Catching Up on Life at Home

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a few random updates from last week at home…

Francie says "Safety First...and Second!" One day Francie wore this to the park with Emmy. Yup- her helmet AND life jacket. Just in case she felt the need to ride her bike through the creek I guess?!

and Maisie was inspired to wear her "goggles" too. Is it bad I was happy Emmy was the one taking them to the park that day?! She said she got some great looks from the other moms:) Just kidding- I love my quirky girls!

Good work France. Making your father and grandfather very proud.

Uh-oh. BIG uh-oh. Jannie has been working on these cute knit vests for the girls and when I was gone last week she had Francie wear her's home one day. Then Jannie called me and said "can you bring Francie's vest back over? I need to see the size- oh and don't ever put them through the wash." Uhhhh… everything in our house goes off the body and (hopefully skips the floor) down the laundry shoot to the wash! and sure enough… that's Francie's on the right next to Maisie's "felted" after a hot water bath! SORRY Jannie!!!

Maisie's new favorite lounge spot- the swing Janie doesn't love like I thought she would :)

Janie got a mani! I went for a mani-pedi with Christian and the girls commented on how Janie's baby nails were too long- I tried ot cut them last week and cut her little thumb so I'd been putting it off. They offered with a brand new/sterile pair of cuticle clippers so we distracted her and got them cut nice and short :)

"They are way better than you are at that Mom"

and I'm still plugging away at the Bumble opening and all the details involved in running a restaurant. We had a few more tastings with potential chefs and some delicious ideas for the menu

and our awesome contractor Rich Cody of Cody-Brock and his team are hard at work getting the build out done!! Still lots to do but we see major progress every day and are hoping we'll have the construction done in 6 weeks or so!!!

Sun!

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What's up with the late-May rain Bay Area? We escaped for a family vacation in the sun… lots of swimming, playing Uno and breaking out the triple matching outfits ;) Thanks for the cute blue tunics and embroidered pants Oma! And Happy 4 month birthday Janie-Jane! (oh and guess with the 18th bday trend means I have to note- 25 months for Maisie and 44 months Francie(oops;) - yes I just put myself in the crazy mom category when you count your kids' ages in months after 2… oops, I blame the poolside Margaritas)

poolside bassinet baby - she even got to swim for the first time!

and love the "Cheesy-cheese" face Francie.

Playhouse Morning

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Saturday morning we were all up way too early (jet lag still hanging in there!) so we convinced Heff to let us all come to his barber with him. He goes to the "Silly Cuban" old school barber in Palo Alto where you just wait in line... and there is always a line! By the time we got there at 8:31 he had been open for 1 minute and had a two hour line. crazy :) So we skipped the haircut and went to the mall to check out all the new Dreams Happen playhouses... the auction is coming up June 4 (six years to the date of the night we met at the auction!) There are some cool ones this year!!

Pancakes at the Creamery for breakfast

Menlo Park Firehouse playhouse (raffle house... wanna buy a ticket?!)

One of our favorites- Christian was a designer on this one! the E-I-E-I-O barn

another favorite

who needs a playhouse?! Come bid June 4!

Happy Monday!

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Here are the girls piled in my bed Sunday morning after Daddy had to go into work early. We texted him this picture so he would feel guilty and hurry home :) We had a BUSY weekend -a Rehearsal Dinner and Wedding for our good friends Ryan and Eloise Friday and Saturday night which were both beautiful and really fun events. Then a wedding shower for Annie who is marrying Gary Machado this summer on SUnday in Los Gatos - busy busy but excited for all the weddings and newleyweds we know!

Gary's Mom and Granda with Janie (hi Gary, love that you are actually a blog follower!)

Annie opening her gifts- her first shower and she was a pro :)

Jannie and Janie!

