Hot Hot Hot

Hello all,

The last day of July is REALLY hot. Jen and I both took the day off to play with the kids and get unpacked. We were suppose to go to the water park today, but with the sun beating down on us, we went bowling instead. We had a lot of fun bowling with Marcy and David and their family.

-Andy

Last day of the BeautiControl Conference

Hello all,

I am writing this in a hurry today. Our flight leaves at 2:00 and I have to be back in the room soon to get the luggage to the front door BEFORE 5,000 other people get the same idea. Jen and I had a lot of fun down here in Dallas, but we are looking forward to getting home and giving the kids a big hug and a kiss.

-Andy

Went out on the lake today

Hello all,

I went out on a wave runner for four hours this afternoon. Wow.. I had a blast. The machine went over 50 mph on open water! It was fantastic. I did not realize how sore I was going to be AFTER I finished my tour of the lake. Oh my, I can hardly walk!

I'll write more tomorrow. I am going to go back to my room and rest.

-Andy

First Day of the BeautiControl Conference

Hello all,

Day one is going well. Jen is enjoying her time down here in Dallas. I am doing some work for her on the computer getting names and phone numbers of her customers so that she can make some calls later tonight.

Good night,

-Andy

Just landed

Hello all,

Jen and I just landed in Dallas a few minutes ago. Things are pretty hectic right now and I am only taking a few minutes to get a journal entry for today's record.

-Andy

READY for VACATION

Hello all,

Today is my last day of work for a few days. I am really looking forward to going to Dallas for a relaxing few days. I am hoping to get out on the water and really rip it up for a while!

-Andy

Mowing the yard, again

Hello all,

After a week of not mowing the yard, I finally cut the grass tonight. It took longer than normal since many places were taller than I expected. The weather was OK for mowing. After mowing, I did a little weed eating and then inside for a shower and ready for bed. Jen is at Starlight Theater with her girl friends so I am home alone tonight.

-Andy

Date with my wife

Hello all,

In lieu of not having any kids tonight, I decided it would be nice if Jen and I went on a date. You know, that thing we did BEFORE we were married and had two kids. That thing that you planned ahead of time and hoped everything would go just right so that your date would want to go an ANOTHER date with you. Well, I did that tonight. The evening started with dinner at Herford House in Zona Rosa at 7:00. We were promptly seated and the meal was going great. Dinner conversation was excellent, too. So far, my plan was working.

Then our main entree arrived. Ooopps. Jennifer's steak was perfect; mine not so much. It was well done. I ordered it medium. They made me a second steak. Same thing. My third steak of the night was perfect. The manager apologized for the error and removed my order from the bill. I must say, it was a great meal. I only wish that I could have enjoyed it with my wife who finished before me.

After dinner, it was off to get an outfit for the BeautiControl conference later this week. My wife was looking for a blueish pair of trousers and a white blouse. We found it quickly and were on our way to find a pair of shoes to make the outfit complete. So far, so good. The sandals were easy to find at Payless Shoes Stores. Jen found a simple pair of white sandals for only $3. THAT IS WHAT I CALL SHOPPING.

The night was drawing to a close. All that remained was an episode of Treasure Hunters on DVR and then turning off the lights. It was a great evening. Thank you Jennifer for going on a date with me.

-Andy

First night without the kids

Hello all,

Yep, it is quiet in the house. Jennifer and I spent the day relaxing in the house after watching the final round of the British Open. After watching a little TV, we took an afternoon nap (which we have not done in YEARS). The dog woke me up at 5:20 after napping for two hours. Wow, I was groggy. I was going to mow the yard, but I did not have the motivation. Maybe tomorrow.

After a bite to eat at Margaritas, it was home again in time to play a few games of cribbage and have Jen attend her BeautiControl conference call for the upcoming trip to Dallas. Yep, we had successfully wasted the day away. We managed not to talk about how much we missed the kids until Danna and Jen started an instant messenger conversation. From what Danna said over the conversation, Zac and Ali had a great day with Mom. Ali made some new friends at a picnic and Zac entertained the group with vacation bible school songs.

