We recently bought a trolling motor for our pontoon boat. The motor has three ways to control it: a handheld joystick, a foot pedal, and through our fish finder. There were many resources at my disposal to prepare for operating the motor before we took it out, but even as a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, I wasn’t motivated to do so. We got on the water and I shifted the motor into the water with ease because of the simple design and pressed a big blue button that said, "po

It’s been almost a year since Jack’s Perthes journey began. It started with limping when he walked, then an X-ray and MRI, diagnosis, and a first and second opinion, ultimately deciding on casting and bracing as the best option. Most of the time when someone sees Jack using his crutches and comments, they ask what happened, likely expecting that he broke his leg or had some other relatively common injury. If Heather or I are around, he just turns to us and asks us to explain,

“Golf That Matters” is more than the 3M Open’s tagline. After spending four days volunteering there, I came to appreciate just how many different ways golf can matter. According to their website, “The 3M Open is a mechanism to give back to our community and demonstrate the many unexpected ways we can improve lives while showcasing the world’s greatest golfers.” I realized that “Golf That Matters” isn’t only about charitable giving, it’s also about the experiences the tourname

This past weekend my parents brought my DR Brush Mower from back in Wisconsin so I could clear areas inside our yard and outside our fence that had become overgrown. The mower can pretty much clear any area including trees up to about an inch and a half. After clearing the back corner of the yard, I started going around larger trees on a side hill and didn’t realize I was going right over a huge chunk of cut oak. The machine abruptly stopped and I shut it down to inspect.

I recently read “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins , and it sparked a connection that’s been sticking with me, especially when I think about how I handle emotionally charged moments in my everyday life, like the moment captured in the picture where I slipped and fell in the yard this past weekend. Whether it’s a frustrating conversation, an annoying behavior, or a situation that just doesn’t feel fair, we all experience those moments where our immediate reaction takes over

This past summer, our son Jack started limping out of the blue without any apparent injury. Heather took him to the doctor, where they did an X-ray that didn’t show anything, so the doctor recommended monitoring the situation and then doing an MRI if needed down the road. Jack’s limping continued, and after the MRI, the doctor called and said he was referring us to an expert for a hip disease called Perthes. Heather contacted the referral, Gillette Children’s, but an appointm

A few weeks ago, I received a reminder that my continuing education was due for my Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation. It’s hard to believe it’s been 16 years since I first earned it. At the time, I pursued the designation to better understand the experience, as my team was exploring including it in a new advisor development program we were leading. Back then, many of the concepts felt familiar because I worked closely with financial advisors every day. But

While I can’t speak for anyone else, the answer is NO for this 47 year old as I sit in the waiting room of Summit Orthopedics with crutches and a boot issued by hometown emergency room. A few weeks ago, I saw a Facebook post about an alumni basketball game over the holidays. Marinette versus Menominee, or the legendary M&M game as it’s known back home. I haven’t played much basketball recently, other than coaching Jack’s team last year, but I still consider myself in pretty

It seems like this winter it snows almost every day in Minnesota. It’s quite a shift from the last couple of winters, and the steady rhythm of snowfall has made me reflect on 2025 as a whole. In many ways, the constant snow feels like the constant challenges this year brought. And judging by the news, the conversations we all have, and the posts we scroll through, we’re not the only ones who feel that way. With a recent health diagnosis in our family, we’ve asked ourselves mo

Our basement project has been a big reminder for me about how growth really works. Right now, the bathroom floor down there looks like a...

I absolutely love the game of golf—both playing it and watching it. And when it comes to watching, nothing compares to The Masters. From...

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard about the boxing 🥊 match between Jake Paul and 58 year old Mike Tyson including...

I had an important learning need pop up unexpectedly Monday morning. Heather just let our dog Leia outside and I heard a cracking noise....

I woke up on Father’s Day wavering on whether or not I wanted to take the boat on the water for the first time this year. We hadn’t been...

I’ve been spending a lot more time in our yard as Spring has arrived in Minnesota. There are leaves and branches to be picked up,...