Movie madness

I took Kiri and 2 of her friends to see "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" last night. It was a very cute movie, and Brad Pitt was adorable in it. I want to fight Brad, and roll around on the floor until we have an incredible aggressive kiss and start knocking things off the counter to have wild sex.

The funny thing was Kiri didn't want me to go with them. She threw attitude at me, saying I could see it some other night. I told her I really wanted to see it, and as I was already taking her and her friends, I might as well go as well. So then she comes up with a brilliant plan of me dropping her and her friends off at the theatre, then driving away and coming back 5 minutes later to then sneak into the theatre so her friends wouldn't see me. I told her it was ridiculous. When we got there, one of her friends was short on cash, so I went to the box office and bought everyone's tickets, including one for me, and just marched into the theatre. Kiri shot me a beseeching look, but I ignored her and had a great time, even though I sat all by myself (by choice) so her and her friends could giggle and talk without me hearing every word. She's a funny kid. I remember the days when she would cry if I didn't take her to the damn grocery store, or forced me to go see those seriously miserable Pokemon movies. It's sad yet also heartening to see her becoming such an independent woman.

I read her middle school year book and was shocked. There were several entries by boys mentioning the size of her boobs. My God! No one said anything like that to me in middle school and I had pretty big boobs. Well, once someone called me anonymously to tell me I had the biggest boobs in school, but no one dared write it down and sign their name after. I am dreading when Kiri gets into High School.

Love to all.

Sunday, Lazy Sunday

I slept in until 9:30 this morning. Damn that felt good. I have a relatively clean house, the dishes are done, the laundry is finished, the carpet has been vacuumed. What shall I do for the rest of the day? Hmmmmmm. Maybe I'll go rent some movies and spend the day on the couch. Or maybe I'll go eat a sandwich at the new deli in town. So many decisions.

I will definitely go horse riding this afternoon when it isn't blazing hot. I have a major farmers tan happening, and I was telling my friends that I was going to go riding with a tank top and even things out a little. Some expressed their opinions on the intelligence of intentional burning of the skin, others gave me advice on the best way to tan and NOT burn terribly. I love my friends. Becca gave me a bumper sticker that reads "My friends kick ass". How true.

We made it to the Sportsman for karaoke on Friday. It was a hoot. I only got to sing one song, because I work on Saturday and had to get up early, so I felt like a party pooper. I REALLY wanted to stay longer and sing some more, and hear my friends sing, but my sense of responsibility made me go home after a couple drinks and a song and get some sleep so I could be cheery, happy, not hungover Ranger Kodi. BLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!(that was supposed to be the sound of a big raspberry).

I plan on going over and seeing Becca today. Happy happy happy Sunday.

Sorry. Not much to write about today. Other than the fact that my daughter can manipulate me on a regular basis to get what she wants. I try to resist, but her arguments are well thought out, and I find myself thinking "Hmmm, that makes sense" then I let her do what I told her 20 minutes ago she couldn't do. She wants me to treat her more like an adult, and is very hurt when she feels I don't trust her. There are certain rules that are unbreakable, her curfew for one, but others are more like guidelines than rules (I totally stole that from Pirates of the Caribbean). So when I say no sleepovers on weekdays, that really means, because of the huge sucker that I am, that she can have a sleepover in the middle of the week on a regular basis.

Just stamp "gigantic Pushover" on my forehead.

However, I find that Kiri is generally responsible, and my trust is validated. I need to be more firm with her however. I don't like feeling like a bulldozer just ran over all my credibility. I have to have SOME authority, for crying out loud. Wish my parents had been as cool as I am. Thank God she doesn't have access to my bank account. Hahahahahahaha.

I hate heavy furniture

This weekend we moved out our old dressers and computer desk, and moved in new stuff. It was very heavy, and I used very foul language many times. Once my husband smashed my hand between the dresser and the door frame, and I struggled not to call him a fucking bastard. I told him to slow down and quit pushing, but he just figures he can muscle the damn thing through the door. Finally it was done.