It was soon time for bed. I was lost at first. I didn't have Ali and Zac guide through the evening's routine of brushing their teeth and putting on their PJ's. I didn't have anyone to tuck into bed and kiss good-night. I didn't have Ali telling Zac all about what they are going to do tomorrow after I shut their door. Jen found me at the top of the staircase looking into their room. Wow... day one and I feel like they have been gone a year.

Good night,

-Andy

Helping on the farm

Hello all,

This morning I woke up in my old house in Randolph, Iowa. It was 6:15 and the sun was up. Jennifer, myself and the kids drove up last night after going to the Platte County Fair. The plan was to help mom with a lot of chores that she was needing some help with and then take the kids to Omaha in the afternoon for ice cream.

The first task on the agenda was to remove the fence around the trees and mowing close the the trees. On some of the trees, my mom had plans to move the steal posts back and re-drive the posts. After twenty posts, my arms were tired. It was now time to cut down a few trees and haul them off to the "smores pit".

Soon it was time to get cleaned up and head to Omaha. The kids wanted to go miniature golfing in the afternoon before going to eat ice cream. Of course, Ali and Zac had a perfect game today since they place the ball on the edge of the cup and knock it in. Jennifer, Nana and I did not have it so easy. We stopped keeping score on the seventh hole when I somehow managed to lose the pencil. Darn, and I was on my way to a fantastic score, too! (NOT REALLY)

After golf, it was time to get some icecream with the whole family. It was great to see Danna, Nic, Kirk and Dade. Thank you all for coming over and seeing us.

Good night,

-Andy

Pictures of my desk

Hello all,

Well, in less than a month I will be moving to a new location. I wanted to capture my desk "as is". My typical desk on a typical week. So, here it is.

-Andy

BeautiControl Spa

Hello all,

Tonight Jennifer and I had a small spa at our home for a few friends. It was nice to have a small spa for a change. It is nice to have 10 or so people, but I feel like it loses the personal feel. Last night was a lot of fun for our guest as well as Jennifer and I.

The kids were at Diane's house for a few hours. They had a great time swimming at the pool and getting some grandma time. Tomorrow night they are going to Nana's house for nine days! Oh, they are so excited. Neither child wanted to go to bed because they were so excited.

Good night!

-Andy

Air conditioner, continued

Hello all,

Today Moores Home Mechanical came out to find the leak in my AC unit. They were able to find it quickly. However, my warranty will only cover 50% of the cost. What a bummer. They want $405 to complete the repairs. Moores will call me tomorrow to set up a time to fix it.

This evening while outside I had a conversation with my neighbor Jeff King. I asked him for his opinion since he and his father were in heating and cooling for over a decade together. Since Jennifer and I are planning on replacing the furnace and air conditioner next year, he recommends leaving the unit as it is for now. I could not agree more. Save the money and use it to pay for something else, like the electric bill!

Good night,

-Andy

Air conditioner

Hello all,

I was suppose to have my air conditioner fixed today. However, due to the heat, many more people were in front of me. Hopefully tomorrow the leak will be found and my house will cool faster and allow my AC unit to shut off for a little bit.

-Andy

Still hot

Hello all,

I did not take a walk today with Chris and Steve since the temperature was right at 100° F today. Yesterday wore me out too much and I felt sick all night. I didn't want an encore performance tonight. So, I stayed inside and worked on my projects today. On my way home I picked up Subway sandwiches for Jennifer and I. We made the kids something quick and all ate dinner while watching the Royals play the Boston Red Socks.

After dinner, the kids played in the pool for an hour and then it was time to come in, dry off and get ready for bed. They were both in their PJ's and tucked in by 8:30. This is a wonderful improvement from earlier in the year when they would sometimes be up at 10:00.

The evening concluded with watching the Royals lose the game 5-6 when our Bullpen could not close the game out. It is hard being a Royals fan on nights like this. Anyway, we watched Treasure Hunters on DVR and then went to bed shortly after the 10:00 news. It sure is fun being a parent on nights like this. Well, if you removed the Royals that is...

