Life is Better in the Sweater: Day 5

As we head into the second half of "The 8 Days of Christmas Sweaters" it brings us to this lovely! A new addition to the 2008 collection the textured, glitter paint takes this little number to the next level. This festive winter scape has a quality about it that simply leaves you at a loss for words...as you can see. Dazed and amused like a reindeer in the Christmas lights!

Life is Better in the Sweater: Day 4

Now I hope you will not be upset with me...but I had to falsify some information as not to hurt you. As you can see Day 4 is not a sweater at all, but a vest! So because it includes less fabric I tried to jazz it up a bit with a bow tie and nutcracker doll. I find there are certain occasions when a sweater is simply not appropriate such as warmer climates and as a Walmart greeter. Sometimes you just want to class up your ensemble and this vest is the ideal choice. Also, if you find yourself at an impromptu caroling session and forget the words to "Winter Wonderland" you need look no further than down. And nothing is more classy than snowmen amidst a blood red sky.

I will warn you that one more vest is coming, I feel it only right to be honest with you.

Life is Better in the Sweater: Day 3

On the third day of Sweaters I truly have to pause...for a sweater filled with Santa Clause! And so this completes the trilogy of treasures from two years ago. It sure is a gem. The magical quality of this sweater simply radiates forth from it...when you get this many Santa's on a sweater it's bound to happen.

We took these photos earlier today and unfortunately the radiating magic of the sweater wasn't quite enough to keep one warm in Abbotsford's arctic conditions.

Life is Better in the Sweater: Day 2

Day 2 of "The 8 Days of Christmas Sweaters" finds this festive cardigan taking the spot. It was part of that original triune MCC sweater jackpot. The detailing on this piece is simply over the top. To see it in person is a magical experience as the fabric literally shimmers with red accent wool. But my favorite parts of this sweater are the prominent Scottish Terriers as well as the Christmas tree buttons adorning the front of this masterpiece. Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like Scottish Terriers. I don't know why Santa has reindeer when clearly these small dogs are the more appropriate choice.

Life is Better in the Sweater: Day 1

With 8 days until the fateful day that has driven all this holiday madness and my growing collection of festive wear I thought it only "fitting" to begin the First Annual "8 Days of Christmas Sweaters!"
And so we begin with one of my favorites. This sassy little number was one of my first finds two years ago at MCC when three beauties hung all in a row beckoning me to take them home. How could I resist??

You may recall this sweater from previous portraits from my days at the Sears Portrait Studio...Life sure is better in the Sweater for Sarah and Shannon!

Do you remember a time in November...

Here is a whirlwind tour of a time in November when hearts were young and voices merry...
'Twas a crazy month of retreats, conferences, and all things chaotic.

We start with the first weekend of the month. It was our Jr Youth Retreat at Manning Park. Oh what a jolly time we shared. No snow...but crazy fun none the less with no injuries!!
Notable highlights:
- bus ride with one student stringing together every obnoxious comment and question about our travels in a constant frenzy of chatter
- One boy, from Korea, who kept walking in around the chalet in just his boxers. He wrecked his pants on a hike later in the weekend so we forced him to wear a towel skirt! If anyone could make a fashion statement with a towel it was Sam...sometimes short, sometimes long, sometimes a-line, always trendy!
- a hike to the "Trappers Cabin" that involved no trail and a lot of bushwhacking and screaming
- mattress slides down the stairs
- dance parties
- forcing food down the children's throats..."What's a matter for you? You don't like it? EAT!! You're too skinny! You eat like a bird!"

click here for photos
and here again for more

The next weekend was the Christian Musicians Summit in Redmond, Washington. A bunch of us from Bakerview went down for the conference which included concerts, workshops and SWAG...stuff we all get!
Noteworthy highlights:
- Seeing Abe Laboriel rock out on the bass
- trying to jump during concerts in pews where the floor is slopped and there is a "Bible box" right at your knees so you have no room...my knees and calves told the story of how that went!

Click here for more CMS photos

Third weekend: Sr Youth Retreat at Manning Park...second verse, same as the first...maybe not
We stay in a big three storey (I guess it's four when I'm there...muhahahah) chalet called "The Last Resort"...that Lincoln Park song runs through my head every time! We packed the bus full of 41 and went laughing all the way watching "Elf" on the way up.
Mentionable Highlights:
- snow, snow, snow!
- the mattress slide once again
- the delightful tunes of the really horrible sounding keyboard
- seeing Emmanuel -God with us- in a real and raw way and how he changed our students through one crazy night
- playing Skipbo in the middle of the night with Colby the Security Guard

click here for more photos

And that was November in a nutshell...stay tuned for tales of December including my wild winter adventure in Ontario, the Boars Head Feast, and two youth banquets...followed by a nervous breakdown and heavy sedatives!

