Dill's Insane Weekend

Dill doesn't blog, so I am going to recap his weekend for him. As most of you know, Dill is going on a Chartered Bus to Talladega, Alabama today for the NASCAR race. His friend works for Citigroup and takes a different group of NY analysts each year to the race. Obviously, none of them have gone before or even been to Alabama for that matter. Except for Dill and his friend of course. So his weekend started on Thursday when he and his buddy went to Walmart get the alchohol for the trip. Yes, what is a trip to NASCAR without a pre-trip to a Walmart. There are 12 people going and they picked up 10 cases of beer. Dill, beginning to feel a little frightening, asked quitely if he thought they should get some water for the bus as well. His friend then grabbed 6 child size bottles of water and said this should be enough! So Friday comes and they take the analysts out for dinner and to the bars. He arrived home at 3 am with Zingo in tow. If you don't know, Zingo is a service who will take you home in your own car if you have too much to drink. They throw their moped in the trunk and leave your house on it. Great idea. So poor Pookie Bear then had to wake up 5 hours later for our neighborhood clean up day. That is where all the husbands have to clean the neighborhood. Prep the pool, garden etc to get ready for the pool opening. This is not optional attendance, trust me. Straight to the T-Ball game from there. Then, comes the big day, race day. The race is at 2 today and the track is 1 1/2 hours away. Well, the bus picked him up at 6:30 am this morning. This is so they can get drinking early and tailgate. I rarely see Dill frightened, but I think he may have been. He drank about 40 glasses of water before bed last night in hopes of helping him out today. I am terribly jelous of todays activities!!! The race part at least. I on the other hand have had a more mellow weekend. Went out with a friend and all of our kids on Friday night, 5 under the age of 6. We went and sat outside and they had a little 2 man band and the kids all dance for hours. So cute. Mary Rowe says she can shake her tail feathers and Baker really rocks out. Gets it from his Daddy. Yesterday, just like the 3 days prior, we gardened all day. I have planted the huge front area in front of our house that used to just be pinestraw. It is unbelievable. I have a party at our house on Tuesday night for the year end of my Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Group. We take the summer off, so I have everyone coming. Good excuse to clean up. This morning, the kids and I are hitting church and are just going to watch the race. Baker has raised $360 so far for his CF walk so please pledge. Baker will be walking the entire way and will be writing thank you notes himself to all donors.The walk is over Mother's Day weekend. Lucille, thanks for your contribution and for asking. So thats whats going on here. Love to all.

Lazy Saturday

Hey guys. Just got back from a run, it's pretty cold today. I'm just laying low and reading today and then tonight I'm going to the ballet with a friend. Justin is in Sacramento for the State Democratic Convention until tomorrow. Apparently, they are trying to get all the delegates to endorse his candidate. The other candidate is there too so its kindof like they are fighting a battle and the winner is the one with the most votes. All I know is that this campaign is totally consuming Justin, and I DON'T LIKE IT because it feels like there is very little room left for me. 40 more damn days until this election is over. thank god and then four years of no campaigns. Work is good, really loving that. I hope the costumes at the ballet are fun tonight. Lizzy, your work out class sounds hysterical! Lydia, how much money has baker raised? That is so cute of him. What a good boy! Love everybody.

Wanna look retarded?

Then try this class i went to called urban rebounding a.k.a aerobics on a mini-trampoline. Now, I consider myself pretty coordinated but you wouldn't of thought that if you saw me. I fell off my trampoline (note that the studios are covered in mirrors) and could not synchronize with the group. I wonder if the have a special ed session... I just got word that Mike is coming to NYC with the "Chinese Guy" from mom which hopefully means scoring a pass to the wine tasting and showing Mike some good times on the town. I am off to Chicago in the AM to wish my friend Oliver off. He leaves for the Peace Core on Monday. Heavy. I have been trying to figure out how to get paid to travel with out being a writer. Bloggers... Suggestions??? Carrie said I should get into the hotel business. I would definitely be into the idea of becoming the CMO of the 4 seasons one day.... It's sunny and I am leaving early to go shoe shopping. Love to all.

