Mr. Anderson

Meet Steve & Cindi Pehowski

2009-01-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

On Saturday October 25th Cindi Hoch married Steve Pehowski in Green Bay, WI. It was great to see a number of people that I hadn't seen in a while. Also - it was Alicia's first real trip to Green Bay. It was eye opening to say the least.

Jarvy and I had the pleasure of DJing the reception

And then there was the after party...

Congrats to Steve & Cindi! Look forward to seeing you soon.

Stefanie Igtanloc 1979-2008

2009-01-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

On Thursday October 16th my friend Stefanie (Anderson) Igtanloc passed away at the age of 29 after a 12-month battle with ovarian cancer. She was a college friend of mine from Osseo, MN. She was one of the nicest people around and was taken from us way too soon.

We will all miss you Stef. Rest in peace.

Beautiful Fall Day...

2009-01-19T14:14:00.001-08:00

It's Saturday October 11th and it's a gorgeous Fall day. What do you do?

Go on a nice hike through Afton State Park

Follow it up by heading to The Village Pub for the "We Try Hard" Fall Beer Bust!

I love the Fall!

"Shooter" Shawn Buehre's 30th Birthday Party

2009-01-19T14:07:00.000-08:00

On Friday October 10th my good friend Shawn Buehre turned 30. His girlfriend Ciera threw a surprise party for him at Maxwell's Pub. Many of our good friends showed up for the shindig.

Here is Shawn, Shawn's mom and I

The crew. Someone must have locked Easton outside.

Happy birthday bud!

Leech Lake 2008

2009-01-19T13:55:00.000-08:00

I spent September 30th through October 2nd in Walker,MN with my buddy Joe Tuccitto. I typically go fishing with Joe a couple of days before he closes his cabin for the winter. This year I got really lucky fishing and pulled out some monster walleyes.

I know I'm not going to pull fish like this out of the lake every year. Here is photographic evidence that it happened once.

Oktoberfest 2008

2009-01-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it?!? Oktoberfest has come and gone again! This year it we were in LaCrosse over the weekend of Sept. 26-28th and we brought a couple of newbies (Malinda, Zach & Easton).

Another year on the drums
Our "drinking shirts"

Zach, Easton and I

My sister is "special"

Alicia & Donnie. I can't remember the last time Donnie made it festing.

Another year down and more memories. Looking forward to next year!

Twins vs. White Sox

2009-01-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

On September 25th Jon Wrolstad and I attended a great baseball game at the Metrodome.

I think Jon set the scene and described the game the best...

"Okay, I have to set the stage for this post... Mike and I are big Twins fans and with 6 games left in the season we trailed the White Sox by 2.5 games. The Twins had the White Sox at home for 3 games and if they won all 3 they would take the division lead and be playoff bound. So I called Mike and said if they win the first 2 games we should go to the 3rd game. The Twins won the first game. The second game was close and it wasn't on TV here so I was "watching" it on ESPN.com GameCast. Before I even knew who won (GameCast was going really slow) Mike called with the good news, we won! So we got tickets for the 3rd game. We go to the game, it starts off a little slow. Then we go to get beer and hot dogs and the Twins are down 1-6 when we come back. Apparently the Twins only like to win when we are watching them. So it was the fourth inning and we were down, but Mike and I remained hopeful. We slowly start coming back and in the 8th inning Gomez and Span tie up the game with a single and a triple. The crowd is going nuts at this point. Top of the 9th and 10th we bring in Joe Nathan. The White Sox can do nothing. Bottom of the 10th Casilla drove in Punto to win the game and take first place in the division. All we need to do is beat the hapless Royals and we are in the playoffs and have a lot of momentum behind us.... At least that is how it should have gone, but we ended up in a one-game playoff with the White Sox that is at Chicago due to our poor coin-flip calling abilities and didn't make the playoffs. Despite the rest of the season, it was the best baseball game that I have ever been to. I'm already looking forward to next year!"

Erin "Peck"ermen turns 30!

2009-01-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

On September 20th Erin "Peck" Zimmerman celebrated her 30th birthday at The Lion's Pub in Minneapolis. I grew a fu for the occasion. Good times.

NFL Season Begins - Vikings @ Packers

2009-01-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Cindi & Steve, Jarvy and I were able to attend the September 8th Monday night season opening game at Lambeau Field. It was my first game at Lambeau Field since 1996.

Although the Vikings lost it was a really good time. I have a feeling Minnesota will get the last laugh (because I'm posting this in January). Thanks again Cindi & Steve!

Labor Day Weekend 2008

2008-09-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Alicia and I spent Labor Day weekend in Onalaska, WI. We had a couple of wedding scheduled - ironically they were both at the same church.

On Saturday August 30th we attended the wedding of my high school friend Shawn Harper. It was great to see some faces I hadn't seen in a long time

Shawn & I

Alicia & I enjoying the reception
Congrats to Shawn & Tina Harper!

Alicia & I spent the next morning playing with McKinley (who is now 7 months old). I think he had a good time on our hike but I think he enjoyed the left over bubbles from Shawn Harper's wedding the most. He chased those things for hours.

Later that day we got all dressed up again in order to attend the wedding of Jonathan Wrolstad & Danielle Sullivan (Chad's cousin). I had the honor of being an usher in the wedding.
The Ushers - Kevin Miller, Jarvy & I

Alicia & I posing at the reception
The dance was a really fun time. People actually spent some time on the dance floor!
Rob & Jen McGarry with Alicia & I
After the wedding Rob McGarry and I thought it would be a great idea to climb the huge sunfish that sits off of Lake Onalaska. The fish is actually pretty big. Perhaps it was the booze but it was much harder to get to the top of the damn thing then we initially anticipated.
Yet another fun weekend. Congrats to Jon & Danielle Wrolstad.