Tina Tuna!!

This October saw a rare appearance of "Tina Tuna"...Tina Turner with a fishy twist! For our youth Halloween-type events I dressed as Tina Tuna. Most didn't get it which I expected...they thought I was a hockey puck, although they were dazzled by the shiny tuna can.

and it's even "dolphin safe"...simply the best!

click here for more

Office Pumpkins

If there are two things that I love most in this world it would be pumpkins and "The Office" repsectively. Actually, that's not true...I do love "The Office" and have a mild affinity for pumpkins...but not to be loved above all else. I digress...

So Dana and I set out to carve pumpkins. Dana is the one with the real artistic magic...and I just have a good track record with large produce and knives (ie. the cabbage/knife/thumb slaughtering resulting in Zambian stitches) and so we set out.

Here is Dana creating "Dwight" with great skill and finesse...

Bask in the sweet, sweet glow of Dwight!

I started "Jim" off but then got frustrated/tired and Dana again worked her magic. She said I could retain the glory...but there are the cold hard facts.

Jim all lit up!
And here they are: Dwight Schrute and Jim Halpert...the pumpkins

I carved a very creepy lifelike impression of my self too...

The Deputy

I'm not much one for politics but there is a stirring in my soul that longs for heroic titles accompanied by abnormal amounts of authority and power for the greater good of my fair country. All this came to a culmination on October 14...Election Day! Several weeks before, I marched into the Abbotsford Election Office looking for a way to earn some extra dosheroonies to buy an electric guitar. What I came away with was far greater than I ever imagined. Before I knew it I was walking out of the building with a title I will proudly display for many moons to come. I was to be a Deputy Returning Officer. Meaning, I would basically run a polling station on election day. My Returning Officer (of whom I was his deputy...despite the fact I was one of many) was a good man...a small man in stature...but a good man. At least I presume so. He was always wearing a matching ball cap to his sweatshirt and khaki pants, therefore, granting my presumptions. After my three hours of training we passed in the hall and with gusto he implored us to "give it everything we had" on the "big day". And give it everything I had I certainly did. For a title of Deputy pinned to my chest was nothing to be taken lightly.

From that point on I studied my training manual meticulously. I was particularly intrigued by the fact that I would have the authority to make arrests. I felt like Chuck Norris. But mostly I studied the part about closing the poll and counting the ballots so I could get out as soon as possible. You see, we were getting paid a flat rate for the day...so the longer I was there the less I was making per hour...so in order for this to pay off I had to be the fastest in the west.

Voting day arrived and so did I, at 6:15am at my polling station. I met my poll clerk, Joyce, a fine retired woman with 10 great grandchildren. Anticipation was high as all the DRO's and Poll Clerks gathered outside the building...it only heightened with the fact we had to wait outside in the dark and freezing cold for the man with the key to the building to finally show up to open it. This left for a scramble set up of epic proportions, but Joyce and I handled it in stride. Seven am rang true and it began. For 12 straight hours we would sit there. If I had to go the bathroom we had to shut down the poll. After hours of handing out ballots the clock struck 7pm and it was time. I had prepped Joyce all day for this, planning out every single action to stream line the closing process to efficient perfection...and that it was. Barrel's blazing it was a furry of counting, paperwork, sorting, sealing, signing, and following a complex series of actions to ensure a fair and proper election. I barked out orders to Joyce like our lives were at steak...there was no room for error. And 45 minutes later we dazzled them all by being the first one out of there. Joyce and I embraced like we had just conquered a mighty battle and it ended as it began...under the cover of darkness we slipped away...our heads held high, knowing that justice had been served. This was the day I was the Deputy.

Low Quality Photos, High Quality Fun!

Since my life consists mostly of my work right now here's a little sampling from the smorgasbord of fun and excitement that is Youth Ministry! These shots were captured on our recent Jr Youth Photo Scavenger Hunt were we divided into four groups each with a the task of creatively photographing themselves in certain situations, each with a varying degree of difficulty and point allotment. The team with the most points at the end took home the glory and a chocolate bar. Due to the fact we were operating with disposable camera's in low light conditions the quality isn't the greatest but here's to our slogan:
"Low quality photos, high quality fun!"

A Tribute to Becky Jones!

