On The Road

Our favorite part of travel soccer is eating out!  Getting to go to restaurants we don't have in Muncie.  Jayke has decided he is a fan of Panda Express and asks to go there everytime we leave town now.  Here he is totally focused at The Cracker Barrell.  We ended up turning around after this meal due to Jayke's ongoing stomach issues.  At least we got our pancakes!

The Road I Travelled

I haven't talked about my job situation on here at all so I guess it's time for a post updating my current occupation....and the route I took to get here.

I left Anesthesia Services after 3 years in February, 2011. I looked for a job relentlessly right off the bat. Went on many interviews only to feel like I was given the run around. One place went to far as to have me work a half day, didn't bother to pay me, and then didn't hire me either. After that, I was completely discouraged. I spent the next 10 months lunching with friends and watching daytime television. I finally got a call in November to come in and take a test to see if I would qualify to tech support Turbo Tax software. I took the test and was told that I had scored higher than all the other candidates who had applied. Encouraging. Hired on the spot. Would start in December, 3 days after Christmas. 3 days after Christmas I realized I was beginning a job that I was going to hate.

I spent 3 months telling people how to do their taxes, how to access what their accounts, how to download their software, and how to trouble shoot various other computer issues. It was stressful while on the call but I have to admit when I helped a little old man get through his taxes and I could hear the relief in his voice, it felt good. Not good enough to stay though. After the tax season they started trying to push us out since they no longer had positions for us with Turbo Tax. We could be moved to the Apple account to support the iPad, iPod, and iPhone but I would have to work a night shift. 4 til midnight. I would never seee Jayke. I quit right then.

Two days later I took a job at a collection agency doing their data entry work. This was more my speed. At least I knew how to do this work and felt comfortable. My new boss was thrilled with me because I actually knew how to do the work and needed little assistance or training. I caught them up from a period of time they were missing an employee. This would work for a while but I had something else going on.

I had interviewed for a position with a company called Midwest Homes for Pets. The supervisor and I had immediately hit it off and I was going in for a second interview. 2 hours after that interview, I had the job. Now all I had to do was tell the collection agency I was leaving them after only 3 days. This conversation went a lot better than I thought it would. She told me she was grooming me for her position and if it didn't work out at this job to give her a call. THAT made me feel good and I was excited about the new position.

Here is my new home: http://www.midwesthomes4pets.com/

I was hired as a supervisor and key account manager. I handle their two largest accounts, Petsmart and Amazon. I'm responsible for measuring product to meet the meter requirements for container loads coming from China. I also manage the website for Amazon, basically if you go to Amazon.com and place an order for one of our dog crates I'm the one who gets that order and ships it to you from our warehouse. I bring all the product for those two accounts over from China and get it it to it's prospective distribution centers. Sounds crazy but it is actually fun. I enjoy it. I enjoy the women I work with. I know I'm learning a job and eventually will be taking over a position of supervisor. I'm moving forward...finally. I look forward to going to work.

So that's what I've been up to for the past year and a half.  Got the good job...time for other areas of my life to follow suit.

Whose kid needs a haircut?  Definitaly mine!  Here he is ready for our first travel soccer game.  Travel soccer lasts about 2 months.  We will be heading to various citties around the Indianapolis area and a couple a little farther.  Jayke is excited about the "traveling" part.  Me, not so much.

He was irritated with me for taking pictures at the game today.  In the picture below he saw me and stopped and yelled, "What are you doing?!?"  LOL...poor kid. 

Here is the GOAL!!  Jayke was so excited when he got back from Georgia and it was waiting for him.  It is adjustable so he can raise and lower it.  It is lowered in the pics.  The boys like to have it low so they can dunk.  The kid down the road, who is in 8th grade, comes down and plays with Jayke.  He, along with Mike (new Mike), and Matt have taught him a ton of stuff and every one is amazed at how much he has improved.  He has a basketball camp coming up in a few weeks.  He can't wait!

ONE of Jayke's Easter baskets.  We had a wile Easter Egg hunt today.  I didn't win for the first time ever.  They were gunning for me since I was undefeated.  There was a lot of cheating going on and once I saw it I pretty much threw in the towel and started helping The Boy with his egg count instead.  There was an extra contestant in the contest this year.  Dad has two snakes living in his back yard and they made an appearance.  Scaring the crap out of AJ, who was lucky enough to find the first one.  I found one a little later.  We were missing one egg and had looked every where.  I was looking under all the hostas when I found the snake...who then showed me where the last egg was hidden.  That little snake slithered right over and on top of the last egg and just sat there.  I think she thought it was one of hers and she was garding it.  I scared her off and grabbed up the egg.  That may have been the most exciting egg hunt we have had...fighting snakes for our eggs!

It Will Either be Beautiful...or Dead

Mike cut the big tree next to the drive back the other day so we could put up a basketball goal for Jaykeb while he was on Spring Break with his dad.  I didn't want the tree cut down even though that is what everyone told me to do.  Mike cut it back and said it will either be beautiful or dead...we will see next spring.  Reminded me of how my grandpa cut back trees.  Worked for him most of the time so we will see.

After the tree(and Jayke) was gone, Mike and Gunner put the goal up. 

