Red Bluff Livestock Auction & Fair

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We made it up to Red Bluff for the big Tehema County Fair weekend- the 5th year in a row we haven't missed it (even the year Francie was 9 days old :) The Tehema County Livestock Auction is our favorite- we camp out from 10am-ish until close to the end of the auction around 3/4pm. It's always hot that weekend but the giant fans and free Tri-tip sandwiches and iced tea they pass around make it nice and comfortable. We didn't quite buy as many animals as we did last year but we had fun bidding a few times, cheering on Oma's bids and coming home with a winner-winner-piggy-dinner!

Oma getting her buyer's basket from a cute 4-H girl

Heff and Maisie camped out watching the auction

Francie couldn't believe we had a "bottom row seat"

Maisie and her corndog

Corndog kids and Ronan hiding from my camera

Maisie wasn't so keen on the "let me sit on your lap" idea

Back in the auction after a snack and potty break

160 animals later... time for the parade of Grand Champions!

We only had room in our extra fridge for one animal so we went with our "Go Big or Go Home" motto and bought the Reserve Grand Champion Swine

That's our bacon, ham and pork chops. and we'll be famous soon when this picture publishes in the Red Bluff Daily News! :)

The girls had both been asleep on our laps by this time- we hauled them up with us for the picture and they both woke up looking like "where the heck am I!?" for the camera

Maisie calculating her price per pound (calculator "favors" for buying) Don't worry it's a tax write-off Maise

Francie went right back to sleep

Love this Grand Champion steer looking right at us through the fence (and his pint size little girl who raised him)

Funny Faces of Maises (our nice cleaning lady calls the girls "Frances and Maises")

Still worn out and sweaty from sleeping on dad

more Red Bluff pics next and a memorable encounter with a snake in the barn!

Countdown is on...

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...for Ann & Pat's wedding! October 30 is creeping closer and I'm so excited for all the festivities (and to have her home from Nashville so often) Last weekend the Carter's had a shower for Ann at their house with a whole group of ANn's biggest fans :) They made everything so special with personalized "Ann & Pat" champagne bottles for favors, pretty flowers and really good food. It was a fun night to celebrate Baby Ann.

everything was SO pretty and tasty- good job girls :)

The Carter girls with ABA- Beth, Ann, Georgia and Jill

giving a hilarious toast :)

Allison and Aunt Mimi

Ann and Bethy

Presents!!

Em made an impressive ribbon bouquet (thanks for taking over the duty for me Em!)

Ann and her girlfriends

Ann and her "lady friends" (sorry - blurry, I was tired)

Bethy and I trying to take a good picture- she looks cute I do NOT (maybe that means it's another girl this time since Jannie says girls steal your beauty when you are pregnant!) and Hi Bethy- thanks for being such a faithful blog reader :)

Thanks for such a fun night girls!!

A Visit to Grandma Wichmann's House

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On the way to Disneyland last Sunday we stopped outside LA to check in on Claire's Mom- Grandma Wichmann's house to see how it was faring since she passed away. It't the house where Claire and Cathleen grew up and really cool to see all of the land, horse stables and places she used to play as a kid.

roaming around on the wagon looking for trouble ;)

Little Packet! Holds his own around all these girls

"hey guys you left me here!"

kids on a tractor- almost as good as any ride at Disneyland (especially if they figure out how to turn it on:)

Maisie not too happy for some reason :)

dismounts

the kids found some crayons buried somewhere to keep themselves busy inside for awhile

Grandma Wichmann loved her Scottie Dogs!

Not much has changed since Grandma Wichmann died- a little dust collected (and a few Coors Light cans after our visit!) but it was really neat to see the house and pretty impressive she lived here alone and kept it up until she died at 96 years old!

Jannie would be happy to see the Simonson family Christmas card from 2009 was still propped on the TV!

Heff found a "trap-door spider web" and made an impromptu science experiment

Learning new tricks from her cousins

Little Squatter

and Ellie taking very good care of Maisie as usual (she usually has her or Patrick on her hip!) she takes her role as the eldest very seriously- I know the obligation well Ellie :)

DISNEYLAND!!