The dish

WOW. Sounds incredible. You need some diamonds. I would have DIED if I saw Sean Penn. Tonight, a girl from my office is having all of us work people over for wine and snacks. Should be fun. My big news is that it was Fisher's birthday yesterday and her fiance got her Pearl Jam tickets (Chaz, I thought of you) and she asked if I wanted to have the extra. NO BRAINER! The concert is the Thursday night before memorial weekend and I am staying through and we are going to her parents house on Cape Cod. A beach weekend. So....THERE IS MY BIG GYM MOTIVATION (that and the fact that I have heard that a lot of "Hollywood actors" go there. Love to all.

And...

Justin got waitlisted at Hastings. We just have to wait it out and see if he gets in. He also got into Golden Gate, and they offered him a $45,000 scholarship and he would be in the honors program. We still have not heard from Santa Clara. Keep keeping your fingers crossed for Hastings. That's numero uno.

The dish

Okay, okay. This ball was over the top. I have never seen more diamonds in my life. Danielle's steele's necklace was like something out of the British jewels collection. It was rediculous. Her whole chest was covered in diamonds and then her diamond earings were the size of quarters. EVERYBODY had huge diamonds. When we were dancing on the dance floor I had to close my eyes because everybody's diamond rings were blinding me. I think I was the only person wearing gold that night. So at my table, there was Vanessa Getty who is quite the social celebrity around here and Justin's stepsister, who did not say a word to me the whole night - typical. At the table next to us was Dede Wilsey who's diamond ring was so obnoxiously large, I could not stop looking at it. The other table next to us had Sharon and Ozzie Osbourne (Ozzie bought at puppy during the auction for $25,000), Al and Tipper Gore, Sydney Portier, Gavin Newsome and his CSI actress girlfriend. Sean Penn and his wife were there, too. They are so cute. The entertainment - Elton John. So incredible. I had the chills the whole time listening to him. When we left, we got a huge bag of presents - Hermes, Saks, Neiman's, Gumps, Goyard. We got watches, leather address books, journals, notepads, chocolates, umbrellas, perfume. It was like Christmas! Don't be surprised if you get a regift ;)
Oh, and let's talk about plastic surgery. JEESE. It was, at times, very frightening. Danielle Steele looks fantasitc though. When we were all outside valeting the cars, you wouldn't have believed all of the cars that were coming up. And then there was our hybrid. Ha! It was a pretty bizarre night but it was definitely good people watching. The Elton John part was the best.
Lydia, I would rather be you. I want to hang out at the pool all summer. So jealous.
So impressed with my workout sisters!
Love everybody!

I am with you Lizzy

Ok Lucille, we want to know. Mom said there were diamonds the size of marbles, not the little marbles either!! So fun. You are designing tables by day and going to balls by night. Can I be you??? Great news on Justin's candidate. Any news on Hastings? Glad you love your new job. I think it is a great fit for you. Been in major work out mode here. Been going to classes at the gym. Scary ones called Heat and a little less frightening Body Sculpting. Tomorrow is kick boxing. Our pool opens in 2 1/2 weeks so it is crunch time. You would think that summer starts tomorrow. All Baker's camp stuff and swim team info is due. Looking forward to just hanging out all summer at the pool and going to California and Michigan. Good job on the gym Liz. The classes make it a lot easier if you can get past the dorkiness of it all. I miss everyone.

The Ball

I am just DYING to hear about the ball. Fork over the details, Magoo. I guess the rumor on the street i that Perry is moving here. That's very exciting news. I can really see him enjoying it here. I got a gym membership and figure if I am paying for it that it will motivate me to go and get into shape. I guess I would be following Lydia's lead. She's kicking some butt. Trying to stay motivate at the office but its been really tough and my head is spinning with crazy ideas for next steps again. Off to Chicago on Saturday and looking forward to a haircut, seeing Kris, Chaz, Carrie and Lindz. Have a good week all!

