End of the Work Day Awesomeness

Every day when I get home my family tends to be downstairs because it is cooler down there. So I get home and join my daughter or son in some sort of game on the floor and this is generally how things end up. I'm like a kid magnet as soon as I get on the floor. It's pretty awesome until certain places are stepped or jumped on...

Per your awesome requests

The awesome blog is back. Not because I think the blog is awesome, but because I have so many awesome things in my life that I should share...and because I have so many awesome people who have made a request for it to come back. So here's to you guys.My wife asked, "A?"
I said, "For 'awesome'."
She said, "Oh."
I hope you guys got it without having to read the above conversation.

Tonight we went over to our friends house for dinner. He had told me that he purchased the song Monster by Skillet for Rock Band 2 and I thought it would be fun to let my daughter grab the mic and sing. He put it on 'no fail' for her so she could just have fun with the song. We put her on easy and when the song had ended it gave her a 100%. So we took off 'no fail' and tried her on medium. She got a 98%. So we put her on hard and as you can see, she nailed it with a 94%. AWESOME!!!! We moved her up to expert and she got a 79% without failing once. I am very proud of my little girl. You can see the video of her singing on medium difficulty here.

The Awesomeness of being a Dad

This pic was taken yesterday morning. Both of my older children woke up within 10 minutes of each other and both immediately came to sit on my lap. Normally they want something to drink or eat, or they want to watch something, but this morning, they just wanted daddy. Awesome. They lingered for quite some time. Enough time for me to really savor the moment and take a quick pic with the iMac. Life is awesome.

Clensliness is close to awesomeness

If you look at yesterday's post you will see that I said something about my phone not working. Well Amanda and her sister came over to watch the kids tonight and she heard about it and took my phone. This is what she got out of the back of my phone and now I can take pictures just fine. Pretty awesome what a teenager can do for a phone when armed with a toothpick. THANKS AMANDA!

My awesome slippers

I got these awesome shoes a while back. They are probably the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned and they were under $8.
My phone is acting up, so I might miss a few days here. I hope I can work it out soon, but it is harder to get impromptu pictures when the phone isn't working right.

2 Moms of Awesome

I am very thankful for these 2 awesome moms. My children are blessed to have their mother. I have been blessed by my mother and the blessings keep coming. I don't know where I would be without these women in my life. There is so much in this picture. Two amazing lives honoring God and serving those around them; particularly their children. It doesn't get much more awesome than this.

Wings of Awesome

I've decided to stop numbering my posts. There are only so many ways you can title a post when you are putting the number on there.
Also, I missed yesterday mainly because my sleep schedule was off because I went to go see the midnight showing of Iron Man 2. Needless to say, it was awesome. Go see it if you can.
Anyways, back to the pics...
This is a tray full of Wing Stop's wings, fries and AWESOME blu cheese dip. I was addicted to Wing Stop for the longest time and had to separate myself before I started a gambling addiction to pay for my Wing Stop addiction. Today was the first day in months and months that I have had Wing Stop. It. Was. Awesome. The manager still remembered my name and asked me where I have been. :)

50 Posts of Awesome and still going!

So this is a big deal for me because I haven't been able to commit to a blog for this long so happy 50th to me!
Anyways, this H2 belongs to an awesome guy at our church named Steve. He was a Ranger and his arms are bigger then my thighs. He is a big guy and he drives a big vehicle and he let me drive it to take a few guys out for lunch. You Rule Steve! I think I look pretty good in it.

49th Day of Awesome even without a picture

So yesterday was just a CRAZY DAY, and I had to get up really early today, so I didn't post. I was but I hadn't spent any personal time in the Bible so I did that instead of posting. God is the original Awesome and you can't really have one picture that represents him.

Post number 48 of Awesome

Did you know that if you put the waffle iron on a low cook setting that you won't smell anything burning if you forget to take out the last waffle of the batch? It's like an Awesome waffle version of Ebony and Ivory. Ebony, Ivory, livin in perfect haaaarmony...

48th Day of Awesome it is

I won this guy when I was 16 at a Safeway in Lamar. For most of his life with me he has made his home in my bedroom. However, there came a point in my daughter's life where she was so scared of the sight of him that we had to find a few foster homes to host him. I started to miss him so I bought the animated Clone Wars movie and had my kids watch it with me. After seeing Yoda as the good guy they were very accepting of him being back home with us.
Around the time Yoda returned home my daughter started having nightmares of monsters coming after her (none of them were Yoda). One night we decided to have a camp out downstairs where Yoda was staying and before bed we talked about her nightmares. I posed the question, "Who scares away monsters?" I was hoping she would say Daddy or God, but she pointed to Yoda. That night she didn't wake up because of monsters in her dreams. Ever since that night Yoda has stood guard in the corner of her bedroom keeping an ever vigilant watch for those pesky monsters. Awesome this is.

