What I Am Doing!

27th Mar 2020 classyclassicsbykandisLeave a comment

March 20 2020, this was a day that will be hard to forget!

This was the day I got got informed to prepped my kids to come home from school! Caronavirus is getting strong, it’s getting close! With worldwide shut downs, school boards saying take a education week off, and the government telling us to stay home!

I along with millions of others didn’t and still don’t know what is in store for the weeks, even months coming!

How as a mom of 4 and a wife supposed to just handle it all? I am a stay at home mom, so there is most definitely different factors for me as many others!

How did I prep for the craziness!

THE FIRST WEEK!

Tuesday we went to our local grocery store, which is now getting slimmer for the pickens, all already! I headed to the school, to get the kids binders from their classrooms. I actually grabbed all work books, as our school elementary keeps their workbooks together in the rooms. So heading in I talked to teachers who are waiting and wondering just as much as the parents. “This week we disinfect, Monday we start classes at home” I stated.As we head home with with both kids with us, and had a discussion Monday night on some issues to expect, we get ready to bunker in!

Everyone in our house a house of 6 is good. Then the little ones get colds!

Wednesday through Saturday we set out and cleaned!

Extra cleaning time in the kitchen! Keeping it wiped down as much as I can!

When I say that I cleaned I mean I took on extra… like i always seem to do, I disinfected the house along with my spring cleaning and organizing. This seemed to be the hardest almost 4 days ever, but all I could tell myself is ” it’s ok it’s another task that will be done.”

Deep cleaning the pantry while doing an inventory!

WEEK 2 IN THE MAKING

As Monday came rolling in, home classes started! We are still working on how it will work the smoothest in our house, however for at least the first week of learning we have some stuff in place.. for now lol.

Here is what we do!

In the morning we start with making our bed, getting dressed, teeth, hair… haha normal stuff.

We are working thought some learning books that I got years ago, and love them! They are “EXPLORE AND LEARNING”, there is a set of 6, these can be taught together or individually and covers lots of topics. The first one we are using is Earth and Space! I thought it would be a fun way to start home classes! We are hoping to start a volcano as one of the pages studies all about volcano’s with a craft to do one!

We then do some math! I have limited worksheets, so we are working with what was in their books, I made some multiplying flash cards, other then those the kids are using a program through their school called mathletics! This is a great site as it uses what they are learning in class for their grade!

Worksheets from their books with flashcards I made!

Then we have a snack, or lunch depending on when we start and finish!

The kids will usually take the toddler out for a bit after lunch or they hang out quietly as I get the baby down for a nap, or some cleaning done or both!

How are you fitting in the school work, house work, and everything between?

After play time, and some outside chores, we come in!

In the afternoon we keep it easy, we are doing a novel study together here. I am excited for this one…. we are reading Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. This is helping with listening skills, as I found some chapter questions online for elementary. They enjoy listening to the story!

We are trying to keep up with reading, this is neither one of my kid’s favorite thing to do. My daughter is more into it, as long as she can read her own book, in her head! Which is fine but boy is she a fast trader some days lol!🤣🤦‍♀️ My son has a program he used at school a bit which he enjoys, plus makes it easier on me until I find something else to mix in. He is using readingeggs.com, this was set up in the school, along with another site he has but we where not stated or looked into yet! I do hope next week we can try!

One more thing that the kids are working on is their writing! Not everyday however, a couple times a week we will pick a topic for them to write about! Example… they wrote about plans for summer, school at home, the caronavirus and what we know and want to know!

I’m am trying to not make it hard, or over boring haha!

This is the learning curve we are working on this week!

I am finding ways to balance the kids, learning, cleaning, laundry, meals! My planner is being changed up a bit, to help sort everything out lol. With everything happening I am grateful to have my family all under one roof!

Waiting to hear something week to week, this was a interesting couple weeks!

A reason of why my blog is so incredibly late! I had to be here 100% for my family as we got sittled in!

How has your time went?

Are you home, working?

How are you balancing everything?

I hope you enjoyed the look into my house this last couple weeks, with everyone here, learning and playing! Make sure you like the blog so I can do more like this one! There is more over on Instagram under Kandis Blask or over on Facebook Classy Classic’s By Kandis! Also, hit that follow button for notifications on new blogs, I do try to have a new one out every week!