Guess what? Next time I'll be in Onalaska/LaCrosse it'll be Oktoberfest. Heck yeah!

Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation & BAMFA Weekend 2008

2008-09-06T14:14:00.001-07:00

On Friday August 22nd the Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation held their 1st fundraising golf tournament just outside of Chicago, IL. Many of Brutus's friends traveled to Chicago to make the event

Hart & Drew
Nalini & Katie

Corey, Brendan & Robin
The fellas from the Twin Cities - Jarvy, Tapper, Shawn, Zimm & I
After we played in the golf tournament we hit up some local establishments. We all must have been having a great time because Katie Kurtz wound up dancing on the bar and...
Corey passed out in the hallway of our hotel with his pants undone.

On Saturday August 23rd we all spent the evening at Roy & Glenda Armin's house. They volunteered to host the 1st annual BAMFA Fantasy Football Draft. We all really appreciated the hospitality.

It was great to see everyone. I did find myself really missing Brutus though. I'm sure he is really proud of the money his foundation is raising for Sarcoma research. I hope this is an event and a weekend that we all have for many years to come.

Europe 2008

2008-09-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Since Derek & Nicole decided to get married in both the United States and Germany Alicia and I thought it would be fun to plan a vacation around the German wedding. We departed Minneapolis on Thursday August 7th and planned a trip that would include London, Dublin, Berlin, smaller German cities and Prague. We returned to Minneapolis the evening of Wednesday August 20th. Since this was both of our first times in Europe we were very excited. We had a great time and took lots of pictures. Here are some of them...

London

Big Ben with The London Eye in the background and Parliament in the foreground

Me standing in front of Admiralty Arch. This was only a couple of blocks from our hotel.
Houses of Parliament
Me (the giant) standing in one of the many wee English pubs we visited
Buckingham Palace

Overall London was our favorite place. The weather was cold and overcast for most of our visit but we really enjoyed ourselves. We hope to visit again in the near future and plan much more time to see the city. Oh yeah - and we'll pack much warmer clothes.

Dublin

The River Liffey that runs through the heart of Dublin.

Campanile and Trinity College courtyard

Me standing in front of Christ Church (built in 1030)
The gates leading to the Guinness Brewery (built in 1759)
A view of Dublin (from the Guinness Brewery Pub)
Jameson Whiskey Distillery

Inside a typical Irish pub

They say that Guinness tastes different in Ireland. They are right! That's a tasty beverage. All in all Dublin was super fun. We enjoy the sites and the friendly people. We would definitely go back.

Berlin

Me standing in front of the East Side Gallery which is the inner portion of the Berlin Wall. This is the only stretch of the wall that still stands. It is used as an artistic view of what the wall used to be.

The Reichstag Building - built in 1894 and housed the first parliament of the German Empire.
The Berlin Cathedral
Checkpoint Charlie - this is what you read before you cross from West Berlin into East Berlin.

We took a day trip 45 minutes outside Berlin to Potsdam, Germany. This is Heather, Donnie and Alicia at Park Sanssouci in Potsdam.

Park Sanssouci windmill
Schloss Sanssouci at Park Sanssouci in Potsdam
Of course we consumed MANY German beers!

From Berlin we took a train to Waldenburg, Germany. This is the city in which Derek and Nicole would get married, again. Chad, Liz, Jarvy, Kelsey and Justin joined Donnie, Heather, Alicia and I there. The first night we were in town Nicole's family had all of us over for dinner. Pictured below are the guys getting reacquainted with one another.

Heather, Nicole, Marina (Nicole's German friend) and Alicia

Derek and Justin mocking the Wep's girls
After we left the Wep's house we headed to our cabins for an after party. Here are Donnie, Nicole, Derek and I stopping for a photo opportunity.
Time for the wedding, site - Waldenburg Castle
Alicia and I before the wedding
Nicole & Derek after the ceremony preparing for the champagne toast.

It is a tradition to have the bride and groom saw a log in half to show teamwork in their first task together. I think their first task was a little more difficult then they anticipated.
Another German tradition included a race to cut out half of a heart drawn on a bed sheet. Nicole got the big scissors and Derek got ones that were intended for an infant. Of course Nicole won the race. After they both finished cutting Derek carried Nicole through the heart. I think that meant something but I'm not sure.
Instead of a guestbook, guests had their picture taken with their faces inside this picture frame. Looks like I missed the memo detailing the need to smile.
Derek, Monica (Derek's mom) and I during the reception.

Germany was the most fun place we visited but we put it in a different category than London, Dublin and Prague due to the amount of time we spent there and the amount of friends we knew. Alicia and I are looking forward to going back in 2010!

Prague

Sunset on the River Vltava

Me standing by the famous "Piss" Sculpture. Needs no explanation.
Prague skyline
Wallenstein Palace and Gardens
Wallenstein Grotesquery (Dripstone Wall)

Prague's famous Astronomical Clock. This clock does a little dancer every hour with the 12 apostles dancing, death ringing a bell and a rooster doing who knows what.

The Dancing House
Alicia and I looking over southern Prague
Crazy Freud sculpture. Yes he is hanging off a building.
Amazing shot of Wenceslas Square at night
Prague was absolutley breathtaking. It's amazing what a city can look like when it has been untouched by war. The weather in Prague was much nicer as well. It felt good to wear shorts. Also - 24 Koruna ($1.50) bought a half liter of beer. Sign me up!

