The Handbook

So, Monday is my last day at BYU.

They posted my job today.

Obviously, I will not be around to train my replacement.

Knowing that, I have been hard at work putting together a handbook of sorts. So far it is 13 pages long and covers the entirety of my job (I'm pretty sure). It is organized, but not too fancy.

But a problem has emerged.

How competent is my future replacement? Do I need to dummy it up, or will the person feel like I am talking to child? Have they worked at BYU before, or is this their first time? Are they anally organized like me, or a little more laid back?

For now, I've decided to ere on the side of too much detail. I have computer folder trails as well as hyperlinks to all documents. I have a step for EVERYTHING you edit when adding a new cable company. I have even explained the complexity that is our mail system.

Too much? I really don't know. So far I have made 15 additions just today. I really need to come to a stopping point, but where is it?

Let's just hope that the "new" KaLee will be anally organized, love step-by-step directions and sing my praises for the handbook.

This is starting to be like a journal

so I apologize, but we have had a lot of things going on.

We're back from the Land of the Wind.

My interview went really well, aside from the two dumbdumbdumb things that happened in the middle.

Dumb thing #1: I couldn't think of the word "employment" and it's a hard word to replace with anything else. I handled the situation beautifully by hemming and hahing until I thought of it (a good 15 seconds.)

Dumb thing #2: They asked me what my availability was the last weekend of this month. I proceeded to begin telling them about my sister-in-law's wedding until it hit me that I was talking about July and they meant June. So I recovered nicely from that one by saying, "Oh, you mean JUNE..." and then told them I was available.

I got home and was pretty sure that if they liked brunette girls with blond tendencies, I had the job for sure!

We decided to stay an extra day in Laramie so that we could hear from them about the job and then sign on an apartment if necessary.

The next day I received a phone call and the job was mine! Apparently they really liked my experience and the boss said that he felt like we would work together well. At least we know he likes a laugh.

We proceeded to sign on a three bedroom apartment.

And now I am going crazy! My dad is coming down for work and will be taking the first trailer load with him...this weekend!

My list of things to do before we move is massive and my first day of work at UW is the 29th!

So, if you are in the area and I don't get to see you before we take off--I am very sorry. I promise I will be down a few times this fall.

The Details

So, we will be having a little Cowboy or Cowgirl and no, we don’t know which yet. Ronnie wants the gender to be a surprise. I think my planning side may just die if I have to wait. I’m due on December 12th-right in the middle of law school finals, so that should be interesting.

I haven’t felt a BIT of morning sickness (please-no one stone me), and everything seems to be going just fine.

My aunt Nat is expecting her first on December 11th—and it will be so fun to have babies so close together. If only we lived closer.

I’m sure there will be plenty of baby updates in the future, as this is my parent’s first grandchild and the first great-grandchild on my mom’s side.

In other news, we are traveling to Laramie (again) to look at apartments and hopefully find one. It will be GREAT to be there for Father’s Day! I also have an interview in the Dean’s office of the College or Business at UW—and no my dad didn’t get it for me. I’m really hoping to find a university job because Ronnie gets half-tuition the INSTANT that I begin work (not too shabby!)

I promise that Lake Powell pics and stories will make it on here in the near future but as usual, I didn’t take a single picture with my own camera, so I am relying on other people!

Speaking of little ones...

Welcome Little Allie!

My old roommate Cheryl and her husband Scott welcomed their little one, Allie Paige, yesterday.

She was a big one at 8 lbs. 10 oz. and has the most adorable little nose and chubby cheeks.

Congrats Cher and Scott!

Picture courtesy: Bethany

I apologize that this picture doesn't have a spectacular angle of the baby, since that is who all of you really wanted to see. I'm sure you will have lots to look at on Cheryl's blog soon.

And we're off!

My blogging will be non-existent this week.

The reason?

I'll be soaking up the rays at beautiful Lake Powell.

I know.

You're jealous.

Better late...

I finally uploaded the pictures from our Philadelphia adventure. We were able to see a lot of great historical sites and Ronnie got his fill--I think.

Ronnie has this awesome appreciation for all things related to the beginning of our country that I find myself trying to conjure up. Seeing a few of the places was cool, and I'm starting to develop that appreciation.

"The" Liberty Bell--I was surprised by how big it was.

A shot of the bell tower in Independence Hall where the Liberty Bell first hung.

The signing room. This looked exactly like they depict it in "A More Perfect Union."

Me outside Independence Hall.

And Ronnie outside Independence Hall. It was at this point that we realized that neither of us were in any of the pictures and we probably needed to prove we were there.

George Washington's house at Valley Forge. I liked this because they actually let you go upstairs. Most of the historic sites limited you significantly.

The outer rim of Valley Forge. This was a fascinating place to visit and I learned that no battles were actually fought here. Please tell me that I am not the only person who did not know that. It will make me feel a lot better.

