I love my MIL. Her legal name is Judy….but the name she goes by is Traci…..

she grew up in Ohio {hence being named Judy} ….

then moved to Florida in her early 20′s {hence changing her name to Traci}.

Her oldest son {Bryan’s only brother} lives in NYC…..and and her youngest son {Bryan} lives as

far West as you can go in the U.S…..the island of Kauai.

These are a few thoughts about this last week.

{what i heard..} * The kids hair is so blond and growing like crazy.

{what she really said..} * I don’t mind taking them to get a haircut while i’m here.

…..

{what i heard…} I’m going to go upstairs and rest a bit.

{what she meant…} *My daughter in law just erupted like Chernobyl ….so i’m going to hide in my room for a week.

…….

Luckily for me she only hid for one night….and reappeared the next morning….

she was nice enough to try my freshly squeezed green juice only once…….

she really loved hanging out at the hotel where Bryan works……

she is hooked on Hershey kisses with macadamia nuts in the middle….

she got to see whales breach off the coast and they sounded a whole lot like her daughter in law

trying to bend down and wipe up the floor after a circuit training class.

{sorry….is that too much info}

Anyhoo……I believe she had a wonderful time with us….and i know for a fact….

that we thoroughly had a wonderful time with her here.

{even though a child might or might not have hidden her reading glasses}

Here are some photos taken in the last week…..

it’s not too often that you walk by a sign hanging on the front of a shop that states the way you feel….

This sign pretty much states everything.

the end

over and out

i’m having one made for my front door and back door…because you just never know who will knock 

at the back door….and i might even get one for the bathroom door.

We drove to the other side of the island last Thursday and drove up to Waimea Canyon….and as you can see….

a certain third child tagged along with us that day.

Does he look sick to you…..because he certainly does NOT look sick to me.

Third child …..no other words needed.

Mason had his 11th birthday party on Sunday….it was a fishing party on the Hanalei Pier. 

I was warned from one of my friends that RSVP’ing here in the middle of the Pacific isn’t a priority….

but i thought i was lucky when i got one parent calling me to RSVP.

Then three other boys showed up…..and that was the way we rolled this year.

1. Mason caught the biggest fish.

2. The boys at the party.

3. Mason fishing.

We found some swings hanging from a tree while out driving around.

{don’t hate me if i come back here in 2 weeks and shoot Fin’s turning 7 birthday photos….}

I promise i’ll change his clothes and style his hair.

It’s not Friday night if you don’t have a group of ladies that come up and want to pray for you.

{hey…..they offered a bbq of hot dogs and burgers on the beach …}

1.No…that is not a glob of KY Jelly on the beach….it’s a jelly fish on little bits of Sea Glass at Glass Beach.

2. Wailua Fall.

3. Kilauea Lighthouse.

We drove to the end of the road {northshore} on Saturday…….

1.Kalalau trail…..no…we did not hike it….but they sure looked good under the sign.

2. Fin’s footprints in the sand.

3. The Napali coast {which the Kalalau trail follows for 11 miles in}

Mason heading along the beach at sunset.

Mason and friends version of snowboarding. 

Lola and one of her besties Anya.

{Anya and her family came for vacation and ended up staying……yup….it happens}

This all happened in one evening:

2. It was a Monday evening….Bryan was working…..so i packed up dinner and we hit the beach.

3. I saw a girl walking on the pier in an ANTHRO dress….so i jumped up…and stalked her followed her.

{anyone that shows up on the pier in an Anthro dress…..well…..they deserve to be followed…..}

cough cough

1. As i was following girl in Anthro dress….a cute girl who was visiting from California

came up to me and introduced herself as a blog reader. 

{…i was still in my workout clothes …..had no make-up on and i might have been carrying a hidden margarita 

in my hand….so i’m pretty sure she flew home to her family and complained that i smelled like i looked…}

hey….she was in workout clothes as well…..so there….but what are the chances that fate brings a blog reader

and a blog writer together on a Monday night at the Hanalei pier.

