Email, Email, Email and More Email!

Normally I get about 100 emails each day that have nothing to do with work. About 20% of those are from friends or family or friends of friends or friends of family, and they are not personal at all. You know those emails that have a story of theme with a deep profound meaning? If you don't then you have no friends that care about you. Anyway I normally read through them (if I haven't received them before) and delete most of them, but on occasion I find one that is worth the forward or save. This one for some reason (I was laying sick in bed when I read it) made me smile. So merry CHRISTmas AND GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!

I have not edited my answers:

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.
Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!!
Just copy this entire email and paste into a new e-mail that you can send. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person that sent it to you... 'Tis the Season to be NICE!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? gift bag because I'm lazy
2. Real tree or artificial? real

3. When do you put up the tree? asap after Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? after the Super bowl
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes but it makes me sick

6. What about Fruitcake? love it!!!!! We should have it year round
7. Favorite gift received as a child? big guy power construction set

8. Do you have a nativity scene? Zoe has a little play one
9. Hardest person to buy for? Jesus

10. Easiest person to buy for? my wife
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? it's the thought that counts!

12. Mail or email Christmas cards? if i remember

13. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Story

14. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I've already done most of it
15. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? as far as I'm aware, yes,yes,yes
16. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? home made cookies ...with coffee

17. Clear lights or colored on the tree? white

18. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

19. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? home
20. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? dancer, prancer, donner, blitzen, commet, cupid

21. Angel on the tree top or a star? star
22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? eve/morning, two weeks before

23. What is the one present you want most this year? cash
24. Most annoying thing about this time of year? the lack of true CHRISTMAS
25. What I love most about Christmas? Christ

Josie and the 14 Hours Waiting. She is here and all she does is sleep.

I am just fine with that. Sleeping Beauty

Greetings From the Hospital

I am sitting in a nice comfortable recliner, so don't worry about me. Jen is doing all the work and feeling all the pain. We are here in anticipation of our second daughter.

All this hospital talk has made me really think about the future. You see a few months ago I started on a........ lets call it a quest. This quest, not to be confused with the amazingly awesome Sunday children's ministry at HBC (www.hillcrestbiblechurch.org), is about my personal goals.

A different type of quest. A quest for healthy living. I took a look in the mirror one day and realized that I had officially lost my chiseled youthful look.

What? How can this be? Well let me tell you it didn't happen over night. It kind of crept up on me while I was generally taking my health for granted.

As you can see from this picture its not that I need to look better because in my case big is beautiful. I just needed to feel better and stave off any possible health risks after all I will soon be the father of two little girls, and will need all the energy I can get.

So back to the quest. I started on a quest to get back to that "healthy" look. Is has been an up hill battle but as of today I am 25 pounds leaner for the year (pictured below).
As you can see I have engaged in a more active lifestyle and also lowered my calorie intake. I am hoping to lose another 25 pounds by my birthday in a few months. Impossible you say? Well I don't need your negativity!!!!!! So get out you negative ninny.

I will be healthy and will live to play exciting games with my daughters and scare their boyfriends! This quest will not be stopped by the fast food lobbyists or the lure of Monopoly game pieces. That's right Ronald I know your tricks! You and the King can just back off, scram, skedaddle or meander away. Yes go, but leave the chihuahua. He reminds me of times that make me not want to eat. Awe the memories.

Well I have been gone for a long time. I'm planning to get back into blogging now that the summer has passed. Here's something I am pretty excited about. On e of my favorite bands has a new album coming out tomorrow .Here is the cover art to the new Thousand foot krutch album.
The album is due in stores on Sept 18, 2007
myspace.com/thousandfootkrutch

Well this last month was very busy.

The church is full of life and growing in Oregon, Wisconsin.
June saw us involved in Oregon's Summerfest where Hillcrest Bible Church runs the Children's Activity Tent Thursday through Saturday. The some week we also had two floats in the parade. The first was celebrating our Vacation Bible School, which is happening next week. The theme this year is "Special Agents" which works well with it being the 007 year. The second parade entry celebrated our "MOPS" or mothers of preschoolers ministry, which Jenn takes advantage of with little Zoe. I am still trying to get "POPS" started, but papas of preschoolers just doesn't draw the same crowd.

On June 24th we also said goodbye to our lead and founding Pastor. Scott Ziegler served faithfully in the area for almost 20 years and we are sad to see him go, but we are excited to see what God will do at his new church in the Chicago area. "Da Bears!" Sadly he has no window in his new office so the staff gave him a special gift to bring some sunshine into the room.

So change has been in the air and we moved right along with it. Literally we moved in the middle of it. A short move in a short time from one side of our duplex to the large side. The added space is already being enjoyed, and the room will help us adjust to the new baby due inn October.

Now that Zoey is going to be a big sister we have asked her to step up and help around thehouse. We did have to answer some questions for her, but I gave her a book to help her understand. So she jumped in with a great attitude and help us move. Here she is hooking up the gas line on the dryer.









She also takes care of her pet sock monkey, moves her chair around, opens windows and ups the cuteness around the house! Don't worry though all the hard work has not changed Zoe. She still thinks she is a princess and when she wants daddy to hold her, she gets her way