Week Rundown! (11/18/12 - 11/24/12)

On Monday, we visited the dentist. Thankfully, we didn't have any cavities!!!

We had evening services on Tuesday night, so that those traveling on Wednesday could attend services. There wasn't any kids services, so we got to sit together as a family. Malachi must have been tired... he snored sitting next to me!

I was off work, and Mysia didn't have school on Wednesday, so I spent the day with the kids while Lydia went into the office. She was glad that she didn't have college classes or homework. After I mowed the lawn, the kids and I spent most of the afternoon at my parents' house. We visited and the kids played. Abigail and I took the Mysia and Malachi to the park for over an hour. They played and rode around on their scooters. We then had lunch at McDonalds before heading home for naps. After supper, we watched Charlie Brown Thanksgiving as a family. Before bed, Mysia helped Lydia with some of the deserts for tomorrow's feast!

Thursday was finally arrived! We got up and immediately turned on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We ate a quick breakfast and got things ready before we headed out the door. We spent the day at Lydia's Aunt and Uncle's place with the extended family. There were about 30 people who was there throughout the afternoon. The weather turned out pretty nice, so the kids spent a good amount of time outdoors. Lydia and I enjoyed the time visiting with others. I ended up having a stomach ache before lunch, so I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I wanted to. However, by supper time, the leftovers were great! Before it got dark, Lydia and I had the opportunity to do some target practice with my .22 rifle.... that was fun!

We made it home before 6 on Thursday evening. As our own tradition, we got out the decorations and decorated the tree and livingroom! Christmas music played in the background and we even had the fireplace (fake) going. Mysia and Malachi helped Lydia hang the ornaments while I sat at the table putting hooks on them.  

Friday was a relaxing day at home together. I was able to put the lights up on the house too!

The kids watched a few Christmas movies on Netflix on Saturday morning, and I left for several hours to do some shooting with Sam and dad. We had fun shooting up those toy rubber duckies! Lydia and the kids played games and worked puzzles until I returned home. We then headed out to do some Christmas shopping. During supper that evening, we watched We watched "Rudolph" and "Cricket on the Hearth" before going to bed.


~Matt

7 Days of Thankfulness: DAY 7 - "Lydia"

This is a continuation of my "7 Days of Thankfulness"!
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DAY 7 - "Lydia"

Today, I’m thankful for my best-friend, my life-partner, my beautiful wife.... Lydia!

I may have posted these things before, but I don’t care, it's definitely worth repeating. Without her, I honestly believe I wouldn’t be who I am right now. I depend on her sooo much, that I wonder how I could ever survive if she wasn’t there. (she knows it too)

Lydia is someone I can go to at all times. She is truly my BEST friend. I enjoy talking with her, and believe me, we can talk for hours! I enjoy spending time with her, and look forward to those times that I can spend with her without interruption. Yes, it’s not the easiest to do. We have very hectic lives; both of us work, we are parents, and she has tons of homework! .

The best part, she is the only woman who can put up with me!!! And get this, she actually is willing to live with me.... that tells you how wonderful a woman she is!

Yup... I’m thankful for the love of my life, Lydia!

~Matt

7 Days of Thankfulness: DAY 6 - "Febreze Air Freshener"

This is a continuation of my "7 Days of Thankfulness"!

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DAY 6 - "Febreze Air Freshener"

This may sound odd, but I’m thankful for Febreze air freshener and any other odor eliminator products... Without it, my family would leave me. Just ask my kids! Yikes!

'Nuff said...! ;)


~Matt

Week Rundown! (11/11/12 - 11/17/12)

Over the weekend I decided not to shave, and grow out a goatee. I promised Lydia that if she absolutely hated the thing, I'd get rid of it. I did pretty good, and lasted several days. However, by the 6th day of growth (Thursday), she'd had enough. It was fun while it lasted!

It sure was nice to get that extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning! The time change can be nice sometimes.

Besides the normal things of life each evening, the kids did a good job when asked to clean their rooms. Mysia had worked hard on her homework Monday evening, and was able to finish it before supper on Tuesday. Lydia went to our church's Ladies Thanksgiving Dinner Tuesday evening, which gave me some time with the kids.... so we watched cartoons on Netflix!

On Friday, we hosted "Movie Night" with my parents and siblings. We watched "The Amazing Spider-man", while the kids watched a few movies in their bedroom.

