Week Rundown! (11/21/10 - 11/27/10)

Sunday:

Well, the weather was nice today, and I should have put up the outdoor Christmas lights during the afternoon. Oh well!

Doug and Mary came over for the afternoon, and we ate and visited before rushing back to church for choir practice and evening services. Afterwards, we partook in the birthday & anniversary fellowship.


Monday:

Severe thunderstorms hit today, and we even had a tornado warning! What fun!

After work and picking up the kids, we rushed out out to Lydia's aunt's house in Crane to visit with her cousins that were in for a visit for the holiday. We visited and snacked for most of the evening. We even watched Disney's "101 Dalmatians", which I hadn't seen in a long time! We got home a little later than we wanted, but it was worth it.


Tuesday:

Besides the usual for the day, we rushed home and grabbed a bite to eat before attending evening services at church. They had moved it a day earlier since several families are traveling over the Holiday weekend.


Wednesday:

Mysia and Lydia didn't have school, so Lydia dropped Mysia off at MeeMaw's house before heading into work for the emote day. I dropped Malachi off at daycare before i headed into work. The day seemed to drag, mostly because it was the last day before the four-day weekend!

after work, I headed home and grabbed a few things before Lydia and Malachi came and picked me up. We then picked Mysia up and headed to Grandma Taylor's house. She made us a wonderful dinner and we visited for most of the evening. As we were leaving, it started to rain. We ended up driving through a hailstorm. Lydia had to stop, since she couldn't see the road.


Thursday:

I got up early and ran to Big Lots to check on some Thanksgiving sales they had going on. The temperature was cold, sand getting colder! I stood outside for about 20 minutes in line with other crazy shoppers. Was it worth it, I'm not sure... but I did grab a few things for Christmas!

When I arrived back home, we turned on the TV and watched the parade! Lydia made apple pies and I started re-arranging the house a bit. We had a lazy morning for the most part. By afternoon, we started getting some freezing rain, and ice pellets accumulated on the vehicles. We headed out to Lydia's uncle and aunt's house. We encountered some snow in the mixture of rain!

The kids played with all the cousins and extended family that was there, but couldn't play outside due to the weather. Lydia and I visited, and I was even able to take at least an hours nap! Oh, the food was great!

We made it back home with enough time to let the kids play some games before putting them to bed at a pretty decent hour. Lydia and I invited Doug and Mary over to visit and watch a movie before heading out for those Black Friday sales. We watched "Christmas Shoes" before the midnight hour hit.


Friday:

There was no real start for today, it was more like a continuation of yesterday! Lydia had left with Doug and Mary to hit Walmart's midnight sale. She was able to get some good deals on some things we needed/wanted that I previously didn't know they had for sale. Lydia and I ended up staying up all night. She even made the mad rush to Kmart at 5am! Needless to say, we didn't even make it to our bed. However, we did catch a few hours of sleep on the couch around 7ish, and let the kids watch cartoons.

Once we were up and at it, we re-arranged the house, getting things ready for our decorations. I also turned on a Christmas movie as well. When I went outside to grab the decorations from the shed, I discovered that not only was the backyard flooded with water, but the ground couldn't hold it all, so I sank in with every step. I even tried putting down 2x4 planks to walk on in certain spots. No good... they just sank into the ground as well!

As I set up the pre-lit tree, I found that it most of the lights on it weren't working! Not even 25% was lit! On top of that, the lights were strung on with clips! They were not easy to get off. It took me close to 3 hours to get all the strands off. Boy, my fingers were so sore!

We ate pizza for supper and got the tree decorated. The kids did a great job. I was basically in charge of hooking the ornaments. Lydia did the glass and special ornaments, while we let Mysia and Malachi tackle the rest. I'm happy to report they they didn't fight much, and placed the ornaments around the tree without putting them in one general area.


Saturday:

We were tired. So we had a late start for the morning. The house was a mess from pulling out the decorations, and we still have more to do! After a late breakfast, we headed out to help Lycia and Kristi in moving to their new apartment. We got there a little late, but was still able to help unload. I was then in charge of getting their entertainment systems operational, and Lydia helped sort out items. The kids played!

Once we felt that we bugged them enough, we headed out once again. This time to Silver Dollar City. We wanted to get up there and make sure we got a good dose of the "holiday spirit". Well, it was more like the "Black Friday spirit"! People were everywhere! It was very crowded and people shoving. I guess Thanksgiving weekend is not the best time to go!

The kids got to ride several rides, and we rode with them on one. We also got to see the parade and the lighting of the big Christmas tree. We also stood in line for an hour to let them see Santa. The kids were tired as we left to home. So it was quick showers and off to bed!

~Matt

Catching Up! (11/30/2010)

Wow, it was quite a weekend! I'm still catching up from all we did. I took several days off from blogging, as you can tell, but plan to be in the full swing of things soon. The week run-down will hopefully be posted by this evening sometime, maybe earlier!

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving weekend! Can you believe that today is the last day of November? Tomorrow starts the 25 day countdown, I just don't know if I'm ready. I don't even have the outdoor Christmas lights up yet! Yikes!

~Matt

Happy Thanksgiving!

 
Hey! I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful day! Right now, the kids are in bed Lydia and I are winding down... So here's a small list of the things that I'm thankful for.

I'm thankful for a wonderful wife, who puts up with me and is behind me in all that I do. She is loving, and takes good care of me!

I'm thankful for my daughter, who has taught me so much on being a daddy! Even though she can be emotional and dramatic, she is daddy's little princess.

I'm thankful for my son, who keeps me on top of everything! So energetic and so much boy! Curious and into everything, my "George" is definitely a a daddy's buddy.

