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.

]]> http://kaseybuick.com/2012/01/knock-knock/feed/ 14 http://kaseybuick.com/2012/01/a-quickie-but-not-really/ http://kaseybuick.com/2012/01/a-quickie-but-not-really/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:59:01 +0000 Kasey http://kaseybuick.com/?p=3804 First of all…i want to thank you for all the comments you left me on my last post….

i so appreciate the love….and you are so right….not many would take a chance like we have…

and as one person said…..good ole Illinois will still be the same when we head back.

Two things happened this week….

first and foremost…we bought a juicer.

We got it at Costco…and it was under $100…and it’s awesome.

{even though i feel like we are spending more money or fresh produce in order to juice…}

My fave so far is kale, spinach, baby carrots, one apple and 2 cuties {clementines}….you don’t even taste the

yuck green….it’s just sweet enough.

The kids love fresh pear juice.

They do not love green juice.

and just so you know….

a little bit of vodka in that green juice…..and you got yourself a cocktail.

oh…….my two hour juice cleanse went really well…..and i think you all should join in on

my next one!

And the second thing that happened this week was i bought a scale.

I bought a scale and made chocolate chip cookies all in the same day.

Homemade chocolate chip cookies…….from scratch.

Not the pre- made cookie dough like i used to buy in bulk at Costco just because i liked to eat cookie dough…

{i know i’m not alone in the whole eating cookie dough thing because i ran into my friend Dawn once at Costco…

and she had her tub open and was eating it right out of the tub while strolling around …}

so what  i’m just trying to say is that you shouldn’t buy a scale and make cookies from scratch all in the same day.

Drink wine instead.

check check

A couple of weeks ago my friend invited us up to her dads house to let the kids fish in his stocked pond.

This is what the text said that she sent me:

“We are taking the kids fishing at my dads house, it’s mucky and wet, but bring wine”

So of course….i’m thinking her dad lives in the marsh somewhere…..and i thought that wearing my hunter boots might

just be perfect since we are going to be sipping fine boxed wine in the jungle somewhere.

It’s pretty obvious that i didn’t get the memo that short shorts….flip flops {slippers} and that the stocked ponds

are in the front yard of an amazing beautiful home up on a hill.

All the kids had a blast fishing…..they would catch and release them 

{you are welcome ….PETA}

My friend gave us a walking tour of her dads property…..

as we sipped on our fine wine….

remember…i’m still in my boots and jeans…..and this is where they came in handy…

when we took a tour of the potting shed.

I’m so glad i had my boots on to tour the potting shed…..because while they all looked cute and

sweet in their short shorts and slippers….i was feeling right at home in the potting shed.

Note to self: You never know when you might get a tour of a potting shed….so Hunter boots come in handy.

{obviously….they didn’t get the memo about hunter boots and potting sheds}

When in doubt on what to wear….drink more wine.

After the tour…i asked my friend Kelley….if she needs a sister.

She said ….not right now.

I don’t blame her…..because she’s one lucky girl to have gotten the chance to grow up here on Kauai .

{that’s right….she grew up here…..and she surfs every single day}

{she’s also married with two kids….so if you are one of my male readers….and think you are going to hit her up…

she’s taken….}

On another note…..we’ve been doing some whale watching…….and this is the only photo you get…..

because my battery died right before i snapped the photo of the breaching whale.

actually….here is one more…..

can you see the whales out there….

neither can i…..but they are out there.

Honest

and lastly…….i just thought i would share this video…..because i loved seeing how fabulous this boy’s proposal was.

It’s a friend of a friend…..

so even though i said today was a quickie…

it really wasn’t.

Sorry…..it’s the spinach juice talking for me.

It’s hard to believe we’ve been here for just over five months.

This week i’ve been feeling really good…..and it might just be the fact that my kids went back to school

yesterday after being home for three whole weeks.

For the first time …..the kids being home for those three weeks…..wasn’t as bad as i had imagined it.

It’s because we are in Kauai. it’s because selling wine out of a box is legal.

No one has been sick yet…..and i credit the weather and the lack of germs making their way around a stuffy

classroom with no ventilation. The kids classes here are open and the germs seem to fly  out and away…

and right back to the airport;-)

Since bryan is home most morning and doesn’t have to be to  work till after 10…he is the one that normally takes

the kids to school then he heads over and checks out the surf.

This morning i took the kids to school….and headed over to my friends house because she has a scale….

and since i haven’t bought a scale yet …..because they are evil….

and i know for a fact that those little monsters called calories sneak into my room in the middle of the night

and they sew my clothes tighter.

Did you know that you should never wash jeans?

you can wash shirts…..

you can wash socks….

but never….never wash jeans.

