Grego finally arrived….

My Grego finally landed this afternoon in Miami, I picked him up and we rushed to the house so he could see the kids get of the school bus…We made it just on time for their arrival…they were so happy to see their daddy, it feels great to be all together. Well there was certainly so much to catch up on it’s been a while since we’ve been this long apart, but he had so much work and with the new shows and all he had a lot of preparing to do.
Well today we just relaxed and caught up…Last night Danny invited me for dinner at his place along with Rita and her partner they live right next door to Danny a great couple we had a wonderful dinner, Danny’s place is lovely he has impeccable taste. I had a great time, can’t wait for Greg to see his place.
Tomorrow Gus is inviting us all out to Lunch; he’s been so busy with work that we haven’t been able to spend a lot of time with him, so we’re looking forward to it.

My best girlfriend ever….

We met exactly 10 years ago…My friend Joëlle who at the time was my neighbour said, ‘‘I know an American girl who lives in the village, I’ve got to make the both of you meet’’…and she did and since that day we have been friends…
My friend Jenny is so special, so special because she’s so simple, so loving, and such a good friend. She’s there to listen, to walk with me, go shopping, we even go to gym classes together but most of all she make me laugh so much. She can always put a smile on my face. She’s so talented, and intelligent. She used to be a very famous model and when we met was so humble about it, she reads like a book worm and has learned to write the most beautiful stories, her books are now published, she does all the illustrations her self, she’s an amazing artist, she has 3 children ‘‘The twins’’ who are now 20 and a little girl who is soon going to be 12, she’s the coolest mom, she’s married to a Famous Polo player and is in love with him like the first day they met, she has travelled the world and has the most fascinating stories…she is always so positive and is always there to push me when I’m down…she has been there for me so many times, working the shoe shows when I started my own business, taking care of my kids when I have to travel, making sure the kids speak English at all times, always supports the craziest ideas that come to my head, calling me every hour when my son went under surgery, corrects my spelling and gives me great writing advice, and sometimes we don’t even need to talk, she’s an awesome friend, and I just wanted to let her know how much I love her…and how much I respect and admire her.
She just lost her dad this month and I’m so far away from her, I wish I was there just to take her in my arms and give her a huge hug and hold her hand and just walk. I miss you Jenny and I’m so sorry that your hurting, we are all with you and we are thinking of you on this special day your day.
Happy Birthday my friend, I love you and miss you dearly…

Jenny and I at the Cup Macaire Polo Match Paris June 2006…

Award ceremony!

Today parents were invited to the camp at 2:45 for a Tennis award ceremony…
See the Tennis camp session was 3 weeks long, the first week they learn techniques, and movements, 2nd week tactics and how to count score a match and the third week they have a tournament…so today they were giving the awards to the winners of the tournament.
Toby the tennis coach started of on a great speech talking about what a great group of kids he had this year…kids, from all over the US and some from Colombia, England, China, and France, how great and how diverse. Kids all got along great and were all able to communicate, there was a healthy competition spirit and so on and so on, and then he talked about each kid for like 15 minutes. How great I was getting goose bumps threw his whole speech, then he gave them all bracelets reading, respect, honor and courage, and this was what it was all about. I kept saying what a country so supportive so encouraging what kid doesn’t dream in this country they make you dream they don’t kill your dream like they do in other countries. Bravo America for making both my kids live a dream and not only that but for giving them an award for it…in all the years Dylan has been paying in the clubs in Paris his never gotten a trophy so big. Kids need to believe in themselves and if this is how then long live the American dream…
There were eight huge trophies to give out…and guess what Dylan got two of them he won
the intermediate matches and the Advance matches, he was so excited and his face was so lit you count shut the light off for the rest of the day…
Then the biggest trophy went to a kid who as Dylan said he didn’t play so good, and I said listen, listen to why he won, he got the biggest trophy because he was the teams biggest supporter he was there cheering everyone on, he was the Best team player…how great was that the lesson I’ve been trying to teach him all along, support your team mates integrate yourself with the group because in the end your all a team.
I say Bravo to Toby to people like him who make this country a great country a country that’s united.

Have you confessed?

