Thursday November 22, 2012 - The View From Section EE

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm sure everyone has tons to be thankful for and so do we. Today started a mini vacation! Not a live get away to Vegas or anything but the two monsters, I mean kids, went to my parents in Harlan! I love them to death but this past week has been brutal. Full of whining kids who have lost their ability to sleep through the night, in their own beds! We have all been a little cranky so hopefully a couple days away will do us all some good.

Emily is talking a ton and she is now starting to use words she has no clue what the really mean. My case in point is the word hate. A lot of it started when she must have hear Bri or someone say they dislike Emily's favorite show on Netflix, Pingu. I recommend checking it out. A show about this penguin family and there are no real words spoken. She loved it. Now back to the point, the kids were over at Marty as Liz's house. Emily must not have had her way at something and she said she "hates grandpa". I had to laugh but its definitely a word we need to get her to stop using.

I'm back to using my phone and posting this on the go, so we will see if I can get a picture to post. Emily and Reagan had a little snuggle time the other morning.

A little about Brianna. She was the star student this week. Basically a week all about her. Just what she needs, more attention. As we for ready for school the other day she walks out of her room and said "I think I look like a star today!" I had no response. Just let her think what she wants.

Prediction:

Last week Iowa State went to Kansas and did something no one saw coming, they destroyed Kansas. Kansas is a bad team but they have played most of the conference games close. The big surprise was the then third string quarterback coming into the game and had an outstanding debut. The kid is a freshman so there is a lot of hope in the coming years.

Tomorrows finale is against one of the Big 12 newcomers, West Virginia. West Virginia started the season really fast and was labeled the team to beat in the conference. Then Big 12 play started and the harsh reality hit that they weren't playing a Big East schedule anymore. West Virginia sits at 5 wins, not even bowl eligible yet. Their wheels have basically fallen off their bus but they found a new glimmer of home. Last week against Oklahoma they moved their star wide receiver to running back. In his first game at running back he only ran for over 300 yards and racked up over 500 yards of total offense. Amazing numbers that look to be a tough task for the Cyclones.

West Virginia may be able to score a lot of points but they have one of the worst defenses in the country. Similar to Baylor. ISU has held every Big 12 team well under their scoring average. They must keep West Virginia under 35 points of they want to win. Im sticking with the Cyclones and saying they pick up their 7th win of the year!

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Friday November 16, 2012 - The View From Section EE

This week will be a short one. Its been a long week with Emily throwing up two mornings in a row all over herself and the floor and Brianna being a bear at night. Not sure what her deal is but sharks are once again invading her room at night. Once of these days she may get over this.

Prediction:

Last week was not good for the Cyclones. It took Marty and I most of the first half to install the over the air antenna on his garage. See below. Funny thing is that now we have it figured it out nicely and its now attached to our deck. Some TV is a lot better than no TV!

This week Iowa State goes to Kansas. Kansas has won one game all year. They have lost close to 20 straight Big 12 games. Kansas has played well recently and took a decent Texas Tech team to overtime last week. I was really hoping Kansas would get their first conference win before ISU travels to Lawrence. It would look very bad if ISU was the team to burst their losing stream. 

With that said, there is no way I can pick Kansas to win. ISU showed some life in the running game last week, but after two good runs six bad passing plays would be called next. A trend that has to be eliminated in order to beat Kansas. Kansas will also run the ball a lot and throw out a trick play or two. In the past 4 years ISU has only lost twice when favored. Another sad fact, in the last 48 games, ISU has only been favored in about 14 of them. I think the defense stops Kansas' running game and ISU wins earning bowl eligibility for the third time in four years. (I am feeling a road trip is in our future!)

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Friday November 9, 2012 - The View From Section EE

At the beginning of last week the weather forecast was calling for a warm Saturday. We decided that Morgan and Brianna would go tailgate with us, especially since it was not a night game. The downfall was, it was an 11 am kick off. That means a very early wake up call. Bri knew I would be waking her up really early and she was ready, but its a different story when 5 am actually happened. I went in and woke Bri up and it looked easy, for about 10 seconds. She sat up then immediately laid back down. After some convincing she was up and ready to go. Then here comes a story she will hate me for in years. Once we get on the bus to Ames, there isn't a bathroom break until we get there. And when we get there, they are the nasty portable restrooms. In preparation I told Bri to go to the bathroom at the house. She agreed. After a minute or two its all quiet. I go into the bathroom and Bri had fallen asleep on the toilet. I am kicking myself for not getting the camera out!