Till next blog, have a good day, an amazing week and a safe weekend!

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Declutter By Being G.R.E.A.T

3rd Feb 2020 classyclassicsbykandisLeave a comment

Have you ever got so excited about something, you don’t know how to exactly go with it!

How to present it!

How to bring it together!

This is a goal I had for a bit! I am excited to share this blog it’s to do with organizing!

As I am slowly gathering all sorts of different topics, ideas and goals for being a organizer and so I started with creating a organizing word!

This word is to help set the stages when it come to organizing and decluttering. To help keep it that way, make it seem less!

The word is G.R.E.A.T!

I picked this word because organizing can do great thing’s for one!

So just remeber “declutter by being great”! So what does this mean?

Well let’s go through it shall we!

I will start with what each letter stands for, then I will go into greater detail!

Start at G for garbage R for remove E is for eliminating A assign T is for together!

Now, let’s talk about each.

G for garbage this is what it sounds like, get ride of the garbage that is right there. Most of the procrastination is being over whelmed, but over 50% of the clutter is usually garbage! Grab a garbage bag and go around the room, I bet you will get more then you thought!

R remove, you need to remove every thing from the space you are working with. Gather it together, and out to see what’s actually there.

E eliminate the clutter, purge what you are not using or not loving any more. If it’s not for you anymore it’s ok, time to let go and make room!

A assign, the items that you are keeping need a home, so take this time to get a home for the stuff, or put it into the room it’s needing to be in.

Then T is for together, get your box or bins, add a label and keep the things together, this will help keeping items together and prevent the area from getting out of hand.

That is how you can become organized by being “G.R.E.A.T”!

I hope this will help motivate you and help you in getting started!

What do you think, can you remember the steps outlined.

I bet you can organize more then you would think with this simple word!

When there is a home, you can see what there is, you can know what there is!

Give it a try, let me know in the comments down below how it worked for you?

There is always more over on Facebook or over on Instagram! Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button to follow and notification on upcoming blogs.

Until next blog I hope you have a wonderful day and a great organizing week!

Prepping is planning and planning is prepping
( Don’t mind the older pic… planner gives it away 🤷‍♀️)

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Planning Is Preparing

27th Jan 2020 classyclassicsbykandis1 Comment

Good morning It’s Monday!

This is what my planner is telling me that is!

I always say I know my days of the week, but to know what day it is, is another question!

Through the years as life got busier with more kids, tasks and goals I needed some help. Not to have help with the tasks but help in putting order into my life.

I am a busy mom of 4 kids, 2 who are in school and 2 who are still home. I struggle with stress and anxiety, and have a need to do something as great as possible! This is a reason why now I can’t live without my planner now.

Every week I look forward to sitting down and making my planner bright, and motivating. I got into loving my stickers, quotes and zone cleaning.

I didn’t always use a planner, one of the big actual planners.

These came into my life a couple years ago and now I’m hooked.

I use to use just a piece of paper jot down what I needed or thought I needed to get done, some mental notes not to forget. Then I had used a note book with the days jotted down in it.

Now I’m in the real designed ones and am addicted.I say a real one, as that’s what it is! I now am in a classic size happy planner! With a monthly layout and weekly spread.

I have zones for each day of the week, a spot for out of house business, kid schedule, meals and so much more.

I started decorating and dazzling it up with washi tape and stickers and love it and here’s why!

My last planner was a gift, a standard office book with the same idea. As I was using it I decided it would be nice to color code it… It was a black and white book, then after a bit and needing to make it “perfect” I realized it was turning into a chore not a fun thing.

So time for a change.

I seen some ideas and found washi tape and stickers on sale at Michael’s and set off to try so getting new.

Well after making my plain planner look oh so cute, a new year rolled in. A big important year, year of 2020, the big change year, anything is possible year. The year for greatness.I knew I needed to keep my planner, but with a different set up I didn’t need to put as much into “setting it up” as the other.

What is in my planner?

How do I do set it up?

Let’s see shall we!

I start with the monthly layout, as appointments and commitments come in, they get written there. When each new week comes I know where to look for up coming plans.

This allows me to know earlier in advance which can make it easier not to over book of only myself but the family also!