Two Awesome Posts (46&47) for the Price of One!

So I have been sick and forgot to do my blog yesterday. The pic above was a fun moment. I was sitting at the dinning room table and I hear "YES!". I look over and see my little girl beaming with pride and I ask her what happened. She points at this and gives me a look that says, "Yeah, that's right. I did that." It wasn't so much the actual accomplishment that I think is awesome, it was her pride in her accomplishment.

And just moments ago, while I was writing the description above my son starts yelling, "Daddy! A circle! Daddy! A circle!" He was also rather proud of his accomplishment. Daddy is proud of both of them. I have two very awesome toddlers.

Awesome Day 45

Did you know when you stay at a hotel you pay for all this stuff whether you use it or not? I saw it on F.R.I.E.N.D.S and apparently it isn't just a silly bit for Ross. So today I went to the front desk and came back with all this. Cups (both water and coffee) with lids, toilet paper, a box of tissues, coffee (regular and decaff), shaving cream, make-up remover, deodorant (both his and hers) a sewing kit, vanity kit, razor, toothpaste, comb, 2 AAA batteries, tooth brush, shampoo, conditioner, hand and face cleaner, lotion, and mouthwash. I wanted to take the light bulbs, but that is where my wife drew the line. It was kinda awesomely exhilarating.

44th Post of New Baby Awesomeness

I'm gonna be an uncle again. Today I got to see my awesome NEPHEW for the first time. This is my sister and brother-in-law and they are looking at a little guy that wouldn't show us his face, but had no problem showing us that he was a "he". I would show you that picture but I don't know how comfortable I feel posting that kind of a picture. You will get to see a picture of him in September.

Awesome Honor on Day 43

The awesome young lady pictured here is graduating this year. She has been mentored by my wife for a while now and she asked us to be a part of her capping ceremony. A capping ceremony (for those of you who don't know) is where all the grads have someone special in their life come and place the cap they are graduating in on their heads. The graduate writes a paragraph or two telling everyone why this person is important and it is read aloud for everyone to hear. She said some very awesome things about us.

It's pretty awesome to get to be a part of someone's life like this.

SUPER AWESOME MAC DAY 42

So we were at Best Buy checking out the iPads and this girl walked by and said, "I hate Macs." I responded with, "Blasphemy!"
I think I kinda scared her so I started talking to her and her sister and her sister's boyfriend. Turns out none of them like Mac because they don't really understand how to use them because they are so used to the virus of Windows. Turns out the boyfriend had an iMac he wanted to sell. Long story short I end up with this and paid next to nothing for it. AWESOME!
To top it all off, my good friend (the guy to the very left in post 24) came over and helped me get a bunch of stuff set up on it. We are blessed.

Forgetful Awesome Post 41

So, I don't know how I missed this, but I was looking through my blog and I noticed I missed a day. I actually didn't miss last Friday because the picture I meant for Friday was the ninja mask (notice the 12am on Saturday). I wanted this for Saturday's picture because that was the day my brother went home to Seattle. Normally I update this stuff at night and Saturday was CRAZY! Anyways...I have an awesome brother. I love him much. I think it is very cool that he lives in Seattle because he was always the quiet one in the family and I thought he would live close to our parents his whole life. He tests video games for a living. I miss him a ton and I wish he was still here, but he doesn't let his big bro boss him around anymore.

Day 40 of Awesome New Tastes

This didn't happen today, but I had something else on the blog when I took this pic. As you can see, you have before you the new three flavors of MTN DEW. Miranda and I had a taste testing together. The unanimous vote was Typhoon. MTN DEW IS AWESOME!

39th Day with some Apple Awesomeness

If you don't know why this is awesome, then you need Apple Awesome lessons. You can get said lesson from any of these locations.

38th Awesome Post

Today I finally finished my daughter's ninja mask. She has been a little obsessed with the movie "3 Ninjas" and has been asking for her own mask (with lines on it) and a ninja name. She has dubbed me as the grandpa character from the movie (you know, because I am so old but agile) and has been asking me for a week what her ninja name was. My brother helped me out and her ninja name is...Tora (we say it like toe-raw to make it unique). It is Japanese for "tiger". I think the mask and name turned out pretty awesome.

