Rehearsal Dinner

/

The Williams hosted a beautiful Rehearsal Dinner Friday night at La Honda Winery. It is tradition in the south to have all the speeches/toasts at the Rehearsal Dinner so I got off the hook and only had to give mine in front of 75 people instead of 250 :) Pat's Dad was the Best Man (also a big southern tradition) and I went first- then most of the siblings and close friends got up to say a few words too. There were some pretty funny stories! I didn't take too many pictures since the photographer was there, I can't wait to see hers when we get them back.

Bridesmaids- Christine, Ann, Kelsey and Emily

Clark, Jerry, Mikey and Johners

Jill, Jason and Jannie

Mimi, Emmy and Claire

Pretty La Honda Winery all set up for dinner

Neils and Kelsey

Claire, Francie and Emmers

La Honda Wine

Brothers Bill and John in the middle with sons Mike and James

The Groom with the Skidmore Clan! Clark, Jen and Zach (their wedding is NEXT!!!)

Jen and I - looking flashy ;)

Brian and France with the Skids

Johners Belding- took over the duties of doing a blessing at the Rehearsal Dinner, his mom Kaky did for mine :) We love you John and Miss you Kaky

Dinner is served

Bride-To-Be and Matron-of-Honor before my big speech!

Watching a cute video montage

The Bride and Groom say a few words after lots of toasts and roasts!

pretty flowers

Maisie high fivin' through the crowd

The twins entertaining France and Moo Doo Don (can't you see her right next to Francie?)

Kelsey and ABA

Rehearsal

/

Friday at 4:00 we all met at Nativity Church (not long after the bridesmaid luncheon ended!) for a run through of the wedding mass. We made it out in record time according to the wedding planner! Everyone is excited for the big day tomorrow and ready to enjoy an evening of speech's and getting to know both sides of the new family better at the Rehearsal Dinner... (and I was laughing at the photo above- Brian and I with our little full of personality girls- Francie making funny faces and Maisie scowling at the whoever is trying to talk to her!)

Baby Ann and her Dad :)

The flower girls and their "Here Comes The Bride" signs

me taking semi-blurry photos as I walk down the isle :)




Ann and Pat ready for their special ceremony

new brother-in-laws (almost!)

Cute girls- all best friends :) And I love that the big sisters are "holding" their little sisters

Mary, Ann, Pat and Joe

Heff and the Moo

Lou, Pat and Jason - groomsmen

Cute pic of Emmy and her Uncle John

Margy and baby Mary Eva

The Galassini's!

Then we went back by the Johnet's before dinner started and found a blue jay in the back porch- Heff saved the day :)

Maisie thought it was a new pet

Francie touched it- then went inside and scrubbed her arms up to her elbows and said "I touched a BIRD!"

off to the winery for Rehearsal Dinner!

Thursday Cocktail Party

/

Thursday night Ann Skidmore (Baby Ann's godmother) and Katsy threw a fabulous cocktail party at the Skidmore's home. As with anything Ann does- it was over the top beautiful and had lots of delicious food. There were about 40-50 close family and friends and it was a great way to kickstart the celebrations. The girls finally got to meet Pat's nieces- they six of them together are trouble! Ann and Pat make such a cute couple- we are all excited for them to tie the knot on Saturday!

Can't wait to see my baby sister walk down the isle!! (for the rec- I'm taller. She's cheating with heels)

SIL-to-be Margy, Mary Eva and Baby Ann :)

James, Em, Kelsey (one of the bridesmaids and Ann's good friend from High School) with her boyfriend and Ann

Emmmmy and Maisie

"Pat's Kids!" Francie has been waiting and waiting to meet these adorable girls- Anne Marie, Emma and Mia (little sister Mary Eva too) They belong to Margy and John but one night Ann and I were telling Francie about them and mentioned their names once or twice, then when Brian was putting her to bed he goes "Apparently Pat has kids- Anne-Marie, Mia and Emma?" She knew their names off the bat but might need a reminder as to who they belong to!

The Galassini Girls and their grandma "Bea"

Jan, Ann and Jeanette (Francie was helping me upload pics at 11:30 last night- still in a night owl phase! and said - "hey they all match- ANN and JAN and JANette!" :)

The party was beautiful- as expected at the Skidmore's house!





Francie was in LOVE with her newest-instant-look-a-like-BFF Mia. Mia is 4 and a little character- they couldn't be separated all night after the initial shy meeting both chewing on their fingernails.

My Maisie Moo- in hand-me-down dresses from the Shigo girls! (and coats tonight, thanks Kerri!)