Week One - Woh

The interior design business is overwhelming! It is SO hard to keep track of everything that is going on. We have 17 clients right now I can't keep track of what TV is going over what insulated fireplace or what chair is going in what study. It is such a mind game! But it has been a blast so far. Yesterday, we popped open a bottle of wine and looked through hundreds of fabrics. I get paid to do this! Also yesterday, they gave me a project to design a green cement table with stamps that they picked out and I did two different versions and they picked one of them and think it looks great! That means I am officially a designer : ) Can't wait to see what it looks like once it's done.

I've been having car problems, which has been a major drag and am trying to decide whether to buy a new car. Ugh. Justin's working a lot lately but his candidate is way ahead in the polls and things are looking good there. We're going to a ball at Danielle Steel's house tomorrow night. Should be hysterical people watching. Can't wait to see the decor! Other than that, we're laying low. We finally got some sunny weather this week and everybody has been in a great mood. I've been running a lot lately and trying to get back in shape. Feels great. Lydia, MaryRowe looks adorable! I can't believe you knit that. Lizzie, have fun on Mike's deck. Say hi to everybody.

Hello sisters, sometimes brother and no times other brother or mother!!!!!

Lizzy, so funny you are listening to books on tape. I picked up a couple for my drive to Chapel Hill and am totally hooked. I just drive the long way everywhere I go to listen. I am probably going to go broke on gas. My current one is a Mary Higgins Clark, Nighttime is my time. Yes you read it right. Keep in mind, I get mine from the library so I am at their mercy. Sweet Mary Rowe decided last week that she never wanted to wear diapers again and indeed hasn't. She is totally potty trained. Definatey the upside of having a very willfull child. We have been quite into the girl stuff lately. Yesterday we got her hair done and then got her a bracelet and necklace to wear. Then we went this morning and got her some more Hello Kitty underwear and some nail polish. I am liking this girl business. So fun. She is a little lady. All about makeup, purses, and jewels. Very unlike me as a child at least. It is probably good because I have been wearing it since I am putting it on her.

WOW

Lyd- It looks just like the picture in the book! Oh my gosh. You should be so proud. I want one.... 75+ degrees here today and rain projected for the weekend...boo. My new thing is that I walk home everyday (it's been two weeks so far) which is 3.2 miles. I upload audiobooks on my ipod and listen to them on my walk. An hour of mild exercise and suto-reading for an hour each day- not bad! Tonight is my passover dinner which has been converted to a bbq on the roof of my friend Mike's house in the East Village. Last night I went to a NYU art show. I think that being a NYU student buys you the ticket and bragging rights to be weird. I love the location of my apartment but, boy, are the people weird. I am determined to figure out how I can play tennis on a regular basis this summer today. There are about 40 courts in all of Manhattan and you have to buy a "permit" to play on the courts. It's alike a fishing license. Whatever. Love to all.

I must congratulate me..

I just had to show you the purse that I just knit Mary Rowe that she is wearing around her neck in this picture. Sorry for the run on sentance. Please excuse the #8 sticker on her dress. That is from the Dale Junior Easter egg that the bunny brought for Baker Beans. Love to all.

The Possie

Keeping in mind that we painted a 7 foot portrait of Baker's blankie, George on his wall, I don't think I will pipe in. I think it is precious. We did have a rule that George was for home only, with the exceptions of long car trips, vacations and if he wasn't feeling well. Mary Rowe however, has her own rules. She now has maybe 6 or 7 "friends" on her traveling team....Pinky, Roar, Wilbert, Bunny, Jelly Cat, Blue Bear and Blankie are all members of her Possie! We love them all, but it is quite cumbersome. Everything is great here. We had an amazing time in North Carolina for Easter. The weather was in the 90s and it felt like summer. Mary Rowe potty trained herself just before we left so she just ran around in her big girl pants the whole time. Chapel Hill is such a great town so it is always fun to visit. We now have a vacancy at our house so come visit. Glad you all had a great NY trip.