One day a week usually on a weekend, I will sit down and get my planner goodies out and start.

Now I’m still getting back into a vertical classic planner, we each week is different just a little bit, as I find what is going to work the best.

There is three squares for each day, and each day is a new day!

One the top square is my zone cleaning, each day of they week I hit a different part of the house, this has where the zone is and what tasks or the to do list.

The middle square is being used for out of the house plans, and the kids chores, after school activities or extra do not forget topics for or about them.

Then the last square is for me and meals! This has what I’m working on, personal goals, then the meal plan for the day.

On the side bar is a nice note part, this has tasks I would like to get done through the list, but with no exact time, any goals I am working on gets tracked there, then any little reminders, notes or phone numbers can get jotted here!

It has been wonderful this month in the happy planner and should keep helping through the year!

As the routines get settled and goals become habits I see lots of fun!

Do you use a planner?

I would love to hear the different ways they are used!

What kind do you use?

Do you use accessories?

I hope you enjoy my planner blog, hit the like button so I know to do more!

There is more over on Facebook and Instagram head over and follow there also.

Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button for notifications on new blogs! Till next time have a wonderful day, and motivating week!

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Evening Routine Is It Bed Yet

23rd Nov 2019 classyclassicsbykandisLeave a comment

Does it ever feel like the day just slows down? Time almost stops when your waiting for it to fly by? Evening just blurr together, especially on the nights mommy needs a shower haha.

Hello and welcome to Classy Classic’s By Kandis for another routine blog! This one is our evening one! This tends to be the busiest time of the day!

I’m not sure if it’s because everyone is home now, or if it is because mama is ready for her day to end lol!
Either way evening can get long and I tend to need my routine to stay on track for this time of day!

What does an evening look like in our house of 6!

My evening routine is roughly from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. This is yes counting my relax time ideally from 9:30/10:00 – 11:00.
I try to be tucked in bed around 11:00 pm, as 5:30 am comes oh so fast!

With the evening we start it at say 6:00 pm at supper! Supper comes and goes, then comes dishes, clean the table off, get the kitchen wiped down and a quick sweep! This usually will run us close to sometime around 7:00-7:15 pm.

I will try to have homework done before supper, if that did not happen we then will finish off homework.
Showers and baths have to get going. The big kids can have theirs before or after supper depending on everything else.
As for the little ones I try to have them going in around 7:30-8:00. We don’t bath them together as Dawsyn the youngest is still in the baby tub.

If time is permitting my daughter Valary the oldest and myself have been trying to stretch together. This only happens on a rare base!

I have been trying to get back into read aloud for the last 15 minutes at night, however just like everything it is harder then it sounds!

Then it’s time for bed. I am currently in the middle of actually trying to get the young ones in bed for 8:30 now.
The big ones can have free time in their bedrooms, I ideally have them in bed for 9:00pm.
What is your kids bed time?
I was having everyone in bed at 9:00 however I’m greedy and would like bed time to come sooner. Also they are up early.

Dawsyn still gets nursed and snuggled for bed. Yes this will come to bite me in the butt, however it’s also a reason for me to sit and chill with snuggles!

With all the kids in bed and chilling in their rooms, if there is a task that needs to be finished, without little ones around I will take 30 minutes to work on it. Example is getting my basement done!

With all of that it is then time for mama’s time.
This is when I will sit in bed with my hubby, watch a movie, hang out and chit chat.

Then just like that it’s bed, unless I have already fallen asleep! Yes, this has been happening a little too much!

How does your evening go?
Got a standard routine?
Do you stick to it?

I try to just because a clean house is addicting haha, I love waking up for my coffee and day with a “fairly” clean house.

With that, that’s it, that’s all! That is the last routine in my house! If you haven’t read seen the other routines be sure to head over and read about the morning and afternoon routines. I have added links at the bottom for them!

Till next week when a new adventure awaits!
Make sure you subscribe to the blog for notifications on new blogs, and of coarse follow me on Instagram under Kandis Blask or over on Facebook Classy Classic’s for all the day to day fun that happens.

Have a wonderful weekend, amazing week and productive day!

