Two years later.....

It's hard to believe that i've been writing

here for two years....

two years this month....

and what started as a blog about my shop happenings..

turned into a daily view on my life..

my family...my home.

It's also hard to believe that we {my family} has lasted

in Illinois for two and a half years.

Bryan grew up in florida...

i grew up in so. cali...

we met in vail, colorado...

married...

moved to the bay area {san fran}...

lived there for 3 years...

had our first baby and named him Mason.

I love san francisco...

i would move back in a heart beat....

but bryan has a job....

so i guess we should stay here.

When mason was 6mo...we packed up

and moved back to colorado...

this time settling outside of denver.

Had another baby when mason was 16mo old..

named her lola.

Eye's were rolled when we named her...

but we had always loved that name...

and stuck to it.

Then people like Kelly Ripa, Denise Richards, Jennie Garth,

and Madonna all called me to see if it would

be ok for them to use that name as well.

We agreed.

We are still awaiting for a handwritten thank you card...

and everyday i check my mail...

my hottie{ mailman} knows i'm waiting.

Lola turned two and i found out there

was going to be another baby.

Who the hell has three babies in less than 4 years...

well....

at least the baby was cute...

and we named him fin.

I really wanted to name him atticus...

after atticus finch...

my favorite book is to kill a mockingbird...

i like to think that fin is short for finch...

but bryan likes to think of fin

after a shark fin.....

{which i'm not going to mention the fact that bryan has a shark tatoo on his ankle}

because he dreams of one day moving back to florida.

I told bryan he can move to florida and i'll move

back to the bay area.

that didn't go over very well.

Anyhoo....

fin was born.....lola was 2.5...mason 4.

I begged my doctor to give me some medication...

ya know...to help cope.

Tom cruise tried to talk me out of it...

but i told him to back off....

i loved my prozac.

Fin turned two and we found out we were moving

to illinois.

moved.

started the blog.

met friends.

met blog friends.

travelled.

travelled with blog friends.

write.

drink skinny vanilla lattes.

write some more.

photography.

shop.

shop for shoes.

shop for more shoes.

exercise.

exercise a lot.

watch the scale not move.

kick the scale.

have a glass {or three} of wine.

shop at anthro.

feels better than prozac.

buy a new canon 50d.

volunteer at kids school.

vow never to home school.

drive a mini van.

love my mini van.

hate my mini van.

put on my {snuggie.}

eat ice cream.

get cozy.

kick the scale.

Are you still reading.....i'm impressed if you got this far...

but totally understand if i lost you an hour ago.

But....

for those of you still here.....

i want to thank you.

thank you for reading ...

thank you for commenting..

thank you for letting me know that my life

is a little crazy...and nutty...

but so completely normal.

Oh...

i suppose a little giveaway is in order.

one lucky reader will recieve all of this:

a $25 starbucks giftcard {get a handfull of your own skinny vanilla lattes}

a $25 target giftcard {get your own snuggie to keep you warm}

a $25 restaurant giftcard {to have dinner..or drinks with a friend}

a $25 movie theater giftcard {because i know how i just love a good flick}

and a one year subsciption to Boho magazine {because it's a fav of mine}

*oh...and here is another giveaway {here}

Do something amazing........

I feel at times i could change the world.

The reality is....i can't.....

nor do i really want to.

{ i mean...can you imagine the pressure ....}

At the end of my day i like to be able to go to sleep

knowing that i at least tried.

Maybe not changed the world...

or travelled to a third world country...

to feed the poor.

I can't do much.

I wish i could.....

but the reality is.....

i can do something.

I live in a pretty wonderful neighborhood of older homes.

The neighbors are really fabulous....

we all get along....we help each other out.

A few doors down, a single mother lives

with her daughter in a flat.

The daughter...is the same age as lola...and from here on out...

I shalll call her "A".

The mother works full time..... there is

no father.

Actually...there was a father....but he lives elsewhere

and when the mother took him to court for

mandatory child support.....

he took off.

I have been helping watch "A" for the last year now....

she comes over 3 mornings a week before school..

and on fridays after school.

My other neighbor watches "A" the other 2

afternoons.. after school.

"A" leads a rough life....

her mother doesn't have much money...

she gets shuttled around on the weekends so that

her mother can work.

My little family has helped her out this year and payed

for her to be in girl scouts with lola....

we take her with us to dinner...

we let her be a part of our family..

but there are definitely some complications.