Europe was a great experience. Congrats to Derek & Nicole on their second wedding. Alicia and I truly can't wait to go back to see all our friends (old and new). Hopefully it doesn't take us another 29 years to get there again.

Kruse Wedding - USA Style

2008-09-04T09:04:00.001-07:00

On Saturday August 2nd Derek Kruse and Nicole Weps enjoyed the first of their two weddings. This wedding took place in LaCrosse/Onalaska Wisconsin. They had a clear (but very warm) day for a beautiful outdoor ceremony. It was great to see so many great, good looking people!

Justin Kruse, myself, Jarvy and Kooter rocked the head table!

Even old man Anderson & Stapleton got into the fun. Tequila was involved.

Derek and I (and some dude scaring people behind us)

Group shot

It was a fabulous day. Congrats to Derek & Nicole! We look forward to doing it again in Germany.

Derek Kruse Bachelor Party

2008-09-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

There is a rumor that Derek Kruse had a bachelor party in the LaCrosse area on Thursday July 31st. I'm going to speculate that this is merely a rumor though because there is absolutely no photographic evidence. Oh well.

Jon Wrolstad's Bachelor Party

2008-09-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

On Saturday July 26th Jesse Wickizer (Wrolstad's Best Man) held a bachelor party for Jon Wrolstad. The day begin with brunch at Marge's Lakeview in Onalaska (I think it has a new name but I'm still going to call it Marge's). From there we headed out to Ettrick, WI (I think) for some paintball. Come to find out - I'm not a very patient paintball player.

From there we got cleaned up and returned to the Wrolstad residence for some food & drinks, cards, Wii and beer pong. Fairly laid back but nice. Thanks to everyone who turned my skin shades of red, purple and green from paintball. Look forward to seeing everyone at the wedding.

Baseball Trip 2008 - New York

2008-09-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

Every year Mitch and I make it a point to attend a baseball game at a stadium that we've never been to before. This year due to the closing of two major stadiums we decided to catch two games in New York.

View from the Empire State Building

Our first game was NY Yankees vs. our Minnesota Twins on Monday July 21st. Unfortunately the Yankees put a beating on the Twins. Final score was 12-4. Yankee Stadium was great though. It had a very historic feel to it. It was also very "dressed up" because the All-Star game was played there only a week earlier.

On Tuesday July 22nd we caught the Mets vs. Phillies game at Shea Stadium. Everyone around the world seems to know that Yankee Stadium is being torn down but nobody seems to be aware of the fact that Shea Stadium is also in its final season. Anyway - the stadium was cool although it was very isolated. There were no bars within walking distance which was a bummer. The game featured ex-Twin Johan Santana pitching for the Mets. It was fun rooting for one of our favorite players. Overall Shea was a great time!

Mitch enjoyed his first experience in NY and he's already talking about next year. We'll have to wait until April/May before we decide where were going. Should be fun regardless.

"We Try Hard" to grow mustaches...

2008-07-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

On Monday July 14th the "We Try Hard" summer season came to an end. Although we played fairly well during the season we decided to crap our pants in the playoffs. Going to the last game of our season we decided there was only one thing a group of grown men could do to stop a softball losing streak - GROW MUSTACHES!

It worked. We won.

My mom would be so proud.

Roommates - Ace & Gary.

Nice try Steve. Jared keep it goin' buddy!

Our cheering squad. I don't think they loved the mustache idea all that much.

Shawn, Justin and I decided to hit a dive bar to pick up some classy ladies.

Good times. I'd make an excellent cop.

Chicago Cubs - 2008

2008-07-16T10:08:00.001-07:00

Alicia and I spent July 11th-13th in Chicago, IL (Wicker Park) with our friends Drew & Katie Kurtz and there one year old daughter Reyna.

This was Alicia's first outdoor professional baseball game so she was super excited!

Katie got us great tickets on the 1st base side.

After a dreary morning the weather changed for the better and it ended up being a nice afternoon.

Group shots...

Cubs WIN 8-7 in 11 innings!!

Can't come to a Cubs game and not pose for a picture on Wiener Street.

Thanks to the Kurtz family for a great weekend! You have a beautiful home and Reyna is gorgeous. Look forward to seeing you in August.

July 4th Weekend & LaCrosse Riverfest

2008-07-16T09:59:00.001-07:00

Alicia and I brought Alicia's sister Malinda and her dog Maggy back to LaCrosse for the July 4th weekend. We thought it would be fun to introduce Maggy to McKinley as well as show Malinda the Coulee Region. I think Malinda just wanted to head to Riverfest in order to watch Slaughter but that's just my opinion.

Maggy loved the river and swimming!

We lucked out. It was a very beautiful, relaxing weekend. Malinda & Maggy are welcome to come visit anytime.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-07-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

My mom, Lori Anderson, turned 50 years old on June 22nd. We celebrated the event on Saturday June 28th at Coulee Golf Bowl in Onalaska. Nothing like friends & family, bowling and beer to celebrate a half-century of kicking butt and taking names!

Isaac Stapleton made an appearance. Ever since I put him in a Minnesota Vikings shirt he seems to cry when I pick him up. I must remind him that he's doomed for a lifetime of GB Packer allegiance.

Opening one of many amusing presents...

Thanks to everyone who stopped by. It was a great night. Hope everyone had fun.

