a room with a view...

I am a girl that you might end up hating at the end of this post.

I hope not though.

It's not my fault that this is the room that sold me my home...and if you've been reading this blog for a while...then you know that i posted on it once before.

I'm happy to tell you that this room is finally complete........well.......nothing of mine is ever complete...

so for now....it's complete....but in another year...it might change.

You are about to enter my favorite room of the house.....

my boudoir....{i hope that doesn't mean something like 'bottom' in french....because that for sure would not be very funny....nope...not at all.....}

While i was sick on my deathbed on Saturday....i sent my ...oh..so....willing husband to Ikea....{and don't "oh poor bryan" to me......he couldn't wait to get out of the house by himself...} to pick up this dresser. It's part of the Hemnes collection, and normally...i love a good solid vintage piece...but girls.....the door to my closet is teeny tiny.....so i had to have something that bryan could put together once inside the closet. It's a perfect fit.

....and yes.....what you see are more hatboxes......please don't scold me.

....and i found those fabulous vintage kitten heels at a flea market....unfortunatley...they are 22 sizes to small....

they actually fit Lola pretty well....

seriously....were all women like a shoe size 5 back then???

The walls are wood...and i painted them cottage white.....but some of the walls are lined with linen now...even the ceiling. The room is an A frame and we think it probably used to be a nursery or a tandem third bedroom.

I just want you to stop right here and let me explain the shoes.

They are not all mine.

I actually borrowed most of them from my friends just so i could fill up the shelves and the picture

would look o.k.

really.

kinda.

well......maybe most of them are mine and 4 pairs belong to bryan. .......but the reason it looks like i have so many is because i've never thrown a pair away.....

really.

kinda.

o.k....so i have a shoe problem.

I know for a fact that i am not the only girl here going to therapy right now....

okay.

i'm dealing with the problem.

seriously.....

remember the doctor took away my credit card.

I even love the scratched up painted wood floors.......though....painting them white.....is on my to do list.

so........

I just wanted to let you know...i did survive that horrific cold.....and it feels like fall here...already....eeek.

I don't know about you...but ..... I.love.layers!

and boots.....especially knee high boots......knee high riding boots.....knee high riding boots in plum....

Dang that Doctor....

xo

life on normal lane....

I have to admit.....when it comes to traditions that we as a family adhere to.......i fail.


It's probably because i grew up with not doing them as well as my husband........but I'm a changed girl.


I happened to be reading NieNie a week ago and she talked about how they have a back to school party....and i just wanted to have my own twist....it's the least i could do for the kids. So...we made breakfast for dinner and i made these cupcake ice cream cones for dessert.



Let me tell you....i scored some major points that night....

I've had a lot of time here on the good ole computer this weekend......because this dang head cold knocked me down.

I don't know about you...but i rarely get sick and when i do.....it's hard to tell myself to relax.

I was lucky to have all the kids in school Friday....and then Bryan even got them out of the house for half the day Saturday......but i kept sneaking out of my room......and either starting a load of laundry....or unloading the dishwasher..........

maybe it's because i know it will all pile up on me if it don't......

but.....

i did.......

and i spent some time on the computer..........

first i want to say thank you for all of your wonderful words.....

second....i wanted to touch on the subject of having anonymity on blogs.

I have a handful of readers that have blogs that are by invite only.....and came across a bunch more of you

that were thinking of doing the same......

I came across this blog about a family who found out that their family picture was being used as an ad in Prague {Czech Republic}......and she assumed that it was probably just lifted right from her blog or facebook.

I'm not going to lie......

i definately think about my content........you all know my kids names....you know the town i live in.....you could probably pick my house out if you drove by it....{it's the one with the toys strew all over the yard}

some of you even know my address because you've come to my house for a "shop lola b's'......

so for me....i can't really hide....nor do i want to.

What i'm curious about...is that are you nervous.......or does something like this cross your mind at all?

For instance....when my blog friend Wendy from Shabby nest came to visit....she politely asked me not to show her kids picture...even though i begged to be able to do a post on her visit.....but i understood where she was coming from....

so....don't worry...i don't plan on going private...but i am interested in hearing your thoughts on the issue.

xo

in the garden....