She is not used to having a father figure...

so it's hard for her to take direction when bryan is home....

she argues a lot with my children...

she's very strong headed {just like lola}...

but we love her.

I won't be able to help watch her forever...

because we will be travelling a lot this summer...

and it worries me.

I worry about who will be watching her when i

won't be able to...

or when my neighbor gets a job to help support her

own family..and is unable to help as well.

What kills me is that i worry about what will

happen when i'm not there.

I'm not her mother....

but i ache for her...

i ache because i know

what her situation is like

at home.

But.....

right now.....

i can do something amazing.

I am helping form a young girl...

who has a pretty rough life.

I go to bed knowing that i am

doing something good....

it might be so small...

that no one notices...

i only want ONE person knowing...

one small person.

One small girl to be able to climb into bed...

feeling like she is loved...

and is part of a family.

It just takes somebody....

to do something.

you can do it also...

something amazing...

even if no one even knows.

Try it.

p.s. my brother and his wife had their first baby last week. His name is Preston...

and i can't wait to meet him in 2 weeks! I know someone is getting a prize from

the 'name the baby' contest...so as soon as i find it...i'll let you know.

{photos from Here}

Solo momma.....

{Part one}

Wednesday afternoon came around and it wasn't looking

good for bryan to break free from his back to

back meetings so that he could take us to the

airport.

Oh well.

It's a good thing i know the number to

the car service.

yup.

It's not really a limo service....

but that's what showed up at my home on wednesday

to take us to the airport.

a stretch limo...

with drinks...

a movie playing...

the works.

I had a good feeling

that the trip was going to be good....

especially since i was a travelling momma...

solo momma.

We have the traveling down to a "T".


We carry on...


we do not check any bags...


the kids are in charge of their own suitcases.


I got their matching suitcases


and backpacks at target.


sheesh....


i need my whole suitcase to myself....


and i must say...


i was pretty proud of myself for only bringing


four pairs of shoes with me.








We arrived late Wednesday night....


in West Palm Beach....


only to walk off the airplane ...


stripping off our sweatshirts...and layers.


Have i mentioned that humidity and


my hair do not get along?


no???


I won't go into detail right now..


but have you ever seen what


a person looks like when they stick


their finger into an electrical socket?


uh huh.


that's me.


FRIZZY


Oh....


how i love Florida in the winter....


but so do a lot of "older" folks.


Ever wonder where the saying..


Early bird


comes from?


yup....


good ole florida in the winter.


But really....where else are you going to get a


steak dinner with potatoes


and veggies...


oh...don't forget the bread with butter.


{which is SO hilarious....because every menu makes sure to say...bread and butter


like a meal is not a meal without bread and butter...


real butter....}


for the wonderful price of $14.


Oh....


and that meal comes with a glass of house cabernet...


with bread and butter.








Day one.


We were on the beach at Ten sharp.....


I really wanted to get you a good shot


of the wind surfers above...


but that darn boy was in the shot.


Don't you worry though.....


because i know you can still see


the wind surfers in the background...


it's just that the camera was focused on


surfer boy.








Then this boy came along....


thinking that he would

suffice as a surfer boy....

i kept yelling at him to move out of the way...

move.

out.

of.

the.

way.

Oh...

he moved alright.....

he moved and shaked...

danced a bit...

pulled out some moves i've never seen.

dang.....

he's only four....

Then i caught this boy.

a real version of what a surfer boy is.

alright...so he's minus the surfboard.

he's more of a boogie boarder...

or a boogie eater.

alright...not a boogie eater anymore..

xo

*{french elements chose thewinner of the sponsor giveaway :* Amy of lemon cottage}

Beautiful surfer boys.......

As much as i love the good ole midwest.....

with the ice storms ....the single digit temps...

the need to not leave the house...

for days on end...

i look forward to the middle of

january

all year long.

Huh?

are you thinking to yourself that

you just learned something new about me...

kasey loves the middle of january?

Seriously.....

because every january...

we put away our snowsuits...

tuck away our gloves...

and dig out our flip flops.

Oh sweet heaven.....

i just looked at my poor little toe's and realized

that they are in desperate need of some tlc.

I know some of you go the whole winter without

shaving your legs....

and i for one..

will be shaving mine today.

I'm not quite sure if i will be putting on my little

string bikini...

nope...not quite sure that will happen..

but i will be putting my toe's in the sand.