Twins vs. Brewers (Minneapolis style)

2008-07-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Friday June 27th brought Jared Flewellen's bachelor party (version 2). He decided to have a 2nd party in the Twin Cities to allow more of his local friends to attend. We all went in on a suite for the Twins vs. Brewers game in the Metrodome. Highlights included keg stands, illegal seating assignments, unlimited game time beer, getting home fairly early and fortunately missing Shawn's moving projectile vomiting show. Good times yet again.

Why am I stressed?!?

2008-06-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to run Grandma's Marathon on June 21st. Unfortunately what I thought was typical calf pain turned into something much worse. After battling an ever increasing limp for six weeks I went in to see an Orthopedic doc and a simple x-ray diagnosed a stress fracture in my left fibula. Nothing like training since March and finding out three days before the race that you can't run. Like the Dude said, "that's a bummer man".

Twins vs. Brewers (Milwaukee style)

2008-06-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Or should I say Old Style?!? A crew of us spent the weekend of June 13-15 in Milwaukee for Jared Flewellen's bachelor party (version 1). Highlights included a flooded 10.5 hour drive to Milwaukee, running into Dani Yarie (Lish's college friend), the "H-Bomb", Brandon trapped in a glass cage of emotion at The Safehouse, Vice finagling sack lunches at 2:30am from a neighboring hotel, Dirty Dancing, Vice texting "meat gazer" to a 17 year old girl, a diverse drive to the Lakefront Brewery, the Pied Piper of chicks, Jared shitting (and cleaning) his shorts, random gift of front row tickets, the glasses, a suspenseful Twins victory, the vanishing of Matt Vice, George Webb's restaurant and getting pulled over at 3:00am while walking down the street. Good times.

Grand Old Day 2008

2008-06-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

How can it be June already?!? June 1st brought the 2008 installment of St. Paul's Grand Old Day. Participants this year included Shawn & Anton as well as the usual crew of Alicia, Malinda and Zach. The band lineup was not nearly as good this year but fortunately we got good weather so beer + sun = fun.

Shawn, Anton, Alicia's high school friend Dan and I

Until next year. Blink and it'll be here again...

Twins vs. Yankees (Minneapolis style)

2008-06-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

On Friday May 30th we had a "couples" night at the ballpark. Alicia and I joined Lish's friends Matt & Alice and Adam & Kim at the Metrodome to watch the Minnesota Twins take on the hated NY Yankees.

Kim, Alice and Alicia

Unfortunately the Yankees won this time around. Hopefully when I see them in NY in July the result will be different.

Memorial Day Weekend 2008

2008-06-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

Following Steve & Tina's wedding we had a full weekend lined up. On Saturday May 24th Alicia and I spent the afternoon in Robbinsdale, MN at Lish's friends Matt & Alice James. They had a BBQ with music, lawn games and card games. Later that evening we went to Sally's Saloon to wish Shawn's gal Ciera congratulations on her graduation from the University of Minnesota.

On Sunday May 25th we drove down to LaCrosse, WI and spent time with my friends and family. Gary and Margo Jacob had a BBQ and took us all out on their boat. We got to spend some time with lil' Isaac Stapleton.

Later that evening we went over to the Kruse household and celebrated Justin and Monica's birthday's. Nothing says happy b-day like beer, brats, beer pong and German liquor.

We had a lazy morning in Onalaska with my family. My sister, I mean my parents recently got a new dog. Meet McKinley...

Lots of fun had by all. Time to sleep.

Steve & Tina McHenry

2008-06-24T07:41:00.001-07:00

On May 23rd Steve McHenry picked one vagina for the rest of his life and wed Christina Miller in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Minneapolis. Props to the thug that yelled "you don't know where he was last night" from his vehicle as he strolled by.

Lish and I

Anton & Amanda

Heidi Hovis, Megan Tasca, Erin Cox and I on the dance floor.

Group shot

Steve and I with the serious pose

Classic black & white pick of Christina, Kelsey and Alicia

Congrats to Steve & Tina. Have fun on your honeymoon in Australia and New Zealand!

"We Try Hard" Spring Beer Bust

2008-06-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

May 17th brought the semi-annual installment of the "We Try Hard" fundraiser/beer bust. We truly outdid ourselves this year. Apparently we really love PBR, beer pong, tippy cup and bustin' a move on the dance floor.

Hopefully I remember more of the event next year.

Prostate Cancer

2008-06-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

It seems cancer has been an epidemic amongst my friends and family recently. In January I buried my great friend Brutus. On April 25th I buried my grandfather - who passed away due to Prostate Cancer. My grandmother has Uterine Cancer. My good friend Korrin Stanek has dealt with cancer that has infected her friends and family. Donnie & Heather Stapleton, who know cancer all to well, recently discovered that there mother Margo has Colon Cancer. And now - my father has been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. His surgery was May 5th to have his prostate removed. The doc says they discovered everything extremely early so things are looking positive. That's a tough sell to my dad considering he had to say goodbye to his father less than a month ago. Although I truly feel he will beat this (as will Margo) this is yet another reminder to appreciate the people you are close to. Never forget to tell people you love them. Give free hugs.

Wildman Weekend

2008-06-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

May 2nd-4th seemed like a good time to head to northern Wisconsin (Athelstane, WI - roughly 20 miles from the Upper Peninsula) and hit up "The Wildman Resort" for some white water rafting. Who cares that it was still snowing?!? Did I mention it was for Steve McHenry's bachelor party?!? Booyah!

No fatalities. Good times.

"We Try Hard" yet again!

2008-06-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

Monday April 28th brought the first game of the 2008 softball season.