I'm also thankful that God has given me this adventurous life to live. It may not always be the most fun, but it sure is full of surprises! :)

 
~Matt

Black Friday... All Month Long??? (11/24/10)

What's going on here? Black Friday is not just one day of the year anymore? I mean, come on! Black Friday is the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season... and used for retailer to push their sales. It works pretty well for them too. the International Council of Shopping Centers listed the day in 2003 & 3005 as the busiest of the year for retailers! That means it triumphed over the Saturday before Christmas, which has always held the number one spot as the busiest!

This year, we're seeing something different. Stores are really competing to get the customer's money. So instead of holding out to that specific day, they are pushing special sells on the weekends ahead of it! It's like the specials are for the entire month, but given the name of Black Friday just to gain attention on the rush of get it now!

They have "PRE-Black Friday" sales... will we be hearing about "POST-Black Friday" sales??? I surely hope not, but I see the stores doing it. Just to make sure they can make the extra buck. It never fails to surprise me on how far these retailers go.

Thankfully, there is nothing that that appeals to us this year. That means we won't be spending any money! ;)


Here's a thought:
It reminds me of something our Pastor mentioned during his sermon on Sunday when commenting on how people camped out at theaters to see a new movie. Wouldn't it be something to camp out at church for a Sunday morning (preferably in warmer weather) to show how excited you are to be there? Rush in grab a good seat, and welcome all those others, who although made it on time or even a bit early, and make them feel like they missed the excitement? An activity could be made of it. Boy, sounds like fun to me... I may look into this!

~Matt

Mobile Editing in Google Docs (Wednesday, 11/24/10)

Last week, Google announced that they'd be allowing mobile devices (like my iPhone) to edit documents in Google Docs. This was great/fantastic news to me! Upon getting my iPhone, I had been disappointed to find out that I could not edit my documents with it. Sure, there were a few costly apps out there that could sync and allow editing, but it wasn't worth it. I ended up using the "Notes" app when needed. It was a pain, since you can't update the "notes" on a computer.

I like the fact that I can now edit a document both on my phone and on my laptop! Now, if you're wondering why this is so important, let me explain. I like being able to jot down idea and things all day. I come up with blog ideas, design ideas, to-do items, grocery list items, etc. It's nice that I can now do that all in Google Docs!

There are a few slight issues with the mobile editing in Google docs though. There is a lack of formatting, which means I can't bold, italicize, or add links to the text. That's a bummer. But I can always go back in and edit the document with my laptop, so it's not that bad. The only other issue I've ran across is that I can't edit older documents that were made before July. Come to find out, Google had updated their document formats around that time, and those older documents are not editable with any mobile device. That means that I've had to go and remake a few that I want to be able to edit. A small pain, and so far, I haven't found a real simple way to do it besides creating a new document and pasting the text from the old doc into it. In the picture attached to this post, you can see a small difference in the text icon for the two files "Sermon Notes - Matt". The one with the extra lines in the icon is the one that is newer and editable with my iPhone.

Anyway, perhaps this will help me be a little more organized! At least I hope so!

~Matt

BirthOrNot.com - Oh My! (11/23/10)

Wow... as you might guess, there are so many things that I'm wanting to cover in this blog post! And I still feel that I can cover all my thoughts on the matter!

First off, the subject in hand has to deal with a website that is gaining attention across the nation and around the world. If you haven't heard, it's basically a blog by couple that asks for people to vote on whether they should keep or abort their unborn child. Called BIRTHorNOT.com, the site wants the internet community to make the choice for them! The couple, Pete and Alicia Arnold, have been married 10 years, and have had two miscarriages. They're giving the pregnancy until Dec 7th... by then, they will allow the results of the vote help them decide on the life of their child.

The issues surrounding the idea are many, so I'll try to start on a few and hope that my rambling makes sense. I'm not going to try to sway any of you readers, but let you see what is going on in my mind over the these issues. There's a lot to consider with this.

One thing is that the site involves online voting. It seems to draw the idea from popular tv shows like Dancing With The Stars, American Idol, etc. We get to vote on yes or no. There is no other option. However, another question then comes to mind! By participating in the voting, would that be considered condoning the actions of them allowing outsiders to make the choice for them? If that's the case, then you shouldn't partake. Hmmmm....

Then there is the question, is this a hoax? It seems that there are several bloggers out there that believe Mr. Arnolds is nothing new to this. They report that he has been behind several other sites in the past that were designed for controversy. This could "stunt" be the same. With that info, does that mean it's just a publicity stunt? Could this couple be using their pregnancy as a way to get attention? Or is this really a good way to get this issue if front of the public.

The whole things seems to be designed to pull on your heart strings. Face it... are you cold enough to allow the killing of this healthy baby in the womb of this woman? Lr are you going to exercise your right to save it? Seeing that they've already giving this child a nickname, Wiggles, to help make it more personable, it's like you have to participate.

But then again, there are those who are voting for the Arnolds to go ahead with the abortion. This camp of people probably just want to see how true this couple is. It does give you pause to think... Will they really do it? It could be tempting to really put this couple to the test.

I guess my main concern is.... do we need to rush, get the word out, and try to get this couple to save their baby? By doing so, are we promoting this type of stupidity of having strangers make serious decision for those who flippantly pose them to us? Are we going to have a guilty conscience for it at the end if we don't participate?

There is a lot to think over! I wish I could come up with answers to all the questions I have. It seems the more I mauled it over in my mind, the more I couldn't figure out. I just get stuck with, "Why... Why... Why!?!?!?" But, just so you know, I did vote, and I'm watching this site with interest. No matter what the case, I'm saddened over the fact that someone (whether fake or not) would try this stunt.

I guess we'll find out in a few weeks... Dec. 7th!

~Matt

Week Rundown! (11/14/10 - 11/20/10)

Sunday:

I woke up tired. I was also a bit sluggish. Not only that, but both kids decided to get up too! So I plugged them up to a sing-a-long DVD before heading off to doing the church vans. That's when I discovered the frost on my car! Ugh!

