No Joke: LAST Wyoming Travel Post; Hays, Kansas (Day 35)

FREAKING FINALLY, you are probably thinking, right?! Yeah, I know it's Friday and I'm posting about the events of SUNDAY, but you can talk to my lawyer about that one when you sue me for bad blogging practices. Here are the pics, peeps.

This isn't from our last day but I had to share it because Aron was so proud of taking it a few weeks ago. Yes, I am peeing, and yes, married people take blackmail shots of their spouse. Can't blackmail me NOW, can ya, Aron?!

Back to our regularly scheduled program. This is Callie and Michael sleeping so peacefully in the living room at the hotel on our last day of travel.

This is Eva and Joel. I mean, come on, how many more years are we going to be able to cram them all together? Of course I pray they will always be best buddies, but you know how life goes sometimes so I'm enjoying this time when they are all getting along well enough to crash together.

And Mr. Sam, who is the Bed Buddy to me and Aron.

Breakfast at the hotel. Embassy Suites has amazing food! We joked that it was like a school cafeteria finding someplace to sit. I asked if I could sit at their cool table, but just like in the 1970s and 80s, it was not meant to be. 

Here is Eva petting one of FOUR kittens that my BIL and SIL got for their 4 kids. Cool parents, huh? We are in Hays, Kansas here (windy!), where they are building their new home. I took lots of pics but choose not to post because I don't like to post pics of other people's kids on the blog without their permission (fyi: I've been blogging for 4 years and have never once had a problem). Let's just say my niece and nephews are perfection and leave it at that :-)

This is the view from their back porch ... notice the wide open spaces.

I hope my SIL doesn't mind me posting a pic of her kitchen, but I love it. It has two huge pantries, new appliances, an island, anything you could want for cooking.

Oops, there's my nephew in there, but pretend like you don't see him and certainly do not go stalk him. I wanted to show that Aron and his twin were working on getting some front steps poured while we were there. Aron would love to go out and help for a week, but thankfully he still has a job.

On the way home a huge storm was a'brewin'. My dad kept me updated via phone. He's my weatherman since he has a cool iPhone. He was worried we would get carried away in a tornado like on Wizard of Oz, but we bypassed all the rain. Just kidding about my dad, by the way. Remember I'm an only child and they DO worry about me a lot, but I don't mind .

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 and more naughty content!

Feeding Kids Pork Rinds & Twinkies (Day 34 of Travel)

Saturday meant it was time to leave the ranch for good.

All the kids were sad to leave the kittens behind. Callie cried about having to leave in general. I was also sad.

Daddy thought it would be good to get some "real travel food" ... pork rinds and Twinkies. Later he spent lots of time on toilets. Wonder why? I do like chocolate as a road food, and Twizzlers, too, but try to keep it to fruit and granola bars and trail mix and juice. I was surprised when he picked up those little gems because he's usually the more responsible parent :-)

At a WINDY rest stop in Wyoming. We all just about blew away and had to do a kid count before we left.

Aron got a little nappie while I drove. Notice he's holding a pink doggie. It's his luvvie when I'm not available.

A huge fire as we got into Loveland, Colorado.

Finally at Embassy Suites in Loveland, Colorado! Ah, luxury! Those comforters are made of real gold.

This is the living area of our suite, thank you very much. We switched things up and Callie/Michael slept in this room on the sofabed together while Joel/Eva slept in the double bed in our room.

This is Sammy sipping a lovely Mountain Dew.

In the lobby-ish area they had Happy Feet 2 going during cocktail hour so the kiddies could be occupied while the parents used their FOUR DRINK TICKETS EACH. Holy schnockered! Then they gave out free cookies. The hotel was packed due to a vintage car show (love those vintage station wagons and convertibles) and a dental convention. You could tell who was there for which.

Huge hotel. Very nice.

Sam's drink ticket ...  haha!

After cocktail hour we went for some tacos at Taco John's then went back to swim. It was a gorgeous, windy night. Due to the way my weight is shifting, I think I can pass for pregnant rather than just a bit overweight in my swimsuit, so life is good.

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 and more naughty content!

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!