The North Pole

My apartment looks like the north pool. No joke. I have a tiny tree (well, its a rosemary bush and I'll probably cook all of it before xmas), candycane candles, a point freakin' setta and xmas lights around the window. There is no way santa's blowin' by my place this year. I am having a dinner party (4 courses) on Friday. It should be fun and blog worthy. Busy week at work. Weeks really fly by now. Getting very chilly here. I am excited for Rome next week and Kelsey is pumped. I will be 28. 28. and, i am actually into it. I am digging this age big time. Really looking forward to SF with MAgoo and a little Napa over the holidays. Planning on seeing some friends in the city including Levitt and an old work buddy and Lindsay and Sean Garvey. I am super behind xmas shopping but should have it figured out by the end of the weekend. Back into yoga. Too fat not to be. xoxoxo

The Right to Bare Arms

Chaz, your post made me laugh because if I were Lena I wouldn't be that happy to wake up with a fake gun in my face either. I am terrified of guns. Anyway, weather has really changed out here and we have sleet and snow coming the next couple of days. I am on a big health kick right now and trying to go to yoga 4 days this week. I have two to go so wish me luck. I am very excited about this holiday becasue Drew and I are planning on laying very, very low. We won't see each other for a while over xmas and I am going to Rome soon so a nice long weekened together is really excited. I'm just going to cook, go to yoga, work, sleep in and watch movies. I can't wait. Work is very busy which is great. I am really enjoying the people. Rome in in 2 weeks. so excited. happy tuckey to ATL folks

So Am I Going to Have to Keep this Baby Going On My Own?

Oscar's birthday party was a great time. Lena got really creative with the pirate concept. I will try to send out some pics soon. Basically, she did the basement up like a pirate ship and then the kids all made their own pirates hats and looked for their own burried treasure. She did all the food herself and everything turned out great. Oscar got some nice gifts. Leave it to Pat to give him a very real looking over and under shotgun and two pistols. Oscar loves them. Of course, Lena woke up in the morning with a gun barrel in her face. Swedes don't like guns too much so she wasn't thrilled. Oh well. The boys like guns and that includes me. We are looking forward to Chris' visit. He arrives tomorrow and we have a lot of fun stuff planned. Tomorrow night I am just going to cook a nice dinner and let everyone relax and get into the holiday spirit. Thusday we are going to Kage's big hockey game and then of course over to K&K's. Friday night Chris and I are going out to dinner and then meeting Lizzie for drinks some where. And, Saturday we are taking the kids to the circus. Fun. Fun. Hope everyone has a great Turkey Day. Much love. Really looking forward to the holidays this year.

Gooble, gooble

We'll this should be a quick work week. I told poeple in my office about my food blog and it got back to one of the partners and she asked me why I didn't work on food accounts and I said I wanted to and she put me on one right away. I am so excited. I would love to start working on consumer food brands in stead of b2b accounts. Right now I am on Cheesecake Factory. So, I am really excited. Lyd, I am with you, I think meatballs are a lot of work with little reward. I am really looking forward to thanksgiving although I wish I was with you girls doing wedding stuff, sorry. I leave for Rome so soon and Kels and I are getting really excited. Drew and I won;t see each other for 3 weeks over the holiday and that just sucks. Oh well. I am having a big dinner party next week that I am looking forward to. Other than that, I have gotta get my butt in yoga. Happy turkey day

Chazy brings it back to life!

Love the Chaz updates. You have motivated me to to Christmas shop now Chaz. So ironic too. You were always the only member of the family that would have to go downtown on Christmas Eve day so you could do your christmas shopping. Now, you are on par with the ladies in stretch pants from Ohio that start their shopping when QVC does their Christmas in July promo. Congrats to you and Lena on the potty training stuff. It is funny how that stuff can be so stressful and all consuming. I am feeling it right now with Spencer's eating. I am so not motivated to feed him 3 mushy meals a day, especially when he just spits it back in my face. Luc, I so was not feeling the pitty on your living situation, but after the second set of pics I was feelin it big time. Liz, can't wait until MLK weekend. Mom comes today, very excited to have a live in buddy for a while. She is watching the kids tonight so Dill and I can go to a friends Cocktail party. Looking forward to wearing my White House/Black Market shirt to that Lizzy. Tomorrow is MR's High School Musical birthday party and then tomorrow night Dill and Doug are going to the Police concert. Monday Mike comes and we are up to a little over 40 rsvps for Garden Club at my house on Monday night. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, but the beautiful weather helps motivate me. Craft of the day is gold leafing magnolia leaves as a tester for a centerpiece, go figure. Lizzy, spent all day fiddling with homemade meatballs and I don't even think I like meatballs. They are the equivalent of little meatloaf balls. Time wasted. Love to all.