I stepped on the scale this morning and i’m down 4 whole pounds.

What i wanted was one of those biggest loser moments ..you know the one…..

where they step on the scale and they’ve lost 16 pounds and you think to yourself….

amazing.

Nope….that didn’t happen this morning.

I stepped on the scale and it said….

###.2

and because of the point .2 i thought that was in my right to go ahead and round down to the lower number.

{i’m allowed to…..i looked it up and it it’s says .2 or even .4 that you  can round down…}

There were no cheers….there was no high fiving or hugs going around…..just me and the scale…..

the battle of the number.

This is week 8 of my training with Gabby.

I feel great…..i’m stronger….and i noticed my arms are looking better as my waist line is slowly shrinking…

{even though i wasn’t able to do the three minute hand stands in class yesterday….yes..you read that right….

hand stands….}

but i wanted that biggest loser moment.

It is such hard work…..but i found a saying and it said:

“It takes 4 weeks for you to notice your body changing…

8 weeks for your friends to start noticing….

and 12 weeks for the world”

I’m at week 8.

4 more to go world…..4 more to go.

Stress is not my friend….

it’s my inhibitor and stress is what’s been in our lives the last 8 months.

Everyone always asks us…..what are we going to do next….where are we going to go.

We still have our house back home…..and home to us is Illinois….but right now….

Bryan has a decent job….even if it’s serving food and drinks.

{and the occasional meeting a celebrity…which in my book….is a great job}

He has a job….we have benefits….we have a roof over our heads….and the kids have adjusted better

than i could have ever expected.

They are happy…..healthy…..and thriving.

We are making it work.

The goal was that come March or April that he would start looking again….for a job…and i hate to even say

a “real” job…because damn….if this isn’t as real as you get…

a 40 year old man with a wife and three kids working as a server….if that’s not real…what the heck!

 This is such a different kind of hard for Bryan. He thought his old desk job was hard….but

when you are on your feet all day….in the sun….it’s a new type of hard.

It’s hard not to let stress in…..

we had this whole vision of living this year without the worries….

and just living life.

But it’s always there….in the back of our minds and thoughts.

The what if….the unknown….the i hope we can make it.

The… i hope we didn’t screw up our kids….because we wanted to live a different type of life for one whole year.

It’s because we have to make the best decision for our family ….our children….and luckily for us….

our children are well rounded….kind hearted….and have the same passion for living life that we do.

{My kids will probably be the ones that get married and never move…ever ever ever again}

Like sands through the hourglass…these are the days of our lives

errrr….

sorry…..the tele is on in the background and it’s obvious that one of my soaps is on….

So…anyhoo…

As of right now…

today…

there are so many  uncertainties about our future….and we want to know what is going to happen next…but we don’t.

We are in this corner…..a pretty fabulous corner if i might add….waiting and waiting…

but i do know something….we have each other…and that’s all that matters.

{and a box of wine …you know…to even things out}

this post contains sugar and corn syrup.

Luckily for me….i had a glass {or three} of fine wine on hand .

I realize the Holidays are now over but you might want the recipe for future use…..

because really…..

i was just thinking i needed to gain a few more pounds and then all would be right in the world.
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream 

 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

…………

I used local Hawaiian sugar and vanilla beans from our farmers market to make the sauce extra special…but honestly…

your local store bought sugar and vanilla beans will be just as good.

…………….

Place the cream in a small pitcher or small bowl.

Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream and set aside.

Have a glass of wine.

Stir sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; boil, occasionally swirling pan, until deep amber color forms, 5–6 minutes.

The deep amber is the most important step….because if it’s not deep amber…then you will need to pour another glass of

wine because you messed up the whole entire batch. There is a fine line between deep amber and burned sugar….

so keep a watch on it…..and as soon as it looks deep amber…you are good to go.

{it took me two tries to get it right…..so have lots of wine on hand}

Remove from heat; gradually add vanilla cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Whisk over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes.

I always get nervous because it’s really clumpy….but keep whisking it over medium heat till it’s all thick…

trust me….

it takes some time.

Once it’s thick…remove from heat…then whisk in butter and salt.

Strain into a heatproof bowl. Let cool slightly….and try not to eat the whole batch in one sitting.

Salted Caramel is fabulous over vanilla ice cream….or apple pie……the ideas are endless….and it keeps if refrigerated

for up to 2 weeks.

{i’ve never let it go more than two weeks so i can’t promise what will happen….}

These make great hostess gifts…..for any occasion…seriously….or just eat it all up in one sitting.

