#Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tickets for FREE from 101 #TheFox Kansas City

While running errands yesterday I heard something on The Fox saying CALL NOW to win tickets to something so I whipped out the cell and called. It was busy so I tried a few more times then:

"YOU ARE CALLER  NUMBER 11!"

I'm like, okay, (thinking, I don't even know what caller I was supposed to be to win).

"YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA TICKETS!"

And then I got REALLY EXCITED! I love this group and so does Aron ... they are the ones who do the rock n' roll Christmas songs with drums and electric guitar and generally kick butt. We have been wanting to see them for a long time and I ALMOST ordered tickets but just didn't. And now we are going for free! We were in the neighborhood of the radio station (Mission Bank Building) so I swung by with the kids to pick up the tickets ... next year I'd love for them to go with us but for now they are going to have fun with a sitter!

My Advanced Healthcare Directive

Dear Aron, Mom, Dad and kids ...

i'm proofreading this thing and it's getting me really worked up. i know this might not be binding or whatever but wanted you all to know that if something happens to me i think i prefer to live, however that might be ... on a machine or whatever. maybe give  me 5 years like that and then cut me off. i think that's a good amount of time to wait for a miracle and then let me go ... i don't want everyone visiting the freaking hospital every dang day forever and getting the kids all worked up plus the expense. so if it hits 5 years and nothing has happened, just pull the plug and i'll see you all on the flip side, kay? i love you guys. oh, and let the kids know i am okay with aron remarrying if he finds someone equally as rockin' as me or else ... even better ... someone more calm and chill than i am ... but she has to be fun. and try to keep homeschooling the kids if you can somehow.

Kerrie (Kethryn) McLoughlin

More Evidence That I Could Not Be a "School Mom"

Rarely do I have to deal with school lines ... dropping off and picking up ... since I homeschool. However, there have been times when I have picked up other people's kids from school and usually the system is pretty efficient both at the public and the private schools. That is, if everyone is on good behavior and isn't acting like a selfish douchebag and talking on their phone.

So tonight I had two little ones who were not feeling well. I usually take Eva to Religious Ed class and Sam comes to the nursery with me, where I work. If they knew he was 5 years old (even though not in kindergarten) they would wrench him from my arms and put him in a class, and over my dead body, friends.

Anyway, for the first time ever I did a Religious Ed drop off. No problem. The pick up was the issue.

So I get there and I get in line. I realize I am blocking another part of the parking lot and there is a 6 p.m. Mass so I back up to let people in and out. This does not mean I am going to let someone IN who is  picking up their kid. Their butt should be BEHIND me. Prepositions, people.

So this chick in a Traverse comes up on my left and puts on her blinker, like she needs in front of me. I am trying to be cool and think maybe she is handicapped and needs a spot for Mass. Maybe she is going to park up there for some reason.

The line moves forward and I let her in ... keep in mind by now there are like 10 cars behind me. She is front of me and trucking along and the kids start coming out. I see a kid going to her car. My kids come to my car. I get out of my car and go up to her window while in the line.

I knock on her window. Yes, people, I do get this kind of thing from my parents and it is called ASSERTIVENESS. Also, my personality is an ENTJ and this means I can't stand morons and selfish people and I have to point out to them when they are in error. I'm kind of a butthole that way but I also consider it a service. What I said to her is better than someone who might have kicked her butt another time in the future.

So she looks surprised and rolls down her window WHILE STILL ON THE PHONE. And I say to her:

"Um, you cut me off in the pick-up line. Next time you need to come behind me like everyone else did. Thank you."

And back to my homeschooling world where I belong.

#MommyScouts Pilot Program

So the dudes have Boy Scouts and we need our own thing. We need Mommy Scouts. A few years ago my oldest son was talking to a guy in his Boy Scout troop about something and saying he would have to ask his mom blah blah blah. The guy says, "It's not Mommy Scouts." This was to say that my kid, at age 11, should be organizing all his own crap ... and that I should not be in charge of any of his Scout junk. Scout moms know this is a joke. We keep the calendar and drive the kid places and harangue them to finish their stuff. Any kid with an Eagle award in Scouts has a parent or guardian not far behind who is now glad to have to break from the nagging about the 70 million steps each badge and each level of moving up takes to complete.

Oh, and who sews those danged badges on the shirts, anyway? Okay, my husband does, but my son ain't doin' in, that's for sure.

I am going to be posting some badge requirements for you to advance in Mommy Scouts ... the final badge coming when you get your kid out of the house, which may be when he/she is 18 and may be when he/she is about 45. For example, had my own mother been in Mommy Scouts, she would have received that final badge when I was 18. Then she would have had it snatched away when I moved back home TWICE. She would have gotten it back when I was about 22 and good for her for raising a fine young woman!

I have visions of selling specialized badges from my blog and also handbooks in the future. We'll see how far my half-assed self gets with this idea. Don't expect me to sit around sewing these badges on your shirts, ladies. Happy to take your ideas at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com. Yeah, I have to spell it out that way so dirty, nasty spammers leave me alone.

This blogger had the right idea back in 2009 and I applaud her. Hopefully I'm gonna run with hit! Here's her post about how we should have Mommy Scouts, and the I Didn't Kill My Daughter's First Boyfriend badge!

Kerrie and Crew Wrap-up: Kick-Butt Field Trip, Planning a Vacation

I've been so busy with the family lately and the blog took a backseat ... but here are a couple of posts you can link to and find out what I'm scheming lately! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Coming up in December is the best field trip day ever, packed with 3 fun activities for the kids and me (I'm learning grammar real good with the kids lately ... haha!)

Here is where I talk about the possibility of planning a trip to New England with Mr. Kerrie and the kids. We would have to drive there to save a ton of money and the thought of popping my mommyvan on a ferry over to Martha's Vineyard and having the kids experience that is so exciting! I love having something to plan for ... it's the actual saving that is the hard part! These are pictures of Marblehead, Mass., where Mr. Kerrie used to go visit his Aunt Frances. Her house was just a short walk from the water.