Once we got to Ames we luckily had a pretty good spot in our lot, right at the edge of the lot next to the hills that separate the lots. After about five minutes in the lot while setting up, Bri was a maniac and rolling down the hills. I thought for sure she would turn grumpy and sit in the RV, but she did a good job all day. We left the tailgate early to get into the stadium to beat the crowds. Typically when the weather turns cold the lines for hot chocolate are huge, so we went early to beat those crowds. Turns out I over estimated potential lines. We walked right in and had no lines to wait for.

For some reason, Kristy has found numerous ways to do this, so I wasn't surprised when Bri was able to this as well. Just very different circumstances on the sleep.

The third largest crowd to watch a game (another loss) at Jack Trice Stadium and this kid fell asleep. It was a long day for this first grader so a little nap was needed. It only took this little cat nap and she was ready to go once we got back to the tailgate. It could have been the candy, but nothing conclusive yet. 

Last weeks game against Oklahoma is the definition of the haves vs the have nots. Oklahoma has so many more talented players and it showed. When ISU was dropping crucial passes in the first half, Oklahoma was making amazing catches. The defense gave up a ton of yards, but was able to keep the score reasonable. A few less drops in the first half and this very easily could have been a close one to the very end. But a 15 point loss to Oklahoma is definitely progress. 

Prediction:

Tomorrows game is at Texas. Once again its the haves vs the have nots, but Texas hasn't been the Texas it should be with the billion dollar budget. Texas is 7-2 so far this year, but a couple weeks ago they squeaked by a horrible Kansas team and a lot of fans in Texas were calling for their coach to get fired. Now they are riding a three game winning streak and could be a dangerous game for the Cyclones. 

Last week I picked ISU banking on the fact that Oklahoma would have been a nice upset special of the year, and that didnt turn out so well. Two years ago ISU won at Texas, but that Texas team turned out to be awful. This year I dont have a good feeling as they travel to Austin. I obviously hope I am wrong, but I think Texas wins this one easily. 

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Friday November 2, 2012 - The View From Section EE

A couple weeks ago we were driving out to Omaha to get the final touches done on the old house. We took the kids and were dropping them off at my parents. In the middle of that car ride we were lectured on about everything anyone would ever want to know about bats from Brianna. She must have had a weeks worth of lessons at school on bats, because she knew probably everything about them. I honestly think she talked about bats for a good 30 - 45 minutes. There was no way around it, we were going to learn about bats. For the next week or so, that is about all Bri and Emily played was bats. Emily was Stellaluna, the name of a fruit bat in a kids book for the next week. It was pretty funny watching Emily walk around and flap her arms, all because Bri told her too.

So Bri all excited about bats, she wanted to build a bat house. Since I thought it was cute seeing her excited about something she was learning about in school, I agreed. Its only been a week, but I am guessing there is no way a bat will find her bat house, so this early in the game I am not too worried about them showing up anytime soon. Now I may regret that in the Spring, but we have a few months for that. Last Sunday Bri and I went out to find a bat house. I took the easy way out and just took her to Menard's to buy a small bat house. According to the label, this thing can house up to 12 bats. Once again, we will see about that. Here is Bri and her bat house hung up in the tree.

Prediction time:

Last week ISU got what they needed, a solid offensive performance against a bad Baylor defense. Steele Jantz was named the starting quarterback the day before the game and he looked good. There is good Steele and there is bad Steele. Lets just hope the good Steele decides to stay the course the remainder of the season. If he stays calm and doesn't panic and start running the ball 20 times a game, they have a good chance of winning some game. 

5-69-2. That is the all time record of Iowa State against Oklahoma, the Cyclones foe tomorrow. The last time Iowa State beat Oklahoma in Ames, Jack Trice Stadium wasn't built and the 1960's was only 10 months old. This has to be one of the most lopsided series in the county with schools that have been in the same conference for as long as these two have. 

On another note, Oklahoma is coming off a loss to Notre Dame at home, their second loss at home this year.  I don't believe Oklahoma has lost consecutive games in a very long time, probably 13 years. Nothing like an angry Oklahoma coming to Ames on a cold November day to be reminded of how bad the Cyclones have played against the Sooners in 76 games. 

During last weeks game, ISU senior Jake Knott played his last game as a Cyclone. It was rumored all week he had shoulder issues and wasn't going to play. I heard him on the radio this week and it turns out the guy was suppose to have surgery before the Baylor game but it got delays until Monday after the game. The doctor told him he could play but he would have to do so with no medications due to the surgery only being two days away. He played anyway, recorded 11 tackles and forced a fumble as Baylor was about to score. All that earned him Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, with a useless shoulder, and no meds. Most people, me, would have sat out with a hangnail, let alone a torn muscle in the shoulder. 