Here is the roster for our usual squad:

Brandon Borgen: Pitcher, 1B
Jared Flewellen: 1B, Pitcher, Catcher
Jesse Hogan: Catcher, 1B, Pitcher
Matt Vice: 2B, Catcher
Jason Cole: SS, 2B
Justin Kruse: OF, SS, 3B
Nick Manders: OF
Shawn Buehre: OF
Mitch Williams: OF, 2B
Steve Anderson: OF
Mike Anderson: 3B

Looks like a good squad. I think we've got a chance this year. I'll let you know...

Meet your 2008 Minnesota Twins

2008-04-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

Monday March 31st was opening night for Alicia and my favorite baseball team – the Minnesota Twins. Our squad opened the year by welcoming ex-Twin Torii Hunter and his new team the Los Angeles Angels. We were lucky enough to get some tickets to the game.

Mother Nature welcomed the new season to Minneapolis with 7 inches of snow.

Alicia and I welcomed the new season by stuffing our faces with Dome Dogs.

The view from our Home Run Porch seats.

We went to O'Donovan's after the fabulous 3-2 Twins victory and were joined by Alicia's friends Nicole and Emily.

Here's to another season of Minnesota Twins baseball!

St. Paddy's Day(s) - 2008

2008-04-02T10:58:00.001-07:00

We got the privilege of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day twice this year – once on a weekend (Saturday March 15th) and once on the actual day (Monday March 17th). As per usual the beer was flowing like wine…

St. Paul - St. Patrick's Day Parade

Malinda & Alicia

Alicia and I

Shawn and I

Cheers!

Dunwoody College Custom Training

2008-03-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

We recently had a professional photographer come into work and snap a bunch of shots of our team for some marketing materials and various publications. Below are a couple of the pictures that made me laugh.

We look like The Channel 5 News Team

Here is our "soft skills" desk picture. Cheesy, eh?

I won't dare share the headshots.

Burp Fart Retires

2008-03-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday March 4th Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre officially announced his retirement. As a die hard Minnesota Vikings fan I immediately did cartwheels when I heard the news. I wish GB good luck with the Aaron Rodgers era.

To pay tribute I posted a few of my favorite Burp Fart pictures:

Here Brett looks like an awkward 10th grade boy

Here is Brett in braces playing a phallic game with Coach Walrus

Here is Brett getting his mind crushed

Here is Brett doing his best Kip Dynamite impression. Nice stache.

Rockin' the stache once again.

On a serious note, Brett Favre was one of the greatest QB's of all time. I always respected the way that he played the game of football and would have loved to have him on my team. The NFL may never see another player like him.

Mr. & Mrs. Josh Dwuznick

2008-03-28T13:07:00.001-07:00

On Saturday February 16th my college buddy Josh Dwuznick married his college sweetheart Polly Czech. Although they live in Oregon the wedding took place in the Twin Cities. I was honored to be asked to be a groomsman. The wedding brought together many people from our University of Minnesota days that we hadn't seen in a long time. It was a great time!

Congrats to Josh & Polly!

Mr. & Mrs. Zach and Malinda Gahm

2008-02-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

On Saturday February 9th Alicia's sister Malinda married her fiance Zach Gahm. It was another fun filled weekend of wedding bliss. Here's a bit of pictoral documentation...

Alicia, her brother Easton and her sister Malinda

Alicia's mother Vanessa, Alicia and Easton

Alicia's father Gerry, Alicia and Easton

Alicia & Vanessa

Alicia & I

Alicia and her Buffalo High School friends

Malinda & I

Zach & I

Alicia and I getting pulled off the dance floor

Alicia's dad and I towards the end of the night...

Congrats to Malinda & Zach. Enjoy Jamaica!

Kevin & Peggy Miller

2008-02-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

On Saturday February 2nd my good old friend Kevin Miller married his college sweetheart Peggy. Alicia and I made the trip down to LaCrosse to celebrate the big day with him. It was fun to see some faces that I hadn't seen in a while. Fun times.

Yours truly, Jon Wrolstad, Kevin Miller and Aaron Jarvinen

Alicia and I

"The tounge pose" with Rob & Jen McGarry

Congrats to Kevin & Peggy! Hopefully their marriage makes it throught the retirement of Brett Favre.

Another Year, Another Birthday

2008-02-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

On Monday January 21st I turned 29.

Celebrated like any 'Sconi would - with a "flight" of beers & cheese curds.

Wow do I look like a douche without facial hair or what?!?

In Loving Memory of Brett "Brutus" Armin

2008-01-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

Monday January 14th was the memorial service for Brutus. It took place at their Temple in Lombard, IL. Brendan Dwyer and Corey Anderson gave the Eulogy. They did a fantastic job. Pallbearers were Corey, Brendan, Pete Engle (college friend), Devin W. (college friend), Dylan (college friend), Jeff W. (college friend), Russ (high school friend) and myself. I was honored to be asked. Brutus was laid to rest at the Shalom Memorial Park in Arlington Heights, IL. Following the service there was a social event at the Armin home. It was a very difficult day for everyone especially his parents Roy & Glenda. I assured them they will be in all of our lives forever. Brutus made an impression on all of us. We are all better, stronger individuals because of him.

Brutus formed a foundation for Sarcoma research. Please think about giving to this charitable cause.

The Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation

PO Box 1704

Deerfield, IL 60015

NE Minneapolis Pub Crawl

2008-01-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

Following Brut's passing the guys thought it might be a good idea to do a pub crawl of "nordeast" Minneapolis to take my mind off things. The participants were Jarvy, Shawn, Justin and Anton. Megan Tasca, Heidi Hovis and Molly Ward joined us a the tail end.

