Famous Fans

Famous Fans: St. Louis Cardinals Addition.

A lot of teams have famous fans, the lakers attract celebrities in droves, yankees games are always a hot spot to find celebrities, Jerry Seinfeld attends mets games and even the L.A. clippers have Billy Crystal .

Here’s a look at the celebrities, who like myself support the Cardinals.

John Goodman (Actor) - A St. Louis native, John was raised as a Cardinals fan. He is often seen at home games in St. Louis, as well as Spring Training games in Jupiter, Florida (as seen in the picture). John is also an investor in a sports station in St. Louis - 550 KTRS.

Gretchen Wilson (Country Music Singer) - She grew up listening to Cardinals games with her grandpa. She sang the National Anthem at one of the World Series games in 2004, and even released "Redbird Fever," a Cardinals version of her hit "Redneck Woman."

Billy Bob Thornton (Actor) - A native of Arkansas, Billy Bob grew up a Cardinals fan. He also narrated the Cardinals 2006 World Series DVD. He played in the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game in 2009 as part of the All Star game played in St. Louis. Also threw out the first pitch at a Cardinals game.

Sara Evans (Country Music Singer) - She was born and raised in Booneville, Missouri. On her new album, Real Fine Place, she has a song titled "Missing Missouri." The lyrics include: “Tobacco fields and bubble bees, And the Cardinals playing on TV, Caught up in missing Missouri”. She also has sung the national anthem at Cardinals games and God Bless America at the 2009 All Star game in St. Louis(pictured).

Joe Nichols (Country Music Singer) - Is a long time Cardinals fan. He has also sung the national anthem and God Bless America at several Cardinals games.

Nelly (Rapper) - Born and raised a fan, Nelly often wears apparel featuring St. Louis sports teams. One of his videos was even shot at Busch Stadium and featured then-Cardinals second baseman Fernando Vina. Nelly also participated in the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game in 2009 and also thrown out a first pitch before a Cardinals game (pictured).

Jenna Fischer (Actress) – A St. Louis native, she grew up cheering for the Cardinals and also played in the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game in 2009 (pictured).

There they are, the famous Cardinals fans. Some country, Some acting and a little bit of rap.

Centennial Fire Department

This last month the Kaysville Fire Department had its Centennial Celebration. I feel very fortunate to be part of an organization with such a long proud history.

To celebrate we had a banquet at the fire station. We invited anyone who had ever worked for the fire department and their spouses. There was a pretty good turnout, around 200 people showed up, including quite a few old timers, a few of which were pushing 100 years the selves. Kaysville city had it catered and the Farmington Fire Department came out to serve us.

Ariane and myself with Angie and James Wade.

The fire department was officially organized on May 4, 1911. The first piece off firefighting equipment, other than the standard bucket brigade, was a hose cart reel purchased for $75. Similar to the one pictured here. A small shed was placed on the old Relief Society grounds on Main Street to house the hose cart and fire hose.

Their first fire engine was made out of an old Hudson car in 1922. It had a water tank, a pump and a hose. They used this until 1929 when an American LaFrance Pumper truck was purchased, similar to the one pictured here. It was the beginning of a long line of different fire engines and trucks.

The Emergency Medical Service First Responder Program began in 1986. The department did not have an ambulance at this time; it was operated by the Davis County Sheriff’s Office. They would respond to calls and assist the Sheriff’s Department on medicals.

We no longer push a hose cart or build our own fire engines out of old cars. Our station is now a nice state of the art building with five bays that house two engines, one ladder truck, three ambulances, two brush trucks, one heavy rescue truck and a hazardous materials trailer instead of an old shed with one hose cart and 500 feet of hose. We have our own ambulances now and don’t rely on the county to provide one for us. The one thing that hasn’t changed in the last one hundred years is the dedication and bravery of the firefighters.

My engine Company. From L-R My Self (Firefighter Scott Boomer Bredthauer), Captain James (Jimmy) Dotson Jr., Firefighter Keri Harwood, Engineer David Snowball and Firefighter Jared Harvey

Eastern Kentucky University

This week I have started graduate school at Eastern Kentucky University. No, this does not mean that we are moving to Kentucky it’s an on-line program. I am pursuing a master’s degree in Safety, Security and Emergency Management with an emphasis in Fire and Emergency Services. It looks like a pretty good program. I do two classes a semester each running six to eight weeks long, I do one right after the other that way I don’t have to take them concurrently. I should be done in two years.

This will be a really new experience for me. I only took two on-line classes while I was at Weber State, botany and a social work class, and I didn’t take them very seriously. Now to be doing two years worth of nothing but on-line classes will be a real change for me as well as the fact that I haven’t had a college class since 2006. I have some adjusting to do.