Links to the other routine blogs:

Morning routine:
https://classyclassicsbykandis.blogspot.com/2019/11/morning-routine-with-4-kids-and-coffee.html

Afternoon routine:
https://https://classyclassicsbykandis.blogspot.com/2019/11/morning-routine-with-4-kids-and-coffee.html.blogspot.com/2019/11/after-school-routine-trying-to-do-it.html

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After School Routine Trying To Do It!

16th Nov 2019 classyclassicsbykandis1 Comment

Hi good morning and welcome to Classy Classic’s By Kandis. It’s another week, another start, another routine.
There is always time for a strong routine. When placed in the right time zone can be extremely helpful, thrown together, and not thought about is just a waste.
In my mind it is that is!
I have routines to help set up my day! Between all the demands and different job tasks that are required as a stay at home mom, it can be difficult to remember, coordinate and accomplish it all.
I will point out that it is not our job to do it all.

Remember ” you can do anything, but you can not to everything” this is a saying I’m trying to keep in my mind!

It can be hard when there is always something that needs to be done, and always someone that needs some mom time. How to do it all.

In my afternoon routine it is broken down to help me on track and focused. I get detracted really easy! With this I can keep my mind focused for a couple minutes as most tasks if just done should not take long.

What does a afternoon look like for this house? The afternoon is roughly from 12:00 pm till around 5:00pm.

I start with lunch, as its just the 2 little ones here for lunch depending on the activities in the day will depend on lunch.
Yes, they do eat lol, maybe it’s all day snacks, maybe it’s soup and sandwiches at exactly lunch time. It all depends!

With Masyn getting a little older I am currently weaning him off of naps! He will tend to fall asleep still in random places lol, and only get to nap for an hour or so.

Baby Dawsyn I try to get to nap in the afternoon, if I’m, lucky for a couple hours!

The afternoons are not as productive for cleaning, as it is in the morning. Hubby gets home around 2pm, the kids get home around 3:40 pm there is really only a couple hours in the afternoon. I will try to tidy up….again, maybe sit and relax a couple minutes. Depending on how the morning went finish those little things from my zone that day!

From noon too about 2 pm there is just small things getting done,

Lets get to after school when the business sets in!

I try to have a snack either picked out or prepped and ready for when they get home. The after school routine tends to not always get completed as time waits for no one. However we sure try lol.

When the big kids gets home it’s go time for this mamma as I am needed in many places all at once.
We will unpack our backpack, I go through the agenda’s and get them signed and back into the school bags, they unpack the lunch kits, wash their hands and have a snack. Then on to homework! There is not much as they are in elementary however there is still some! We do reading, spelling and if there is other homework due then that also.

If everyone needs showers that nightwe try to start before supper.
Then they have some free time before supper.

I then prep or finish making supper, clean off the table… there is always something there lol.
We set the table and get ready to eat.

This is roughly how the afternoons tend to look.

Now a lot happens in the afternoon other then getting what needs to be done for the next day, for the smaller stuff, as I do more tomorrow stuff I my evening routine.

This is for next week, what an evening looks like in our house of 6.

How do your afternoons go?
Let me know do you have a routine?
Set out tasks to complete?
I would love to hear, how your days go!

Stay tuned for next week’s blog on our evening routine!

Make sure you hit subscribe on the blog for all the fun, also for more day to day fun and ideas follow me on Instagram under Kandis Blask or over on Facebook Classy Classic’s.

Ps…
Sorry for the lack of pictures as the afternoon is really just that! Catch up and prep for the evening!

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Morning Routine with 4 Kids And Coffee!

9th Nov 2019 classyclassicsbykandis1 Comment

Good Morning! Birds are chirping, sun is coming up, and kids are waking up! Coffee is brewed and mamma is enjoying a cup! Mornings can be hard, whether you have kids in school, or little ones at home. In my case I have both, and I tell you my morning routine is proving to be very important here for a smoother morning!

Hi I’m Kandis and welcome to Classy Classic’s By Kandis. As I said I am a mother of 4 kids, a daughter who is 10, and 3 boys ages 8, 2 1/2 and 8 month old! Things can go from 0 to wow in no time! I have learned that we need a strong morning routine here. Do you have a morning routine? Let me know, how does it work for you?

I hope whether you have a routine or not you enjoy this blog on our morning routine and how we try to get the older kid’s ready and out the door for school, and mamma gets a couple things done. Let me know in the comments if you liked it, and I will be getting ready to post the afternoon blog here next!

