Charging Me to Give You More Money

This week I find myself in the position of Secretary of Aron. I have to call Avis because of a $150 charge that showed up 2 weeks after he turned in his rental car. I also have to call Budget because of a $101 charge that showed up. Both charges have no explanation, so I have to sleuth out the deal.

Avis has sent me all over the place ... some pretend person named Michelle who won't call me back, and to Claims. The Claims lady and I had a good laugh when she said I did NOT need Claims and I told her the office is smoking crack and she said EXACTLY! We're thinking the charge is a cleaning charge because in Wyoming Aron works on a muddy mountain and often doesn't have time to clean the car inside and out before he returns it. That's fine. What I love is that Avis does not have the software to be able to have the space to enter what the charge is for. An employee actually told me this. So we all have to waste our time tracking this down when they just need a programmer to add more space in their software.

Budget actually made me laugh out loud. They still aren't quite sure, but they think the extra money is because at the last minute we needed the car 2 extra days. They got over $1,000 from Aron's company for almost 5 weeks of renting the car (returned clean!!!), but because he needed it TWO MORE DAYS, they charge an $80 fee OVERSTAY fee. I asked very politely, "You guys are charging us to give you more money?" Yep. You would think they would be happy renting the car out two more days.

What do you think about airlines and car rental companies? I just have to laugh because there is no fighting them.

This Is What 41 Looks Like, Folks

This is what a 41-year-old woman looks like:

Today would be my birthday. I was born in Germany, lived there 6 months, and came to chill in the Kansas City area ever since. I'm a full-blown Gemini, which explains a lot of crap. I'm getting some gray hair in my bangs and decided to stop pulling them out. I use face cream and eye cream and sunscreen. I don't stay out of the sun and do plenty of smiling and some frowning. I have those parentheses between my eyebrows that show up when I scowl. The skin below my eyebrows is sagging. I'm cool with how I look. Not a fan of shots in my face or going under the knife, but if that's how you roll, go for it. We can revisit this topic in 10 years and see where I stand.

When I loaded this picture, Michael said it looks I just said, "I pooted."

Aron and Joel are home from Scout camp today because Joel came home with a little fever and sore throat. What am I doing today? Sleeping in as late as Sam will let me. Writing. Going to the pool. Cooking. Cleaning. Purging junk from the house to prepare for a fall garage sale. Getting a fancy coffee. Enjoying the life I always wanted and got.

What did my husband get for me? Well, besides the gifts that keep on giving (a great marriage and 5 great kids), he got me rockin' new tires in Wyoming. Oh, and he fixed the PCM (power control module) on my van for around $400 instead of the $1,200 they wanted at the dealership in Wyoming. So my man is a gift in and of himself. Got a Scooter's gift card from Mom, homemade potholders from stepmom Nancy and cold, hard cash from Dad. Can't figure out for the life of me what to buy so I'm saving it until I know.

I hope you have a great day on my birthday.

Grandpas Behaving Badly

My dad is a freaking hoot. I had to post these pictures from last night (Father's Day). I loaded up the 4 kids I had in my presence, tossed a lasagna in the mommyvan (ghetto sled) and took them to my dad and stepmom's house. After a lovely dinner Sam had a little fit and threw himself on the floor. My dad also got on the floor to show Sam how it was done. Then Eva joined in the fun! It was awesome!

My stepmom made some awesome brownies and they sang happy birthday to me, something I wasn't expecting since I was there for Father's Day!

HELL YES, They Went to Scout Camp!!!

Happy Father's Day 2012! I feel HORRIBLE that I don't have a photo of Aron with all his kids to share today. We were kinda busy getting Joel and Aron ready to go to their very first overnight Boy Scout Camp! Yes, Aron told his boss he was going to camp and that he understood it might cost him his job. Looks like he still has a job so far, since he's supposed to leave again the day after he gets back from camp. Stay tuned to all that fun.

So I want to give a shout-out to the best dads ever ... my own father, of course, and my husband. I also have some friends who are amazing fathers, as well, and couldn't name them all. I also happen to think my brothers-in-law are terrific fathers. I'm super-judgmental, as you know, and know some crappy fathers, too, so I don't bestow those honors lightly. Now on to the photos.

Joel before we had to say goodbye. I could tell he was getting a little emotional so I tried to suck up my emotions and just kept talking about how much fun he would have. He's concerned about missing my birthday on Tuesday, and I told him my best gift would be for him to have so much fun that day that he forgets all about me! Of course I'm crying as I write this and will miss them immensely, but it's only for a week and he will learn so much and have a blast. I explained to his Troop that we homeschool, so that's why we are all attached to each other.

Comic relief to take our minds off the leaving. Sam is taking a nice dump. Time to potty train.

Joel and Aron were in the truck that's pulling the Troop trailer. I was stoic so I would not cry then make him cry. I told him we need to see other people for a week.

P.S. My stepdad doesn't have any children of his own, but he treats me and my family like his own. He doesn't talk much and doesn't show his feelings, but he shows his love by helping out and doing things for us. He took care of our house and yard while we were gone, for instance. We love you, Papa Dave!

Don't forget to check out my Giveaways! tab and tell your friends! You're a bad friend if you don't share a giveaway, you know. And if you don't give a crap about my ebook (it's for aspiring and current writers and comes with coaching), check out the other giveaways. I'm gunning for the at-home micro-dermabrasion kit.

Kids Can't Play in Fountains Anymore at Crown Center

There's a place in my town (my town is HUGE, by the way) called Crown Center. The area contains an office building (where I used to work and almost got my soul sucked out of my body working as an assistant in public relations), an ice skating rink, high-end restaurants, a hotel, Hallmark Cards (yes, THE Hallmark cards!), the new SeaLife Aquarium, LegoLand Discovery Center and shops and what else have I forgotten? It's got a crapload of cool stuff.

It also has cool fountains. Fountains kids can't play in anymore. Great decision to be making since it's HOT and SUMMER and all that. You'd think I'd be a jerk about it and fight it and all that, right? Not this time.

Check out this piece that changed my mind called Behavior By a Few Ruined Crown Center Fountain For All.

Here's the comment I left:

"I agree with all this, and I have 5 kids who love the fountain. But they need to fence it off or something, dummies! Of course the kids will run in it. If they fenced it off, then they would not need to waste money on a security guard/baby bouncer!"

Some are calling this decision racist since lots of black kids come there to play. I get that they are afraid of people suing ... hell, I cringe when my kids play there because all I see is an ER visit with cracked skulls.

The thing that bugs me is that now a security guard will chase off your kids. This is fine for those who know about the decision. But what about those who don't know and show up  for a day of fun like always and then are chased off? They need to fence it off and put up huge signs or something.

Don't your kids play in lakes and rivers? Don't animals and people pee and poop in those? How is that any LESS disgusting than a poopie diaper coming off in a fountain? Is the water recycled, so the poop goes down a drain and then comes back out?

As usual, people, school me on all this. Then enjoy some nice photos from our last trip to the fountain area this past spring on the same day we went to the SeaLife Aquarium.

This is the building where I used to work when I dreamed every day of becoming a stay-at-home mom and writer. Back then they would not let assistants become PR staff ... like it was the 1960s or something. Very strange.

Looks like fun, huh? NO MORE WATER FOR YOU, kids! HAHAHAHA! I got 10 bucks that says the guy who made this decision doesn't have kids.

I'm so cool I live in the town where Hallmark Cards is.

A neato restaurant in the Crown Center Complex in Kansas City, MO.

More fountain fun. Now picture this with like a zillion kids and you will see that it can become a crazy nutso place.

A view of the shops and the hotel with my 5 precious ones having some fun.