Strugglin....

My brother's wedding is a week away. I am sad to say I am not sure how I feel about it. I will back up and let you in on the fact my brother and I have never been close. I was your typically bratty teenager and he was your typical aloof teenager. Never did we see eye to eye. I went to college, he visited me once. He went off to college, I never did visit. I moved to Chicago. I flew him up from school to surprise my parents when they were in town for my mom's birthday. In college he joined ROTC which after graduation he went to Korea for 18 months. He did Army Ranger School, became an Army Ranger. He went off to fight a war in Iraq, twice. He came back-he visited me in Chicago. He moved to Seattle. I am now going to Seattle for the first time next weekend for his wedding.

I barely know his soon to be wife. My husband is in the wedding. I am not. My brother and I were raised Jewish in an inter-faith marriage. My brother converted to Catholicism for his soon to be wife. My husband was asked to do the ceremonial Jewish prayer over the bread and wine for the rehearsal dinner. I cried when I found this out as this is something my grandpa would normally do but what crushed me was that I wasn't even asked to be apart of something that was the only thing my brother and I had in common. I looked at my wonderful, loving, caring husband through my tears and he asked me to stand next to him and we could say the prayers together. He said he would even try to teach me to sing them. This pulled a smile out of me b/c he and I both know I cannot carry a tune.

My mom says she needs me next weekend to be her rock. I am not even sure I can be a rock for myself let alone her. At least I have a cute dress and awesome shoes :)

Live Earth-Concerts for a climate in crisis

If you haven't heard of Live Earth, it is a bunch of concerts held on July 7, 2007 to support a climate in crisis. Many big name performers will on on stage in
US, UK, Germany, Japan, China, Brazil, Austrailia, South Africa to help generate awareness of how things need to change in order to save our precious earth.

E and I are super excited as E's cousin Terra Naomi is playing at the Live Earth Concert in UK.

She kicks ass!!! I have seen her play twice now once in Chicago at the House of Blues and another time in LA. Go Terra!

Cosmo anyone?

http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/700000049

cocktails and baby fever

There are 17 of us that are still friends from college. We all keep in touch via an email list serve and try to see each other as much as we possibly can. Most reside in IL and Ohio,however, there are a few us out in WA, CA, GA and NY. We all converged on Hilton Head Island for M and B's wedding weekend.

There are two places that I go with these friends which never are a relaxing vacation--Vegas and Hilton Head. In fact these are two places that I need a vacation from the vacation. All us girls ever seem to do is drink and lay out in the sun. This last trip to HH was no different except we had 5 new babies and 2 more on the way!!!

Friday was a great beach day and we all indulged in the various fruity drinks from the Tiki Hut. Saturday--another great beach day. Indulged in drinks from frosty frogs and yummy champagne ( we had a little wedding shower picnic on the beach). Saturday night we celebrated with the beach bride to be and danced into the wee hours in the morning listening to a phish cover band.
Sunday was the beach wedding for M and B. It was a lovely wedding! Everyone was in great spirits. The bride was the happiest bride on earth that day!

After holding, playing, cooing with all the little babies this weekend--It has happened I have caught baby fever. I realize however E and I need to wait a little longer before baby fever can become baby making.

I finally have slept off my 4 day weekend hangover. Ready for this weekend for another chance at relaxing. My MIL will be in town and her and E will be heading to Chicago on Sunday to see little Rae Rae. Unfortunately with my schedule, I can't go until the first weeeknd in August. We will see if baby fever becomes contagious.

Pool Bar Jim's Here I come..

I am off to Hilton Head Island, SC. I leave tomorrow night on the red eye from LA to Atlanta and then Atlanta to HHI. I am going for a wedding of a college friend. None of the guys are going, it is just us girls and the kids. This wedding kicks off the last of my 3 remaining girl friends (from College) to get married. M could not have picked a better place to celebrate her marriage. HHI is a little sleepy town. The people are friendly and everything is cheap! And it is where every Ohioan goes for their summer vacations. During the summer months on this little island all you see are minivans with Ohio license plates. Ohioans literally invade the place!

I had the pleasure of being introduced to this little getaway when I was in college. I lived there for a summer with 7 of my best girl friends. That was the best summer of my life. Waitressing and laying out on the beach EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I even managed to bring home some money for the next school year. ahhh such the life.

It will be a nice 4 day weekend to be with my girls and now their little additions--we were laughing as we were planning out our next few days and that we are now planning our mayhem around naptime---my how things have changed :)

It will be a nice getaway--as things are changing again at the Robbins' Nest. I can't talk about it now but will be able to talk about it in few months. Nope, not preggers. (sorry mom)

Elevation 5000ft

Setting: San Bernadino Mtns
Who: Lacy, H, Geoff
What: Mountain biking
When: Today
Me: DEAD TIRED

Niece

My little niece is making her way into the world today! I can't wait to hear when she has finally made her entrance! E is about ready to hop the next southwest flight to Chicago to go meet little Raelyn.

I can't wait to see how he reacts when he meets this little girl. The Robbins' boys stand no chance when beautiful girls are in the room.


Raelyn Clara Robbins
June 23, 2007
8lbs, 7oz
21 inches long
4:16pm

Everyone is doing great! My SIL and Raelyn go home tomorrow.