{Thank you Anthro dress wearing Canadian independent film editor girl on her way around the world….}

1. Our very first Valentines night out in 11 years.

11 years ago {plus two days}……which was 2 days before Mason was born….

i put on my black PLEATHER maternity pants and we dined at Kincaids.{Bay Area…}

{I was cool back then……pregnant 26 year old sporting the pleather}

Seriously….didn’t we all wear black pleather pants back then?

I might have had to cut the pants off at the end of that night because if you did not know….

{but now you do…..}

sweat and black pleather {plastic leather} don’t mix very well.

2. Playing tourists at Waimea Canyon lookout with the oops baby next to us.

1. I took my very first ever yoga class in the history of the life of kasey.

2. Green Juice. What i drink every single morning in lieu of breakfast.

{and down 15 pounds since November}

well…..the exercise helps too…..all 6 days a week of it.

what a beautiful winter evening looks like…

and the only organizational sport that the kids are playing at the moment…

and it included water.

well…..that and writing 200 times that they will not ride a bike without a helmet.

Real life.

If you need me…..i’ll be across the street.

In my world it takes three days to beg and plead any child of mine to please put on a nice shirt….

some clean shorts…..and run a comb though their hair so that maybe…..just maybe…..

we could head out and get some photos done.

It’s not easy anymore……and the older they get….the harder it is.

Today was different though.

We came home from the beach….where we spent the afternoon with my MIL who is visiting from Florida…..

and Mason showered….

he put on some decent clothes….

ran a comb through his hair….and we headed to a little quiet beach where he did his thing .

{no you can’t have him Abercrombie and Fitch}

My MIL keeps whispering in his ear that she misses his short hair…..

and he keeps reminding her that we don’t live in Illinois anymore.

Last year he played the cello at school….this year he plays the ukulele…..

he loves to be barefoot….he wears his swim trunks to school….

he plays a mean game of scrabble.

He received all A’s in Social Studies and Science…..but i did get a phone call home from his teacher 

this week saying he’s been slacking off on turning in his homework.

{obviously…..that is not due to my lack of good parenting….}

Today Mason turns eleven years old.

He is tender hearted…..he is kind….he is patient….and mature. He loves life as much as we do…..

and still loves when i lay with him  at bedtime.

{i credit all of this to the beautiful soundtrack of SADE playing when he entered the world}

{and no….there was no birthing ball in the room…..just plenty of good old fashioned legal drugs..}
Everyone always says to me…..

{for some reason it’s always grandmothers at the supermarket}

“enjoy this time while you can…..they grow so fast”.

How right they are……but you know what….i wouldn’t change a thing.

I think i even told someone the other day how easy it was when they were little…..

of course they slept through the night by 12 weeks of age….

and weren’t they all potty trained by age 2…..

and now that i think about it….i probably even made my own baby food and taught them sign language.

errrrr….

nope….that wasn’t me. I just reconfirmed it with my MIL and i was all wrong.

No one still sleeps through the night….

there is the occasional peeing in the yard but they claim it’s an accident….

and the only sign language they know is a middle finger that will put them into a closet for a year with no food.

So yes….the little years were good….but the big years are better.

I loved them when they were little…..but i love who they are now….

and yes…it does go by so fast.

lightening speed

but the best is yet to come.

This post contains a do-it-yourself Valentine for you child’s class that is not only inexpensive….

{think minimum wage making family + no decent craft store on the entire island}

but so easy…….

{that an “award winning mother of the year even though she has no trophies to prove it”}

could do in just 20 minutes time.

And since this was my first year of not buying the bulk pre-made cards from the store…..

i sort of decided that this was my project and not the kids….which means that i totally put these 

together without the assistance of little helpers……which is why i took these photos ahead of time…..

because i know FOR A FACT  that as soon as they leave the house….the kids will cross out

any word that says “LOVE”.