During the Sunday School hour and morning services, we had a special guest! Ronnie Warren! I'm privileged to be the one who designed and manages his website, so I also got to video and take pictures! His songs and message were awesome!

We didn't get any rest at home that afternoon, and worked on a few things. During choir practice, we worked on the upcoming cantata and the evening service was good.


Monday:

We woke up in good spirits. M&M were actually cooperative, and got ready on their own! I was sooooo pleased. We actually got out and going with no hassle!

Abigail picked up Mysia from school, and I met her after work and picking up Malachi. Lydia had to run a few errand before heading home after work, so I started supper. It was pretty simple... spaghetti! Yum.

After eating and getting Malachi ready for bed (shower and in pajamas), I headed off to quartet practice. Lydia got Mysia ready for bed and worked on homework and laundry while I was gone. At practice, the quartet worked heavily on Christmas music. We actually got quite a bit accomplished!

Before heading home, I did our grocery shopping! That got me home a little later than desired, but Lydia had tons of homework to do, so it really didn't matter! lol!


Tuesday:

Lydia and I had a hard time getting up after staying up late the night before. I made frapachino to last us throughout the week (we'll see about that). Surprisingly, I made it to work on time!

Instead of going home after school/daycare/work, we went to McDonald's to meet with Tim Banks and the Mitchells to talk about Master's Club. The kids played while we discussed the direction of the program and all the things coming up. Lydia left early to go to BioLife, and after I was sure they were wearing down, the kids and I headed home. Mysia and I worked on her homework before they went to bed.

Like usual, Lydia worked on homework. Sleep is a thing we cherish.. too bad we don't as much of it as we'd like!


Wednesday:

Today was typical, and nothing too different. Oh, I did run to the store for some groceries after the evening church services... :)


Thursday:

Lydia picked both kids up and headed to church to help decorate for the Pinewood Derby to be held on Saturday. I left work and headed over there help as well. When I arrived, they were eating supper, so I joined them! I was hungry. Most of the decorating and setting up was completed. There were a few things that needed to be done. Even though I helped as much as I could, it felt as if we spent more time telling our kids to get out the way and stay out of things. Oh the joy of being a parent! :P

Back at home, I help Mysia with homework, got the kids to bed, and did a few things while Lydia did some more homework.


Friday:

Oh, today was busy! Mysia got to go to her great-grandma Taylor's house after school. So after work, I picked Malachi up and then Mysia before heading back over to Mysia's school for their Fall Festival activity! Lydia had already headed over there. She had volunteered to help, so she got the privilege of being there a bit early! My responsibility was keeping track of the two kids for the entire event. We got food, watched a magic show, and took part in a raffle! We didn't win, but had some fun anyway. Mysia was disappointed that we missed a few games, but the evening had went pretty well.

Needless to say, we were tired when we got home! Lydia did homework, and I got her to give me a much needed haircut before we retired to bed!


Saturday:

Well, it was up and at it for me! I got up, got ready, dressed the kids, and headed out! But I left the kids at home with Lydia! I was in charge of driving one of the vans for the activity at church today. So I picked up the van at church and did my route. I made it in time for the activity... The Pinewood Derby! My responsibility was taking pics of the kids in a go-kart. However, I did watch my kids for a some of the time as well! I had helped with their cars, and it was now time to see how well they did in the race!

I guess I had done pretty good. Both cars did very well, advancing up for a while. However, they were eventually beat out. Malachi was a more sportsman-like than Mysia. She was down-hearted that her car didn't make the top ranking. She's a bit more emotional about things like this. Malachi... well, he was excited just to see his go down the track and race! lol.

They were pretty tired when we got home, as it had been a busy morning. We did some house cleaning, and preparing for the coming week. I put together a list of to-do items I need to get started and accomplished before the holiday week is finished. We'll see how that goes!


~Matt

Friday Fun: Finish The Sentence... (11/19/2010)

1. I am looking forward to... this coming holiday weekend, time for relaxing and fun!

2. Maybe I should... write a book someday! :)

3. I love... my wife and kids, and often wish we had more time to spend together!

4. People say that I am... often funny and good-natured, which can often be misinterpreted as annoying!

5. I don't understand... why some people put sensitive information on facebook, then get mad, accusing facebook of 'sharing' it with everybody!

6. When I wake up in the morning... I look at the clock to see how much longer I can sleep, if I haven't already slept too much!

7. Life is full of... little annoyances, but I manage to survive!

8. My past is... what my future is built upon; both good and bad!

9. Parties are... fun to go to if one can find a babysitter!

10. I wish... that life wasn't so hectic; but realize that if it wasn't, it'd be dull!

11. Tomorrow... is another day full of surprises and adventure.

12. I have low tolerance... for long lines at the grocery store! lol!

13. I'm totally terrified of... the thought of loosing a family member.

14. I'm sick of... political correctness in our world today.

15. I enjoy... watching a movie with the family, it's when we get to relax and not worry about our hectic schedule!

Home-made Frappuccino (Wednesday, 11/17/10)

While shopping at Walmart a couple of weeks ago, I noticed in they were carrying Star Bucks Frappuccino in a bottle near the cash registers. It looked so good, and I was thirsty. I bought two, and brought them home to share with Lydia. Sure enough, they were good! The following week, I bought a few more. They kept Lydia going throughout the week with her homework, etc.

Unfortunately, the Frappuccinos were pretty steep when it came to price. Four bottles totaled over $10! Ouch! That's a huge chunk of money. So to the internet I went! Sure enough, there are plenty of recipes and instruction on how to make this delicious beverage. I then chose one that looked simple and would probably taste about the same.

