Ranch bound

Friday morning after school got out we were en route to the ranch. Emmy came with us for the weekend this time which was a treat!

This little one barfed four times driving up - we think she had a little virus or something  poor baby!

Vacaville stop for potty break and Starbucks - one kid down clothing or a diaper 😜

We stopped in Red Bluff and the kids stayed w Em at Oma's house while Heff and I picked up my birthday present - a welding set up!

And then Emmy and I stopped in Yreka and picked up four craigslist bunnies. Just adding to the menagerie madness! 

​They tried to convince me to take these three free kittens. Great story behind this one and thank god I said no way😉

Finally arrival in Fort Jones! 4-wheeler ride to check water first

Takes a fee minutes to breath in the mountain air and be grateful we are here. 

Put these girls to work

Tess supervised

Moving wheel lines with Dad

Sunshine and Emmy!

We brought Penny the cat to live out ranch life. We didn't see her for a few days (not surprising after 8 hours in a dog crate) but now she stalks around killing field mice and moles all day long. Happy cat. 

Lessons from Dad on how to hold bunnies without getting your face scratched up. Some learned the hard way ;)

Relaxing in the hammock

Bunny enclosure done. They escaped the next day through the wire holes and are now free range bunnies who wiggle back in to eat and drink. Somehow all four are still alive. 

Ready to work Saturday morning in my Five Marys Farms gear!! 

Tractor selfie moving dirt with my husband. And yes I wear overalls now when in farming ;)

Planted 100 more tomato plants a friend gave me she'd started in her backyard and didn't end up needing. Tomato sauce for days we hope! Maisie was a great helper planting all of the with me. 

JJ came to help too. She was pretty excited to be touching horse poop. 

Lunch break - for my mountain man and I 

Found this old welded swing buried in brush by the big house 

Fixed up for swinging!

Saturday night Em babysat and we went to Etna Brewery for live music night! Our new friend up there Jason Conley played and the place was packed! A really fun night seeing friends we've made and meeting new ones. We feel lucky to be so welcomed in this really great community

Morning view from the barn while Heff and I were working 

Emmy time playing cards on the porch 

And taking amazing photos as usual!!!

Big girl Francie. Officially a 1st grader now!

Only a few of Emmy's photos. Always awesome. 

And Emmy took and posted this picture of JJ holding a chicken - to which my sister MADD this comparison and texted us she had seen that face before ;)

Sunset ride up the gulch!

Lots of dirt and sunshine up here, my favorite. 

School's Out!

We came back to Los Altos for the last few days of school - Francie finished Kindergarten and loved her teacher Ms Wiley (so did Maisie ;) end of the year picnic, hanging out at home, park dates with Emmy and planning to go back up to the ranch!  Ice cream cones at the picnic and Emmy, good combo Tess!

Sister walk the secret way back home

Even snuck in a date night with this handsome guy... In my new truck! Ranchers and ranchers wives need some power, power that fits 4 children and 2 adults of course ;)

And couldn't stay away from Home Depot. When it's only 5 minutes away instead of 85 miles you don't take that for granted.

Unofficial Start of Summer Season at The Ranch!

We spent another weekend at the ranch working on projects and hanging out! We had some visitors which is always fun and kept busy working outside on our farmer's tans ;)

Driving up stop for treats. 1-2-3 for lucky Tiny

We stayed over in Red Bluff Wednesday night and drive up early Thursday morning. While we unloaded the girls set up camp with archery practice and a picnic (Jannie's hand me down quilt, our favorite!)

Snacks for the weekends are pretty much self service! I caved at the grocery store and bought kool-aid packets to put in those water bottles. But I didn't add the sugar. It tasted horrible and was sticky everywhere, learned my lesson/ stick to water!

The garden beds behind the cabin are growing huge! Wild blueberries and herbs and.. I have to ask Marisa what else we planted that day, we'd had a few sidecars ;)

Kat and Donald came to visit Thursday. The kids went wild in the dirt and Kat watched me spray paint (she's pregnant- good excuse;)

We sprayed old milk crates - I was going to make chicken coop nesting boxes but for nor they are like life size Legos 

We all went to dinner at Dotty's in Etna. They have a side yard with picnic tables and toys. Perfect!! 

Burgers, potato skins and corn dogs. Yum.

Ice cream cones for dessert

Cousins Lauren and Francie 

Tiny couldn't believe mind had choco on it. She stole it. And shared with Maisie. But wouldn't give any back to me ;)

Not a bad start to the summer season in Fort Jones!

Friday morning snugglers in my bed 

Friday we piled in the truck to drive up to Medford Oregon to go shopping... Ranch shopping! It's a 1.5 hour drive but where the bigger stores and supplies are.  

First stop, Big R ranch and farm supply. Francie said it was like a Target but for ranches. It was amazing!! I think we were there for 3 hours. Good thing they had a hot dog stand. 

But the UPS man still finds his way to Fort Jones - thank goodness 😉

friday night wind down. Ahhhh. Sidecar made by my husband while I say and checked Instagram and finished my Coors Light. 