-Andy

Heat Wave

Hello all,

Wow, the heat is really unbearable today. My car read 100° F when I ran to the mall today. I watched a man jog from his car to the front door of the mall to get out of the heat. It is going to be a long week if it stays as hot as the weatherman predicts.

I hope you are all keeping cool as the summer gets hotter.

-Andy

Big Day at the Scott Family Household

Greetings all! I've finally decided to give Andy and break and post something of my own for once!!

Things in KC are going great! Ali just finished up her two weeks of swim lessons and has made a HUGE breakthrough! Our once very "freaked out child" is now able to put her whole face under the water and may decide to show her grandma how to do the same! :) Please bear witness below!




Zachary of course didn't want to be left out of the fun, but he's not quite ready to do what sister is doing!




The kids are having a blast in their pool trying to stay cool in this crazy heat wave! Hopefully we'll have more fun in the sun pics for you soon!

Hope all is well with you and your families. We'd love to hear from you guys so we know who's checking the site out! We look forward to seeing the Iowa family soon - I know the kids will be with Nana for a week coming up really soon!

Love you guys lots!

Andy, Jen, Ali & Zac

Day as Jeff Ratcliff

Hello all,

Today I played the role of my supervisor Jeff Ratcliff. I now have a greater appreciation for the work he does. He is involved in a lot of projects that I didn't know about. Jeff-- thanks for doing what you do. Now I know why you needed to go on vacation!

-Andy

Summer Thunderstorms

Hello all,

Tonight the house is really getting rocked by heavy thunder storms. Wow... It is very impressive. They started after 8:30 and have intensified as the night went on. At 7:00, I took the kids to the pool to allow them to blow off some steam and get cooled off. It was 100° F today and the air was full of humidity. While we were at the pool, I could see the clouds starting to gather in the West. It was only a matter of time. It was the perfect receipt for a very loud evening.

After the kids bath, it was time to get them in their PJ's and have them brush their teeth. They were soon in their beds and tucked in for the night. Speaking of sleep, I should get to bed myself.

-Andy

Ali Doing Better

Hello all,

My daughter did better today at swimming lessons. From the report I was given, Ali actually put her head under water today. She changed classes and was with her best friend Moodle. That simple change must have given her the courage to put her head under water. Thank you Moodle for getting my daughter back in the water.

-Andy

No so fun swimming lesson

Hello all,

I was asked to attend my daughter's swimming lesson today. It seems she is very afraid of putting her head under water. For an hour today she cried as she clung to the side of the pool. Ali loves the water. She just doesn't like getting her hair wet.

After her lesson, the lifeguard asked if Jen and I could work with her on this. It should only take a few trips to the pool to cure her of her fear. I was told to have Ali hold on to me and take a breath and then submerge for a second and resurface. After a few successful trips under water, she is then to blow the air out and make bubbles. Simple enough...

I'll keep you up to date on how Ali is progressing with her latest task.

-Andy

Pictures of the team

Hello all,

Here area a few pictures of the SODS team. I know what they look like now, but it will be fun to look back in a few years to see how we all have changed.

-Andy


Lisa ready for vacation


Smile Chris


Steve recovering from a long vacation


What was I thinking??

Recovering from the sun

Hello all,

Today the family stayed out of the sun for the most part. It was cool and rainy today which is a welcome relief from the summer heat. It is suppose to be hot by Friday, so I will gladly take the cool rain now.

-Andy

Day at the water park

Hello all,

Today Jennifer, Diane, Ali, Zac and I went to the Springs at Tiffany Springs. It is a new water park that opened in May. Both Ali and Zac had a blast playing in the kids area. The weather was overcast at first which made it chilly to be out of the water for an extended period of time. The kids must have been immune to this because they were both having a blast running around.

After a break for lunch at Applebees, we returned to the water park. The crowd had really come on while we were away. The kids still had fun, but it was harder for the three of us to keep track of Ali and Zac in the mass of children. All in all, it was a nice day at the park.

