Going to be a long night

Hello all,

Zac and Ali are both crabby from all of their sinus drainage. Jen is getting their cough syrup ready now. Zac is cutting his two year molars and Ali must be sick just for sympathy.

Tonight we had a contractor come to look over our house. Jen and I are contemplating remodeling it and adding on an upstairs to make the house our home for the next 30 years. I hope we can do it.

Good night,

-Andy

Zac's 2 year check-up

Hello all,

Well, it is official. Zac is heavier and taller than I was when I was two. Oh boy. I think I should start saving my pennies to pay for the groceries when he is a teenager. Oh brother! I think I may just go broke on milk and bread alone. Any family of mine, do you remember how much I ate while I was growing up? Yeah, it is true what they say. All of the things you do as a kid will come back to haunt you as a parent.

As for Zac being hyper, it is normal. In an effort to get Zac to calm down tonight we turned off the lights in the living room and I rocked him for a while until he calmed down. Once he was falling asleep, I transferred him to his bed. He only got up twice. Let's hope this works!

-Andy

Zac is hyper

Hello all,

I have come to a conclusion that Zac is just hyper. He really has a hard time settling down at times. I hope this is a normal stage in his development. If he is going to be like this all of his life, I think I'll have gray hair by the time I'm 35.

Oh, by the way the Chiefs lost again. No big deal. The Royals and the Chiefs both stink.

-Andy

Returned home today

Hello all,

Ali, Zac and I returned to Kansas City this afternoon. We are all feeling under the weather and need to get some sleep. I wanted to get the kids out of the house to keep their sniffles from getting dad sick. I hope it worked.

I'm going to head to bed.

-Andy

Friday in Randolph

Hello all,

We started the day with a trip into Randolph State Bank, then to Malvern State Bank and ended the road trip with a stop at Glenwood Savings and Trust. Mom was doing some let work for Dorthy. Ali and Zac came along to get out of the house. While in Glenwood, we stopped at the Glenwood park and fed the ducks and geese. Ali and Zac both enjoyed the activity. The ducks really swam fast to the bread once it hit the water. When Zac ran out of bread crumbs, he started to through little stones. That ended our stay at the pond.

Once back in Randolph, we watched the Nebraska game on TV. The mighty Huskers went down to defeat again. The season is over. I hope the next class can help make the offense better than it was this year.

Ok, time to go find Zac and see why he is crying in the kitchen.

-Andy

Thanksgiving with my parents

Hello all,

I am writing you from Randolph, Iowa. There isn't any snow up here, but lots of memories being shared between my sisters and I. Nic made the turkey at her house while Danna made most of the side dishes at her home. I brought nothing but my children. :)



After dinner, we snapped this picture of all of us with mom and dad. I think we all look pretty good, don't you?

Once the pictures had been taken and the table had been cleared, it was time for mom to try to embarrass her children. Little did I know that she would pull out early video tapes of the family. We watched video from 1988 and 1989. Needless to say, I was very skinny and not very coordinated. I think touching my nose would have been a struggle at times. We all had a good laugh at each other. The girls hair was something to witness. BIG HAIR!!! That is all I am going to say about that.

Ok, time to take a nap. I ate way to much turkey today.

-Andy

Lots of Snow!

Hello all,

We had a lot of snow last night. I tried to make it to work this morning, but I thought it would be in my best interest to just work from home today. I watched several cars leave the road while taking the kids to pre-school at Lisa's. Highway 152 could have been a parking lot this morning.

Here are some pictures from my house.





By the end of the day, the main roads were cleared and travel was much easier.

Good night!

-Andy

Crabby Zac

Hello all,

Now that Zac is two, it is appropriate that I write about the terrible two's. Jen and I didn't have very many problems with Alexandria when she turned two. Her attitude began to show when she turned three. Zachary is not going to wait. He started to throw temper tantrums about two months ago. Little things would do it mostly. If Alex would get a banana before he got a banana, out came the tears. It is truly trying my patience tonight. He didn't want to eat dinner (pot roast), but then he tasted it and wanted it. Later in the evening, he didn't want to brush his teeth. In an effort to avoid me, he threw himself on the ground and flattened out like a pancake.

Where did my sweet little boy go? He is turning into vinegar more and more? Are all little boys like this? Was I like this when I was growing up? Post a comment and let me know.

Better get going. I am sure I'll have to wrestle Zac down for him to go to bed.