Saturday was a bit relaxing, but busy. We had breakfast together, and the kids watched some cartoons. We found out that vandals had slashed tires throughout our neighborhood! Thankfully, they didn't get our vehicles, but sorry that our neighbors got struck. I estimated at least 20 or more got hit overnight. For the afternoon, we visited Christian Publishers Outlet so the kids could see Larryboy. While there, Lydia and I filled out papers to enter in their shopping spree contest.

We finally watched the Avengers with the kids, however, Mysia was too tired. Malachi enjoyed the movie! He's ready to see it again.

~Matt

7 Days of Thankfulness: DAY 5 - "Being A Parent"

This is a continuation of my "7 Days of Thankfulness"!

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DAY 5 - "Being A Parent"

Is it apparent that I'm a parent? Sometimes, it's tough for me to sit and imagine that I'm a Dad to two kids. I know that several that knew me as a teenage would have a difficult time imagining me be a responsible parent. The key word being "responsible"... lol!

Today, I'm thankful God has given me the responsibility of being a parent. I admit that after Lydia and I got married, the thought of being a dad scared me. I liked kids, but was uncertain that I could really take on the responsibility of dealing them full-time as my own. It's different when watching others children. As a parent, anything that happens falls under you as the 'owner of the kid'.

However, now I wouldn't trade what I have for anything! My kids are awesome! Yes, they have their faults, and can be some trouble at times... but I'll proudly claim them as mine anytime!  

I try very hard to do what is right as a responsible dad. I'm a kid at heart, so I have to remember that I'm the grown-up. It's never fun to have to correct and serve punishment, but it is something that is needed. I want Mysia and Malachi to grow up with respect and have good behavior. It's not an easy job. Lydia and have expectations on our children, and their learning.

I'm happy to report that both kids have told to me from time to time that I'm the coolest dad. I guess I'm doing something right! I just want to be a good example and make sure that Mysia and Malachi love and respect me as their dad. It is a serious responsibility, and I'm up for the challenge. I pray that I'll never give up... it is worth every moment!

I'm thankful to be a parent!

~Matt

7 Days of Thankfulness: DAY 4 - "Hillside Baptist Church"

This is a continuation of my "7 Days of Thankfulness"!

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DAY 4 - "Hillside Baptist Church"

I'm thankful for our church family!

For over 5 years, Lydia and I have been active members of Hillside Baptist Church. Located east of Springfield on historic Route 66, the church sits on a hill. We have a wonderful congregation that meets regularly on Sundays and Wednesday.

We have an awesome pastor, Cecil Tolbert,  who loves the Lord and is always there for his congregation. He is very knowledgeable in the scripture, and does very well in where God has put him!

There are several great friends there as well!  Hillside has a bit of a country feel, with a great big country heart. We try to be as friendly and welcoming as can be. Focused on ministry, and reaching souls, Hillside is a great church to be a part of!

I'm involved in both the van ministry and choir. Lydia helps out in nursery when scheduled, and we both work with the children every Wednesday night service. It keeps us busy, but we feel that's were the Lord wants us to serve. We try to help out in any other things when asked, and have been involved in many of the activities. I also provide my graphic services to the church when needed as well.

What a joy to be part Hillside Baptist Church! Come visit sometime......


~Matt

7 Days of Thankfulness: DAY 3 - "Coffee"

This is a continuation of my 7 Days of Thankfulness!

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DAY 3 - "Coffee"

I'm thankful for coffee. It's more than a pick-up drink... for me is also comfort. Yes, I love drinking it of a morning to give me a charge, and it sure seems to help throughout the day. But I also can drink it late at night. The hot warmth, as I drink it, calms me down and makes me ready to rest and go to bed. However, at times, if I'm with a group of friends, it can energize me to go on for several more hours.

Coffee is awesome!!!

~Matt

7 Days of Thankfulness: DAY 2 - "My Work"

This is a continuation of my 7 Days of Thankfulness!

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DAY 2 - "My Work"

Today, my thankfulness post is about my place of employment, KWFC Radio. First of, yes... I'm thankful for a job. That part is a given, especially in today's economy. No matter the situation, I'm grateful for wherever God has placed me in the workplace. Sure, there have been times in my when I wasn't the happiest with my place of employment, but that's what God had provided.

