Thanksgiving with Francie!

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Thursday we spent Thanksgiving at my parents house with lots of family and friends. All the Simos, Heffs, Kreefts, Beldings, Griesediecks and Forsts were out to celebrate together, play a few games and eat lots and lots of food. We had way more food than 30+ of us could eat but isn't that the way it's supposed to be on Thanksgiving?! James and Em signed up for pie duty this year and spent most of Wednesday and Thursday morning on four masterful pies, Heff and I made our favorite side dish of brussel sprouts, Mimi made the famous artichoke dip and cranberry-apple crumble, Kaky made yummy sweet potato casserole, Jackie made a great salad, Sue brought a huge dish of creamed spinach and cheese, Marla and Joe made fancy brussel sprouts with bacon and cheese (you can never have too many:) and Jannie and John did a 30-pound Turkey and a big Arnerich-style ham covered in beer and dry mustard, the best stuffing ever (umm sausage), homemade mustard, a new cranberry sauce, pea-bacon-cheese salad, garlic mashed potatoes and a few things I'm sure I'm forgetting. With a few games in the backyard, Turkey Trivia by Kaky, lots of kids and babies for entertainment it was a great afternoon and evening!

Francie showed the "big girls" Caroline and Molly her nursery/playroom but she bee-lined it back downstairs to see who else was showing up at the door

James and Em showing off their Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie and Homemade Lemon Meringue (James even rolled the homemade crust!)

Quite impressive huh?! (James also hand carved the cookie toppers from a photo!) Top Chef James?

Team Emmy, Claire and Francie playing Corn-Hole in the backyard

Emmy LOVES Francie and Francie LOVES her EMM-mee!

The Forst's brought their own coolers to the party (our kind of friends) full of a home brew beer

Em, James and Baby Ann

Francie snuck away..."These kids don't know about my secret Jannie garden!"

Our ATTEMPT at a Simo family Christmas Card Picture... don't worry, this one DOES NOT spoil the surprise :)

Neither do these...

Sleeping babies... must be all that turkey. Jackson in the pram and Brooke asleep in the chair with her Grandpa Jack.

James and Em with Francie-Pants-I-Mean-Fancy-Skirt

Heff showing the boys how it's done... 21 to 1, sorry Drew.

Drew and Dylan try to hold their own. No mercy from Heff!

Cousins Emmy and Claire with cousins Caroline and Molly (ironically Emmy and Molly both have a twin brother and a "girl" cousin close to their age... everyone thought these little girls in their cute matching dresses were the twins!)

Boys watching football.

Loading up the plates for Turkey Dinner

Johners at the "kids" table... no beer allowed? He's 21.. and JUST started drinking right Johners?

"I'm ready for some Turkey and Stuffing Jannie!"

Getting lovin' from Claire and Emmy!

Drew trying to explain to us how he was the only person in his class who voted No on Prop 2 (if you're like Emmy you asked what the heck Prop 2 was)

The girls

"Com'on Claire! My peas and mashed potatoes can't be worse than your dorm food!"

The little girls lounging at their picnic table

Turkey Trivia Time! Every year Aunt Kaky writes up some "Turkey Trivia" questions for some good old competition thrown into the family holidays... this years included some "general trivia" for the non family members in addition to the family-based trivia questions (ie how many letters are in Francie's given name?) :) Good job Aunt Kaky!

After some review, we had a dead even tie between sisters Jannie and Mimi. I love this picture... Kaky is shocked!

Three rounds of tie-breaker questions...

and Jannie emerged the winner and took home a $50 cash prize! Mimi placed second with a 25th anniversary Trivial Pursuit game :)

Jannie always wins! She's not competitive at all ;)

Jonathon got a big chocolate Turkey for the "loser prize" with only five questions right :)

The Arnerich sisters... still love each other!

These guys bowed out when they saw a few pop culture icon questions on the trivia game sheet :)

Time for PIE!

Happy Thanksgiving! (late night pictures post to follow!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

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The Heffs wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving spent with family and friends today and this weekend. We are very thankful for our Little Francie (who is very thankful to play in a big bowl of candy above:) and the New Baby To Be, as well as for our home, our health and everyone in our great big families and our great friends who we are lucky enough to share so many memories with everyday. Enjoy your Turkey!

