the latest job news

I had hesitated in posting anything about the NRC License class being held on the site because I was unsure if I would be in it. The Operations Manager, Sam, had called me in and stated that the SRO positions had all been filled but that he had a RO position available. Don’t misunderstand me, RO is a respectable position, just not what I was looking for. Consider my age, the fact that the program is 18 months long and that I would have to do the entire thing again I was not licensing twice. I had formally declined and had planned to finish my bachelors’ degree and then reapply when on Christmas Eve called me at my tour desk (I was on afternoon shift) and said that he had gotten permission to offer me the SRO job. So, after some soul searching (loosing a lot of overtime), I accepted the job. I’ll continue to blog about the family here but will be keeping you up to date on the class over at www.nukesro.blogspot.com. Come on over and check it out if you like…..

The year that grandmother saved Christmas!!

I will not embarrass anyone with the size of her gift to us, but understand that it was enough that I was able to decline overtime on the weekend that my sister L, needed my help in moving. And enough to let me decline overtime to spend time with the family over the holiday without worry. We would have been able to make it without her gift, but this made it so much more!! Thanks Mom for the time (and the Wii) and Merry Christmas!!

Wii!!!!!

K found one and I was initially skeptical. After hooking it up, we had more family time on my holiday weekend (Thursday and Friday) than we have had in several months. Well worth the expense (and Wii sore muscles).

Kringle

This is Jack in his Christmas outfit. I initially was fairly uncomfortable putting him in it but, man isn’t he cute. Also included are some other Christmas morning pictures

Holiday and post holiday insanity

For those of you who hadn’t heard, the plant management had shrunk the license class size such that there wasn’t a SRO position for me. I had declined to take the RO position and had decided that finishing my degree was the best bet for me. I was on evening shift on Christmas eve and just prior to leaving the site, the operations manager called me and offered me the SRO position. As such, I eventually accepted and am starting license class tomorrow morning. Once things stabilize, I’ll blog about the process to accentuate both positive and negative aspects for you voyeurs. The pictures are of cookie decorating on Christmas eve with the cousins (L visited from Columbus).

this Monday

I had every intention of posting this last week and with all of the holiday hubbub apparently missed the “post button” these are of Jack and H. hamming it up. Please note the great big teeth in the boy’s mouth. Enjoy

Fun Jack pictures

The smiling boy himself following a poop and just prior to a diaper change, he looks pretty satisfied with himself don't you think.

Animals and children, so sleepy....

Jack volunteered to wrap Christmas presents for charity with Mom, B and H, here he is getting ready…

Here we see Jack teaching a pesky young cat that if he is in the bed, and you visit, you may not get to leave..

The Advent Gathering

H invited her St. Al’s class over for a “masquerade.” Actually, it was to dress up as a “James Bond figure” and it went very well, with over half attending. I was impressed that the young men all wore suit jackets. The picture is of the majority of them, where are they gathered? Around the food of course!! I think that it will be a yearly event with us and next year we may even invite some grown-ups.

bathtime pictures

After careful review of the pictures in memory of our camera, I have decided that as busy parents, the most likely time to get Jack pictures is at bath time. We all slow down and enjoy the warm water (and watch him like a hawk). Here are some pictures from the last few days. Enjoy!!

Almost a fortnight

It’s been a busy couple of weeks; I have been on daylight shift which has its definite advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are obvious, sleeping when the rest of the world does, sleeping with the spouse (and Jack), and spending quality time with the rest of the family and the like. The disadvantages are that there is actually some work to do at work, and the last two weeks we had observer/evaluators from INPO (kind of like the NPEB for you Navy types), so that it was difficult to get a good blog entry at work. We also spent last weekend helping my sister move from north of Columbus to Pickerington, O. We all actually had a great time helping. And as H is having her Christmas party at the house tonight, we had to do the mundane cleaning and get the Christmas Tree (S) up and decorated.

Jack update: he is pulling up to standing (on just about anything) and attempting to dress himself, actually he just tries to put clothes on, they're all pants to him and he really likes my boots.

The pictures are of our artificial tree upstairs and the live on we got for the basement/party. I hope to get some more pictures posted tomorrow of the party, please enjoy these for now!!!!

this week

I put him in the laundry basket while were watching “yo! Gabba gabba” expecting a fit. He sat there for almost fifteen minutes before rolling himself out and crawling away. He is also enjoying playing with blocks. More on the week’s doings after my dentist appt today

enjoy

makeup Monday Jack

These were taken on November 27 for the Jack. I had every intention of making a superb post but……(insert lame excuse)….. Jack is showing his “pulling up” skills and “helping” with the laundry. Additionally, the picture of BoyCat was his last meal, with us anyway. A nice lady from work was good enough to take him off of our hands.

holiday photo fiesta

As I was on midnight shift for Thursday, thanksgiving was on Friday evening. We brined the turkey (ala Tyler Florence) and gave it the Italian rubdown. K made stuffing and mashed the potatoes and made yummy, from scratch cranberry sauce. Cranberry fool was the desert. We had actually almost finished when we realized we had not taken any pictures of the meal so, if you could see the other side of the turkey, you would notice that we had ate it. In his pictures, you can see the leftover sweet and white potatoes-all over him. After dinner, Jack took a big nap and then demonstrated his new stair climbing skills. BTW yesterday, he climbed up two stairs on the upstairs staircase. It was most disturbing…enjoy

Alas, December already

Well, I had intended on posting a bunch of pictures taken during the holiday period last evening, Jack was napping and I actually had the time. Wouldn’t you know it, K had the camera at Youth group. During the ensuing search, I found that I actually hadn’t posted for two (2) weeks. Embarrassing, it was to say the least. It was a strange time both at work and home. We actually had work at work. I’m not sure how I feel about that, I mean work for time and a half or double time, sure, but work for straight time?? That’s poop!!! Jack is amazing as usual, he is pulling up to standing. I doubt that he will be crawling long! The older two are doing well, perhaps some pictures there as well.

I had started a post on things that I am thankful for, but the list is so long and most sounds cliché, so I will say this: I am working on being thankful for where I am and what I have. I complain and am usually stressed out by things that I do not have and fail to see that those things should illuminate what I should be thankful for. For example, I have two cars that are broke and I didn’t have the money to repair either of them, this causes me stress. What I should be thankful for is that I had the money to buy my old Junker and that it is running really well. So the list like this is really big and changing the paradigm is difficult, but I’m working on it. I will say that I am thankful for Jesus, that he is there for me wherever the Eucharist is, and that he died for me. The rest is gravy.

Several posts ago, my blogfriend Ed posted in and indicated that because of his active 2 year old, he and his wife were having difficulty getting temperatures, severely limiting their love life. Well, I am no expert on this but, I routinely get up and get Jack in the early morning, check the diaper and such, while K gets her temp and gets “the good stuff ready.” Perhaps that would help. Additionally, we are using the NFP book more like the “Pirate Code,” and trusting God a lot (with a wink and a grin). For you old Navy guys, think about plotting time/freq and getting just enough data to “fair a curve.” Should be good for a laugh for you old 637 electrical types.

Well, as I am actually at work, and signed on, I should actually do some work. We have some visitors for the next two weeks, you can google “INPO” or just think mini-ORSE. Pictures later today.