Mark St. Peter's Blog

A New Year

2012-01-07T23:50:00.001-06:00

I love starting a new year. No matter what happened last year, it is in the past and you can start with a clean slate. There are so many resolutions that can be done, but I don't want to call them resolutions. This year, I am going to focus on some lifestyle changes. This year is going to be even better than last year and last year was pretty great. I have my goals set, my priorities straight, and I hit the ground running on Jan. 1st. Now, let's keep the momentum going so I can achieve my goals and then some!

Perspective

2011-11-30T23:30:00.001-06:00

It has been an interesting week thus far and I am trying to keep it all in perspective. Tomorrow, we are closing on our house and we will be homeless for a couple of days until we close on our new house. It is kind of scary because there is always a small chance that something could fall through. On a positive note, we have a couple of days to get the whole house packed up and ready to move. It is overwhelming with moving, work, family, and trying to finish my last research paper. I was able to get all my finals finished up, so that is a relief. Once this paper is done, I get to focus on the move and hopefully relax for the rest of the year.

Getting Closer

2011-11-18T22:25:00.001-06:00

Just got confirmation today that the appraisal for our house came back great and everything is good to go on our side. The appraisal at the new house was a couple days after ours, so we are waiting until next week to find out how it appraises. This is the final piece and then all that is left is closing. I can't believe it is almost time to move. It is definitely going to be happy and sad all at the same time.

Frustrating Day

2011-11-16T21:13:00.001-06:00

Today was one of those days where I was very busy with work, but I didn't feel like accomplished anything. The worst part of it all was trying to help someone out and not being able to. I like being a go to person and when I don't have the answers and can't help, I feel like I just can't do anything. It frustrates me and I need to just realize that I can only do what I can and the rest will work itself out. Hopefully, I can some much needed rest tonight and have a Great Day Tomorrow!

Home Inspection

2011-11-15T23:07:00.001-06:00

We had our home inspection tonight at the new house and it was rather interesting. The home owner decided to stay at home while we went through it checking on every detail. They were very defensive and upset with some of the comments that were being made. Not that they didn't have some valid points, but isn't that the purpose of the inspection? To point out the issues or defects that need to be fixed? My only thought is that if you are going to act that way, don't be there. They will get a copy of the report and we will negotiate any items that we feel need repaired prior to purchasing with them. It is part of the process, don't take it personally.

A New Beginning

2011-11-10T20:16:00.001-06:00

It's official! We sold our house and are moving. The packing began this week and the house is a mess, but it will be moving day that is the toughest. So many memories of our first home together. Bringing all of our kids home for the first time to this house and fixing it up to make it ours. I am very excited and a little nervous. It is amazing how much stuff you can accumulate over the years. It ought to be an interesting move. I can't imagine what I am going to feel that day, but I know that a house does not make a home. A family does.

How the time flies

2011-11-09T22:55:00.003-06:00

What a productive day. I spent the first couple of days this week traveling and meeting with customers. It was such a rewarding trip. I made some good connections and spent some quality time with the technicians. Today was spent in the office cleaning up some old to-dos and it felt great checking all those items off my list. I think that is the reason I have lists, just so I can check it off when it's done. I got in a great 5K run tonight and I am feeling energized and refreshed. I am ready for to finish this week strong!

Something so simple

2011-08-31T22:05:00.001-05:00

As I wind down from the day, I am reminded how all the little things really add up. I remind myself every day to slow down and pay attention to the small stuff because you never know when it will make an impact. Something so simple can make a difference.

Do the right thing

2011-02-24T22:45:00.002-06:00

This week, I have had a couple of instances where things have not panned out as they are planned. I feel the best approach in these situations is honesty. No matter what, the truth will always come out at some time or another. If you are up front and honest, you will gain more respect and minimize the pain of change. Making up lies and excuses can only get you into trouble and lose trust. Always be true to yourself and do the right thing.

Pay Attention

2011-02-21T23:02:00.003-06:00

I recently had an eye opener in one of my classes this semester and it took a bad exam for me to realize it. I have been so tied up in so many things this year that I haven't been putting forth the best effort in most of them. I found myself just going through the motions and not really focusing in on what the objectives of the class were. After the bad grade, I became more determined to succeed and am going back over what I may have missed. If I would have focused from the beginning, I wouldn't be wasting so much time backtracking and trying to catch up to myself. Slow down, focus, and pay attention to details can get you a long way.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T22:39:00.002-06:00

I want to take this opportunity to wish my wife a Happy Valentine's Day. We had a great candle lit dinner with all of the boys, and she even watched the KU game with me. I hope you had a great day and am glad I got to spend it with you. Love ya lots!!