Below is pub crawl documentation via cell phone cameras...

Thanks everyone. I needed to mentally check out for a while.

Brett "Brutus" Armin

2008-01-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

Born: April 2, 1979 - Died: January 10, 2008

I love you Brutus. You will be missed.

2007 Holiday Update

2008-01-19T16:25:00.000-08:00

Between December 24th and January 1st I celebrate Christmas Eve, Christmas, Alicia’s sister Malinda’s birthday, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and Alicia’s Birthday. Here are some pictures from the 2007 holiday season…

Malinda's fiance Zach and Alicia's brother Easton playing old school Nintendo on New Year's Eve

Malinda and Alicia dancing in 2008

Malinda's birthday dinner

Alicia's family & birthday dinner

Hello 2008!!

Time to see Brutus again!

2008-01-19T16:14:00.000-08:00

On Friday December 21st I swung through Onalaska and picked up my high school friend Dodie Limberg and the two of us drove to Chicago, IL to see our friend Brutus. Brett "Brutus" Armin has been battling a cancer called Sarcoma for over two years. Whenever I have a few days away from work I try to swing down and see him. Corey Anderson is there a couple of times per week and meeting us in Chicago for this trip is Brendan Dwyer and his wife Lori. We all plan on staying until we leave to see our families for Christmas on December 23rd. Brutus is one of the best guys we know and we wish him well.

Below is a random file photo of me, Brendan and Brutus during our NHL Playoff Beard contest.

Congrats Sullivan's!

2008-01-19T08:42:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Chad & Liz Sullivan!

Kayla Sullivan

Born December 2, 2007

6 lbs. 10 ozs. - 19.5 inches

Turkey Bowl XI

2008-01-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

Turkey Bowl XI took place on November 23rd, 2007 (the day after Thanksgiving at 1pm at Onalaska High School). This year we had very hard semi-frozen ground to play on. Fortunately we had no big injuries - although Keach might not remember much.

Black team won 12-7 (or so). Mike Ternes won the MVP. Can't wait for next year.

Gophers vs. Badgers

2007-11-21T10:27:00.001-08:00

November 17th 2007 - Wisconsin Badgers at Minnesota Gophers

Too much red...

The Stapleton's love their Badger football

My sister Rachel made the trip up to back the Gophers!

Shawn likes to give us booze...

Unfortunately the Badgers won 41-34 but it was a great time! We'll get 'em next year!!

Camp Randall

2007-11-21T10:22:00.001-08:00

I went with Shawn on my annual trip to Madison to watch a football game at Camp Randall. Since the Badgers are traveling to Minnesota to play the Gophers I decided to watch the Badgers play the Michigan Wolverines.

Fellas doing some tailgating

Fortunately we went the whole weekend without getting a ticket. Sconi won 37-21. Visiting Camp Randall makes me REALLY look forward to the Gophers getting their outdoor stadium. 2009 is right around the corner...

Bogota, Columbia

2007-11-21T10:05:00.001-08:00

I spent October 29th - November 1st on a business trip (printing consulting) in Bogota, Columbia. I had never been to South America so this was an exciting trip. Unfortunately I spent 99.9% of my time inside working. I did get to travel in an armored car with a personal body guard. That's different, right?

Driving to the facility

Still driving...

Lunch with the "Color Management" Team

It sounds like I'll be headed back sometime in 2008. Perhaps I'll schedule a day or two to site see. Perhaps then I'll have more to tell and better pictures.

Going to see Brutus...

2007-11-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

The weekend of October 26-28th Brendan and I (along with a few others) decided to take a trip to Chicago to see our dear friend Brett "Brutus" Armin. Brut has been battling cancer for some time so we decided to spend a weekend with him and try to lift his spirits.

Imagine our surprise when a limo showed up on Sunday morning with three free tickets to the Bear vs. Lions game. Apparently Brut's old employer from Los Angeles wanted us to have a fabulous day on their tab.

Brendan and Brutus got field passes

Don't tell my family I wore an Urlacher jersey!

After the game we went to Gibson's Steakhouse. $500 later we were full.

It was great to see Brett. He's an amazing guy. I can't wait to see him again in December!

Isaac Jacob Stapleton

2007-11-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

On October 12th 2007 Isaac Jacob Stapleton was born.

Congrats to Donnie & Heather!!

Florida Trip

2007-11-21T09:42:00.000-08:00

From October 9th-15th Alicia and I took a little vacation in Florida. Gary & Margo Jacob were nice enough to let us use their vehicle and condo in Cocoa Beach. We also spent a few days with Korrin in Miami.

Lish on South Beach

Korrin, Alicia and I at the Miami Heat game.

Typical ocean shot

Pale force...

Overall it was a super fun trip. If Gary and Margo will have us we're looking forward to going again next year!

Oktoberfest 2007

2007-11-21T09:29:00.000-08:00

The last weekend of September brought the annual celebration that is Oktoberfest!!

Lish and I

Mike Komperud & Luke Schmidt

The ladies (and Jarvy)

the crew...

It always goes SO FAST!!

Onalaska High School - 10 Year Reunion

2007-11-21T09:18:00.000-08:00

September 1st 2007 - My 10 year high school reunion

Nicole (Page) Wickus & Korrin Stanek

Jenny Fletcher & the artists formally known as Becca Waite and Katie Wilhelm

Becky (Green) & Matt

Donnie, Tyler and I

Ellie (Banks) Frozena & Eric Lyche

Lots of baby pictures! Not there yet...