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Sunday morning we all packed up to head south for Disneyland (The four of us in one car- Oma, Opa, Ellie and Kate in another). Maureen and Doug had a wedding in LA so we met them down there with Patrick and Andrea, Craig, Isabel and Thomas who live in LA drove over Monday morning for the park day. It was a family affair for all seven of the kids first time ever to Disneyland. We stayed at the Grand California Sunday and Monday and just did one day in the park- thinking we'd come back for naps and go back but we ended up in the park from the minute they opened until closing! The kids were troopers and adults all enjoyed it far more than we gave it credit for. A Monday in September helped grace us with short lines but the park was still fairly crowded. Francie LOVED it and made it even more special to share with her cousins and Oma. We'll even plan another trip!

Up early in the morning... sooo excited for this day she's been asking about for a year

Breakfast with "the characters"

"We can't believe it's you either Chip!"

Posing with her instant buddy

Notice Maisie's subtle lean... she was okay as long as they didn't break the 12 inch bubble around her

all this AND Mickey shaped waffles? Too good to be true

If only I had two giant black ears and a bow on this stroller... I know, I know- I heard that a few times! We needed (I mean NEEDED Heff :) an umbrella stroller for my collection and this one was on super sale on Gilt a few weeks ago. I realized it's maiden voyage at Disney was a little ironic :)

and we're IN!

Our mission was to head directly to Mickey's House in ToonTown but we got sidetracked with the empty lines beckoning us along the way. First stop- Mr. Toad's Wild Ride! It was scarier than we remembered- Patrick (who's REAL birthday it was) hated it- sorry Patrick!

Then the Tea Cups of course!

Maisie trying not to barf

Did I mention the Mickey shirt?! At the hotel gift shop- Francie came running to Brian with this shirt saying "Dad!!! You won't believe it!! They have a Mickey shirt in YOUR SIZE!!!" He couldn't say no and was such a good sport he succumbed to looking like a total tourist/Mickey freak and wore it all day! I think it looks cute given the occasion :) What a sport.

"Where should we go next!?"

It's A Small World! Francie already knew the song by heart from asking us "the truth about the rides" every night. And after the 10 minute boat ride through the caves who could forget it.




Caught up with Craig and Andrea- now the gang's all here!

We finally got to ToonTown to find out it opened at 11am so we rode the train all around the park to kill 20 minutes- it was a cool ride though!

Cousin love in Toon Town

Best Ride Ever! Maureen and I took the kids on the Toon Town Roller Coaster- it was fast and furious but short- perfect!

And the big moment we'd all been waiting for (or at least Francie had...) THE REAL MICKEY!!!


Kate, Ellie and Isabel's turn- Izza wasn't so sure

Walking with Minnie in ToonTown - Francie holding tight to her autograph book. I guess if I were a GOOD parent like my husband I would have been wearing the Minnie shirt like the lady behind her :)

Minnie could only what for a minute before she had to go check on those cupcakes she was baking for Mickey- they whisk those characters off pretty quick!

Pirates of The Caribbean put Maisie right to sleep

After lunch- Doug, Craig and I waited with the babies for everyone else to come down Splash Mountain. We waited... and waited... and had our cameras ready at this for a long time.

Maisie woke up and had her lunch

Thomas fell sounds asleep in his stroller... going, going...

and the Birthday Boy Patrick was a very patient trooper

Then we saw a wave!

and the first group going down! (stranger, stranger, Heff, Francie, Kate, Oma) They all got "SOAKKKKK-ING WET!" as Francie said

then the next ones! (stranger, stranger, Andrea, hiding Isabel, Maureen and Ellie)

Heff and his girls in line for the Tomorrow Land rocket ride- what a cute Dad :)

Ellie piloting one herself

The Rocket Riding Trio!

In line for Captain Nemo... "Don't climb on the bars kids. Don't swing on the bars guys. Don't... oh forget it."

Loving the submarine- especially since our very own Opa used to be a Captain on this ride when he was younger!!

