And...we started school.

Just like millions of families across the country...we recently started school. We also took the traditional first day of school photos, signed our lives away on dozens of forms, bought hundreds of dollars worth of supplies and paid a bazillion fees. (Ok, I'm kidding. WE haven't signed anything. I have signed EVERYTHING. Although, I must say, it's nice to now have kids old enough to do the legwork on many forms...I just sign where indicated.) I know my rant about filling out the same forms year after year after year has all been heard before.

However, I am ranting again.

Seriously. I have 4 children who attend 3 different schools...true. However...those said schools are all in the SAME DISTRICT. And those children all have THE SAME parents and THE SAME emergency contacts and THE SAME doctors, dentists and therapists. (Oh wait, maybe I am the only one with a therapist.) Oh yeah, and it just so happens that all children have the same information as last year....down to the very last detail.

Why in the world can't they figure out a system which saves me valuable time and energy? Can't I just fill out one form, list all kids and have them input the information into a general data base somewhere? What is with the need to have carbon copies of everything? I'd almost (ALMOST) be willing to pay a fee to have someone fill out the forms for me. Kidding, of course.

Ok, I am done with that. But I would welcome any enlightening thoughts on the matter.

I just find the first few weeks to be exhausting. I don't know how the poor teachers do it. They are truly saints. Speaking of teachers, we seem to have lucked out all around this year....the kids like all of them. (Admittedly, the jury is still out on a couple of Addysen's and Cannon's teachers at the Middle School...but Middle School doesn't count, right?) And yes, we now have 2 Middle Schooler's. Where does the time go?

We have a bus in front of our house 6 times a day picking up/dropping off various Kerr Children. And we also spend a lot of time at the Middle School because we now have a 7th Grade Volleyball Star. (She wouldn't claim to be a star...but I will make that claim for her. Way to go Addysen.)

Anyway...here we have the 2011-2012 Kerr Children.
Addysen - 7th Grade
Cannon - 6th Grade
Brynnley - 2nd Grade
Kenzie - Kindergarten

Although this picture was in jest, I'm seeing way too much of this kind of a look lately...and I don't love it.

Waiting anxiously for Brynnley to get home and off the bus.

Showing off the "I Will Behave on the Bus" form.

Waiting for the bus inside...since it was pouring rain outside.

The kids biggest fan! (And what's a little bedhead in the morning?)

Financial Freedom...E=C2M

In August we attended the Consumer Choice National Convention where Greg and his business partner, Dan, were promoted to the company's first National Director's. Way to go guys! It's been three years of a lot of work and effort, but it is nice that those efforts are starting to pay off.

Saving people money on products and services they already use like utilities (natural gas, electricity, phones, and SO much more) is such a great thing to be involved with. The deregulation of energy (like the deregulation of telecoms years ago) has paved the way for incredible opportunities to save people money while making money at the same time.

Check out this cool video and see if you happen to recognize anyone.
www.teamccm.com/thekerrclan

So bizarre, yet so much fun. African Wildlife Sarari...in Ohio.

Thanks to a significant discount through Groupon, we got tickets to the African Wildlife Safari near Sandusky, OH. I can only say that it was a bizarre experience - -driving around having all sorts of wild animals try to stick their heads and bodies into our car. And yet, it was hilarious. We laughed so hard -- we simply had to buy more food and drive through a second time.

   Granted, I was a little nervous that I might end up with a cracked windshield. The horns on some of those creatures -- swinging around while swatting flies -- more than a little nerve-wracking. (And someone did get their windshield cracked while we were there.)

Cambrie did not love being eye to eye with all of the "hippos."(Her words, not mine.) But she was a trooper watching through the window. Addysen and I alternately screamed and video-taped while Kenzie and Brynnley fought over who got to feed the next carrot. It was really a lot of fun...in a sort of disgusting way. (The slobber left on my window and door left a lot to be desired.)