Today, on the ides of September, we celebrate the birth of Becky Jones, formerly known as on the day of her birth as Rebecca Joy Eby. I first met Becky at the end of her TWU reign on our Zambia missions trip. We became fast friends as I didn't make fun of her strange nocturnal habits (probably because I was too shy back then) and she embraced the dorkiness of me. It's a pity we hadn't met sooner or we would have ruled the school.

(click here for more photos)

So here is a birthday song I wrote for Becky while she and her husband, Sam, were off teaching in Korea.

Row, row, row your boat...in the pouring rain...

Here's a look at one of our "summer" youth expeditions!
Click here for more, more, more!

Silence the Rumours!

Contrary to popular belief, Shannon does not have mono! Rumours began to circulate two weeks ago when a friend of mine contracted the virus. The doctor said it takes about 25 days before the symptoms appear. Twenty five odd days before her symptoms surfaced we were on a youth camping trip where we shared a water bottle. At this same time I had been complaining of abnormal levels of fatigue and slight body "achy-ness" which had been around for months. Putting all this together it was thought I was the culprit of spreading this virus. So tests were done to get to the bottom of it all. And the results are in...I am not the spreader of this virus. And so it remains an unsolved mystery...

A Summers Eve with Feist

On Tuesday, August 5th, Danzer and I went to see Feist perform in Deer Lake Park. It was an awesome show. She had all this magical shadow art and alike going on in the background, performed by the "Shadow Mistress"...it was whimsical and mysterious! She was opened for by The Weakerthans, who were also very good, however, our vision was impeded by the tallest man at the show and his girlfriend who stood in front of us during their entire set.

Click here to see more

Mariner Monday Madness!!

Nothing says "Happy BC Day" like going down to the United States of America to watch a baseball game! And so that's what we did. I took a troop from youth and beyond to Seattle in our big church van (which I am now licensed to drive...look out!). It was "Celebrate Japanese Baseball Night" so we all got free hats that said "Mariners" in Japanese. It was a great game. They were playing the Minnesota Twins (don't ya know) and Seattle was down 6-1 in the 7th inning when another baseball miracle took place before our very eyes. It started off with a grand slam and ended with getting 10 runs in one inning. The jubilation that filled our hearts was almost too much to contain often expressing itself in flailing, raised arms; piercing shrieks; and erratic body movement. We won 11-6.

But perhaps the biggest highlight for me was being featured on the "Big Screen" during the game. This is how it came about...Before the game I, along with my friend Amber, were waiting outside the stadium to meet my friend who would join us. While waiting we noticed a camera. We discretely flocked to it and they asked us if we wanted to be on the big screen. Without hesitation we affirmed our acceptance to the task. They then told us to individually look into the camera, say our name, where we were from and what music we wanted to hear. We both immediately drew complete blanks on what to choose. They tried to help by suggesting Rihanna or Timberlake...I couldn't waste an opportunity like this on those artists. All I could think of was my recent encounter with Stevie Wonder and so that's what I chose and enthusiastically went before the camera. Amber did a separate take choosing good ol' Canadian , Bryan Adams. Then it all took place...halfway through the game our attention was directed to the big screen for the featured DJ...and then there I was proudly requesting my selection!! What a day!

Other highlights include:
~Eating a "footlong hotdog" that was actually a foot long and the indigestion that ensued
~Trying the "World Famous Garlic Fries" and the garlic breath that ensued coupled with the indigestion. They seriously just dump a pound of fresh crushed garlic on fries...it's like they are terrified of vampires entering the stadium or something
~Yelling at "Gomez", the Twins' centre fielder, trying to ask how old he was
~The wave...need I say more...it's the wave!!

The Grouse Grind

Here is a video blog of a hike up Grouse Mountain taken on July 27th, 2008.

Symphony In the Park

And so it is that every summer the esteemed Vancouver Symphony Orchestra puts on a free concert in Deer Lake Park in Burnaby. So last Sunday Dana and I set out for a night of culture and chaos. Using our aggressive "elbows up" technique we maneuvered our way to set up our blanket near the front of the stage about an hour before the concert. 'Twas a lovely evening and perhaps more entertaining than the concert itself was observing the peculiar behavior of my own species. I was particularly captivated with the couple in front of us who clearly knew what they were doing, equipped with pillows and quite an extravagant picnic which progressed through the entire evening. It seemed each musical movement brought on a new culinary delight topped off with milk from wine glasses...bravo!

To the Big City...

But a few weeks ago the Sr. Youth and I set out to explore the mighty city that is Vancouver. A happy family we loaded into the van and headed for adventure. First stop...the skytrain...