Unless you drive them to school….then you might have a chance that they will arrive in tact.

First: all you need to do is hit your favorite paint store…..

{we only have one…..so i was lucky that no one else was painting “be my valentine” this weekend

and scour the paper paint color samples.

I have a feeling that taking all of the “Be My Valentine” is NOT…i repeat….NOT illegal…..

since i’ve taken many of paper paint color samples before…..

but if you are feeling like you don’t want to just grab all the samples and run towards the door

as fast as you can…then i suggest just asking the guy at the paint counter if you can have them.

I was lucky that there were a few different samples to choose from…..

so i chose the “i love you pink” and the “valentine’s day” along with the “Be My Valentine” cards….

and two of the sayings were on one card.

I happened to have some washi tape……in pink….but i know you can find some at

your local craft shop {like Michaels } or you can find it on Etsy {here}

if you can’t find any….or don’t want to pay for it…then just use thin white masking tape…it does the trick.
I bought some little lollipop sticks …….

and just used a drop from the hot glue gun to adhere the stick to the back of the paper paint sample.

and then i used pencil to write in little notes and what-nots on the Washi tape.

For the record….Mason wanted NOTHING to do with these homemade Valentines…and i don’t blame him…

so these are great for the girls and the little boys.

{unless your kid picks out the paint sample color that says “orgasmic red”…..then you might have a problem.

]]> http://kaseybuick.com/2012/02/i-love-you-pink/feed/ 20 http://kaseybuick.com/2012/02/what-time-has-taught-me/ http://kaseybuick.com/2012/02/what-time-has-taught-me/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:12:57 +0000 Kasey http://kaseybuick.com/?p=3854

*stepping out of your comfort zone will not only make you stronger….it will make you a better person.

*red wine is good for your heart.

*if you keep saying “what if” then you’ll never get to say “i did”.

*sheltering your children does not prepare them for the future.

*once you get your first grey hair…it’s all downhill from there.

*carrying your camera around with you is important.

*nothing compares to a Hawaiian avocado.

*i spend way too much time on Pinterest …..pinning pretty clothes that i can’t afford……

styling for a house i don’t live in anymore….and food that i can never get to look that good when i make it.

*a house doesn’t make a home.

*if you don’t breastfeed…..it’s not the end of the world. 

*turning the clocks forward on some nights and putting the kids to bed early is not a bad idea….

it’s pure genius.

*values and views vary from person to person…..hold onto what you believe.

*if your third child does not wear underwear…….the occasional shart will make you think

you just weren’t strict enough.

*being closed minded only hurts yourself.

*you have to live life moving forward not back {courtesy of Spy Kids 3}.

*making minimum wage humbles your character

*your spouse should always come first.

*it’s okay to have “me” time.

*it’s not okay for your cleaning lady to find your vibrator.

{just kidding mom}

*communication is the best asset.

*not everything will go according to plan.

*there is something magical about not knowing what comes next.

*a good hair cut by a good stylist is worth every penny.

*there is nothing more deflating then to have to do the walk of shame out of a cheap hair place.

*a temperature of 99.2 does not constitute a phone call home from the school nurse.

*being on the beach in the middle of February is good for your soul.

*it really isn’t about what “school district* you are in.

*you can’t rewind time…but you can help shape the future.

*i don’t really like grapefruit juice without the vodka in it.

*don’t make a list of things you want to do…make a list of things you are going to do.

*always keep a journal next to your bed.

*just make sure that you don’t look in that journal a few years later to find the pages filled with

get milk. sign permissions slip. make pap smear appointment in morning.

*there really is something to be said about drinking 8 glasses of water a day.

*with the right attitude…..a jump in the pool can also be the kids bath for the day.

*you can wash a shirt…you can wash your socks….but you never have to wash your jeans

*kids grow up.

*time flies.

*life is what you make of it.

As you know…..i took the red eye from Kauai to New Mexico last Saturday night.