Chili Cook Off

2011-02-12T22:56:00.001-06:00

I had a great time at the YAMA chili cook off tonight. There is nothing better than getting together with a bunch of friends, eating chili, and playing games for a couple of hours. It really is relationship building at its finest. Tomorrow, I even get to play the drums at church which is very exciting. I haven't played for so long and am really getting my rhythm back. It's going to be a great day.

Fearless

2011-01-23T14:01:00.002-06:00

In my church group (YAMA) this semester, we are reading the book Fearless by Max Lucado. I am recommending this book to all interested in reading about the fears we have in life. The message is living your life without fear and instead with faith. So far, we are only a few chapters in, but some of the discussions are about why we live in fear, why we try so hard to get to the top, and why sometimes we think God hates us. I especially enjoyed the discussion on trying so hard to get to the top, but once you're at the top, you can fall the hardest. What kind of support system do you have as your foundation, and how quickly can you bounce back after a fall. Something to think about in your career and your life that you need to always have a support system for any challenges that you may face.

New Semester

2011-01-21T21:53:00.002-06:00

Well, another semester has begun and I am already a week ahead in both of my classes. I took a new approach this semester and created my own class schedules of what I need to accomplish each week. So far, it is helping me stay ahead of schedule which is great. I know I will have a really busy semester with family, work, and school, so this will give me that much needed buffer and help alleviate some stress.

One of my classes this semester is Principles of Marketing. I really think I am going to enjoy this class. When I first started in sales, I didn't know what I was doing. Since I have been in sales for 4 years now, I find myself knowing more than I thought I did. I am also going to enjoy writing a marketing plan about myself and hope that some of my co-workers will help me with my SWOT analysis, so I can utilize my plan and help me grow in my career.

Glad to have Avry home

2011-01-04T23:42:00.002-06:00

My wife has been on a ski trip over the last 4 days and it is nice to have her home again. Me and the boys kept the house in order while she was gone, but she was truly missed. It is kind of nice having her out of town for a change because I always feel bad about going on business trips and she is always staying home with the boys. I hope one of these times, we can go on a trip together. Anyway, welcome home Av!

Congratulations!

2010-12-09T12:11:00.000-06:00

Congratulations Tammy on you new endeavor as the Chamber Director for Hays, KS. It has been great having you on the team over the past few years and you will truly be missed. I look forward to working with you on the other side and wish you well in all that you do.

Good Luck and God Bless!

Frustration

2010-11-23T23:24:00.002-06:00

On a positive note, I finished up my last chapter reading and homework assignment of the semester tonight. Now, only 2 quizzes, 2 exams, and 1 final to end the semester. What is frustrating though is how students have deadlines to meet on when assignments, quizzes, and exams are due and teachers don't have any time line. In one of my classes this semester, we have our course schedule as to what is due and when. If we don't meet the dead lines, we get a 0 for that assignment. The instructor is the one who is responsible for posting the quizzes and exams and they are not always available when they are supposed to be. Last week, a quiz was postponed for 2 weeks after I spent several nights studying for it. We didn't even get the announcement until 2 days after it was supposed to be posted. The other part is that there are 6 assignments pending grading (out of 12 total). These span over the last 6 weeks of the class which is almost half of the semester. I have sent the instructor multiple e-mails and posted on the discussion board without any response. Why are students held to such strict dead lines when teachers can do whatever they want?

Nice Change

2010-11-18T21:58:00.002-06:00

My wife and I decided today that it was time to trade in the SUV. With 3 kids, it was just not practical squeezing 3 car seats in the back. We decided to get another mini van. I know what you are thinking, 2 Mini Van's? I never thought I would have 1 mini van, let alone 2. I must say, these vans are the best vehicles you can have if you have kids. They provide the most convenience, space, and value for families and they keep getting better. It seems that every year, there is a little tweak that makes it a little more convenient and a little more user friendly.