37 Awesome Posts and counting

Well our trip to Lamar is done. It was an awesome time. I have the most awesome family in the world. The tall guy at the top between my parents is my brother from Seattle. Below is my prego sister and her husband, whom you have already met. Below them is the oldest of my two sisters that my parents have adopted. The last pic is the other sister who is the half sister of my brother in post 35. God is awesome, my family is awesome...life is awesome.

36th Post of Awesome

I am standing in front of one of the most awesome places in Lamar. We needed to go shopping so my wife could have a shirt for family pictures and while we were out we stopped here. My son was thrilled. But it wasn't the donuts that brought me in. Their donuts are very good, but they sell something here that I have yet to find anywhere else: Sausage Rolls (I capitalized the name out of respect). They are sausage links surrounded by cheese rolled up in some crazy awesome dough and deep fried. I haven't had one in years. Awesome way to start the day.

Awesome Day 35

My son was trying to escape the front yard and got caught, literally and figuratively. The little guy next to him is my littlest brother. My parents have adopted 3 children and the youngest is 2 weeks younger then my daughter. My son loves his little uncle. Almost every time we get into the car, my son says, "Deppie's house?". It is awesome that my son has another little guy that he can play with in the family. It's great to see these boys just get to be boys together.

Awesomely relaxing Day 34

So we are in Lamar with all my family for 4 whole days. This trip is awesome because it has been a year and a half since we have all been together because my brother lives in Seattle. Last Tuesday my brother flew in and gets to hang out for a couple of weeks (his feature blog is coming soon). The guy above is not my brother, well, he is, but not my brother from Seattle. The young man above is my sister's husband. He is blowing my wedding ring across the table. Why? It was an awesome game that was invented because I was spinning my ring while we were talking at the table after dinner. I found that if I spun it just right, I could spin it around the center piece and our cups to my dad who was on the other side of the table. Soon the goal was to see if we could get it all the way around the table. Then the goal was to try and get it around the table twice. We found that blowing the ring moved it the best. The picture above gives you an idea of how silly we looked while playing. It was awesome!

Awesome Day 33

Did I mention that I have the most amazing, awesome, beautiful wife in the world?

Awesome Post of of Day 32

Today I did a wedding. Every time I do a wedding I think about the last 7 awesome years with my beautiful bride. She is amazing. I seriously don't know what I did to deserve such an amazing woman. I can't imagine what life would be like without her and I can't really remember what it was like before without her. Christ is the center of my life, but the encircling that center is my wife. I love you hun, and I am sorry this pathetic blog doesn't even get close to expressing how I feel about you.
Man, isn't she gorgeous?

31st Day of Awesomeness

Meet our cat, Tinsley. She is the most awesome cat I have ever had. She came from the animal shelter to us back in August. Since then, she has never made any messes, she has come back after getting out of the house, and she has never put a mark on any of us even though she still has all her claws. The dog likes to chase her, but she stands up to him when she is tired of it. The kids drag her all around and she never really retaliates. There have been times she has given the kids a bat with her paws, but she has never left a mark. Today I hear my daughter yelling for help from the living room and this is what I found. As you can see, Tinsley was not stressed at all, she simply was showing my daughter that she was tired of her being in her face. Once again, not a scratch on my daughter, but Tinsley got her point across quite clearly.

30 Whole days of Awesome

Every once in a while we let my son take the camera and get creative. Most of the time we get strange pictures of the couch, but it is still pretty awesome. He has taken a few of Miranda and I, and he has pretty good aim. Fun to see our kids enjoy stuff their parents enjoy.

29 Awesome Days and still going strong

It is awesome how my 5-month-old son instinctively stands stiff and still when I do this. The reaction I get from most mothers who aren't used to it is equally awesome. All three of my children have had this experience before their 6 month of life, and NO, I haven't dropped any of them. My wife is fine with it except when I do it with other people's babies.
By the way, my wife put chocolate on my shirt, that is why it has a wet spot. Things like that bug me in my pictures. I almost changed my shirt and had her take another one, but I am trying not to be such a perfectionist. Although as I write this I realize that it is only enabling my perfectionist tendencies...oh well.

Awesome Surprise on 28th Day

No, it isn't a trick of the eye or camera. My office walls are now a bubble gum pink. No, it was not my idea. It was the latest response to a prank war I have been having with one of my fellow workers. It doesn't matter where we have been or what has happened. All that matters is that I now have an epic prank to try to top.
I know I don't look it, but I am pretty thrilled. This was an awesome prank and it took some serious guts and time to pull off. Well played Lisa.