-Andy

Ali recovering from her dental appointment

Hello all,

I wanted to give you all an update on my daughter. She had three cavities filled this morning. Because she is so young, the dentist had to put her under to make sure that she didn't move to much while he worked to fix her teeth.

After her procedure was completed, Jen and I took her to IHOP for pancakes. The dentist gave us instructions to let her eat what she wanted. She ate great. It took her a few minutes to come out of her woozy state, but after it had passed she was back to her natural self.

Right now, Jen and Ali are at the store getting stuff for tonight's football game and Birthday party for Zac. Happy birthday Zac! You are the big TWO today!

Better get ready to start work.

-Andy

Cleaning House

Hello all,

Since the Chiefs play tomorrow night on Monday Night Football, Jen and I took the opportunity to clean the house up. We tackled the basement and kids rooms first. I used mom's bissell carpet cleaner on Ali's floor after I vacuumed. It was filthy! Ahhh, disgusting. I guess that is what I should expect from a four and two year old! I'm glad it is clean now.

After those rooms were cleaned, I moved to the basement to vacuum and pick up their toys. I should have gone through the toy box and removed the toys that they don't play with anymore, but I will save that for another day. After I finished cleaning, it was time to think about relaxing and enjoying the evening with the family.

Ali and Zac went down for a nap around 3:00 and were asleep at 5:30. That is when Jen and I got them up for the night. They were both in great moods after a nap. Dinner was peanut butter toast and mixed fruits. It is my kids favorite. It is quick and easy and easy to clean up.

We watched Extreme Makeover, Home addition later. It was about a farm family that has recently lost their dad to an automobile accident. It really hit close to home. I can remember helping families take their harvest out when either the dad was sick or hurt. If you have never seen it in person, it is truly amazing to see four combines and a line of wagons and trucks ready to haul a field away. A field that should take a day to finish is finished in a few hours. It is a wonderful feeling to help someone out like that.

Sorry about that tangent away from the show, but this is my blog and I can write what I want. :) The show was very nice. ABC has really found a gold mine with that show.

I better close and get to bed.

-Andy

Zac's birthday party

Hello all,

Today was Zac's 2nd birthday party at McDonalds! What an event. My sisters Danna and Nicole drove down from Omaha to join the festivities. Thank you both for coming down. It really meant a lot to see both of you. Grandma Diane also attended and brought a lot of smiles to the festivities. For a showing of the birthday party pictures, visit the Scott Family Photo Album. I should be getting them updated in a day or two.

Zac had a great time at McDonalds. He was able to play with his little friends and run around in playland. What a deal. It was perfect for Zac. He was able to crawl around the tunnels and slide down the slide. If he became thirsty, a quick pit stop at mom for a drink of milk and it was off to the races again. Wow -- to have that much energy...

Jen and I came home to watch Iowa State beat K-State. YES... Way to go Cyclones. If my Huskers can't win, at least you guys can win for me. I was so happy to see them play well. It almost makes up for all of the years of them being the door mat of the Big 12. Ok, maybe not.

Alright, I better close and get going.

-Andy

Ready for Zac's birthday party

Hello all,

Jen and I are ready for Zac's birthday party. The two kids are ready to have some fun at tomorrow's party at McDonalds. Zac may have a bruise on his forehead from falling down tonight. He is growing again and is stumbling over his feat from time to time. I know it is a phase right now. I know that his coordination will come and go as he grows. I hope that he will not have to many bumps and bruises before his birthday on Monday.

Good night!

-Andy

Rainy day

Hello all,

It is a gloomy rainy day in Kansas City. It is very odd. The grass is still green. The trees are bare of leaves and the temperature is in the low 60's, but it is November 18th. I am having a hard time thinking that Zac will be able to wear a light jacket to his birthday party on Saturday. For some reason I remember November being very cold and the wind blowing. Not today... But I'm not complaining. :)

-Andy

Made changes to the family photo album!

Hello all,

It is time for bed, but before I go, I wanted to let you know I have posted new pictures in the Scott Family Photo Album. I know, it has been over four months since I have posted changes to the album. I know.. I know.

I hope you like them.

-Andy

Going on an adventure

Hello all,

I am going on an adventure at lunch today. Steve Brown wants Chris Wilson and I to go with him to help him find a geocache that is close to the Sprint Campus. I'll let you know how it goes later.

-Andy

Great night at home

Hello all,

Tonight Jen and I didn't have anywhere to go for a change. It was nice to come home and relax with the kids and play some games. I cleaned up the basement while Jen entertained Ali and Zac with a puzzle game upstairs. I think the basement looks a little bit better now that most of the "stuff" is now in a place where it is off of the floor. The problem is that Ali and Zac will return to the basement tomorrow night and get it all out again....