Finishing up the Semester

2010-11-14T21:46:00.002-06:00

This semester, I have been working on some business law as well as geology and it has been interesting. Geology is the last Gen Ed that I need to take so I will be glad when I am finished with that. The business law is a class I was dreading and am loving it. It's great reading the text book because you are reading about actual cases and law. I really enjoyed the unit on contract law because so much of what I do and am involved in deals with contracts. Unit 2 was all about property (real and personal). I understand more about what goes into land purchases, landlord tenant law and what goes into all of that. Finally, we will be studying agency law and business ethics. I have about a month left, so I am going to finish strong and wait more a much needed couple of weeks off.

Ramp up for the Holidays

2010-11-10T21:28:00.002-06:00

Leading into the holiday season, I am working on ramping up the activity to prepare myself for some down time. In years past, November, December, and January have not been as busy as usual, but this year it seems to be different. I have several clients building new offices or moving into new offices. In the last week, I have met with at least 5 clients in this situation. It is good to see growth and movement in the economy and seeing companies taking charge to promote growth. My focus for the rest of the year will be to continually increase the activity and keep the funnel full through the holidays. This will not only make me finish the year strong, but it will also make a great foundation for starting 2011 on the right track.

Time Change

2010-11-07T20:15:00.002-06:00

Winding down from the day, I am realizing that the time change has a negative effect on children. It doesn't matter if you move the clocks forward or backward, it messes up their schedule. Today, Max had about a bad a day as I have ever seen. Couldn't make it through, couldn't make it through Sunday school, took an average nap, and was a mess all evening. I just finished calming him down in bed, so hopefully he is asleep. I even tried keeping them up later than normal last night thinking that I could take advantage of moving the clocks back. That really back fired. Anyway, let's pray for a better day tomorrow at Grandma's house and that they will adjust quickly.

Following Up

2010-11-04T23:21:00.002-05:00

Today, I realized how important a key element in the sales process is vital to customer satisfaction. I always knew following up with your customers was important, but I didn't realize how much of an effect it can have until today. Typically, I would follow up with my clients after an installation was complete and see how it went. This way, I know what went well and what could have gone better. Today, I met with a client during installation, reviewed all of the signed proposals and reassured them we had everything taken care of. This way seemed to provide much greater value to the customer and we are able to make changes as we go instead of trying to fix it after we are finished. I think the more value you can provide clients, the greater retention you will have in your business.

Follow Up on Customer Event

2010-11-03T21:17:00.002-05:00

The event went well today and we had 87% attendance which is better than the usual 50%. I think it helped by giving each attendee a lunch option to choose from and following up with them confirming their choice. I felt as if there was more communication between us and the attendees and they were more involved in the process which enticed them to come even more.

I felt the presentation went well. I always seem to talk really fast when I get nervous and my boss is always slowing me down. This was not the case today. I am beginning to realize that presenting isn't anything more than a conversation with the audience. I am trying to treat it as if I am in their conference room presenting a proposal. Taking this approach has allowed me greater confidence in myself because I know the topics of discussion, I can answer most questions, and I keep the pace smooth.

Thank you all for your help with the event today, I couldn't have done it without you!

Customer Event

2010-11-02T22:28:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is another customer event and it has been a while since the last one. I am really excited for this event because we will have great attendance with a great variety of industries. From the planning to the prep, things are falling into place. I find myself reviewing the presentation in my mind trying to script it out so I don't forget and leave some information out. I just need to remember that I know the material and the audience will usually direct it where it needs to go. I also have a great team backing me up with questions and technical expertise. I know it will all go well and it will be a successful event.

Can't Sleep

2010-11-02T00:44:00.003-05:00

As I sit here contemplating the many thoughts that are running profusely through my brain, I often wonder how to digest everything I am thinking and how to get it into terms I can understand. Lately, I feel like I am being pulled in so many directions and it has become increasingly difficult to make decisions. I lay in bed thinking and analyzing everything that is going on in my life right now and can't seem to turn it off so that I can get some much needed rest.

I often feel this way in business too. Many times, I find myself sitting and wondering where I am at, what am I doing, and where am I going. If I could let the thoughts be thoughts and continue on my path, everything will fall into place as it is supposed to. I know that if I work hard and do my best, I will end up where I am supposed to. Stay on track and live life today; tomorrow will always be there.

Back in the Groove

2010-08-24T22:02:00.002-05:00

Summer is over and it is time to get back in the groove. Vacations are over, school has started, and I am starting to get my routine back in order. During the summer, I always feel scattered and unorganized. There is no school, no routine, and the kids always seem to stay up way too late. Being back in routine gives me the sense of organization and preparedness, so I can get out into the field with focus and determination.