Florida...here we come!

I will be the one on the beach that looks

like she just moved from the north pole...

with skin so white that

i will suffer 3rd degree burns all over

my body ....

just so i can come home and

say that i have a tan.

See my poor white babies in the photo above.....

yup.....

my little family likes to forgo the sunscreen

for a little

{ ahem }

vitamin D.

Now ....

let me clear something up real fast...

right now.

I will be traveling with the three children..

to florida..

to see my fabulously wonderful...

in-laws.

yup....

my in-laws....

that would be my husbands parents...

and i will be traveleing without....

my husband.

Yes.

You just read that right.

No husband.

Which means.....

{and i totally o.k'd it first}

that i can look at all the beautiful

surfer boys that i want.

beautiful.surfer.boys.

I realize that i will be the only

WHITE GIRL

with no sunscreen on her body.....

staring at these boys...

with my camera...

duh

i wouldn't want you to feel left out now....

because when i get home..

i want to make sure you all have your fill

of

beautiful surfer boys.

Alright...

{choking on my saliva}

I just had to show you this photo from

last year.

I am all for curlers in your hair...

and i love...

love.love.love

a little pink bathing suit coverlet..

but not necessarily together.

The best part was ...

she was totally watching...

these boys.

I promise to be very good and only

snap photos of

beautiful surfer boys

but i realize...

for those of you older girls...

that like to read here...

you might not want some pics

of the surfer boys..

so you can just drool all over the boys above.

I promise not to tell anyone.

pinky promise.

xo

p.s. feel free to follow me on twitter {here} if you

need a play by play of the surfer boys.

Sponsor giveaway.....

Good morning monday!

oops....

it's tuesday isn't it....but it feels like a monday to me....

anyhoo...

it's a good day!

Today we have the lovely French Elements shop...

where french is a state of mind.

I love that quote....something i have in my head since i will

be heading there in...

oh gosh....

less then three months.

Sweet Barbara is the owner of this darling shop....

feel free to stop by and visit her shop {here}.





Barbara wanted one of you girls to be able to dream about France yourself...

with your very own Eiffel Tower pillow.

She is also offering a 10% off discount to any of you that would like to purchase something

from her shop today.....

just use this code when checking out of her shop The French Elements: lolabinfrance.

If you want to head by her shop....take a peek....then come back and leave me a comment....

and who knows...

you might have your own bit of france to dream on.

xo

Dare to be different.......

I don't have much to say...


other than....


we are THAT family.




We like to play cards in the snow....

when it's cold.....

without jackets.....

in the elements.....

bring it on.

Except for....






poor baby Fin in the corner...

huddled.

Oh well.....

he got over it.......






No....

really...

on a serious note.

I can be serious you know....

really...i can.

I wanted to have some fun photos of our family.....

actually, i wanted some valentines day photos..

and after all was said and done...

my sweet husband turned to me....

he turned to me and thanked me...

for having fun.

I love that man!

So.......

this is what i have to say to you:

have fun.....

be different....

jump out of the box.....

try something new...

You never know.

You might just end up doing something that you

will remember for the rest of your life.

xo
Photos done by the Uber Fabulous Traci!

Must love snow........

Our {poor little} toe's are slowly recovering from frost bite....

actually.....

our fingers have just now....

within the last hour.....

turned a normal shade of pink.

My fabulous husband....

yes.....

i called him fabulous today.....

because i didn't have to dress him...

nor did i have to turn my lip up to

the outfit he turned up in.

He might get lucky ....

yup...

he just might get lucky....

and i'll let him sleep in tomorrow morning.

Sheesh....

{i know exactly what you were thinking when i said LUCKY...}

My children are still not speaking to me.....



maybe because i dragged a farm table ....



to a barn.....



in the middle of nowhere......



in the snow....



in the cold....



without any jackets.



No need to fret.....because i made it up to them...



seriously.....



i don't know of any children that get



candy for dinner.....







I might even have that man wear that scarf to bed tonight...

i'm just sayin....

xo

A girly girl....

So....

this weekend will be interesting...

i have my photographer friend traci meeting

up with us to do some photo's of the kids..

and maybe...

just maybe....

some of the family.

{i hope she can photoshop this huge zit off my forehead}

Grrrrrrr.

Let me tell you right now that the husband...

does

not

like

being

told

what

to

wear.

