Sunday, August 10th, 2025

 Today I drove back to Ames after having a fun weekend down in St. Louis with Nolan and Eben.  I took a half day off on Friday, and we left Ames a little after noon.  We enjoyed a nice supper down at Sugarfire in Wentzville.  Nolan and I split a combo plate that came with two meats and two sides.  We chose brisket and ribs for out meats along with baked beans and mac & cheese for our sides.  Dad ordered a 1/2 rack of ribs meal, with green beans and fries.  After supper we checked into our hotel (Home2 suites by Hilton) in downtown St. Louis and just relaxed the rest of the evening.

Saturday was a busy day.  After having breakfast at the hotel, we walked over to the City Museum.  Nolan loved this place.  We probably spent a good 4 hours there.  It has all kinds of tunnels and fun spaces for kids to crawl around and explore.  We also went to the "pinball hall", where we were able to play a bunch of pinball machines and old arcade games (Mrs. Pac-man, Galaga, etc).  The City Museum was probably Nolan's favorite part of the trip.  After that, we relaxed in the hotel for about an hour before heading over to the Gateway Arch.  After taking some fun pictures of it, we did stop down at the museum underneath the arch.  Nolan was not very impressed with the arch.  He said something like "It's just a big curved line".  We did not take the ride up to the top of the arch.

Finally, we walked from the Gateway Arch over to Busch Stadium, where we watched the Cardinals play against their rival, the Chicago Cubs.  I was rooting for the Cubs, dad was rooting for the Cardinals, and Nolan was indifferent but kind of rooting for the Cubs (even though I had him wear a Cardinals shirt).  Anyways, the Cubs dominated the game from the start, and they went on to win by a score of 9-1.  Michael Busch hit a three-run homer for the Cubs, while Matt Shaw added a solo home run and an RBI triple.  Colin Rea earned the win after pitching 6 innings and allowing only 1 run.  

I believe this was the 10th regular season MLB game that I have attended. The previous games were:

• 6/22/2023 - Minnesota 6 vs Boston 0.
• 6/22/2019 - Minnesota 5 @ Kansas City 3 (10 innings).
• 6/21/2015 - Chicago Cubs 8 @ Minnesota 0.
• 7/7/2014 - Seattle 2 vs Minnesota 0.
• 6/9/2012 - Minnesota 11 vs Chicago Cubs 3.
• 5/29/2011 - Chicago Cubs 3 vs Pittsburgh 2.
• 7/4/2010 - Cincinnati 14 @ Chicago Cubs 3.
• 7/25/2006 - Minnesota 3 @ Chicago White Sox 2.
• 8/7/2005 - Boston 11 @ Minnesota 7.

This was the third different MLB stadium that I have taken dad and Nolan to (Minnesota and Kansas City were the others).  I've also purchased Nolan a souvenir baseball at each of the stadiums for him to collect.  I did ask Maxwell about a dozen times if he would want to come with us for the trip down to St. Louis, but he was adamant that he did not want to come.  

Nolan and dad at the City Museum

Nolan at the Gateway Arch

Nolan and myself by our seats at the game.  We sat in section 167, row 18, seats 1 through 3.

We enjoyed hot dogs at the game, because I feel like you almost have to eat a hot dog when you are at the ballpark. 

   

Sunday, June 22nd, 2025

 This weekend I took Nolan and Maxwell up to Eben's farm for a little family fun.  Saturday morning we drove up to Ruthven to visit grandma Natalie at the care center.  She has gotten a lot weaker since her recent stroke, and it is a challenge for her to stand up and transfer to her wheelchair.  We visited with her outside, and I think that she enjoyed getting some fresh air.

Saturday afternoon we had a little race around dad's farm.  Nolan was driving the go-kart, I was driving the lawn mower, and Eben and Maxwell were in the ranger utility vehicle.  It seemed like we were playing Mario kart.  Nolan's go-kart was definitely faster than my lawnmower, but at least I could turn shorter...

After our driving session, we had some fun with water guns, water balloons, and a 3-person water balloon launcher.  It was a hot day in the 90's, so the water felt nice.  We were launching the water balloons at some bulls that dad had in the pasture just east of the house, and we managed to hit them a couple of times.

For supper on Saturday I decided to treat the kids to something that they have never had before... prime rib!  We went up to the Prime Rib in Spencer, and I ordered the kids each a 10-ounce prime rib.  Dad had a prime rib Philly cheesesteak sandwich, and I just ordered the salad bar.  I figured that I would help eat whatever the kids did not finish.  Well, Maxwell was able to eat his entire steak, and Nolan ate about half of his.  I had the kids rate their meal on a 0-10 scale.  Maxwell said it was a 7/10, and Nolan gave it a 7.8/10.  One thing that I think they did not enjoy as much about it was having to cut the meat away from the fat.  Also, Nolan still insists that steak is better with ketchup.  

