For all my Auditing Friends & Their Spouses - Enjoy the BS (busy season)

A Little Announcement

Ten years ago we started on a long journey.  If we knew then, that it was going to take this long, be this hard, take this much time and money, we would have thought twice about it.

I wanted to tell you months ago when we knew it was going to happen but Karst wanted to wait until it was official.  Well its official, all the requirements have been met, the tests have been taken, papers are signed and the state is satisfied.

 I am so happy that I won't have to hear "I need to study."  Really I am so proud of this accomplishment it was not an easy or a small thing to do.  The whole time he went to school he continued to work full time, while maintaining a 4.0.

When it came time to study for the CPA he was a new father, went through a couple of busy seasons and didn't ignor his crazy wife.  He will continue to work at the same public accounting firm he has been with for the last 5 years, he specializes in Insurance Auditing.

And since it is the wonderful BS (Busy Season), we will wait until June to celebrate.  I am thinking of having a book burning party, I don't think we will be needing all of those college text books anymore!!

Karst - I love you and am so proud of you, your commitment to your goal is inspiring!!

and the winner is . . .

From my last post, I thought I should update you on who the winner of the Employee of the Year for the accounting firm Karst works at.

It was announced at the annual Christmas dinner, after we had devoured the salmon and prime rib.  The partners introduced all the new employees and gave out recognition for accomplishments throughout the year. Karst was recognized for his accomplishments this year, but I am not allowed to share that with you . . . yet.  Also they recognized milestone employees, Karst got a $5 gift card to In and Out for being there for 5 years.  Then came the announcement for Employee of the Year and it went to:

Eli- from the Spanish Fork Office.

Karst and Eli actually started about the same time and they have worked together on different audits over the year.  Karst was so happy for him.  He was so shocked and so humble about it, he totally deserved it!  Congratulation Eli!!

Just when you thought the campaigning was over:

At the accounting firm where Karst works, they have an award

 "Employee of the Year",

 that they announce at the Christmas party.

And because Karst is the super stud he received the award the first year he worked there.

Well it is that time of the year again, 

and I guess Karst decided he would campaign for the award. 

Of course it was all a joke and then his co-workers started going along with him.

It started with a sign . . . and then they all put up signs. 

When Karst came home the other night,

 he was laughing and talking to me about it. 

 But today when I went into the office for him to sign somethings,

 I saw the signs and I couldn't help but laugh out loud

 and of course take some pictures.  Here is for your entertainment.  

This was on the office door across the hall from him, 

Remind you of high school?

  I love the pop machine in the kitchen,

 I am sure it will be full of Pepsi.

  And when Brian dances in his moon boots,

 we need to be sure to get video
 for his youtube career.

 This was on Brian's door.

I bet Brian is getting a t-shirt made that says
"vote for Karst."

And this is what was on Karst's office door.

 The bottom in blue says;

"paid for Karst for EOY"

He also walked around with this on all day.

 Look at this trusting, loyal, hard working guy 

. . . who obviously loves his job,

how could he not be

 Employee of the Year

p.s. The winner will be revealed on Tuesday night, I will keep you posted.

p.p.s. This is really all a joke the partners in the firm decide and there is tough competition,

 Karst really doesn't expect to win, he just wanted a good laugh.

p.p.p.s. love you Karst, don't be too mad at me, forgiveness is divine!

Karst's Latest Intern . . . in training

Notice the abacus?  Starting small, she already can shred paper at a 6th grade level, and when you talk to her on the phone she just sends you in circles.   At this rate she will be a full blown auditor by the age of 5.  I think their next lesson is on spreadsheets.

I told you these two were tight.

The B.S. of 2010

Remember when I told you about the Rules of Busy Season way back when. Well, the only thing that has changed, is his newest intern.

She might already be typing faster then him.

Well here we are in the middle of what I like to call B.S. (busy season) 2010. Karst is working, working, working and I am missing him more everyday. However, Karst does try to make it home in time to hold Charlee to sleep. Once she goes to sleep, he is back to work at the kitchen counter.

Even though Karst works for a C.P.A. firm, he does not do taxes. He helps out the tax guys in his office when he can, but really what he has spent more than 70 hours a week doing is audits. There are deadlines for these audits to be done, and that is why the pressure is on and the clock is ticking. Its a good thing, it only lasts 5 months, because if it went any longer we would both be in the padded room.

So I just wanted my two faithful blog readers, who were concerned about how we were surveing the B.S., that we are doing good. We keep Karst in the loop by sending him pictures throughout the day. Like this one.