A Picture of New Baby Heff

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Heff and I went in for an ultrasound yesterday and got to see lots of Baby Heff Part II! This was the anatomy ultrasound so we were in there for about an hour and they got 100 pictures to check out. We didn't watch the first part so we wouldn't see anything that gives away a baby boy or baby girl but in the end the tech showed us lots of the face, arms, legs and everything... it is always so cool to see. The baby is stretched out with it's head on my right side and the feet all the way on the left... don't get used to lounging around with all that space Cletus Repeatus. Francie liked to see the pictures when we got home and calls the black and white blob "Be-be!" :) She does put her hand on my belly and says "kick!" but I don't think she really knows she'll have a real live "doll-doll" sister or brother soon enough!

Sunday Fun

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Sunday we lounged around the house, went to the park and had Hacienda "authentic" burritos for lunch. I ordered a new Bounce House for Brilliant Babies (we always have one indoors for the winter) and somehow we ended up with two new "Jungle Safari Slide" bounce houses so logically I brought one home for our house :) Dad was a good sport and set it up in the front yard for some afternoon Fun on Sunday. Francie LOVED it and even figured out how to crawl up the climbing wall and go "weeee!" down the slide. We were a big hit in the neighborhood for awhile...

Who needs a bounce house... this blue tarp is just as much fun!

Here it comes...

"Hi Hi!"

She's the queen of this castle for now :)

The elephant's trunk on the other side is a slide into a pit you can fill with balls or water :) This thing is awesome!

Francie coming down the slide...

Mom too!

It didn't take long for Emma and Owen to run on over! Owen asked why we didn't invite any of Francie's friends over to Francie's party :)

Even Dad got in to join the fun...

But Francie was NOT happy having to share her space with both of her "too big" parents :)

She got us back... while Heff and I were still inside the bounce house (with an opening the proper size for a 4 year old) Francie went down the slide, walked right on over to the blower and stepped on the hose to pull it off! The bounce house went DOWN fast with both of us scrambing to find our way out:)

Sunday night we had cracked crab dinner at my parents house... all of my siblings and their "significant others" were there to join again! It was a fun night although Francie wasn't feeling 100%... ABA feeding Francie some snacks

The guys hanging out in the kitchen

The little sicky snuggled up in the TV room with her doll-doll, a cashmere blankie and Happy Feet. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday night.

You'll see it here before it debuts on JanKnits!... Jannie just finished a new winter hat for the Doo.

Silly Uncle James trying to squeeze into it!

that outta keep her head warm!

"I LOVE my new hat..."

"Thanks Jannie!"

A Night at The Condo

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We're so glad to have Heff back! He got in late Friday night and Francie ran to the door when she heard the diesel engine pulling into the driveway... She was so excited to see her Dad and was telling him all about her week (which basically revolved around explaining how the dogs were bad... "Oww-wa, 'Stoph, NO-NO! NO-NO!") We hung out around the house Saturday morning, went to the park and unpacked the hunting gear. Heff did not get a deer on this trip which he was a little disappointed about, they saw 60+ bucks the first day but didn't want to shoot on the first day of a five day hunt... and then didn't get a good shot at a big one the rest of the trip. But he had fun out in the elements, snow flurries and 10 degree weather and all.

Waiting for the Choo-Choo with her Daddy

Saturday night James and Em were going to babysit Francie at the boys (my brother's) condo in San Francisco while we had dinner out in the city... our plans changed when two of the couples we were supposed to have dinner with couldn't make it so we switched gears and had a "Sibling's Night" at the condo with all four of us! James and Em ordered pizzas and pastas and Francie got to entertain her aunts and uncles and be the center of attention for the night... until we broke out the Playstation and Rock Band. Baby Ann was pondering if we'd ever all had dinner together WITHOUT Mom and Dad there! We had so much fun and their place looks great, they moved some things around and added a little decorating flare (good work Em.) The train was so easy and it was great to see how excited (and slightly overwhelmed!) Francie was to be getting on her most talked about form of transportation for a ride. Thanks for a great night up in the city James, Em, Jer and Allison!

Here comes the train and loading up!

Very proud to have her own ticket to give to the conductor

"Mom stop taking pictures... I see Uncle James!"

James looking for us on the sidewalks from the train station with his spotting scope... he sees us too after I flashed the camera a few times!

This was Francie's FIRST trip to the boys condo if you can believe it... we don't get out in the city much!

Getting off the elevator with Dad

Uncle James and Uncle Jerry let her blow out all the candles in the house...

Uncles always let you do the fun stuff Mom and Dad don't let you do :)

"Wow, we are pretty high up here!"

Auntie Em and Francie snacking on Salt & Vinegar Pringles... can you tell by the look on Francie's face?

They sure spoil her... Uncle James lit the candles AGAIN for his god-daughter to blow out!