Maxwell and Nolan with grandma Natalie.

Maxwell about to try prime rib for the first time!

Nolan with his prime rib!

Sunday, May 4th, 2025

 This weekend I took Nolan up to Yellow River for our annual camping and trout fishing trip.  We met up with Jon & Matt Seago, along with Tyler and a couple of his friends (Keith and Joe).  We stayed at campsite #115.  

On Friday I picked up Nolan an hour early from school.  By the time we arrived at the campground, we were able to set up camp and still had some daylight to try our luck fishing.  We tried the handicap area where we had success last year, and I did manage to catch one trout worth keeping.  That night it was cloudy, so we couldn't see the stars, but it was otherwise nice weather and no rain.  We had a nice campfire and made smores.  I decided that Nutella is the best thing to use with smores.

Saturday morning Nolan and I tried the fishing hole close to camp, but we did not even have a nibble.  Then we went back to the handicap area, where I caught and released one small trout.  At this point Nolan was getting frustrated, since I was catching fish and he was not.  But like most years, that was about to change.  We met up with Jon at the camp, and he drove us over to Wexford, which is a church and cemetery that is north of Harper's Ferry on highway X52.  There is a bridge right by the cemetery, and beside it there is a nice fishing hole.  There Nolan was able to catch two fairly large rainbow trout, and Jon caught one nice rainbow trout as well.  Later that day we did try fishing at Waterton, but we had no luck there.

That night we did have nice clear skies to see the stars, and we had a nice campfire.  I brought some fire color changing packets, which we used to make the campfire colorful.  Overall, it was a fun trip camping and fishing, but I am feeling pretty worn out now, and I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed.

I believe this is the 5th time that Nolan has been up to Yellow River with me.  Here are some of the previous times that I have blogged about Yellow river: 2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2014, 2013, and 2012. 

Nolan with the Harper's Ferry sign.

Nolan with one of the rainbow trout he caught at Wexford.

Sunday, April 20th, 2025

EASTER 2025

This weekend we headed up to my dad's farm... although Easter was not the main reason.  You see, my grandma Natalie was having a 95th birthday party!  So, it was a good chance to see a lot of family that we don't see very often.  Amy, Brandon, Logan, and Emma all stayed at dad's place with us.  Quite a few of my cousins were there, including Sierra, David, Mark, and Kent, along with all of their significant others / families.  There were also my aunts & uncles: Chris & Marcia, Rick & Marilyn, LaVonne & Gary, Susan & Chris, and Aaron & Dianne.  It was nice to have so many family members around to help grandma celebrate her big day (although her actual birthday was on the 17th).

Grandma's birthday party was between 1:00 and 3:00 on Saturday at the Lutheran church in Ruthven.  A lot of us were there mid-morning to help set up and take family pictures. Then all of the kids had an Easter egg hunt in the church.  After her birthday party, Amy's and my families came back to Eben's farm, where the kids got to ride around on the go-kart.  Then that evening we went over to Chris & Marcia's place to hang out with family.  

Nolan, Elizabeth, Grandma Natalie, Maxwell, and myself.

Logan, Amy, Grandma Natalie, Brandon, Eben, and Emma.

Emma and Nolan having fun on the go-kart.

Saturday, March 22nd, 2025

 Today our family drove home from Milwaukee, where we travelled to watch the first round NCAA tournament game between the 3-seed Iowa State Cyclones and 14-seed Lipscomb Bisons.  I'm pleased to say that the Cyclones won in convincing fashion, 82-55!  

We drove out to Milwaukee on Thursday.  That evening we checked out Lakefront Brewery.  Elizabeth and I had to order a beer called "My Turn: Nolan", because of course we did.  It was a stout, and I thought it was very good.  Then we found a bar / arcade called Dead Bird Brewing, where the adults ordered a couple more drinks and the kids got to play games.  They even had an old TV playing movies on VHS tapes, which the kids got a kick out of.  

On Friday before the game we grabbed lunch at Milwaukee Brat House.  We arrived close to 10:50 (when the website said that it opened at 11:00).  It was a good thing we came early, because it was already open and almost full.  I ordered a German style brat, which was topped with kraut and sauteed onions.  It was very tasty.  Elizabeth was able to order a Beyond Burger, so she was happy about that.

After lunch we walked over to the game, which tipped-off at 12:30.  Lipscomb University is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Bisons are members of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN).  Coming into the game, Tamin Lipsey was questionable, as he is dealing with a groin strain.  He was still able to start the game and play effectively, which was a relief.  The game itself was a blow-out.  Iowa State led by a score of 40-24 at halftime, and the entire second half was pretty stress-free.  Milan Momcilovic was the player of the game for Iowa State, as he led the team with 20 points.  He was joined in double figures scoring by Curtis Jones (17), Joshua Jefferson (10), and Tamin Lipsey (10).   One fun thing about the game was that walk-on Cade Kelderman was able to score 5 points. 