First Trip to the Dentist

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April 7 (blog post delays!) the girls had their first trip to the dentist. I'm noticing lots of advantages to the girls being close in age- efficiency! Francie went a little late and Maisie was a little early for the suggested 3 year appointment but we knocked it out in one morning. We love our dentist Dr. Frank Altick in Palo Alto- I've been going since I was three!

Francie loving anything big girls do.

And Maisie was along for the ride but got her toofers checked out too

and multi-tasking as usual- nursing while teeth cleaning ;)

Reunited

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Francie and Maisie have been cute together after being apart for a week. When they wake up they run to each other and hug or Maisie crawls "in Gaga's lap." Last night they were both running around together giggling and then reappeared with all their clothes off and did a "nako jamboree" dance for us with their hands on their knees - no idea where they learned that one! And I was SO proud when they disappeared into their bathroom and came out in matching PJs by themselves! I mean, Maisie was missing a diaper and the pants weren't the same but at least they were both fully dressed, in the right size and not inside out! We'll see how long this good sister behavior lasts...

Everyone's Home!

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I'm back from a serious blogging break! We have had 10 days of adventures in all different directions and are finally glad to be back home together. A few trips came up all around the same time and we decided to make it happen and take advantage of new experiences for all of us.

Last Thursday Heff had a law conference in Santa Barbara at Bacara Resort - Oma came down to go with him and watch Francie swim her little self silly in the pools all day. Craig and Andrea came up with Isabel and Thomas since Craig had work in SB too so it was a cousin's party by the pool. Francie is getting really good at swimming and was showing off for her proud Dad and Oma

Then Friday night- Maisie, Janie and I set out on our own adventure with friends for a week without laptops/phones/work to just relax in the sun with my little girls and let Maisie have some time to be the BIG sister. She really blossomed into her own on this trip! She is talking up a storm and has a lot more independence.



Francie got to spend the week at home with JUST DAD and loved their time together. She got a little out of sorts mid-week but they kept busy going to a Troopy Convention in Half Moon Bay (and winning "Most Popular Troopy" trophy!) riding her bike in the alleys of the neighborhood every night (a new found favorite spot) and just hanging out with her dad. I got lots of notes from Heff saying she would crawl on his lap and say "I love you to the moon and back dad." Good bonding time for sure :)
Helping dad hitch up the trailer and her first big fall off the bike

Pig Roast at the Troopy Convention

and THEN Francie got to flip to the other side of grandparent fun and go on a very special adventure to Nashville with Jannie and Grampa to visit ABA and Pat and cousin Mikey! They have been talking about a 3-year-old trip for awhile now and this just worked out to be the trip. My Dad was SO excited to get to fly with Francie and Jannie loved every minute of it. ABA took good care of her, making sure Jannie didn't spoil her too much and she tired herself out every day running around with the Galassini girls.



The girls and I got home late Saturday night and Francie just came home tonight. Heff is very happy to have all four of his girls back in their own beds and we are unpacking and getting back on this-side-of-the-world time.

Nature Walk

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Since the weather has been nicer and Francie begs to ride her bike every night, we've been back to our old routine walking down the the nature preserve when Heff gets home from work. Maisie looks and looks for her friend Bunny who lived in the brush (but we haven't seen since the preserve flooded in the rains!) and Francie bikes, climbs, runs and gets some energy out. (and I just realized by her outfit this was Maisie's birthday too- took me awhile to post these!)

Fast as lighting

Funny Face Francie on her bike

Tree Climber

Getting muddy

Maisie's favorite perch

YAY for Maisie Moo (Daddy's Little Girl lately ;)

My girls!

Maisie's 2nd Birthday

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We had a great day celebrating Maisie's 2nd birthday! We went to a breakfast party in the morning, played outside, ride bikes, went home for long naps and then had dinner out with our family. Heff got her a giant bunny balloon and tied it to her crib in the morning before she woke up- I wish I had a picture but her face lit up when she saw it. I think she had a pretty good birthday!