And Em brought out the freaky talking Monkey... Francie was trying to give it hugs and high fives but it would whack her in the head every time she went in for a hug

It's gonna get you Francie!

Pretty girls Auntie Baby Ann, Francie and Auntie Em

Jerry and Allison came back from watching the "Big Game" today... no not Stanford/Cal, it was Cal Poly/Wisconsin of course (both Cal Poly alums:)

Pat and Ann up in the city too for some sight-seeing while he is here for a visit! His first time to SF... always lots to see.

The Heff's happy to be hanging out with the crowd

Francie is ready to wail on Rock Band

Mom's turn... sorry Francie this is serious

Francie had to watch from Dad's shoulders so she didn't disturb the game playing...

All my siblings in one place :)

James, Jerry and Pat rockin' Rock Band

Sleepy girl... time to catch the 9:00 train back to Menlo Park!

The big girl gets her own seat this time! (we found an empty 4-pack of "facing each other seats" this time)

Silly Francie

Looking for whatever trouble she can get into from her throne

"What? That sticker isn't there for me to pull off and put on my shirt?"

"My parents must not know they have wireless on these trains... I could be checking my email instead of reading this baby book, geez."

Francie fell asleep about half way home... Dad though it was a perfect opportunity to show off her teddy-bear-tights-bum :) (We love the train, not only do they have internet you can DRINK too!)

Keeping Tabs on Dad

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Heff is 167 miles from being home with his girls! And I know this thanks to "The Spot," my favorite new gadget.

Heff got a handheld GPS Satellite device before he left on his trip that he pushes a button on periodically and it emails me his location coordinates and link to a Google Map which shows me right where he is all the time :) It was really neat while he was on his hunting trip this week to watch his daily hikes out in the hills of Eastern Montana looking for deer, checking in to see when they got out (4am!) when they went back to the cabin for beers and naps and the new ranches they were out on each day. I usually had a few "Spots" to check out by the time I woke up in the morning :) Probably a little "TMI" for most people but it is a great way to feel like you are keeping in touch and see that he is safe (kind of like "HowIsGrandma.com" Goody?) He is making the 20 hour drive home in the truck with Mike right now and we've watched their progress through Montana, Idaho, Nevada and finally now back in California. Over 1,000 miles in one day!

We're off to dinner with my parents, Auntie Baby Ann and her new boyfriend Pat who is visiting for part of the Thanksgiving week. Hope we like him ;) We're so excited she is going to be home for a week!

We Love Emmy

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Wednesday Francie and I picked up Emmy at the San Jose State library (good girl Em, Uncle John is very proud :) and hit our favorite cheesy mall, Valley Fair, for some serious shopping. The place eats you alive like a Vegas casino but it has tons of good baby shops and of course the "Picture People" for our token mall photo shoot. After a four hour trip around the mall, two hot-dogs-on-a-stick and 8 mini-cinnabon-twists we found the car and cruised through the carpool lane back to the Johnets. Em stayed for a sleepover in her old room and we hung out with Jannie until my Dad got home. John took us all out for Sushi at Bonsai for dinner! (I know, pregnancy + sushi = no no but I ate lots of BBQ eel and left the raw sashimi for the rest of them :) Francie wanted nothing to do with the tofu bits in the soup this time... her Dad has rubbed off on her in her old age. Then we had a sleepover party at home with buttery popcorn, checking our favorite blogs and wasting time on Facebook.

"MOM, this is the FIFTH ride Emmy has put quarters in for me! How come you never have so many quarters?!"

"Just driving along, no hands..."

Ohh bracelets and Emm-mee... Two of Francie's favorite things:)

Sushi girls!

Making Fishy-Faces with Emmy at Bonsai like the Koi fish in the ponds

When is the next sleepover Emmy!?

Sleepovers at Sophie's

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Heff has been hunting in Eastern Montana all week and he get's back today finally! Francie and I have literally moved in to Jannie and Grampa's since he left a week ago. WE MISS HIM! Francie got so sad the other day when we were at the office and she pointed towards his office and very excitingly said "Go-Go! Da-Da!" and I had to tell her Dad was gone, she didn't believe me so we walked into Dad's office, she practically ran to his desk but when she saw his empty chair she turned around, put her finger on her quivering lower lip and started bawling... it was so sad! Of course Heff loves to hear that he is missed that much. We've had a GREAT week being well taken care of at Jannie and Grampa's but we are so excited for Dad to get home and to hear about his trip. We are never letting him leave for a whole week ever again.