With Knott out for the rest of the year it could be a rough time for the defense loosing their leader, but I think they will make it work out. This coaching staff has had some solid production from their linebackers and the other guys will make the most of it and continue the solid defensive performances. 

I think its crazy to once again pick Iowa State to win, as I have done every game this year, but if they are every due to beat an Oklahoma team, now is the time. The game is at home, it will be cold, and the Oklahoma offense is facing another tough defense for the second week in a row. I think this one could be ugly with turnovers, but if ISU commits less turnovers and keeps the ball moving, they have a shot for the upset.

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Thursday October 25, 2012 - The View From Section EE

I will start off with the video I tried to load last week. Here is Emily and her Old McDonald song. She has sense increased the words a little, but this was all she had at the time. 

I will start off this week with a little bit of school safety information. Yesterday we had scheduled Brianna's conferences during lunch since I am stuck at work on the evenings. We had Kristy's grandpa's truck removing more leaves from the yard. We dropped off the leaves at the dump and drove up to the school. We were about 10 minutes early so as we drove by the schools playground we saw Bri outside, so we parked and watched her play. We said to each other that we felt like creepers watching kids at recess. We then went inside to go to Bri's conferences and the Principal walks up to us and asked us if we were driving a pickup truck. Turns out the crossing guards, two girls a few years older than Bri, were to report any suspicious cars while they are outside. Turns out they did a good job and at least reported us! Like I said, we thought were were a little creepy. Its a good thing they are being observant. 

Tomorrow marks a pretty big day for us. Closing day for the Omaha house! It only took 17 months to sell the house and a financial headache, but its sold. We went out last weekend to get the last of our belongings out of there. It was a little rough. We were fortunate enough to get into the housing market when they were passing mortgages out at the street corner and we were able to get a brand new house. It was everything we needed in a house. 

Brought home a few monsters into that home. The yard felt so big when we brought Reagan home. Looked like he could run and run and not even get close to the neighbors house with his little puppy strides. Then as he got bigger and decided to disobey us and go to the neighbors deck it was time to fence him in. Turns out wooden fence posts, large dog, and some nasty wind doesn't bode well for the fence. Bri decided to leave her lasting impression on the house after we had the carpets cleaned professionally for Christmas one year. We, begrudgingly, gave her cup of hot chocolate from Starbucks. Roughly two sips into it, it gets dumped on the carpet. 100% our fault. Everyone from the Myans to Nostrodamus to anyone on the street knew she was going to do that, yet we gave in and let her have it. As we were leaving, the carpets looked good, but there was her huge stain of hot cocoa. Emily was there the shortest amount of time, but she still left her mark, or we failed to clean her mark up. A couple cute hand prints on the stainless steel of the oven was cute enough to just leave. 

As rough as it was to leave, we do realize that from the very beginning we knew we weren't going to be in that house forever. Its just too bad it took so damn long to sell! 

Prediction:

Last week the Iowa State offense showed once again its one of the worst in the conference. For some reason they started out really well taking a 10-7 lead. Then the wheels fell off and they failed to move the ball at all. Its a little frustrating since the running game was suppose to be so good, but it has been anything but good. If I had any say in the matter, and from 19 rows up in the end zone my opinion is pretty much ignored, I would run the ball with Jeff Woody more than the 5 times a game he gets now. They need to play the game 10 yards at a time and use Woody to chew up 3-4 yards a play. Eat a lot of clock and punch it in with lengthy scoring drives. 

This week brings Baylor to Ames. Baylor has one of the better offenses facing a good Iowa State defense. The Baylor defense is literally the worst defense in the country. Its too bad the Iowa State Offense is so bad, but this should be a game they put some points on the board. I do not have a very good feeling about this one, but I hope I am wrong. This is a turning point for both teams, the loser goes home with a difficult chance of making a bowl game. The winner sets them self up for a bowl chance and a strong finish. I have that feeling Baylor will win this thing, but there is no way I can predict Baylor to win. ISU gets the running game going and they pull off the win. 

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Thursday October 18, 2012 - The View From Section EE

It turns out that having a nice new work phone and a lot of time with Emily in the mornings that I happen to take a lot more videos and pictures of her. The other day she just started to sing a song, and I had no clue where she sang it before. Very similar to Brianna when she sang "Baa Baa Black Sheep" constantly. Here would be her "Old McDonald" video but I will have to delay that. Turns out I'm having issues posting a video. I'll throw a picture in just to suffice for now.