We had a recommendation to watch "National Treasure" before we went, so we watched it on the flight out to Philadelphia. I think the only thing it did was to make me say things like, "Look, that's where Nicolas Cage jumped onto the roof!" and "There is no way they could have snuck up the stairs at Independence Hall without someone stopping them."

I'm glad we visited, and find myself wanting to visit the East Coast again soon!

THE DECISION!!!

We have one! I never thought this day would come!

We will be official Cowboys in August.

If you would have told me six years ago that I would be moving back to Laramie, I would have laughed in your face. Having been away from Laramie for that long, I know the transition will be weird. I’ve already prepared myself that it will not be the same (not that I necessarily want it to be.)

I finally have that sense of peace that I have been yearning for during the last three months, and what a great feeling!

My parents were so wonderful, in that they NEVER pressured us in our decision, but once it was made, they were thrilled! They will not quite have ALL of their kids in Laramie (since Adam will be leaving August 1st), but pretty darn close.

Ronnie has already been scoping out the type of boots and cowboy hat he wants and I’m pretty sure the family wants to take him to a real, live branding, so he can be “branded” or initiated whichever word you choose.

Don’t worry; it won’t include any kind of burning flesh (I think.)

We were also able to travel to Denver and be present as Adam went through the temple. That was an amazing experience. Now he just has to adjust to an extra layer of clothing!
We will be so sad to leave all of our friends and family in the Utah area, but will be sure to keep in touch!

After a long absence...

I have no good excuse. Work was busy, we visited Philadelphia, and I have been trying to keep up with the house and yard (semi-unsuccessfully).

Normally, I would put together a big, long, juicy post all about the trip with fabulous pictures and witty comments, but I still have not uploaded the pictures onto the computer, so there will be none of that.

The law school decision continues to hang over our heads.

I was convinced that if I went ALLTHEWAY out to Philadelphia, I would step onto the campus and have an overwhelming feeling one way or the other.

That did not happen.

I felt normal. Just like I do every other day.

Bottom line: I think this is our decision. Both schools are different, but we will have a good experience at both. I don’t think we will receive any further inspiration. After months and months of praying, we just need to make a decision and move forward. (Oh, what bliss that will be!)

We are headed to Laramie this weekend for Memorial Day and have scheduled another campus tour and meeting with the Dean.

Hopefully I will have news to report after we return.

If not, I WILL make a decision and inform Ronnie of it later. :)

Tagged

I was tagged by the wonderful Jen, and am finally getting around to it. I feel as though there are no other weird things about me seeing as I have already embarrassed myself here and here, but I might as well try…

Here are the rules:
1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their 8 things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose four people to tag and list their names.

Random Facts/Habits About Me:

1. Every time I am in the shower, I come up with a plan to take out the guy that I KNOW is robbing my house right that instant. Seriously, every time.
2. I have not shaved my legs above the knee in over a year. Shaving is my least favorite part of being a girl.
3. All of my toes curl under. My pinky toes are barely visible. I’ll show you next time I see you.
4. I have never gotten a speeding ticket. (A ticket for an accident, yes—but that is another story.)
5. I am not allergic to anything.
6. I am very skilled on a Flying Turtle. If you don’t know what that is, you seriously need to ride one. I spent countless summer nights perfecting my downhill.
7. I do not type correctly. My hands are in the correct position, but my fingers are all over the place.
8. I hate foot massages. In fact I don’t like ANYONE touching my feet for any reason.

And, though I will not stalk you, to find out if you did it, I will tag
1. Bethany
2. Cheryl
3. Jess
4. Gnickie

A birthday and my greatest fear

Ronnie decided he wanted a very laid-back kind of birthday this year, so we decided to do a BBQ at home. Simple enough.

What we did not expect was this when we opened the grill:

Granted, we hadn’t used the grill since February, but still—it was a shock.

This leads us to my greatest fear—birds.

Birds of any shape, size or color.

Obviously I did NOT help clean up the grill so we could begin. In fact, I didn’t even actually step outside. I peeked around the corner from the doorway, got the gist of it and then waited (inside, with the door closed) for picture evidence to look at more fully. I was convinced that the mama bird (there were several egg shells on the ground), would come swooping in to rescue her home.

While I have never especially enjoyed birds (the bird show at Sea World was torture for me), my fear did not truly materialize until after I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” my senior year of high school.

I didn’t like the little finches my Grammy kept for a year or so, I hate the parrots that street vendors always seem to have about, and I have been known to duck and cover in the park when the seagulls are getting too close for comfort.

I know it is not rational.

I know they are more scared of me. (Or is that coyotes?)

But nevertheless, birds are scary.

And icky.

And if you are reading this and trying to come up with a way to scare the bejeebees (sp?) out of me—think again.