Funny, but I have and were else but in Lourdes….
Tonight guess what I went with Gus, Danny and two more guys to the Madonna concert…
The Confession tour…at the Miami Arena…50,000 people…all Madonna worshippers…
What a total Diva…Gus got the tickets…god bless him… 4th row seats because he knows someone who knows her etc…so we were sitting in the family and friends area…tickets were expensive but worth it…Nothing is free in life!
She is so unbelievable something else in person. What a body, what an artist I mean she is 48 and looks unreal…I swear since the concert I’ve been totally watching the line…got to look good before I hit 40…So now I got Danny checking in on me at lunch, what are you stuffing your mouth with???? ahhh!!! lol, lettuce!
It was an awesome night and I had a total blast with the boys! Thanks…
Check out our pictures…

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AatmLluzZtGZS

Movies…

Well since we’ve been here in Miami we have seen a couple of films; The Pirates of the Caribbean movie with Johnny Depp, Pretty cool movie a bit scary and the most amazing make up and costumes…his funny I like him…
Memoirs of Geisha , I went with my mom down stairs in the building were they live they’ve got a theatre and they were playing it the other night I was so excited because I read the book and was excited to see the movie, what a book, one of the most loveliest written books I’ve ever read…The movie was incredible of course the book, was better and if they were to have followed the book to a t it would of been a 4 hour film or more , but still it was very Holly woody and beautiful…Then we saw the film everyone has been talking about…the Devil Dressed in Prada…Loved it, great clothing what a closet! Great lines as well and what a Devil indeed that Anna Wintour…I guess you have to be a B___ in that business…and just the other night we saw Monster House…scary but cute…voila…we love movies.

El dia del amigo…

Today is ‘’El dia del amigo’’ they day of friendship…and my dear friend Danny and I spent the day together. We met at the Bal Harbour Mall one of the hottest Malls in the world…talk about money well here you can smell it as you walk…one of the richest malls ever.
We had lunch at Carpaccio’s delicious Italian restaurant…they should re-do it though it needs a bit of a renovation, but I guess it’s a money making pit…and the owner most likely doesn’t want to close it down…well back to us , we caught up on all the latest news and gossip and then walked around the mall and checked out what all the high end lines are doing…Danny knows most of the buyers and sales ladies because he buys a great deal of things for his clients at the designer houses…Danny is a image consultant and a very good one at that.
We had a lovely day…
So to all my friends I wish you a wonderful day, and thanks so much for being a part of my life.

Everything is much better…

Back to camp…Well as I said there was NO giving in …I took them to the bus stop and he was giving me a very hard time, so finally I decided I would take him myself and try to settle him in his camp cabin, the car ride would also give us some time to talk about…my integration conversation with him…Chloé got on to the bus like a champ all by herself…
The car ride out to the school is about 25 minutes, the bus ride is a bit longer because of all the stops it does, so we would probably get there before the bus and it would give me a change to take a peek at Chloé’s class as well…
Took him in to his cabin, met his cabin mates and as I said the kids are much rowdier, bigger, and very forward…he looked so lost , finally one of the counsellors took over and said go ahead I’ll take care of him and of I went with a little pain in my heart.
I ran off to take a peek at Chloé’s class and she just looked like she’d been at the school all year, she showed me her friends so cute , I’m telling you she’s living a film…As I was leaving the school I saw two counsellors at the tennis camp, and hung out and talked to them for a bit I told them what a great Tennis player Dylan is and they were like why don’t you switch him to tennis camp, so I ran to the admissions office and asked for him to be changed , NO problem they didn’t even make me pay the difference, thank god because at least with the tennis since he is so good it would break the barrier. I waited for the tennis coach Mr. Toby and we went together to announced the news to Dylan. As he saw my arrival his eyes lit up and when we told him the news a huge smile made its way threw. There I found my Didu again…I was finally able to leave with some nice peace of mind.
At 4:45 I was already waiting outside impatiently to see his reaction….They both got of the bus with huge smiles. ‘‘So, how was it?’’ I said…. ‘‘It’s the best camp ever’’, he said! Those words sounded so good to my ears…Really? Yea mom , I loved it we play tennis all day and if I’m tired or it’s too hot I just say ‘‘me duele la cabeza’’( my head hurts in Spanish) I was like what ‘‘me duele la cabeza’’ DYLAN! you’re supposed to be talking in English not in Spanish…and we laughed like crazy…he later explained that they go in and play video games, so yea no wonder it’s the best camp, Tennis and Nintendo….what kid would not love that! Then I asked, and the bus did you have a hard time finding the bus because as I left him that afternoon I wrote the number 28 in the palm of his hand very big so he wouldn’t forget his bus number. No mom no problem when the lady asked me what bus I was on I said ‘‘ veintiocho’’ WHAT….Oh man I just kept thinking how am I going to explain this to their father…Well honey ‘‘We are in Miami!’’

