Another Saturday!!

Hey all!!

Things are good here. The weather was pretty crappy earlier in the week. Last Sunday it was SOOOOO windy!! My planter out front of the house (it's metal) fell over and all my pots broke out on the driveway!! So, now I have no pots out there for now..I will work on getting some new ones going once the harsh weather is gone completely! Today it is beautiful out there!! Almost 75 degrees! No wind, which is very nice! I'm inside working at the gym today, but I did get to spend some time outside this morning!!

I got up early-ish and threw on some workout clothes and cleaned a bit in the kitchen. Then, I headed out and drove uptown and returned a movie, filled the car with gas and also went to the car wash. My car was filthy from last Sunday's wind, so sprayed her off and she's as good as new now! Literally! lol I came home and raked the front little yard and then raked the main yard, especially along the fence and then the back behind the shed and house. I couldn't rake the other side of the house as there is still snow back there and frozen ground. I picked up quite a bit of rocks and leaves, so that felt good to have that done. I love raking!! Then, I opened some more windows in the house and then opened the front door and let the cats roam around outside in the sun. They all loved it except Gizmo. She was afraid and just stayed on the steps by me. LOL It was then time to let everyone in the house and I had to get ready for work! (side note...Bruce, my landlord, has STILL not received the title for the house. He paid off the house back in November! Bruce told me that Greentree told him, that the title has been approved to be released to him now, but not sure if he got it yet. This has been a long, long process!!)

After work yesterday, I drove down to Santa Fe and did a little bit of clothes shopping for myself. I first stopped at the cemetary and had a little convo with Jesse. We had a nice little chat. I just plopped right down on the grass at his grave and cried and talked. Hard to believe it has been almost a year already!! He died April 12, 2011.

I drove over to the mall and then to Kohl's. Got some good purchases made! I had gone through my closet during the week...getting rid of bigger clothes and then getting all my summer stuff out to see what all I needed etc. I didn't need much, but I did, and still do need, some more shirts for work. Hard to find stuff I like out there. I'm pretty much set now. Picked up a couple of new pillows too.

I got my taxes all paid for the year, so I'm very excited about that! Now I can concentrate on getting money together for my trip and I'm also helping out my kids. Tyler has a bunch of bills and Kalyn won't be working as much now that she started school, so gotta pick up her gym membership for her. Kalyn would like me to move up that way, so I'm trying to figure things out and consider that option. I need a good paying job, so gotta make sure I have that BEFORE I move! We shall see. I've been praying about it. :)

Kids are doing good! Kalyn started school and loves it. She hates being away from Sasha so much though. Tyler is still doing his thing and is an awesome roommate!

Went and saw "John Carter" and now I wanna go see "The Hunger Games". Have not read the books and didn't know what all the hype was about until I looked it up online! lol

Not much else to report...been a good week and hope to have many more just like it! Until next time.....

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! (and happy birthday Cousin Mike!)

Hey all,

Thought I better catch you all up on things here in sunny New Mexico!!!

Not much is really going on.... lol....

I've been working all my jobs and working out 3 times a week or more (if I can!) and just chilling at home watching movies or cleaning. I've got all the Easter stuff ready to send out to nieces, nephews and Kalyn. Then, I've got Reuben's little birthday box ready to mail out...I figured I would get him a little something since he's always such a great friend and listener to me! His birthday is April 15th! I also have Mother's Day stuff all ready purchased and boxed up and then Alyssa's and Riley's birthdays are in there too. I'm trying to think ahead....can you tell?? LOL Hallmark is going out of business here in town, so I figured while the sale was going on, I could pick up all the cards I need up until Mother's Day and picked up some gifts as well, for a very cheap price! Then, Beall's (a clothing store) was having a really good sale, so picked up Riley's birthday clothes there. I think I'm all set now!! :)

Tyler is working, practicing guitar, hanging with his girlfriend and planning concerts that he's gonna go see. He's quite busy and gone most of the time. We cross paths once in a while! :) He is still loving his car so much!