Not only is it good to have a job, but awesome when you enjoy working there. That's where I'm at. I absolutely like my job! Wait.... I have to say it... I LOVE my job!

I'll admit that it's not the easiest, and I can't say it doesn't get stressful. But overall, it's worth it. There are many things I do, I can't think that it's in vain. Not only do I get to work around Southern Gospel Music and great Christian programing, I get to promote it as well! 

I'm constantly striving to get us noticed and out there. I get to communicate with our faithful listeners daily, even on weekends! These people share the same love in music and love for God! There is a common bond that I have with those who call or write.

If wondering what I do, well... there is a list. I'll try to simply it. My official title is "Publicity Director". That means I deal with the public in doing the printed ads and promotional material for KWFC. But that's not all. Besides all the printed graphics, I work on the graphics for the web and everything else! Then, I'm also behind the weekly email blast.

I'm also in 'sales'. That means I have accounts of businesses that support our station, and I get a commission. Part of my job is to find more support for our station, without it, we wouldn't survive. (so if you're part of a business that would like to underwrite Christian radio, let me know)

One of the neatest things about my job, is the ability to be on the air. Yup, I started filling in from time to time, and now I have a few programs that I host. You'll hear me every weekday evening from 7pm-9pm, and then Sunday afternoons from noon-4pm. I enjoy being able to share my love of Southern Gospel with our listeners. However, I've earned the nickname "Mayday Matt", thanks to my stumbling from time to time. Just listen in, and you might catch me!

Of course, I'm also thankful for the awesome work environment, and am so happy that they have have a sense of humor... the perfect place for me! Not only that, it's great to be able to work with fellow Christians. Every morning we have pray at 9, and of course, we try and solve the worlds problems at that time. Ha!

Yes, I'm thankful for my work!

~Matt

7 Days of Thankfulness: DAY 1 - "My iPhone!"

If you are into social networking, you may have noticed that many people are doing "Thankfulness Month", posting each day on something they're thankful for. Well, I liked the idea, but I figured I'd do something different. For the 7 days, leading up to Thanksgiving, I'll try and blog about something I'm thankful for. They will not be in any specific order, and may not be the most important. However, no matter what, each post will be about something that has come to my mind for the day. It may be serious, or it may be funny.... depends on my mood! lol

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DAY 1 - "My iPhone!"

Today's post is funny but somewhat serious as well. I'm thankful for my iPhone 3Gs. Now, at first thought, you may think I'm nuts, or crazy, being thankful for something that many may consider a toy or a piece of equipment that one can do without. And I can agree how one can think that. But let me explain.

My smart phone is a tool. A very important tool. Yes, it does allow me to play games, and I could use it to distract me from many things going on around me. It would be very easy to do....  but that's not what I use it for.

My phone is something I've become to depend on, and that's a good thing. I use it for work, both on and off my actual job at the radio station. Since I'm in also in 'sales', I can pull up information and documents at any time. It also keeps me in contact with my freelance clients. No matter what, I'm easily reached. 

It also serves as my back-up brain! With the calendar, I'm able to keep on schedule. (of course, that means I shouldn't have an excuse if I forget a meeting). The notes and notifications also remind me of projects and things that I need to get done. The maps feature help me when needing to locate a destination, it has proven itself when driving the van route for church!

Now, I'll admit I also use it's 'fun' features. I enjoy the ability to take a quick photo at any time. I average about 500-600 pictures a month! It can be a good thing, my kids growth and life is well documented! 

My favorite thing about my iPhone is the ability to be in constant contact with my best friend, my wife, Lydia!!!! I really don't have hard proof to back it up, but I do believe that it is a healthy thing for our relationship. We are able to share thoughts and concerns at anytime. Instead of sending 'love notes' on paper, we are able to chat or talk in real time. We use it to encourage each other throughout the day... so awesome!

There is another important part of my phone... it has a the Bible on it! I don't have an excuse on not reading chapters or verses! The Bible is always with me. 


~Matt

Week Rundown! (11/04/12 - 11/10/12)

It sure was nice to get that extra hour of sleep on Sunday! After evenings services, we went to my parents' house to celebrate Abigail's birthday! Cake and ice-cream... yum...

Mysia has been doing good with her homework, and on Monday, she told us that she has learned how to use the dictionary. We had several, so we gave her one to use as her own. She's now consulting the book as she writes! What a daughter!!!

