Our Last Day in Wyoming :-( Utah's Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City

Friday (Day 33 of being away from home) found us once again at Utah's Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City. We were only there about 3 hours but it was totally worth it. Aron was going to be in SLC later to return his rental car because, frankly, they told him they needed it back and he could not have it INDEFINITELY. We also could not stay at the ranch INDEFINITELY. I love that word.

Right out of the gate we had to get ice cream cones since we missed the cut-off last time. It was hot hot hot today.

I Had an Affair in Wyoming

Let's start with a funny before we get down to the serious business:

Yes, I know, it's kinda like I have an affair with ecards every day because I'm always posting them. I admire the brains that come up with the humor, is that so wrong? But now on to my real affair, and here is a photo of my beloved:

When I think of all the great times we had in Wyoming over the past 5 weeks, I think I am going to miss my Whitey most of all. Yes, his name is Whitey Whirlpool, and we are in love. I can't bear the thought of returning home to my other washing machine. You know, the one that isn't even two years old but that I have to stand over and fill with a freaking hose by hand every time I need clean clothing.

AND then the clothes aren't even anywhere close to clean. I know Aron is going to miss Whitey and how he made his undies and socks all nice and, well, WHITE. You just push a button on awesome front-loading Whitey and walk away. Whitey COMMUNICATES how long his cycle will be so you know where you stand. Whitey takes care of my family and their clothing. Whitey may very well be the love of my life. If I can ever scrape together hundreds of dollars, I might ship Wyoming Whitey Whirlpool to my house. I'll bet Whitey won't crap out the day his warranty is up.

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!

Kids Taking Recon Photos, Then Playing in Fire Pits (Day 32)

This will be quick and painless for you, the viewer reader because I have dishes and laundry and showering to do before we head out to the zoo again (I'm writing this Friday morning, but the date on the post is Thursday; freaky, huh? I have powers like that.)

I'm not gonna lie to you ... we did more loafing in the morning, more playing with kittens. About a million people showed up late morning in about 5 cars and we started freaking out because we were like, "Uh, we just secured our place again for 2 more nights and all these people have come ... where will they stay? ... will they try to boot us out???" Turns out they got booked on the wrong weekend (NOT by the managers, who rock, by the way), so they all had to cram in the 2 cabins and they were HAPPY ABOUT IT. What a great attitude and one I do not always possess!

Here the Littles are messing around in the woods behind the house.

Callie took a recon photo of one of the new guests on HER horse, Rapid Fire. Crap, I see a ranch and a horse in our future! I've been looking at real estate on the outskirts of KC and it'll run about half a mil. Better start saving pennies. There's always that Hooter's job offer I received ...

Sam's baby driftwood. He looks tough holding it, but it's his little punkin.

We went to the fire pit for something different to do. This is the before photo. The after photo involves much wet ash all over children, which led to baths later.

The naughtiest of my kids Littles know how to collect water to put out their fake fire. 

The Bigs messed around in the woods. Everyone was playing happily, so I made a plan for how to survive without a job, just in case. It's all on my handy dandy yellow legal pad. Bet you wanna see THAT!

Later I tossed the kids some food out the back door fed the kids a nutritious dinner outside in nature. This turned out to be their first dinner, as later when I made grilled cheese sandwiches for Aron, everyone wanted one!

Joel was able to secure one last horse ride for he and his siblings! This is Eva and Sam riding to the arena.

Joel and Callie don't need no stinkin' assistance!

Rung Monkeys are the guys Aron might work with who do Ladder Logic (don't ask me to explain). These are my fence monkeys. Joel is leading the horse back to the barn so he is MIA.

Grilled cheese with chicken lunchmeat and banana peppers. Sometimes I swear I'm pregnant because of the way I go nuts over banana peppers!!!

Aron came home around 9 p.m., which is early lately. He's working like a horse and getting his stuff all done, so looks like we will be leaving Saturday morning. No, really, I'm serious this time! Aron's bosses are off my Naughty List ... I could not hold a grudge it if weighed 2 ounces and you gave it to me in a sling. In fact, if they read this, I want them to know that if they approve Scout Camp, I will make sure Aron works 473 hours a week until the end of the year and I will bake them lasagnas and cookies until they puke.

The kids had me read to them at bedtime, and Aron needed the "extra" sleep anyway. They like when I read to them from the CHC Science 2 for Little Folks ... crazy little freaks! Michael was upset again, thinking we would not leave Saturday. I told him (not to be mean to my loving husband) we would be leaving Saturday with or without Daddy ... we are going home.