....and Buddy took it easy in the flower bed.

Buddy

We love Buddy!  Mike's dog.  I take him every where with me.  Here we are heading to soccer practice.  He loves watching the kids play.  Mike works crazy long hours so I keep Buddy with me so he isn't left alone all day.  All my animals accepted him as if he belonged here.  We miss him on the rare occasion he isn't here.

Goof

Had to drag him away from the baketball goal...literally...to make him go eat at Pizza King with me.  He is obsessed with basketball!!  He has a basketball in his hands at all times.  He can't walk through the house with out shooting a three pointer and slam dunking at least once.  If he isn't outside playing basketball then he is inside playing basketball 2K12 on the Xbox, watching basketball on tv, or "working" on his basketball trading cards!  He's gonna be a baller!  I'm okay with that.

He Loves Shopping With Me

The things I make him do...  Doesn't he look thrilled?

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Miss Priss

Kitty Luv

Sleeping buddies!

Game Night

Laynie looks focused!  I think she might win!

Happy Birthday Jayke...and Introducing Nataleigh

Jayke's birthday was at Escapades again this year.  They had a blast.  I was a little confused by the guest list.  He invited all boys from his class and Nataleigh.  I kept asking if he wanted to invite any other girls from his class and he would just say, nope...just Nataleigh.  I started to think maybe he had his first crush.  After meeting the infamous Nataleigh I was praying I was wrong.  That girl came in and RAN that party.  She bossed those boys around like it was her job!  Turns out she ran me too.  The party was over and all the kids had been picked up except the ones I brought and Nataleigh.  We waited and waited and waited and no parents came for Nataleigh.  I even asked her how she got there and she told me her mom.  Eventually I had Maci go drag Nataleigh over to me and told her she was going to have to call her mom.  She said, "Why?  My dad is sitting over there!"  She then ran off and Maci and I just looked at each other.  This little girl duped us into having he party go an extra 45 minutes while we waited for her parents to come pick her uup!  I asked Jayke later why he invited her and found out that she had promised him a certain Lego kit if he invited her.  Turns out she didn't get him a Lego kit either.  That Nataleigh!  Gonna have to watch out for her!

Turbo Tax

New job!  Started at the IBM call center supporting Turbo Tax software.  Not a fan of this work but do love working on a MAC.  I think I have to have one now.  This job will is giving me a ton of computer experience.  I think this is the first in my life I've even worked a 40 hor week...I know it's the first time I've ever worked more than one in a row.  Kinda sucks...I'm not gonna lie.

New Bike for Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  Jayke had a great Christmas this year...new bike...fish acquarium...iPad. Not to mention his new game room, which I have yet to take pictures of.  We had Christmas at Dad's and then our house and my Mom's then he was off with his Dad to have Christmas at his grandparent's house.

Wish

Elf Catch Up

Frisbee is taking a bath in marshmallows...


Hanging out in the stockings...


and apparently he got stuck trying to get into the cabinets...probably trying to get the marshmallows for his bath!

Ballin'...Shot Callin'...

First game done. We lost. I think I was more nervous for this than I was for football! Jayke is by far the smallest one on the team. He is the youngest and probably the one with the least amount of experience. He didn't do too bad. He says he got one rebound but I didn't see it. It was a little confusing because we had a kid show up for the game who hasn't been to any of our practices because he plays on another league. He, of course, was VERY good so he got the ball all the time and confused out plays that were run in practice. Hopefully this will all get better.

This is the first time Jayke has gotten a jersey with his name and number on it so I had to get a shot of his and Zion's backs while they were waiting for the game to start. Cute.

Still At It

Good thing that was an old box of cereal I was about to throw out or I may have been upset with Frisbee for wasting food!!

The Elves Rock picture was today's mischief...yesterday he was found trying to squeeze between the shelf and the top of the turtle acquarium. He didn't quite make it and was just hanging there. (no pic) This morning when Jayke got up he came in to tell me that Frisbee MUST be stuck because he didn't leave last night! Oops. Frisbee must have been so busy he forgot himself last night! Good thing Jayke went to his friend's house this morning and gave him a chance to leave and get back to play in the cereal!

The picture below was from a couple of nights ago. Apparently the Lego Star Wars guys got fed up with the elf's antics and decided to take matters into their own hands...

So Rotten!

Our ornery elf decided to get a little creative with Jayke's picture last night! I think this may be the one Jayke has liked the most. He looked a little indignant at first then yelled at the elf a little. After that he began to laugh. After a few minutes to contemplate Frisbee's mischief, he then was mostly concerned with whether or not he would "Clean that up!"? I told him that I have to clean up after his elf every night and that seemed to relieve him somewhat. He doesn't mind that his mother has more work to do as long as I remove that marker from his face!

The night before the elf was busy in the cabinets. He made snowmen out of marshmallows. Jayke just wanted to know if he could eat them. I didn't allow it but there were plenty left in the bag for him to snack on when he got home from school which made him happy.

This elf business is becoming quite the chore! Now that he has gotten so creative it is a challenge for him to come up with new and better ideas every night. Thank goodness he saved all this creativity for the days closer to Christmas! If he had started out this way I don't think he would have had enough ideas to make it 25+ days!