What you don’t know is that i will never take a red eye again….but money is tight and the red eye was the only

option for me. It was a full flight and there is nothing worse than a 5 hour flight when you are dog tired.

Dog Tired

I can actually say i slept about a whole 2.5 hours as my head bobbed up and down while drool trickled down

my chin and tried not to move very much as the man sitting next to me used my shoulder as a pillow.

I arrived in LA and quickly headed over to Starbucks to get a Venti latte knowing i had a three hour layover till

my flight to Albuquerque took off. The line at Starbucks was no lie…..about a mile long because the power to the

cash registers was out and the workers were having to use

pencil and paper to add and subtract change and it wasn’t going very well.

After i recieved my venti 15 shot latte….i meandered over to my gate only to find out that they needed one

volunteer to take a later flight. Lucky for me….i didn’t check any baggage.

And lucky for me…i only have 2 pair of jeans in my wardrobe at the moment and one sweater….

one sweater coat……

so packing was pretty easy for me.  There was no pretending to have oodles of clothes to take to the mountains

with me….and as much as i would love to have a suitcase full of clothing options….i don’t. All my clothes sit in 

a storage unit in St. Charles Illinois…….probably all moth eaten and rats are making their homes 

in my old boots at this very minute.

Plus…i would be sitting in a hospital for two whole days.

But i won’t lie….i was deep down excited to feel the cold air and see the snow.

Anyhoo…..i volunteered my little ole seat on the plane and got a nice little travel voucher for a future flight

and better yet….they would fly me into Santa Fe which is closer to where my parents live.

I didn’t even ask my mom if there was a Target in Santa Fe….because that didn’t matter…..

so when she picked me up and drove me straight over to Target….i didn’t really yell and scream with joy.

Okay…i might have yelled and screamed.

Maybe.

We spent about 2 hours wandering around…..

while i stocked up on work-out clothes….a cute new dress…..and just some odd and ends

that i couldn’t get without ordering online.

 We then got in the car and drove the hour and a half to their home.

We Got to the house with just enough time for me to brush my teeth and  pluck a few wild eyebrows….and put

some Visine drops in my eyes to get rid of the “is she doing drugs” look that might have accompanied my face.

We then headed to dinner with my brother and his wife…. my mom and dad….and myself.

I drank some fine non boxed wine.

I had good food and we all enjoyed some really great family time.

I had some more fine non boxed wine.

We talked about life and thoughts and surgery.

We toasted my brave but fearful mom.

Then we talked about changes going on with my family….because as of right now we are all insurance-less.

Sheet.

Bryan has been working so hard lately and now that it is slow season here in Kauai….the hotel where he works…

had to cut his hours….{that’s what happens when you are at the bottom of the totem pole of life}…

which means we don’t qualify for the minimum 30 hours a week required to have insurance.

Sheet.

All trials and tribulations……… since we are reach for the sky and grab that shooting star type of people….

 we will follow it where it goes….and if it burns out….which we know can happen….then we go with it.

But for right now….we are still sliding by…..with our shirts tucked in and smiles on our faces.

Just a crack in the track.

Monday morning we woke up at 4:30…..i had some coffee…..and we got ready to take my mom to the hospital

since she had to be there and checked in at 6. 

{i might have taken a few tylenol p.m’s the night before…..just saying…and they went well with my fine wine}

what i wore day 1:

After they wheeled my mom back….my dad and i waited about an hour then decided to go grab 

a bite to eat. We ate at a little place in Taos called Michaels. I really like Taos…..i don’t think i 

could ever live there…but i like it. 

My dad and i ordered Huevos Rancheros. I haven’t had that in a looooong time…and it was good.

There was a man sitting next to us who was an organic grass fed beef farmer and he was drives down

to deliver the beef to different places. We got on the subject of GMO’s.

I don’t know much about GMO’s but i got the low down….and now i know. 

Don’t buy GMO’s.

