This is Alpha, the first-born, when he was 2YO.
This is Beta, the second-born, when he was about 2YO.
This is Gamma, the third-born, when he was about 18MO.
Dec
6
2016
Here’s a recap of our summer vacation. This year, it was driving to Mt. Rushmore.
Day 5
Up in the morning, another round of pancakes for breakfast, and we were off for a day of hiking.
One of the reasons I chose to stay in Custer was that it was in the middle of Mt. Rushmore (day 4), Wind Cave (day 3), and Cathedral Spires (day 5)
It was not that long of a drive to the trailhead. But to get there we had to go along a twisty scenic drive.
Dec
1
2016
Here’s a recap of our summer vacation. This year, it was driving to Mt. Rushmore.
Day 4
Since we were staying in Custer, there was not much involved in going to see Mt. Rushmore.
First off, and I don’t have any photos of this, was the hotel’s breakfast. This was a pancake buffet. There was a pancake machine that made pancakes. You grabbed a pancake or two and then added whatever toppings you wanted. It was a novelty that was fun the first time. My suggestion would be to have some protein available also – bacon, sausage, eggs, etc. Because the kids love pancakes with whipped cream and chocolate chips and everything, but it doesn’t last them very long.
After breakfast, we headed to Mt. Rushmore. I had heard the light was best in the morning, so that’s what we did. Got there around 9:30.
Our national parks pass was useless here, as the monument itself is free. You have to pay for parking (considered a “concession”) though.
It was just like it should be:
We had perfect weather and sunlight for photos that morning.
Nov
29
2016
Here’s a recap of our summer vacation. This year, it was driving to Mt. Rushmore.
Day 1
The first day was just a long day of driving. Made it to Des Moines, IA. The hotel there was fine – standard chain fare that meets our requirements (pool, breakfast, sleeps 6 per room, has a fridge, etc.). The main item of note with our stop in Des Moines was that our hotel was within walking distance of a Pizza Ranch. My wife had memories of visiting Pizza Ranches in her younger days, but I and the boys had never even heard of it.
If you have never been to Pizza Ranch, you need to change that. Especially if you have growing boys who like to eat. It’s an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, with additions such as fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, corn, and – my favorite part – dessert pizza. It’s a good thing we walked across the parking lot, because we needed that walk back to burn some of the calories we gained in the restaurant.
After a bit of time for digestion, we spent some time in the pool, then watched some TV because that’s tradition on vacation now, and then off to bed.
Day 2
The second day was just a long day of driving. Made it to Sidney, NE. Home of Cabela’s. The hotel there was great – it met our requirements and then some. It was called a lodge, so it had timber throughout the lobby and hallways to make it look lodgey. Our room was the closest one to the breakfast area, which was convenient. It was one of our favorite hotels of the trip.
We got there around dinner time. I took the kids to the Cabela’s store, which was about two buildings over. It was not as impressive as the newer Cabela’s back home, but it was a fun distraction after being in the van for 8 hours. We got back and had dinner than my wife had made in the room’s kitchen.
After a bit of time for digestion, we spent some time in the pool, then watched some TV because that’s tradition on vacation now, and then off to bed.
Nov
24
2016
I’m not posting anything today – I’m too busy doing Thanksgivingy stuff.
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
1 Chronicles 16:34
Nov
22
2016
In case you have a need to sound French or just want to waste a few minutes, go try to speak with a French accent.
The site works like the game Mad Gab, for those who are familiar with that. If you’re not familiar with it, just type in a phrase, click the button, and read the result without thinking about it.
Just read it.
Out loud.
As written.
If you can’t think of a phrase, try entering some of these into the generator:
That’s probably good enough for now.
In case you missed the link, go to Accenterator.com and click the French button.
nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;
Ezekiel 3:6
Nov
17
2016
Last time, we covered pass interference. Most of the other penalties don’t have so much of a discrepancy between offense and defense. For example, a face mask penalty is 15 yards against the offender no matter which side he was playing.
Today, I’m covering personal fouls. I agree with the league’s changes for this year in which players can now foul out. But there is one more change that should be suggested – the eye for an eye principle.
This would mean that any injury that resulted from a foul would cause the perpetrator to be suspended for as long as the injured player was out of commission.
Players do get injured playing football. I’m not proposing any injury gets this treatment – only injuries that happened because the opposing player did something egregious.
It sounds fair though – if you hurt someone such that he can’t play football, then you don’t get to play football until he does.
Good luck getting that through the committees though. Maybe a cap, such as a maximum suspension of 12 games, would help make it palatable.
But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life,
Exodus 21:23
Nov
15
2016
Now that we’re midway through the NFL season, I thought it would be good to review some of the penalties and how their consequences could be re-worked. This is needed mainly because the penalties are skewed toward favoring the offense. To restore some balance to the game, we need to even up the penalties.
Pass Interference
If the defense commits a pass interference penalty (DPI), the offense gets the ball at the spot of the foul (as many yards as necessary) and an automatic first down. But if the offense commits pass interference (OPI), it’s only 10 yards and the offense gets to try again.
There are a couple of way to remedy this disparity.
A. Make OPI the same magnitude as DPI – the defense gets the ball at the spot of the foul and it’s first down for them. The spirit of NFL DPI is that it assumes the receiver would have made the catch. Why not do the same for OPI?
B. Apply the yardage only – whatever the spot of the foul was, walk the offense back that amount. Similar spirit as the original rule – punish the offender the amount of the foul.
C. Make OPI an automatic 4th down. Since DPI is automatic first down (drastically favoring the offense), OPI should match it (drastically punishing the offense).
D. Make it 10 yards plus loss of down. I think this is the most palatable change because it’s not so drastic. It’s not the most even, but why should the offense get to retry the down on which they fouled?
A man of great anger will bear the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
Proverbs 19:19
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