Sweet Friday to you.



Life is so full of up's and downs......are they not? I sit here and soak in the peace and quiet......because i deserve it.



what?!?!

whoa?!?



Did i just say i deserve it?....



maybe i shouldn't have said that....



or should i ......



oh dear......now i'm in a bit of a predicament.......because i just said something out loud and all of you just read it....and now what are you going to think of me?.......



let me say it again......i'm sitting here in the peace and quiet and i totally deserve it.



I might even sit out in the garden today ....



{if the freakin rain would stop and my head would quit pounding because of the horrific cold that attacked me as of yesterday..}



my hubby told me i just had a bit tooooooo much champagne and that is why my head hurt last night.....well...i thought...possibly....that could be it...but my throat hurts as well......and i know for a fact that even though i had 3 glasses of bubbly yesterday.....it doesn't cause a sore throat and runny nose.



o.k.......



back to my predicament.....



should i have told you that i deserve the peace and quiet?
















I write here on this little thing called a blog.......i write about my children...i write about my life.....i write about my shop.....my home.....



i let you in to my life.



I'm telling you this because i received a little note....from a reader.....



this reader.... told me that i'm not very inspiring anymore.



anymore.



so i had to sit on that for awhile.....



I mean....i realize.....i don't show pretty pictures ALL the time and i don't only focus on talking about my kids and the up's and Downs that it brings....



i could change ......



but that's not who i am......



i am kasey....



i am 'one girl talks'......



i talk about shop.style.life.family.



seriously.....has anyone ever told you that your kid is just ugly?

U.G.L.Y

no......

because nice people just don't do that.



so.....with that being said.....i'm heading out back into the peace and quiet that i sooooo totally deserve {and yes...i just said totally...even though i know it's not the 90's anymore..}



and i might even pop a sudafed or two.....{seriously....i had to give my drivers license to the pharmacist in order to get sudafed....and for her to tell me that... do i know i just got a box of it 6 mo ago???? like i'm selling the stuff .....}



or i might lay on my hammock....looking at my english garden.



I think i forgot to tell you that i was studying to be a "master gardner".



I failed.



They came and walked around my backyard......and i guess i never realized that those large stalks growing



all over the garden were actually weeds.



In England ...weeds are the norm...and run rampant in gardens.....hence the word "English Garden".



I have one of those......an English garden....

and i have a mind that wanders......but you know what...

it suits me.

Have an inspiring weekend.....




xo

friendships....

Good morning Thursday......it's going to be another great day. I know you are all clamoring {is that a word?if so..i think it's a midwestern thing }... for the children's back to school pics.......and don't worry.....because there are plenty of them.

I just wanted to be selfish for a bit and tell you all about my first day of 'back to school'........

i mean....this blog isn't called "the Buick family " blog......so i have all right to talk about my day right?!

good.

then let's proceed.

I did sneak in just one photo for you...... I wanted to take some time out and tell you about a special group of girls.......

that get together one day every year.

I actually voted that this group get together every month.....so i'll let you know how that goes....

but when this group of girls gets together.....

we all put on our lovely orange ribbons....




super fancy...i know......and if you want one....just convo me.....i'll see what i can do for you.

Anyways....this group of girls.....

well.....

we're not really girls anymore....we are ladies....we are mom's...

dangit....we are girls.



... some of us show up at this meeting with bags under our eye's....

some still with some toddlers in tow.....

i'm not going to mention any names....but some show up with toilet paper clinging to their shoe.....

and some show up an hour early.....waiting at the front door.....



..for the annual......

"Mimosa's for mom's " ......







This group doesn't just rely on mimosa's.......there are plenty of fresh baked chocolate croissants from Trader Joe's...{have i told you how fabulous these are....and so not fattening....i promise.....}

this society wears their orange ribbon with pride......

and we do a lot for our community.....

well.....some of us do a lot for our community....

actually.....i can only think of one...and that's me......

and i'll let you know what i do......soon....

This group of "mimosa's for moms"....

we are about 18 in number....

and let me know if you want an application......we are a pretty lenient group....

but sorry....we are not taking "dad's" at the moment.....

well......

actually...we need one "dad"......

to help with the clean up crew.

and we believe in a healthy....beautiful .......love filled ....life.. for all.

xo

sweet mary....