Here we go my morning consists of the hours from 6:00 am to roughly 12:00 pm. This is “my morning” I get up at 5:30 but other the coffee and my planner nothing is happening as far as I hope in the morning. I have a “block system” I have wrote about, go have a read on how I break up my hours. I will also be doing an updated version soon.

Ok so…. 6 am oh my so early, this is because my hubby needs to get up and ready for road bound, as he is still dealing with his accident from March! So 6:00-7:00 is getting him up, having coffee and a quick chit chat, before he leaves usually before 7 am if he is running late then it’s by 7 he must be out.

7 am comes fast, if the stars have lined up then all 4 kids are hopefully still asleep. The younger ones tend to get up way to early some days. At roughly 7:15 it’s time to get the big kids up for school. If I have not made my bed and gotten dresses yet I will do this as I wait for them to get downstairs.
They are to make their beds, and get dressed before coming down to get ready for breakfast.

Breakfast depending on the day depends on what the choices are. We aim to be eating by about 7:30 as my children feel the need to take forever eating breakfast.
They then get ready for school with their morning list it can help, as they can go threw the list themselves. Hahaha they “should” be able too!
They are supposed to: make bed, get dressed, breakfast, vitamins, brush teeth, wash up, brush hair, pack backpack, and out the door! Yap that’s what they need over an hour to do!

After the kids are off to school, I get the little ones settled and content.
Then it’s kitchen clean up, nothing to big, unless its kitchen zone. Then I would have more there! Just a tidy to get ready for the next round. Then the baby is ready for a nap, usually he will take a nap in the morning. He will usually nap till about 10:30-11:00 depending!

Masyn my toddler will watch some tv, and have play time. This is also when I get my zone cleaning or specific tasks done, that can be with him awake. We will look over me zone cleaning soon. This is breaking the house into “zones” to help with outlines.

We then will try to get outside if weather is good.

Then just like it’s time to start lunch!

There you have it!
My morning in a nut shell, this is how my first 6 hours go!

There will be more on my tasks when the block system is updated and out, or go on over and have a read on it while you wait for an updated one.

How does your morning go?
How did you like the routine on our morning?
Think you might create one or change yours up?
Have any questions or comments?
Let me know in the comments below or on one of the social media pages! Follow me on Instagram under Kandis Blask or over on Facebook Classy Classic’s.
I have posts there as much as I can haha!

Till next week have a great day, wonderful week and a smooth morning!

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I Learned A Lot In 3 Weeks

19th Oct 2019 classyclassicsbykandisLeave a comment

Have you heard the expression “you can’t have your cake, and it it too”!
I have always been the type that says “watch me”, I’ll make it, bake it, and have it too! Lol
I always say “can do anything, give me 24 hours”. Anything can happen in 24 hours!

There is a actual reason why my friends said the doctor was a smart man, not putting me a boot. I will keep going, always something to do. Little by little, task by task it will all get done.

Here is a fun fact about me lol I have troubles focusing on one task. I have squirrel brain haha. I will be cleaning one spot, do the mistake of taking something to another room, to put away.p then see something and start tackling that. It can be hard to complete one task, and so it never feels like I got much done because I am so everywhere.

These week’s I have not be able to really do that. With not being able to just be on the go, bounce from here to there I had to be focused on the task at hand.
I had a goal to do at least one task a day, two if everything was going good, and they were not big tasks.

With needing to pace myself, but still needing to keep things even a little in order I set out and made a 2 week plan. Cleaning and food.
I could pick my couple tasks a day and roll with it. Needless to say I did good! I ended up pushing myself a couple times, but having to take a break and put my foot up, sure kept me in line haha.

My tasks were broke up instead of having a zone that I would work in, I did a task for the day.
One day I cleaned my counters and deep cleaned behind all the stuff. The next day I vacuumed my floors, as I can not sweep, so I got on my butt and vacuumed haha.
Bathroom was a day, other then the tub as I can not clean it yet.
This was how I tried to keep the grossness down as much as I could.

These 3 weeks that I had crutches was sure a learning curve for not only me, but the whole house!
I could not just do it for everyone, some tasks where just left undone.
What kind of tasks you may ask?