After I finished cleaning, Jen and I walked for a while on the gazelle. I walked for a half hour while Jen walked close to two miles. She is such a trooper! I should have walked longer, but I had to officiate a fight between Ali and Zac over a toy. Once this dispute was over, I had lost my motivation to get back on and walk further.

Tomorrow night Jen has a massage which should be a nice change of pace for her. I know the last month has taken its toll and a little "mom time" is needed to recharge her batteries. My hope is to get the kids into an early bath tomorrow night ( 7:30 or so ) to get them to calm down faster. I don't know if it will work, but you never know until you try.

Well, I should stop writing and get going!

-Andy

Night of choosing benefits

Hello all,

Tonight Jen and I put pen to paper and chose our 2005 medical, dental and vision benefits. Nothing is more stressful than choosing benefits. Did we do it right? Is this the best plan for our family? So many questions and so little information to base our decisions on. All we have is the information provided by IBM and Apria. Needless to say, my IBM benefit costs have increased a lot! Thanks BIG BLUE!

Jen also signed up for her 401K. Now, she will start building her nest egg for our long retirement someday. This way, when I work at Wal-Mart later in life as a greeter, it will be because I want to be out of the house and not because I need the money to pay my bills.

Ok, as for the kids, they had a good night. Zac and Ali were in great moods tonight. They ate well and had a good time. I hope they go to bed the first time.

Good night,

-Andy

Resting at home

Hello all,

This is a day to rest and recover from a long weekend. The kids slept in a little and Jen and I made it to Sunday School just in time for class to start. After church we all went home to watch the Chiefs game and eat pizza. It just sounded good for a change.

After another Chiefs loss, it was time to set a meal list for the week. Ali and I went out to gather the necessary groceries while Zac slept and mom fielded calls for Mobile Med Care.

By the end of the night, the kids had eaten dinner, had a bath and were in the PJs. It was looking good for an early night for bed. The kids were in bed by 10:00 and lights were out at 10:30. Not a bad night at all.

Good night.

-Andy

Smores with Nana

Hello all,

Today was Ali's first experience with Smores. This afternoon, my mom and I cleaned up the yard and built a fire just to the North of the house. Ali decided that she needed to help us drive the lawn mower and supervise our progress in the yard. She did help pick up a few sticks, but Ali soon found it more fun to sit on the yellow seat and pretend to drive.

With the help of some dried leaves and dried sticks, mom and I soon had a good fire going. We added some of the larger branches that had to be cut down to allow the Direct TV dish to have access to the southern sky. Once they dried out, the blaze was in full force.

Jen and Zac came out to visit us and see what was taking so long. It was then that my wife asked if my mom had any marshmallows for smores. We were all in luck. Smores are my mom's favorite evening snack.

My mom and Jen made the first two sandwiches. Ali and I followed with Zac just satisfied eating a gram cracker and running around the evergreen trees. Ali ate a few more marshmallows out of the bag before I cut her off. I didn't want it to ruin her dinner.

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A few words about Danna and Kevin's reception. It was great to see so many of my old friends again. The highlight of the evening was the father / daughter dance. Danna had arranged for dad to dance to Wind Beneath My Wings. He agreed that he would dance as long as he could and then allow me to cut in and finish the dance for him. The song started and my sister and dad too to the dance floor. As each verse concluded, I watched my father persevere for another minute and keep dancing with his little girl. I must say I cried, as did most people watching the events unfold. Dad did great! Dad and Danna danced the entire song in a loving embrace. I am so proud of him.

Once the song was over, I let him know I was proud of him. I told him that what he did took a lot of guts. I asked if he wanted anything. Dad replied, "No, I just want to rest for a minute." What a guy.

We left the reception at 10:30 to go home. We were all back at mom and dad before 11:00. It was a magic night were everything was right again in the world. It was great to smile again. I needed to smile.

Good night,

-Andy

Heading to Iowa

Hello all,

Just a quick note here to let you know I am heading to Iowa for my sister's wedding reception. It is going to be in Thurman. We are having a family picture taken by Mark Jewell at 5:00 in Sidney. I hope the kids behave for the family photograph.

Well, we are getting ready to go.

-Andy

Ali has 3 cavities

Hello all,

I just got back from alias dental appointment. She has three cavities and will require an hour and a half of work to get her teeth fixed. Too bad... I really feel bad for her.