American Heritage Academy...

CAMP! The American Heritage Academy in Plantation Florida…..
I’ve been training them for this fun experience for the last 6 months now, well you see this is all new for them they’re really with us all the time on vacation and the camp is all in English and here in the US they separate boys and girls, so it was quite a challenge for them… Friday…we went to visit the school to make sure it was as I expected…and it sure was….Amazing, what a campus very New England, all in brick and it even has a beautiful clock tower, huge campus with so many facilities it makes us in Europe look like we live in a third world country, unbelievable and then the teachers and all those counselors so great and so supportive I was so glad about our choice of school.
We got up at 6:30 (not so bad because we are still a bit jetlagged) the bus picked them up in front of the gate at 7:20 (Sheryl the bus driver a super nice lady with the wildest hairdo put the kids at ease right away) everything went great so far, I have until 4:45 to hang out and enjoy the time to myself….yeah!
When I picked them up Dylan held on to me with tears running down his face and said it was terrible and that he hated it and that he wasn’t gong back! In the mean time I glanced back at Chloé and said what about you ‘’I loved it…’’I knew she would the school is wonderful and with all those TV series (Raven, School Musical, etc…)she watches well she’s kind of living a real live movie, because the school is just like out of a movie….Dylan on the other hand I knew would have a tougher time… he acts like a dude with all of his buddies and when he knows everyone but the minute he knows no one he doesn’t integrate himself that easily, therefore I knew he would have a problem with it…Plus the boys in the states are a bit , I don’t know how to put it but they are much bigger and more direct , I know it may sound weird but it’s true, in the small school we are at they are more refine! ….
So there was no giving in he was definitely going back tomorrow, the big thing was how not to make it so painful for him….I know be rough but you know his still my little baby boy...

Summer School started today …..

It’s been a while… I’ve been so busy with the kids and getting ready for our trip and then finally arriving to Florida and catching up with the family and friends no time for computers…Anyway summer is a busy family time, it’s the only time of the year besides Christmas I get to catch up with my folks and my brothers…
We arrived in Aventura, Florida on Tuesday. We were so happy to see everyone and eat one of mommy Dora’s dishes, I was so happy also to be able to catch up with my cousin Mario from Argentina…He’s been out here since May helping out mom and dad with Pablo. He comes out once a year so mom and dad can make their annual European trip and he hangs out enjoys Miami and watches out for Pablito who unfortunately can’t be left totally alone, he love’s to be out here in Miami so I guess it works out both ways and this trip we were lucky he stayed until now so we could see him before he headed back to Argentina. He looks great and as always has a great sense of humour. I’ll miss him, until we meet again…primito!
The Weather has been reasonably decent for Miami HOT weather season, at least there is a nice breeze and we’ve got the ocean and the pool, not like in France now were its extremely hot and no air, instead smelly air….
Well my parents look great, hanging in there with all the squeaky noises body starts to make at their age, Pablito as sassy as always, making jokes and being himself, Gussy looks great and has had a good sense of humour besides everything else that is going on in his life…busy, busy with the 2 apartments and now the house, I’d be going mad!
So, so far we have been hanging and catching up, swimming, exercising I don’t know it must be a Miami thing but every time I’m here I work out a lot more and feel good about it, oh we’ve been to the movies saw the Pirate movie with Johnny Depp and today Monday the kids finally start Camp…I can’t wait!

Mario and I at the Mall in Adventura having coffee’s and sweets…...
He loves sweets and his sooo skinny…..I hate him!

Getting ready for Summer break…..