A good example is:
My 10 year old informed me she was out of socks! I asked her
“Ok, so what should, be done”?
Her response ” I need to wait” 🤔
Oh wait for what….. broke foot or not they are required to simply bring down their dirty clothes. So why is it when I have a cast they feel they now need to wait. I would not of been the one to bring down the dirty clothes anyways!

Kids I tell you lol.

I have learnt that it is ok, to have some stuff out till later, it’s ok to let the floors go for a little.
Those little snuggles are only here for a bit, as the dirty floors truly are not going anywhere!

Those milestones that come and go daily is a true gift!

Dawsyn the baby stared to crawl…. EVERYWHERE and that was a special thing to be on the floor with him,also sitting up by him self! He loves trucks, and animals, and crumbs haha. 😩😅

Masyn the toddler, loves to read….. in the morning more then any other time of the day. He loves to give hugs and jump on pillow piles, vaccuming and of coarse eating. He eats so much tho!

Valary and Dysyn my big kids, love to cook, just not clean up haha. They love to play with the little ones, and to read to everyone!

I have learnt so much, about being able to sit, and relax as I really am not one to stop.

The house can be done little by little, and it’s ok.

This is all things that I thought I knew before, however it took having too just sit to fully realize and accept it!

I guess everything does happen for a reason! It may take time to see that reason, but in the end it was how those cards were actually supposed to be delt!

I have a goal now more then ever to take the time for my whole family, just like everything one at a time. Each person needs some time, a hug, a kiss or just a simple I love you from time to time!

In the end everything will work out. I hope everything will line up in your house, your world and in your stars. I hope you enjoyed this blog. I will of coarse keep you updated on the foot, house, and take you along as things start to slowly get back to normal, with the exception on those extra snuggle times, extra couch sits, extra mamma time.

Make sure you hit that follow button for all the upcoming blogs and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram under Kandis Blask or over on Facebook Classy Classic’s By Kandis for more daily posts.

Till next week have a great day, an amazing week!

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Another Day Another Week… Of School!

21st Sep 2019 classyclassicsbykandisLeave a comment

Hi good morning and welcome to Classy Classic’s By Kandis! I am a mother of 4 wonderfully energetic children. Two of my children go to school. My oldest she is in grade 5 this year and my oldest boy is in grade 4!

Can you believe its the middle of September!

This is marking our second full well in school! I was sitting down the other day, finally getting to watch some of my YouTube videos, and a lady who I love to watch… Sam from Happily A Housewife had a video on about school, and routines and getting back into it. As I was watching this, I thought I would do a blog on back to school.
Link for vidoe:
https://youtu.be/cNXx0HPXJTE

Now, I decided this before but my ideas had changed as she said at the end of hers the first week goes smooth.
Everything is on time and routines are smooth, and life is great. It’s when after when things are going back to normal, and it’s not as new is when you can see if your routines work for you!

Now I agree, however I am writing about back to school, with routines and adjusting.

We had a great first full week I school, kids where not late, even with riding the bus, they have had their lunches ready the night before and bags are hung by the door!

They have gone threw some cute new clothes and starting to get their homework, and words for their spelling tests.
They have spelling test every week and I’ve been waiting for this as they need them, it has been added to the routines, which are still not ready!

First full week not bad, mind is blurry as we are still doing some extra stuff, mamma has mentally noted some routine changes that is needed from last year to this year. But, all in all not to bad.

Here is where I will tell you as the first week yes, usually is smooth, as the mother we tend to do it for them tho. The first week as we want and need it to go good, we tend to take on more of their stuff. Well at least here I sure did. To a degree anyways.

Starting the second week of school, all of a sudden the kids didn’t have their agendas, had to pack their lunches in the morning and didn’t study for the spelling test. As my boy has his tests on Tuesday’s!

How has everything just went down hill, I realize that our routines are a very important part here. The routines will for the most part stay they same.
However there is some changes! This is on my list to do, write out our routines and zones again.
This is the next blog…. all about those routines!

With school tho, it’s funny how the first week was great and now it’s not. I know we need our routines but the extent is intreging on how it helps us. To have a smooth day, starting at 7:30 am if not before.

Even with not much changing, without having it there it’s like they just forgot how to manage. We all require some guidance, but really just make your bed and brush your teeth!