Hello my name is kasey and i have a problem.......

my problem is my shop.

I know.....how can i have a shop and consider it a problem....right?!

My problem....at hand......is that i love everything i buy for my shop......but i obviously can't keep everything.....

because like i said before......

i already have OCD .

There are many levels of obsessive collecting disorder....and mine seems to be at the very height of the scale....so much so that my doctor took away my credit card.

I demanded an explanation....but the only thing the doctor stated....was that i need to use my shop as a source of therapy.

Of course.....the problem there....is what do i keep and what do i sell?

I know for a fact that i am keeping 'Sweet Mary'. I have been on the lookout for a vintage Virgin Mary for the entire summer.....and i found her this last weekend.

Sorry girls....she's mine.

This locker basket full of vintage grain sacks is another collection.....so i weed thru......seperate.....keep......pile......move to shop.......reconsider.......takeback.....keep.

Shopkeeping is hard work......

at least for a girl like me.......

maybe i should have a shop that just sells weed killer.

But then no one uses weed killer anymore because of the greenhouse effect......and i wouldn't have any money to support my OCD habit.

Or i could run a childcare......

yeah...exactly......then for sure CPS would be knocking on my door.....

so.....here we are.....

On a separate note......my online shop will re-open this Friday.

None of these things will be in the shop when it re-opens....well....maybe a thing or two...

but girls.....it will be just back to the basics........because i have another open house on October 3rd...that i need to gear up for.

Oh....the trials and tribulations....

what i want to know...is do i keep that table or not......

i mean ....how often do you come across the perfect iron legged table with the perfect grey/cream top??

xo

Reflections

I don't have very many pictures of my mom with lola.

I know for a fact...i don't have any with my mom...lola...and myself....all together.

the girls.

This picture was taken when i was in New Mexico last month...and of all things... i was actually getting a shot on the other side of the car .....of an old church.

The funny thing is.. one of my very good friends took almost the same picture of her daughter the same week.....a reflection in the car window.

As i was going thru photo's yesterday...i came across this and fell in love with it once i cropped it.

Lola is looking at me......and my mom is smiling at lola....and i just happened to get the three of us girls in one shot....

with not one of us realizing what we were doing.......

{but i have a feeling lola was sure she was in the shot.......as a matter of fact....now that i'm really looking...i am pretty sure she is well aware she is in the shot}.
the girls.


As i wind down my last two days at home with the kids.....i promise not to get all emotional on you....because i will be the strong one when these children get on the bus Wednesday morning.

no....no tears from me........

well ....maybe just a few tears.......

tears of joy.

Deep Breath.
anyways....remember last week how i mentioned meeting a blog friend.....you can read her post here. Wendy sure was a sweetheart....and her kids {if she would let me show you their picture} were adorable.

....one more little thing...i'm having problems {still} with my email address...so if you need to contact me...just email me at kaseybuick@comcast.net
I hope everyone had a great weekend...i,myself...got in a little shopping at the flea market and dragged my hubby to Julie and Julia last night...




xo

white buttons...

My life as a mother .

As i sit here writing...i realize that about 95 percent of you stay at home with your children....and about 3 percent of you work outside the home....then there is the remaining 2 percent of you that don't even have children yet...but still read my blog.

There are two ways to mother......by being a stay at home mother...and by being a working mother.

I myself.....obviously......stay at home at the moment......but i do work......inside the home.....but my work ....does not just include raising my children......i have an online shop.....i also host an occasional sale....and i write this blog.....

which i feel takes up a ton of time due to the amount it takes to edit all my photo's and to put my thinking cap on...then hash it all out to you.

What you don't know about me is that i grew up with working parents..... I grew up with a beautiful person...who took care of me...named Gabina...she moved in with us when i was 18 mo. old and my brother was 2 mo. old.

Gabina raised us.

She spoke only spanish.......never learning a word of english.....though we all knew she understood english..........though my brother and i always spoke fluent spanish whenever we spoke to her.

Gabina lived with us till the day we both graduated high school....and still lived in the house even once my parents retired and moved out of the state.