Emmy entertaining the troops

Susie, Margaret and Lisa - all good family friends and all recent/to-be grandmothers (they all look way too young to be grandmothers!) Lisa (on the right) was my "other mom" when I lived at the Fuerst's guest house for two years and I tutored their boys when I graduated from college. She would have the boys bring me a hot plate of dinner most nights- one of the many reasons I LOVED living in their crazy compound and tried my best to keep the four Fuerst boys in line- they are such a great family and I can't believe Rory is going to be a DAD!

TIRED girls! AnneMarie and Emma after a long flight, full day of sight-seeing and showing off their wonderful manners at the party. They are tuckered out :)

Pat's mom gave a great toast to Ann and Pat- she told the story of how he always pretended he was superman and borrowed his sister's nurse outfit cape...

...which she saved and passed on to his "Lois Lane"!

Love a little childhood embarrassment (as I am thinking of what to say in my MOH speech tonight!)

Cheers!

Anna and her husband Jason, Ann and Pat, Joe and Mary toast the B&G

James and Em- they're next!

and Ann gave a really sweet toast about her god-daughter :)

YAY for ABA and PAT!

awww Baby Ann :)

My almost brother-in-law!

In the running for the worst picture ever taken of me and the girls- chocolate-not-looking-face and a nose picker!

Not much better... but I still love them :)

Pedicure Pampering

/

Thursday we met up with Pat's Mom- Mary, sister Anna, ABA, Jannie, and Em for mani-pedi's and lunch together. (Pat's other sister Margy, her husband, cousin and four girls were touring SF for the day- they were brave!) Brian met me there from work (he has been SWAMPED this week in the office at 5am- before Peet's Coffee opens! He must be exhausted to come home at night and rush to pre-wedding festivities but he is being a trooper and was great to take the girls at lunch- thanks Heff :) So he and my Dad took the girls to lunch- they got to pick- McDonalds play sturcture at the mall won- while we relaxed and got pampered. Then Francie came back for a quick pedi of her own!

my dad is so cute pushing the stroller and doting on the girls :)

Picking her own color- bright orange. Couldn't say no! (tights and closed toed shoes for the wedding, don't worry :)

Pretty excited

Maisie was wishing she was three ;)

Maisie trying to put the gorgeous "Bratz" crown on mom :)

Little Princess sans pedicure (she took her shoes off and tried :)

Fancy toes for the big day!

Wedding Weekend is Here!!

/

The bride is here. The groom just landed. Family is rolling into town... Ann and Pat's wedding weekend festivities officially kicked off tonight! Let the celebration begin. And crap- I gotta write that speech :)

We all watched the Giant's game from home, then Ann & Earl's house, then the bar at Gambardella's until the Giants clinched it at 9pm! Dinner with Pat's parents, Ann Skidmore, my parents, Ann, Pat, Heff and I. (thanks for watching the girl's and MooDooDon for us Emmy!!!)

We love you guys and can't wait for Saturday! (I know- you were right ABA I look super awky in this picture- she snapped it and then goes "um, don't lean back, scoot closer together and don't look so awkward." Gotta love an honest sister- must not have been a very good night for me, Jannie told me she didn't think I was this big even when I delivered Francie or Maisie- HA!)

and Pat grabbed a waiter after dinner so I could be in the picture (although I kinda wish I could photoshop myself out of this one too! and is it the angle or are we standing in height order?) Better pics tomorrow I hope but a fun night out with the families-to-be :)

More Rounding Up!

/

We were up in Red Bluff for the weekend with ALL the Heffernan siblings, spouses and cousins to meet new Baby Oliver and celebrate Tom's birthday. It all came together sort of at the last minute that the whole crowd would be up there so when Kat, Andrea and I made a run to the Redding Outlets while the guys watched football (Heff just back from deer hunting all morning) and the kids played in the rain- I couldn't resist getting matching outfits for all the cousins :) It was pouring rain that afternoon when all nine happened to be awake and somewhat happy- so we were out in the rain snapping pictures and my lens was a little foggy but here they are- Oma and Opa's nine grandbabies- ours will make TEN and keep reading to find out who will be adding number 11!!

The "big kids" all playing out by the barn and the playhouse in the rain

Sweeping out the leaves in our old playhouse

and coloring arts and crafts when it got too cold and windy outside (not that they cared!)


and I don't know what we would do without Ellie as the leader of the pack! She carts Maisie around everywhere, puts her shoes and jacket on to take her outside, feeds her snacks and keeps an eye out for her around the big kids. Thanks Ellie- Maisie looooves you!