Today before we headed home we stopped at Slick City, which is an indoor amusement park that has a bunch of slides and go-carts.  The kids had fun for a few hours and got to burn off some energy before the drive home.

I had always wanted to go to an Iowa State men's NCAA tournament game, so it was nice to be able to take the whole family to one.  This marked the 45th men's Iowa State basketball game that Nolan has attended, and it was the 37th game that Maxwell has attended.  We also stayed for about half of the second game of the session - between North Carolina and Mississippi.  I won't really count that game in the kids' totals.  Ole Miss ended up winning that one, and they will be Iowa State's opponent tomorrow in the round of 32.  

Nolan, Maxwell, and Elizabeth watching the game.

Here I am enjoying a couple of beers (PBR) at the Milwaukee Brat House.

GO CYCLONES!

Tuesday, March 4th, 2025

 On one hand college basketball can be exhilarating when your team wins in spectacular fashion. However, on the other hand, it can really be heartbreaking to lose a close game.  That's what happened tonight for the #10 Cyclones, who came up on the short end of the stick in double overtime against #23 BYU, 88-85.  

Originally I was not planning to take either of the boys to the game tonight, as tip-off was scheduled for 8:00 PM.  However, there is a blizzard warning for tomorrow, and the kid's school has already been cancelled.  As it happened, Nolan agreed to go to tonight's game since he will be able to sleep in tomorrow morning. 

To be honest, I was quite happy that Iowa State even had a chance to win this game at the end.  BYU played very well in the first half and led at halftime by a score of 33-24.  Things got worse for the Cyclones to start the second half, and at one point Iowa State was trailing by 21 points in the second half.  Thankfully, Iowa State was able to mount a furious comeback, which was very similar to the game against Oklahoma in 2015.  

With 9 seconds left in regulation, Joshua Jefferson made 2 free throws to tie the game and send it to the first overtime.  He also made a basket with 34 seconds left in the first overtime to put ISU up two points.  Of course BYU made a layup to tie it on their next possession.  In the second overtime Iowa State just could not make the plays to get over the hump.

I suppose that I will call Joshua Jefferson the player of the game for Iowa State.  He led the team with 19 points, and he did score some clutch points to give the Cyclones a chance at the end.  He was joined in double figures scoring by Milan Momcilovic (18), Curtis Jones (16), Tamin Lipsey (15), and Keshon Gilbert (13).  

Tonight's game was the 44th game that Nolan has attended.  The loss snaps a 19-game winning streak of games that Nolan has attended.  It was his first time watching Iowa State play BYU.  For me, this was the third time I have seen the Cyclones play the Cougars.  The previous games were Cyclone wins in 2024 and 2012.  

Here is a recap of the 2024-25 regular season games that I attended:

Wins:

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Cincinnati
• TCU
• UCF
• Utah
• Baylor
• Omaha
• Jackson State
• Marquette
• UMKC
• Mississippi Valley State

Losses:

• BYU

Saturday, March 1st, 2025

 My favorite month of the year is finally here!  Besides my birthday and the warming temperatures, March also is my favorite time of the year for sports... especially the March Madness tournament.

Tonight I was able to take Nolan over to Hilton Coliseum, where we witnessed a memorable victory for the #9 Cyclones over the #22 Arizona Wildcats, 84-67.  The atmosphere inside Hilton was really top-notch for today's game.  It was a sell-out, the crowd was all wearing yellow for the "gold rules" game, and a couple of former Cyclone greats were in attendance for the game - Tyrese Haliburton and Georges Niang!  During halftime of tonight's game they dropped a banner from the rafters in Hilton to honor Haliburton winning a gold medal with team USA during the last summer Olympics.

As for the game itself, Milan Momcilovic was the player of the game.  He led the team with 17 points, including four 3-pointers that he hit in the first half. The Cyclones would lead by as many as 24 points in the second half before Arizona made it a little more interesting towards the end.  Momcilovic was joined in double-figures scoring for the Cyclones by Tamin Lipsey (15), Curtis Jones (12), Nate Heise (12), and Brandton Chatfield (10).  

Tonight was the 43rd time that Nolan has attended a Cyclone men's basketball game.  It was his 15th conference win, and it was the third time that he has witnessed Iowa State knock off a top-25 team.  The previous top-25 teams he has seen ISU defeat were #5 Marquette earlier this season and #8 Kansas in 2023.  There are now only 5 more conference foes that Nolan needs to collect before he can say that he has seen Iowa State defeat every team in the Big 12.  That would be: Arizona State, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF.  

For myself, this was the first time that I have seen the Cyclones play Arizona.  The only Big 12 teams that I have not seen Iowa State defeat are Houston and Arizona State.  

Nolan with his Clone Cone before the game.

You can see that Nolan was quite tired by the end of the game.  It was about 10:30 PM by the time the game finished.