Facebook

So, first off, chaz I suck. I didn't call Oscar. So, sorry. Looking forward to seeing you over thanksgiving. I am pretty fired up. I am going to Alinea and if you don't know what it is it's a fancy restaurant in Chicago that every one is talking about. I have never had a 12 course dinner before. I will have to skip lunch that day and go all out. Carrie and I are going to wear fancy dresses and the boys have to wear jackets. I feel like we are playing grown up. The funny thing is that we are going in January so you guys might hear about this a couple times... Tonight is co-worker night which i am looking forward to and then Saturday night drew and i are getting a movie and making dinner. Sunday night we are getting take out with carrie and andy. I just joined facebook b/c my work made me and i am floored at how many people are on it that we know. Lyd, your friends are big time into it. love to all.

Kalsunger

And let me add that my big boy is potty trained. Thank the lord. THANK THE LORD! He got his first pair of hockey skates too. My little Swede is going to be the best player ever to come out of the US though Lukie will probably be even better since he is such a good athlete. Oscar will be a bruiser. Defensive player that creams em up against the glass. Then Lukie takes the puck and scores.

CPR

I would hate for the blog to die so let me breathe some life into this thing. First of all, Lyd, I am sorry I forgot to call on hte kids' bdays. I am glad they liked their presents but I feel awful especially since everyone was so sweet to call on Oscar's bday. Anyway, we won't forget again. Lena spent last weekend in NY with her friends. Funny enough, and I swear it is true, the fact is that it is easier when you have the kids on your own. They behave much better. It is bizarre and certainly counterintuitive. Perhaps it is just because they know that if Dad is taking care of them, they better behave. LOL. Oscar loved his birthday. Swedish tradition is that you wake the children up with a cake and candles and then they open presents so we did that and I went to work late. That night we went to a local family restaurant with some neighborhood friends. It was great. His party is this weekend. Surprise, it is a pirate party. Everything has to be pirates right now. It should be fun. The house is coming along. I owe you guys pics. I tore everything out. It looks bare but it looks better without that overgrown hedge in front. Problem is that it is too late to put the new hedge in the ground so now I have to wait til Spring. That was stupid. Chris comes next week for a visit. Kristi has invited us all to her house which is always great. The next day we are taking the kids to the circus and Saturday Chris and I are going downtown for a night out. Other than that, no plans. I finally got off a present to Clark and Lucy. They are going to love it. I also finished my last Christmas shopping today. Psyched! A record. A world record! Now I just have to get our Christmas cards out before February and I might even convince myself for a moment that I am responsible. LOL. I love you all. Happy Holidays! They are almost here.

On a Roll

Watch out Martha Stewart, there is a new girl in town! I have been in serious creative craft and cooking/baking mode. I made precious invitations for both kids birthdays, amazing place settings for Thanksgiving dinner, banana bread, homemade meatballs, 4 foot beanbags, huge throw pillows and more. I love the fall. Also on a throw out/organizing kick. Dill comes home late tonight from Macau/Hong Kong. Mom comes on Saturday, very excited about that and then we have MRs High School Musical birthday party on Sunday. Mary Rowe's real birthday ended up great. I took the kids up to the Build-a-Bear Workshop in the suburbs and let them build their animals. I have to say, those people got it right. You can get really into it. Our bunny and dinosaur have sketchers tennis shoes! Very cute though. Those suburban people must know how to shop because it was the nicest and biggest mall I have ever seen in my life. It is quintessential fall weather today. Pretty much every leaf is falling today and it is crisp and beautiful. Tigger is out of the hospital and doing better. I guess he has congestive heart failure, so that is sad. Dill is really sad. I have had satchmo in the kennel all week to give Tigger a chance to heal a bit. Love to all.

Lyd

Long Week

Well, I am still at Drew's and sleeping like a baby but I have to go back to my apartment tonight but he is going to come stay with me. We are going to go to Home Depot and buy boobie traps and then go 'home alone' my apartment over the weekend. I hate this situation cause I am so freaked out but I just need to get over it and arm myself with weapons. Drew says he's never going to come into my apartment unannounced again because I'll probably kill him. I am going out with some girls from my office on Friday night which should be fun. They are really nice and I have been in the mood to hang out with new people and do different things. I can't believe that thanksgiving is next week. That's crazy. I'm off to Rome in no time. I need to start reading up on my adventure. Wish I was in ATL but maybe next year (or maybe not b/c we'll be in SF!) Love to all.

Moving out

Well, i have moved out of my apartment building for the week. There is this really creepy guy that is always lurking around my building and when i reported him they told me he was a tenant. that obviously was NOT what i wanted to hear. So until i can come to terms with the really creepy guy, I am living a drew's. We have had nice weather here. Usually we are in the 30's but we are in the 60's. No big news here. Just going to work and lay low. I kinda OD'd on egg sauce on Friday night but it was really good. It has been great to see Kate and I am really looking forward to going to see her in Panama city some time. I am thinking before my move to SF.