Donald was on diaper duty and got pooped on twice, then while he was waiting for the storm to pass Kat leaned down to kiss the baby and he PEED all over her and Donald! Three more poops later Donald has been initiated into the world of having a baby boy :)

Doug jumped in to help Ellie hot glue feathers on her cool parrot costume for Halloween

Andrea and I rounded up the kids for a wardrobe change

Getting ready to shoot some kids in the rain

Cute cousin outtakes- sometimes the outtakes are my favorite shots :)

and they're done

but here come Oma and Opa! (Oma looks so pretty! Opa didn't like the hay bothering his eyes so much- not a greta picture of the birthday guy)

my favorite shot :)

Family shot of the Heff's

But of course Francie only smiles for Dad :)

The Big Girls in the barn- I love Francie and Isabel's faces

The plaid gang

and the "close to One Year Olds" club (Patrick just turned 2, Maisie 18 months, Thomas 13 months, Clara, 19 months) These kids have so much fun together and it's only going to get better!

Craig Heff's

Clara Marie- soon to join the BIG SISTER CLUB!!! Sarah and Mark announced this weekend they are expecting number 2 on April 23, 2011. SO excited for them! This will mean we'll have 9 kids 3 years and under!

Barn kids

done with our little photoshoot- kids all dry inside- Dad's starting the BBQ for dinner. Heff was leaning in to set the charcoal and Craig poured a cold Sierra Nevada down his "bum crack" as Francie calls it. COLD!!!

Ellie made a matching Parrot costume for her doll

Everybody got in some good baby snuggling time

even Maisie Moo!

Dinner and cake to celebrate Opa Saturday night

Happy Birthday Tom!

Kids and their cupcakes



and Andrea is honing her expert photography skills and took some great newborn photos of Baby Oliver! My favorite one- in Oliver Donald's great grandfather Oliver Donald's saddle!


Witches' Night Out

/

Last Wednesday night we had a Witches' Night Out here at our haunt- a fun night for all of our friends to get out of the house for an evening with the Witches! It was so much fun to catch up with lots of good friends, a whole crew of our old neighbors who made the trek over to our new neck of the woods and even my sister-in-law Kat who came down for the night with Donald and 9 day old baby Oliver! We all got in the Halloween spirit just in time. Scenes from a spooky night out for the ladies...












pink "dripping blood" candle wax ended up all over the snacks - oops :)

There were a "lucky seven" pregnant bellies under witch costumes!

Thanks for coming Witches!

(and before the party starter, the girls woke up from naps and got to meet Baby Oliver for the first time- Maisie was sooo excited. Francie had to show her "how to be gentle." Then Donald and Heff carted the girls off to the Rodeo at the Cow Palace- lucky girls!)

Happy Birthday Uncle James

/

Uncle James' birthday was October 18 so we went to Izzy's Steak House Saturday night to celebrate. Francie picked out some great "poop" themed gifts for her god-father... who still thinks anything having to do with poop is funny! She kept running over to his seat with another card or poop gift :)

"You're reaaaaalllly gonna like it!"

Can you see her face saying "it's a penguin that POOPS."

"I love it Francie!"

She thinks it's hysterical

Uncle Jerry and Heff

Jannie and the girls

Me and Heff relaxing with so many hands to help with the babies!

We did "FaceTime" with Baby Ann so she could say hi too!! Almost like she was there :)

I love my Dad's face "What? Huh? That's Ann?! Can she see us?!"

thanks iPhone :) we could have made a Hallmark commercial for you

and in our third hour of good steaks, good red wine and good company I pulled out the iPad to buy a little more time

I wish my pics weren't so blurry/flashy but Maisie was hysterical wearing jannie's glasses!

happy birthday James!

Saturday Morning with Lucy

/

Baby Lucy and Emily came over Saturday morning to walk to breakfast with us (both of our husbands were working on a Saturday- no fun for them!) Lucy is soo adorable and such a good baby. The girls were swooning over her. Francie got down next to her and said "Hey baby Lucy. You're pretty small there aren't ya?" Maisie just looks at her and scrunches up her face and smiles.

We put Lucy in her first tutu of course.

One month old already

Maisie said "Rarrrr" half-heartedly trying to scare the baby :)

and then walking DTLA with our friend B in our triple-trouble stroller next to Lucy! As if we didn't cause enough of a scene coming to breakfast with four babies and 24 wheels worth of stroller B brought giant balloons to add to the chaos.