First Blog...

I spent the first 32 years of my life goal-setting, achieving and performing.  For the last 4.5 years, I have tried to adjust to being "Mom."  I have two beautiful little boys, and my life is devoted to them.  I have the world's most amazing husband--truly-- who has patiently and lovingly watched, aided and abetted as I tried to find my way from a highly educated, competitive, perfectionist woman to a flexible, engaged stay at home mom.  

I thought I could find balance through volunteer work, figuring that keeping part of my life in professional mode would do it.  What I have found is that volunteering has not made me a better mom or a better person.  A better management professional, if I ever go back into a corporation, perhaps... But I can worry about that if the day ever comes!!

A year and a half ago, by the act of hard work and talent (on my husband's part) and ill fortune (on my part), I was uprooted from my beloved life in the midwest.  We moved to Miami for my husband's dream job.  MIAMI.  The land of half-naked beach bodies, couture fashion and a disturbing focus on labels!! 

After a year of trying to figure out how to have a life here, in a moment of midnight-wondering-how-I-ended-up-here, I flipped through HSN where Martha Stewart was selling paper punches.  VERY cool paper punches.  I was mesmerized by the beautiful things she was making, and I bought them all, hoping that the act of buying would bring some of that beauty to my life.  That purchase began a life-changing shopping spree that still hasn't quite ended. (yikes!)

Since last summer, I have taken what was my "office" and replaced the laptop and printer with a Cricut machine (which I owned but never used), my sewing machine (re-emerging after 15+ years of being in a box), an ATG, a Xyron and my new Cuttlebug.  [If you are reading this and have no idea what any of these things are except the sewing machine, I feel your confusion and would be happy to explain what these crafting tools do!]

I have learned about this amazing community of people who find time to create art.  I have been inspired and have learned techniques and have seen a world I never knew existed. And I want to be a part of it.  Heck, I have at least a small craft store's worth of stuff here, I might as well use some of it!!  :-)

So this blog is about the things that I hope will bring balance, and make me a better mom and person. And, even if it doesn't, at least it will be fun to try!!

I have three things I really want to do that I am hoping you will help me with...

1.  I want to spend a little time every day doing art.  Whether it's making a card, taking photos or scrapping those photos into books, I want to spend my time making things beautiful (or at least as beautiful as I can!).  It makes me happy to create, so why in the world would I watch TV instead??

2.  I want to read every day.  I love to read, but it seems like such a luxury that I don't do it except on vacation.  I want my boys to be readers, and I want them to see what that means...

3.  Last, but definitely not least, I want to get healthy.  The women in Miami are spectacularly beautiful.  I am finally past the point of that intimidating me and am at a point where I want to achieve better health for myself and for my family.  I want my kids to grow up with an active mom.   I want them to know how to eat healthy and take care of their bodies.  And, of course, I want to be able to put on a bathing suit without dread.  :-)

I am writing a blog to keep up with these three things that I hope to create as part of my daily life.  I am hoping that you all will help keep me honest and remind me of why these things are important.  I will post pictures of my art, thoughts I have about things I am reading, and will *yikes* keep an account of my weight loss and exercise successes and failures.  I also hope that you will share your art, literature musings and health suggestions with me also!!

So that is all I have today... I will try not to be quite as wordy in my next post, but those who know me know that brevity isn't my strong suit.

Enjoy and thank you in advance for helping to cheer me into a balanced life!!

KK