My sweet Maisie-Moo

wide eyed kids

Then on to Autotopia- Doug and Kate then Oma and Francie the crazy driver

and as promised Cotton Candy for all the big kids

Had to pose like her big sister and cousins

and then on to dinner... after much debate we went with corn dogs. deeelish. Thanks for treating Oma! (and Romey!)

and Oma let everybody pick out their very own embroidered hat before she left to go pick up Opa at his Aunt Wilma's house where he had camped out for the day

Outfit change after dinner and hoping for another character appearance

That face probably means she see's some 7 foot tall fuzzy thing!

It was MICKEY IN ANOTHER OUTFIT!!!

Stroller brigade brothers- who I have to say were all very good sports. Doug had just headed out to catch his 9pm flight home while Maureen and the kids would drive back with Oma

Tired babies (and parents) after a long- fun day at Disneyland

OMG PLUTO. Francie wanted to keep her distance at first on this one...

then finally warmed up

We love all the hats from Oma!

Bubbles in the street on our last go for rides

Dumbo! (I rode with her - don't call CPS :)

and getting-dark-carousel run

attempts at a group photo

and heading to BED! (after a lounge session in the hotel lobby with room service and cocktails until no one could keep their eyes open any longer :)

Francie Said...

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We were at Disneyland (pictures coming!) and Francie got a cake with a candle for dessert since it was Patrick's birthday the next day and Francie's had been two days before. She soaked up the "Happy Birthday to you," blew out the candle and said "Am I FOUR now?!"

Then tonight playing in the living room she asked us "Have you ever been to Wasghing-mon-ton? I went there with Moo-Doo-Don and my grandparents. It's in Africa and I saw lots of Kangaroo's there. Actually it was in Montana. I went there with my other little sister- her name is.... Camillia, yeah Camillia."

Francie's Birthday Party

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Saturday morning we had a little party for Francie at the Nature Preserve behind our house. We had a bunch of family in town for the weekend so the year that started as "maybe we won't do a party this year" became a "little family party" and then seeing friends out and about lead to an old fashioned family and friends fiesta. It was a mellow morning in the Redwoods with some snacks, balloons, bubbles, face paint and a huge pinata. Francie loved it and Heff and I enjoyed ourselves since it wasn't even at our house! Oma, Kat and Donald were staying with us and a huge help getting everything ready and carting things down to the picnic area. It was a fun day I think Francie will remember- or at least look at the 390 pictures and pretend to remember :)

The "theme" of Francie's birthday party? Well I ordered some full size tissue paper wholesale- and had to get 2,500 minimum sheets of each color. It was CHEAP but also meant I am now the proud owner of 30,000 sheets of tissue paper. My husband loves me :) So we went with a bright-colored-tissue-paper-inspired party with a hint of Minnie Mouse here and there

Setting Up

Donald and I were the last ones up and paper-mached this huge balloon the kids had been playing with at 1am- nothing like a little late night art project :)

thanks for all the help Kat and Donald (and risking the 4 hour drive 14 days before your due date Kat!)

playing at the party

Francie's guests










little blurry family shot

Cat sweetly offered to bring the face painting supplies she got for Chella's birthday- and her painting services... She was an awesome Face Painter!

Francie's favorite thing ever

PINATA time! Heff and Francie picked this gorgeous pinata at a little market in Redwood City. Way to reuse Minnie paper plates and party hats whoever made $15 on this thing!

first go

it took some rippin'

and there it goes!!

pretty happy about it!

singing happy birthday and the awesome Minnie Mouse cupcakes by Allison! (three fancy flavors- they were delish!)

proud dad :)

letting the kids go hog wild with red frosting. My white jeans will never be the same

Simos (where was Jannie!?)

good thing ABA was here so I could enlist her help to clean up

ABA and Emmy photoshooting with my poofs. Awky ABA

only family picture we managed was while cleaning up

Francie was about ready for a nap by then. Grumpy slowly but conveniently placed the balloons in front of her face...

oh well- she's three!

