IT'S A BOY!

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Congratulations Andrea, Isabel and Craig!! Isabel is really going to be all smiles today as she welcomes her little brother...

Thomas Harsanyi Heffernan

Born at 12:54am

Wednesday September 30, 2009

9-30-09 (we like the numbers and Isabel was on the 30th too!)

Mom and baby are doing great, waiting to hear the weight...

Not much more than 24 hours after this picture was taken he arrived-
we're glad you're here Thomas Harsanyi Heffernan!!!

We're so excited for you Big Sis Izza-Bizza!

Visit to LA for A Day!

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Monday we went down to LA for a quick 12 hour trip to visit my sister-in-law Andrea who was due with her second baby TWO DAYS AGO! When we were driving home from Red Bluff Andrea and I had been texting about when the heck this baby was going to come and she didn't have her next doctor's appointment until Tuesday so I checked flights from my phone and decided to just fly down for the day Momday to give her a little distraction and let the girls play! Jannie cleared her calendar and went with us too- a day to spend with her girls and Andrea/Izzy who she loves PLUS fly twice in one day? My ex-flight-attendant mom couldn't resist :)

at the airport getting our boarding passes, the TWO year old needs her own ticket now!

SO excited to fly on an airplane

window seat

reading her "Take-Off" book with Jannie during take off :)

Maisie and I- self portrait in the isle seat

Isabel and Uncle Craig picked us up at the airport- we borrowed the new baby's infant seat and their extra Britax so we didn't even have to travel with carseats, it was so easy!

Andrea looks fantastic and Isabel is so excited for her new little brother-sister :)

Sweet Little Maisie Moo after her first Southwest flight!

The girls all went out for lunch, Jannie brought Isabel a matching vintage baby doll- they have so much fun together

Andrea's mom joined us too- three generations of girls on both sides :)

Maisie was a little upset she didn't get the mexican food and margaritas so she settled for eating her foot

We drove out to Manhattan Beach so Jannie could show us the house she lived in "on the strand" when she flew for American and was based at LAX

Walking to the Pier

Cousins off and running

and there is the belly. Isabel was a "Perfect TEN" pounds... we're hoping this baby doesn't break any records!

We took the girls to a cute little aquarium at the end of the pier

and tired them out running around so they'd fall asleep on the way home!

The girls gabbed for a while at home while the babies slept (I might have even fallen asleep with Francie for a few after those mid-day margaritas:) then woke up to play a little longer before we headed for home. Taking turns on Jannie's lap (it's so cute how Izza loves "JAA-nie!")

Hiding

Craig and Andrea got treats for the girls... Cookie Monster Cupcakes!

Thanks for the shuttling and letting us come invade for a day Uncle Craig!

Could be the last shot of this family of THREE!

Tehama County Fair & Livestock Auction

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This weekend we were up in Red Bluff for one of my favorite weekends... the Tehama County Fair and Junior Livestock Auction. We rounded up a few friends to buy some animals for and ended up with 4 hogs, 3 lambs, 3 chickens and a steer! No downer cows around here :)

My cute husband ready to bid

Oma and Aunt Kat at the auction

This little girl and her giant steer were our favorite, he is way bigger than she is! She raised him and handles the cow all by herself, pretty impressive.

We were at the auction from 10am to 4:30pm... the girls were great and took their naps on the sidelines

The 4H kids bring the buyers in the stands water, iced tea and tri-tip sandwhiches!

Heff and Donald enjoying their sandwhiches

This kid had a sense of humor with his meat rabbits up for auction

The girl we bought a big ole steer from (for our friend Baby Jack!)

Our friend Remington with her hog

This girl Rose and her friend were doing the Chicken Dance with their Reserve Grand Champion Chickens...

We couldn't resist and with a little real-time texting to our friends Lena and Rose... we bought her chickens! Since they were in the Champions section we got to go in the arena for a photo, Aunt Kat loved that my ghetto-fabulous camo-tiara hat we got at bull sale is in between the "Lil Miss Tehama County" tiaras :)

We got purple ribbons for the girls and "Rose" was very excited her chickens were going to a good home, er I mean kitchen :)

Maisie on nap number two on Aunt Kat

Francie up and intrigued by the auction (but I am a little grossed out she has been hanging out with the cowboys too much by the way she's holding her water cup!)