PS... Like the new blog layout? :)

Playdate at the Park

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We took advantage of the last few days of sunshine for a playdate at the park with some of the moms from our 0-5 month "Stanford Moms Group." Francie and a few of her little friends climbed all the way to the top of the HUGE slide and wanted to go for a ride... the moms got a workout following them up, up, up and fitting into the twisty slide to go down, down, down!

The only girls in the group sitting down for a story... it didn't last long

Amy and Asher ready to bike home... they are so brave!

The little escape artists trying to get outta town

Oma & Opa Come for Dinner

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Sunday night Claire and Tom were down in the Bay Area for a doctor's appointment Monday morning so we all had dinner at Jannie and John's with Uncle Mark and Aunt Sarah and of course Goody visiting from Bostson. Oma and Jannie did the ring test on the pregnant girls (Sarah is 22 weeks and I just hit 20... about far enough along to do Jannie's infamous test!) You hold the pregnant girls wedding band over her belly on a string of her hair (did you study witchcraft Jannie?) and if it swings in a circle it's a girl, a pendulum back and forth is a boy. It works! 50% of the time ;) We had a great visit and Francie was so excited to see her Oma and Opa.

Oma and Jannie BOTH trying the ring test on Sarah... and both times said GIRL! :)

The Ring...

My turn... and twice it said GIRL!

The boys... Tom, John and Goody (Who is a saint! Goody is actually Craig Heff's (Brian's youngest brother and Isabel's Dad:) good friend and basketball teammate from MIT days but Goody seems to be everyone's new BFF. He took my mom and Aunt's on tours of Boston when they were back visiting colleges for Claire and my mom somehow convinced him to pick up an antique high chair she bought as a local pick up only item in Boston! He met this guy on a freeway exit, had it wrapped in bubble wrap at the UPS store and checked it as luggage on his flight out here to deliver to Jannie at baggage claim. Francie's spoiled little tush thanks you Goody!)

Francie and "toph" entertaining Oma and Goody

"I'm ready to eat in my fancy new high chair..."

"Seriously, what are we waiting for?"

"Oma says I don't have to go to bed mom."

Tea Time

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Francie and Jannie had a tea party on Sunday while we were anxiously awaiting a visit from Oma and Opa! Francie collected all the Gerber baby dolls in the house (two vintage from my days and a few more that have been arriving in eBay boxes lately ;) and her teddy bears for afternoon tea!

Setting up the doll-dolls for Tea

Don't they look excited? :)

"Ohhh! I almost forgot the teddy bears!"

Jannie and Francie pour some "TEA!"

"Ummmmmm-Ummmmmm good."

Pouring more for her doll-dolls

And gotta lick the spoon!

Saturday at Jannie and Grampa's

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Saturday we hung out in our PJ's while Grampa made us eggs and toast for breakfast. Francie and I went on a walk with Sophie in the Pram to Peninsula School (our old stomping grounds Beth and Jill!) to terrorize the playgrounds. I hardly had to do any stroller pushing on our walk... Sophie pulled the pram like a horse and cart the whole way! Just a little steering on the bumpy streets. Then we helped Jannie get ready for a dinner party with their "Italian Trip" friends the Accorneros, Worthings and Skidmores. For dinner my dad got fresh live crab, the first of the season! It was YUMMY and Francie even tried some crab smothered in my grampa's famous sauce. She kept everyone entertained until 11pm and the adults lost track of time talking politics and the state of the economy (how many times did my Dad say "dip-shit"? ;) until 1:00am. It's busy hanging out at the Johnets!

Emmy's Photoshop contribution :)

Sophie wishes she could play on the teeter-totter too :)

Good old wooden playgrounds taste pretty good

"Come pull the cah-cah like you pulled the Pram 'Toph!?"

All dressed up for dinner time back in the Pram to play

Hors d'oeuvres with the ladies... Francie was very interested in "dipping" her pear slices in the Stilton stinky cheese ;)

"Why is Mr. Worthing so kindly helping me clean my cheese-covered hands? Doesn't he know Sophie will just lick them for me."

The table set for a fall dinner... Francie's high chair front and center (the high chair Jannie just confessed she bought before she was even married!)

Peek-a-boo!

Francie and I made little pumpkin place cards for the guests

Jannie and Grampa busy cooking away in the kitchen!

In her PJ's indulging in a little apple crisp with LOTS of whipped cream and ice cream

"More please!"