A little over two years ago she passed away from stomach cancer.

My brother and i were lucky enough to be able to drop everything and fly to California to see her in hospice before she died. When we walked in.....it had been a little over 5 years since i had last seen her.

I had driven down from San Fransisco when Mason was just a week old to meet her....this lady that had raised me.

Sweet Gabina.

My mom is and will always be my mom....and my best friend......but Gabina is who raised me...and who i remember whenever i think back to certain childhood memories.

That doesn't make my mom a bad parent....because she worked.....and i turned out o.k. for having a working mom.

My mom just knew that she never wanted to stay home....not that she couldn't stay home....because she could have....but she just didn't.

Just because my parents were career driven......they {or at least my mom....because my dad was on the police force...} sat down with us every night for dinner...and weekends were full of family activities.

I love my mom.....and i miss Gabina terribly.

I would love to have a Gabina for my family.....but i don't.

I love my children so much.....but at times.....i wonder if i would be a better parent if i was not at home.....but i am.....and we will make it the best we can.

Which brings me to this.

I was actually reading an article in the Sunday paper which talked about parenting style.....and the view of a particular style called "hands-off" parenting.

These are the parents that let their children ride their bikes outside unsupervised.....or let their kids deal with circumstances...by themselves instead of getting involved...{of course ...getting involved when necessary}.

I have a bit of the "hands-off" philosophy in my blood i guess.......

weird...i know.

I actually let my kids work things out themselves.....

they take the bus to school.....

they walk home by themselves from the bus stop.....

and yes....sometimes......nevermind.

So....last Friday after my yard sale.....and after Mason had caught a frog at the pond....we headed to my favorite little store....Trader Joe's.

If you don't know what a Trader Joe's is....it's a petite organic grocery store...that also sells fabulous wine..and flowers.

I use the word petite because if you had in your mind something like a Target or a Walmart....then that would not be justified in the description.

Anyways.....

We got to T.J.'s and because it was hot out....we decided to NOT leave the frog in the car ....i don't care for fried frog......so we brought it with us in it's little tupperware of water.

As we were walking in.....I thought better of the situation and decided to have the kids .....this being just mason & lola {fin was not with us}....to wait outside of T.J.s.

I had them sit next to the huge pile of watermelons sitting outside the front door.

I know what you are thinking......who puts their kids next to a vat of watermelons unattended....right?

I did.

And i went inside to grab my wine and flowers.

I was only in there a few minutes....before a lady comes up to me and says....

are those your children outside........

hmmmmm... i thought to myself......do i answer "no" and continue on...?

so.....being the good mother that i am...i said "yes"....all the while thinking of watermelons all over the parking lot.

Then the lady says to me......I work for CPS* .....and you cannot leave your children outside a store unattended......

I swear she only came up to me because i was in the wine section quickly filling up my cart.......had i been in the fruit section...picking out organic apples...then she probably would have walked on by.

She then stated that it was a good thing today was her "day off".....otherwise she would have to write me up.

WRITE.ME.UP

I think what she meant was ....take a tablet out of her purse and write my name down on it...with a description that said something like.....

.LEFT.KIDS.OUTSIDE.WITH.FROG.

that's what i'm assuming.

and she DID NOT think it was very funny when i said.....It's a good thing i didn't leave them in the car then.

NOPE.

she did not.

So...i parked my cart full of wine and flowers.....trekked out and got my children who were still in the same spot next to the watermelons....and brought them back in with me.

I could have hung my head in shame....

but i did not....

i continued on....

like any normal mother would.....

Needless to say....the frog ended up dying later that day.......

Anyways....two completely seperate stories going on here.....but the point is....

we mother how we mother....there might be some up's and down's.....

but we are who we are.

xo

{oh!!! necklace winner is Paige...and if you decide to tell me what a horrible parent i am...then i re-gift the necklace.....}

*child protective services

kitchen love....

I'm not normal. I realize that.

For someone that does not do a whole lot of cooking.....i truly love my kitchen.

I've been doing better though.....just so you know.

Yesterday I had some company.....a blog friend and her family traveling thru town....

they stopped by and i had to put together a mish mash of goodies....

but i just wanted to show you some of my favorite things......