Trying New Things

2010-07-08T23:15:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, we get stuck doing the same things over and over and expect a different outcome. This is the definition of insanity. In sales and marketing, I find that I have a tendency to do what I have always done to try and generate more sales. Clearly, if sales are down, what I am doing is not working. Today, my team and I, mostly my team, worked up a different approach to marketing services to prospects. It has the ability to work our great because no one else is doing it. Also, the potential customers are getting a 4 GB flash drive with the materials loaded on it, so it is something of value to them. We will see what happens in the coming weeks.

Ready for the Weekend

2010-07-02T22:30:00.002-05:00

With business flowing smoothly, it is great timing for a nice 3 day weekend to spend with the family. Through the summer months, I find myself at work early and coming home late. This is made possible by not having the kids to be up and ready for school or daycare thanks to my wife. It is always nice to have that extra day to relax and recharge to get ready for the weeks ahead. Come next week, I will be energized and ready to keep the activity high. Everyone have a great 4th of July Weekend!

Self Assessment

2010-06-28T00:10:00.002-05:00

An interesting topic in my management class is a number of self assessments that we must complete with each chapter. Tonight, I assessed myself on my entrepreneurial skills, my intuitive skills, and my time management skills. From my assessment, I am classified as an entrepreneur, intuitive, and manage my time very well. What I noticed the most was the intuitive skills. I have self assessed myself in the past and have shown improvements on my behaviors. If you utilize these assessments, you can improve in any aspect of life.

For my sales example: After a meeting with a client, take some time to assess what went well, and what you could have done better. Only this will help you own your skills and continually improve to become a better sales person.

Managing Patience

2010-06-27T00:27:00.002-05:00

My oldest son is 5 years old, thus beginning his tee-ball career. I decided to coach his team this year and we have had a lot of fun. At times, it can be challenging trying to keep all 11 boys engaged for the entire practice or game. My wife always tells me that I have so much patience that I need to put my foot down sometimes to get things done. In sales, you need to manage your patience and keep moving the sale forward. If you are too patient, the customer will decide when it is right for them to move or not to move forward. If you know when to put your foot down, you will close more often and shorten up the sales cycle.

When it rains it pours

2010-06-24T23:46:00.002-05:00

I always seem to have everything fall in place at the same time. Everything is going so smoothly now, it's scary. What I seem to find is that when sales start to close, there is a domino effect on the rest of your business. I seem to relate it to attitude. Attitude is key in sales because if you don't have it, the customer knows it. There is no energy. You are stuck in a rut and just going through the motions. It is hard to show the value. Now, I am feeling the energy and everything is coming together. Existing customers, cold calls, etc.

Even in rough times, try and keep up the attitude and good things will come.

Customer Events

2010-06-22T21:59:00.002-05:00

I sat in on a customer event today and am always amazed at the amount of information I walk away with. Even though we hosted the event, I continually learn something new about something I sell. It gives me more information to provide my customers and I am always trying to fine tune my skills.

My other observation on the events are the amount of effort to drive attendance. Every event seems as if there is an over load of invites in the last few weeks to try and get the registration number as high as possible. No matter how many attendees actually come, it never fails that you come away with at least 1 lead. It just goes to show, if you provide value and service to your clients, results are sure to follow.

One Week In

2010-06-13T21:57:00.002-05:00

I am into my first week of summer school and it is busy as usual. They cram 16 weeks worth of material into 8 weeks. It does make it nice to get done quicker though. I had a great and productive weekend. I was able to get some work done and feel energized and ready for the new week. I always feel that if I am productive over the weekend, it sets the tone for the week. If I don't accomplish anything, I feel tired and not ready to work. Bring on Monday!

Participation

2010-06-11T23:46:00.003-05:00

Well, I have finished up my Calculus class, took a short break, and am beginning summer school. So far, this is shaping up to be a great semester. My motion pictures class will fit me perfectly due to my love for watching and analyzing movies. The other class I am taking is Management Principles. I feel I am really going to enjoy my management core classes and learning about a profession I have grown to love. What bothers me about the process is my class has been divided into groups. So far, I have not had much interaction or communication with my group. I am constantly posting discussion topics, asking questions, and waiting for responses. I hope the group participation doesn't reflect negatively on my grade as I am trying to get the group engaged. We rotate in our group bi-weekly as being the manager of the group. I volunteered to be the first manager and hope that the following managers will be proactive in their approach to deadlines. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to complete assignments because you are waiting on other group members.