Kalyn starts school on Tuesday!!! Woo!! She's been working a lot at Taco Bell and taking care of things before she starts school. She is gonna be very busy! She also found out that any makeup she uses or hair color has to be Aveda products, so she went and purchased a few items to start with, and the lady gave her the discount that she gets once she starts school, early! Kalyn was very appreciative of that! She bought more that she originally intended since she got the discount so soon! Very cool!

I finished up the kids FAFSA this morning. Had to fill in the fact that I have now paid/filed my taxes for real now. They need to know what your status is on the filing part of taxes, so I updated that. I also cleaned my entire bedroom and bathroom. I pulled the bed out and vacuumed all the cat hair etc under there and in all the edges of the room. I also had to repair the bathroom sink, cuz I had a drip going on. I've been pretty productive today! I go into work at 1, at the gym today. I also washed all the bedding, even the bedskirt. Sometimes I get tired of all the cat hair! But I do love that Pledge product that picks up pet hair, the fabric sweeper! It works well!

I still am planning on that road trip in May! Looking forward to seeing everyone!! woohoo!!! That's about all for now! Love to all...until next time!!

March!!

Hey all,

Hope all is well out there!! Just got home from the Courtright's house. I had to start her Spring cleaning for her today. I got the main level finished for her today and took me 4 hours. She paid me for 4 1/2 though! :) She's very sweet. I had to do allll the baseboards on the entire main level and then my regular weekly cleaning. The baseboards look so much brighter now and of course as I'm doing the baseboards, one notices marks on the walls around those baseboards and then dusting off the doors, etc. I had a good time, but am wiped out! Was nice to come home to a clean house and not have to do much here!

Today was a beautiful day outside, but didn't get to enjoy it. Oh well...there's always next time!

Kalyn starts school on March 20th! It is inching closer and closer! She quit the Piercing Pagoda and her last day was Feb 29th. She began a new job at Taco Bell/KFC around the 20th of February. She likes it and likes that there are more than 5 employees to work with and she no longer has to work alone! This new job is just right up the street from where she lives, so it's much closer as well. She seems to be doing well and Sasha is too! :)

Tyler got a new vehicle! 1996 Honda Accord purchased from Uncle Kevin! Kevin bought it from this one lady about 4 years ago and was getting ready to advertise it for sale cuz he has a truck and also Jesse's old car. I was glad we were able to snag it from him for a pretty good price! He sold it to us for $2750. I got a signature loan at Zia Credit Union and Tyler makes the payments. We set up the payments so that it is paid off in a year. Tyler already replaced the drivers side window motor, that was broken and then his headlight went out, so he replaced both yesterday! He takes it to Santa Fe tomorrow to get the windows tinted! He really loves it and is so much more reliable than his other car. I think Tyler plans to stick around LA until next January.

I'm doing pretty well! I'm just working and working and working out! I've been watching a lot more tv and movies lately too. Kinda nice to just chill and not have much to do. I always keep busy, but this lifestyle is a lot different from when I had a family to take care of! Crazy how life works and moves so fast! I really enjoy it though! Very thankful for my life right now.

I'm still making plans to drive up to Wisconsin in May. I got the time off, so I'm really getting excited about it. I plan to leave from here on Sat. May 12th and I just need to be back around Memorial Day so I can get caught up before going back to work. Still hoping for a driving partner (ahem..Mom) for the drive up...should be a blast! :)

Well, that's all I've got for now. Must cook myself some din-din. Take care and talk to you all soon! Until next time....

Presidents' Day!

Hey all,

It's been a wonderful, long weekend! I had to work on Sat and Sun, but that's ok! I got a lot done around the house and got to watch some shows at home and went to a movie with Catrina on Sat. eve. We saw "The Vow". Great movie!