I choose this school because I felt that this degree could help me move with Church Security and with the Kaysville Fire Department. I liked the idea of doing a degree on-line so that I could attend class when it was convenient for me.

A little bit about EKU or “Eastern” as the locals call it. It is located in Richmond, KY and was founded in 1906. Its colors are maroon and white and the mascot is the colonel. I think he bears a little resemblance to the Kentucky Fried Chicken guy. They play in the Ohio Valley Conference. Some notable alumni include, Dan Patrick - Sports caster and writer, Laura Kirkpatrick - Runner up of “America's Next Top Model” Cycle 13 and Rex Ryan - Head coach of the New York Jets. I am in good company here.

If all goes as planned in two years I will be receiving my master’s degree in Richmond, KY.

Mothers Day

Mothers Day has become very bitter sweet around our place. Lariann passed away around this time of year two years ago. It still pains me that Lariann is not able to rais her daughter and that Lucy will not really ever know her mother. We went to the cemetery to put flowers on her grave. Araine, Lucy and I each put one flower in the vase at her grave for Mothers Day.

I am very grateful for the time we had together and I still love her so much.

Also this year my Grandmother passed away a few days before Mothers Day. Grandma Nelson was a great lady. We both shared a love for Pepsi. I have so many great memories of spending time with her up in Oakley Idaho and more recently when she came down here to live in Kaysville at an assisted living center for about the last three years. I lived really close so I would try to get over to see hear as often as I could but maybe not as often as I should. Lucy got the chance to get to know Grandma Great, as we called her. I had the wonderful chance to say good bye to her in the hospital the night before she passed away. Before I left the hospital I asked her, “Will you tell Lariann how much I love her and that I miss her?” Grandma looked me and said, “I will”. She was such a great lady and she will be missed.

With this bitter we still have a lot of sweet to be happy for. I have several wonderfull mothers in my life.

My mother in law Carrie, Arianes Mom, is a great lady who loves Lucy like she is one of her own grand children. We didn’t get a chance to see her this mothers day as she is with her son John and his wife Emily who graduated this weekend from college at the University of Northern Colorado.

Her other grandkids call her “Nanny”, but Lucy calls her “Manny” and Carrie thinks it’s hilarious.

My mother in law Lorain who we have great relationship with and still a lot of, Lorain still treats me like I am her son and Ariane is her daughter in law.

It’s really great how wonderful she is with everything, she just as excited as mine and Arianes mothers about our new baby.

My own mother who I know is really hurting these after losing her own Mom but puts on such a brave face for all of us. She is most wonderful Mother I could ask for.

She has given us so much help, support and love. I love her so much and am so grateful for her.


Finally my wife Ariane who I love with all my heart, she is such a great woman. She loves Lucy like she is her own daughter and if you ask her she will tell you that Lucy is her daughter.

I’m so happy to have Ariane in my life. She has made our house a home again and we are so happy to have her.

Easter 2001

I know it was a week ago but I am just now getting around to putting up the Easter pictures

Lucy was a little confused about what the Easter Bunny does exactly. When she got up Sunday morning she came into our room and told us what he was going to bring her, which was mostly a lot of toys. She seems to think that he operates much like Santa. After I explained that the Easter Bunny doesn’t bring a lot, if any toys mostly just candy she had a break down. Once she calmed down and went and found her Easter basket she seemed to forget all her previous concerns.

She did get a small toy and a movie in her basket in addition to all the candy, special thanks to my brother-in-law Devin who got us a bunch of candy for free from his work, you rock man.
There was also a new outfit for her.

Lucy and Ariane went up to put some new flowers on Larianns tomb stone, along with Grandma and Grandpa Evans.

After church we went up to Ariane’s parents where the Easter Bunny had hidden many eggs for Lucy and her two cousins to find. Another special thanks for my sister-in-law Chelsea who put candy in all the plastic eggs for the kids to find. Here are some pictures of Lucy and River hunting for eggs, not pictured is her other cousin Liam who was off somewhere away from the girls.

We had a really fun Easter and I will try to explain to Lucy about the Independence Day celebration before she expects Uncle Sam to come through our door passing gifts.

Star Wars Parenting

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away……
Or rather several months ago in this galaxy…

My cousin Sarah sent me a link to this video. I think it has a very important mesasge, so please watch it before you read the rest of the post.



I have taken this video to heart and have immersed my Lucy into the “Star Wars” universe.

I have shown her all six of the “Star Wars” movies. She watches and enjoys them, but there are parts of the movies where there just isn’t enough happening to keep a small child’s attention. So I got Lucy her own “Star Wars” movie. It’s an animated CGI movie called “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”. It’s a little faster paced with more action just what a little girl needs to keep her attention.