I will peck your eyes out if you do.

Happy Birthday Ronnie!

My wonderful husband turns 26 today! (And I like to tease that it means he is OLDER than a quarter of a century.) Ronnie is the opposite of me when it comes to birthdays and asked me today where I wanted to go out to lunch—I was quick to tell him that it is HIS decision, it is his birthday. He didn’t even want to open ANY presents before we left for work. Crazy boy.

Marrying Ronnie was the best decision I have ever made, he is the greatest ever! (I know that sentence sounds like something you would write in your friend’s yearbook—but it IS true!) He is such a people person and makes friends with everyone we meet. Plus, he is so patient with all of my shortcomings—and burnt dinner. He loves the Lakers and the Angels more than I can comprehend, but it sure is fun to watch his facial expressions as he is watching a game.

I’m excited to start the new chapter of our life (law school) together and can’t wait to see where we will end up!

Love you Ronnie!

You know you are in Wyoming when...

…the forecast is 45 degrees with a chance of rain showers and you wake up to 4 inches of fresh snow. On May 6th.

…the graduation BBQ is moved inside and the BBQ-er (Dad) must wear a winter coat to go out and check on the meat.

…you visit the family ranch to vote for a cabin site and cannot step ANYWHERE without stepping on elk droppings.

…in the middle of said trip to the ranch, you are forced to whisper and stand perfectly still for 15 minutes as you watch a herd of elk run up the ridge.

…the entire audience at the college graduation bursts into applause and loud cheering when the speaker (who has gone on WAAAAAY too long) says the words “and in conclusion.” Seriously. This happened. The guy had to pause while we all cheered and then he concluded with the last two sentences. I did not cheer afterward.

And then there were two...

Well, the day has arrived.

We heard from BYU.

We did not get in.

This brings about mixed emotions, as you may expect. There were many positives to staying in the area and attending an excellent school for a killer price, but we also feel that a new experience will be good for us.

We are now down to Temple University and the University of Wyoming. We will visit Temple in two weeks and hope to have a better idea of what we want to do. As always, we’ll keep you posted.

Congrats Erica!

My darling little (but taller) sister received excellent news yesterday! She was hired as the new Kindergarten teacher at Beitel Elementary in Laramie! This all happened just days before her graduation. I am so excited for her! She did her student teaching this last semester at Beitel and must have made QUITE the impression, because she was up against three other experienced teachers and kicked their behinds! (At least from my perspective.)

I can honestly say that she is in THE most perfect profession for her. Her love of children can be seen daily, and she has excelled throughout her education. Maybe I can come out and help her decorate her room! (I think deep down we all want to be teachers—even if it is just so we can write on the chalkboard.)

Congrats again Erc! We love ya!

My Shame

I almost hate to type this, as it will reveal one of my true loves.

McDonald’s.

I’m loving it. Seriously.

I just have to say one thing before I begin to get hate mail from those who have seen Supersize Me or want to educate me on the damage I am doing to my body….back off!

I know it’s not healthy and I know much of their food is on the disgusting side, but I don’t eat there every day or every week or even every month.

However, there are three things obtainable only at MD that I absolutely adore. Their Sweet and Sour Sauce, Sausage Biscuits, and Parfaits. Most often it is the sweet and sour sauce that draws me in. I order a #9 with a Dr. Pepper and extra S&S. Then I devour the chicken nuggets and fries with all the S&S I can possibly pile on before taking a bite.

In the past week, I have been disappointed by McDonald’s not once, but twice. (I know this goes against the only-every-once-in-a-while argument, but let me tell the story.)

#1. On Saturday evening the S&S sauce began chanting my name, I caved and Ronnie and I stopped by to fulfill my desire. We ordered in the drive through and I accidentally forgot to tell Ronnie about the sauce, but I thought “No big deal, we’ll just ask for it at the window.”

Wrong.

We asked. They were out. Out? Out of the only reason I was there. We had already paid, and I thought I could live, so we drove home.

I was wrong. I couldn’t even finish the meal, because the nuggets and fries were nothing without the sweet nectar of life.

#2. This very morning, on my way to work I was starving! I had forgotten my granola bar and decided that a Sausage Biscuit would hit the spot quite nicely, plus I was confident that friendly workers at my “work” Mc Donald’s would redeem my previous experience.

I ordered, paid and waited patiently for my delicious sandwich. The smiling young woman handed me my bag and I happily drove the two blocks to work—practically drooling with anticipation.

When I arrived I opened the sack.

A FREAKING MCGRIDDLE?!?!?

The most disgusting food on the entire menu.

I know I should have checked before I drove away, but I didn’t.

I know I should have driven back and demanded the correct sandwich, but I had a work meeting in 15 minutes.

I know I should have learned my lesson two days prior, but I didn’t.