Yesterday morning before heading to work, Lydia asked me to make some. It turned out very well! I ended up refilling the bottles we had saved, perfect for on the run! Oh... and I think they actually taste better! But that's my opinion! :)


~Matt

Frappuccino

This makes a 32 oz. drink (or 2 servings).

3-4 Cups of ice
1 cup of double-strength coffee
1 cup of low-fat milk
4 tbs of sugar
4 tbs of chocolate syrup

Put in blender.... Yum!

Kids say..... Especially Malachi! (Tuesday, 11/16/2010)

There are so many stories I'd like to post on here. And I can't.... Especially the ones about Malachi! He is such a boy, and you never know what might come out of his mouth. Unfortunately, since this blog is semi-public, and most of the humor he displays should only be shared within the walls of our house.... that means I can't share it with you all!

I'm sure many of you readers know what I mean. Kids will be kids, and some of those things that they do and say are fun to laugh over, but are not the best to share with the world. So many things happen with Malachi that I could probably write a decent size novel within several weeks! It's just that they'd be embarrassing to us, and especially him when he gets older! So that's why I can't post them here. 

However, I want to make aware to those who are around him, that he is unpredictable. Being very observant, he might just say something - not knowing it's best to hold his tongue. But don't worry, we're working on that! It makes it interesting when going out in public. I guess a great example would be the times when taking Malachi shopping. He notices things and people, and will make comments. Thankfully, he's not too loud and some of those big words are not as easy for others to understand! I just grin and bare it! Hey, I'm a dad... and if people don't understand that kids say things out of nowhere, they'd better learn fast! lol

He's picked up on a few things from daycare as well. Words that we don't really accept, but are often said and talked about among kids. Just like with Mysia, we've had to stop and explain why we don't say those words, etc. He nods and then goes back to playing.

One of things I've been working on with him is his overuse of "sorry". He deliberately do something he knows is wrong, I'll get on to him, and he'll quickly reply with "sorry", and rush off to something else thinking all is well. He thinks that once he's said that magic word, all is well. Like it's his free ticket to getting away with what he's done. Well... not so fast... :P

Ohhh... the joys of being a dad!

~Matt

Week Rundown! (11/07/10 - 11/13/10)

Sunday:

We got that extra hour. I slept through it! Yay!

However, as I was leaving for church, the kids woke up. They even tried to get in to the candy. I caught them, much to their dismay, and got them plugged into a children's sing-a-long before I left.

Church services were good, and we also had a pretty good afternoon. The kids didn't want to nap, and I'm guessing this was due to the time change. I ended up making them lay down with blankets on the livingroom floor so I could keep an eye on them. Sure enough, Malachi finally fell asleep. Mysia, on the other hand, didn't.

After evening services, we returned home, put the kids to bed, and watched some tv for a bit. Lydia worked on some homework, and I messed around with a few things on the computer.


Monday:

Lydia got up early to work on homework. These classes that she's taking has loaded her up with a lot! And the end of the semester is nearing! Hooray!

Abigail picked up Mysia from school and I met her at home after I got off work. Mysia had crashed on the couch, and was not willing to wake up for an hour or more. Lydia and Malachi came home not to long after.

I started onto supper. It was simple. Potato soup with bacon and cheese! Yum yum! There was no quartet practice tonight... so I did some things around the house, plus get the kids ready for bed when it was time. Malachi was wired most of the evening though.

In fact, as I was putting Malachi to bed, he looked up to me and said, "Daddy, I'm not tired." I replied, "Oh, yes you are". He gave me a questionable look, then said, "But I haven't done this yet.." and proceed by opening his mouth and imitating a yawn. I couldn't repress a hearty laugh. I then finished hugging him and reassured him that it was bedtime!

Mysia and I worked on her homework before putting her down for bed. Like usual, Lydia worked on her homework. Math.... ugh!


Tuesday:

The morning was a lot like yesterday's. And we all got off to our respectable places on time... Whew!

Lydia and Mysia came home after school. Mysia was so tired that she went to bed and napped. When I got off work, I picked up Malachi and we headed home. Lydia was making fried chicken and mac & cheese. The first thing Malachi after coming through the door was head straight to the counter to see what food Lydia was working on. That little stinker decided it would be fun to play in the flour mix that was sitting there! Oooooh... that boy!

Mysia woke up, and we ate supper while watching some Bernstein Bears on DVD. Lydia then headed of to BioLive to give plasma. I had the kids take their showers and we worked on homework. After I got Malachi to bed, Mysia and I cleaned up the fish-tank. It needed it. In fact, I should have cleaned it a couple months ago, it was that bad!

We used toothbrushes to clean the tank and all the things that went into it. She enjoyed cleaning the items in the sink. However, it was a bit gross. We had to drain the sink several times because we couldn't see the through the water. She was a big help though!


Wednesday:

When dropping Malachi off at daycare today, we stepped out of the car and spotted a dead mouse on the sidewalk. Malachi was intrigued! He immediately wanted to go step on it! I had to quickly assure him that it was already dead enough, and not to go too near it. Both kids (Mysia was still in the car) were fascinated. When I got back in the car to take Mysia to school, I asked her if she wanted me to allow her to bring it into school. She turned my idea down as quickly as possible. Oh... and what a dirty look I got too!

This evening was church services. Lydia had a lot of homework to catch up on as well.


Thursday:

Before heading off for school/daycare/work, Mysia lost one of her front teeth. She was excited about it of course, but even though her other one is loose, she doesn't want our help loosing that one soon. I'm guessing that before Christmas, perhaps even Thanksgiving, it too will be gone. I keep teasing her that she'll be singing, "All I want for Christmas is my too front teeth...." She doesn't like that idea.

After getting off of school and picking Mysia from hers, Lydia went to the hospital to visit her cousin Rachel. Rachel has had a serious infection in her leg, and they're trying to get her to St. Louis to see if it can be taken care of. After work, I picked up Malachi from daycare and met up with them at the hospital.