And Charlee has discovered 5 Guys Fries, for dinner. . .

this could be a BS tradition.

To all you Public Accountant Widowers this time of year, together we can survive. We should get together with our favorite ice-cream or brownies in a park, let the kiddies play while we share stories. Suggestions? Saturday April 10th about 2 p.m.?

Now we just play

Charlee is doing so much better now.  We are so happy, and feel so normal again.  So now we fill a lot of our days with just playing, what else is more important?

She has started this belly laugh stuff and it is so funny, its almost like she can't stop laughing. (I think she is really just laughing at the crazy lady with the camera in her face, what if I have taken too many pictures and now she thinks the camera is part of my face and she doesn't recognize me without it, that's kind of funny).
Charlee is 5 months old now, and she loves being out in the sun, I fall in love with her all over again when I see her experience new things.

So anyway, now you can see that really the reason nothing was posted earlier this week, was because we were busy playing, and it is too much fun.  

Getting through the bitterness of waiting, and hoping and dealing with the unknown and loss of control to get Charlee in our home, has made the last 5 months the sweetest in our home.  I don't have the words to express how full our hearts are!!

Wacky Wednesday - Milestones

Of course we all know that the only thing that you can count on is change.  The best change is the one that you plan, that you have control of.  I am a dreamer, I love to sit and think about how things will be, how things can change.  I have been thinking about how reaching different milestones with different goals causes the changes you have been waiting for, but maybe not ready for.

So let me tell you about a few milestones we have reached recently.  First of all my cute little car Marge, turned 100000 miles.  I had just pulled into the salon parking lot when it the 99999 rolled.  Which I thought was fitting since her and I go there every Saturday.  She is still running like a champ, even if she backs into light polls, but that is a post for another day.

So the next milestone we have hit, is as I told you in August, was Karst was working on his last class for his graduate hours before he could start sitting for the CPA exams.  Well just like that it is over, the Grad school he was going to has quarters, and now he has hit the milestone DONE with school.  No more school projects and school stress, don't worry I have found other stress for him, but this huge milestone that he has been working toward for 7 years is over.  It is really weird and something that I don't know if it has really hit him.  I am thinking he needs to do a post on it, but we'll see.

So now his he gets to work and work, they have started the auditing season, so there is a lot going on to keep him busy.   Good thing he loves his job!!

The milestone I have hit, I am getting ready to take a short leave from work, I love my job, I love the company I work for, it is the best job I have ever had, but sometimes you have to step away for a moment and get things in your life on track.   This is a picture of my department at a get together we had.    There are many weeks I have spent more time with these people then my husband, and the'll be missed, but things will be better when I am back.

milestones on this crazy thing we call life.

Wacky Wednesday - It's the Final Count Down

Tuesday September 2nd Karst will start his LAST graduate class.  He says it is a "Capital Venture Class", but my guess is it's "Golfing for the Grad."  Whatever class it is it's the LAST and that is the most important.  After this he will have enough graduate hours to start taking the CPA exams.

Karst started his college career way back in 2000, sometimes part time, but he kept going.  He has his bachelors in accounting and now graduate hours in the MBA program.  The ironic thing is he does not like school, he hates studying and reading and projects, but he has stuck with this.  Not floating along, I am talking getting his BA with a 4.0.  As you can tell I love this guy.

He has a great job with a public accounting firm, in their  audit department.  He works with the best  people that Dwight (from the Office), could only dream of and has the radical mentor (hi robb), that JD (from Scrubs) would die for.  They have twinner 100 oz mugs that they bond with.  The Company Partners have been awesome to us, so the good news is I am sure we are here to stay for a long time, there will not be any big changes after the CPA is achieved.  

So as he on the edge, ready to close the door on the school part of his life, I thought it would be fun to let you know we are at the  FINAL COUNT DOWN!!

We really are here,

First of all I need to thank Karst for finally posting a "Wacky Wednesday",  this has been a dream of mine from the beginning and and I am glad to see it finally happened.

So we are trying to get back into life and the swing of things. And we have been working on our Guitar Hero on Tour, I have more songs done, but he has the better score.

This last month with Karst not having school has been wonderful, it is nice to see him relax and when I want to do something he can because he doesn't have to study.  Cross your fingers because  he probably only has one more semester.  