Kids are doing well! Kalyn got her financial aid stuff all figured out and is ready to start school, one month from today! Sasha was sick last Thursday after she got some shots and so Kalyn was pretty upset for her. Poor pup...I think she is better now. Tyler's car died the other day, so we are working on getting him another car. Kevin, his uncle, is selling a Honda that he has, so Tyler is out test-driving that right now! Kevin turns 30, tomorrow, so we are going to dinner tonight! We were supposed to have lunch tomorrow, but Catrina has already called in sick to work tomorrow, so I asked Kev if we could go tonight instead.

Not too much else going on...just working and working out. I'm kinda enjoying the time to myself right now. :) That's all I've got for now...just wanted to check in and say hello!! Until next time....

February!

Hey all,

Here we are in the month of February already! Time just keeps marching on....

Not much to report, but thought I would check in here with you all. Drove to Santa Fe last night after working at the bank and came back to a snow storm on the mountain of Los Alamos!! Traffic was at a dead stop coming up the hill, almost to town, so I sat in my car for 45 minutes watching one car at a time get towed up the hill. I had 4-wheel drive, so I was fine to go, but waiting and waiting was ridiculous! Finally the police showed up and were pushing people to get them moving. The car in front of me finally got going and then stopped for some reason and then of course, couldn't get going again. ugh...so the officers let me go around him... I got up to the top and there were cars off the road, spinning to go forward, stuck in the middle of the road and little Ravy just chugged along and weaved between all these crazy folks and finally got home. I had to shovel the driveway...we had about 5 inches of snow. My neighbor, Justin, came out right after I finished shoveling and said "I was just gonna come out and shovel for you"...what a sweetie! I told him, sure, you probably watched me do it from your house and THEN came out to offer. LOL Him and his wife are divorcing and they had moved out of their trailer and were renting it out, but now he moved back in! He's helped me a lot with repairs at my place. His wife, Tabatha, I have known since she was 14 when she worked at McD's with me. She's now 29!

I'm working at the gym today, then going straight over to the High School for the Topper Revue (talent show) that the kids put on every year. Tyler has been a participant when he was in school, as most of you probably remember. Tomorrow am, I need to bake a cake for the Superbowl party at Kent and Carrie's at 4 and then at noon, I'm going to the Courtright's to do my weekly cleaning over there. Busy, Busy weekend and I had hoped to watch the movie 50/50, but not sure when I will get a chance. I bought it so I suppose I can watch it at anytime!

Things are going well with me and kids, so I'm happy about that. Tyler always keeps the house so neat for me and so we make great roommates!! Have a great weekend everyone! Until next time....

Not much...

Hey all,

Just wanted to say hello to everyone! Nothing exciting going on here, just working as usual and enjoying my new ride!

I do have to pay taxes, so not too thrilled about that. I adjusted my withholding for next year, so that's all taken care of. I'm single and no kids to claim anymore, so they hit ya, right where it hurts, don't they?

Had my ultrasound and they found nothing, so the doctor thinks it's just hormonal stuff that I'm going through. Hopefully not an early menopause?? I'm not ready for that, I don't think? :) I saw a homeopathic doctor for my tummy and she gave me pills to take when I eat. Seems to be working cuz my tummy does not grumble, grumble like it used to in just a weeks time. Very happy about that.

I go to the Courtright's today. She's been having me go every Sunday and clean for just a couple of hours, so that will help with paying my taxes! I immediately put the money from her into one of my savings accounts. I was hoping to use it for something else, but oh well.

Still planning my drive to Minnesota/Wisconsin in mid May! Can't wait! I'm trying to talk my mother into flying here and then we will both drive up there and she can fly home from there. I think a road trip for Mom/Daughter would be fun!! She is concerned about me driving back alone, but trust me...after all that family time, I will be ready to be alone!! LOL :)

I'm going to church this morning, so probably should go get ready. Keep in touch and hard to believe it's almost February!! Wow! Until next time....