After the auction, Francie checking out the 4H posters...

"then gut the body" ;)

Oma and Heff in line to pay for the bounty

Walking around the exhibitor booths Aunt Kat won Best in Show for her quilt that she made with her students!

Checking out the animal barns

"HI cows!!!"

Family shot in front of Furbie the cow

and Lucy the pig :)

Thanks Oma and Opa a fun weekend in Red Bluff!

Too Big for the Bassi?

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Maisie probably needs to move to her crib! Francie calls her bassinet "the Bassi" and as much as I love having that little bassi right net to me in case she wakes up at night I think she is too big now. She started semi-crawling last week, rocking on all fours and throwing an arm or two in front of her and then she gives up and army-crawls on her belly by throwing her arms out, grabbing the floor and pulling herself with all her might. She's not very fast but she sure can get where ever she wants to go.

Little stinker

and a "dirt"-eating grin ;)

The pull-up

and the arm over

Just spells trouble!

Silly little girl... shipped off to her crib!

Spartan Soccer

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Tuesday night was a fun weeknight game at Spartan Stadium and the girls won 1-0! Emmy has been on a roll... a HAT TRICK (3 goals in 1 game!) last week and the game winning goal in double-overtime the next game. She is a soccer super star! Francie watches the game so intently and yells "Score a goal Emmy!" and "Good job Nina/Roxy/Shanelle!" She loves all the soccer girls and the late night games. We grabbed dinner after the game at 10pm and got our girls home at the reasonable hour pushing midnight :)

Dad and funny face Francie

Kelly and Maisie watching the game

Heff took Francie down for a front row seat treat

Uncle Rich, Maisie and Grampa

Spartans win! 4th straight win in a row

Emmy letting go of Kaky's balloon

Maisie got to do down on the field with the team for a little stretching

Jannie with Kelly and Francie (just a little jealous of her sister getting the attention ;)

Girls Night Out

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Last week we had a girls night out at Rosewood with my Le Cirque friends to wish one of the girls who works there (Hi Sarah) good luck as she moves to LA for school and an internship. It was a fun night out on the patio and Maisie even got to tag along. We had a "Moms Night Out" up at Rosewood again last night (but I didn't take any pictures!) and Heff took both girls for me all night. It was the first time I've left Maisie for more than a quick errand and she did great! Thanks hubby :)

Christian and I with Maisie Moo

Maisie (at home before we left) in her hand-me-down Tory Tunic Auntie Em gave Francie last year! TG for two girls :)

Miss Shaunte Sarah and Catie at Rosewood

Christian, Adriana and Christian's favorite baby (lucky Maisie ;)

Libby and the-other-Jan

All of the Le Cirque ladies

and ending the night with Sprinkles

Pigs, Lambs and Cows

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Wanna farm animal for your freezer?!

We are headed to the Red Bluff County Fair this weekend and the annual 4-H auction! In the past we've bought a pig, a lamb, and a cow (usually the cow to split) at the fair to stock out freezer with lots of great "home-grown", farm raised meat and also support some 4-H kids. It's nice to know where our meat comes from... no downer cows in our kitchen! Some of our friends have mentioned they'd be interested in their own lamb/pig/cow or splitting one with a friend or two. SO if you are interested here is your chance... We'll bid on an animal for you at the fair, have it butchered up in Red Bluff and deliver it to your freezer when it's ready.

Francie's first 4-H purchase at 9 days old :) We picked Jessyca's pig since it had a big pink bow tied around it!