Make sure the tomato or the corn you buy is not genetically modified.

The end.

Anyhoo……i tried to order a bloody mary at breakfast…but i got turned down…no big deal…..

i was looking forward  to getting back to the hospital and grabbing some good ole hospital coffee.

Black…no sugar.

Mom spent 3 hours in surgery and one hour in recovery…..but came through with flying colors……

she was groggy most of the afternoon but my dad and i just sat there and kept her company.

We headed home around 6…..stopping by one of their friends who was nice enough to make us dinner

that we took home and ate. 

I was mid dinner with my dad when i remembered he had a mini {cooper not van} sitting in the garage.

The mini was his “special” car that he only drove when there was no snow on the ground……so when i

politely asked to take it for a spin around the block….not a second was spared when i was given

a big fat NO.

Dad finally caved…..and i promise there was no whining and begging on my part.

At least that’s what i remember.

pinky promise

what i wore day 2:

I woke up the following morning and drove myself to the hospital myself.

I spent all day with my mom ….just being present.

She was able to eat a little….and the nurse went over with us the instructions on how to drain her bags….

how to measure this and that…..and what not.

My dad arrived to the hospital late afternoon….and i left to go grab some groceries so that i could make

dinner for the family that night.  My mom was discharged home….and i met them at home….

but before we left the hospital…..we had a “throw the bra away” party……

That night i made dinner for the family…..my old stand-by favorite….rotisserie chicken enchiladas….

and we got my mom comfortable in her room…..got her all set up to spend the next few days…

then we found out my sister in law is pregnant with baby #2.

We almost spit out our guacamole.

Have i ever mentioned that my dad is a judge? 

Well…sometimes the Judge likes to interrogate people….and when the going gets hot…the hot get going….

and for some reason my sis in law felt like she was being interogated that night…..and couldn’t take the heat

anymore…..so she spilled the beans.

We couldn’t be more excited…..but just in case you read that wrong….

i’m going to be an aunt again….which means i’m getting old.

what i wore day 3:

My last day i woke up and spent the morning with my mom….then i took the mini {cooper not van} 

out for a spin….making sure not to scratch the doors or end up in a ditch.

My brother picked me up around noon….and we drove down to Albuquerque {3 hour drive} because he

had a little work to get done but also because i begged him to take me down the night before because the 6 am 

flight i had the following morning had me thinking i might want to actually sleep a little that night.

After my brother was done working…..he dropped me off at Anthropologie…..i just happened to have it map-quested…

so i gave him the most direct route…..where he dropped me off to wander around by myself for a whole hour.

I would just like to mention that i walked out of there without spending ONE SINGLE DOLLAR.

I decided to spend my $20 at Trader Joe’s instead.

That’s right. I brought home enough Joe-Joe’s to make Gabby want to call me out because of the extra tummy roll

i came home with. 

]]> http://kaseybuick.com/2012/02/four-days-in-the-snow/feed/ 18 http://kaseybuick.com/2012/02/vodka-has-less-calories-than-wine/ http://kaseybuick.com/2012/02/vodka-has-less-calories-than-wine/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:30:17 +0000 Kasey http://kaseybuick.com/?p=3842 I’m home! 

I wrote on my facebook wall yesterday after i landed….that it’s pretty special that i can say that i’m 

coming “home” to Kauai. On the flight home i was sitting next to a family with three kids all around the same ages

as mine….and they asked how i love the North Shore and how do i deal with all the rain.

Most tourists stay on the South/West side because of that reason. It’s drier…it’s warmer….and they think 

it rains all year long here on the Northshore.

I told her we all tell everyone it rains all the time because it’s to keep the tourists on that side of the island;-)

Oh…we get rain alright. For two weeks before Thanksgiving it rained for 10 days straight…..but it’s because of the rain…

that makes the North shore of Kauai one of the most beautiful places in the world. But our average here on the North side is

a balmy 82 degrees.

check check

Today is the ending of week 13 of my circuit training with Gabby…..

