Friday Fun: 25 Random Things About Me (10/29/10)

Seeing how some of my friends (and relatives) have been posting some "fun" ideas on their blogs... I've decided to do the same thing! So once a week, I'll try and post something out of the ordinary! Introducing.... FRIDAY FUN!

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- Here is a list of 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about me! Enjoy!


1. I start the day in an extremely bad mood if I'm awakened by the radio as an alarm when it's broadcasting a program that involves a lot of talking. It has to be strictly music.
 
2. I constantly use puns and jokes in conversation on a daily basis... much to the great annoyance of my wonderful wife!

3. I will NOT ever take adult, cherry flavored, Robitussin cough medicine... that stuff is nasty! My mom used to give it to me, and said that when I grow up I can decide not to take it, so I don't! I double up on the better tasting children's cough medicine (grape flavored)!



4. I often wear a set of "Hillbilly Teeth" while driving down the road singing! I enjoy getting the odd looks from other drivers and passengers! (I don't do it while Lydia is with me, she'd never ride with me again if I tried)

5. I like licking the microwave popcorn bag clean of the butter and salt after dumping the popcorn into a bowl.

6. I listen to Christmas music year-round!

7. During my senior year of high-school, I'd eat two cans of mushroom soup for lunch almost every day, and ended up getting horribly constipated on day that required a trip to urgent care! Not fun!

8. I truly despise the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"... it gave me nightmares as a child and still bugs me when I even see a small clip!

9. I can wiggle my ears.

10. I often suffer from a condition called Costochondritis that causes chest pain due to inflammation of the cartilage and bones in the chest wall. The scary part is that the symptoms imitate a heart attack!

11. I have almost no gag reflex in my mouth... which allows me to slip my tongue back past my uvula and up into the nostril cavity above the roof of my mouth!

12. I used to constantly eat toothpaste as a kid.

13. I have an uncanny knack at smelling and guessing the right type of food that may be nearby. (it annoys my coworkers...)



14. In the middle of the night, I will sit up suddenly and then fall asleep my body facing forward across my legs, sitting Indian-style. (or is that Native-American style?)

15. Got picked out of the audience to sing bass on stage with a SG trio (Southern Brothers) for one song at Silver Dollar City when I was 15.

16. Someday, I'd like to take the family on a road-trip, traveling the entire length of old Route 66.

17. I wear contacts, and would like to get laser correction surgery on my eyes someday.

18. Once, I consistently ate for 3 hours straight at Shoney's, it was their Sunday all-you-can-eat buffet!

19. I have a horrible habit of biting my fingernails. Especially when I'm nervous or under some sort of anticipation.

20. I can draw most of the main Archie Comic characters without any reference.

21. My goal is to someday work as a full-time freelance graphic designer.



22. I like to walk around barefoot!

23. I believe I've married the wonderful woman! I honestly don't think there is any other woman that could stand living with a guy me.. she's my perfect match! (That's a fact!)



24. I ate rock salt when I was a kid. (I'm surprised I'm alive!)

25. I also put an entire box of ALTOIDS mints in my mouth and ate them! I couldn't drink anything for several hours!


~Matt

Setting Out the Outdoor Christmas Lights (Thursday, 10/28/10)

As many of you may already know, Christmas is less than two months away. Also, the weather has started to get cooler. In fact, we're expecting a freeze tonight!!!

Well, I gave it some thought, and seriously thought about going ahead and putting up the outdoor Christmas lights since the weather has been nice. There are a lot of advantages to this idea if you think about it! The nice weather, you find out if the strands work or not, and you don't have to worry about doing it later. I'm all for that!

However, the longer they're up, the greater change of them going out or something going wrong before Christmas. And I definitively don't want to mess with them right around the holiday! It's bad enough to have to go out and take them down!

I also hate having them on the house and not having them turned on. To me, that makes the house look odd. Sorta gives it that Ozark redneck feel, like an old sofa sitting on the front porch! I'm hillbilly enough, thank you very much!

Also, what a great disappointment it'd be to finally get to the day after Thanksgiving, flip the switch, and half of them not working! That would be soooooo frustrating!