Homeschooling: We did the multiplication/division problem that 35 days away from home = 5 weeks exactly and that is our limit.

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!

"Make Money to Write About Your Kids" Giveaway + Critiques! $50 Value

This giveaway is over. Please check the left side of the blog for more!

Welcome to the Sunsational Summer Giveaway Event. This event is hosted by Blog It Forward, My Mommy's World, Taking Time For Mommy, And The Little Ones Too, and Put A Little Umbrella In Your Drink. This event features giveaways with a value of $25 or more at each of the participating blogs! Be sure to visit each blog from the linky below and enter for your chance to win! This event will close on the first day of summer, June 20th at 11:59 pm EST. Good Luck and have a Sunsational Summer!

I'm giving away a copy of my ebook, "Make Money to Write About Your Kids", which has gotten rave reviews, plus 3 article critiques (valued at $50)! Enter via Rafflecopter below. Sometimes the blog gets a little fickle, so keep scrolling until you find the Rafflecopter box!

Please understand that Blog It Forward, along with the "Sunsational Summer Event" bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. However, we are responsible for contacting our sponsors regarding the winner's prize at the close of the giveaway. We expect that our sponsors will fulfill their prize agreement and ship them to the winners in a timely manner.

DISH Network was in Idaho, not Wyoming (Day 31)

Wednesday, June 6 found us going a little nutty in the morning. The night before I had trouble sleeping due to a knee injury thing that us old people get. I think I tried to jog or something and messed it all up. Anyway, it was screaming at me, so I slept in until 10:30 ... as did the kids. So embarrassing! The DISH Network guy had been trying to call because I am Acting Ranch Manager when the Silvesters are gone ... haha! We were rushing around because we had an appointment to get new tires at 11 a.m. and had already called them to move that to 11:30. So we're going nuts and I'm on the phone with the DISH guy giving directions and it goes like an Abbott and Costello schtick:

DISH: "Okay, so I'm at exit 385 off Tremonton. How do I get to you?"

Me: "You get off at the McDonald's exit, not Harrison. Then take 150 South to 152."

DISH: "Okay, so I see a McDonald's but I'm at blah de blah by Idaho."

Me (finally, after doing this for a long time and Google Mapping it and stuff): "I don't think you are near Evanston, Wyoming, are you?"

DISH: "No, I'm in Utah, by Idaho."

Me: "Kay, that must be their other residence and you're a state away so I don't think I'll be waiting around for you and I have to go get new tires right now."

Here is us after dropping off the van for slick new Defender tires for like a zillion dollars (including rebate). I had to get a pic of us walking down the road, people looking at us like we were headed to a homeless shelter.

We hit the Mexican place (Bear River Cafe, yeah, a really Mexican name, I know) for some awesome corn tortilla tacos and some Choco Tacos. Then we walked across the street to Hamblin Park.

Sammy with his taco under a pine tree.

All My Children.

After we peeled out of the tire place, burning lots o' rubber (just kidding, Aron!), we went to get gas, get some RedBox movies since the DISH guy was not coming and we can't exist without entertainment (especially while I'm trying to pack and clean!), then WalMart for some road snacks, Alleve and Icy Hot balm. Why didn't anyone tell me how much Alleve rocked? That coupled with the tons of sleep I got the night before fixed my knee right up.

Came back to the ranch to do the think I should give lessons on: cleaning out the van and packing it up. I'm getting good at it. I went to the stables to cry over missing the kittens :-( Around 7 we were all packed and STILL waiting to hear from Aron because we had to meet him in town to drive to Salt Lake City to return the rental car (a 3-hour round trip). Turns out his boss is giving him more crap and said he did not know we were leaving tomorrow, even though I saw it with my own eyes in a freaking email that he RESPONDED to. Grrrrrr. They talk my man up like "hey, dude, you are the head man in charge and you have to act like you LOVE this project and you OWN this project, but oh, yeah, we won't listen to you when you say there's no reason for you to be there right not. oh, and, you still can't go to scout camp so figure it out."

So we are here another 2 days. No big deal for me, a mild annoyance, but I was pretty pissed when Michael lost it and was crying about wanting to go home and Joel was asking for BossMan's phone number and we almost drove to the Diamond X ranch to kick some Texas client buttocks. So I did what any lady would do: I bitched about it on Facebook. It's what to do when you feel otherwise helpless because your network of pals will come through and tell you what you have to be thankful for and that you need to stop griping and just be happy.

The day ended with another gorgeous sunset.

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!