My 27th post is sponsored by the letter "F"

"F" is for "falafel".
"F" is for "flavorful", which they were...in a good way.
"F" is for "faulty" which describes the shape of the falafel we experimented with today (normally falafels are made into little balls and today we found out why.)
"F" is not for "awesome", which is what they were.

Awesome Post Number 26

Went to the BK lounge for lunch and I got a meal I haven't had in a LONG time. Does anyone remember the Rodeo Burger from BK back in the day? It was basically a cheese burger with BBQ sauce and their onion rings. I made the ultimate rodeo burger by adding BBQ sauce and onion rings to the triple stacker. My son didn't eat all his chicken crowns so I put one of them in the burger as well. Yummy in my tummy awesome.

Awesome Day 25

I had a few pictures I took today that were awesomeblog worthy, but right before bed this happened. I watched 3 Ninjas with my daughter and now all she wants to do is Kung Fu stuff. So all day she has been kicking bad guys and her brother. Pretty awesome because her brother takes most hits pretty well. At this moment we were watching Kung Fu Panda.
A few things to note: 1. She is wearing a belt out of beads she made for her ninja outfit. 2. She fell asleep in a position that kinda reminds me of some sort of karate pose. 3. In her hand are a few of the toys she is always carrying around and when I tried to take them after this picture she clenched down real hard without waking up (just like a real ninja would if you tried to take a throwing star out of their hand while they were sleeping).
HiiiiiiiiiiYA!

24th post of Awesome

Today we had a party to celebrate my daughter's B-Day. These are some of our good friends who could make it. We found out our back yard works pretty well for this kind of a shindig. You can see the fire pit we built for around $100. It served us well tonight. Awesome day.

YeeeHaaawesome Day 23

We went to Lowe's to get stuff for a fire pit (picture later) and we found these in the lawn ornaments isle. I wonder what kind of person would buy this to make a lawn look better? I bet it would be pretty awesome to go to a Toby Keith concert with them.

22nd Awesome Day

Did I mention that our neighbors have chickens in their back yard? I think it is pretty awesome. Maybe we should get a goat, or a pig or something.

21 Days of Awesome

You know Sid on Toy Story? The kid that would torture toys. He would sometimes take apart toys and put them together. I always thought his toys were pretty awesome and creative. Well my son did this today. Meet Princess Mater. What's funny is that Sid is a Disney character, Mater is a Disney character, and Aurora (the lower half anyway) is also a Disney character.

Awesome Nerdy Day 20

IT'S A TRAP!
Awesome
shirt.woot.com
Awesome
Also there is kinda a Big Bang Theory connection.
Awesome

Awesome Resurrection Sunday on Day 19

3 Practices for Easter Weekend + 5 Services x 9 songs = a minimum of 72 songs.
Getting to worship my Risen Lord by hitting things with sticks = Awesome.
I thought you guys might like to see a piece of what I get to see when I play.
God is the original Awesome!

Day 18 of Sun-shiny Awesome

It has been beautiful out lately and my two children who can walk have rediscovered how much fun the back yard is. Kadence enjoys it but not nearly as much as my boy pictured above. This pic says it all. It is awesome seeing my boy just getting to be a boy doing things boys love to do.

Real 17th Day of Awesome

My son hates to sit on his own. It is a rare occasion that he will sit in his swing without complaining. Normally it isn't a big deal when I am home because my wife and I can take turns holding him. But at this moment we both needed a break so Malachi had to deal. He started to whine and I looked at him and and asked, "What is your problem?" He looked me in the eyes and replied, "Da Da." Needless to say I did not make him stay in his seat much longer.
Technically he kinda said "Da Da" yesterday and followed very quickly with "Ma Ma" but this is the first time he seemed to really want to communicate something.
Awesome.
And yes, his feet really are that big. All the Matteson's have abnormally large feet.

17th Day of Awesome...APRIL FOOLS! It's the 16th.

This was the first time my daughter has put together a 63 piece puzzle all by herself. She was pretty excited and I thought it was an awesome achievement. What makes it more awesome is that the box says the puzzle is for ages 5+ and today just happens to be the day my daughter turned 5.

Happy Birthday my beautiful girl.

Awesome Day 15

My friend Dusting (leaf shirt) just had a baby. Well his wife did, but he was there and helped...you know what I mean. So we go to visit today and I thought I spied some "It's a Boy!" cigars. They turned out to be bubble gum. So we all grabbed one and posed for the camera. Baby Cole is a welcomed part of the family and we will all do our part to help make him into an awesome man who follows God. Also he has one of the fake cigars in his mouth.