Happy Third Birthday MaryFrances!!! We love you.

New Doll

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Francie got her first American Girl doll for her third birthday from Oma and Opa! She picked "Emily" from the 49's (Kit's friend I think?) but she has renamed her "Natalie Emily" since big cousin Ellie has one named Natalie. Boy we really screwed up our kids thinking you have to have four names huh?!

She LOVES her doll and takes very good care of her. She tells people "you have to be careful with her and you caaaaan't drop her on hard ground or her arms and legs might fall off!" (words of warning from Ellie and Kate). But this morning when she woke up and Natalie Emily had fallen off her bed she goes "her arms and legs didn't fall off!!!"

Happy 3rd Birthday Francie!!

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Well it's officially after midnight on September 17, 2010 and I can no longer say I have a TWO and ONE year old. I can't believe you are THREE Francie!

Our friends Emily and Chris had a baby girl this morning at 4:45am at Stanford Hospital and I got to go visit them right after my 20 week ultrasound scan (all looked good for baby number three!) right down the hall at 11am. It was so much fun to remember those days with Francie exactly three years ago!

Francie at a few hours old...

Francie. You are a character and give your Dad and I a run for our money. You keep us entertained and we couldn't love you more. We love to get one-on-one time with you when you seem like a 2-going-on-5-year-old (you tell people sometimes you are five- nice try) and enjoy every minute with you.

We are going to have a little party for you tomorrow with family and friends in the Redwood Grove and your big present is a trip to Disneyland. You could not be more excited. Every night you ask your Dad or I to lie with you in bed and you say "Could you tell me the truth abouttttt...... the rides at Disneyland?" (we get this question a lot in the car- you want to know the truth about derr signs, the truth about roads, the truth about fire trucks... you get the picture:) but you must knoe every disneyland ride your dad and I can remember by heart and we can't wait to see your face when you meet "the REAL Minnie and Mickey." as well as Professor VonDrake, Figaro, Daisy and Donald among others you just can't wait to meet.

You are out spoken and usually not shy around new people. You met a doctor the other day (actually the man who founded the Parkinson's Institute- a really interesting guy who lives near us!) and you introduced yourself and said "My name is Francie. This is my little sister Maisie. Our nicknames are MaryFrances and MaryMarjorie."

You LOVE dolls and babies and being a "mom." You report to have twins in your belly and their names are "Lonesome and LuLu" and you really think I should name my baby Lonesome. Not sure where that came from. You have your favorite doll Honey and she goes lots of places with you- sometimes strapped to your CamelBak on the front as your very own BabyBjorn. (I found a picture of me below at four years old with my favorite doll in Jannie's blue corduroy carrier- glad to see you take after me France!) You told me the other day "Mom- I am a wonderful mother" and I had to agree and ask you where on earth you learned to be such a wonderful mother ;)

You talk a mile a minute about whatever is on your mind and when we ask you questions sometimes you thoughtfully pause before you answer... "Accccctually..... I thinnnnnnk...." followed by some hilarious sentiment. You want to know what everything is, how it works, why it's the way it is and your questions never stop (thank goodness for the "Cow songs" in the car to divert your attention to singing sometimes!

You are learning to bargain (but we're not falling for it!) and before bed last night you said "Mom. If you come lie with me I will be happy. If you DON'T come lie with me I'm gonna be reallllly mad." and you stormed back into your room. (We still struggle with your bedtime although not too bad- your sister points to her crib and stays put without a peep until morning but you need a little more coaxing and "someone to lie with me" most nights. You love to talk in bed about all sorts of things (stall tactics) and have mom draw letters on your back- a game Jannie taught you.

You love your sister Maisie and are really sweet to her- you even share most of the time and make sure she has what she needs. In the car sometimes Maisie likes to high-pitch-scream for no real reason (you did teach it to her) and you get upset and say "Ow Maisie that hurts my ears" and instead of getting upset you have learned how to handle her- you ask her "Maisie- what does a doggy say?" and she switches gears to much quieter animal noises :) we all love you for this.