So... it looks like I'll wait. :)

~Matt

“The Missouri Earnings Tax Initiative” - My Stance On Proposition A (Missouri)

On November 2nd, Missourians will be asked to go vote. There are several issues on the ballot. Like I mentioned in the post for Proposition B, I have decided to do my own research, and make my own decision. I wanted to really look at the issue myself, and not rely on just what others are saying.

So with this post, I'm going to focus on Proposition A... "The Missouri Earnings Tax Initiative".

The current state law allows the earnings tax to be in the hands of the politicians, without any voter approval, and it could lead to other cities adopting local earning taxes as well. Right now, they are authorized by state law, in it can only be modified by a vote of vote of the legislature or a statewide vote of the people. That's how this initiative comes into play.

If this measure passes, it would then put the voting power back in the hands of the citizens of St. Louis and Kansas City, allowing local elections every five years on keeping the 1% earnings tax or phasing it out over a 10 year period. It will also keep politicians from imposing any new local earnings taxes on other communities in the state of Missouri that don't have one.  

The earnings tax is a 1% tax on the incomes of businesses and individuals working or residing in the city. Right now, it can be imposed the city of Springfield, and according to what I've found, it has been considered! I'm not in favor of that happening, especially without being able to vote on it. If politicians want to add a tax, they need to bring it to us voters first.

This proposition will give voters the rights to pass or reject their own taxes, not leave it to the politicians. I'd rather leave it up to the voters, thank you very much!

Voting "No" allows the state laws concerning the earnings tax remain unchanged.

Voting "Yes" allows Kansas City and St. Louis voters the right to decide every five years if they want to continue or deny the existing earnings tax, and it prohibits any new earnings tax from being imposed on other communities.

So the question is, will you allow others (government) to decide whether you should be under an additional tax, or do you want to be allowed to make that choice. This decision is yours......

Can you guess mine?

~Matt

"Puppy Mills" - My Stance On Proposition B (Missouri)

If you've watched TV or read the newspaper, you know that it's getting close to voting day. The ads are prevalent. Politicians are throwing dirt everywhere! If you're like me, you're probably getting tired of it, and can't wait until it's over.

However, there are some issues that have come up that I wanted to be clear on before I go vote. So, I've tried my best to do my own independent research. You know... something every voter SHOULD do! I know some people don't care, and will just vote on what looks good. There are those who just glance over the words and don't really look into the issues! Well, I'm posting what I've found!

Known as the "Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act", Proposition B for Missouri will be voted upon on November 2nd.

Hey now... Who wouldn't be against dog "cruelty"?

Missouri is known as the Puppy Mill Capital of America, thanks to the fact we have many puppy production facilities. Unfortunately, there are several disreputable canine breeding operations in our state.  It's nothing too new. As a Missourian, I hear it on the news often. I dislike hearing about what is sometimes found on people's property. So will this proposition help?

NO!

It doesn't do anything for those illegal breeders. In fact, we have perfectly good laws already in place for those type of people. This proposition goes against established, law-abiding breeders! It just piles on more regulation on legal commercial breeding facilities. Licensed breeders take care of their dogs, because if they are to stay in business, they have to have healthy dogs. Come on, I am for true dog kennels and against puppy mills (sub-standard dog facilities). There are 23 pages of regulations that responsible breeders are regarded to follow. Unfortunately, the state can't afford enough inspectors to enforce the laws we already have!

On a side note, it includes some strange facts... sportsmen or small hobby breeders are exempt from the measure! If Proposition B's only aim is to ensure adequate care, then why are shelters, rescues, veterinary clinics, HSUS (Humane Society of the United States), and non breeding owners exempt? Do theses dogs not also deserve the "most basic humane care"?

The proposition is being introduced as a means of eliminating the legal, licensed professional dog breeders in Missouri. According to the Department of Agriculture, no current licensed breeder can comply with the regulations put forth in Prop B, no matter how clean and well run the facility. Cost prohibitive space requirements coupled with misdemeanor crimes for the most minor of issues will eliminate the legal industry in our state. So based on that... only unlicensed, substandard breeders will be left to produce puppies while continuing to hide from state laws. This is good, why?

To put it plainly, if there was a proposition that would allow us to better enforce the regulations that we do have and go after the true illegal breeders, that would be the one I'd vote for. This one is not it!!!

