perks

Who knew working at Ford could satisfy my need for speed?

Yeah, some days my job just isn't worth it. Like the times I have to drive vehicles like this one. It's the new 2011 Shelby (Cobra) Mustang. If it had wings, it would probably fly - and I've heard it can go pretty fast (just ask anyone that had to ride with me while I was driving). Not all days are good at work, but perks like this make it a little easier from time to time. This has been added to my Christmas wish list for sure...

Just Dance

Who knew you could get cardio in while learning to dance like the pros? Watch out world...

There is a game for the Wii called Just Dance - and you get points by trying to dance like the character on the screen. There are 30 songs to choose from and they range in difficulty and length. It's a ton of fun. We first saw the game at Dana and Nakia's house - and had to have it!

Sad part is that Tay beats me every time - I have only had more points than her once...and that was dancing to a Beach Boys song (sad, I know). It's ok, I'll keep practicing and catch up to her. We may take this show on the road once we get our routine down.

The video is pretty funny - and you can tell quickly that Tay is the best out of the three of us. To be fair to Adam, it was his first time playing the game and it's kind of tricky to figure out the first time around. It's a blast though, and is really good cardio.

Huh?

Who knew you could watch something 10 times and still only understand 5% of what was said?

This guy is pretty smart - I was told this was all done without a script...off the cuff if you will. Lot of big words in this one and when he gets going, I just have to laugh.

Uncle Rich

Who knew a memorial service could serve as a wonderful family reunion?

A few months ago we attended a memorial service for my Uncle Rich in Minier, Illinois. It was a sad occasion, but was a wonderful service. Minier is where my mom and her brothers grew up – and is where my grandparents and some of my uncles lived/still live. When I was a kid, we would go down there at least twice a year and I loved it – it was always fun visiting the farm and seeing family. It had been a long time since I visited (over 12 years) and so I was really looking forward to returning.

It was so great to see so much of the family again – it had been way too long. Jaimie and Taylor were able to meet cousins, uncles, aunts, and other relatives they had never met before and we had a wonderful time catching up and hanging out. It was a wonderful weekend because we were celebrating the life of an amazing man the way he would want us to – as a family.

For those that don't know, my mom's side of the family is very fun – and always keeps you on your toes. On Sunday, a few hours before the memorial service, we were having lunch with some of the family and one of my uncles announced that at the end of the service all of the brothers and nephews would be going to the back of the church to sing a song together. Nothing like late notice huh? Since I've come to expect the unexpected with this crew, I just rolled with it. Jaimie didn't really think he was serious, but I assured her he was. Sure enough, at the end of the service, we all got up and walked to the back of the church to sing "It is well with my soul." It was very powerful to say the least and I was so happy to be able to be a small part of that day. Jaimie took a short 20 second clip of us singing and I have loaded it below. Not bad for a group of guys that had zero prep huh?

It was so wonderful to be around family again – it's something I miss quite a bit. Uncle Rich was a wonderful person that left a lasting legacy through his wife, sons, relatives and friends. We miss him very much, but are thankful to have been blessed with such a wonderful example of what a man could be and how he could always care for others before himself.

Us and Grandma

Cousin Todd speaking at the memorial

Cousin Chris speaking
Cousin Jeff playing his violin at the service
Church where the memorial service was held

Tay and I visiting our Schmidgall relatives that have went before us

Tay and Aunt Pat
Cousins causing trouble
Tay and her cousin Cassidy
All of the cousins (most of them anyway - we were missing a few)

New Game

Who knew you could watch a video of other people and swear it was really you and 2 of your friends???

I think I'm going to propose this new game next time I'm hanging with friends...I just hope I'm not stuck being the guy in the middle...

Take my kid to work day

Who knew taking your kid to work could be a ton of fun?

Well, now I know. Taylor came to work with me last week for a day - and we had a blast. She really didn't get an accurate representation of what I do here on a daily basis because I really didn't do any work all day long...I wouldn't say I missed it though. We had a lot of fun playing games, running through the building doing a crossword scavenger hunt, finger painting a Ford Fiesta (yes, we painted the outside of 2 actual vehicles with finger paint), and completed some general mayhem and foolishness.

It was a great time and here is a few pictures they took while we were sitting in a Shelby Cobra...

Perils of riding in the backseat

Who knew riding in the backseat with Abram could get you a 'new style?'

look what might be in your rear view mirror

Who knew you could have a good looking cop car? Actually, I kind of think the Dodge Charger out there is pretty decent also - but of course I'm biased to this one more.

Check out the new Taurus! Ford just announced a new Police Cruise to replace the age old Crown Victoria that has been on the road forever. It's a revamped Taurus - and can also come with the ecoboost engine - yes, the same one in the Taurus SHO. Out running them isn't going to be easy anymore for sure (believe me, the SHO hauls). Here's a picture of what will be coming out next year and I'm sure will be on the roads quickly.

stronger than you look

Who knew you could pull through even when the odds were against you?

Ever feel like you are just trying to go about your day and do what you need to survive only to get caught and smacked like this video shows? Keep watching - apparently there is hope...

could be worse

Who knew there are times I wouldn't want to be driving a zamboni??? Guess they were right when they told me 'it could get worse.'

When I was a kid, my dad and I were sledding at a park by our house. The park had a pond near the bottom of the hill (we were sledding away from the pond - yes, I'm a genius). It was at night and was dark, and we were having a lot of fun. All of a sudden, we heard a 4 wheeler driving around - going through the fresh snow, up the hill and down. Next thing we knew...it looked something like the picture below and we saw the driver scrambling up the side. Once we knew he was safe, I have to admit we had ourselves a little chuckle...