Goodbye McDonald’s. I’m sorry it had to end this way.

(But don’t worry too much. I’m sure another craving will hit me in the next month or two.)

I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M

I don’t know if anyone else is sick of opening up my blog and only seeing news about law school, but I am! So it’s time for a trip down memory lane.

At the ripe-old-age of 15, I decided it was time to get a job. Through my many friends I was able to interview at Baskin Robbins and was offered a position. You may be wondering how I was employed in the 9th grade, to which I respond—it was Wyoming-okay?

I was soon dreaming of shopping trips and all of the new CDs I could buy with my outstanding wage of $2.15 an hour.

Yes, you read that correctly. I was making $2.15 BEFORE taxes.

Nevertheless, I was stoked (and I really did use that word in 1998.)

I eagerly donned my white polo shirt and blue apron and started training. I remember scooping and then weighing those scoops for the first four hours. Then came the daunting task of (gasp) helping someone. Through the next month I perfected my scoops and my right forearm. (I really wish I had taken a picture of that at some point, but let me assure you, it was awesome!)

The biggest bonus to this job (aside from the outstanding pay, of course) was that nearly everyone who worked there was LDS, lived in my neighborhood and was my best friend. It wasn’t work; it was a rip-roaring batch of fun. A senior in high school was the manager and we would all beg to be scheduled together.

We carpooled, we joked, we sang, and we scooped.

As time went on I continued to be employed by the “BR” as we called it. I received my nickel or dime raises every few months and trudged onward. Surprisingly it was just under four years later that I finally had to move on. In that span of time, I collected some treasured memories. (I’ll apologize now for the length of this post.)

1. There is only one radio station in Laramie that is not country or oldies. Thus, it was the station we listened to. There was an eternal game of “Name the Artist” at which I utterly failed every night. However, due to Saturday night being “80’s” music, I can sing EVERY song that was EVER popular in that time period. This knowledge has astounded Ronnie on more than one occasion.

2. We closed at 10pm and there was a very specific clean up schedule. We had to sweep, then pre-mop and then bleach the floor. The pre-mop mop (confusing, I know) had a swivel handle that led very easily to dancing. I can name you the song that EVERY person I worked with danced to while mopping. (Ryan-Bailamos; Annie-Walking on Sunshine; Amber-Closing Time, etc.)

3. While this will probably haunt me forever—I peed my pants while working. I was 15, was laughing uncontrollably and just could. not. make. it. My two dear friends helped me find an old pair of shorts left there by the owner. I then had to secure them around my waist with a garbage bag and put my shorts out to dry in the back. I still smile when I think about that night—not the peeing my pants part, but the friendship and laughter.

All in all, I learned hard work, how to earn a paycheck and gained some valuable friendships. And, if I ever have the privilege of serving you ice cream you can expect a gigantic scoop for the price of a small (just don’t tell the boss.)

Congratulations Carissa!

My wonderful roommate of three years, Carissa, just got engaged this last week! I am so happy for her—yeah for weddings! This is a picture of the two of us at a Utah/BYU game in Salt Lake—scary stuff!

I finally got to meet the “guy” and have to say I approve. After all, he IS from Wyoming, so what’s not to like?

Shawn and Carissa are getting married in Portland, so I won’t be around for any of the planning (which I consider the fun part), but I know it will be spectacular!

Congrats again!

The Update

I know everyone probably wants an update, but all I have to say is that we

Still.

Haven’t.

Decided.

I’ll let you know if anything new happens.

I don't have any law school titles left...

So we visited UNLV.

It was fine, but we have felt better about a few other options, so we have decided to let UNLV go.

The day that we left, we received an acceptance from Temple University in Philadelphia. It was a school that we applied to based on their invitation and never really considered because 1. we didn’t think we could get in and 2. it is all the way in Philadelphia.

Nevertheless, we are accepted. We weighed the pros and cons and decided that we would call them and ask a few questions regarding residency, etc. Ronnie called and found out that if you are a student in PA, you cannot receive residency. Period. Based on this fact we ruled it out.

That was yesterday afternoon.

A mere four hours later, Ronnie was going through the mail and saw we had received a packet from Temple. This is fairly common with law schools. They send you an acceptance letter and then follow up with a huge envelope with more information. Although tempted to throw it out sight unseen, he decided to open it.

It’s a good thing he did! We were offered a scholarship that brings tuition to the residency price for all three years. That means that a school ranked 60th is the same price as Wyoming.

Temple is back in the running.

Ronnie has always dreamed of living in Pennsylvania and I am getting more used to the idea. It is still a LONG ways away from family, but it is the most prestigious school on our list and that is a definite plus.

As always, I’ll keep you updated as the saga continues. BYU’s deposit (for those accepted) was due last week, so we are hoping to hear one way or the other soon.