Another question that bugs me is the use of the term "puppy mill". Let me define it! True puppy mills are places that are illegal facilities that breed dogs in inhumane and filthy environments. They breed dogs that are sick wounded and malnourished. Why is the term used in this measure? To HSUS, they think that commercial dog kennels fall under this description! They're using this derogatory term to pull at the heartstrings of the voters. Don't forget that they've added "cruelty", therefore gaining emotion and influence!

By the way, this proposition was brought forth by the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) and this group should NOT be confused with your local Humane Society! It's quite scary, they don't believe we should use animals in anyway, including eating meat, eggs, milk, hunting, fishing, keeping pets, etc. It is headed by Wayne Pacelle… a guy who is against pets and vocal about it too! Does that make sense? For more research on this guy, please check out these links:
• http://activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/o/136-humane-society-of-the-united-states
• http://www.mlive.com/opinion/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/09/viewpoint_hsus_is_about_animal.html
• http://www.opednews.com/articles/Agent-Wayne-Pacelle-the-H-by-Dr-Steve-Best-080825-901.html
• http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/h/2482-waynes-animal-rights-world
• http://www.nraila.org/legislation/federal/read.aspx?id=4189

~Matt

NEWS: Dead Sea Scrolls to be Digitalized for Online Viewing!

This is probably the one of the most exciting news I've heard in a while! I read in an online article that Google will be digitalizing the Dead Sea Scrolls in their entirety. In a few months, parts will be able to be viewed online, and completed within five years. They are to photographed using multi-spectral imaging technology (developed by NASA).

The coolest part is that they "plan to include transcriptions, translations and a bibliography with the images so you won't have to be an expert, or even able to read Aramaic in order to decipher the scrolls."

~Matt

Week Rundown! (10/17/10 - 10/23/10)

Sunday:

Just like most Sundays, the day started out the same. Running the vans, picking up folks, and then attending services. It was a beautiful morning, and I was hoping it wouldn't get too hot.

Lydia went home after services, and I finished running my van route before getting there too. We immediately left the house when I got there, and I ate my lunch on the way to Nathaniel Greene Park. Mysia to have her Daisy Scouts presentation there!

When we arrived at the park, we were greeted with a ton of people trying to get in to park. Come to find out, there was a concert going on! We ended up parking out side of the park grounds, and had to walk quite a ways to get to the group. There were actually two concerts going on at the same time! Next to the park sits the American Legion, and they were having an outdoor concert there too, sounding like they were competing! And we were in-between the two!!!!

The girls did their presentation, crossing over the bridge, saying their motto, and receiving their badges. Afterwards, we ate cake. The girls got some group photos, and they played for a bit. This was the last event for Mysia with the group... schedule conflict and things were not working out. Hopefully, in the near future, we can get her back in.

During the evening services, Lydia and I had toddlers at church. Thankfully they were all good, and not super hyper! After the services we attended the monthly birthday and anniversary dinner. It was yummy! (I always enjoy our food and fellowship at church!)



Monday:

Ahh, the first of the work week! And back to our normal schedule. Came home, got dinner going. Lydia worked on it while I helped Mysia with her homework.

The neighbors next door had a cat the had kittens, and boy were they noisy! Come to find out, they were hungry! The mother had stopped feeding them. We tried giving them milk, but they didn't take to it very well.

I was able to grab some food before I left for quartet practice. We're still working on Christmas songs, and are hoping to sing sometime soon.

When I arrived back home, Lydia was working homework... it just never ends!

Tuesday:

Boy, what an exciting day! After work, I picked up Malachi and called Lydia. She had gotten Mysia from school and went to BioLife to give plasma, afterwards, she headed to the Palace Theater to get tickets for Toy Story 3! It was dollar day, so tickets were a good price for us! I ran by McDonald's and grabbed some food from the drivethru. We ate our food in the parking lot of the movie theater before going in.

My family had decided to show up as well, and so did Paulette and Moses. There were also a few teens from church. The movie was great! Unfortunately, it was a little too much for Malachi though. When the toys were about to be incinerated, he was crying and clutching my neck. Mysia didn't care for that part either. They both commented on the way home that they don't to watch it again. I think it was a bit too emotional and full of drama for their age. But I'm sure they'll like it when they get older.