All is Well

2010-03-10T23:19:00.002-06:00

Well, it has been a while since my last post. Calculus has definitely been taking up my free time, but I am please with the progress I am making. After getting an A on my first exam, I have settled in and am going through the material at a much faster pace. I guess when you have the confidence that you are doing it correctly, you focus more on the actual work and less on if it is right or not. I am ready for this semester to be over so I can keep moving forward with my classes. I only have a few gen eds left to take and am ready for those to be over. I am looking forward to the business classes and learning more about management.

Summer of the 5-Year Old

2010-02-10T19:21:00.002-06:00

I am beginning to see what my evenings will be like in the months ahead. Jace will be 5 in 3 months, which means the sports seasons are quickly approaching. I am so excited to be able to teach my kids all of the sports that I enjoyed playing when I was a kid. He has been going to a sports class at HRC over the last week, this week, and next week and has can't wait for every class. They are teaching him to play soccer, basketball, and tee-ball. This summer, he will be old enough to play tee-ball and I hope he will try it out. It is definitely going to get busier every year from now on with all 3 boys and all of the practices, games, and other activities that they will be participating in. Now, I just need to decide if I am up to the challenge of coaching! I would love to help teach all of the kids to play games and have fun.

On Demand

2010-02-05T22:29:00.002-06:00

So, I wanted to watch a movie this evening. I decided to go to the DirecTV cinema and order a movie from there. Why is it that you have to pay $5.99 and wait several hours for it to download? It says on demand so I would assume that once you purchased it, you could watch it. I guess I was wrong. Anyway, I guess I will have to plan ahead from now on or just run to the store and rent one there.

WOW - Calculus

2010-01-17T21:11:00.001-06:00

Well, I am taking Calculus this semester and it is tough. I loved all of my math classes while in school, but I must have lost some of the knowledge over the past few years. The first part of the class is algebra review and that part is already tough. I am going to have to buckle down this semester and get it done because I do not want to take it again. Nor do I want to prolong the agony. I better study hard and pass it the first time.

Refocus and Reenergize

2009-12-30T21:18:00.002-06:00

Today was a great day to refocus on your goals for 2010. No matter what happened in 2009, it is in the past. The new year is upon us and thus creates a new beginning. Take this weekend to spend with friends and family and enjoy yourself. Starting next week, focus in on the task at hand and have a great year!

I Can't Turn It Off

2009-12-23T00:32:00.001-06:00

The sleepless nights have begun. With the new year fast approaching, I find myself planning ahead for the year to come. I have so many thoughts running through my mind that I can't sleep at night. I usually come up with some of my best ideas in the middle of the night so I have to get up and write them down. There is no way I would be able to remember them all. I seem to go through spurts when my mind is constantly thinking of different ideas to put forth in business, family, etc. When this happens, I feel more driven, more energized, and more focused on what I need to do to be successful in life. You would think it would be the opposite since I don't get any sleep, but that is not the case. It reemphasized that I truly care and want to be the best at anything I do.

Performing under Pressure

2009-12-19T10:18:00.000-06:00

2010 will be a year of performance. In 2009, the economy was used as an excuse for not performing. This coming year, the pressure is on and people will be charged with many tough tasks. There is a reason that Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and now Jimmie Johnson are considered the best at what they do. They perform at their best when the pressure is the highest. I am looking forward to the year ahead to see if I can come out on top.

A Fork in the Road

2009-12-18T20:16:00.000-06:00

There are certain moments in ones life when a tough decision has to be made. I have been faced with one of these moments in the past, and fortunately, I chose the correct path. It is a tough decision to make. On the one hand, you can continue your life down a path knowing what lies ahead. On the other hand, there is a new adventure, a new challenge waiting for you to discover. If you stay on course, you know what the outcome will be and can only wonder what could have been. If you change your path, it could lead to much more than you could achieve where you are at. What to do...

