Discovering Skype (Day 23 Wyoming)

We are officially the laziest people I know. We loafed and loafed and got showers and baths then finally went to town in the afternoon. We had to get more cash for our lodging (and pay ridiculous fees to take cash out on our credit card; probably unreimbursed). Then I had to hit the church where I left my steno pad ... YIKES! I can't be without my steno pad ... it's with me all the time and I keep all sorts of juicy notes on it. I let Eva write on it and she left it at church last Saturday. Whoever read it is probably praying for my soul as we speak. Thank you, because I need it!

I'm pretty sure we got ice cream cones in there somewhere because that's how we roll. Then we went to a playground. For those of you Evanstonians, it was close to Don Pedro's Mexican Restaurant and across the street. How's that for an address? The kids played while I talked on the phone with my dad forever about Aron's job situation. He's very understanding and helpful. He listens then offers helpful advice. He gave me a lot to think about.

Can you spot the kids?

Can you find the 2 little Macs in the trees?

After we got home we messed around some more, then around 9 p.m., just after Aron got home, we heard the laptop making strange little bubbly noises. I opened it up to see that my friend was calling on Skype! Our connection stinks ... we don't see a great picture, and the sound cuts out, but everyone can hear and see us just fine. We messed with that for a while like a new toy and it felt like the Jetsons! I like to answer the video phone  like this, "Kerrie isn't here right now." Or put up a cardboard photo of my family like George Jetson used to do when his boss called him.

If you missed any installments of the Real World: Wyoming series, head to the right-hand side of this here blog, look for Categories, then click on Wyoming. And if you aren't following The Kerrie Show on Facebook, you are missing out on some cool stuff every now and then!

Sam Toot Video Day 21

VACATION REQUEST DENIED ... again (Day 22) #Wyoming

Here's the first post on how my husband's company said they won't let us go on our family reunion vacation (today's post is about denying him Scout Camp): http://www.thekerrieshow.com/2012/05/wyoming-day-18-bear-river-state-park.html

This is an update in August 2013 to say that it was the LAST VACATION WE COULD HAVE GONE ON WITH MY GRANDFATHER, WHO IS NOW IN A NURSING HOME. So thank, you, husband's client, for valuing a natural gas project over relationships and life. You suck. Yes, I know we had a choice to walk away and if I had been able to see the future you bet your ass I would have driven home to Kansas in a hot second.

Moving on ...

Aron went to work on Memorial Day and I didn't take one dang picture. We loafed around the house like the laziest people you could ever find. We did some homeschooling, played with the kittens, fed the horse, ate, and that's about it.

Around 5:30 we could not stand it any longer and went to town for ice cream cones. I also hit the grocery store because Joel's ear has been clogged and he can't hear out of it. I'm trying hydrogen peroxide and olive oil first because I couldn't find an ear wax removal kit. Home remedies usually rock anyway.

SHOCKER: We got home after 7 p.m. and Aron was waiting on the porch for us! We are always waiting for him, and to see him waiting for us was a little strange, but nice!

We had lasagna for dinner and Aron told me his boss denied his vacation request for Scout Camp week. We've already paid $440 for Joel and Aron to go and I seriously doubt his company will reimburse us for that, not that we would accept it. It's very disappointing news ... since the start of the year poor Aron just keeps missing family things. It seems to me that his boss thinks "personal life" is an evil phrase to utter, even though Aron has hardly had one in 6 months. Look at the divorce rate at your company, sweetheart!

*edited 5/31/2 to add: I actually saw the email recently and in his defense, the boss did say he would see what he could do to get Aron covered for Scout camp.

Speaking of divorce rates, don't worry about us. We're just as in love as always. This job won't separate us. We've been through worse. But it's looking like some changes are on the horizon. Please pray, pray, pray that this project is FINALIZED before Scout Camp, which starts on Father's Day and runs for a week. That's the only way we see a good outcome. We're trying to remain positive ... Aron loves this job and has worked here for going on 15 years. We don't want one poorly run project to decide our future. In the meantime, I'd better get started on some of those magazine queries I've been toying with, just in case.

Oh, and the night ended with me trying to Skype with my best girlfriend, only I couldn't hear her and the picture was horrible. We'll try again! It was good to see her actual face, moving and trying to talk to me, and to see her kids. It made me homesick all over again.

Since I have no pics for you, here's something that recently happened when I went to the doctor. Aron has also been diagnosed with it, as I'm sure most of you have.

This is Kerrie signing out and telling you: Don't let the haters get you down. Get free of their grasp and you will do great things.