It's hard to say what they will go for, but it might be a good year to get a good "deal" and support a 4-H kid as well (the money they earn usually goes into their college or savings account and since the auction is charitable, the amount paid for the animal over the market price is generally tax deductible!). Attatched is a letter from one of the 4-H girls selling her lamb this year if you want to hear about how they raise their animals for the fair- it's hard work!

and the sweet girl we bought the pig from last year

A rough idea of what they can go for (could be less, you can set a bidding limit :)

Example Cost of A Lamb
Lambs weigh between 105-150/lbs. live. The average yield is 52 lbs.
If the wholesale market price is $.65/lb. and you bid $3.50/lb. on a 110 lb. lamb, the cost would be:
Auction Bid $385.00
Processing, cut wrap, etc: $125.00
$286.00 (tax deductible portion)
Total $510.00

Example Cost of a Hog
Hogs weigh between 200-265 lbs. live. The average yield is 125 lbs. of processed meat.
If the wholesale market price is $0.46/lb. and you bid $2.50/lb. on a 230 lb. hog, the cost would be:
Auction Bid $575.00
Processing, cut wrap, etc.. $260.00
$460.00 (tax deductible portion)
Total $835.00

Example Cost of a Steer
Steers weigh between 1,000-1,350 lbs. live. The average yield is 500 lbs. of processed meat.
If the wholesale market price is $0.70/lb. and you bid $2.00/lb. on a 1,000 lb. steer, the cost would be:
Auction Bid $2,000
Processing, cut wrap, etc: $600.00
$1,500 (tax deductible portion)
Total $2,600.00

FROM YOUR PURCHASE. . .
You can expect to receive approximately the following amounts of TOP QUALITY meats:
For each 1,000 lbs. of beef: 510 lbs. of steaks, roasts, lesser cuts and ground meat.
For each 200 lbs. of hog: 140 lbs. ham, bacon, roasts, chops, lesser cuts & sausage.
For each 100 lbs. of lamb: 52 lbs. of roasts, chops and lesser cuts.

Francie's First Fair

a big steer with a pink bandana!

The auction is this Saturday, so just let us know!

The Heffs :)

Francie's Birthday Bash

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Saturday we had a party for Francie in our backyard... since "Francie was turning TWO, only airplanes and helicopters would do!" We weren't sure we could pull everything together in time for a party so it was a little bit of a last minute scramble and we kind of invited friends and family as we saw them out and about but we ended up with a fun crowd to celebrate Francie's big day. She was slightly overwhelmed with all the attention but had a great time playing with friends, eating birthday cake and opening presents. I think she'd say it was a pretty great day!

I attempted to make her a helicopter cake. My friend Christian volunteered to help me and after getting a bunch of supplies and trying to figure out how in the world to sculpt a helicopter cake... we decided to just make a tiered cake and put one of the little helicopter favors on top. I can imagine any attempt at the sculpted cake would have ended up in a pile of crumbs!

Aunt Kat and Uncle Donald drove down for the weekend from Red Bluff (and were tons of help before the party, thanks!) and Aunt Sarah with baby Clara (Unlce Mark helped too- it was a photo finish for the BBQ and electrical)

Em, Georgia, Jerry and Uncle Rich

My good friends Ryan and Jennie with their baby Sophia just a little older than Maisie!

Emily, Chris (move to the neighborhood already) and our neighbor Mike

Francie hiding out with a juice box in the playhouse

Swinging away

Heff with Chad and Isaac (and the almost finished new BBQ behind them!)

Kelli and I with our moms... Jannie holding Landry and Kelli has Maisie fast asleep

Jannie in her AUTHENTIC American Airlines stewardess apron for the aviation themed party! (Thanks for sending Andy!)

Mary-Frances-pants

Good practice Kelli :)

Mary Catherine and new baby boy Cillian! (only 8 days old, she looks fantastic!)

Jerry, Georgia, Jannie and Francie

Aunt Mimi and Maisie

Emmy with her little buddy Landry

Little Finn at the water table

Estelle on the slide

Emmy and her entourage

Silly girls Kelly, Summer, and Francie

Happy Birthday to Francie!

Family photo... Francie just wants cake

Love to remember what Heff is saying/doing right here!

She's sure TWO!

More Birthday Fun

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After a morning hanging out "on the cruz" downtown we went over to Jannie's for the afternoon for some sewing and embroidery fun. Emmy had a big game Friday night so we kept her rested, fed and hydrated while we sewed away and she played with the birthday girl and her god-daughter :) Francie always has fun at her Jannie's house and might have even been a little more spoiled than usual on her big birthday!