Then a family drive up the draw to check on the cattle and watch the sunset

My people ;) as good as it gets for a 4-wheeling 6-person selfie 

Meeting the new herd of cattle. These beauties aren't ours, thru are just leading our grazing grass. But fun to see. The babies here. 

And Francie helping here a baby back over the fence to his momma

Loving the wide open spaces and warm nights. Nothing makes me happier. 

Then Saturday morning I was up early to hit the Yard Sale Extravaganza - neighbors dropped off honey and a map. I love this place! ❤️

Off early to see what treasures I could find. I must have hit 25 sales, and that was probably only half of them! Tractors and barn sales included - yes!

I tried to hold back but brought a few things home. This little old wagon and green trunk. And I found a bunch wooden chairs for our outdoor table and a water cooler for summer drinks. 

This was an example of one of the yard sales. I was talking on the phone to my sister the whole time I poked around at this one. I promised to send her a picture. Here you go ABA. 

The girls had an all day play date with Dylan - happy, dirty, tired kids after all day outside running around! Showing off their dirty feet here from playing in the "little river" irrigation ditch.  

And Saturday late afternoon Sarah who works for the H&H at home and her boyfriend Ben came to visit! We put them to work painting the yard sale chairs with me 

Kids and spray paint. Marginal parenting choice but they were so proud of their work. 

Final product - outdoor dining is ready for bbqs!

First family dinner. Broccoli and chicken soup with extra pasta. We were too tired to go to the store ;)

Just soaking up sun with my baby girl ❤️

Sunday we debated over how to do this - I bought 16 tomato plants at a roadside stop I found yard sale shopping, they were amazing looking! I stopped at the garden store for troughs and soil to get them planted but Heff had a better (cheaper!) idea!!

Old fence posts, T-posts and dirt from the cow poop pile. All we needed. We made a retaining wall to boost up the "backyard" behind the cabin where I have big plans for a secret garden / imagination playground. I think I almost have Heff talked into it. 

And Jim Weber stopped by too! Love seeing all these familiar faces  the girls used this as good timing to take a break in the shade 

Back to work laying out plants and setting up the old scarecrow we found 

Francie and Maisie had to help move a four-wheeler. I dong hear any complaints about this chore!

Finished product - can't wait for tomatoes!! 

Four happy, tired ranch girls. Just like their parents. ☺️

Making the Most of Small Spaces: girls bedroom

This might need to be a new series to blog about considering our ranch house dimensions! 

Of the two houses on our ranch we focused on the little one to fix up for now. It was more mineable and on my impatient timeline. 

the girls share a bedroom that is about 8 by 10 feet. yes four of them in there. But it works fine!

Tess has a crib bed I built in the closet (never got around to painting it) with her clothes in bins underneath (out if season clothes put away in storage which helps)​ and I kept hanging space above it for all of their dresses and button down shirts. Since it's an odd size I just ordered and cut foam for the mattress and tuck a crib sheet on it a little tighter. 

She naps in the crib but has been falling asleep with her sisters on the communal bed lately and sleeps just fine. I love this sight! When they are tired enough from a full day of playing in the dirt and sunshine - they pass out here within five minutes. 

I just moved their clothes around a bit and gave them fewer options. This is making me a lot happier than the JJ-16-outfits-a-day-day method. They each have a row except Tess with shirts, shorts/skirts and pants.  Overalls and jumpers on the hooks next to it. I wish they'd wear these more often ;)

And then an older cubbies shelf holds bins for underwear, bathing suits, socks, etc. these all go in the same bin and they just find their size. They are close enough usually one size fits 2-3 of them so it's easier to their these in one bin after laundry. 

Their bed (queen mattress) is still on the floor - next project is building a platform to get it off the ground and maybe storage under it! This was a month ago when we still had fleece warmy comforters. Now we are down to bare comforters and summer sheets! 

and we still use and LOVE the Dot System for sizing! The oldest  gets one dot, the second gets two dots and so on. I sharpie a black dot on the inside tag or seam or back of the shoes. Then it's a little faster for kids (and dads!) to find their size. 

Life Lately

We've been keeping busy with these crazy girls and starting on some new projects. Always something going on at Camp Heff, just the way I like it :) we are lucky these girls love it too!

popsicle stand in the side yard. Not as successful as the front sidewalk ;) 

I got sound sweet time with my Tiny while Dad had the girls at the ranch weekend before last. 

And let her fall asleep in my bed :) nothing sweeter. Until they start kicking you. 

We got to catch up with some good friends from high school and their little girls

Tess and Izzy - 24 hours apart!

And had a fun Saturday with 

And summer is here! Lots of outdoor time getting dirty - even in juicy couture dresses and ice skates ;)

And a scavenger hunt turned into find a rainbow in nature game. I wasn't complaining. 

Heff and I snuck away overnight for our 9 year "day we met" anniversary June 4 ;) I know. It's cheesy. But it's a good excuse!

 Thankful as ever for this guy - my best friend and co-pilot on this ride. No matter what at the end of the day he's calm, cool, collected and keeps me right on track pushing forward to new experiences and a life full of love and sweet memories for our family. I love you Heff! 

Two selfies in one week even ;) taco truck Tuesday lunch date he didn't even complain