Slide Show
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
"Who's got seat 7 ?!?!"
So, picture the worst person you could possibly be put next to at a baseball game.....keep in mind that the seats aren't "roomy" by any means.
Does that person look like this?......
Because as Trish and I were getting our picture taken with the field in the background, we both noticed this rather large man, complimented by numerous tattoos and a gigantic tray of food! The first thing out of our mouths was "Who's got seat #7?!?!?!?" We scrambled to pull our stubs out of our pockets and it was LON who had the unfortunate luck of sitting next to this "super fan".
Mike, who was still unaware as to why we were wondering who had seat 7, turned around and instantly said "I'll sit next to him!" As Mike crawled over the seat from the row behind he said to the guy "We're not going to have any problems are we???" The man, without looking up, replied "Not unless you try to touch my food"!!!!!
Turns out, by the end of the game the two men were good friends. The guy was from Illinois and not actually a Cardinals or Reds fan, but in fact an Atlanta Braves fan. He just liked coming to St. Louis to watch baseball games.
Does that person look like this?......
Because as Trish and I were getting our picture taken with the field in the background, we both noticed this rather large man, complimented by numerous tattoos and a gigantic tray of food! The first thing out of our mouths was "Who's got seat #7?!?!?!?" We scrambled to pull our stubs out of our pockets and it was LON who had the unfortunate luck of sitting next to this "super fan".
Mike, who was still unaware as to why we were wondering who had seat 7, turned around and instantly said "I'll sit next to him!" As Mike crawled over the seat from the row behind he said to the guy "We're not going to have any problems are we???" The man, without looking up, replied "Not unless you try to touch my food"!!!!!
Turns out, by the end of the game the two men were good friends. The guy was from Illinois and not actually a Cardinals or Reds fan, but in fact an Atlanta Braves fan. He just liked coming to St. Louis to watch baseball games.
Monday, April 25, 2011
We Survived!!!!
While in St. Louis, we had just settled into our seats at Busch Stadium, awaiting the first pitch. Trish pulled up the radar on her phone, knowing there was rain in the area. The radar showed rain close and we knew the game would be delayed. We saw exactly 5 pitches when the skies opened up and the rain drove players to the dugouts and fans to the tunnels. Fortunately our seats were just under the edge of the upper deck and the wind was at our backs, so we were untouched by the rain. We watched the grounds crew throw the tarp on the infield and waited out the storm. This video shows the intensity of the rain and a little close lightning too. There were a few hailstones in this downpour, but nothing that caused any damage where we were.
We continued to wait for the storm to pass and watched as the storm grew more intense. Then the following flashed across the big screen.
The other jumbo tron showed the St. Louis metro radar and where the action was unfolding.
After watching the radar we determined it would be safe enough to remain in our seats and wait out the rain delay. Little did we know that an EF4 tornado was ripping it's way through the suburbs of north St. Louis. Right in the path of the twister was the St. Louis airport. Our hotel was directly across the interstate from the airport!!! Luckily our hotel was untouched and we had warm beds that night. Here's the tornado's path. This shows where our hotel and the stadium were in relation to the twister's track. We were only about 10 miles away when it went through, but would have been MUCH closer had we stayed at the hotel!
The next morning as we left town, the damage and destruction was unreal. Houses were flattened, giant trees were uprooted, and debris was scattered everywhere. There was a warehouse on the south side of I-70 that had the whole north wall blown out and you could see the inventory and supplies stacked on shelves inside. A section of someone's brick chimney layed on the shoulder of the road too. The sound barrier fences along each side of the interstate were flattened where the tornado crossed I-70. It was a miracle that no one was killed or seriously injured. We pray for the people who were affected and hope they are able to bounce back and rebuild quickly.
We continued to wait for the storm to pass and watched as the storm grew more intense. Then the following flashed across the big screen.
The other jumbo tron showed the St. Louis metro radar and where the action was unfolding.
After watching the radar we determined it would be safe enough to remain in our seats and wait out the rain delay. Little did we know that an EF4 tornado was ripping it's way through the suburbs of north St. Louis. Right in the path of the twister was the St. Louis airport. Our hotel was directly across the interstate from the airport!!! Luckily our hotel was untouched and we had warm beds that night. Here's the tornado's path. This shows where our hotel and the stadium were in relation to the twister's track. We were only about 10 miles away when it went through, but would have been MUCH closer had we stayed at the hotel!