Maisie on the bed in the sewing room with Emmy while Jan and I slave away at the machines in the background

Emmy-Lou and Maisie-Moo

Emmy blew up a few balloons for Francie on her birthday... afterall what's a birthday without balloons!

Maisie loves playing with toys now

"I think I'm ready to crawl mom."

I made this dress for Francie to wear to her helicopter and airplane party Saturday :)

Back home Francie took her afternoon nap and woke up a little grumpy-as-usual

Until Heff told her she had a PRESENT waiting for her on the table he wrapped himself :)

Her very own "you-haf-to-wear-a-helmet-SCOOTER!"

Then Friday night we had dinner at our neighbors house with some friends- 8 little kids running around kept Francie happy playing all night!

Francie and her buddy Ruby (who turned two last week!) on the ATV

Lily and Maisie

Francie in her swim bottoms, she especially loved their little dog Barkley and his Bee costume :)

Cute dinner plates for the kids

They were so sweet to have cute little gifts for the girls...

We played inside after it got too dark to play outside

and since Francie likes to eat sand/dirt/mud for fun I made her a DIRT PIE with Oreo's, ice cream, fudge and gummy worms :)

Make a wish

Silly girls tickling each other waiting for their dirt

Thanks for having us over Shoups and Olsons!

Francie's 2nd Birthday

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Francie woke up on Friday September 18 to a chocolate sprinkled donut with a donut hole on top on her "You Are Special Today" plate left out by her Dad :) We played around the house for awhile and then ventured downtown for a special birthday breakfast...

"De-wish-ous"

We met Jannie, Emmy and Daddy at Stacks for a birthday breakfast (just like we did last year for her first birthday)

Our favorite waitress brought the birthday girl a treat! Whipped cream in a little bowl with strawberries, chocolate chips and a candle... what's not to love!?

Waiting for "Happy Birthday to You" so she can dig those little fingers in

Francie rode around town on this little push trike thing we have at Brilliant Babies. She thought she was pretty hot stuff.

We went by to check out the dance class since the big girl is TWO now and can do ballet! And Emmy took these great photos while we were waiting for Jannie to pick up a lamp at the repair place next door. Emm-azing as usual :)
She was pretty happy to be getting so spoiled on her BIRTHDAY!!

Airshow With Grampa

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Saturday Grampa came by to pick up Francie for the Palo Alto Airport AIRSHOW! She is obsessed with anything aviation related lately and is insisting on a helicopter birthday party next week. So needless to say the airshow was a huge hit... especially with Grampa spoiling her with hot dogs, popcorn and lifting her up into any airplane/helicopter/glider she wanted to see. It was weird fall weather this weekend but made the sky look pretty neat against the planes flying in formation above us.

We're here! (Maisie and I tagged along too) Francie can't figure out why this airport looks so different than her favorite San Caaar-los Airport

Checking out the Life Flight helicopter

Watching a Bi-plane taking off

She couldn't believe how close she got!

Test driving the glider's pilot seat

Here come the airplanes!!!

Pretty cool... the "amateur" pilots from Palo Alto Municipal Airport fly together in formation for the crowd

Maisie was out cold for most of the airshow :)

Gotta stop for some popcorn

Thanks for such a fun morning Grampa!

Maisie Sits!

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Maisie can sit up all by herself now, what a big girl :) I guess she has been able to do it for a while now- I didn't get a "can sit by herself" date for her baby book... bad mom to my second baby! But actually I don't really know when Francie did either so don't feel bad Maisie. She still holds on to the floor or something for balance, but I bet she'll have that perfect-posture little baby sit soon enough. She loves to play with toys now and can sit on the floor for a little while before she heads south to roll around again. She really wants to crawl though and can move herself around pretty well, just trying to keep up with her big sister I guess!

"I can get that camera now mom!"

Sitting...

And sitting...

and falling...

Down!

"I'm still pretty cute down here though...."

"You know I am!"