Getting back in the Groove

2009-12-08T23:04:00.000-06:00

I know it has been awhile but I am still adjusting to having 3 boys in the house. Everyone told me that once you had 2 kids, 3 was easy. When you are outnumbered, it adds a new level of time management. I want all of my kids to get Dad time and don't want to leave anyone out. However, they all seem to need me at the same time. So far, I am adjusting and am amazed at the love of a sibling. Jace has been the biggest helper and Max is learning that he can't poke Owen's eyes out. Now that everyone is back in the swing of things, I hope to get back to blogging and writing down my thoughts for the day.

Loving the Holidays

2009-11-25T22:52:00.000-06:00

It has been awhile since my last post because things have been extremely busy around the St. Peter household. Owen is now 3 weeks old and is growing at a rapid pace. It is amazing how small they seem when born and how fast they grow up to be little men. The house has been completed and all of the siding looks great. With new windows and siding, our house feels new. I am amazed how the change in color has made it look completely different. This evening, my brother and his family made it to town and we were able to spend some QT with them. I had a great time playing Wii with my nephew. I am ready for Thanksgiving and seeing all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family that I don't get to see very often. I am wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope that everyone travels safely.

Anxiety and Curiosity

2009-11-16T22:19:00.001-06:00

I hate when I know changes are coming and I can't do anything about them. All I do is analyze all of the outcomes in my head and wonder which will come to fruition. I can't seem to get a good night sleep because I am constantly thinking about what my next move will be. I continue to worry about what I can't control even though I tell myself not to worry about it because you can't do anything about it. What a dilemma. Hopefully, things will happen for the best as it usually does. God always has a plan.

Productive Weekend

2009-11-15T20:45:00.000-06:00

I had a great weekend hanging out with my family. Jace and I went to Atwood together for about an hour. It was down and back, but we had a good time. Today, Avry and I got a lot accomplished around the house in preparation for the siding that should begin tomorrow, weather permitting. I am ready for the house to be finished. It is going to look very nice. Now, I am ready for a great week at work.

Why so much Drama

2009-11-13T22:57:00.001-06:00

It seems that no matter what you do, drama finds a way to rear its ugly head. It causes nothing but chaos, worrying, and thinking about nothing. If we focused our efforts in another manner, we could accomplish so much more and everyone would have a lot less stress.

Not Good Business

2009-11-12T22:45:00.000-06:00

After a great Racquetball workout, my friends and I decided to go out for a drink to cool off and relax. The place we decided to go to is supposedly open till 11:00. We arrived at 9:30 to a dark parking lot. The sign on the door read open till 11:00, but the front door was locked. I understand that it may be a slow night, but how many customers were potentially turned away due to closing early. Maybe there was a reason for the early close, but there was no communication (signage) that said why. If you say you are going to do something, you better do it. I may not go back in the future due to 1 bad experience.

Finishing off a Great Week!

2009-11-08T22:33:00.000-06:00

Now that it is the end of my week off, from work, I am getting ready to start a busy week. I had a great week spending time with the family, holding Owen, and playing with Jace and Max. It was nice to have warm weather. I was able to take Jace and Max to the park and for a few walks. Even though I was on vacation, I managed to get some work done and even closed on a managed service contract. Sometimes, the best vacation is to just sit at home and relax. When I go on trips, I feel stressed and busy trying to do as much as possible to make the most of my time. Staying at home is relaxing and really gets me energized for the upcoming months. I am refocused on business and closing out 2009 with a strong finish.

Jace and Max are adapting well.

2009-11-04T10:31:00.000-06:00

Jace was able to come home on Monday and meet Owen. It was so exciting to see the love of a brother. Jace was showing Owen his school papers that he brought home from school. He was showing him some toys, and asking to hold him all evening. Max came home on Tuesday and was so excited. He walked into the living room and said "Baby!" He could not stop smiling and was acting goofy all night. He even got out one of his books and sat by Owen and Jace like he was reading to them. It was a very exciting night and I am sure there will be many more to come.

What a Miracle

2009-11-01T18:28:00.001-06:00

At 4:28 this morning, Owen Gene St. Peter was brought into this world. He weighed in at 9 lbs. and 21 in. long. This is our 3rd child and every delivery has been a unique experience. It is amazing to me how each child has been a miracle baby in it's own way. Hopefully, we can go home tomorrow so Owen can meet his 2 BIG brothers.