Grimm's Wedding

2007-11-21T09:10:00.000-08:00

August 25th 2007 - The Wedding of Adam & Jess Grinsteinner

Wedding fun (apparently Zimm's not interested)

The Zimmerman family

Lish and I

Fellas!

Sconi Trip

2007-11-21T08:56:00.000-08:00

The weekend of July 20-22 Jarvy, Shawn, Mitch and I decided to take a trip to Wisconsin. The first stop was in Milwaukee for a Brewers Game.

The next stop was Madison for Donnie Stapleton's 30th birthday party.
Jarvy decided he hates cranes and Shawn decided he'd had enough in general!

Good times!

The KG era ends...

2007-07-31T16:13:00.000-07:00

Kevin Garnett has gone from Minnesota to the Boston Celtics. Although I do feel the deal was essential for Minnesota to rebuild its team in a timely fashion I still can't grasp watching KG in another jersey. Outside of childhood obsession with Michael Jordan, KG is my favorite basketball player of all time. Watching him leave Minnesota is truly sad. Looks like I have a new NBA squad to keep my eyes on. I hope KG finally gets the opportunity to win the championship that Minnesota couldn't provide him. For me an era ends.

http://www.startribune.com/wolves/story/1335180.html

Meet Nick & Molly Thorson

2007-07-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

Another weekend = another wedding. Friday June 19th was the date that my buddy Nick Thorson and his fiancé Molly tied the knot. The ceremony was held in Minnetonka and the reception was held at the U. of Minnesota Alumni Center.

Chris Baldwin, Brendan Dwyer, Nick Thorson and I - apparently it's a black tie affair.

Brendan & Lori Dwyer and I

Molly rockin' the dance floor!

As a funny side note, Nick met Molly in downtown Minneapolis on Halloween when he and Dwyer were dressed as Oompa Loompa's from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Congrats to the new couple!

There's a new Kurtz in town!

2007-07-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday June 20th my friend Drew and his wife Katie had there first child - Reina Anne Kurtz. She weighed in at 5lbs. 14oz. and was 19.5 inches long. Congrats to the new family!

The newest Cubs fan!

Zimmerman & Peck Weekend

2007-07-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

Friday June 15th brought the wedding between Aaron Zimmerman and Erin Peck. The wedding was in Cottage Grove, MN and the reception was in St. Paul.

I had the honor of being a groomsman for Zimm. The best man was his brother Jake and the other groomsman was Adam Grinsteinner. Erin asked Christina Miller, Ginny Watson and Zimm's sister to be bridesmaids. Quinn Cameron, Scott Kadlec and Adam Rowan were ushers.

Walking down the isle

Here are the fellas with the bride.

The ladies with the groom.

Steve McHenry getting his drink on.

Jarvy, Erin and I

Zimm, Dave, and I (obviously towards the end of the night)

Thursday June 14th was the day that Aaron & Erin had there Rehearsal Dinner. The dinner was in South St. Paul, MN. It was good times and great food.

Alicia and I

Quinn, Aaron, Adam and I

This was a great couple of days. It was fun to see everyone again. Congrats to Aaron & Erin!

More Summer Fun!

2007-06-18T11:52:00.001-07:00

On Saturday June 9th we had Aaron Zimmerman's Bachelor Party at Izaty's Resort off of Lake Mille Lacs. Attendees included Curt Zimmerman, Jake Zimmerman, Anton Ternes, Stephen McHenry, Aaron Jarvinen, Adam Grinsteinner, Adam Rowan, Nate Woelfel, Scott Kadlec, Matt Cummings, Quinn Cameron, Bryan Anderson and myself.

We met at noon at the Izaty's Resort condo we had rented. We spent the afternoon drinking beer, grilling food and playing lawn games.

Around 6:00pm we all jumped on a boat and headed on a guided fishing tour on Lake Mille Lacs.

We put $50 on the biggest (in length) walleye caught during the four hour trip. Matt Cummings did not win the contest but easily caught the most fish.

Zimm shows off his 2nd place effort. This fish was around 25 inches long. I used the second walleye I ever caught in my life to win the contest. My walleye was around 26 inches long. Hell yeah!

After the boat launch we hit the resort bar and continued with some drinking and cards. All in all it was an excellent time! If I ever get married I want my bachelor party to be very similar. Congrats again to Zimm on his coming wedding.

June 3rd was the 2007 version of St. Paul's Grand Old Day. This is a one day event on Grand Avenue in St. Paul that features local music, arts and culture. This happens to be one of Alicia's favorite days of the year. Nothing like tasty food, good beer and great friends!

On June 2nd Alicia and I attended the wedding of her ex-coworker Alice and her fiance Matt James. The wedding was held in St. Paul, as was the reception which was at the James J. Hill library. Like most weddings it was a lot of fun.

May 27th was a very eventful day. Shawn Buehre and I made a trip down to La Crosse, WI for the annual Kruse Memorial Weekend Party. Like usual there were many brats to be consumed and much beer to be drank. Shawn and I went nearly undefeated in beer pong throughout the afternoon. That evening we attending the wedding reception for Josh Hart and his new wife Nalini. It was great to see many friends that I hadn't seen in a long time. Josh and his wife looked fabulous. Congrats to the bride and groom. Also congrats to Shawn Harper and his fiance. Shawn proposed that evening. Pictured below is Brent Everson and Sarah Hamilton before Hart's wedding.

