A sampling of photo's from Matt's trip.

Matt is almost home

Matt is in New York right now, on a layover, on his way home.
He get's into ABQ a little after 10pm, and then he'll head home.
Yay!
I'll post pictures of his trip tomorrow and then take some new one's of the girls.

Ruth's news

Ruth has read comic books for a year now.
Loves them, can't get enough.
We always got them from the local library.
She has now read them all.
And she reads really well.
So she is now reading chapter books at night.
I can't believe she will be 8 soon, and getting so grown up.
I am so very proud of her.
I gave her a hug too!!
I've been crying over how big she has gotten for years now.

Almost there

Mary is reading a book before bed.
Out loud.
On her own.
Doing well.
All her own idea.
And she has been doing this for a while.
Picking up a book and reading it.
Reading signs, labels, anything she can find.
I am so proud of her I could cry!!
Instead I gave her a big hug.

Saturday, one more day

Today is going to be hard. I can just feel it.
I slept in which felt good, I haven't been sleeping well.
Ruth and Mary are fighting more, and Ruth has been crying over every little thing.
Both girls told me yesterday that they miss their Dad and wish he were home already.
I totally agree.

This time has been nice for one thing though. I've been able to really focus on business and school, got some things figured out, prayed more.
But I am ready, more than ready for the better half to come home and life to be "normal" again.

Today we are heading out for breakfast and then to the new park they opened recently.
I figured it being Saturday morning hopefully there will be some kids around.
I need to re plan our weekly schedule to include Opera, and get everything in the calendar so I don't forget.
I have one more errand to run, laundry and dishes, those are about all the chores left to do!!
House looks really good, can't wait to start school on Monday, I always work better when things are organized and clean.

Cute things kids say

From the neighbor girl across the street.
"I wish you were my Mom and home schooled me too. That would be great."

Today from the girls.
"Mom, I miss Daddy. He tickles me, and I really love him and miss him".

This just in

Transplanted my first plant, hope I did it right.
Hauled more rock to the front yard to fill the bare spots, and planted two new plants.
Hope they fair better than the first one's.
Downstairs is vacuumed, cleaning the mop pad.

Need to still sweep outside.
Mop house
Vacuum upstairs.
Unload dishwasher.
Find Mary's jeans.
Make dinner.
Try to make it gracefully to the end of today.

We're all missing Matt

Art was awesome, off the wall great.
And I got an "in" for Home School Opera, and the kids are starting next week!
How great is that!

A good nights sleep

Finally we all slept well and enough, and everyone is in a much better mood.
We're heading out soon for art, then home to work, work, work.
Got the kids new desk set up this morning, I really like it. It's great to be really organized.
I feel like I can do more school now, I'll be able to find their things.
Mary is loving it too, makes her feel like a grown up girl!!
Ruth got a new Littlest Pet Shop online pet yesterday, on sale for half off, and I need her help today, so very much worht it.
The website you play on is not easy like Webkins, so I am excited for her. This will be a great challenge and learning experience.
I put her upstairs on Matt's computer so she will have to figure it out and not ask for help every two minutes.
Off to fix breakfast and get ready to go.
I'll post again tonight.

Day is done, well almost

One more day I can mark off the calendar.
Man this is killing me, I am beat.
We ran all our errands but the library.
We'll go tomorrow since the kids have "Art Around the World" at a library across town.
This will be our first time going, but I have heard great things about it, so I am so excited the kids get to start.
Tomorrow we are cleaning house and building the new student desk I got for the kids today.
Their old desks were great. Except they cheated in math using the number line, and hid food inside of them too. Plus I feel like I needed to organize and simplify, and this was the solution I came up with.
Kids are going to bed earlier tonight, we all need the sleep.
Here is hoping the weekend goes by fast and easy.
I was counting on the neighbor kids being here to "help", but we found out last night they are going camping this weekend, so it looks like we'll be heading out to find things to do Saturday to kill some time before Matt gets home.
Night all.
See you tomorrow!!

Our Thursday To Do

I think the one thing I will miss most when Matt gets home is the kids sleeping in.
And the use of his office.
I've never had more to do. But I've also never gotten so much done. (Unless its when the kids are at Grandma's)

Today is our day for errands, cleaning. and re working the house.
This afternoon is Girl Scouts, the kids are looking forward to that the most.

So that's our day, here's hoping it goes well.

