Navy Federal Credit Union

I put in my two weeks notice and had my last day working at Navy Federal Credit Union.  It was bitter sweet as I really did enjoy working there.  I was there over two years, I learned a ton, I got to help many people on a daily basis, and see a lot of interesting things.  The fast pace environment was right up my alley, and my co-workers and managers were great.  

Ultimately the schedule was not working for me and it was time to try something else.  I'm ready for my next work adventure!

Chili's

I had my last day at Chili's just before Christmas.  I really enjoyed my time there. 

They sang the birthday song for me and brought out a dessert for me.  There is an ongoing joke about how I love the desserts.  Anytime there is a mistake one I'm the only person in the back eating it.

This next one is my manager Victoria.  All my managers were great.

We did this at night so several of the people I worked with weren't there.  But I really liked everyone.  It was great to do something different with my time.  I'm going to miss it, and working in general.

I'm a Chilihead!!

Check out my new shirt!  

Back in the spring I started working as a server at Chili's here in Japan on base.  It was about 13 years since I had a job and it has been amazing.

On the one hand its not about the money, but it is also totally about the money.  I didn't get the job to make a bunch of money because we are living fine off of bob's income.  But I love to have my work valued in the form of $$$.  It is nice to have other people telling me thank you and nice things while I am working for them instead of getting whined and complained at when I tell the kids things.  Plus it is totally exciting when I get a big tip.  I'd say on a normal night I make about $150-200 in tips.  But we have been busy and just over the past two weeks one night I made $300, once $400, and even $500 one night.  What are we going to do with the money?  I have no idea.  I want it to be something special instead of going into our regular savings account and just getting lost with our retirement/house fund.  I'm thinking about having it be for vacations, or for me to get my doctorate.  

Another great thing about it is that it is crazy busy.  I usually work three nights a week.  I go in at 3pm and usually end around 11.  But there have been nights when I don't leave until after midnight. Most of the time I'm there is nonstop, at least until the customers leave around 9:30.  I don't take breaks and often don't have time to go to the bathroom.  I can usually get a sip of water and once in a while I eat a few bites of messed up food in the back.  I like being so busy, because it is time when I am living completely in the present.  I do not have time to think about the future or worry about anything.  Sometimes I can get a nice flow going and the time just flys by.  

Bob has been doing a lot around the house on the nights that I'm working and I'd say it has been a nice balance shift.  He never complains about it or anything he has been really great about it.  I just feel more balance because now we are both solo parenting at times and also both working outside of the home.  The kids have been doing just fine.  At first they didn't like me being gone, but they can just deal with it.  I'm honestly a little tired of my life revolving around six little people, now I have my own schedule that needs to also be worked around.

I have no idea how long I will work there.  I wouldn't say it is my dream job or anything like that.  In fact we just got shut down last night for Covid.  Hopefully we will open back up soon.  The main things I don't like about it are that my feet hurt, and I'm really tired almost all the time.  I still have to get up at 6am to get some kids off the school, then we homeschool, put the littles down for naps and I get ready for work.  Its a busy schedule, but that only makes the days I don't work so much sweeter.

And now it totally makes sense as to why I barely ever post on here anymore.  I like blogging mainly for journaling purposes, but it will just have to happen when I have time.

Bob's Black Belt

Bob has now officially finished his Lean Six Sigma training and is Black Belt Certified.  He has been working on it for the last year and a half and we are really proud of him.  In case you don't know lean is basically process improvement and waste removal.  (by the way I have a real second degree black belt in taekwondo). 

Here he is with the shipyard commander.

The whole family was invited to the graduation ceremony.  It was fun to see the people Bob works with.

There were speakers and it lasted about an hour and a half.  It was a little very stressful for me to keep Scarlett quiet.  The room was dead silent and Bob even got to sit with the other graduates and not his family.  But we managed, and I'm glad we all got to go.

Congrats Bob.

Anniversary Lunch

We met Bob for lunch on our anniversary.  We knew we weren't going to go out that night so we wanted to do something a little different from the norm.  I like to meet him downtown and eat outside on nice days.  It only stinks that I can't go inside his work ... ever (security reasons).  The kids all had fun and Tucker wanted to know why there were so many police men.  I thought it was funny.  Bob works at a Naval shipyard so during lunchtime the restaurant was packed with Navy guys in uniform.  I guess Tucker thought they looked like police.

I gave Bob a pick punch.  It is pretty much like a hole punch but in the shape of a guitar pick.  He has been having lots of fun with it.  Credit cards and gift cards are perfect pick material.  Bob got me a bunch of running stuff, which I needed and wanted.

Work Picnic and Reception

Saturday was pretty busy for us.  Tucker started out by going to a birthday party.  We had to pick him up a little early to head over to a work family day picnic.  I like getting a chance to see all the people Bob works with.  He talks about many of them so much I could just figure out who some of them were before he even told me.  Others, looked completely different than I had imagined.  I joked around with bob about how his 'worlds were colliding.'  If you don't know what I am talking about, it is a Sinfield joke.

 

 Even though I didn't take it, I love this picture of Tucker.  look at that face of determination.

We played a few minute to win it games.  I actually held Scarlett because she was being really fussy.  So Bob and Tucker played some games.

Along with the toilet paper one, Tucker did another cute one called nose dive.  It involves sticking cotton balls on your nose.

After the picnic we started making our way down to Puyallup.  It took a long time because we stopped for about an hour at the Guitar Center in Tacoma.  We also made a quick trip to REI, and I went into Ross because I was bored at Guitar Center.

It was nice to see an old friend at the reception.  I wish I could have taken a picture.  I am finding it hard to take pictures when we go places.  It is just hard to carry a camera around when I usually have a baby in one arm and Penelope's hand in the other.

Both kids feel asleep on the drive home, actually all three. It was a long day.