Hanging Out at Jannie and Grampa's

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This weekend Heff was out of town hunting geese and deer in Eastern Montana so Francie and I moved in to Jannie and Grampa's house! (Yes, we packed bags to head 6 blocks away:) It's been fun to have Jannie and Grampa to spoil us and they kept us busy all weekend. Friday afternoon Uncle Jerry was sleeping over too before he took the GMAT on Saturday in San Jose (he did great, god job Jer!) We tried not to bug him too much while he took his practice tests up in his old room. Francie got lots of attention and we had Joy, Kelly and Shannon over for dinner Friday night (I can't believe I didn't get any pictures though Kelly!) We had lots to distract us from missing Dad too much :)

"Yay! Yay! Yay!" Uncle Jerry let her watch Happy Feet trailers on YouTube for a looong time.

When we were all sick of watching penguins sing and dance she took matters into her own hands...

This little monkey can not be left to her own devices for long! (but at least her mother is taking pictures instead of immediately getting her safely down:)

THAT looks like a Heffernan baby! (maybe even a Heffernan Boy ;)

"Oops. Did I forget to brush my bed-head hair?"

Francie's Best Friends

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If you ask Francie who her best friend is she says "Emma Emma" followed closely by "Ow-wo" and "Kriss!" She loves to talk about about our neighbors Emma, Owen, Chrissie (and Miles too although he doesn't get nearly as much air time:) Every night we sing goodnight to Mommy and Daddy, Jannie and Grampa, Oma and Opa and then of course Ollie, Emma, Ow-wo and Kriss! Emma and Owen came over Thursday night for a visit. They had to pick out a new outfit for Francie... she is a willing participant to play doll with her friends :)

Follow the big kids Francie!

Owen found Heff's deer antlers on the porch and asked him "Did you have to make a Moose dead to get those?"

Off with the dress...

Owen has to hold her still while Emma puts on a new dress for "Ms.Fancy-Nancy-Francie-pants"

"Mom why isn't it this much fun when you dress me?"

"Can you teach me how to do that Ow-wo?"

Francie and her Chick-chicks

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Thursday Dad took on the big (stinky) job of cleaning out the chicken coop. Francie tried to help and is getting a little more used to the chick-chicks being on the outside of their cage :) They did peck at my nail polish (there goes my pedicure) but tolerated "pets" from Francie pretty well and snatched up all the food she has dropped daily trying to feed them their scratch. Somewhere along the way "What does a chicken say" changed from "cheek-cheek!" to "BAAAAAAAAKKKK!" She sits at the cage and screams "BAAAAAAAAKKKK!" when no one is looking :) Her favorite place to sneak away to is the chicken coop. Heff and I watched her from her nursery windows the other day and were laughing for a full 20 minutes as she walked around having a conversation with the chickens and Ollie, usually finding a reason to yell at one of them ("Awwww-WAAA!" when he digs at the coop.) She loves her animals and didn't get that gene from her mother!

Trying to get her chickens to lie "down" like her doggie does... good luck with that one France. (Do you like the one-leg-up-one-leg-down look?)

"Get BAAACK in your coop chick-chicks!"

"Dad, don't let these things fly away."

Watch your toes Francie!

THANKS for cleaning the coop for me Heff!

"That was a close one..."
*Francie is wearing her polo-horsey dress in honor of her pet horse Bob (mom's old polo pony) up in Red Bluff who had a touch-and-go-night with a case of colic and almost didn't make it... but he pulled through! We owe Kristie Flynn and Greg Weber HUGE for taking good care of him all night and day. We're glad he didn't kick the bucket right before we move them to Oma's new barn!! Glad you pulled through old Bob and THANKS Kristie and Web :)

Cletus Repeatus

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Auntie Baby Ann left a little remark on this picture of Francie in my Picasa album: "Maybe she just realized Cletus 2 might interfere with her being able to go to ABA's graduation Part 2. I'd be pissed too Francie!" Haha :) We will hit 20 weeks this week and are hopefully halfway to a new baby brother or sister for Francie! I am feeling great and started to feel kicks this past week, it's fun to have a little buddy reminding me it's there all the time. When I was pregnant with Francie we called her "Cletus the Fetus" (I promise there is a good story behind it) and today our friend Goody called this baby, very appropriately "Cletus Repeatus!" 20 weeks to go Francie... enjoy being an only child it while it lasts :)

Faces of Francie

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It's been awhile since I've done a "Faces of Francie" post! Here she is hamming it up on Tuesday morning after her Dad took her to Pete's coffee for her very own hot chocolate while I got to sleep in, he dressed her again in all her "Juicy" glory... I love when he picks out her outfits ;) We both think the photo above is a window into what she will look like when she is a big girl!

playing "airplane" on mom's knees

and finally showing off her best "Shiloh" (or doing "What does a Llama say" lips ;)