This past Sunday we went to my grandmas for a Thanksgiving style lunch. A typical Evans meal. There was a whole lot little Brianna did not want to eat, so she asked for a pear. She got her pear but grandma said she had to eat her food first. After she suffered through eating bits and pieces, Kristy gave in and let her eat the pear. Not so fast! Grandma didn't approve and took the pear from her and told her she needs to finish her lunch since it was so much work to make. The look on Bri's face was priceless. If it was us or either of our parents, she would have argued back and probably gotten her way. She was speechless. Just sat there wondering what just happened. We couldn't help but laugh. After she choked down some more food and spit out some squash in the bathroom she finally got her pear. It was very funny.

Prediction:
Last week those Wildcats of Kansas State got by the Cyclones once again! They do everything they need to do to win, and they have a chance to make a ton of noise this year.

This week ISU travels to Stillwater, OK to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The same Cowboys that ISU knocked out of the National Championship game last year. Fortunately, this is not the same OK State team. They lost arguably their best offensive players in school history. This year they are playing very well on the offensive side of the ball but they are lacking a relevant defense. The ISU offense has not been good at all, and you can even call it awful. I don't think it can get any worse and matches up with a below average defense, this could be the week it wakes up.

I believe the ISU defense is good enough to shut down OSU, it's just the offense needs to score enough to win. I am taking ISU in this one by a couple touchdowns at the very least.

41-17 Cyclones!

Thursday October 11, 2012 - The View From Section EE

This week brings a couple Emily stories. I think Brianna will be OK with her not being mentioned this week.

First Story:

This past Sunday we raked up a billion leaves in the yard. While running the leaf blower, I look over and Emily is walking up to me and talking and not really making a lot of sense. This had been a common theme while running the leaf blower and not being able to hear her. A minute later Kristy stops me and tells me to look over at Emily. She must have been telling me she had to go to the bathroom because I look over and her pants are down in the middle of the yard. Luckily she had not yet gone, otherwise she would have peed all over her clothes! I guess it took a couple times in the summer when other kids/boys happen to go to the bathroom in the yard to make her think she can go too. This wasn't the first occasion, but first occasion where she wasn't wearing a dress or a swimsuit.

Second Story:

Since Kristy has a new daytime hours job, we have had to use the day care place in town on occasion. Yesterday was one of those occasions. Emily was there all day as we both had to work early in the morning. Turns out she has been doing pretty good. She doesn't like tomato's and nacho's, but we knew that. Her report yesterday had a couple interesting points. One, she is kind of bossy. Who knew with a sister like Brianna that Emily would turn bossy?!?!?! I guess it was just a matter of time before we found that out. The next point is interesting. Emily naps really well in the afternoon for us. Turns out she naps well there too, but it took a twist yesterday. The workers found Emily after she woke up walking on top of currently sleeping kids. I didn't believe it when I heard it. I asked her about it today and she said she walked on them and it was fun. Nothing new here, but what Emily wants, Emily gets. I guess.

Prediction:

Last week I thought ISU would win by 14, and they did! The ISU offense did score more than I predicted, but that's a good thing. They switched to the back up quarterback, Jared Barnett. Obviously that was the correct move. For some reason, they seem to respond a lot better on offense with Barnett in the line up. Jantz may have a better arm, but Barnett gets the offense moving.

The past three ISU/Kansas State games have been decided by a total of 15 points, all K-State wins. The things old man Bill Snyder has done at K-State is tremendous. He took on of the worst football programs in the history of football and made them a winner. He retired then after three bad years returned to continue what he has done in the past, win. ISU is due in so many ways to beat the Wildcats. Three years ago an amazing catch in the end zone as the game was ending resulted in ISU needing an extra point to tie the game. Go figure, it gets blocked and K-State wins. The next year ISU was down 7 late in the game when Austen Arnaud overthrew a wide open Alexander Robinson that would have resulted in the potential game tying touchdown. Then last year in a cold blustery day in Manhattan, ISU just couldn't get it down and lost by 7.

This year K-State is ranked in the top 10, and for the first time in a long time, ISU is ranked 25th in the Coach's Poll. Turns out this Saturday the weather could play a major factor. Sounds like a lot of rain throughout the day and even thunderstorms and potential severe weather. K-State is a team that does not make mistakes, but they are playing a solid ISU defense. I think ISU will be able to stop K-State's running attack and force them to pass, and if the conditions are as bad as they say they will be, this bodes well for Iowa State. The ISU offense must not turn the ball over. That is the key. IF they turn the ball over less than K-State, they win. Its that simple. Bill Snyder teams make other teams look bad by capitalizing on their mistakes. I the magic number is 24. If ISU gets to 24 first, they win the game. I look for it to get sloppy at times, but think ISU pulls the upset.

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