The next morning as we left town, the damage and destruction was unreal. Houses were flattened, giant trees were uprooted, and debris was scattered everywhere. There was a warehouse on the south side of I-70 that had the whole north wall blown out and you could see the inventory and supplies stacked on shelves inside. A section of someone's brick chimney layed on the shoulder of the road too. The sound barrier fences along each side of the interstate were flattened where the tornado crossed I-70. It was a miracle that no one was killed or seriously injured. We pray for the people who were affected and hope they are able to bounce back and rebuild quickly.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
7 months!
Not only was today Easter, but Caleb also turned 7 months! His stats...
Weight: 19 lbs 6.4 ozs (65th percentile)
Height: 28 1/2 inches (90th percentile)
He loves to roll from front to back and back to front. He's pretty vocal, but hasn't quite strung together any words. He loves his play gym, froggy jumper, and to be held! He's eating homemade carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and rice cereal every day. He seems to be getting heavier and harder to carry every day. He laughs and smiles all day long!!!!
Weight: 19 lbs 6.4 ozs (65th percentile)
Height: 28 1/2 inches (90th percentile)
He loves to roll from front to back and back to front. He's pretty vocal, but hasn't quite strung together any words. He loves his play gym, froggy jumper, and to be held! He's eating homemade carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and rice cereal every day. He seems to be getting heavier and harder to carry every day. He laughs and smiles all day long!!!!
St. Louis 2011
We took a trip to St. Louis this past weekend for the 2nd year in a row. The highlight of the trip involved seeing the Cardinals beat the Cinncinnati Reds 4-2 in Busch Stadium. But there were other events, both large and small, that occurred that made the trip memorable.
Trish and I took our dads down to see this game. Andy's dad Mike is a huge Reds fan, and both Andy & Trish are huge Cardinals fans. Trish's dad Lon is impartial, but he enjoyed the game and trip all the same.
Andy & Trish enjoying a pre-game cold one.
Trish & her dad Lon
Andy & his dad Mike
A huge THANK YOU goes out to our moms...Mary & Jean, for taking on babysitting duties of little Caleb while we were having fun in St. Louis. They stayed in Boone and watch the boy and the two dogs. THANKS GRANDMAS!!!!! Caleb had a blast with you!
More posts and stories from the events of St. Louis 2011 yet to come......
Trish and I took our dads down to see this game. Andy's dad Mike is a huge Reds fan, and both Andy & Trish are huge Cardinals fans. Trish's dad Lon is impartial, but he enjoyed the game and trip all the same.
Andy & Trish enjoying a pre-game cold one.
Trish & her dad Lon
Andy & his dad Mike
A huge THANK YOU goes out to our moms...Mary & Jean, for taking on babysitting duties of little Caleb while we were having fun in St. Louis. They stayed in Boone and watch the boy and the two dogs. THANKS GRANDMAS!!!!! Caleb had a blast with you!
More posts and stories from the events of St. Louis 2011 yet to come......
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Snowy Gobbler
Saturday started for us at 4:30am as the sound of a lonesome loon echoing across a back country lake sang out from my cell phone alarm. I wearily rolled out of bed as the virtual bird began its second chorus. I nudged my wife and asked if she was awake. Her response was a soft “Yes”. I quietly exited the room and padded down the stairs to have a bowl of cereal, as was my morning routine.
After my morning ritual, I tiptoed back up the stairs and woke Trish for the second time. She eased out of bed with the slightest hint of reluctance and began to get ready. I debated on how best to inform her of the steady rain, strong northwest wind, and near freezing temperatures outside. I figured the best thing to do was to wait until she was pretty much dressed and ready to go. My mom walked down the stairs not long after we had started to get ready. She let us know she’d take good care of the baby while we were out hunting.
The rain was relentless as we watched the wiper blades on the truck wipe the droplets from our field of view. The thermometer on the truck read 36 degrees, but we both knew the wind and rain were going to make it seem a lot colder than that. We began to debate the sanity of our decision to sit in the elements, waiting for turkeys to show up.
Shortly after 5:30am we pulled into the field drive where we’d park the truck. Donning extra large ponchos, we tucked our gear under their protection and headed out across the muddy bean stubble. We reached the blind, already wet and cold. I began to set out the decoys as Trish settled into her chair. The small heater we had did little to shield us from the northwest wind spattering droplets of cold rain through the mesh windows.
Thoughts danced in our heads of the warm bed that we left behind and the fruitless effort this hunt seemed to be providing. Shortly after legal shooting light began a hen turkey appeared over the hill to our north. She slowly made her way in our direction, checking out the decoys we had spread out in front of us. Without much interest, she continued on past our position. After the passing of this particular hen, things looked up and we realized maybe the turkeys will be moving in this inclement weather.