MLK day! 2012

Hey all,

Well, it's been a pretty uneventful,long weekend! I was supposed to have plans with a couple friends and none of it ended up working out, so I spent my evenings catching up on tv shows and/or movies, which was really nice! I watched "Black Swan" and "Horrible Bosses", last night. I went to a movie Saturday night with my friend, Winters. He's like going out with your gay guy friend....very nice guy, but not one you would probably date. He's pretty cute too, but oh well...he was the only one I could get to go with me to see "Contraband". I had a movie giftcard so paid for both movies with that. :)

I had to work at the gym Saturday afternoon and then yesterday morning I cleaned for the Courtright's. In the time between all that, I just cleaned the house, got rid of some stuff and organized a few things. I'm constantly going through things as my taste changes....things I've had laying around, I finally put away or get rid of (or reminds me of my "previous" life). I also drove down to Walmart in Espanola on Saturday morning. Haven't been down there in FOREVER! I had to return a poster frame that I had bought for Tyler, that was too big, so found a smaller one and got some new picture frames for the living room. Came right back home, cuz I had to work at 1 at the gym. But, it was a good time!

This week and next I'm real busy with work and appointments! Tomorrow, my new car is getting an early oil change. The guy I bought it from recommends an oil change at 1000 miles cuz of the new wear on the parts, etc, so he said there's metal pieces and such in there, so I will have that done tomorrow and then not again for another 5000 miles. I have a haircut appointment and also a couple of doctor appointments thrown in there. My doctor thinks I may have fibroids so we're gonna check that out by ultrasound this week. They said no surgery is involved and they will just have to go in and clean things out. I noticed an issue after I workout, so brought it up to the doctor. I also have a tummy that likes to grumble, grumble constantly, so I'm going to see a homeopathic doctor and she will test me and see if we can alter anything in my diet to help with that. I've tried some pills you take after or before you eat, but doesn't help all the time. I have to be really careful of what I eat also...even healthy things like peppers and such, I can hardly eat. If it's spicy...forget about it! lol So, those are my fun things going on.....

Kids are doing fine. Kalyn will be starting to get her school loans in order soon and she continues to work at Piercing Pagoda. She is looking for another job closer to home and not so strict with sales and such. If she doesn't make enough sales or sell enough warranties, they let you go. January has been slow, so she is worried about the "firing" thing. Tyler keeps working and finally starting to save some money and continues to practice guitar here and with friends. His girlfriend Sydney, just had her birthday yesterday.

I'm trying to figure out my vacation for this year. I get 5-6 weeks off, so thinking about what my options are. I really want to drive up to Minnesota/Wisconsin for a couple of weeks, but then my other time off, I will probably have to stay home, but just be off. (Mom, if you are gonna come down, let me know so I can take that time off) I'm really wanting this year to be better for me, financially. Last year was a nightmare with all the money that I had to spend. Not gonna do it again...

I bought Brooke Burke's new DVD's to workout to...I tried one this morning and man-oh-man...I am feeling it!! It's a great workout and gets ya sweatin'!! I also bought Rob Lowe's new paperback book "Secrets I only tell my Friends"...I plan to get reading on that today! If anyone wants to read after me, let me know. I also have a book that Jennie White's (Tj's daughter) hubby Ryan sent to me to read "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. I've had it for about a year and have not started it yet. It's supposed to be real good. I'm not much for reading, really, but if I find a good book or hear about it, I will read it. I record "Live with Kelly" and saw both Brooke Burke and Rob Lowe on her show and got the idea to get their stuff. I had some Christmas money to spend, so there you go.

Is it bad that I have my kid's Valentine gifts all ready to go?? LOL I also have Auntie Jacque's birthday gift waiting to mail and also am sending her some fabric to make me some kleenex thingees to hand out. I love that idea! I hope she doesn't mind whipping some up for me. :)

Still sad about the Pack losing, but oh well..they had a great season...now my weekends will be back to normal and I can workout more! And go to Bible study!! :) Love to all and until next time....