Nope....he does not.

So, when i casually mentioned that for the sweet valentines shot

that i have in my crazy messed up artistic mind of mine.....

has to do with being in the snow....

near {this} barn.....

while wearing a certain outfit....

he pretty much told me....

you can"t tell me what to wear!

Ahem.....

so i hung up on him.

yup....i did.....

sheesh....

men are so difficult when it comes to

what we

"have in mind"

and.....

did i just not spend 8 whole days by myself..

while he roamed the city of hong kong?

Okay...

i feel a bit better now that i vented.

Anyhoo....i popped into that little place called

Anthro today...just to peek around...

and found that darling feather clip that i stuck

in my hair.

I think though....that i'll stick it in lola's hair for

the shoot....

if she let's me get her hair cut tomorrow...

and if she will take off the kimono that

bryan brought back for her from china.

yup.....

her teacher had to call me and ask if everything

was ok.......

cuz lola's had on that kimono dress all week....

yes...

all week long.

i lied and said our washer was broken...

seriously.....

like i can help it that she wears the same thing all week.

{maybe i'll take a photo for you....only if you beg me though}

{photo source}

Oh...and in case any of you are wondering how this week has been going...

you know...

with my workouts and all....

i'm happy to report that i'm down a quarter of a pound.

happy dance!

xo

p.s. winner of the cupcakes are:Raining pearls, Amy {lemon cottage}, and The little red shop.

and the sponsor giveaway is: Rebekah {world of rays}

Change is good....

I don't know what happened.

I do.....

but i don't.

I am one of those girls that really doesn't make resolutions when the

new year comes about.

Don't get me wrong....

i have goals...

aspirations...

dreams....

things that i would love to do and then

they present themselves to me....

{more to come on that later..}

and i freak out.

Then i can't sleep.....

i toss and turn all night....

come downstairs at 4 in the morning ...start my coffee....

drinking about fifteen cups.....

then head back upstairs at 6......

soon the husband wakes up and says to me....

how'd you sleep?

This is when i lovingly look at him...

and say...

great dear...just great.

Then i'm agitated all day......

even though i made half calf.....

and i can feel the lead seeping thru my veins....

this is the point when a friend will call ....

to meet for coffee after i drop the kids

off at school.....

and the cycle starts all over.

I find i have a hard time balancing things.....

it really should be so easy....but it takes me forever

to get things done.....

{maybe cuz i'm here on the computer instead of organizing the pantry..like i should be doing}

I've also come to realize over this last week...

that i don't take care of myself like i should.

Maybe it's this freakish cold weather....

because all i want to do is sit in my cozzies and

eat my children's frosted flakes.....

{right out of the box...no milk needed}

I'm a bona fide snacker.

There.....i said it.

I snack....and i snack all freakin day long.

I hate it.....

i hate that i'm feeling like i have no control...

when in reality....

i have all the control...

it's my body...and i'm ruining it.

I also hate to exercise.....

the only reason i really go to the gym is because i

can watch a little tele while i bounce away on that

machine called the elliptical.

ugggh.

Don't get me started on boot camp classes either....

because this class is taught by a very good friend, and i know

all the girls that go to class....

religiously....

these girls are there every tuesday and thursday...

and you know what.....

their bodies are like rocks......hard..and tight.

I come bouncing in.....

with my tush....literally.....bouncing....

thru all 1000 jumping jacks....

up n down the 8 flights of stairs {and back}..

that we have to do....

bouncing...jiggling.....

i swear....i'm the only one rolling my eye's

the entire class....

then i head home....

and pour myself a big ole glass of wine...

{no doubt..about a couple hundred calories...}

with no need to change into my cozzies...

cuz they are already on from class.

Hello, my name is kasey....

and i want my body back.

Did you hear that......

i want my body back!

I want to be able to sit down without my stomach

rolling out over my jeans.

Goodbye spare tire......i don't like you!

So.....

with this being said.....

that i am not much of a resolution type of girl....

but more of a goal driven girl....

i hereby state.....

my goal in this moment...is to take my body

back.

I want to focus on just one goal at a time...one day at a time...

one minute at a time.

Yup....one minute at a time.

xo

Oh.....

and yes...i changed up my blog header.....

yes i did.

Sometimes change is good.....

though it took me forever to actually push the

button that says " DO IT".

I did....

*those fabulous photo's above are from Violet Bella photography.