I love vintage grain sacks {duh}...but what i love even more are vintage sugar and salt sacks.

I am the one at the flea market that will grab them out of your hands....

yup....

I'm so sorry if that was you 2 weeks ago.......

i've been having nightmares ever since......


That's my mothers cook book above.....she gave it to me when i got married. I think i've opened it twice....

first to check on how long to boil spaghetti....

did you know that you have to rinse the spaghetti in cold water after boiling it?

why??

I understand it's to stop it from continuing to cook....but it seems so silly to me.

I've also make a great banana bread from the book.

hint: squishy banana's make better bread.....firm ones DO NOT.

I do love the book though.....and it sits in a special place...

right along with my cherished measuring spoons from Anthro.....



and I think i've already mentioned my love for pitchers.....small pitchers....

i think i have up to around 20 of them now.....

maybe i have ocd. As a matter of fact....i probably do have ocd.....which stands for..

obsessive collecting disorder.





I think you all have at least one vintage scale in your kitchen....

I only have one.

This above is what i put together for my little get together yesterday. Fresh Brie from the farmers market...along with some confit jelly......i also made a heirloom tomato salad.....with basil from my herb garden....{yes...i do have an herb garden.......it's the only thing i water outside.....as you should see my potted plants..}

and a fruit salad.

I'm sure i am not the only one with kitchen love......

but it helps me feel better when i have someone to talk to about these things.....

kinda like therapy.......we can pretend that you are my shrink and i need to vent.....

except not my dirty laundry.....that i will keep for my other shrink....

the hubby...{i think he get's a little tired of me venting..}

xo

Oh!! I almost forgot......since we are on the topic of kitchen love.....my dear friend Tara...finally opened her vintage kitchen shop......called Tara's vintage kitchen.......i am so proud of her!

Check it out HERE.

double Oh!! I also did not forget about the T.J's story.....it's coming...on Friday....along with the necklace winner.

xoxo

French for a day....

On Sundays we have this little event called The French Market which sets up near the train station here in town. All it really is ...is a glorified farmers market....but the reason i really go...you will see at the end of the post. {if you really want to peek...look next to lola}

Lola and i leave the boys at home.

I tried taking them once....but we ended up buying tomatoes that the boys decided to start throwing.

I bet you've never seen a tomato fight at a farmers market have you?? Neither had i......and i don't plan on buying anymore tomatoes that are squished on the floor.

They are not very good.....trust me.

The fresh cheese is phenomenal......

Fresh figs are delicious peeled and wrapped with a thin slice of prosciutto, then grilled till the prosciutto is slightly crisp........drizzle a little bit of honey on that bad baby....and you have yourself a darling little appi for your next soiree.

yes...i can cook every once in a while......

i've even started leaving a jar in the kitchen ...so if Bryan so chooses...he can deposit some money in there....sort of like paying me ......because even though i have many titles in my life......"chef" is not one of them......

when the jar is full of his hard earned cashola....he gets a damn good meal.

What is it about the word...Farm Fresh Eggs? I guess i imagine healthy little hens running around a cute farm ....laying darling little eggs.....brown little eggs.

yum.

This is where you might want to stop.

stop.right.here.

What you are about to see next is what makes Lola and I want to skip church and set up camp early sunday mornings.

I tried to warn you......

French crepes made by Denisa.

*sigh*

Let me tell you.....if you've never had a real french crepe........well.......i can't really tell you....

you will just have to come and try one.....

we love the nutella crepes.

love.

love.

I also just found out that Denisa caters. Can you imagine having a girlie party with lots and lots of French Crepes?

I think we need to have one...don't you?

I've decided to head back to the gym. The crepe's have done a number on me this summer....

I don't know how those french girls eat crepes all the time...and they don't even know what the word

"exercise" means.....and the wine......I drink wine also.....and i love a good chocolate croissant.

maybe if i add more butter to my diet?

That's what Julia Child did....just add more butter to everything.

What do you think?

xo

....

p.s. I have a couple of sponsor spots opening up....if you think that you might be interested...and your shop would mesh nicely....email me for more info.