Wednesday:

When we arrived home after work/daycare, the kittens were loud! They were really hungry. In fact, when they saw us, they crawled through the chain-link fence and attacked Malachi, wanting him to hold them. Of course, he wasn't complaining. I was more afraid that he's squeeze them to death by grabbing and holding them, but it was their fault for coming to him! lol

The neighbor was trying to find someone to get them, without any luck. He said he had tried to drop them off at several places, but they wouldn't take them. There was NO way that we were! I can promise that! Anyway, we all tried feeding them again, and they actually took some evaporated milk from the can that we had.

Messing with the kittens had put us behind, but we were soon off to church. We were going to make it right on time... but Malachi insisted on having to go to the restroom. And he had to go right then! So we pulled off to a gas-station, and I ran him in. He took his time while in there, saying he didn't "have to go bad now." Argh!!!

The kids program went pretty well, and was adventurous as always. Nothing too surprising, but not always the same. That's what happens when you deal with a lot of kids!


Thursday:

Lydia and I had decided that instead of getting individual gifts for Christmas for our family (her, I, and the kids), we'd get something for us all to enjoy. We didn't know how we'd afford it, but were very interested in getting a Nintendo Wii. Then a few weeks ago, my parents found one through craigslist for a really reasonable price! So I started checking it daily, hoping to find us one. There were several attempts, but nothing really panned out. Until today...

So after work, I picked up Malachi and met Lydia downtown. She had gone by the bank, and when we met she got her and I some supper, and gave me the money. She then took the kids and headed over to my parents' house while I went to check the system out. It was quite a deal! And I made the payment, got the system, and met Lydia at my folks'.

Lydia and I left the kids under my parents' care and headed off to the Southern Gospel concert that was in town. We got to see the Whisnants, Jonathan Martin, and the Triumphant Quartet! It was a great concert! My favorite group was Triumphant!! They really did a great job! I see why they were recently voted America's #1 quartet.... they're great!

After the concert, we picked up the kids and headed home. What a night!


Friday:

This evening was supposed to be our discipleship meeting, but due to illness, our disciplers had to cancel. So we did some housework, let the kids play some games, and put them to bed. Lydia and I did a bit of our "state of The Family" meeting, where we go over schedule, family issues, budget, etc.

We also got a call from my brother, Benjamin. He and his wife were in town, and wanted to let us know that they're expecting another kid sometime around June! Wow..!


Saturday:

Today we didn't sleep in much. I ran and got us some cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and boy, where they delicious! The kids watched cartoons for most part of the morning.

We decided that since there was nothing really planned for the main part of the day, that we'd do some running around before noon. So off we went to the Army Surplus store to look around. Then we visited a costume shop. Mysia and Malachi didn't care for some of the scary stuff they had at the store, but sure enjoyed trying on some of the silly masks and looking at some of the costumes.

Our last stop before heading back home was Sam's Club. Lydia and I needed new cases for our iPhones, and knew that this was the place to go for a good deal. We also did a fair amount of our grocery shopping there as well. The best part was the fact that they had a lot of food samples! Yum. We had fish, noodles with chicken, chicken salad sandwich, and freshly baked pumpkin pie! Oh yum!

Back at home, we visited with Benjamin, Ana, and Elijah! We had chocolate chip cookies and visited. The kids played!

After they left, we dropped the kids off at Lycia's for the evening and we headed to a surprise birthday party for our friend Chris. We almost spoiled the surprise by showing up at their loft instead of the designated party room. Whoops! However, it turned out fine, and we had a blast.


~Matt

Fun List: Things I Have & Haven't Done! (Saturday, 10/23/2010)

Okay... this post is out of the usual line of things for this blog, but I thought it'd be fun! So here's a list of things I have & haven't done!

( ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Skipped school
( ) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada 
(x) Been to Mexico
( ) Been to Florida
(x) Jumped off a cliff
( ) Bungee jump
( ) Para sailed
(x) Been on a plane
( ) Flown a plane
(x) Been lost
( ) Gone to Washington, DC
( ) Swam in the ocean
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
(x ) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
(x) Sang Karaoke
(x) Paid for a meal with coins only
(x) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
( ) been to NewYork City at Xmas time
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) Made prank phone calls
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose & elsewhere
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(x) Watched the sunrise with someone
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(x) Gone to the movies
( ) Been deep sea fishing
( ) Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving
( ) Gone snowmobiling
( ) Lived in more than one country
(x) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars
(x) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
( ) Traveled by train
( ) Traveled by motorcycle
(x) Been horse back riding
( ) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR
( / ) Been to Disney World/ Land...
(x) Truly believe in the power of prayer
( ) Been in a rain forest
( ) Seen whales in the ocean
( ) Been to Niagara Falls
(x) Ridden on an elephant
( ) Swam with dolphins
( ) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier crack
( ) Been spinnaker flying
( ) Been water-skiing
( ) Been snow-skiing
( ) Been to Westminster Abbey
( ) Been to the Louvre
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
(x) Been to a Major League Baseball game
( ) Been to a National Football League game
(x) Ever been skinny-dipping
(x) Laugh so hard you cry
(x) Follow a map for treasure
( ) Drive a dune buggy
(x) Ridden/Driven over 100 mph in a car
( ) Get lost in East L.A. after dark
( ) Got a Tattoo...


~Matt

iXL: the iPad for the Younger Generation!?!? (Friday, 10/22/10)

 
I can thank my mom for this post idea, she's the one that asked if I had heard about this neat little device!

Introducing the Fisher-Price iXL! It's "6-in-1 Learning System"! It's like the iPad for kids! Although, I'll have to admit, it may do more than what the iPad can!

Very durable, it comes with a 5 inch touch screen and is reported to be very lightweight! it comes with a stylus, a SD slot for loading additional content, and can connect to your PC or Mac via an USB cable.

This device is very educational and an all-around media center that would attract any kid! It's a game player, art book, book reader, notepad, photo view, and MP3 music player! It's education aspects are great as well, including counting and spelling. This device is pretty cool!

Perhaps in a year or less, I might be able to get two for my kids off of craigslist...! They'd sure love that!!

~Matt

Malachi: A Report (Thursday, 10/21/10)

Malachi reminds me of a parrot!

And I mean that in the most loving way a dad can. I'm not trying to be mean, but it is a fact.

Now you may be thinking that most kids are like a parrot. They repeat everything they hear, repeating phrases correctly or incorrectly. And that's correct in that assumption. But that's not exactly what I'm getting at.

Malachi likes to repeat a phrase over, and over, and over, and over again! More like a broken record I guess. Let me give an example from yesterday:

Malachi: Daddy, I thirsty.
Me: Okay. (I get a cup)
Malachi: Daddy I want a drink, I want kool-aid.
Me: Okay, kool-aid it is. (I get the kool-aid)
Malachi: I want kool-aid.
Malachi: I want kool-aid.
Malachi: I want kool-aid.
Malachi: I want kool-aid.
Malachi: I want kool-aid.
Malachi:  I want kool-aid.
Me: Okay, Okay.. here you go. (I give him kool-aid)
Malachi: I'm hungry. I want a apple.
Malachi: Daddy.. I want apple
Malachi: I want apple.
Me: Let me cut one up. (I start on the apple)
Malachi: I want apple.
Malachi: I want apple.
Malachi: I want apple.
Malachi: I want apple.
Malachi: I want apple.
Malachi: I want apple..........

See what I mean? lol

~Matt

Week Rundown! (10/10/10 - 10/16/10)

Sunday:

Sunday morning was usual. I had vans, and church services was good. We rested in the afternoon. I was tired, Lydia was tired, and the kids were too..

This evening, we headed to the funeral of Kathy Collins. The church was pretty full, and our kids behaved pretty good. Malachi was energetic, and became more impatient toward the end, but did well overall. The service nice, and very emotional. You can read about it here: http://www.ktts.com/news/104680464.html

There was food catered in for family, after the services. We ate, visited, and comforted each other before going home for the night.