After our visit to the hospital, we decided to head over to Godfather's Pizza in Nixa. It had been a while since we've ate there, and we hadn't ever taken the kids! While there, one of the girls from Mysia's former Daisy Scouts showed up. Boy, that thrilled both of them! We let the kids play a few games in the game room before heading home.

It was then time for homework and bed!


Friday:

Well, today was pretty interesting. During my lunch-break, I went and got tickets for the Gold City concert to be held tonight. My mom and Abigail picked up Malachi from daycare and Mysia from school. They took them to a bonfire/cookout, while Lydia and I went to the concert after work.

Gold City is one of my favorite groups, so I really enjoyed the concert. The attendance was low, but it gave me a good chance to visit with the guys. The biggest highlight for me was getting to talk to Tim Riley, who is my hero when it comes to singing!!! :)

After the concert, we picked up the kids from my parents' house and headed home.


Saturday:

Like always, there wasn't much time for rest today! We woke up, ate a quick breakfast and headed to the movie theater. CPO bookstore held free showings of VeggieTales "It's A Meaningful Life". It was really good. It was spoof of "It's A Wonderful Life", The Polar Express, and Dicken's "Christmas Carol." It had a great message, and was a very enjoyable story.

Our next stop was Walmart. We had a few things we needed to get. So we browsed the store for a good while before heading home for lunch and naps. While the kids napped, a worked on a few things and Lydia ran a few errands. When she got back, I headed out to a friend's house to get my brakes and rotors replaced on my car. In turn, I helped him with his computer! Thanks Ben Winter!

While I was gone, Lydia worked on homework (big surprise), and the kids woke up and played. I think Lydia was happy to see me when I got back home! ;) We then ate supper, got the kids their showers, drank some hot chocolate, and put them to bed.

What a week!


~Matt

Friday Fun: A Random Survey (11/12/10)

Yay! Another random survey!




1 Regret Something You Did In The Past? Occasionally... yes.

2 Distant Country You Wanna Visit: Israel

3 Way You Wanna Die: Peacefully...

4 Like Thunderstorms? Yeah, they get my adrenaline pumping... especially tornado warnings!

5 Get Along With Your Parents? Yup

6 Are You A Health Freak? No, but probably should be.

7 Favorite Past Time? Singing or playing on my computer

8 Do You Believe In Yourself? Yes, but I don't put trust in myself... I depend on the Lord.

9 Wanna Get Married? Already did, 7 years ago!

10 Wanna Go To College? Already did, don't wanna go back!

11 Shower Daily? Yup. (see #9 lol!)

12 Want Kids? Got two... that's enough!

13 Ever Been Kissed? YUP.... :P

14 Do You Hate Anyone? Myself at times.. that's pretty much it.

15 Can You Unwrap A Starburst W/ Your Tongue? Never tried, but probably could.

16 Do You Think You Can Sing? Perhaps....

17 Can You Open You Eyes Underwater? I can, but my eyesight is so bad, it doesn't really do much help.

18 Eat Whatever And Not Worry? Used to... now I have to watch it.

19 Can You Whistle? Yup

20 Can You Walk In High Heels? Never really tried... no chance of it happening in the future either!

21 Do You Sleep W/ The Light On? No... unless I fall asleep on the living room couch.

22 Do You Like Super Spicy Foods? Not really. I like to be able to enjoy and taste all my food on my plate... not let it being ruined by something spicy.

23 Can You Multitask? Yeah, to an extent.

24 Touch Your Nose W/ Your Tongue? Yup.

25 Can You Fit In The Trunk Of Your Vehicle? Never tried, but most likely.

26 Do You Spit? Not unless there's a reason to!

27 Can You Taste The Difference Between Pepsi And Coke? Oh yeah.

28 If You Could Wish For Anything...What Would You Wish? More money...

29 What Kind Of Perfume Or Cologne Do You Wear? Navy Cologne for Men

30 What Kind Of Soap Do You Use? Irish Spring

31 What's Your Favorite Scent? Subway........ Yum...!

32 Would You Choose To Live Forever If You Could? No thanks... I'd need a new body first!

Veterans Day (Thursday, 11/11/2010)

Today, in honor of our veterans, I wish to share a poem that is easily found online, but worth repeating!

Eulogy for a Veteran

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the mornings hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight,
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die.

- Author Unknown -

~Matt

A Festival of Thanksgiving (Wednesday, 11/10/10)

Okay... so there is still several weeks before Thanksgiving Day gets here. But in light of everyone posting their "Thanks" throughout this month, I figured I'd make an early post as well! However, mine deals more with the historical aspect of the holiday than just my 'thanks'. Those will be posted on a later date!

Some of you know that there are historical disputes on the first 'festival' of thanksgiving, or giving thanks. We technically base our American Thanksgiving holiday on that of the Plymouth pilgrims who celebrated a providential time of thanks during harvest. However, historians have recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America that predate the Pilgrims' celebration. Not only that, but it also seems that the Native Americans also had similar festivals! There is also reason to believe that the pilgrims themselves based their "Thanksgiving" on the ideas of others! Both the Separatists who came over on the Mayflower and the Puritans who arrived soon after brought with them a tradition of providential holidays... days of fasting during difficult or pivotal moments and days of feasting and celebration to thank God in times of plenty.

As you know, thanksgiving is a celebration of a bountiful fall harvest. Historically, the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans feasted and paid tribute to their gods after the fall harvest. But what really struck me was that the idea of a festival or time of thanksgiving also bears a resemblance to the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot.

Sukkot is a biblical seven day holiday, with the first day celebrated as a full festival with special prayer services and holiday meals. Its celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei (late September to late October). It is mentioned several times in the Old Testament (including Lev. 23:42-43). In fact, it is so significant, it's called "the Feast of the Lord" or simply "the Feast".