Love to all,
Lydia

Spring Night in NYC

Well, Lucille and I had a great visit. This picture is from Saturday night- we went out with my friends Mike and John. We had a really good time. Easter dinner was a hit and I made so much food and sent everyone home with leftovers. I think I am coming down with a little something so I plan on taking it pretty easy this week. I am going to my first passover dinner with Mike and his family on Thursday- Hello Matzah! The weather is warm and the city is a buzz. Love to all.

Back in the USA

Hi All. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. Sorry I have been so remiss about posting. I would say I am really busy but that is no excuse. It doesn't take long to keep family abreast of what is going on in my life. I just got back from Sweden. Lena is doing great. We spent a lot of time straightening up the house and planting the garden on the balcony. We even bought a king size bed. Praise the Lord. Since Oscar sleeps with us a lot. Her full size was not very roomy. The new bed is like a dream. We have a queen here in Chicago but that is going to change soon. As most of you know, Oscar was very sick. We spent a better part of our Easter weekend at the hospital. He has a virus. God knows which that is causing him respiratory problems. He seems a little better now. We hope it is the road to recovery. Perhaps it was his being sick but he also became quite a little momma's boy over the last couple of days. He was always a Dad guy and he was fine even not having seen me for a while. But then, when he was sick, he wouldn't leave mom's side. If she even left the room, he freaked. He also now has to carry around this damn stuffed bunny. I about lost it over this one. It is cute and all but this is just not gonna fly with me. Lena was indulgent because he was sick but the rule is gonna have to be that bunny stays home. I cannot deal with my son dragging a bunny around wherever he goes. I worry though that he clings to these types of things in my absense and that I should be a little more understading. Who knows. We went to the hospital and Lucas is due to be born via c-section on May 16th. That means I am returning in around 3 1/2 weeks this time for around 20 days or so. Then I am going to come back for 3 weeks and then go back again one more time for 10 days. We are going to rent a house on the island of Sandhamn again. Can't wait. It is my favorite place to go these days. Then, everyone is coming back together to Chicago in mid-July. Lord knows what happens then. I guess we will start looking for a new house though we figure Lucas will stay in our room for a while and are trying to push buying a new house out til this time next year. We'll see. Enough about me besides that is all there is to say. Back at work. Have to put together a biz plan for the vulture capitalists due on Wednesday. Much love to all.

Day 2 in NYC...

And we've walked farther than the pioneers on the Oregon Trail.

Let's talk numbers:

1 celebrity siting - jake gyllenhaal from Brokeback Mountain - of course I didn't notice and Lizzie was freaking out.
2 magnolia cupcakes - 50 people in line that went around the corner. so delicious.
1,000,000 people in central park- it's 80 degrees here and this city is going nuts.
2 schwinn cruisers - used to circle around central park - 130 blocks!
4 - number of bandaides on each of my feet
7 - number of people coming to our Easter Extraveganza
6.5 - weight of our leg of lamb. Looks so goooooood.
16 - the number of lbs. we are going to gain after this weekend of gluttony. Way too much good food. Rediculous eggs benedict at Balthazaar this morning.

Day three coming soon...

Hola Senioritas

Hi Lucille and Lyd (hahaha, we are the only ones...) SO happy to hear that you had so much fun with Shannon, Lyd. You deserve a good time! I am SSSSOOOO pumped to see magoo and the week will fly b/c I am heading to Boston very early in the morning. I am really hoping for warm weather because it is really fun here when it is warm. Lots of parks, festivals, etc. I have made very hip reservations and we will be making a visit to Chelsea market. It's huge, every imaginable thing for food. Easter dinner is sure to be a hit. Last weekend was fun and I am really excited about the fact that I am strating to have my own social life. Very fun. Love you.

