The last week or so...

What has been going on?

My birthday was Sunday January 21st. Alicia took me out on Saturday night to one of my favorite places, PF Chang's, for dinner and drinks.


I told her I didn't want a cake or cupcakes to celebrate my b-day so instead Alicia took me out to breakfast after a Sunday morning run and surprised me by putting a candle in my scrambled eggs. She even sang "Happy Birthday". What a nice gal



After PF Chang's on Saturday night we decided to head into downtown Minneapolis and check out this bar we'd heard about. It's called the Ice Chamber. It's a bar made entirely from ice that is outdoors in the courtyard of the Chambers Hotel. It was pretty cool.

I'd hate to work an 8-hour bartending shift in 10 degree weather though. Notice - no gloves!

The Sunday of my birthday I spent almost the entire day watching football. Both teams I was rooting for won! Go Bears - for my bud Brutus! Go Colts - for Peyton Manning & anti Bill Belichick! I'll have a post in the next week or so about my Super Bowl predictions.

Until then, Peace and Humptiness forever!

Chicago Trip

I spent Friday Jan. 12th - Monday Jan. 15th in Chicago with Brendan Dwyer. We decided to take a trip to the Windy City to visit our friend Brutus who is battling cancer. The trip started off poorly with both Dwyer's and my flights being delayed multiple hours. While we sat at our respective airports we also found out that Brutus (who was supposed to be at home for the weekend) had a fever and had to be checked into the hospital for the next couple of days. Thankfully we seem to have multiple friends everywhere so we gave Mr. Drew Kurtz a call and he opened his door to us for the next couple of nights (congrats to Drew - I found out that his wife Katie is pregnant). Thankfully Brutus's fever went down and he was able to go home on Sunday morning. All in all it ended up being a great trip.

Here are some of the highlights:

Friday Jan. 12th:

• Picking up keys to Drew's place from a local liquor store
• Red Line trip to Finn McCool's to drink huge beers
• Dwyer getting a round of beers bought for us by a woman wearing bottom (teeth) braces

Saturday Jan. 13th:

• Brunch from Timothy O'Tools
• Getting to hang out at Northwestern Memorial Hospital with Brutus, Dwyer and Drew
• Playing plenty of Scattergories (small computer) & Yahtzee in the hospital
• Watching two great NFL games (I'm kinda rooting for the Colts)
• Taking the Brown Line into Lincoln Park to go bowling with Dwyer & Lindsey Newman
• Walking 2 miles back to Drew's with Dwyer (the human compass)

Sunday Jan. 14th:

• Meeting Roy & Glenda Armin
• Watching the Bears sneak by the Seachickens
• Witnessing the Chargers self destruct verses the Patriots
• Enjoying Xbox 360 (I love hockey games)

Monday Jan. 15th:

• Hooters, Hooters, Hooters! (The restaurant)
• Not being delayed 3 hours at the airport

Good to see everyone in Chicago. See ya'll at Dwyer's wedding/bachelor party! Brutus - kick that cancer's ass!!

Dad's Surprise 50th Party

Pops turned 50. We had a big party for him a couple of weeks before his actual birthday and he never saw it coming.


Dad walking into the party

Alicia, me, Mitch, Mom & Dad

Paul Kruse, Cindi, Steve and Derek

Bob & Marty Sullivan, Don & Jeanie Stapleton, and Monica Kruse

All in all it was a great time. Surprise parties are super fun when the person that the party is for never saw it coming.

Happy New Year!

I know I'm a little slow but I'm new at this. Enjoy some pictures from our New Year's Bash:


The Anderson Clan


Derek & I being suave! (By the way - look at my finger. That is as straight as I can point. Crazy!)

Myself, Alicia, Justin & Christy

Jarvy, Kelsey, Me, Alicia, Jake, Rachel & Anton

Good luck with your New Year's resolutions!