How do you feel about your school routines and scheduling?
Good to go, needs adjusting, or a whole new set up?

Let me know how it is! Comment on the blog!
Follow me on Instagram under Kandis Blask or over on Facebook Classy Classic’s!

Make sure to look more fun on these pages as I tend to do more daily stuff. As life smooths out, these is fun to happen in my house with the seasons changing.

Till next week’s blog, have a great week and have fun with tweaking the routines!

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Peaches Peaches 80lbs what did

16th Sep 2019 classyclassicsbykandisLeave a comment

It’s funny how every year it can be the same! You know it’s coming, you prep and prep, give yourself a self calm talk. Mark it down in the planner, but still get stressed thinking about doing it all.

Hi I’m Kandis and welcome to Classy Classic’s By Kandis!

Every year in our town we get a “case lot sale”. I stock pile what I can for the winter, this is also where and when I get my peaches! ❤
When I do peaches, the smallest batch that I purchase is 80lbs!😮 Yes, the lowest is 80lbs!

Why so much, and what do I do with it all! Let’s talk about stocking up on peaches! Well let’s start at the beginning.
The cases are 20lbs each, so get them loaded into the house, I then sort them, softener and still hard.

These get sorted for time frames and what is being used for what. I do/ make with these: canned half peach jars, jam, peach leather, and of coarse some sliced for in the freezer for easy asses for mostly pies!

Oh I love stocking up on peaches, I stress out more then I should as I have been doing this now for years, and it’s looks more intimidating then it is.

Let’s start with canning! Take your desired peaches, wash them up. Then you blanch them! This means simply put them in boiling water for 1 minute then into cold water. This will allow the skins to “peel” off. So go ahead and peel them, cut in half and take the pitt out. Place the peach halves to the side. I use a medium syrup this is 3 cups of sugar to 4 cups of water. Heat this up not boiling, but to make the sugar dissolve and liquid hot. Sterilize your jars and seals. I use 1L jars when making mine. Fill your canned and place on stove and start to heat. This will take some time to get it boiling so I start it early. So with your jars clean I put them in the sink with hot water and the seals in a pot of boiling/ hot water, as the jars and seals need to be hot when packaging up! Take your hot jar, place the peach halves in the jar pitt side down and layer them, up to the top leave about 1/4 inch for room for the pressure. Add your hot syrup and wipe the rim, add seal and screw top. Place in canner! When canner is full of the jars add hot water to cover the jars. Bring canner to boil and let boil for required time. This is refured to as a water bath.
So that is how I do some of my peaches!
A good chunk of the any ways.

Next jam! I made peach/ cherry jam this year.
The cherries on my tree did wonderful and so I needed to use them. For this I simply blanched, peeled, pitted and chopped the peaches, and pitted the cherries. Add the to a BIG pot, with required amount of sugar. Depending on what kind of jam and your sweet tooth will depend. I don’t use any added thickened, so I do a long boil. Then as your peaches, fill hot jar, place a hot seal and lid. Boil in the “water bath”….. the canner for required time for the jar size!

So now that there is canning and jam let’s move on shall we.

My mom growing up always made Apple leather!
Home made roll up but with our crap apples after she made juice.
So now I make Apple leather but also peach leather! 😍

Take the peaches and cut the pitts out, these do not need to be blanched. With the pitted peaches, peel on put into a blender, I add honey, about a tablespoon per I dunno 3-4 cups. This just helps keep the color and make it more pliable. I use a dehydrator, put parchment paper on the racks and pour the peach sauce on. Leave on the dehydrator until peach sauce is dry and a leather!

One of the last things that I do with the peaches is slice the, for the freezer to make any peach goodies through the year. Simply cut in half remove the pitt, slice the halves. Put into large freezer zip lock bags label and put into the freezer!

There you have it, how this mamma went through 80lbs of peaches this year, to help stock up till next summer’s case lot sale.

Do you do canning?
What do you can?
I will be sharing more stocking up tips thought out the month.

Getting the food prepped and stored for the winter months! Do you do anything with peaches, or large amount of friut.