Happy Birthday Mary Rowe!

Love to all.

Egg sauce...maybe?

So I made dinner last night and ended up getting pretty sick. My tummy didn't like something I ate so I am worried about how big I can go to Ron tonight but I am going for it! I have started to make friends with people in my office which is really fun. I am glad that baker had a good birthday and i hope his party is fun. I am looking forward to a fun weekend.

It's Party Time

Tonight is Baker's party. So fun. Thanks for all of the calls yesterday. He loved it. Chaz, he about died when he opened up your present! Look forward to tonight, but then Dill leaves tomorrow at 5 am and the kids and I have to be at Baker's school by 8 am for a 1/2 mile kindergarten fun run, aka, the Turkey Trot. The rest of Saturday I am going to collapse and let the kids watch movies and play in the yard. Baker is singing in the church choir on Sunday and his basketball season starts on Sunday afternoon. He is so excited. He is so much taller than the other kids, he loves it. Will give party updates this weekend. Lizzy, Dill took me and the kids to Beni Hana for my Birthday and we had not been for 10 years. It is sooo good and the kids were totally entertained.

Ron of Japan

Great pics, LYD. This may sound funny but I am so excited to go to Ron of Japan on Friday with old high school friends. If you don't know what that is, it's like a benny hanna where they cook your food in front of you and do tricks and stuff with their knives and when you leave your clothes reek. Yeah, that place. Anyway, I could care less about the tricks. I love this egg sauce stuff they put on everything. It is sure to give you a heart attack if consumed in mass quantity but who cares? I'd love to go with a bunch of egg sauce in my belly... Anyway, it getting cold here in Chicago and I broke out my winter coat about two days ago and it's dark by 5. Drew is really depressed. He hates this time of year even though this time of year means ski season in other states. I bought my ticket back to CA for xmas. I am going for a week and I plan on staying a couple days with magoo in the city. Get a little lay of the land. I had a bad dream about Lilly two nights ago and I can't wait to see her, too. Our little puppy is getting old and its sad. xoxoxo

I'm back Jack, so watch out!!

Lizzie, you are right, it is time to get back on the wagon. Busy, busy, busy around these parts. This is the beginning of Birthday Madness for the Dills! Baker's is tomorrow so I am bringing cupcakes to his school. Then his birthday party is on Friday. He is having 7 little boys come on Friday night in their pjs and with sleeping bags. Then we are going to have McDs Happy Meals for all and are going to screen Star Wars on the projector. I ordered an awesome Darth Vader cake and got a great Darth Vader Pinata. All the boys but one are going home at 9pm. and then Baker's best friend is going to spend the night. Just got him a skateboard for his big day, god help me. Unfortunately, Dill is in Ny now and is leaving at 6am on Saturday for China. He isn't coming back until the weekend before Thanksgiving so it makes some of the birthday stuff hard. Mary Rowe's big day is on Tuesday, so cupcakes at her school. Then on the Sunday before Thanksgiving is her party. A High School Musical party. The day after Mary Rowe's party I have 40 women coming to my house for Garden Club to hear Mike speak about wine making and the grape growing process. Then onto Thanksgiving. Can't wait for everyone to come for that. Halloween was a bit of a bust because Mary Rowe had Croup so she did not Trick or Treat. She dressed up as a cow girl for a few minutes and looked precious. Spencer was a Dinosaur and Baker a Star Wars Storm Trooper. We have our big gift show at Mary Rowe's school this week, our church, so I am working that for a few hours tonight while the kids are in choir. Then we always eat at the church on Wednesday nights. I am in charge of Holiday Wreath sales for our Garden Club so I also need to deliver the fliers to 140 mail boxes today. So all and all, it has been hoppin around here. I love and miss you all. Still no luck on my Tori Birch shoes. I think I am going to just order them online.

No Halloween pics?

OK, the blog is dying a slow death here people. Let's get back on board!

Had a good weekend. Drew and I checked out the warren miller miller this weekend which got us pretty excited about ski season. My friend Kate's birthday is today so we are going to an Italian restaurant for dinner to celebrate. It's been very good to see her. My friend Sarah is coming in town from NYC this week as well so bring on all the old friends. Should be great seeing and catching up with everyone. I can't believe we are in november already. Time is really flying. I am looking forward to the holidays and that reminds me that i need to buy my plane ticket home.

Yesterday I had an urge to buy a cat and name her Clue. Don't ask me why. I guess that i want the cat cause we can't get the dog yet but i want the dog so badly. We have so much candy in my office its gross and i feel like a fat ass.

Lyd- let's get some Halloween pics up!