Here we practiced an ancient Bakerview Youth art of "Skurfing" (or if your on the bus "Burfing") in which you have to stand with only your feet stabling you no matter what turbulence occurs, much like you are surfing. Alyssa and Julie seemed to have classed it up a little by adding ballet hands.

We then made the jont to Denman St, about a 10 block walk in which several thought they would die from exhaustion, to the Mongolian BBQ. Dingy looking on the outside...and maybe a little on the inside too...but the food tastes oh so fine! You can load up your bowl with as much as you want as many times as you want. It's pretty much an ideal situation.

Look what we found in the noodles! Move over Potatoe Chip Mother Mary!

The grill Ninja!

Mongolian Magic

Satisfied customers!

On the way home we stopped at Ikea's Midnight Madness for ice cream and pandemonium.

Stevie Wonder: I just blogged to say I love you...

On July 12th my good pal, Sarah, and I saw the 8th greatest 'Wonder' of the world! I would say one of the top two black, blind male artists of all time (It's a close race between him and Ray Charles). Good ol' Stevie put on quite the show!! We were going to rush the stage but it probably would have taken us two days by alpaca to get to the stage from our seats. Despite the distance it was truly Stevie Wonder-ful.

Oh, and this picture isn't from the concert cause I'm a dope and even though I snuck a camera in I didn't take a single shot.

Picnic Sisters

The Storey sisters take church picnics very seriously.

Hamster ball racing is also the kind of seriousness one might find at a church picnic!

The Butter Knife Stabbing

It started out a pleasant summer evening in a quiet residential neighbourhood of Abbotsford. The Jr. Youth group had just set out on a "Progressive Dinner", the first stop...buns. But things were about to take a buttery, bloody turn for one youth director and her youth. While standing in line, awaiting her turn for fresh baked delights a disturbance arose from a group of grade 6 boys (which is pretty much a given...when is there not with grade 6 boys!) who began to fight for control of a butter knife. And in the blink of an eye, or perhaps a stab, it had happened. One boy grabbed the knife, thrusting his fist back over his shoulder and into aforementioned youth directors face, leaving an eye full of butter and cut. Onlooking youth began to shout, "Your bleeding!!" Controlling the situation with a bandaid or two the night returned back to its peaceful chaos.I went to the hospital under the advise of some medical professionals who said it would heal better if I got it stitched. Not wanting to look like ol' Al Capone I heeded their advice. Turns out it didn't need it after two hours in emergency. So I guess I'm stuck with "Scarface".

The Bakerview Church Annual Genral Meeting: White Girl Raps

This past Wednesday evening was our church annual general business meeting, well known for it's hefty agenda of reports and formal business-like manner using words more typically heard in parliament and enforcing "Roberts Rule of Order." For this event each pastor is required to write an annual report for their area. So, therefore, I set forth and carried out this task. Then at the meeting those who have written reports get up and speak to their report and then a motion is made to accept the report after further questioning and commenting. So since this was my first AGM report (and could very well be my last!) I took the liberty of writing a rap to speak to my report. Now the demographics of this meeting would suggest that this would not be the prime audience for this format. I would say about 85% were over age 60 and this being a Mennonite church I chose to introduce it as a "light hearted song" as to offend fewer and do it in a slow and articulate manner so it would seem more like a poetry reading than a rap. This could be the "whitest white girl rap" ever! I was aided by my posy of Margie, Dustin, and Jason who "creatively moved" in the back while Margie lay down the beat! Enjoy!

MennoNight!!

In celebration of our rich, yet frugal, cultural heritage I held a Menno-Night with our Jr. Youth group. We all hooked up the ol' horse and buggy, dawned our bonnets and suspenders, communicated in Low German, and of course, ate!

Here we are, a fine looking family!

Here's Jackson with a traditional farming tool, the pool noodle.

We played several games such as "Menno Simon Says" and awarded prizes for best dressed. Here is our best dressed girl, Rachel, winning her prize afhgan, a precious moment!
And what would a Mennonite be without food?! We had two wonderful volunteers, Barb and Marian, come make fresh roll kuken (basically deep fried dough) and watermelon, which really helps the grease of the roll kuken go down quite nicely. Here are our strapping young lads, Curtis (Left), Andrew (Center), and Davis representing our Russian roots!Roll Kuken in all it's greasy glory! Best enjoyed with Rogers Syrup .
Rebecca, our runaway Mennonite on crutches!
Our Sr. Youth will be having a Menno-Night of there own next week...I'm in the process of trying to make huge Dutch Blitz playing cards our of strawberry flat boxes for the event.