Emmy came with us in the morning for a breakfast party at our friend's house and Francie had to bring her two-wheeler

Nothing says birthday like streamers and bubbles!!

They had a whole table set up with our favorites- Mickey and Toy Story plates!

Maisie got right to the Egg Hunt

But big sister Francie was the champion egg finder of the day

Maisie ready for "cake" (she wanted pink cake, a pink birthday and bunnies this year- she got two out of three :)

Funny Faces of Maisie Moo


Emmy gave her a REAL Buzz Lightyear toy- she was SOO excited. Buzz joined for breakfast

and "2" pancakes!

She is getting to be such a big girl- and talking non-stop all of the sudden!

Counting their eggs and loot

Second child = not used to all the attention on them

Maisie got a cool green planting kit we "dug" right into :)

Let's watch these grow- just about as fast as you are growing Maise!

My girls :)

Then we had dinner out at Chef Chu's with Jannie, Grampa and Uncle Jerry. We had 8pm reservations after our late nap times so Jer could meet us after his class. I love closing down the restaurant on a Tuesday night for a two year olds birthday!

Shirley Temple's in spill proof cups and a new record player from Jannie ("kinda like a iPod- yes Francie" ;)

a Maisie masterpiece photo of me and sweet Janie

Jer and Daddy

Happy Birthday to You!

Great shot of the group leaving - nice pose Francie no-pants!

Happy Birthday Maisie Moo :)

Bee Happy!

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Blurry iPhone pics on the changing table but I think Janie looks so different than the other girls!! Her little personality is coming out. She likes to be heard and has her own opinions of when to eat, sleep and play. But she is for the most part an easygoing baby with a great disposition 90% of the time! When she gets MAD she'll only settle with changes in scenery or bundled up in the Ergo with mom. Love you JJ!

Happy Easter 2011!

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Easter was a busy day- church at 9:15 which was PACKED, a neighborhood egg hunt, friends over for an egg hunt at our house after, naps and a family easter party at Jannie and Grampa's complete with a friendly competition of course :) It was also my sister Baby Ann's 25th birthday - we missed her but were thinking of her!

We went to mass in the morning and then walked over to our neighborhood Egg Hunt in the alley across the street (it took living here for like six months before I realized none of the houses across the street have garages- they all park in an alley access between the two streets, easy for block parties for sure)

The girls were excited and Donald, Brian, Kat and I had to-go beers/mimosas so we weren't complaining either

under 5's got to go first

egg hunters

Then we had our own little egg hunt at home

Francie was way into how many she could collect

Then naps for the babes and over to Jannie and Grampa's for family fun

The Doverspikes stayed through Sunday night with us- always fun to have them!

O.D. the Little Man in the pram!

and I just have to document that although I failed to ever get all three girls in their easter dress at the same time I did have them in triplicate!! This was Francie's First Easter dress and I had the bigger sizes from Le Cirque sale :) Didn't know I'd need all three this year!

2008 - Francie!

and while we are walking down Easter's memory lane… had to repost this CREEPY BUNNY from 2009 while we were waiting for Maisie to show up a few days later! France was not a fan- would you have been?!

back to this year Jannie with Maisie and RB- Maise was a little under the weather with an ear infection - luckily she had her new quilt "blankie" Jannie made for her to snuggle under all night. She has barely let it go since! It says "Love and Stiches and Lots of Kisses" embroidered on it, love it Jannie!

John and John- kind of dressed alike but definitely not alike in the hair style department.

Heff was cold when the sun went down and grabbed a sweatshirt from the pizza oven stash- it said XL but might have been a youth XL?! :)

My Dad and Ella looking cute by the BBQ

Cousin James and UJ being silly

and this year the infamous EGG DROP contest was back! The entries were impressive this year- people are getting too good with 6 out of 10 staying intact when dropped from the 3rd floor balcony. Jerry and John were putting an entry together at the last minute… hum this one might have been a big zero.

other entries…

Francie liked Uncle James giant water balloon the best but claimed two other entries so she was sure to get a winner somewhere

Group shot- Jannie has her clipboard ready to take entries for the big drop!