UPDATED 7/30/12 ... Forgot to let ya'll know how it went down. Picture an old Western where Aron faces off with his boss and tells him that he is going to Scout Camp and knows it might cost him his job. Then his boss realizes how important Aron is to the project and figures out how to get him covered for that week. The moral of the story is that if you are going to take a stand, make sure you are ready to back it up with your savings account or welfare (ha!) and make sure you are damn good at your job. The end.

If you missed any installments of the Real World: Wyoming series, head to the right-hand side of this here blog, look for Categories, then click on Wyoming. And if you aren't following The Kerrie Show on Facebook, you are missing out on some cool stuff every now and then!

Snow Day Sunday & Gassy Horses (Day 21)

Boo ya! Sunday was CRAZY ... mostly because we played in 27-degree weather with snow past our ankles while our family and friend counterparts withered in 90-degree heat in Kansas City. Sorry 'bout that, peeps.

Aron was off! We went to visit our kittens, who we had been too busy to see for two days, and they were ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!

Only crazy people like us would set out on a little mountain journey as the snow starts.

Once we got to Mirror Lake, the first thing Daddy had to do was ... well,  you know.

Our family, picture taken by a kind stranger passing by.

Sam deep in the snow. Michael was thrilled because this was more snow than we had gotten in KC all year! Too bad we were not dressed for it or we could have played all day!

Michael and Sam = 2 bumps in a log.

After we came down from the mountain we were still in Wasatch National Forest and found a little campground by the river. We talked about how much money we could save on lodging if we camped out down there, but it was COLD!

We ended the day by feeding horses grass.

The guys named a gassy horse Gassy and Fartsworth. Wish I had a video of it, but you can't get horse to fart on cue.

Aron's to do list consisted of having 2 consecutive days off so he could fix our van, but that was simply not meant to be. This week I have a little list of things to do.Who comes up with this stuff? This is the sense of humor I grew up with having the dad I have, so I love these ecards!

If you missed any installments of the Real World: Wyoming series, head to the right-hand side of this here blog, look for Categories, then click on Wyoming. And if you aren't following The Kerrie Show on Facebook, you are missing out on some cool stuff every now and then!

End the Day with Teen Titans (Wyoming Day 20)

So Saturday started by Aron being tracked down by his client. The phone rang and I figured someone would leave a voice mail message. I was wrong. Instead, the manager of the place had to come and knock on our door and make sure Aron knew that he was being tracked down. Then his boss in KC called to make sure he knew he was being tracked down. So in to work Aron went. Such is the life of a famous engineer and husband of the star of The Kerrie Show. It's not a bad life.

Sam started his day with 3 Blo-Pops at once. And yes, I brush his teeth all the time with his cool Cars toothbrush.

Then we hit the River Beach for only about 30 minutes because it was windy and chilly and we don't like having sand blown in our eyes.

I needed a shower, but took a bath at Sam's insistence. He got in with me and we made it a Party Til You're Pruny bath. Then the snow started! So we drove to church in the mini blizzard and met Aron there. After that we went to TC's Steakhouse for dinner (they advertised on the church bulletin and I wanted to patronize them, and Aron said YES because they rock), which was amazing and warrants its own blog post. Below, the kids got to share a dessert.

Eva licked the bowl clean.

Parents of many, do you ever feel weird that your kids wear expensive name brands? Like Sam with his Gap jacket ... yet, all our stuff like that is hand-me-downs from the kindness of other people!

Got some gas at the Loaf n' Jug (why is the jug just loafin' around? is it just lazy?). Smith's for groceries. Decided WHY NOT turn the night into errand night? So on to WalMart ... I need a new book to read and settled on something called "Once" (usually I let the universe send me books and don't pick them out ... the ones at WalMart are either too easy or too deep for me right now). Everyone got a book or activity thing except Sam, who got a small basketball. Joel's now reading the book "Brave" before he sees the movie for his birthday.

SIDENOTE: Who else wants a stick shift minivan so they can feel badass? I miss my little 1978 stickshift Chevy Chevette sometimes!

Got to drive the Buick home with Michael and Callie in the back. Listened to that amazing XM satellite radio. Hadn't heard this one in a million years!


Got home by 10 and fired up some Teen Titans, a show we don't get at home that the boys used to love, and now they ALL love it and go into the woods and play it together.



If you missed any installments of the Real World: Wyoming series, head to the right-hand side of this here blog, look for Categories, then click on Wyoming. And if you aren't following The Kerrie Show on Facebook, you are missing out on some cool stuff every now and then!