…………………

I ordered my biodegradable spoons from {here} 

my twine from {here} 

the jars are from good ole Walmart and i printed the labels.

Happy new year ….to you!

would love to advertise for the month of January for $20….just email me. 

]]> http://kaseybuick.com/2011/12/sponsor-special-3/feed/ 0 http://kaseybuick.com/2011/12/there-was-no-licking-today/ http://kaseybuick.com/2011/12/there-was-no-licking-today/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:01:53 +0000 Kasey http://kaseybuick.com/?p=3772 Now….if you know me….then you know that i am not a celeb stalking type of girl…

{okay…..well……that might be an exaggeration………}

{maybe….}

and this morning doesn’t count when my friend and i met at the one and only swanky hotel 

for coffee and to see if maybe we could spot any…..

and  possibly just run our hands though George Clooney’s hair.

Not that George is here…..but if he was…..that’s what we would have done.

{it was all her idea…..honest…because i’m not a run my hand through hair type …..}

Well….we walked away with nothing

nada

zilch

zip

except for a damn expensive latte.

So … i went home….and loaded up the kids for the beach…to meet up with another friend.

We set up camp……opened up a nice can of coors light….got out the cheese whiz…. some ritz crackers…

when all of the sudden…..

out of nowhere …..strolling right towards us….was

 Shaun White….

lucky for me…i know my pro snowboarders…..

err….

i mean the guy whose name appears on most of my boy’s clothing.

{thank you Target}

he even wears loafers….

don’t you love a man that will wear loafers and purple shorts to the beach.

Anyhoo…..the point is…..

i totally missed out on walking up to him and licking him.

{ apparently most of my  friends would…..you know….since i already asked them on Facebook.}

He did smile at us though….

{can you see him sneaking a peek at my canned beer drinking friend and i

from under his sunglasses as he pretends to look at his loafers…}

but we let him hang out in peace…..

 so there was no licking going on today.

{i wonder if he would have let me run my virgin fingers through his hair….}

..and to think at last minute i decided to grab the camera and stick it in my beach bag.

{i was only thinking of you all of course…..}

The tunes are playing {“a she and him holiday”~ on Pandora for us…}

movies all day long {our favorites… {“The Holiday Stone” and “Elf” and “A Christmas Story”}

and tomorrow morning before we open the gifts….we will do something new for us this year.

We will head to the beach…..soak in our very first Christmas….sitting in the sand….and open our gifts there.

{pending sunshine…..it’s been a wet week here}

So…..from our family to yours….we wish you a Merry Happy Christmas.

This is the first year that I haven’t been in the oh~so~busy mode the last days leading up to Christmas.

There are so many things going on in our lives right now….and i’ll share that soon…but we are content at the 

moment soaking up our first Christmas in Kauai. I have to admit that the one thing i know i’m going to miss

from back home is our Christmas eve service. Our church back home was HUGE….it was one of those mega-churches

and we loved it. The one we go to here is super small…..{which is fine and dandy} but when it comes to Christmas eve

service there is just something about being with hundreds of people singing songs and worshiping together.

Our Christmas this year is simple {obviously} and our kids get one gift from us.

Just one.

They just don’t need much….so they get the one thing that they really really want.

One gift from us.

Even though they have lots of gifts from the grandparents ……Simple is what our year is all about.

We’ve been making lots of homemade gifts…..and even though i thought i was all baked out with those

cranberry bliss bars….i decided last minute to make a few batches of my Salted Caramel Sauce….and jar them up

to give to our neighbors and last minute hostess gifts.

It’s so easy to make and i slapped some labels i had printed on them….because i made my sauce with local sugar

and local vanilla beans. {we have the best sugar and sea salt here…..trust me}

I even tied a biodegradable wooden spoon with some festive twine on them.

I might even wrap one up and give it to Gabby;-)

which by the way….today is the end of my 7th week of training with her.

{only 10 more weeks to go….}

I still can’t walk right…and my legs are noodles…but i feel so great.

Last year at this time…..we bundled up the kids and took them into the streets of Chicago to hand out

love notes with dollar bills. We still think about that day……as it will sit with us forever as perspective.

I wish we could do it again….but we will have to wait.

You can read all about that day {HERE}.
Last month Lola came up with the idea to put together the photos we have taken so far while being

here in Kauai and put them to music.

{i helped her organize it….but she did most of the work}

We burned the movie to some dvd’s and wrapped them up and sent them to all of her friends.

Then we burned some more and sent them to the grandparents.

This is the video….make sure you have your volume on because the song Lola picked out 

pretty much sums up our life.

 This year is all about being simple and happy.

Our Christmas lights shine bright from our artificial palm tree in the corner…..

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