Monday:

Today, I took off as vacation. Lydia went to work and Malachi went to daycare. I took Mysia dentist! She had a cavity that needed filled. They placed her on the chair, let her wear sunglasses, and went to work on her tooth. I sat in the a chair close by, but she did so well. The only thing that was difficult for her was that she couldn't talk to them while the nurse or dentist was working in her mouth! I guess she's her daddy's daughter! lol!

The dentist visit was fast, and I was able to drop her off in time for school. I then went home and got a few things done before heading to church for the rest of the afternoon.

Our church was holding the Baptist Bible Fellowship Meeting, and I was a part of it. I got to sing in a quintet (5 guys), and Steppin' Out got to sing as well. I also got to visit with several of the local pastors. It was a chance to also hand out my business card for my graphic design services and the quartet as well.

Lydia got tags for the van after she got off work. She then picked up the kids, and was able to make it to church in time for the supper. Then it was off to my parents' house! Today is Sam's 20th birthday, so we went over there for ice cream and cake! Silas & Kristi showed up as well, which thrilled the kids (and us too of course). When they appeared at the door, Mysia ran past Silas and gave Kristi a big hug! Aunts are cooler I guess! lol! We had a good time visiting. The kids got Abigail and Grandma Taylor to sit on the floor and play a game! When we left, we headed to walmart to pick up a few items and then headed home!


Tuesday:

Back to work for me.. :( It was so nice to have a four-day weekend!

After work, Lydia and Mysia took the van to get washed. Malachi and I took the car too. It took longer for us guys since the car needed vacuumed out as well as washed. After going through the wash, Malachi noticed that some bird droppings had remained on the back windshield... and insisted that we go through again! I was able to wipe it off when we got home.

Silas and Kristi came over for a visit, and had dinner with us as well. We enjoyed having them over.

Wednesday:

Mysia was picked up by Abigail from school and went over to granny's house. The rest of us came home, ate supper, and we met up at church. After church, we came home, worked on homework, and then wnet to bed.


Thursday:

This morning, I met with Dave Taylor at KWFC to go over flyers for the upcoming concerts. He gave me some work to have done by the next morning!

I then returned home, got ready, and it was time to head out. Mysia and Lydia to school, Malachi to daycare, me to work...

Back at home, we played with kids and ate supper. After getting the kids to bed, I worked on the posters and flyers while Lydia made tow cheesecakes and did homework. She actually got finished before I did!


Friday:

It was a typical Friday, and I glad it was the end of the work week!

After work, I ran to Walmart to pick up a few things. It was crowed! I then met Lydia and the kids at home, and we hurried off to Nixa. Tonight was Lycia's surprise birthday party! We arrived there in plenty of time! The relatives were all there, and the kids got to play for a good while before Lycia showed up! Since it was a surprise, and she didn't didn't know we were anxiously waiting, she wasn't in a hurry to get there! But we surprised her good!


Saturday:

Stayed home and enjoyed a day of rest. It was something we hadn't done it a long while!

Even though we made sure nothing was planned, we caught ourselves feeling like there was somewhere we had to go! And the day wasn't without some problems!

I pulled out the radio controlled vehicles we had. Malachi had one he had got for Christmas last year, and Lydia had recently got one for free from work. We played with them for several hours! They had more fun running them into everyone's feet!

Several weeks before, we had problems with our router not working correctly. The wifi would occasionally not work. So, I'd reset it. Well, today, while I was working on bills and Lydia was working on homework... our wifi finally died out on us! Ugh! I could plug the network cord to my computer and get internet, but since it was located in our bedroom closet, it wasn't very convenient! So when I did the grocery shopping after supper, I bought a new router. Come to find out, our old router was slow! This new one is fast and powerful! So even though it cost us a bit to buy a new one, I'm not complaining that we're hurting too much. It's nice! :)



~Matt

Week Rundown! (10/03/10 - 10/09/10)

Sorry for the delay, this week has been a bit hectic!




Sunday:

I ran the church van. And after the morning services, stayed at church for (Uncle) Moses' birthday party at 3. The kids and I took naps after eating, before the party. Ahhh... it felt good!

That evening, we came home and didn't really do anything! ha! We put the kids to bed at a decent time though!

Monday:

It was a pretty normal day. I had a dentist appointment at 3.. they had to give me two shots before drilling for a cavity! By the time I got home with Malachi, my entire left face from my eyebrow to my chin was numb!