When you wake up tomorrow you will be 3. I can hardly believe it. Don't grow up too fast my little MaryFrances!! We love you and Happy Birthday.

-Love, Mom

Ballet Day

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We had fun playing in our new outfits (Maisie had to join in and put the hand-me-downs on of course) around the house and then meeting our friends Parvin, Jasmine and Kayley for lunch at Rick's. Jazzy was going to join in on the 3-year old ballet but decided when we got there she'd just watch. They were very nice to wait for Francie to finish and watch class with Maisie and I. Then we all walked home for more playtime! Three girls piled in the wagon and Kayley in the Ergo we were a gaggle of girls.

"Try this one on Maise"

(sorry these pictures look like they are car-sick green- can't find a good camera setting for playroom lighting!)

teaching her fancy moves

SO happy one minute and then... I forgot for a second she is still "only two" but thanks for the reminders Francie :)

still mad

recovering to take care of her dollies

and Maisie just likes to clean- thanks to the neighbors who had awesome stuff at their garage sale- with the distinct exception of this Barbie vacuum that says "Hey! Let's get ready to CLEAN!" over and over


than after lunch and ballet (Jazzy was a trooper and waited for Francie to finish!) we came back to play in the playroom with tutu's, dolls, dollhouses and princess. All things girls.

Maisie was obsessed with checking out Kayley

Francie showing off for her friends

Kayley the four month old almost crawling wonder baby!

Babies

Big girls

Big Girl Ballet

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This week Francie started her first 3 year old ballet class... no more 'Mommy & Me'! We signed up at the Los Altos studio (used to take in Menlo Park) so we can walk to class downtown. It;s a really cute little program. Francie was so excited and had been asking if it was ballet day yet for a week. We had to get new ballet shoes (size 10, little big foot) and when the outfit was a little tight and I told her she could wear the other leotard with "plain sleeves" she said "Actually- it fits perfect!" She ran right into the classroom with a new friend named Julia and loved the teachers Suzanne and MaryAnne.

Maisie watching intently from the one-way mirror

Mom and Girls Weekend

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My long weekend in iPhone pictures... Heff just got back from 5 full days of elk/deer hunting in Oregon with his brother-in-laws Doug and Donald (how lucky is he is sister's married guys who love to hunt!?) We survived without him even though Jannie and Grampa were in Las Vegas! We hung out with Emily who is due with her first baby ANY second and tried to keep ourselves entertained without our main squeeze. Of course it's when he is gone Maisie decides to barf three times for no apparent reason. We are glad you are back Daddy!

This was the night before he left- late night walk downtown for "ice cream you can put your stuff on" as Francie calls it

only one smiler per picture allowed I guess

Thursday night we met friends at the farmer's market and indulged in berry crepes covered in whip cream and then rainbow snow comes eaten on the asphalt in the middle of the street while we listened to music. (and this wasn't even the puker night :)

We played at home a lot with some new lego's and Francie played "baby" with Maisie. She changed her diaper herself (it didn't stay on exactly but A for the effort!) Then of course she got to be the baby and insisted on wearing a size 2-3 diaper herself.

We went over to check out Emily's nursery (Francie wanted to make sure she had toys and onesies for the new baby) and we walked over to crash her neighborhood block party since we saw two bounce houses up!

Facepaint. Serious business. Francie requested a black spider with silver sparkles.

Maisie even had a turn! She got a pink smudge we called a flower before she decided she was done.

Then out for SPICY mexican food at Milagros to induce labor (her husband went on a quick camping trip overnight, we were giving him a hard time but he was 30 minutes away and had cell service. Still would have been a good story if that was the night she went into labor!)

girls split make your own sundae's. Maisie started out sleeping in the stroller behind us and while the food was being put on the table we were distracted and didn't hear/see her wake up. She stood up in her stroller like Baby Godzilla and the table behind us was cracking up

and Sunday we went to play at Jannie's, she took them on a long walk to Peninsula school. Then Rosewood for some sun on the patio and lunch with friends, then record fast naps at home while our friends stayed to play and early dinner downtown Los Altos with three kids in my new triple wide stroller I ordered from the UK that finally came- I need to take pictures of it, it's slightly crazy but I love it :)

More Fun in San Francisco

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More from our adventures in San Francisco last weekend! Emmy rocks as the best babysitter on the planet :)

We checked into our cool new hotel right on Ghirardelli Square, bundled up and then hung out on the square with friends for a late lunch while Heff went on a run.

