The past 24

My parents arrived, we picked the boys up, went to Jack's baseball game (a sad loss), came home and got the boys in bed by 8, drank wine because we were pooped, went to bed after amusing ourselves with a few of Bill Hader's best SNL skits. He is a trip -Stefon is my favorite- and I'm so sorry he's leaving the show. This morning, we hung low with the boys, all of us tired and eager to laze, by watching an enormous number of Loony Tunes cartoons. They really are so funny. I made some strawberry-thyme sauce to top a cheesecake for Monday's party, took a proper shower and actually styled my hair as the kids are now with Tom's parents, my parents are picking up my sister and her husband at Dulles, and then we will all drive to Annapolis for a rehearsal dinner.

Do you know when friends become good friends and then the lines blur beyond besties until you've got what is, for all intents and purposes, family? Well, we are so lucky to have such a family in our lives: the Hills. I've written about them before: Jim and Marjorie are my second parents; their daughter, Emily, and my sister have been best friends since the age of 4; Emily's husband, Shafik, is fantastic, as are my T and Elia's Michele; Chris, the Hills' son, is like a brother. And he is marrying a wonderful woman tomorrow; we are all thrilled to welcome Lauren into our ever-growing "family." So this is a special weekend in many ways, and I am grateful for all this time together.

Jack has a final game tomorrow morning, the wedding is at 4, and then we rest briefly before Mom and Dad's anniversary party (40 years!) on Monday.