{i missed a few classes while i was in New Mexico..and i might have had some huevos rancheros one morning}

but i stepped on the scale last night and i’m down 12 pounds.

12 pounds!!

{Free tip:….by folding your arms up and resting them on your hips…

….it makes them look thinner then if you  just let them hang by your side}

There are still a good 12 weeks of class left….which means i’m not done yet!

Gabby and her family live here for 6 months out of the year…..

she does the classes FOR FREE….{read more about it HERE}

and it’s by invite only. I was lucky enough to score an invite by a friend

that was already in the class. 

The classes are three days a week….and on the alternate days i’ve been walking a 4 mile loop.

I hate running. {even though i did that 5k last year…..but i think i was drugged when i signed up for it}

I never felt that high that people talk about when running….so just doing the long walk works for me. I also

am walking in one of the most beautiful places in the world….and i get to see the ocean as i walk.

It clears my mind.

{well….and a good vodka with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice}

I’m pretty sure vodka has less calories than wine…but don’t quote me on this bit of info….

i just know that working my ass off…..and drinking vodka….

{okay…..maybe investing in a juicer and drinking green juice every day has helped a teeny tiiny bit}

has lead me to lose 12 pounds.

Right now it’s three in the morning here in New Mexico and i have an early morning flight back home to Bryan and the kids…

who’ve missed me.

{at least i think they do…..}

My new friends have been such a great help by taking the kids after school….i’m a lucky girl to be able to have 

traveled so far and for such a short turn around trip…..but i am so thankful to be able to have been able to be

here with my precious mom for what was one of the biggest decisions she has ever had to make.

I thought i would be posting more while here……but my time with my family was so short…..i didn’t want to 

spend it on the computer….so i apologize…{and i know you understand…}

I want to thank you all for the prayers and thoughts that came in……because i know it’s those very 

wonderful prayers that let my mom breeze though the three hour surgery….but it’s the prayers and thoughts

that will also get her though these very hard next few weeks.

She spent one night in the hospital….and was able to come home on Tuesday evening.

I wish i could stay longer……just to be with her….

but i know i’m leaving her in great hands as my dad ….brother and his wife are here for support.

I’ll be back tomorrow with an updated post about my trip…..

and go schedule your mammogram.

You see…..a few months ago my sweet mom found out she had early stage breast cancer…..and after an MRI….

and a visit with an oncologist ….the decision was to go ahead and have surgery .

I took the red eye flight from Kauai on Saturday night…..and got in Sunday afternoon…..

i packed up some jeans….dragged out my only jacket i have….and with a quick {do you count two hours wandering??} trip to Target….we drove up to cold and beautiful Angel Fire, New Mexico.

A wonderful dinner with the family last night……sitting around the table with my brother and his wife….my mom and dad…myself.

So…right now….my dad and i are sitting here in the waiting room…..patiently waiting for the three hour surgery to be over.

Please keep my mom in your prayers and thoughts this morning………

and i’ll be back soon!

What are the chances that your boyfriend {now husband…cough cough}…….

accidentally forgot to pay for the oil change you sent him to do with your car?

Pretty slim.

What are the chances that a police officer shows up at the door not much later to escort you {not boyfriend because the car is obviously registered in your name} back to oil change place to pay for said service.

Pretty slim. Highly likely.

What are the chances that later that day you introduce your boyfriend for the first time to your parents and 

the first thing your father {the judge} asks the boyfriend is if he’s ever had a run in with the law?

Pretty slim.

What are the chances that your little boy gets into your private stash of KY jelly and uses it in his hair as gel?

Pretty slim.

What are the chances that said child wins best crazy hair that night at his church shin-dig?

Pretty slim.

{actually…..any child that uses KY jelly in his hair should win an award}

What are the chances that you leave your kids outside of Trader Joe’s so that you can just run in to grab a quick 

bottle of wine and you get approached by someone stating that they are from Child Protective Services?