Okay awhile ago I told you about a little school drama,  so here is the scoop.  We thought the last semester was the final semester for him, and it was real exciting, well 2 weeks before it was over he was looking at the qualifications  for the CPA exam and it looked like he would  need 12 more credits.  So that would be another year part time or him working part time and going to school full time.  Either way it was going to be stressful and it was a little devastating.  Well, he talked to some people and looked into it and he would probably only needs 2 more classes so one more semester.  Which is totally doable.  So anyway we are bummed that he isn't as far as he thought, but we are glad to see there is more light at the end of the tunnel.   So after he finishes this semester, he can start taking the tests for the CPA!!

Okay, back to me.  So those of you who know me know that I actually have 2 jobs, I have my 40 hour a week 9-5 day job, at a food distributer.  I work in the finance department and it is a great job, they are a great employer and I love that I am 5 minutes from my house, so I can come home at lunch and take a nap, if I need it.   What I don't like about it, is the dress code is pretty strict, and I know it isn't going to change and I know why they have it, but seriously nylons everyday, collar shirts, never never never and denim, do dress down, sometimes you just want to be comfortable.

Then on Saturday, I shed the nylons and find all my denim or carpi's and flip flops and I head off to a salon.  I have been in that salon for almost 8 years now. Just booth rent, just me and my color bowls changing the world one head at a time.   I love it, because I only do it one day a week it is usually a busy day that starts at 6 am, but it is so much fun.  I know what you are thinking who gets their hair done at 6 am, well the answer is desperate people, ha ha or those who have kids and a lot going on Saturdays and need to be done by 8 am.  It is so much fun!!  I have made some great friends, I have learned so much and the other girls in the salon are a lot of fun and they always keep it going.  

There you go more details on our lives, I know wasn't it just fascinating?  I am hoping to find great experiences so I have great stories to tell you, but for now you have to settle for this boring stuff.

Rules of the BUSY SEASON

Blah blah blah, it's the busy season for Karst, I am sure you are sick of me saying it.  You should try living it.  This is our 3rd year of going through the busy season or  the "bs" as I like to call it.  And while we are still trying to balance it all we have come up with a few rules.

1.  Karsten is busy, 

Karsten is working, .

if Karsten isn't working he is studying,

 if Karsten isn't working or studying he probably wants to be sleeping.

2.  Kim gets ansy,

 Kim needs to talk, 

Kim likes to go places.

Kim needs to do things.

  Kim will have to get creative 

in how this will happen 

because Karst is not availble (see rule #1)

3.  We will plan at least one evening a week together, 

where no work or home work or house work is done, 

just quality time together,

 one night might mean 2 hours.

4.  Kim has endless amount of unfinished projects,

she should try to finish at least one through the "bs."

5.  Kim has many great and wonderful friends

she should use the "bs" time to catch up with them, 

Karst won't even notice if she isn't home by 9 p.m.

6.  Schedule. There is no schedule.

There is no set time Karsten will be home,

no set time when he will sleep.

It will happen, but there is no

 definite time it will happen.

7.  If Karst needs to do or remember something

don't tell or ask him a hundred times.  

You have to put in on the online calendar 

or email it so he puts it in his outlook.

8. Don't schedule or plan "events" during the bs.  

If something is planned don't assume Karst 

will be there.

9. Any birthday or special event will be acknowledged,

however not celebrated until after the bs is over.

10.  It is only for 4 short months, 

it's only as bad as we make it.

We'll live through it.

Don't get me wrong I love my husbands job, it is great to see him doing something he loves.  I am amazed at all he does and he just keeps going.  My support is there, sometimes I just get a little needy and being a slow learner, it has helped to  have a few rules to keep me calmed me down.  

I am amazed at all the people whole live through the  "bs"  and yet they seem to live normal lives and don't seem to have too many side effects.  However, the group of auditors he works with do go a little over the edge.  Like last year, when the audit team was totally obsessed with Cup of Noodles.  They had a hot plate, a teapot of water and had a bowl ready for anyone who might be hungry. If anyone came into his office he was ready to offer them a fresh cup of noodles, anytime day or night..  Seriously, I think he bought 3 cases and his co-workers bought cases and they would swap flavors and it was a Cup of Noodles Event everyday.

This year I can't quite figure out what they have going on this "bs", I think it is the salad bar at Harmons, Diet Soda, and ROCKSTARS. I believe their efforts are to avoid the "bs" weight gain. I haven't investigated their world this year as closely so I am not certain what it is.  He talks about the salad bar at Harmons and we even tried to schedule a time to meet there but it hasn't happened yet.  When it does I will have the pictures to show you what it is all about. However the talk of the Rockstar has not stopped.  "They are on sale here . . . they have all the flavors over there . . .  the purple one is still the best."