Let the games begin

here they come…

Ducky and Francie entered the PWT toilet paper in solo cups with duck tape and a Kmarty bag parachute-

it worked! Francie held it up and said "AAhhhh! The egg is IN TACKED!"

spectators had to step back

Mr. Jerry Easter all decked out as usual - too bad his egg cracked!

and the finale…

in motion, and SPLAT.

time for cake- how cute is this bunny cake Kim and Ella made?! Love the laffy tacky ears

I hope both sides of our families keep up the baby-having so we always have infant seats up on the tables at parties!

"What?! I like being the baby!"

Happy Easter Breads!

More Soccer

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Francie is loving soccer! She has the 3.5-4.5 year old class first, then Maisie's class. Maisie prefers the sandbox but is getting a little more into "so-cah" every week.

listening to coach (who tells the over-involved parents to take a hike by saying "ok kids say bye-bye to your moms!" haha :)

Sisters on the playground in between practice

Maisie Moo riding her horsey

and sandbox socializing with the siblings

Easter Eve

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Aunt Kat and Uncle Donald stayed with us for a few days since they had a wedding in Saratoga so we got ready for Easter festivities on Saturday. Kat and I made a trip to the two-story Target (our fav) and had Mark, Sarah, Clara and Baby Caroline over for lunch - then dyed eggs, made cookies and got ready for a fun dinner at the Skidmore's!

Janie chillin in the ergo while we colored the eggs

and this is a horrible picture of me but I was making cookies while the girls took their afternoon naps and Kat and Donald headed out to the wedding, Heff was on a run so I packed Oliver in the ergo and held a fussy Janie to finish the cookies- Heff was laughing at me when he came home and took this picture :)

Zach and Oliver at dinner- they were best buds :)

J&Z - so great to see them back in CA- move home please!!

Janie sticking her tongue out silly girl

Hard to tell- Donald passed out after a few too many beers or Oliver Donald passed out after a few too many ounces of milk?!?

Cracked crab dinner at the big dining room round table- Heff and I (and Jen and Zach who were so helpful with our crazy crew!) were up and down about 25 times with kids but still managed to eat a yummy dinner

Heff, Jer, Clark and my Dad

Ann, Jen, Zach and Earl - and pretty easter decorations on the table!

Francie and Maisie cheers-ing Jannie with their cocktails :)

Maisie hanging out with "Oh-vuh" her little bunny buddy

an attempt to take a picture of all four in their PJ's - not so much! Francie ran for the hills, Maisie says "all done hod-ing Janie" and Oliver and Janie are not so happy - but it was a great night!

Ryan & Eloise

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Last Saturday Jan, John, Brian and I co-hosted a cocktail party to celebrate our good friends Ryan & Eloise upcoming wedding. Ryan and I went to school together and the Connolly's have always been so good to Brian and I- hosting us for our first vacation together at their house in Desolation Sound BC and also opening their home for our rehearsal dinner! We are so excited for Ryan and Eloise and had a fun night celebrating with them and their friends.


Ann Skidmore came to help make pizzas

Michelle and her friend Alex helped with the bar and pizzas and Katsy and Ann shared Janie holding duties- a big job that night!

Cupcakes for dessert

Jannie and her girls

lots of fun friends


more pizza please!

we did the "who knows who better?" game Jodi did at Jen's wedding in New Orleans - hilarious! They were GOOD too :)

almost all of the questions were right!

crowd pleasers

Eloise, Ryan and I

The BBQ men- my dad, Heff, Ryan's dad Pat and Ryan

Francie enjoying cupcakes with her new friend- he even played War with her when she showed him the deck of cards in the tv room

Maisie loves her some "spicy soda" when she can find it

We're so happy for you Eloise and Ryan! See you in a few weeks for the big day!!