Sick Kids

2009-10-27T22:33:00.000-05:00

My oldest son Jace has been since for nearly a week with a fever and a cold. I can always tell when he is sick because he just doesn't act like himself. I thought he was making progress until I got home from work today and he just sat on my lap all evening. He just woke up a few minutes ago from bed and does not have a fever yet. Maybe he is getting over it. I hope he gets better soon. He has a halloween party on Friday and trick or treating on Saturday. Hopefully, tonight is a sign that he is finally getting better.

Ran the 5K

2009-10-24T22:18:00.000-05:00

My sister and I ran the 5K today and we had a great run. I am glad that she was there to push me and set a fast pace. We finished in 28 minutes and 35 seconds. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the cool weather. Through the first 2k of the race, the wind was in our face and it made for a rough start. However, when we made our first turn, we had the wind at our back and it was smooth sailing. I am considering in running another 5k this December and hope to keep up pace for a 1/2 marathon next year. Thanks sis for running with me!

They made it!

2009-10-22T20:48:00.000-05:00

My sister, her husband, and their son made the journey from Minnesota this morning and have arrived in Hays. Have a great evening hanging out with them and spending time with my nephew (he is growing up fast)! It should be a busy but fun weekend. I am hoping that the weather will cooperate so that my bro and I can get in a round of golf (or 2). It seems every time he comes to Kansas the weather is miserable and when I go to Minnesota, it is beautiful. You would think it would be the other way around. I have 1 more day to train for my 5K that will be Saturday morning. I will update you this weekend on how I do. My sister said she will run with me so I don't have to worry about getting embarrassed.

Halfway Finished.

2009-10-19T23:18:00.000-05:00

I finished another test this evening and am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. This week, I will finish some homework assignments and 2 tests to complete 2/3 of my classes this semester. I thought 3 classes would be tough, but I have managed to make time for everything going on in my life right now. I spend some time with my family every evening after work and dinner. I usually start my school work after the kids go to bed around 8. After this week, I have the final 1/3 of the semester and am ready to cut back to 2 classes. So far, I am pleased with the progress I am making. I do not have any deadlines to meet for my degree so I can work at a steady pace until I finish.

Running a 5K

2009-10-18T21:55:00.000-05:00

I have decided to run in a 5K with my sister next Saturday at FHSU. She has been training for a 1/2 matathon coming up in Minnesota. If she wanted to, she could whip up on me. I typically run a few times a week, but only about 2 miles. I started last week and have been running 3 miles all week on the treadmill. Today, I ran about 3 miles in 27 minutes and felt pretty good. I have mapped out my route and will start training outside this week to prepare for the elements that I will be running in next weekend. I am really looking forward to running and hoping to finish in under 30 minutes.

Couples Retreat

2009-10-17T09:42:00.000-05:00

My wife and I had a date night last night while the boys spent the night at the farm. We went and saw Couples Retreat and it was classic Vince Vaughn. He is becoming one of my favorite actors with all of his hilarious movies, (Old School and Wedding Crashers). I would tell you more but do not want to give it away if you are wanting to see it. After the movie, we got a good nights sleep with no boys waking up during the night. Even though we did not have the boys to wake us up early, we were still up and awake before 8. I guess you just get used to getting up early.

Working with Tech Team

2009-10-15T21:27:00.000-05:00

I spent a few hours with our Communications Supervisor today going on 2 walk-thru's with him for my client's. I enjoy going on walk-thru's with our tech team because it puts more incentive on them to help you out. When I go along with them, it shows that I am all in and willing to do what it takes to provide a complete solution. I believe the sales and tech teams are on the same page because we see and configure the same solution. Each department knows all aspects of the solution and there are no unanswered questions. It just provides a more positive work environment and a better experience for our clients.

Answered Prayers

2009-10-14T23:11:00.000-05:00

This week, I have been praying for my Grandma who has been in the hospital since Sunday night. I went and visited her on Monday and she did not look very well. Today, I went so see how she was doing and it was like a miracle. She remembered everything that had happened over the past week and remembered me being there on Monday night. She even told my wife that she remembered me being there and thought I was never going to leave. I wish her well and hope she gets better soon.

A New Beginning!

2009-10-13T18:32:00.000-05:00

I have decided to start up a blog in an effort to express my thoughts as I progress through life. This week, we had all new windows installed in our house. Overall, I am very pleased with the decisions we have made. I am looking forward to the months to come to see how the energy efficient windows affect the heating and cooling of our house. Hopefully, it will reduce the bills and keep the temperature more consistent. I will keep all of you updated on the remodeling projects that are coming in the near future.