I sure can't manage a picture of them from the front and Maisie's skirt might have needed to be rolled a few times so she didn't look Amish/trip on herself. But I got them at Christian's Le Cirque tent sale, they were in her old stash of "vintage" Liberty of London!

my not interested and not looking at the camera girls...

Then we went to play at an indoor kids club near the hotel for a bit with our friends- sweaty Dad met us there after his run :)

The girls found the most fun pushing the baby stroller down the slide at full throttle. I think I am in trouble....



Emmy met us there after work (she is working in SF a few days a week- what a city girl!) and we had fun at the indoor play place and then terrorizing the hotel room

and she even took some decent pictures of my little monsters since I have been striking out

what monsters?

ok maybe not all the time

and Emmy babysat for us while we had a night on the town at Brady & Kristen's fun wedding

attempts at a family photo... call these the outtakes, but oh wait there might not have been a single good one (totally our fault, not Emmy's :)

Maisie got a little upset (for 2 whole minutes) when we left but Francie was watching for us from the window- Heff told her to look by the ATM while we stopped on our way out :)

Emmy's babysitting fun on the sqaure! the girls in the cute new hats emmy got them. They went across the street to the beach to watch the boats and shopped around- too much fun.

Emmy's Full Service Babysitting Service includes showers before PJ's of course!

and chocolate milk in bed with a little Mickey (I warned Emmy, Francie watches and LOVES Mickey's Clubhouse, Olivia, SuperWhy or Little Einsteins. We tried to venture out to some random cartoon with little mice running around to french music and while Heff and I were busy filling our "TV babysitter" time we turned around to see Francie quietly bawling her eyes out next to the couch! "Daddy the mouse ran off and lost it's mother!" which apparently doesn't happen in the four benign shows mentioned above so we'll stick to those! Mickey only runs off from "uncles" so we're good)

Saturday morning ready to hit the streets!

someone pointed out today their eyes are exactly the same color right now- you can tell in this picture! Mine are Hazel, Heff's are blueish-green so I think they got the green gene

not sure about those teeth genes though.
Francie's = straight. Maisie's = snaggle.

and they're done.

Meet Moo-Doo Don

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Francie has an imaginary friend. Her name is Moo-Doo Don. Sometimes she breaks into two people... Moo-Doo and Don (and Don becomes a He). Sometimes she is 1 year old and sometimes she is "about 12" or even 17 which means sometimes she is Francie's little sister and sometimes she is the BIG sister. Sometimes she rides in the car next to Francie but most of the time she is at work, Moo-Doo is a really hard worker.

I just thought it was funny this morning when Francie said "Mom, me and Moo-Doo Don are going to the aquarium today." and I said, "Francie, you mean Moo-Doo Don and I are going to the aquarium." and it wasn't even weird at all :)

So this morning I asked her some questions about ole Moo-Doo...

*Francie, does Moo-Doo Don have parents?
"Their names are Don and Moo-Doo." (of course)

*What color hair does she have?
"She has pink. I have kinda blueish and red."

*Does she wear clothes like you?
"She wears .... pink. And she has Donald Duckie Pajamas and her little sister has Goofy Pajamas and I have Daisy Duck pajamas. We have the same outfits to wear. We have the same colored slippers too- these are our slippers.
Oh let me go find Moo-Doo Don. Ooooo! I picked her up- she is the big sister but she still needs to be carried. I am the Mommy and Ollie is the Dad."

*Can you tell me any more about Moo-Doo Don?
Sure, let me get her. Ohhhh! (picking her up again) sometimes she goes by Minnie Mouse that is her other name. (can you tell someone is counting the days to Disneyland?)