Dodge's New Job

We haven't been very pleased with the schedule changes Dodge's work has made. Third shift just doesn't work for us. As a result, we started actively looking to find a place for Dodge that would put him back on the day shift at the very least. Specifically looking in the Lansing area so we could car pool and save some gas money.

Well, Dodge was called today with a job offer with the State of Michigan on one of their network server teams. Not only is it a great new job in Lansing, it's in the exact same building as me!

What does this mean? I now have a driver and can nap on the way to work! Woo!! Oh and Dodge will have a shorter commute and we'll save gas money and other stuff, too.

We're both very excited and are certain this will be a very good thing for us. Congratulations Dodge!

Penguin

I'm pretty proud of this one so I wanted to share it. It's actually
from yesterday's lesson. Today was another base to learn. Bleh.

Jamie: 6 Months Pregnant

Jamie 6 Months Pregnant
Originally uploaded by Jamie Howell

A picture of me at 24 weeks pregnant. I look like I'm smuggling an inner tube under my shirt! It's ok though because most women I see look at me and tell me "You're so cute!". Sarah was commenting on my pregnancy waddle yesterday.

Dodge and I are getting ready to head to the doctor's for this month's check up.

Lunch With My Seester

She always seems to know when I didn't pack a lunch for work and
invites me out. Yay!

Matt's Annoy-A-Tron

This is Matt's newest toy that he bought for himself off of thinkgeek.com. The Annoy-A-Tron 2.0. What it does is it sounds a short noise at random intervals. He went for the deluxe version with a volume control and multiple noise settings. It's also a handy magnet so you can stick it in out of the way places. You hide it away and just let it make it's noises all day. The purpose is of course to annoy people into saying "What the heck is that noise!?"

Matt was super excited when he got it and told me about it. I'm the geek that told Matt about thinkgeek.com so I won't be one of his victims.


He chose to use new student Craig as the guinea pig. He was super crafty about hiding it. He opened Craig's computer case and put it inside so it would seem like the noises were coming from his computer.

Unfortunately Craig completely ignored all the noises from the machine. All day long it went off and Craig didn't even acknowledge it. Matt sits right next to Craig and said he could hear the beeping going off clear as day and didn't understand how Craig could just ignore it.

Matt stepped up his game and hid the chip outside of Craig's computer and turned up the volume thinking he had to hear it now. He left it there for a week. Again Craig completely ignored the noise and Matt was in the next cube hearing it all day.

Right now the only one annoyed by the Annoy-A-Tron is Matt. I think it's hilarious! I believe he's given up on Craig and plans to try and get Karen with the device next.

Origami Raincoat

Here is the picture of the origami raincoat as requested. Today's was
a canoe. No picture of that because my version looks like poo!

This is origami?

Really? 3 folds and we call it a cupboard? Today's origami is the
lame! The other days raincoat was way cooler than this and it used
this base fold. *sigh*

Hopfully tomorrows is cooler.

Dodge's New Schedule

Vienna sez "My pillow"
Originally uploaded by Jamie Howell

With the new year came a new schedule for Dodge's work. They laid off quite a few people and while Dodge was fortunate enough to keep his job his schedule was forced to change dramatically. Instead of a typical 8am -5pm shift, he's now working midnight to 10am Sunday through Wednesday.

Most of the household is not adapting to this very well. I didn't really enjoy spending my Saturday and Sunday afternoons alone while he was sleeping. Saturday night was a little boring as well as I sat home alone. I do get to see him a bit in the evenings before he has to leave so that's not so horrible but it's difficult falling asleep without him there.

Oscar is convinced each night that daddy just went out to the store and will be back any minute. He stays by the door and barks at any noise thinking it's Dodge come home. I had to get him new batteries for his bark collar before I lost it and sold him to the gypsies. He was making me insane.

Koegel's a little grumpy that his daddy isn't around. He has discovered how to pull tissues from the Kleenex box and I woke up the other morning to his little temper tantrum display. Torn up tissues all over the living room. We have moved the Kleenex box out of his range now.

Vienna seems to be the only one who thinks this change in the schedule is wonderful. She gets to sleep on the bed all night with me until I get up for work. Then Dodge comes home and she gets to spend all afternoon on the bed sleeping with him. She's probably only awake about 6 or so hours a day now and it suits her just fine.

Tomorrow will be his last work day for the week and hopefully the 3 days off will make all the time missed with him seem not so bad.