So when it comes to our day to celebrate Thanksgiving, remember... let's take the time truly give thanks to the One who has blessed us!


"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18


~Matt

OtterBox Case For The iPhone (Tuesday, 11/09/10)

A couple of weeks ago, Lydia and I went to Sam's Club to get groceries and new cases for our iPhones. We had bought cases for them back in February when we first got the phones, but our constant use had caused them to break. Mine was first. The snap that held the case together, broke. Lydia finally did as well.

We had heard that the cases were cheaper at Sam's Club, and since I had a membership there, we decided that it's the place to get them. We were expecting to get the same cases that we had, but came across some called OtterBox Defender Series case.

It's nice. It's has three layers of protection. One is the screen cover, protecting against scratches. Two is the plastic shell covering that is lightweight and tough. Third is the rubber casing that keeps it soft and safe. It's the toughest case I've seen!

There was one drawback. There were bubbles on the screen! It was very annoying. So to the internet I went! Sure enough, some customers mentioning rubbing fine powder on the inside of the screen cover with your finger. They suggested baby powder. Well, I don't have baby powder! However, I eat peanuts at my desk at work, and it has a fine powder. I got some on my finger, rubbed some off on a napkin, and then rubbed the rest on the screen. I then gently wiped the screen off to get clear it from access powder. Sure enough... it worked! Hooray!

~Matt

Week Rundown! (10/31/10 - 11/6/10)

Sunday:

I was off to men's prayer breakfast at church, and then the van route. The kids woke up before Lydia and ended up eating candy for breakfast! What a way to start the day, eh?

Morning services were good and we we enjoyed a nice afternoon at home. However, we had to stop by the store on the way to church, so I ended up making it to choir practice a little late.

We had the privilege of hearing a missionary preach during the evening service. Afterwards our church participated in a Trunk-or-Treat in the parking-lot. For those who have never heard of this type of activity, its where everyone opens up their vehicles trunk and the kids go from vehicle to vehicle for candy. Some dress up, and it its fun! A nice safe alternative from going house to house with people you don't know.

When we got home, we put the kids to bed, and Lydia worked on homework.


Monday:

Lydia woke up with a terrible migraine, so she stayed home from classes. I took the kids to daycare/school and went to work. Lydia ended up going to work in the afternoon, but still felt pretty miserable. Abigail picked up Mysia from school, and Lydia and Malachi met them at home when Lydia got off work. I had to stop by the store, yet again, for some food items for supper.

Lydia made supper while I quickly mowed the lawn. It has been getting dark so early I was afraid I wouldn't get it done... and the lawn really needed it! Afterwards, I came in and Malachi and I got our showers before supper. Malachi wasn't to keen on finishing his supper, so Mysia got her shower done before he was finally finished eating. Oh the fun of being a parent!

After the kids got to bed, I worked on a few things on the computer and Lydia worked on her homework. It's like that homework never ends!


Tuesday:

Today was voting! Lydia took Malachi and dropped him off at daycare before heading to the polls. Mysia and I left the house and headed straight to the polls. I voted while Mysia waited. Lydia then arrived. I then dropped Mysia off at school before heading to work.

Lydia got to meet with Mysia's school teacher when she picked her up. It was to review how Mysia was doing, and her achievements at school. Mysia is doing very well and got a good report card! Lydia then took Mysia to a class meeting she had.

I got off work, picked up Malachi, and we headed to McDonald's. We met up with my parents, grandma, and Abigail. Lydia and Mysia arrived shortly afterwards. We were celebrating Abagail's 17th birthday today! The kids played in the play-area while we visited. Lydia had to leave a bit earlier to go give plasma.

When the kids and I got home I got them ready for bed. Lydia came home and worked on homework.


Wednesday:

Today went well. Lydia had some major homework to do, so she stayed home from church to try and get it done. I took the kids with me to church, of course! It was "fun night" for our children's services. We had a great devotion, and then the kids got to work on drawing their design for the pinewood derby cars. We're having a race in a couple of weeks, so we're starting to work on them! I drew some designs for Malachi and Mysia.

Back at home, the kids went to bed. Lydia still had a ton of homework to do. I stayed up and watched some tv! Boy, don't I have it hard! ;)


Thursday:

After school and work, Lydia and Mysia came home. Mysia rested while Lydia did homework. When I got off work, I picked up Malachi from daycare and we went back to Walmart to get food for tonight and tomorrow. While there, we stopped by the photo department to pick up some pictures. Malachi, seeing the restrooms nearby, declared that he had to go. So I took him. After shopping, we went by again and he once more, said he really had to go. I knew he was just staying that, so I told him we'd go when we got home. Sure enough, when we got home, and I was bringing in the groceries, I told him to go. He then informed me that he didn't have to go. I then made him, and then we had a talk about telling the truth, etc. I don't know if it the talk did any good, bu I had his attention.

We ate supper and then Malachi and I dropped Mysia off at my folks' for the night. Public schools are gonna be closed tomorrow, so my mom agreed to watch her.

When we arrived back home, Malachi went to bed and I stayed up while Lydia did her homework.


Friday:

Mysia spent the day with Granny, and had a good time.

I got home after work and started getting supper ready. Lydia and Mysia arrived not to long after, and Lydia started working on her part of the supper. My parent's dropped Mysia off an hour later. The Banks came over for our discipleship, and we had Chips, bean dip, and guacamole! Yum yum!


Saturday:

Having the busy schedule that is our life, we find that it is harder to keep up with the chores around the house. So, getting them done is a chore itself! So that's what we did this morning! Ugh! Of course, we also let the kids play and watch a few cartoons as well. Lydia and I also did some facebook browsing and talking with family and friends. The kids took a good nap, and we got quite a bit done around the house!

