pocketed by a baby goat

Francie convinced us she HAD to stop and make a pet rock- and we were on our way home

Nature Camp Round Two

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Francie and Marcella are back for another exciting week at Nature Camp! So Maisie and I spend a lot of time at Shoup Park and downtown and it never gets boring. The creek at Shoup just ran dry this week (but oddly at our house less than a block away we still have running water!?) but the big dry creekbed makes a fun new place to explore. Maisie and I went to the park yesterday with Cat and Josephina while the big girls were at Camp (after a huge breakfast downtown at Rick's) and then we went back with Francie in the afternoon to meet Jannie, Great Aunt Kate and some cousins.

Francie making her best "sad face" about no more water (sorry it's sideways)