Abigail and Mysia were at home when I arrived. Lydia came home after work, and we ate supper. I rushed off for quartet practice.


Tuesday:

Another normal day at first. Gym, school, work, home!

After supper, Paulette came by for a visit. Lydia ended up not feeling good, and went to bed early. I got the kids ready for bed.


Wednesday:

Today was sad. The plane accident here at the downtown airport really had an effect. Kathy Collins, wife of Lydia's cousin, was killed in the crash. I had heard about the wreck on the news, but it wasn't until later in the afternoon that we heard she was involved.

Here's an interview in the local newspaper:
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20101008/NEWS01/10080341/1007/NEWS01/Family-shocked-by-fatality-in-Springfield-plane-crash

At church, it was "fun night" for our children's service. We played games, had a neat devotion, and had a snack. The weather was nice, so it made it for a good time when outside!

Thursday:

After work, Malachi and I stopped by Walmart and picked up some snacks for me to take on my trip tomorrow. When we got home, Lydia had supper going. We ate, did homework, and then got everyone ready for bed.

Friday:

Ahh... a vacation day for me! I took off so I could head down with some of the men from church to Stillwater, OK! The church down there was holding their yearly Men's Advance. So the guys took a camper and I brought my tent! By doing so, we saved money on getting hotel/motel rooms, and it turned out very nice.

Lydia had school and work. I dropped the kids off at daycare and school, then headed back home to finish packing. I met the guys at church around noon, and we headed out. We got to Stillwater exactly four hours from when we left Springfield. We grabbed seats and the place really filled up quickly. I had a chance to met up with Benjamin, who had came down with his church as well.

The title for the Men's Advance was "300: Crisis of Courage." The theme, Gideon and his army. The services were great, and challenging! They served us a great supper, and we enjoyed some great fellowship. We went to bed/sleep around midnight! It was a very good day!


Saturday:

I woke up a bit cold. Sleeping in the tent was nice though. Of course, I had an queen-sized, air-up mattress... so I wasn't uncomfortable at all! Breakfast was fantastic, and then back to services for most of the day. They even served us lunch! We left town after 3pm.

Lydia had slept on the couch. She woke up when the kids did, and let them watch cartoons. From her report to me, they had a pretty lazy morning!

After getting back to town and loading my stuff in the car, I went to Walmart to catch up Lydia and help her with the grocery shopping. We let Malachi spend his birthday money on some toys. He really enjoyed that! When we got home, Lydia put up the groceries, I put up my stuff from the trip.

It had been a long day for me, and I was happy to be back home. Looking forward to next year though!!!

~Matt

Proof of Springfield Rednecks!

Yesterday on the way to my parents' house, we were passed by a van with a window-unit air-conditioner in the rear window. The gas generator was on the bumper!

I took out my iPhone and took several pictures!

Yup... proof that there are true rednecks in this town!!!

~Matt

CrimeReports iPhone App (Wednesday, 10/06/10)

The other day, it was reported in the local news that the Springfield Police are utilizing some online tools to help make citizens aware of crime in the city. What's interesting is that all the crime activity in Springfield can now be seen at CrimeReports.com. It's awesome! It features a crime map, which is accessible 24 hours a day... and the best part, it is also available as a free iPhone app!

The app is not the simplest thing to use, but it contains a lot of information! Definitely worth looking into if you like knowing what's going on in your area.

~Matt

Week Rundown! (09/26/10 - 10/02/10)

Sunday:

Woke up to a pretty cool morning! It was Men's Prayer Breakfast at church, so I hurried over there. After that, the day went by pretty quickly. Vans, morning services, vans again, home for short while, and then evening services.

During the evening services, our men's quartet sang "Winging My Way Back Home". We did fairly well. Initially, I was afraid it was going to be a disaster! All through the practices, the other guys kept forgetting their solo lines, or jumping in on the wrong ones. Thankfully, the bass part is the easiest to remember... or there's the fact that I know the song really well! lol! Anyway, during the service, there was no mistakes! Hooray!


Monday:

It was back to the weekly schedule!