Lydia had planned to host a Jewelry Party for her female friends and family this afternoon. By her report, it was nice, and she enjoyed it. During the 'party', I took the kids over to my grandma's house for a visit. She fed us spaghetti, and we visited while the kids played and got into her things! My mom and sister came over to visit as well. Malachi and Mysia were very hyper and wound up, I guess they had good naps!

Lydia messaged me that the party was over, so I packed up the kids and dropped them off with Lydia. I then headed out to the house of one of the men from church. He had the equipment to cut out the pinewood derby cars, and I needed to get M&M's cars cut! While I was out doing that, the kids got to vacuum their rooms. I know that may sound weird, but they love it. And we're not going to complain!

I arrived back at home and we snacked and watched a VeggieTales DVD before putting the kids to bed. Lydia worked on homework, and I worked on a few things on my computer. Oh... we also set the clocks back! Hooray!



~Matt

Hillside Skate Party Flyer (Friday, 11/05/10)

Over the past several years, I've had the privilege of designing various flyers and material for our church. I enjoy being able to use my skills and talents, plus provide our church quality material to use.

Well, the annual church-wide skate party is one of the activities I like designing for. It has provided a fun challenge for me. My goal has been give it a different look each time, not just duplicate it each year. This year makes the third one. If you'd like to see what the older flyers looked like, click here or go to my website and look under 'portfolio'. 

For each design I've done, I've strived to make it look appealing, cool, and fun. Especially since that's what I believe a skating activity should be! I don't want the flyer to have that feel of just a simple invitation. It should have that draw, or pull, that gives you that feeling that you'd miss out on something awesome if you don't make it. :)

This year, I was also challenged to come up with a logo to be placed within the design. They wanted it to be understood that this was Hillside's big fall activity. So a logo claiming "October Festival", "Fall Festival", etc was asked of me. I suggested that "FallFest" would probably work better. With that approved, I developed the logo.

Anyway, I'm pleased on how it turned out.

~Matt

Friday Fun: SG Fan Of The Week (11/05/10)

Well, last week I filled out a questionnaire, and was planning on doing something similar for today's "Fun" post as well. However, today is going to be different!

On Monday I was chosen as "Fan Of The Week" on The Southern Gospel Forums. Once I was picked, I was asked some questions, and a thread was set up under my name. From there out, I got (and get) to answer any questions asked for the week. The idea is to provide chance to get to know other members of the forum.

Anyway, in place of doing a questionnaire for this week as a blog post, I'm going to direct you to the thread and let you read the questions and answers posted there!

Have fun!!!

~Matt

Daycare.... (Thursday, 11/04/10)

This morning I dropped Malachi off at daycare. While telling him goodbye, one of his teachers said, "Hey Malachi, we get to watch 'Toy Story 3' today!"

Malachi shook his head and replied, "Nooooooo..."

I guess I gave her a wide eyed expression at the same time. She gave me a curious look in return and asked, "Has he not seen it yet?"

"Oh, he has," I explained, "We seen it a couple weeks ago at the theaters and he got scared. It was a little too dark and emotional. He shook in my arms and cried during the intense parts. In fact, both Malachi and Mysia have told us they don't want us to buy it."

"Seriously?" Her eyes wide with wonder...

"Yep! In fact, watch this." I turned to Malachi and exclaimed, "Hey Bub! You get to watch Toy Story 3, that's cool!"

He looked at me as if I was from another world, and then gave a worried look as he replied, "No, it's scary!"

His teacher then assured me that she'd either let him watch something else or give him something to do during the showing of the movie.

I returned to to car where Mysia was patiently waiting. As I drove her to school I shared the news with her, "Hey, Malachi gets to see a new movie at daycare today! Do you want me to turn around drop you off with him so you can see it to?"

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, "what movie is it?"

"Toy Story 3!!!"

"Noooooooooo...."






Yep, I'm one mean daddy! :P


~Matt

Those Sneaky Spam Emails! (Thursday, 11/04/10)

I hate going  through my spam folder on email. I wish that there was a way I could get off their lists, but it seems that no matter how had I try by going to their sites and "unsubscribing", I still get several emails. For a while, I was getting 75 a day in our gmail account!

Well, I found out how tricky they are. I was trying to click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of one of the emails, and accidentally highlighted the area below it. There white text. I read a little and discovered it was a small portion of the book "Pride and Prejudice"! They put that in there so that some spam filters think that the email is legit. Not gmail!

Here's the text:

Do not distress me by the idea. I am not ashamed of having been mistaken-or, at least, it is slight, it is nothing in comparison of what I should feel in thinking ill of him or his sisters. Let me take it in the best light, in the light in which it may be understood." Elizabeth could not oppose such a wish; and from this time Mr. Bingley's name was scarcely ever mentioned between them. Mrs. Bennet still continued to wonder and repine at his returning no more, and though a day seldom passed in which Elizabeth did not account for it clearly, there seemed little chance of her ever considering it with less perplexity. Her daughter endeavoured to convince her of what she did not believe herself, that his attentions to Jane had been merely the effect of a common and transient liking, which ceased when he saw her no more; but though the probability of the statement was admitted at the time, she had the same story to repeat every day. Mrs. Bennet's best comfort was, that Mr. Bingley must be down again in the summer. Mr. Bennet treated the matter differently. "So, Lizzy," said he one day, "your sister is crossed in love I find.

Now that's funny!

~Matt

Week Rundown! (10/24/10 - 10/30/10)

Sunday:

The morning was pretty typical. However, the afternoon was interesting. I rushed home after doing the van, grabbed a bite to eat, and we all left for Sequiota Park on the south-side of town. We were meeting with Lydia's Honors Class to carve pumpkins. It was a social activity for her class.