Our Apple tree didn’t produce this year as every some years it does however I will share what I am doing with what I get this year.
I hope you enjoyed this blog all about stocking up on some extremely yummy peaches.
Got a question?
I will sure try to have an answer!
Ask away on Instagram under Kandis Blask or over on Facebook Classy Classic’s By Kandis.
I would love the questions, comments and input.
Till next week I hope you have a great food stocking week.
What are you storing this year?
Let me know.
Till next blog, have a fantastic week!

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The Garden and How Its Growing

10th Sep 2019 classyclassicsbykandis1 Comment

When growing up the garden was always there. My mom always had a garden, if you had the room you grew a garden! That was how it was.

We learnt never to say we were board, especially when mom was in the garden!
You were not going to be board long, she made us help with the gross potato beatles!

To this day I remember how gross they were and I am oh so thankful that I do not have them! I think it was the kind of potatoes that she grew.

I remember getting into trouble for my best friend and me eating all her peas, or chewing up the green onions cause it made out spit green! Haha oh the memories in the garden.

Those memories have changed a little as I am the one planning, planting, weeding and pulling, prepping and so on. With this said I could not imagine not having a garden. It’s a lot of work, but the outcome can be so great. The years have changed and out weather is not the same…. by know means.

It has almost been freezing here already and it’s August. With the last couple days of August here, it is time to start getting some out, and prepping for the end of the year. I had a couple picks already, with hopes of another good round.

However, it has been a pretty wonky year for the garden, and my time has not been quite there with out secret mission on the last big push now. I thought I would take you along thought the garden this year and share what I have got, and what I am doing with them, to help get us through the winter!
Do you garden?
What grows great for you?
What seems to just not grow?
Let me know I love a good garden talk!

So the weather is not changing and it is time to get stuff out. When I had started the blog, as I ran a week behind.

Last couple weeks I have been picking lots of peas and beans out of the garden! Radishes did good this year, these I plant with my carrots as radishes are the first things up and our of the garden it does not interfere with the carrots growing. I will share how the carrots did on facebook when it comes time to get them out!

With picking them we got about 3 grocery bags of them. I also picked my one big row of green onions, I pick them, twist down the top after cutting the grown onion off, this allows the onion bulb to continue to grow after. I slice the green onions and dry them for winter use in cooking!

Cabbage I’m hoping to get some they did really good however the bugs tend to get at it. You can peel the layers off, till you get to where they didn’t get. Beware they go to the base tho and tend to wreck the whole head of cabbage really fast!

Cucumbers did not do good this year, they just didn’t come up good, and with how the summer went, I did not try to replant them.

Broccoli and cauliflower did not survive the crazy weather.
Beets I am hoping are good, there are some thing that stay in the ground till the end, as the leaves can frost and they beet will be ok, so those stay for now, same with the carrots. I will let you know how they did when the time comes!

Brussels sprouts did ok, they stockes got bent, these can also stay, they say Brussels sprouts taste better after the first frost, so I always leave those till the end, but just as the cabbage the worms love it and can take a whole plant down really fast. I will have to see if they survived this year.

Peppers are doing good, they will be picked soon and placed in a box to ripen up, you can do the same with tomatoes. Pick them when the weather is getting cold and they will ripen inside!
Have you done this, to make sure they tomato makes it, and does not got hit by frost!

Then the melons, they are coming, this will just come down to is there enough growing time for them to make it worth it. They are blooming and growing, but with such a short growing year it gets hard, never mind almost freezing weather in August!

As for my potatoes for some reason I have issues with them! I actually assume I am not hilling the enough, so next year I will try harder to get lots!
With how much room they take up, and I am lucky enough to have a farmer supply me with lots for the winter it’s ok that they are not always great. However I will figure out how to make them great, to get my own winter stash!

Now that is it September everything will be coming out and being prepped for the winter get months.
What do you do to safe your garden produce?
I will be sharing how I prep my vegetables on my Instagram under Kandis Blask and Facebook at classyclassicsbykandis!

Make sure to follow to see two it goes, what I do, and the different ways to do some!

I hope your garden and summer went amazing!

Tell me about it, on here or one of the social media pages!

I would love to hear and have a conversation with everyone one summer and garden fun!
Till next week have an awesome weekend and a week!
Have a topic you want to hear about, just let me know!
I would love the input and ideas!
Till next time happy harvesting!