Pretty slim.

What are the chances that your child will find a piece of already chewed up gum at the bottom of a pool 

and put it in their mouth?

Pretty slim.

What are the chances that your daughter gets hit in the head with a coconut?

Pretty slim.

Luckily it was a baby coconut.

Did you know that more people are injured by falling coconuts than by getting bit by a shark?

I’m glad she won’t be getting bit by a shark now.

Phew

p.s. Lola wanted me to tell you that the piece of gum that she found in the pool a few years ago was actually really good…

it was minty.

she said…..

i have a new computer and i don’t think it’s working because i’m pulling up your blog and it still has the post

from two weeks ago.

I’m still here….check check….double check.

I apologize for not posting as much this month …..but this one year thing is just flying by….and we are trying to wrap our

bodies around as many memories as we can…..so the posting might be far and infrequent some weeks and 

visa versa.

We’ve just had a really busy last few weeks…..and life has just gotten in the way.

Good times have been had lately.

I would officially like to state….that last friday i finished my 10th week of training with Gabby Reece….

and i’m down a whole 10 pounds {on a good day…and without a scoop of nutella finding it’s way into my mouth}.

Only 11 or so more weeks of class left…and Gabby packs up and heads with her family back to California….

but i am so happy to have been invited to join her class….and it’s paying off.

……

Some of our best friends flew in from Chicago last week and spent the week with us…..

they arrived last Monday night…..and we initiated them with our first big monsoon rain of the year on Tuesday.

It rained so hard on Tuesday that the kids school called an hour after they were dropped off to tell us that 

school was being cancelled and the kids were being sent home.

{does anyone just hit the ignore button on the phone when they see the school calling…}

I reminded the school that we just had a three day weekend….and did they take that into concern when calling me

to let me know that they were coming home.

Apparently not.

The kids school is on the other side of a river…so when it rains…..and it rains hard…..the bridge is closed to traffic

going in and out of Hanalei…..so the school kids are put in priority….and bussed right out.

So we all hung out all day……with pouring rain….and power outages…..as one big happy family.

{and somehow there were a few additional children that came home with us as well….}

Last Thursday we decided to have some of our friends over for a cocktail party….

we had our new friends…..along with our chicago friends…..and it was a fun evening.

I made brie and fig bites….

{i might have a problem with eating brie….by the spoonful….}

and i’ve been dreaming about these ever since….so i’ll take some more photos for you and post the recipe this week.

{warning: do not weigh yourself after you have eaten all of them…..not a good idea}

we all drank some good fine wine…..

and wine goes very well with brie.

I was also able to bring my friend Alison to one of Gabby’s classes with me…..

and not only did Alison get her butt kicked kick butt

but Bethany Hamilton showed up for class as well that day….so needless to say….even though we 

were sweating like pigs on slaughtering day…..but we got to sweat with Bethany.

{and no….that is not me bending over behind Alison puking……}

We spent a lot of time at the beach…..

{they left their kids back home in chicago….so obviously….i let them take over some of my parenting…it only seemed fair}

We also did what we normally do when we have friends visiting…..

we rented some SUP boards…and sent them out into the water.

{i monitored the cooler….it’s my delegated duty you know….}

Yesterday was their last day here….so we headed over to the South side of the island where they had been

staying for the last few nights and joined them all day poolside.

We drank some more fine wine……

the boys kept checking in with us ……because they were parked in the bar watching football…

and i barely saw the kids the whole entire day because the hotel had the most amazing pools…

we felt like we were on our own vacation all day.

The kids did keep coming back to be fed though…..

I have a feeling my mother in law might just be calling me today and wondering if i might want to 

check myself into Rehab with all the photos of fine wine drinking last week.

So before she calls….let me just state that as of Today….i’m going off the fine wine drinking this week.

I’m switching to Vodka.

It makes my green juice taste SO much better.

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