I asked Malachi and Mysia what they wanted carved on their pumpkins. Mysia wanted Tinkerbell. I used my phone and viewed several images, her and I decided on one pretty quickly. For Malachi, it was a bit more difficult. He wasn't sure who or what he wanted. At first, it was Spiderman. I looked online. No... too difficult! I didn't have that much time! He then wanted both Woody and Buzz Lightyear. I finally convinced him on picking just Buzz! Whew....

Lydia cut the tops off the pumpkins, and we cleaned them out. Mysia remarked that the insides felt gooey, she was so right! Malachi enjoyed flinging the pumpkin guts everywhere! Ugh...! I drew the characters on the pumpkins with a pen and then began the process of cutting them out. It wasn't the easiest thing to do and it definitely took time! However, I was well pleased with the results. When both were completed, and my hands wore out from cutting, we let the kids play for a bit on the park equipment before heading to church.

By the time we made it to church, the kids were asleep in their seats. So while I went to choir practice, Lydia stayed in the van and they all napped until it was time to come in for church services. Tonight was our church's Sunday Sing, and there was quite a bit of talent that sang! Halfway during the services, Mysia went with the other kids to start practicing on their Christmas program. It's coming up so quickly!

On our way home from church, we grabbed ice cream and root-beer, and had our friends Mary and Doug over for floats! We had a good time of fellowship. We put the kids to bed after they drank their floats, boy... were they tired! We enjoyed a good visit.


Monday:

I had sprained my ankle last week, so I hadn't been going to the gym in the morning. I mean, how can I work out when I can't walk? So this morning, Lydia went instead. She also didn't come back home afterwards, but went straight to the college. I woke up, got the kids ready, dropped them off at daycare and school, and then headed into work.

After work, we all met at home. I put in "Ernest Goes To Camp" while making supper. Malachi wasn't too sure of the movie at first, but liked it as it progressed. Mysia missed most of the movie, she had crashed on the couch. It seems that Mondays are very hard on her since she doesn't get naps!

We ate supper, watched some "Dancing With The Stars", got Malachi ready for bed, and worked on Mysia's homework. She was still tired, but we made it through and got her to bed as well. Lydia worked on homework and I did a few chores before going to bed ourselves.


Tuesday:

Well, I decided (with some urging from Lydia) to go to the gym. To stay off my ankle, it was decided that I do a laps at the pool. I love swimming, so I didn't think it was such a bad idea. Well, when I got into the pool, it was cold! To get over my body shivering, I really started to swim. At first, there was no problem. But I guess I over exerted myself a bit, and got a little short-breathed! Going early and pushing myself without proper pacing wasn't a very good idea!

Back at home, I helped get the kids ready, and we all did our daily routine. On the way home from work, I stopped by the store and Redbox. I picked up a movie for the kids, basically so Lydia and I could get supper going. We had ravioli, garlic breadsticks, Brussels sprouts for dinner. I fought with Malachi on eating the Brussels sprouts. They taste good, but he just doesn't care for the texture. If I make small bites, and distract him while he's chewing, all turns out well!

We worked on Mysia's homework, got Malachi ready for bed, and then Mysia. Lydia worked on homework while I messed around with some bills. Oh fun!


Wednesday:

Nothing to much to report on for today. School, work, daycare, and church! :)


Thursday:

When getting home for the evening, we ate supper and worked on some homework (Mysia and Lydia). After that, we headed to the DAV to look around. Mysia & Malachi already had costumes for the party to be held at my parents' house this weekend, so it for Lydia and I to find something for us. Unfortunately, nothing really good could be found, except a nice trench-coat for me for $20.

It was then off to Walmart! Sure enough, I found me a shirt and Lydia found her an outfit, plus a few extra things like body glitter. Saturday night was going to be good!


Friday:

Ahhh.... Finally here! I couldn't wait for the work-day to end!

We came home and enjoyed the evening. We were supposed to have discipleship, but our Associate Pastor was sick with a serious sinus infection. So we ate supper, played with the kids, got them to bed, and we watched some tv before turning in as well. We had a busy day planned for tomorrow!


Saturday:

Today was probably the busiest day of the week!

I woke up early, and left before anyone woke up! I picked up the church van, and then did the route for the Skate Party! I made it in time to Skateland with a van-load of kids ready to skate! Lydia showed up shortly afterwards, but still in time!

We skated, and skated, and skated! Sam brought the devotion, and talked about the fear of the Lord. Mysia and Malachi had fun, and did pretty well. Malachi got was pretty much done skating at the end, but still didn't want to leave. Mysia was fairly wore out. They rode the church van with me as I dropped the church kids off at their homes.

Lydia and Mary went shopping. She wanted to get some extra stuff for the costumes. When I got home, the kids and I ate a quick lunch and then I put them down for nap. Well, technically, I put Malachi down for a nap, but he wouldn't sleep. So I got tried to rest next to him, but he still wouldn't sleep! I was getting frustrated. So I went to check on Mysia... I found her on the couch, curled up in a ball, asleep. I then went and grabbed Malachi, and we too took naps on the couch!

However, I wasn't more than 10 minutes into my nap when Lydia and Mary came back from shopping. They were excited. They had picked up some cool stuff for the party. So we started getting ready. Glitter was everywhere. When the kids woke up, we got them ready to. Malachi was easy. Mysia had to have glitter, make-up, etc....

On the way to my parents' house, I stopped by the store to pick up some snacks. I ran in. It was fun getting looks from everyone! I'm sure they didn't know if I was dressed up for serious or for fun! I enjoyed it!

The party was great! Everyone dressed up. We took pictures, came up with a story, and played games. Oh, we ate too! It was fun seeing what everyone had came as. Everyone was very creative in their ideas! Lydia and I dressed up as if we were on the TV show "Dancing With The Stars", Mysia dressed up as Tinkerbell, and Malachi as Buzz Lightyear!

I posted pictures on facebook, and if you can't view them, email me and I'll send you a link!!!


~Matt