Upon returning home, Jennifer and I realized that our sun screen did not work as desired. Both of our backs were showing signs of burning. It was not as bad as our Honeymoon, but it still hurt a bunch.

I now know to take the sunscreen with me and reapply often.

-Andy

Kickball with the kids

Hello all,

Tonight Ali, Zac and I had our first ever game of "kick ball" in the back yard. It didn't involve bases or a pitcher, but it was the kids kicking the ball. They really had a blast kicking the ball to me. I would then kick the ball high in the air and have them run under it. Both of them had a blast.

At 8:00, it was time for a bath and brushing of teeth. Both Ali and Zac were in bed by 8:30 and sound asleep by 9:00. What a great night.

-Andy

Great night at the park

Hello all,

Tonight was a great night to get out of the house and take a walk. We walked down to Oak Grove Park and played on the playground equipment. Zac and Ali had a blast. I took the digital camera and had over 70 picutures caputured when I decided to change the format of the pictures from color to black and white. The shots were looking great, so I wanted to keep trying new things. I found a menu item for format. I chose it. It reformated my disk. I lost all of my pictures. I was devistated.

I managed to get a few pictures before the night set in on us. I hope you like them.

-Andy

Exercising again

Hello all,

You know if you take a few days off, it is really hard to get back into the swing of going to the gym. Wow... Today was tough. I am tired. I can't believe how tired I am after not lifting weights for four days. I hope tomorrow is better.

-Andy

Happy Fouth Of July

Hello all,

This morning I woke up restless. I could not sleep last night. I was up until 2:30 watching TV and playing Playstation. When the alarm went off at 8:00, it was time to start my day. Jennifer was the chairman of the neighborhood kids' parade and thus I was her helper. By 10:00, I had been to Price Chopper for ice and decorations for the Ali and Zac's wagon. Soon the family was off to Park Street for the parade.

It was nice to meet many of the neighbors with kids. They were all very nice and it was good to see many of the faces we met last summer at the neighborhood's block party. Ali and Zac enjoyed playing with kids their age and also enjoyed the treats that were served.

In the afternoon, I took a quick nap to help me make it through the big night. By 5:00 the family was on the road to the Royals game. It was a great night. The Royals won the game and the fireworks were excellent. The show was cut short due to a change in wind direction. The fireworks were being blown back into the crowd and made it unsafe to continue.

On the way home, Ali and Zac watched out their window as ad-hoc celebrations filled the night sky. We were soon home and getting ready for bed when many of my neighbor's decided to start their celebrations. I went outside for a few minutes to talk to other neighbors that were wondering how long of a night it was going to be. For the record, the fireworks were still going strong at 2:30 in the morning.

Good night,

-Andy

Vacation Day

Hello all,

Today was a day for resting and recoving from our family's trip to Branson Missouri. Wow, I did not expect to be this tired after driving home yesterday.

-Andy

Lambert's Home of the thrown rolls

Hello all,

On our way back from Branson, Jennifer and I stopped to visits with her Aunte and Uncle in Springfield. While we were there, we ate at Lamberts. If you have never eaten at Lamberts, you are missing out. If you can stand the hour plus wait, you are in for a treat. The food is excellent and NO ONE will leave hungry. I highly recommend Lambert's for your next dining experience.

-Andy

First night in Branson

Hello all,

Today Jen, Ali, Zac, Marcy, David, Jeremia and Selina went to the Titanic exhibit. It turns out that my daughter was the unsinkable Molly Brown and my wife was a third class passenger and also lived. Unfortuataly both Zac and I gave up our seats on life boats and perished in the icy North Atlatnic.

After the Titanic, Jen and Marcy went shopping while Dave and I watched the kids. We went to the park for a while and then the swimming pool to cool off. It was 94° F and it felt like 100. That evening we all went to Outback oyster and lobster bar for dinner and a nightcap of miniture golf. What a great day.

-Andy