“Star Wars” is also in fashion at our house, Lucy has several “Star Wars” shirts and Ariane has even gotten in on it as well.

For last Halloween you may recall that Lucy requested we be “Star Wars”, so we went as Jedi Knight and Padawan.

Lucy asked to have a “Star Wars” party this year, so I went all out with table cloths, cups, and plates even a Darth Vader to hang on the door. Lucy’s aunt Liz was nice enough to make an R2-D2 cake for her. I'd also like to thank my friends Marc and Hali for going and buying "Star Wars" shirst for their whole family just for this occasion.

Speaking of Aunt Liz, her and Uncle John gave Lucy some “Star Wars” pancake shapers for this last Christmas. Lucy loves having pancakes shaped like the Millennium Falcon and an X-Wing fighter. How ever she refuses to eat the Tie Fighter saying she doesn’t want to eat the bad guy’s ship. Maybe it doesn’t taste as good, who knows?

While in Disneyland Lucy got to meet some “Star Wars” characters, she thought the Storm Troopers were the best, she said they were funny and were nice to her.

She did not say the same things about Darth Maul, she said he was mean and scary.


Lucy and I enjoy playing “Star Wars together as well. We have light saber fights and she as some of her own action figures, because mine are too nice to let a small child play with.

Lucy thinks it’s great when we play “Star Wars" on the Nintendo. We have the “Lego Star Wars” game for our Wii. Mostly it’s me playing the game while she holds the paddle and jumps around thinking she is playing as well. Hey what ever makes her happy?

Her favorite character is R2-D2. She's really cute when she prettends to be R2 and runs around the house making beeping, whining and whirring noises to try and imitate R2-D2

Her least favorite character is Darth Vader, though Darth Maul seems to be a close second. She refuses to play with the Darth Vader toy, which is then who I usually end up playing with, and has so far tried to throw him away and give him away to other kids. I hang on to him just incase she changes her mind.

I’m doing everything I can to make sure Jar Jar Binks is NOT her favorite character and trying to get her like Darth Vader more then Jar Jar Binks





Judging by the evidence here and I say I'm doing a prett good job of teaching Lucy all about "Star Wars".

Oh Boy!

Ariane had a visit with the obstetrician last week and we found out that we are having a boy. Arinae was surprised she thought the baby would be a girl and Lucy was angry when we told her the baby would be a little brother. She really wanted a sister and she has been trying all kinds of ways to change it into a sister. We still have about 20 more weeks to get her used to the idea that the baby will be a boy.

As for me, I’m just excited to be having another baby. There was a time that I was certain that Lucy would be my only child. I had no feelings either way, I’m just happy to be expanding my family again.

Now we can hand down all the baseball and other sports shirts that I bought for Lucy to our new son. If you’re in need of ideas for gifts remember my favorite teams are the St. Louis Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Utah Jazz, Weber State Wildcats & Utah Utes. Also anything firefighter themed would also be awesome.

So now we can open it up to any and all name suggestions for boys. I look forward to turning your ideas down.

If we don’t pick your name remember: Your ideas are very important to us. However we have decided to go in a different direction. We look forward to working with you again in the future.

Final Four

It’s one of my favorite times of the year again, the NCAA mens basketball tournament. I’ve taken four days off so I can devote myself to watching college hoops all day with being interrupted by things like work and sleep.

Here are my picks for this years Final Four

Kansas Jayhawks

Florida Gators

Ohio State Buckeyes

Duke Blue Devils

I have the Buckeyes and Jayhawks in the championship game with Kansas winning it all.

Here are some other "Four" teams from the tournament

Four teams I'd like to see do well

Clemson Tigers

I was there on my mission

Utah State Aggies

Like to pull for the local teams

San Diego State Aztecs

From the old Mountain West Conference

Arizona Wildcats

From the new PAC 12 Confrence

Four teams I'd like to see loose ASAP

byu cougars

Always hated them

Kentucky wildcats

Utes never beat them

Michigan Wolverines

Never have liked them much

Richmond Spiders

I can't stand spiders

Four weirdest mascots

Indiana State Sycamores

A tree, really?

UC Santa Barbra Gauchos

A Mexican Cowboy

Akron Zips

No idea what that is

Saint Peter’s Peacocks

Possible the least feared mascot in the tournament

Four teams that use the Wildcat as their mascot

The most common mascot in this year’s tournament

Villanova

Arizona

Kentucky

Kansas State

Four teams I wish had made it into the tournament this year

Weber State Wildcats

My alma mater

Utah Utes

I’ve always been a fan of them

Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Doing some on-line grad school there

South Carolina Gamecocks

Was there on my mission

What are your picks, who are your likes and dislikes?

Let all of us know what you think.