After work, I came home and ate with the family. The kids were a bit hyper, it being the first day back at school/daycare. Then it was off to quartet practice. Lydia worked on homework!


Tuesday:

This evening was our first PTA meeting at Mysia's school. It started at 5, so Lydia and Mysia got their first. Malachi and I caught up with them after I got of work and picked him up. The teachers and principle talked about the PTA and what we as parents can do to volunteer and be of assistance. Mysia and her class did a little presentation, which was several songs. They gave us pie at the end, and we headed home.

The kids were hungry, and the PTA meeting lasted until 7! Dinner was cooked in a hurry, and we ate and got the kids ready for bed. Lydia had homework, and I worked on a few projects like usual!


Wednesday:

Lydia worked longer hours today, so Mysia was picked up by Abigail from school and taken over to my folks' house. Lydia picked Malachi up after work, and I met them at the house when I got off.

We got to church, met Mysia and Abigail there, and we did assisted in the children's services. We came home after services and snacked on ice cream before sending the kids to bed. Lydia worked on homework for school, and I worked on my discipleship homework. We both ended up falling asleep on the couch before 11... woke up and went to bed! Ha! I guess we were tired!


Thursday:

Today was a special day for Lydia and I! After work, dropped the kids off at my parents' house and we had a date night! We went to Rib Crib for supper, watched a movie, and enjoyed the entire evening together without the kids! Yay!


Friday:

The day started early! My phone went off at 3:45.. I reached over and turned it off. Too early to wake up.

Then it when off again. I again reached over and turned it off. I then heard a voice from the device... "Matt? You there?" It was my mom. Malachi had woke up vomiting, and my mom needed me to bring him a change of clothes. I dressed and ran over there. I ended up staying and holding Malachi for most of the morning until 7. He was doing better, so I went ahead and left him with my mom, went home, got ready for work, and then headed into work.

Lydia had a field trip with her religion class at college. They got to visit a monastery. She enjoyed the trip, and the fact that she got a change to have some piece and quiet during her time there!

Mysia had the day off from school, so my mom had the kids for the entire day. Malachi was feeling better by breakfast, so that afternoon my mom took them out to the apple orchard! From their report, they had a blast!

While my parents were on the way to drop the kids at home, Malachi vomited. He was wearing his entire happy meal when they pulled up into the driveway... I rushed him inside, Lydia showered him as I helped my dad clean up the mess. However, my dad did a lot of the cleanup! We figured out what it was though! Chocolate milk! Malachi was sensitive towards milk when a baby, and we had to give him soy formula. We believe that his body can't take a lot of milk at one time.

We set the kids up to watch a movie while Tim & Debbie showed up for our discipleship course. The session when very well, and after they left, we got the kids to bed and went to bed ourselves! It had been a long day for me!


Saturday:

After waking up and eating grabbing a quick bite of breakfast with the family, I headed into work for several hours of overtime. Lydia took the kids over to my parents' house to play a bit with their cousin Elijah.

We met back at the house for a quick lunch and then headed out to visit a Messianic Synagogue. They are "a congregation of Messianic Jews; which means that we are Jews who believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the prophesied Messiah." It was a neat experience! If you want to read more about our visit, Lydia blogged about it here.

We visited Lydia's mom and I helped here with some computer stuff. We had a hungering for Taco Bell, so we grabbed some, and headed home fro the evening.



~Matt

True Hillbilly Sandals! (Tuesday, 10/05/10)

I came across this image, and I couldn't ignore passing this along! I guess if you're a hillbilly, your feet start hurting, and you want to keep up the image... these are for you.

BTW, I'm pretty sure this is a photoshopped image! lol! 

~Matt

Driving Barefoot: Illegal? (Friday, 10/01/10)

I admit it, I'm a hillbilly! Growing up, I preferred to go everywhere barefoot. My socks, when worn on my feet, always had multiple holes in them because I wouldn't put on shoes.

I liked walking barefoot everywhere. I even biked barefoot! I have driven barefoot as well, but was told it was illegal. So, being the honorable citizen, I didn't do it often.

Well, come to find out... that was a rumor! It is NOT illegal to drive barefoot in any of the 50 states!

So spread the word! Us hillbillies need to know our rights!!!!

More info can be found here.

~Matt