And you might be asking yourself. "What do auditors do when they have some down time?"  Well let me tell you, because it is no joke.  They play Brain Age on the DS, they time themselves on the math problems.  I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it for myself, but it's true.  I think the record on the math is 14 seconds.

 The "bs" isn't fun, but it's livable.  It is all worth it, because come May when Karsten  beats me home and notices I do exist and I am still here and asks what my plans are for the night . . . it makes it that much sweeter!!

So really what have we been upto?

Okay, I guess it has been a while since I have shared what is going on in our daily lives. Probably because it isn't anything too exciting.

So to start Karst, he has changed his look a little. He got his hair cut way short, much to my displeasure, but he is growing a gouty much to my liking. It is a good compromise. Don't you just love his blue eyes. And honestly I am getting used to the shorter hair and I am liking it a little bit more all the time.

As most of you know Karst is an auditor for a public accounting firm, and why it is also the tax season, it is also the audit season for most of their customers, so he is working many long hours at work. He is also working on his graduate hours, so he can take the CPA exam. He has I think, another 2 semesters to do before he can sit for the exam. Forgive me, I have forgotten how many credits he is doing now, and how many he has to do, and I would ask him but he'll start crying and rocking in the corner again.

Just this last Sunday, Karst had a change for callings from YM 1st Counselor (which he had done for 3 years) to YM secretary. He is a little sad not be so directly involved with helping them get their Duty to God and their Eagle, but he is grateful that he is still involved.

Well me, Kim okay as many of you know I love to be busy, and I am really good at finding projects to distract me, from what I should be doing, like cleaning the house or getting ready for the yard sale. I finally finished the baby afghan for my newest nephew Luke, to took longer than usual. He is 6 months old now. So in the last month I have read 3 books (the Barrington Family Saga by Anita Stansfield). I made a DVD of the Young Women for New Beginnings.

I have been putting most of my Saturday time into the salon. I had a Lia Sophia Jewelry Party. Discovered, Diet Chocolate Cherry Dr. Pepper. Joined Curves again. Made a few cards. Oh, and I have been trying to figure out all the great programs on our new mac . . . I call him

"Mac Daddy".

So there you have it a quick update as to what we are really doing. This has been good, because now I have a new list of blogs I can do. I am sorry to say that Karst probably won't be adding to the blog until May, when he has a chance to breath.

Semester Finished!!

Tada, just like that Karst has finished another semester. It was one of those accounting Grad school classes.  You would think after 12 semesters it wouldn't seem as impressive.  I can't speak for him, I can just speak for myself what a relief it is to have it done.  I have my husband back, and he doesn't even look too stressed.  His eyes are still bloodshot.

Karst was traveling all last week with his job and trying to get everything finished for the semester.  It is always great when he comes home and we can be together. He brought me back some magnets for all the states he was in and a sweatshirt and that says Orlando.  

Karst's brother and wife stayed at our house just for one night.  Kris is really close to being done with school also.  He is getting ready to do his student teaching and they are just patiently waiting for the next phase of their life.  It was really nice to have some time to visit with them.

I got to watch my friends 3 kids age 6,18 months and 8 months on Wednesday.  I was a little worried that I wouldn't be up for it.  But it actually was a good thing.  They are a lot of fun and it was great to see and visit with my friends.  The bestest thing about their family is the 2 youngest they are going to be adopting this month.  The children were placed in their home for foster care and after 8 months everything fell into place that they will be able to adopt them and have them as a permanent part of their family.  I am so happy and excited for them.  It has been great watching their family change so fast.  I am grateful that they allow us to be a small part of their lives.

All week,  I helped my friend, Gaye, plan and throw a surprise party for her daughter Heather who turned 18.  We did it at our house, on Saturday.  I think she really was surprised.  It was a fun party, it was great to do something different.  I don't know the last time I did a surprise party.  Heather has great friends.  It was fun to have the loud music, the dancing and singing and all that stuff you do when you are 18.

So now we are trying to get ready for this next week.  So I have been telling everyone that we are going to start our Christmas shopping on the 17th.  I have learned that the sooner I start the Christmas shopping the more I spend.  So it will crowded and overwhelming and I might step on someone, but we'll make it through.  I guess maybe I should get a list together.

You can feel the Christmas in the air and it is getting exciting.  It is refreshing and makes you look at life in a different perspective.  A change from the routine.  So I am crossing my fingers and jumping in and maybe all the crazy people have finished their shopping, if not I might need to find some medication to get me through.