Wednesday is almost over, YES!

Today was a better day.
A little less crazy which was nice.
I am sorting, organizing, re working rooms etc.
Tomorrow is a dump day at Goodwill along with errands.
We got school done and both the kids did great!
Dance lessons were this afternoon, and that was awesome as always.
I still have work to do tonight.
Kids are working on showers and bed.
I do not know how single Mom's do this, bless them!!

Tuesday, we made it

Well, it has been a long day, I can't remember a longer one, but we made it.
Almost.
We all still need to shower and head to bed, but I am so tired I'm pretty sure I'll sleep tonight.

Let's see, what all did I do today.
Exterminator went to the property, we had to go back twice to get all our To Do list done.
Found another property manager for Dallas, ran errands, had lunch out, did school while out for lunch.
The kids went to the rec center while I got groceries, man that was nice. And quiet.

Ruth and Mary both got new fall/winter pj's and Halloween tee shirts.
Gotta love fall.

Ruth is studying and reading about Halloween and its origins, so she is very into the holiday this year.
I wasn't sure how I felt about this. Last year was the first time the kids went trick or treating, and before that we went out as a family for the night.
This year however, Ruth has made a personal choice, and we are learning the roots and reason for the holiday. I will admit it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.
So we are doing tee shirts and trick or treating this year.
Budget friendly. I can do that.

Our Monday

Well, I made it.
Almost.
Dinner will be on the table before 7pm, I count that as success.
We are at 100% occupancy with the eight plex here in NM, Thank You Jesus!
Our tenants at the three plex decided to stay another year and signed a lease. Yay!
School got done, and the girls both did great.
Chores were completed, they played with their friends, and the house isn't too bad looking.

Still to do.
Dishes and clean the kitchen.
Revise grocery list for tomorrow.
Get the kids showered, teeth brushed, and in bed.
Try to sleep tonight.
Find new TX property manager assistant.

Monday

Here is my to-do list for Monday:

10am- Tenants moving in
Try to get additional lease signed while in that part of town.

School!!!

Bake with the kids.

Let them play after school with the neighbor kids.

Matt out of town

I'm up early since Matt is leaving for Switzerland this morning.
With my camera.
So I'm going to post here all of our happenings.
Matt will be back next week, and I'll post a bunch of photos of his trip and the kids then.

Pictures of Mary and Dad

Taken before an indoor game of tag.

A video of Mary

New video

No idea if this will be good or not, the girls took these.

Pictures kids take 2

You can thank Ruth for this

It's a picture of Mary.
And we have never seen one before!!
Thank you Ruth.

Out with the old. These were Mary's favorite books for weeks.

In with the new. These are her new favorites, and again, she can't get enough!

A new picture (finally)

Things here have been busy.
The girls both got hair cuts yesterday, and I am thrilled with how they turned out.

Pictures kids take

From Ruth and Mary.

Another great pizza

Friday night we have pizza around here.
I was really tired again, another long week, but I managed this time to make the right crust amount.

We tried, and failed

I experimented today.
Had the kids help clean the house.
Mop floors, scrub bathtubs etc.
Yeah, that won't be happening again.
So, looks like I am cleaning the house tomorrow!

Ruth in the water

Just one more video of Ruth, she is such a ham I cannot help myself.

Playing in the water

The waterfall

Off we go

Off we go!
We went to see the waterfall, and the kids were quite impressed.
Due to rain we took the shorter hike, I would love to go back and take the longer one some time soon.

Jemez Mountain experience

We went hiking today.
The Jemez mountains are so pretty this time of year, and we had a great time.

A silly Ruth video

Silly Ruth

What Mary takes everywhere she goes

Photo's taken by Mary.
This is her new stroller she earned last week.
It goes with us everywhere. No kidding.
Today it was helpful in holding her new flowers.

Ruth this morning at the Farmers Market

Photo courtesy of Mary.

Pizza somewhat disaster

I made pizza last night as I do every Friday for dinner, and last night I was so tired I doubled the two pound recipe, not the one and a half like I usually do.
The pizza was really good, much to my surprise, it was just HUGE.

Progress

School is in full swing at our house, and this year (just today) I am becoming able to give Mary work to day and walk away while she finishes it.
She did really well, aced almost all the work.
I think we are (finally) heading in the right direction.

Another cooking project

We made brownies the other day, and man are they good.