My step-son and his girlfriend showed up around 6 p.m. and I got completely trashed on wine. Feeling a little hung over this morning. I am watching Sophie for Becca, and thank God I only have to hang out with this sweet girl for most of the day instead of moving more furniture. She is such a cute kid. We always have a good time together.

I still need to go to the store and find a computer desk today. I know that whatever I pick out, I'll have to put the damn thing together. I could wait for Ken to come home from work, but I am the type of person that wants to get things done and over with. No waiting! So I'm sure I will end up doing it myself, and be in a crappy mood for a while after. Why can't things come already assembled? Why is that so hard? I am not a carpenter, for Christ's sake, I want my desk to be ready to just throw in the fucking room, instead of sorting out boards and fucking screws for two hours.

As you can see, I am not really looking forward to more furniture shit today.

Funny visitor question
Visitor: I need a vehicle pass.
Ranger Kodi: Are you going to any other National Parks on your vacation?
Visitor: There's more than one?

Sweet Wilderness

So, I'm back. The backpack was super fun. There were a few set backs, however. We didn't hit the trail until 3:00 p.m. because I had to do a program for 75 children at 1:00 on Friday. I got that finished (whew!), threw my stuff in my bag and met Amanda on the trail. It was a pleasant hike in, nice and cloudy with a little breeze. We hiked about 5 miles in to our campsite. Jared was waiting there already (he had packed in the night before). We cooked our dinner, discussing Leave No Trace techniques until bedtime. What is it about eating in the outdoors? EVERYTHING tastes good. I could eat rocks with cheese, and it would taste good in the wilderness.

During my discussion, I felt something crawling on my foot. I thought it was an ant, and didn't worry about it, and kept lecturing. It crawled between my toes, and I clenched my toes together. I looked down, and there was big black spider legs sticking out between my toes. Yeck!!!! Jared thought it was hilarious. I just calmly cleaned the spider guts out of my toes, and continued my lesson.

That night I was sleeping in the tent, and having terrible dreams. I dreamed all these people were hiking the trail, and breaking the rules and I couldn't stop them. It was very stressfully.

The next morning, it started raining, and it rained and rained and rained and rained. We hiked out in mud and muck, soaked to the skin and I loved every bleeding minute of it. I was pure mud from the knees down, and my fleece jacket was so soaked I had to keep ringing it out as I hiked.

I slept well in my own bed Saturday night, after a wonderful party with my friends. I was stiff and sore, but very content. Sunday morning, Kiri and I saddled up the horses and went for a ride. It was fabulous. However, any muscles that weren't sore before the horseback ride, were screaming for mercy after. All in all a wonderful weekend. I took my friend Jennifer's daughter riding on Monday, but I let Kiri and her ride while I smoked cigarettes in secret behind the shed.

My house is dirty and the laundry is piling up, but I don't care. I had a great weekend.

Hittin' the trail

So, I finally got the pic's of my new horse. Isn't she great! As I mentioned in my last blog, we had a great time at my parent's house. My dad is remodeling the house, so my mother is going to stay with me for a week while the walls are torn out of the kitchen. Whooo Hoooo. I haven't spent more than a few consecutive days with my mom for a long time. It will certainly be fun, and interesting.

I'm heading out into the backcountry for an overnight hike tomorrow. I do a Leave No Trace training trip every year for new employees. I love hiking. And I love getting paid to hike. I have to admit, I miss Kiri terribly while I'm gone. I usually look forward to getting a big Mountain Dew and seeing my child (in that order) when I finally get off the trail on an overnight trip.

I am also inordinately proud of all my scars obtained from stupid and daring things I have done in my life. When I drink too much, I usually start showing everyone my assortment of bruises, scrapes, sprains, and scars. I'm sure my friends are very tired of it, but for some reason it makes me feel like superwoman to have done the things I have and survived them. I suppose I'm arrogant and obnoxious, but well, when the booze is flowing in my veins, I make my friends suffer through yet another telling of the time I hiked four miles out of Ash Creek with a severely sprained ankle. Or the time I got bucked off my horse when I was twelve, and shattered all 6 of my front teeth. I feel the need to prove I'm not getting old. I am strong, damnit. Just not too smart, and I have terrible luck. And still , I ride horses and hike inspite of my many mishaps. Sorry to all my dear friends who deal with my arrogance on a weekly basis, ohhhing and ahhhing appropriately at my iron woman toughness. I love ya for feeding my foolish self absorption. I usually come to my senses quickly, and you are more than welcome to tell me to shut up.