Minutes passed as we listened to raindrops spattering the top of the blind. Just as it seemed the rain couldn’t get any harder, it began to slowly transition to sleet and then snow. Here we were, in the middle of April, watching snow fall all around us. As we reflected on the 90 degree temperatures from just one week prior, two more hens crested the hill to the north. They stopped at the sight of our decoys and began to work their way toward us. From behind them two more turkeys showed up. There was no mistaking the identity of these birds. I gave a couple quick calls on my slate and was answered by two thundering gobbles.
It was a scene straight from a painting. Heavy, wet snow was falling all around these two toms in full strut. Just as soon as it started to unfold, an unexpected twist sank our hearts to the ground. The toms dropped out of strut, took off at a run, and flew up into the shelter of the mature oaks in the nearby pasture. We looked at each other dumbfounded. We knew it couldn’t have been us that spooked the birds, and as I was trying to piece everything together I noticed a small, shaggy coyote crossing the pasture to our east. This mangy dog had spooked the sure score that was about to walk into our laps. We sat back, dejected. Our turkey hunting luck over the last few years had always been bad, and here we were again going down the same road.
Half an hour had passed when we noticed the two hens returning towards our position. They walked right into our decoy spread, milled around for a few minutes, and walked on past. Moments after the hens disappeared one of the toms took wing and flew straight at us. I told Trish as soon as he hit the ground to let him have it! Unfortunately he flew straight past us, landing somewhere behind us where she had no shot. Knowing there should be one more tom, we looked towards the pasture. Two red heads popped over the horizon as a couple more toms were crossing the bean stubble. Where the third came from, we’ll never know, but we weren’t disappointed. The toms swung wide of the decoys, but were on a path to bring them well within gun range.
Time seemed to slow as the snow silently fell around us and we waited for the toms to close the distance. Once within range I told Trish to take the shot at any time. Seconds later her gun roared. The tom on the right flew straight up into the air and hit the ground running. The gobbler on the left, whom had been at the end of Trish’s sights fell forward as if pushed by an invisible hand. Regaining his feet he took off after the other fleeing turkeys.
We sank back in our chairs as the adrenaline deflated from our bodies. The miss was devastating. We watched as the turkeys walked off to the south. A prime opportunity had been spoiled and there was wasn’t much to say. The angle of the shot wasn’t ideal, and some brush in front of the blind may have deflected the shot. Either way, a miss on a turkey is always a hard pill to swallow.
After the turkeys rounded the bend, out of sight, we decided to pack it up and head home. I ducked through the door of the blind and eased out into the field. As I gathered the decoys I could still see the toms on the southern edge of the field we were in. I told Trish to keep her gun loaded, as our walk out would take us in their direction.
We began to trudge across the field; closing the distance to the turkeys and watching them become more panicked as they sought a way to create space between us. As we neared the southernmost fence line of the field, the 3 toms were frantically trying to get away. One of them squeezed through the fence and headed off to the south. We were only 30 yards from the fence when the second turkey burst into flight straight over our heads. Trish tracked the bird with her gun as it flew over us, but neglected to shoot.
Turning our attention back to the brushy fencerow, we closed the distance on the last tom to 20 yards. He moved behind a brush pile and couldn’t decide which way to go. Finally deciding coming out to the left was the best option, he stepped into open space. Trish was ready. The instant a clear shot presented itself, she fired. The big gobbler hit the ground hard and it was all over.
We shouted, kissed, and gave each other a high five. I stepped through a couple briar bushes and hoisted the bird out into the open. It was giant Iowa gobbler. Weighing 23 ¾ pounds, sporting 1 inch razor spurs, and dragging a 10 inch paintbrush of a beard; this tom was one of the biggest I’d ever seen.
Our persistence, and more importantly good luck, and finally paid off. I couldn’t have been more proud of my wife. She showed the will and determination to stick with the hunt, even though the weather was horrible. It was her first tom and a giant at that. We look forward to returning to the hills and timber of Johnson County in 2012. Next year though, we’ll take sunshine and 80 degrees!
After my morning ritual, I tiptoed back up the stairs and woke Trish for the second time. She eased out of bed with the slightest hint of reluctance and began to get ready. I debated on how best to inform her of the steady rain, strong northwest wind, and near freezing temperatures outside. I figured the best thing to do was to wait until she was pretty much dressed and ready to go. My mom walked down the stairs not long after we had started to get ready. She let us know she’d take good care of the baby while we were out hunting.
The rain was relentless as we watched the wiper blades on the truck wipe the droplets from our field of view. The thermometer on the truck read 36 degrees, but we both knew the wind and rain were going to make it seem a lot colder than that. We began to debate the sanity of our decision to sit in the elements, waiting for turkeys to show up.
