The Kassel Family Project Life 365

It was a beautiful day for a baseball game!  The weather was absolutely perfect.  We used our free passes to watch Mizzou defeat the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 4-2.  We all had a great time at the baseball game.  John got tired for the last third of the game as the game started right at his nap time, but Laura was very curious and asked Andy all kinds of questions.  I think both kids really enjoyed their first time at a baseball game.  Laura cheered as loudly as she could whenever the Tigers would score a run.  M-I-Z!  Z-O-U!  John just enjoyed being there.  He likes all things sports even if he does get bored easily…he is only three after all!  We stayed the entire game and just enjoyed the entire experience.  On the trip home, I assumed that John would fall asleep, but he was wide awake.  Laura, on the other hand, went right to sleep and even continued to sleep AFTER we arrived home.  An afternoon at the ballpark must have been one exciting experience!

Two weeks ago, Laura received free passes for four to the Mizzou baseball games for this weekend.  The University does this for Columbia Public Schools to a lot of different sports.

Friday’s game was rained out.  As the weather was questionable all day on Friday anyway, we didn’t even attempt to go to the game.  We decided we would go on Saturday.  We got everything ready and headed out at 5 pm for the ballpark.  We arrive and discover that because the game was rained out on Friday, they moved up the Saturday game and played a double header starting at 1 pm.  So, we got to see the bottom of the 8th and top of the 9th and a Mizzou win.  It is our plan to attempt Game #3 at 1 pm tomorrow!

…with Friday evening beverages, a nice bottle of red wine (Relative Red) that we haven’t had before.

Laura has finally learned to tie her shoes!  She has been frustrated with this for a while now, but she finally figured it out.  She’s very proud!

My work days are difficult these days.  I spend most of my work days actually working maybe an hour a day.  The rest is spent watching television shows on YouTube – I wrapped up Season One of “Criminal Minds” today – or working on photo books on Shutterfly.  Most people would say I have it easy and I should enjoy it.  The truth is that it sucks.  I hate it.  For the record, I *would* rather be watching television shows than being complained to by angry customers (and there are plenty of those), but I feel completely useless and worthless.  I haven’t been much fun to be around these days.  I know it and I admit it.  I try to control it, but it’s hard.  It’s easier when I’m at home because of Andy and the kids, but then I have to get up and go to work.  I’ve applied for several jobs, but there isn’t much out there right now.  It’s extremely angering and frustrating.  I feel like I have been hung out to dry and that fifteen years worth of knowledge is crap now.  On more than one occasion, varying people have said, “How do YOU know that?”  What I really want to say is, “I’ve worked here for 15 years, you stupid idiot.  Maybe if you shut your damn mouth and listened and then ACTED, I would still have a job.  Of course, I know these things.  I’ve worked here 15 YEARS!”  Instead, I do all that I can to help.  I want to stay at the University and I can’t afford to burn my bridges.  It’s so hard and the stress of it all is wearing me down.  I hate feeling useless and worthless.  I hate it.

So, the kids love Chicken-flavored Ramen Noodles.  At every meal where they are given the chance to choose their food, Ramen Noodles are in there somewhere.  Those two would eat Ramen at every meal if we let them.  Because of this, I buy two cases (24 packages) of Ramen Noodles a month from Aldi, which is only $4 total by the way.  Tonight, I asked the kids what they wanted to eat since Andy was at a meeting and he and I were eating dinner later in the evening.  Their response was, of course, Ramen!  Oh, they both also had sandwiches….at least I got a little nutrition in there somewhere.

Laura’s teacher, Mrs. Hanney, sent home a project for the kids.  Many of the kids are getting stuck and can’t think of things to write about during writing time.  On the project paper, the kids write down their ideas based on trips, fun events, family traditions, etc.  Then, they take the paper back to school to refer to during writing time whenever they are stuck.  Today, Laura said, “I wrote about Uncle Scot’s wedding!”  I get home this evening and check her project paper (she’ll return it to school tomorrow) and at the top of the list is Uncle Scot’s wedding.  🙂