More Fun with Friday Friend and Family Features

We had a lot of guests this summer. I mentioned our best friends came to see us. We had a great time with them. The kids enjoyed their first fireworks...

They watched for about sixty seconds and then got bored.

There was beach going, zoo going...

And horseback riding...

Melese introduced everyone to the object of his obsession...

Our vacuum cleaner. Bob the vacuum needs his own post.

After M and H and N left, Petra and her kids came. Do you remember Petra? Her kids had grown quite a bit.

Domingo then...

Domingo now...

Meazi and Melese folllowed Domingo and Chiara everywhere they went. They were enamored with them.


Petra has not changed. She is as sweet, and kind, and funny as she was before. Her kids were so nice to M&m. They spent time doing things like playing Candyland, and letting Meazi lock them up in pretend jail (for not paying a speeding ticket) when what they really wanted to do was go hang out on the Venice Boardwalk.

After both sets of friends had gone, I would find Melese walking around the house holding their pictures. First it was Neve's photo, and then a photo (from eight years ago) of Petra with her kids.

Visitors. The kids did great. I think they are finally comfortable enough to know that no one is going to be taking them home with them.

That is a beautiful thing.

Friday Friend or Family Feature

My friend Amy is a superhero. She is LT's mom. I heart LT. Amy, like many of us, went to Ethiopia and came home forever changed. Amy used to be a high powered executive at a major movie studio. How big a job did she have? Let's put it this way, one day I asked her if she could meet me for lunch. She said she'd love to but she had to meet John Cusack. Lloyd Dobler needed marketing advice. See, I told you, big, big, important job.

Amy gave it up. She came back from Ethiopia, and immediately began changing her life. She and a colleague have formed a new company. It is called SocialVest. It is such a smart idea...

"SocialVest is a cause based shopping platform, empowering people to contribute to social good by earning money for their favorite non-profit organizations through everyday shopping. SocialVest believes there is an opportunity to evolve traditional business by focusing on doing good in a sustainable way. SocialVest’s vision is to better the world by creating a new fundraising channel where each person has the power to become an active participant of charitable giving."

She is a social activist. She is helping us change the world by shopping. Everyone likes to shop right? Now you can shop and contribute to your favorite charity at the same time. You can order your child's school supplies and then donate a percentage to your favorite organization. Brilliant.

Hollywood, Schmollywood, Amy has bigger fish to fry.

Will you please join me in signing up? It is super easy. I hardly ever ask you for anything. (I did ask you to check your neck too, please don't forget to check your neck).

Sign up. Shop. Give. And support my superhero friend who manages to put her money where her mouth is.

Amy, you inspire us all. I am so lucky to have you as a friend.

Fun with Friday Friend and Family Features...

I was going to write a long post about what it was like to have our best friends meet our kids. I think these two videos sum it up better than I could.

Wordless Wednesday