Shortly after 5:30am we pulled into the field drive where we’d park the truck. Donning extra large ponchos, we tucked our gear under their protection and headed out across the muddy bean stubble. We reached the blind, already wet and cold. I began to set out the decoys as Trish settled into her chair. The small heater we had did little to shield us from the northwest wind spattering droplets of cold rain through the mesh windows.
Thoughts danced in our heads of the warm bed that we left behind and the fruitless effort this hunt seemed to be providing. Shortly after legal shooting light began a hen turkey appeared over the hill to our north. She slowly made her way in our direction, checking out the decoys we had spread out in front of us. Without much interest, she continued on past our position. After the passing of this particular hen, things looked up and we realized maybe the turkeys will be moving in this inclement weather.
Minutes passed as we listened to raindrops spattering the top of the blind. Just as it seemed the rain couldn’t get any harder, it began to slowly transition to sleet and then snow. Here we were, in the middle of April, watching snow fall all around us. As we reflected on the 90 degree temperatures from just one week prior, two more hens crested the hill to the north. They stopped at the sight of our decoys and began to work their way toward us. From behind them two more turkeys showed up. There was no mistaking the identity of these birds. I gave a couple quick calls on my slate and was answered by two thundering gobbles.
It was a scene straight from a painting. Heavy, wet snow was falling all around these two toms in full strut. Just as soon as it started to unfold, an unexpected twist sank our hearts to the ground. The toms dropped out of strut, took off at a run, and flew up into the shelter of the mature oaks in the nearby pasture. We looked at each other dumbfounded. We knew it couldn’t have been us that spooked the birds, and as I was trying to piece everything together I noticed a small, shaggy coyote crossing the pasture to our east. This mangy dog had spooked the sure score that was about to walk into our laps. We sat back, dejected. Our turkey hunting luck over the last few years had always been bad, and here we were again going down the same road.
Half an hour had passed when we noticed the two hens returning towards our position. They walked right into our decoy spread, milled around for a few minutes, and walked on past. Moments after the hens disappeared one of the toms took wing and flew straight at us. I told Trish as soon as he hit the ground to let him have it! Unfortunately he flew straight past us, landing somewhere behind us where she had no shot. Knowing there should be one more tom, we looked towards the pasture. Two red heads popped over the horizon as a couple more toms were crossing the bean stubble. Where the third came from, we’ll never know, but we weren’t disappointed. The toms swung wide of the decoys, but were on a path to bring them well within gun range.
Time seemed to slow as the snow silently fell around us and we waited for the toms to close the distance. Once within range I told Trish to take the shot at any time. Seconds later her gun roared. The tom on the right flew straight up into the air and hit the ground running. The gobbler on the left, whom had been at the end of Trish’s sights fell forward as if pushed by an invisible hand. Regaining his feet he took off after the other fleeing turkeys.
We sank back in our chairs as the adrenaline deflated from our bodies. The miss was devastating. We watched as the turkeys walked off to the south. A prime opportunity had been spoiled and there was wasn’t much to say. The angle of the shot wasn’t ideal, and some brush in front of the blind may have deflected the shot. Either way, a miss on a turkey is always a hard pill to swallow.
After the turkeys rounded the bend, out of sight, we decided to pack it up and head home. I ducked through the door of the blind and eased out into the field. As I gathered the decoys I could still see the toms on the southern edge of the field we were in. I told Trish to keep her gun loaded, as our walk out would take us in their direction.
We began to trudge across the field; closing the distance to the turkeys and watching them become more panicked as they sought a way to create space between us. As we neared the southernmost fence line of the field, the 3 toms were frantically trying to get away. One of them squeezed through the fence and headed off to the south. We were only 30 yards from the fence when the second turkey burst into flight straight over our heads. Trish tracked the bird with her gun as it flew over us, but neglected to shoot.
Turning our attention back to the brushy fencerow, we closed the distance on the last tom to 20 yards. He moved behind a brush pile and couldn’t decide which way to go. Finally deciding coming out to the left was the best option, he stepped into open space. Trish was ready. The instant a clear shot presented itself, she fired. The big gobbler hit the ground hard and it was all over.
We shouted, kissed, and gave each other a high five. I stepped through a couple briar bushes and hoisted the bird out into the open. It was giant Iowa gobbler. Weighing 23 ¾ pounds, sporting 1 inch razor spurs, and dragging a 10 inch paintbrush of a beard; this tom was one of the biggest I’d ever seen.
