I'm still here!!

Wowie...will you look at that.  A new post by yours truly.  Are pigs flying?  Did the sky turn green?  What's going on?

I feel horribly guilty for not updating in so long.  I always want to update, I just don't really have the time right now.  Or anything of substance to contribute to the vast blogosphere. 

But I thought that since it was getting late, and I'm tired, and I really need to go to bed...that it would be the perfect time to post something. 

Things are going as well as can be around here.  I started school 3.5 weeks ago and things are going really good.  I'm finally feeling like I'm getting my nose above water and remembering how to teach in a classroom again.  One thing I did forget was how painful grading papers was.  I guess it's a lot like child birth...after a few days you think to yourself, "now, that wasn't so bad was it?" 

The little girls are doing very well at their schools and are still excited to go each day.  Routines are going well, and that's been a huge help to me these last few weeks.  (That reminds me, I need to go sign Kylee's reading log...brb)

Tracey decided not to play volleyball this year (gasp) in order to concentrate on keeping her grades up.  While I applaud her decision, I am still disappointed to not watch her play vball this season.  She is however, going to play next year.  And don't worry, she will be playing basketball. 

We've all been busy but it's helped my stress level sooooooo much not to have 2 hours of driving time each day.  It's amazing how God has really worked in that area. 

Aaron is still gone.  Maybe he will be home this weekend, but I really don't know for sure.  He is somewhere in the wilds of Montana where there is no cell phone service.  Or, apparently, service of any kind.  I haven't heard from him in....12 days.  I am handling the single mom thing pretty well, logistically anyway.  I posted on FB last night that I was done with fire season and didn't care if Montana burned to rubble.  But my poor attitude affected my sleep last night, and my day today.  So, I am trying to change that attitude and just keep on like I have been doing without letting it get to me. 

We haven't had fast food for dinner every night...just every other night.  LOL.  I have tried cooking when I can...we've been gone a lot in the evenings so that sometimes makes it difficult.  We all miss healthy cooking... especially Tracey, who was the biggest skeptic.   I try my best, but I have been super, duper exhausted since school has started.  Yesterday it was all I could do to whip up some instant pancakes. 

I know my complaining probably makes things sound terrible.  It's not really that bad, I guess I shouldn't write late at night when I'm tired.  But things are really going pretty smoothly (oh no, Murphy's Law....quick, I take it back). 

Thanks for sticking around, even when I haven't seemed to be here.

The one area I've dropped the ball on is brushing teeth.  I don't do it in the morning cuz we don't have time (don't worry, I do brush my teeth).  So I try and do it at night, but most of the time forget.  Guess that's why my 4 year old has an appt next week for fillings.  I have been better since I found out she's got cavities...but not great.  While that's not my only flaw...it's one I will admit to publicly!  LOL

Night all.

Kindergarten is great.

Kylee is learning so much in Kindergarten.  She came home with this little gem today:

Donald Duck burned his butt,
On his way to Pizza Hut.

Fantastic.

Milestones

Yesterday I took my oldest daughter to register for high school.  Wow.  It's official, she's got an ID and everything.  No backing out now.  She is excited and ready for high school.  And so am I.  I think.

At the same time, my middle child is about to begin her educational career as a Kindergartener.  She is going to have a teacher that really focuses on challenging them academically, which is exactly what she needs.  I am really excited about seeing what she learns in Kinder.  Not at all freaked out.  Really. 

My youngest is going to be starting PreK.  New Mexico created a PreK program that wasn't income or developmentally based, therefore my kids are able to attend preschool.  She is super excited about getting to go to school.  She and Kylee will be at the same school.  Am I freaked out?  Nope, not really.  Just excited for her.  Her teacher should be a little worried...lol!





Is your child ready to read?

I know every parent likes to brag about their kid and thinks they're the smartest thing since Einstein.  The dude, not the bagels.  And I'm no different.  My middle child is extremely smart.  Too smart for her own good.  I could go on and on about examples of how smart she is but that's not the point of this post.

This summer I have been looking for activities to challenge Kylee.  One of the things she loves to do is read.  She's been begging to learn to read.  There are a zillion sites out there where people have created educational activities to do with your child, no matter the age.  I looked at many of them and finally found one that fits our style.  It's called The Moffatt Girls and she is a former teacher now stay-at-home mom.  She has created a wonderful program that teaches your child sight words and word families.  It's called Ready2Read and you know the best thing about it?  It's free!!

We are currently doing Unit 4 and Kylee absolutely loves doing her daily activities.  She has created a word wall with her new sight words and she also puts up all the other fun activities that she does.   My camera is on the blink...(rather, my stupid computer refuses to acknowledge my camera) so I can't upload any pictures of Kylee doing her activities, but on her website Annie has taken pictures of her own daughter completing all the activities so you can see it in action. 

I highly recommend you check out this site and download and try the Ready2Read program.  You'll love it.  And so will your kids.



my lame "ode to summer"

2 weeks until I go back to work. 

*sniff, sniff*

Summer is quickly fading away.

If I was poetic I could write a poem.  I would call it "Ode to Summer".  Original, no?

I had my first school-mare in 5 years last night.  For those of you who don't know...those are nightmares that teachers have about school.  Hence, school-mare. 

I dreamed that I was taking over a class midyear and my very first day was parent conferences.  I had never seen my kids, didn't even have a room yet, and the first parent didn't speak English...she spoke Chinese. 

Tacos a la Flambe...a new recipe.

Last night I made tacos.  Now, I know in most of the parts of the country you guys buy Old El Paso brand premade hard taco shells.  Not so in New Mexico.  Those kinds of taco shells are almost sacriligious, I'm not even sure they sell them in the stores.  In these parts, we fry our own shells.  Trust me, they're way better.  No contest.

So, I was happily frying the tortillas (blue corn torillas, if you want to know)  and was being fairly successfull at it.  Usually that's Aaron's job, but since he wasn't home yet, the duty fell to me.

Where was I?  Oh, right, I was about to stir the beans (not crappy black beans or whatever ya'll eat elsewhere, but good ole refried pinto beans).  Anyway, I wasn't paying attention and accidently let the condensation from the lid pour into my pan of hot oil. 

I now have flame marks on the hood above the stove.

Jesus is busy

I overheard this piece of a conversation on the way home this evening:

Kylee:   "It makes Jesus sad because you're not sharing."

Krysten:  "Jesus is busy doing stuff in the clouds, so he doesn't know."