New day, new me

It's been a long while since I've seriously considered going back to writing.  Inspiration is everywhere.  I will look around and think, "I'd like to write about that".  Well, here's my opportunity.
Lots of things have changed in my life and really like to share them with whomever may read this.  I'm doubtful anyone will, but that's okay too.

True to my style, Here's a list of topics I'll touch in forthcoming posts:

1.  We've changed our eating habits.  I'll be sharing the why along with tips and such I've learned in the last month.
2.  Inspiration abound.  I'm painting, renovating our house.  I'll share it.
3.  Tween-age angst is in full force around here.  Help a Mom out will ya?
4.  Finding myself.
5.  Expanding my garden and hoping for a bigger yield.  This connects with #1.

Well, that's it for today.  Look for more posts and more explanations later this week.  Have a great one folks.

New year, new goals

Happy 2016!  It's a new year and with that comes the age old resolutions.  I don't personally make a resolution per say.  Instead, I make a few goals and try to stick with them.  Nothing major like "lose 50 pounds" or broad like "be a better person".  Not that there is anything wrong with those, but I chose goals suited more to me.  Without further ado...my goals....

1.  Keep up with my Project Life album.  

2.  Commit to writing at least 3 times a week

3.  Spend 5 minutes every day with my journal.

Not too hard, but tough enough for me.  And if you wonder...yes, I would love to lose weight.  Diet and exercise will change that, not a resolution.

Happy New Year!

Back in the habit

I'm trying.  I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing.  It's a process, as anyone can tell you.  I have an idea and write it down.  Then I forget and come back to it weeks later...when it's no longer relevent.  That's life correct?

So for today, here's the scoop.  School pictures.  Love them.  Loathe them.  They happen.  They are happening today at my kids' school.  Guess who the Mom in charge is?  Me!  I adore this each and every year.  Not only do I get to see all the kids in their "best" outfits, but I also get to just look at them for a minute.  That sounded creepy.  It wasn't meant that way.  It's fun to see these kiddos grow and change from year to year.  I'm not just talking about height or hair styles.  I'm talking manners, friendships, humor.  The stuff that truly matters.

My oldest is in the 5th grade this year!  5th!  I don't know how this happened.  I only blinked, I promise.  Yet, the kids in her class have gone from calling me "{insert kids name here} Mom" to "Mrs. Barnes" and this year I'm noticing a lot of "Mrs. B's".  Unless they are really good friend's of my kid.  Then they usually just call me Kandi.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm still {whichever kids} Mom to most of the kids in my youngest daughter's 1st/2nd grade class.  However, my 4th grade son and 5th grade daughter, I'm Mrs. B.  I like this change.

I also like that they trust me.  I'm not the photographer for school pictures.  I wouldn't want to be.  I just make sure their faces are clean.  Collars are up or down as each child prefers.  There aren't any flyaways or falling hair styles.  Sometimes, if the kid asks, I stand behind the photographer and make faces.  To get a more natural smile.  I don't mind being the goofy or weird Mom.

You may ask why?  Why do I take the time to do this?  Well, the answer is simple, yet long.  Bare with me okay?  You see, I take photographs.  I don't own a business, but I love photography.  I always have.  I've had a camera since grade school and have a library of photos to rival anyone.  However, we also live in a school district where around 70% of the kids are on a free/reduced lunch plan.  Poverty is everywhere.  When parents can't make ends meet, extras are out of the equation.  Except for school pictures.  Most parents will find the $10 for the smallest portrait package.  It may be the only pictures that are printed for that family each year.  Now, I realize every phone has a camera, but who takes the time to print pictures anymore?  (I do, but that's another post).  School pictures are often purchased.  I want to make sure that each and every child walking into the gymnasium looks as great as they can.  That they have a good time.  That they give that genuine smile every parent longs for in a photo.  I try to make sure that happens.

Yay!  Hooray!  It's school picture day!  Say cheeseburgers!

What love means to me.

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd write what love means to me.  I've personally been through a lot in the last year and love has taken on new meanings.  Since this day falls on the 14th, here are fourteen points of what love means to me.

1.  Sacrifice
2.  Patience
3.  Forgiveness
4.  Communication
5.  Laughter
6.  Kindness
7.  Charity
8.  Warmth
9.  Messes
10. Purring (this is a cat reference, nothing more.  I love my little fuzzballs)
11. A homemade quilt
12. Hard work
13. Sacrifice
14. Never having to say you're sorry. (okay, that's a silly movie reference.  I am getting tired and silly)

On the fly non surprise

Last weekend I had a terrific idea!  Since our family is attempting to be with each other more and spend more quality time together, I thought it would be a great thing to plan a little getaway.  I thought it would be a fun surprise to head to Great Wolf Lodge.  We live fairly close to one and have yet to spend time there.  I wanted to change this.

I made arrangements for our kitties to be taken care of.  I made sure to dig out swim suits and gear, because it's cold here and that stuff was packed away.

Since it was going to be a surprise trip and on the fly at that, I logged onto the Great Wolf website.  I put in the dates and checked on rooms.  No dice.  Well, let me rephrase that.  There were about 3 rooms available for Friday and none for Saturday.  Sigh.

I thought maybe it was a website thing, so I called them.  Nope.  Nothing available for Saturday but they had a room that was $419 for Friday.  The extremely nice woman on the phone said that amount nonchalantly, like everyone can just fork that kind of cash over for a room for a night.  As much as I wish we could, that's over half of one of our mortgage payments.  Yikes!  I thanked her for her time and decided my fun idea wasn't going to work out.

Someday I hope to take the kids to Great Wolf.  I've heard it's a fun place to go.  I just wished it would have worked our for us this time.  Ah well, more planning next time.  On the fly didn't seem to work this time.

A brief introduction

I thought the best way to begin a new blog was to introduce myself.  I'm Kandi.  I'm on the backside of my 30's.  I married my college sweetheart almost 13 years ago.  Together we have 3 smart, wonderful, if only slightly naughty children.  Our family are the care takers of 2 kitties, one who is in the twilight of his life and the other halfway through his kittenhood.  We live in a small city with two major cities within a 30 minute drive.  I'm sure I will write about all of this at some point, but for now, there's the overview.

Krafting Kandi is a new venture for me.  I blogged for many years.  I was once the co-owner of Mommy Confessions Blog.  I've always had a personal blog, The Kandi Bar, which everything I ever wrote on MC is saved.  Then, life got busy and blogging took a back seat.  That back seat became the trunk and the trunk became the basement closet no one ever looks into.

Recently, my life has taken a series of twists and turns.  It was then that I realized I needed a place to write down things.  Oh sure, a diary or journal are great places.  I know.  Yet, I missed writing and getting feedback.

Welcome.  Enjoy the show...er...ride.

K.