Our persistence, and more importantly good luck, and finally paid off. I couldn’t have been more proud of my wife. She showed the will and determination to stick with the hunt, even though the weather was horrible. It was her first tom and a giant at that. We look forward to returning to the hills and timber of Johnson County in 2012. Next year though, we’ll take sunshine and 80 degrees!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Turkey Camp 2011
This past weekend we made our annual trek to eastern Iowa in search of the big tom turkey. Our hunt had its ups and downs, but I'll relive those experiences in another post. Outside of chasing turkeys we had a great time seeing lots of family! We stayed with Grandma Mary and she spoiled Caleb as usual with her kisses and hugs.
We also attended a baby shower for Mitch and Brittany where tons of family was there!
Caleb & Grandpa Bartlett
Great Grandpa & Grandma Bartlett
He also spent time with his Great Grandma Wille, lots of Aunts & Uncles & Cousins. We had a great time!
We also attended a baby shower for Mitch and Brittany where tons of family was there!
Caleb & Grandpa Bartlett
Great Grandpa & Grandma Bartlett
He also spent time with his Great Grandma Wille, lots of Aunts & Uncles & Cousins. We had a great time!
Monday, April 11, 2011
All Dressed Up
Mom put Caleb into the cutest Sunday outfit for church......
....and the little stinker slept in his car seat all the way through mass!!!
....and the little stinker slept in his car seat all the way through mass!!!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Gobble Gobble!!!
Monday marks the opening of 1st season turkey hunting in Iowa and the whole Bartlett family went scouting for sign on Saturday in the woods of Boone County.
Listening intently for the tell-tale gobble of a monster tom.
Checking the nearest water source for tracks and other sign.
Resting against a tree after a long hike uphill.
Caleb finally found the perfect spot to set up the blind. He told his Pa that by tucking the blind under these two evergreens, he'll get shots to the north and south all while being afforded the natural camouflage of the pines. It's a great spot for a turkey ambush!
Mom was there too, and she did a great job taking pictures all day!
Listening intently for the tell-tale gobble of a monster tom.
Checking the nearest water source for tracks and other sign.
Resting against a tree after a long hike uphill.
Caleb finally found the perfect spot to set up the blind. He told his Pa that by tucking the blind under these two evergreens, he'll get shots to the north and south all while being afforded the natural camouflage of the pines. It's a great spot for a turkey ambush!
Mom was there too, and she did a great job taking pictures all day!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Tank & T-Bone
Ladies and Gentlemen.....
The following two men are either going to be the greatest tag team wrestling duo of all-time or they will anchor the greatest Iowa Hawkeye offensive line in history.
Caleb "T-Bone" Bartlett
At 6 months old, T-Bone stands an impressive 28 inches tall and weighs in at 18 pounds 1.5 ounces. He consistently measures into the 85th percentile and is known to throw fits at the drop of a hat.
Heath "Tank" Anderson
At 10 months old Tank towers at 32 inches tall, tips the scale at 32 pounds, and sets the bar for which every baby is measured against. At the young age of 10 months, Tank is walking on his own and will dwarf any baby under 12 months that he stands next to.
Their message to other babies......."watch your binky!"
The following two men are either going to be the greatest tag team wrestling duo of all-time or they will anchor the greatest Iowa Hawkeye offensive line in history.
Caleb "T-Bone" Bartlett
At 6 months old, T-Bone stands an impressive 28 inches tall and weighs in at 18 pounds 1.5 ounces. He consistently measures into the 85th percentile and is known to throw fits at the drop of a hat.
Heath "Tank" Anderson
At 10 months old Tank towers at 32 inches tall, tips the scale at 32 pounds, and sets the bar for which every baby is measured against. At the young age of 10 months, Tank is walking on his own and will dwarf any baby under 12 months that he stands next to.
Their message to other babies......."watch your binky!"
Happy Birthday Great Aunt Suzie!
Caleb's great aunt Susan had her birthday last Thursday and we all went to Des Moines on Saturday to celebrate. Here's some of the action.....
Caleb with his great aunt Suzie!
The whole gang. All of the little ones are Caleb's 2nd cousins.
Here's Caleb pulling Maggie's ear!
Cora, Caleb, and Heath
Caleb with his great aunt Suzie!
The whole gang. All of the little ones are Caleb's 2nd cousins.
Here's Caleb pulling Maggie's ear!
Cora, Caleb, and Heath
Friday, April 1, 2011
Opening Day
Thursday was opening day for major league baseball and Caleb decked out in his St. Louis Cardinals gear!
Unfortunately the Cardinals lost to the Padres, but they are poised to have a World Series year!
Unfortunately the Cardinals lost to the Padres, but they are poised to have a World Series year!
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