Come Tuesday, we voted! Not exactly happy with the results, but we can't say we didn't do our part. ;)

The kids got to hang out for several hours with Abigail and her friend Rabecca on Tuesday evening. Malachi had so much fun, he told us that he wants her to bring more friends over next time.

I had a sneezing fit on Tuesday, which caused me to loose my temporary crown on my tooth! Ouch. Thankfully, I had an appointment with the dentist on Wednesday. I thought that were going to have to really work on it, but since the temporary cap came off, they just needed to fit the permanent one on! No shots....! Whew.....

Mysia was awarded PRIDE Panther at her school once again this year. We're so proud of her. She's been a good student, and often 'caught' being good!

We spent Saturday getting the house in order! Not our favorite thing, but it had to be done. The kids spent the evening playing, including Mario Kart Wii.

~Matt

Tech Post: IMO Messenger (Mobile App)

I'm not sure, but I may have posted about this app earlier, but since I use it daily, I want to make sure I tell others about it!

Yes, there is an app for my iPhone that I like a lot! It’s called IMO Instant Messenger. The best part is that it simply has the ability to pull all of messenger accounts together under one app. Facebook chat, Skype, MSN, Google Talk, MySpace, Yahoo, and more! A great way to be able to stay online with each IM client, and not have to switch between apps.

There are several awesome features, including copy and paste! I also like the fact that it keeps you signed on for a week without taking you off after several hours.
 
It’s also FREE! And there is now news that it will be getting an awesome update on Tuesday... hooray! ;)










 
For further reading, here is another article on the app: http://fanappic.com/imo-instant-messenger-advanced-chat-platform/

~Matt

Obeying... Sort of.

Last week, we were heading out to church and I told Malachi to climb into the car and unlock the other doors. 

He took me literally... He went to the drivers door of the car, climbed through the open window (instead of opening up the door), then climbed to the backseat to unlock the other doors! My son, what a character...

It looks like I need to be more specific! However, if you notice, he obeyed. I guess I'm doing something right. ;)

~Matt

Nose Hairs

Yes, I have them. Long nose hairs. I guess it’s one of those ‘growing older’ issues that one has to deal with. But hey.... I’m only 30.

Well, the other day I had an annoying one hanging out there. Yup, dangling from my nostrils. It was a bother, and I grabbed at it and was able to yank it free, with a little sharp pain of course!

Mysia was watching me, and commented, “Boy, I’m glad I’m a girl, so I don’t have to worry about nose hairs when I get old like you Dad!”

I didn’t correct her.....

~Matt

Week Rundown! (10/28/12 - 11/03/12)

On both Saturday and Sunday evening, I got to sing with Abigail and Sam at Central Baptist here in Springfield. Both nights were good, and we sang several of our favorite songs of course.

This week was pretty special for Malachi at his daycare. On Monday he got to dress up as a hillbilly and Tuesday was orange shirt day. Wednesday was he was asked to dress up as an animal or something with a harvest theme... so he went as a 'box turtle'. That's was fun! Crazy hair day was on Thursday, and pajama day on Friday.

Wednesday night services at church included "Trunk or Treat", where we all partake in going from vehicle to vehicle to get candy. Several of the trunks had themes. I stayed in the trunk of our van and handed out candy as Lazarus (thanks to several rolls of cheap toilet paper). Lydia was Martha and Mysia was Mary. They went around collecting candy along with Malachi, who wore his turtle costume.

On Thursday, we got to hang out with our friends Doug and Mary. It's was nice to get out and visit with friends!

Friday was a big and busy day for me. It was concert night for KWFC radio. There was so much to do, and I got a little stressed out trying to get some of my stuff together. Thankfully, my coworkers helped me calm down as the evening came, and we had a great night.. LOL. There were around 900 people that showed up, and I got to meet many of the listeners who call and email. Ernie Haase & Signature Sound kept the crowd alive for the entire night!

Lydia and the kids had a 'movie night' while I was at the concert. They also ate a lot of the candy from Wednesday night.

Besides sleeping in on Saturday morning, we went to our Sunday school Class activity. There was a great bonfire. We cooked hot dogs and ate chili (and had dessert). It was fun visiting with our friends from church. The kids had a blast playing with their friends as well.


~Matt