I'll blog again on Sunday, complaining of being sore and tired, yet secretly hoping you will all tell me I'm wonderful.

God, I'm so insecure it is sickening.

Beautiful! 

Me and my gorgeous new horse 

Kiri playing with my new horse, Mimi 

Kiri's impersonation of Paris Hilton 

Kiri with bad allergies 

Kiri and I swimming, baby 

My father, Reed, singing "Hot Stuff" 

My brother Shane singing karaoke 

Booze, Sun, Family, and Horses

Wow. I haven't posted anything in a while. Becca says I'm a total blog slacker, which is quite true. I keep meaning to post, then get caught up in other things, and well, that's my lame excuse.

I have so much to talk about. It has been a very interesting week. Memorial Day sucked. It was busy as hell, and we were short on staff. I ended up only getting one day off that week. However, I took the following Saturday off for a fun-filled 3 day weekend at my parents house. My brother was also visiting my folks, so it ended up being somewhat of a rare family get together.

First off, before I even left town, I had to get the horse trailer. My parents had given Kiri a horse for her birthday clear back in January, and we still hadn't picked her up. Kiri was very anxious to get her horse, so I decided this trip was an excellent excuse to bring horses home. I was borrowing my dad's older horse to ride with her for a while. So, I'm completely stressed trying to get horse trailer, clothes, games, gifts, tent(we were sleeping outside), food, and all the other items involved with a trip to see the fam. Fortunately, I thought to bring the xbox. More on that in a minute.

Finally we hit the road, trailer in tow. It's a glorious afternoon. I finally arrive at my folks house 2 hours later, and my brother is already there with his ginormous camp trailer (spoiled brat). I hadn't seen my brother Shane in a while, so was super pleased to see he was already there. AND lo and behold, my dad had bought a big pool and was filling it up as I pulled in. YIPEE. It also happens to be Shane's birthday as well, and he shows me the cool portable DVD player my parents had given him. I commence to tell him that he has always been the golden boy of the family and gets the best gifts. Totally teasing of course, my folks had given me a washer and dryer a while back, so I really wasn't complaining. Then I go over to the barn to see the new little baby horse. He was only a week old and totally adorable. As I'm there I notice a new horse. She's gorgeous. Black and white paint with perfect conformation and a pretty little head. I walk over to her and she's friendly as hell. She sniffs my hair and licks my face, spreading goobers all over me, but I really don't care. I very casually joke to my brother that I wish my parents would give me this horse instead of the old one I'm borrowing. Then my dad walks up and asks me if I like his new mare. I tell him yes in no uncertain terms. Then he says "Well, Kodi, we bought her for you. She's yours." HOLY SHIT. I have a new horse. A GORGEOUS HORSE!!!!!!!! Hurray. Then I feel a little guilty about complaining about the old horse, and calling Shane the golden boy.

So complete bliss. We hop in the pool and progress to the drinking of much alcohol. I break out the Xbox, and my Karaoke Revolution. We are all having a blast singing and drinking. My dad, who is completely tone deaf, starts singing "Looking for some Hot Stuff" I have never laughed so hard in my life! My 61 year old very religious father singin looking for some hot stuff baby this evening totally off key was the funniest thing I had seen in a long time.

So needless to say, it was a great trip. I'm glad to be home. I took some snapshots of the new horse, and will post them soon.

Funny Visitor Questions:
"Are there any hiking trails I can take my car on?"(no, hence the important word HIKING)
"Do Eagle Scouts get into the Parks for free?"(no, we charge them double)
"Is there anything else I can do with my kids in the Park besides driving and hiking?" (no, our roller coaster isn't finished yet)
"Is it worth driving up the scenic drive?" (hmmmm, well since they usually make national parks in the ugliest places, it probably isn't worth it)