family

We Adopted Again

Our little baby boy was born June 23, 2008. Lakin (pronounced “lay-kin”) is our 8th child and we brought him into our family through the blessing of adoption. For long-time shmula readers, you might remember that we just adopted Mylie in November 2007 and we adopted Preston in November 2006. Yup, we did it again, and we’re very, very happy.

Our little baby boy was born June 23, 2008. Lakin (pronounced “lay-kin”) is our 8th child and we brought him into our family through the blessing of adoption. For long-time shmula readers, you might remember that we just adopted Mylie in November 2007 and we adopted Preston in November 2006. Yup, we did it again, and we’re very, very happy.

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Visual Management and Self-Reliance

One of my primary goals in life is to teach my kids to be eventually good, productive, and self-reliant adults.  One area of life-skills that my wife and I are focused on in teaching our children, is teaching them the principle of work: how to work, the value of work, to take ownership over their responsibilities, and to be proud of their accomplishments, and to learn to work as a team and family.  One way we are reinforcing the principle of work is through the use of effective Visual Management.

One of my primary goals in life is to teach my kids to be eventually good, productive, and self-reliant adults.  One area of life-skills that my wife and I are focused on in teaching our children, is teaching them the principle of work: how to work, the value of work, to take ownership over their responsibilities, and to be proud of their accomplishments, and to learn to work as a team and family.  One way we are reinforcing the principle of work is through the use of effective Visual Management.

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We’ve Adopted a Baby Girl

Our little baby girl was born yesterday.  Mylie is our 7th child and we brought her into our family through adoption.  For long-time shmula readers, you might remember that we just adopted Preston last year.  Yup, we did it again 1 year later, and we’re very, very happy.

Our little baby girl was born yesterday.  Mylie is our 7th child and we brought her into our family through adoption.  For long-time shmula readers, you might remember that we just adopted Preston last year.  Yup, we did it again 1 year later, and we’re very, very happy.

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Halloween 2007

Tradition in our family is that daddy (me) takes the kids out to trick-or-treat.  This year was so fun.  I’m so proud of my kids.  Below are some pictures that make me really smile.

Here are the 3 younger boys — my superheroes — Batman, Superman, and Spiderman:

Here are all the kids:

From left-to-right: Hannah Montana, a Soccer Player, a Rockstar holding Superman, Batman, and Spiderman.

Tradition in our family is that daddy (me) takes the kids out to trick-or-treat.  This year was so fun.  I’m so proud of my kids.  Below are some pictures that make me really smile.

Here are the 3 younger boys — my superheroes — Batman, Superman, and Spiderman:

Here are all the kids:

From left-to-right: Hannah Montana, a Soccer Player, a Rockstar holding Superman, Batman, and Spiderman.

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Shmula Now at eBay

I resigned from my previous position with Ancestry.com; after considering 3 offers, I accepted a position with eBay.  Our family will still be in Utah (eBay has a large office here), but I’ll most likely travel to other offices also.  I’m very, very excited to be at eBay.  From a high level, I’ll be leading the efforts to improve the customer experience by implementing Lean, Six Sigma, and Service Operations best practices.  I’m really looking forward to the challenge and opportunity.

I resigned from my previous position with Ancestry.com; after considering 3 offers, I accepted a position with eBay.  Our family will still be in Utah (eBay has a large office here), but I’ll most likely travel to other offices also.  I’m very, very excited to be at eBay.  From a high level, I’ll be leading the efforts to improve the customer experience by implementing Lean, Six Sigma, and Service Operations best practices.  I’m really looking forward to the challenge and opportunity.

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Queueing, Disneyland, and FastPass

In a previous article, I discussed the Psychology of Queueing and my experience at Disneyland while on vacation with my family.   In this post, I want to briefly talk about FastPass at Disneyland, in the context of Queueing.

In a previous article, I discussed the Psychology of Queueing and my experience at Disneyland while on vacation with my family.   In this post, I want to briefly talk about FastPass at Disneyland, in the context of Queueing.

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Psychology of Queueing & Disneyland

I went on vacation last week to Disneyland.  We had a lot of fun.  It was also a time to learn how organizations like Disneyland deal with queueing challenges, especially with systems under high stress and load.  In this post, I want to cover the Psychology of Queueing and how Disneyland satisfies several of the positive properties.

I went on vacation last week to Disneyland.  We had a lot of fun.  It was also a time to learn how organizations like Disneyland deal with queueing challenges, especially with systems under high stress and load.  In this post, I want to cover the Psychology of Queueing and how Disneyland satisfies several of the positive properties.

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Shmula on Vacation

My family and I have been in Disneyland all week (since March 18 until March 23).  This has been a really fun break — I love spending time with my family.   While on my vacation, I’ve made it a point to see how Queueing works in theme parks, such as Disneyland, where a system is placed under intense and prolonged stress.

My family and I have been in Disneyland all week (since March 18 until March 23).  This has been a really fun break — I love spending time with my family.   While on my vacation, I’ve made it a point to see how Queueing works in theme parks, such as Disneyland, where a system is placed under intense and prolonged stress.

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Simplifying Shmula

I’ve needed to unclutter my life of non-essential things, interest, and activities: I need to simplify my life.  So, yesterday and today, I decided to do two things.  First, I unsubscribed from 36 blogs; and second, I decided to break linkedin connections of strangers I don’t know.

I’ve needed to unclutter my life of non-essential things, interest, and activities: I need to simplify my life.  So, yesterday and today, I decided to do two things.  First, I unsubscribed from 36 blogs; and second, I decided to break linkedin connections of strangers I don’t know.

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Snowboarding with the Kids

My 9 year old daughter and 7 year old son are pretty good at snowboarding — they are still learning, but they are learning quickly.  We all have season passes to Park City and it’s been fun hanging with the kids.  But, the super nice weather in Utah lately might mean that snowboarding season will be cut short. 

Well, here are the kids:

My 9 year old daughter and 7 year old son are pretty good at snowboarding — they are still learning, but they are learning quickly.  We all have season passes to Park City and it’s been fun hanging with the kids.  But, the super nice weather in Utah lately might mean that snowboarding season will be cut short. 

Well, here are the kids:

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