So where are the pictures???

I still need to track down one more. I participated in an activity for our church youth group called a Mall Hunt. We went to a local mall and the teens had to find us. Some people just tried to make themselves hard to find and there were those of us who disguised ourselves. That's the picture I'm looking for - me with no beard or moustache. Need to get one from church. The simplest of disguises works very well. I also darken my eyebrows to look black and wore a cap over my hair. I looked different enough that my own boys were not really sure it was me when they saw me. It was a lot of fun. Trying to figure out what to do for the next one. I'll come up with something good by then.

Sooo... It's been about a year and a half since I last posted. To quote Inego Montoya "Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up."

Sharon and I directed the 2008 Christmas Contata at church. Sharon and Stephen were in it and Stephen stole the show with his performace. I was directing lights and sound up in the AV booth. David ran the sound board, Joshua was running lights. We had three people working lights for it and that worked out well. Bethany was in the Children's Choir that sang two songs in the contata. This year there is no contata due to scheduling conflicts for our pastor with his travel schedule earlier in the fall.

Sharon has one class to go to finishing her Associates Degree after the fall quarter. She is also working at the Safelite Autoglass customer service call center in the evenings. Joshua, David and myself were all working a new McDonald's. I've since gone to DISH Network at one of their call centers in Hilliard, OH. The training schedule is killing me right now but it will be over soon enough. I'm still working my regular job but we had a pay cut and overtime has been eliminated. It sounds like we'll be getting raises and bonuses this year (April 2010) as a lot of managers are trying to do something to keep their workers from leaving when things get better. Honda's projections are still showing increases so that means more work for us.

While I was at McDonald's I had to shave my beard but I was able to keep the moustache. I went for a short handlebar style which I did receive a lot of compliments on. I've got pictures around here somewhere. I'll get them all posted showing the changes from the 2008 Contata beard to normal to no beard.

Training at Dish is from 6 pm to 11:30 pm so I get very little sleep during the week. Saturday is about the only free day I have right now. My regular schedule after trainign will give me Friday night and I will only work until 10 pm.

Sharon's car dies a couple of weeks ago and we sold it to a friend at church who is a former mechanic. He's going to try and fix it up for his wife. We bought Sharon a 2007 Hundai Sonata. She loves it.

David passed his Driver's exam today so he is now a licensed driver! Josh didn't make it though and will taking his test again in two weeks. :( Josh is not happy right not about that but he is dealing with it.

The School band was disbanded and now Stephen in playing in the church orchestra. And Bethany has a group piano recital next week at church as well. I do enjoy listening to them practice.

I am going to try and keep up with the blog so we'll see how this goes. I'll try not to go more than 2 weeks without posting. Next post will have the many faces of Jeff on it.

Jeff

Yes!! I'm still alive!!

Hi everyone! I know it's been months since I've posted anything here. We've had a lot going on here like everyone else. Where to start, uh, ok back in December will do (yes it's been that long).

Disclaimer: the computer I'm using has something stuck under the "e" key and it doesn't always work. I think I've caught them all but you never can tell.

We had a fun time doing the Christmas cantata at church. I have a picture of me with my beard I let grow out (about 4 inches long). I don't have any particular pictures of me in costume but I do remember camera flashes going off during the cantata.

I turned another year older( you'll have to guess).

I had my one wisdom extracted the day before we left for our church's couples retreat. (OW!)

I got a weird raise at work ( don't ask).

I'm desperately trying to finish puppet skits for this year's Vacation Bible School at church.

We had two tornado/funnel cloud sightings where one of the storms passed directly over our house (on Mother's Day) and the other one they thought might cause tornadoes at 4:15 am on the Saturday after Mother's Day. My sister can relate to that one.

After I get the puppet skits done I will get pictures of various things posted.

Do pancakes have feelings?

This pancake certainly does and it isn't very happy about being eaten.

Pictures from Dick's Outdoor Experience Day

I know I promised these a while ago. Here they are but I was taking them so there are no pictures of me in the kayaks. I did some kayaking at a Club Med on the ocean some years before children and the wading pool just didn't hold the same appeal to me(no, I'm not bitter about not getting a turn, really. Maybe...).


First and foremost, my lovely bride, Sharon:





Bethany, Mistress of the Kayak!

Stephen, Master of the Seven Seas!!

David, a Mighty Sailing Man:



And Joshua, so how many canoes fit into a kayak?

Christmas Cantata

We're starting work on the Christmas Cantata at church already. This time our pastor wants to do the play that goes with the music. Sharon and I have been cast as Mary's parents, Heli and Rachel. Right now we need a Mary and a Joseph and we can do the play. It will be fun to do a play again.

I've been asked to grow my beard out for the play. Yes, I'll post a picture.

The Wonderful world of Work

Well, we had some big changes at work as far as the department structure goes. Our Department Manager had actually been filling two roles Senior MIS Manager and MIS Manager. It was announced that the Business Analyst would be promoted to the MIS Manager position.

I'm happy with the change because I have a good working relationship with the new manager and he likes my work so things are looking up.