I can’t believe the end of the year is here, yea the end of the year for us is when school is out and next year is beginning of September… that’s how it works for me as well with work. Collection is all closed up and ready to begin again with new batteries in September…
The kids last day was Tuesday and they both finished the year great and passed with great notes…Chloé is now in CM2 which is 5th grade and Dylan in CM1 which is 4th grade what a relieve that is…I understand my parents so much more as the years go by it’s too wild…
C’est al vie…
I will be leaving with the kids next week and Greg will be joining us end of the month.
We’ll have a little week to settle down at the folks in Miami and then the kids start CAMP…
This will be a totally new adventure for them, first time and not only that but all English…I’m not so concerned about the language because they understand everything and they’ll pick up the vocabulary fast , but I’m worried because they will be separated, in the states they separate boys and girls while doing the activities then they all meet up at lunch in the cafeteria but ouch it’s going to be tough on them they’re so close and hey maybe I’m wrong and it will all just be fine, It’s more me who is suffering…..
Well and as they are doing that I was looking forward to my golfing lessons, but it’s off limits NOT GOOD for my back, but I must say since Lourdes I’ve had no pain…
Well I’ll just stick to catching up on all my readings, working out, my diet, and some sun….
As soon as Greg arrives we will be flying out to New York for our 20th High School Reunion, it’s going to be quite fun, seeing everyone…Will keep you posted on that one…

Have a great summer everyone….Enjoy and relax….

Were to begin….

''Souvenir de Lourdes....''
''Catherine and I...dressed to kill...''
It’s been a long while since my last entry…
Were to begin… I feel like confession time, funny but guess what? I did confess... to an amazing person a priest named Javier Aparici Rendu who took my hand and walked with me in the gardens of Lourdes…
Well to begin…today my Chloé turned 10 years old, how amazing and how beautiful she is not only on the outside but inside as well…So grown up, so mature for her little size…She has always been very maternal…Last night I arrived from my wonderful trip to Lourdes and as she sat on my lap she said now I can sit on your lap you have bathed in the waters (for my back has been hurting a great deal and lately I tell her not to sit on my lap)looking at the pictures and hearing my experience she held my face and said, ‘‘mom, this trip has changed you, your face is different’’, she put tears in my eyes, can she really see, can she really…
Well it has in many ways. I have always been someone very spiritual in my own way, but this trip helped me answer a great many deal of questions and it helped me to reach a spirituality that I didn’t think existed…
For several years now I have wanted to go to the grout in Lourdes-France, in return for all the blessings I get daily in my life. I’ve wanted help those who are less fortunate and have lost faith and hope. This year finally I was able to prepare my family for this long awaited pilgrimage.
It’s not evident to share such a spiritual trip and experience with just anyone, my friend Catherine has been doing this the past two years and has shared her experiences with me something that not many people are receptive to, therefore she knew I would love to share this trip with her, another special person that I wanted to extend the invitation to was my dear friend Danny from Argentina that now lives in Miami. Danny has had an extremely difficult year loosing a very dear friend to Cancer a battle that has left him very exhausted. This trip would help to re focus and to get some of that love back and to realise that we must not loose hope and faith.
''My dear Danny....''
My experience in Lourdes has been one that I will never forget… I felt great love. Love and a superior energy that you get from the powerful presence of everyone there and even more so from the patients who suffer from all kinds of diseases who were there to received our humble help… We left with the Pilgrimage Dioceses of Castellon (Spain), the reason being that Catherine is from the village of Torreblanca. We were a total of 600 people that of which 100 were sick patients the rest included doctors, nurses, cooks, priests, helper’s etc. it is an impressive organisation. Our mission was to participate as transporters this meant transporting the sick in their wheelchairs, or chariots to the different prayers, the grout, the bathing baths, but most important to have discussions with them to simply talk to them, share with them, give them hope, love, courage and of course hugs and kisses something that most of them are missing in their daily lives, during a week of prayers, masses and pilgrimage… I learned many things there and had some amazing miracles happen to me personally I will share them with anyone who would like to listen…
Know that you were all in my prayers and as I walked threw the grout thoughts off all of you were shared.
Thank you all for being a part of my life…
''Cathy, Javier ''our Angel'' and I...''
''The girls...Would give water to the sick...''

''The Transporters...''
''A prayer for all of you....''