The countdown begins

So curious to try the spray tan. The last person to tell me to do that was Erin Dixon so that Lail family must really be into it! So glad you all had a fun weekend. I've got four more days at work and then I'm off to NY. So ready to be done with my current job. I've got lots of lunches and coffee hours scheduled with people so I can say my last goodbyes. I just had my exit interview, which is so much more fun than the 'entry' interview. We were up in Napa again this weekend to pick up the car. We had a great time seeing mom & mike. It feel like forever since I saw Mike. He's so tan! We had a dinner party last night and the food was WAY to spicy. It was hysterical to watch everybody try to eat it - such a disaster. We ended up going to the grocery store for tums. Now I know - chili peppers are spicey! Not too much going on this week. Justin heard back from Berkeley - and as he says, he has been accepted....to the group of rejected. So now we are keeping our fingers crossed for Hastings. Hastings, Hastings, Hastings. Boy this has been a roller coaster. I'm looking forward to sunny weather in NY with Lizzie.
xoxo

Ok, Ok....

Ok, ok, I admit it, I was airbrushed yesterday! Shannon and I went to a spa and got professionaly spray tanned by this woman. I must say, we look like we could go straight to the red carpet. Could become quite an addiction. It is a totally bronze perfect color over your entire body. Fun, fun. A tanorexic's dream. Well, Shannon left this morning and we had an incredible time. Probably the most fun non family weekend I have had in 15 years. She left for St. Thomas today, tanner than she could ever get there. We don't have any more house guests so we are off to Chapel Hill this week for Easter. Had a T-Ball game yesterday that was great. I love how much Baker is into it. It's Masters Weekend here so today is pretty much golf, golf, golf with a trip to Costco thrown in. I miss everyone and hope all's well.

Lydia

My green thumb is brown

My bonsai tree is dead. How do you kill a bonsai tree? They are the most low-maintenance thing on the planet. Leave it to me- it's a goner. Back from a fun-filler trip to Atlanta. Seeing Lyd and the kids was great. T-ball was so cute and I went to some great restaurants. I am excited about this weekend because I am going out on Friday and Saturday with new people I have met here so I feel like I am really getting into a good groove. Looking really forward to Maggo's visit. Love to all.

Rain Rain Go AWAY

This weather is rediculous. I checked weather.com and it supposed to rain for 2 more weeks! But we still made a weekend of it. We volunteered at the Boys and Girls club on Saturday, which was so fun. We were both assigned 'buddies' for the day that we had to hang out with. Sadly, my little buddy was telling me about how her grandmother shot a gun in the air and pulled them out of the house because her boyfriend was abusive. It's so sad that little kids have to go through this stuff.
After that we hopped in the car and headed home. We had a great dinner that night (not as yummy as Lizzie's meal though, woh!) and then spent the whole day in the hot tub at Meadowood. Wow did it feel good. 6 hours sitting by the pool (scrabble under the big umbrella, guini's break) and the whole time it was raining. Now, I'd say we're on the varsity team! At one point Justin said, "oh, oh, oh I see shadows" and I immediately thought of you Lydia.
I'm laying low tonight. We had some friends over for dessert last night and they didn't leave until 1:30 AM. It didn't seem that late because of the time change, so I'm exhausted today. Think I'll read and fall asleep. Only a little more than a week until I go to NYC. Yippee! So excited. Hope it's sunny. I'm going home again next weekend to pick up the car. I'll need it for my new job : ) Can't wait to start. Sorry this is really long. Lots of Love. xoxo.

Great Weekend

Well, Spencer, Lalah and Perry left last night and we all had a blast. The time flew by. We had unbelievable food, drink etc. Lizzy made a crazy dinner on Saturday. Blue Cheese crusted filet Mignon with a red wine and shallot reduction sauce, Gruyere Popovers, Asparagus tips and finally, homemade sweet potato gnocci with a sage butter sauce. It was unbelievable. Saturday we all went to Baker's T-Ball game and cheered him on. He did great. Every tree, bush, flower and bulb are in full bloom and it looks like a fairytale land. You can't beat spring in the south. Lizzy leaves tomorrow and then Shannon comes on Thursday. We love visitors so who is next?