Since our first appointment, Jen and I have been stressing to both kids the importance of brushing their teeth. Zac really enjoys it and Ali is coming around.

Better get back to work.

-Andy

Night out at IHOP

Hello all,

It is a cold miserable day in KC. The constant drizzle of rain is really making it hard to get motivated to exercise tonight. As I was driving home, Jen called and wanted to know if we could switch our dinner plans to eating out. We were planning on having fish for dinner and IHOP sounded better than that.

Ali and Zac both ate very well. Zac was a vacuum with his chicken. Ali ate her pancakes like a champion. Mom and I actually had a few minutes of peace and quiet to enjoy our meals. All in all, it was a nice break from fixing dinner at home.

It is almost bath time for the kids. I better get going.

-Andy

Having a good time at home

Hello all,

Tonight we had a great time at home. Ali and Zac were in great moods and the kids really enjoyed their bath. Jen and I started making plans for Friday. We will be staying with my sister, Nicole, and her husband Kirk.

I called and talked to mom and dad tonight. Dad had a good day. Mom had a good day as well. I am looking forward to seeing them this weekend.

Good night,

-Andy

First Geocache Found

Hello all,

I found my first geocache ever tonight with Steve Brown. We went East of the Ameristar casino. We walked around the site for almost 40 minutes until Steve found it. That was the first phase of the of the cache. I found the second step in a large tree stump. It was to have a GPS for a non-cacher and it did. Too bad someone else got there before we did. Oh well... Steve, thank you very much for taking me on this adventure.

Good night,

-Andy

Danna and Kevin are Married!

Hello all,

I will start this message out with a CONGRATULATIONS KEVIN AND DANNA!!! Jennifer and I listened to their vows over the telephone tonight. They were married just before 6:00 CST. We couldn't hear the minister very well, but we could clearly hear Danna and Kevin ( which were the important players in the event ). Now all three of us are married. Come to think of it, we have enough to field a basketball team or volleyball team. With my sister Nic and her husband Kirk, we have the height on our side. :)

My dad had a good day today. I'm sure he will have something to say about it tomorrow when I receive his note.

Have a good night!

-Andy

Losing day

Hello all,

Northwest Missouri State lost today in a good game. Nebraska lost to Iowa State! WHAT has the world turned into? Next thing you know, Iowa State will win the Big 12 North and beat Oklahoma for the Big 12 title! Ok, maybe not, but it could happen this year.

Not a lot to write about tonight. I'm pretty tired from being out in the cool autumn air all day. I hope Danna and Kevin are having fun in Las Vegas.

-Andy

Computer problems

Hello all,

Not a lot to say today except the term Help Desk is not always Helpful. I spent the better part of a day on the phone with British Columbia tech support walking them through my IBM computer problems. Yes, IBM - Big Blue. I'm sure you have seen the IBM commercials on TV. They can't make my computer work with their software. Oh well, I guess I'll try again on Monday.

Saturday is the Big Northwest / Pitt State game at Arrowhead Stadium. My wife and father-in-law, Larry Thompson, will be going. We are going to tailgate with some friends before the big show down. I hope Northwest wins. If not, I hope we play well.

My sister Danna will be getting married this weekend in Las Vegas. In a week from now, I'll be in Iowa with my family to celebrate her and Kevin's nuptials. I am very happy for her. I wish I could have walked her down the isle. I would have cherished that opportunity. Thank you for asking me Danna. It meant the world to me.

Ok, Let me wipe the tears from my eyes and wish you all a good night.

-Andy

Long day on the phone

Hello all,

Not a lot to say today other than I have been on a phone call ALL day and the same people keep saying the same things. It is like a very bad version of the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. It is a system requirements call for a new product that Sprint will be providing and the same five people will not stop talking.

Ahhhhhh!!!

-Andy

Kerry call it quits

Hello all,

BUSH WINS... BUSH WINS!!!

Sitting on the edge of our seat.

Hello all,

Tonight Jen and I are sitting on the couch cheering every state that George Bush wins and monitoring ABC and CNN for election coverage. It looks like the election will not be called until tomorrow sometime.

Good night,

Andy

Monday night, and all is getting better

Hello all,

Today was suppose to be Ali's dental appointment. To bad she is under the weather. Jen and I both thought she was just sick from too much sweets. Unfortunately, the flu or something like it has her under today. She stayed the afternoon with Grandma while I went to work.

Now Jen and the kids are in bed and I'm up writing this message. I'll write more tomorrow after I vote.

Good night,

-Andy