On Saturday May 26th Alicia and I hosted an engagement party for Alicia's sister Malinda and her fiance Zach. The weather ended up being great and the event was a huge success. Congrats to Malinda & Zach. Way to go Alicia - the house looked phenomenal!

Following Brendan Dwyer's wedding a group of us spent the evening of Saturday May 19th in Madison, WI. We stayed at Donnie & Heather Stapleton's house and spent the majority of the day and evening on State Street.

Donnie apparently was a bit more tired then he let us know. It didn't take us guys long to find "Sleeping Beauty" and turn it into a photo opportunity.

More to come shortly. Zimm's wedding is just around the corner!

Meet the Dwyer's

2007-05-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

Friday May 18th brought the wedding between Brendan Dwyer and Lori Ketelhut. The ceremony was held at Devil's Head Resort in Merrimac, WI. The day couldn't have been any better. The bride and groom looked great!

After the outdoor ceremony time was allotted for pictures as the DJ ran beers out to everyone. Jarvy, Shawn and I are patiently waiting.

Brendan with his brother and sister.

Brutus and I. Brut's currently kicking cancer's ass.

Josh Hart and his fiance Nalini

Class of '97 men who were at the wedding (minus Louie Brady)

More Class of '97

Alicia and Shawn

Drew and Katie Kurtz (with a little one on the way)

The groom and I

No set of pictures is complete without Jarvy jumping into a pic. Alicia and Pete Engle are enjoying themselves. Pete DID NOT enjoy the bird pooping on his arm during the ceremony though.

It was a fantastic evening. Congrats again to Brendan & Lori!

Another month...

2007-05-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

I'll post more often...you'll see!

May 15th brought another volleyball season. The team is call The Cutter's and we play at Joe Senser's Bar & Grill on Tuesday evenings. The team consists of Justin Kruse, Christy Wells, myself and some of Christy's friends from law school. Sounds like Shawn might play from time to time as well. Hopefully we won't embarrass ourselves.

May 5th-9th I was in Montreal, Canada for work (the annual FFTA Forum). Minus a trip to Tijuana and Rosarito Beach, Mexico this was really my first time out of the United States. All in all it was a great time. Some observations - the convention went smoothly; the weather was fantastic; the women were beautiful; the beer prices were very steep (too much Labatt Blue); the Quebec french language was a bit difficult at times but everyone spoke English so it all worked out. If I ever go back to Montreal I think I'm bringing a date. The city, especially Old Montreal, had a romantic feeling to it.

May 1st was the date that Alicia's coworkers from Christopher & Banks had a going away party at Champp's in Plymouth. Alicia had been with C&B for more than five years in many roles. She has decided to take her career in another direction. She is now working as an auditor for SuperValu Inc. through APEX Analytix. I wish her luck!

April 30th kicked off another year for the "We Try Hard" softball squad. Check out our progress online: http://web.mac.com/houledesign/iWeb/Houle%20Design/Softball%20Central.html

On the evening of April 28th Dwuz and Polly had an engagement party in White Bear Lake. The party was fun. It was good to meet some of the people that Jarvy and I will be in the wedding with. Congrats to the happy couple! Below is a file photo of Dwuz and crew...

The morning of April 28th was spent at Anton's place watching the NFL Draft (thanks for allowing all the testosterone in your place Anton!). The NFL Draft is seriously one of my favorite things to watch! With the 7th overall pick the Vikings drafted Adrian Peterson - RB, Oklahoma. I think it's a GREAT pick! This man is going to be a star. Go Vikes!

More coming soon. I promise!

I'm not a good blogger...

2007-04-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

I get it - I'm not very good at keeping this updated. Like "Do-Your-Best" Care Bear all I can do is dream big and never give up.

Umm...anyway here's what's been going on in my world...

Saturday April 21st brought my mother and her friend Kristi to town. Damn can they drink! I believe they started the day with a Bloody Mary at 12pm at The House of Coates in Coates, MN and never looked back. The rest of there day included a trip to Uptown (William's Peanut Bar), Downtown (O'Donovans and Maxwell's), Northeast (Gasthof's, Nye's and The Bulldog) and campus (Santana's). Thanks to everyone for meeting up with us at some point.

Saturday April 14th was the wedding of my college friend (and DirtCutter coach) Burton Friedman. The event was held at The Great Hall in St. Paul. It was a great time. I believe that will be the last time I see that many Delta Tau Delta alumni in one room. Anyway the escalator entrance was memorable and Burton looked great. Congrats bud!

I was in LaCrosse, WI over the Easter holiday. Mitch, Jake and I spent an eventful Saturday night with Megan Tasca and family. The night was a doozy. I've slept next to hooters before but never above a Hooters Restaurant. Thanks Molly!

Saturday March 31st was our annual softball beerbust. The "We Try Hard's" were in rare form once again. Although The Sportsman's Pub is a dump we always manage to have a good time. Here is a link to our team website: http://web.mac.com/houledesign/iWeb/Houle%20Design/Softball%20Central.html

AGRA Fantasy Baseball officially began March 28th with the annual draft. I was the homer who took Minnesota Twins players a tad too early in the draft. Oh well, I prefer rooting for players I like. Here is my squad: Catcher - Joe Mauer, 1B - Justin Morneau, 2B - Jeff Kent, 3B - Aramis Ramirez, OF's - Barry Bonds, Delmon Young and JD Drew, Utility - Chipper Jones, Bench - Nomar Garciaparra, Mike Cameron, Chone Figgins, Pitchers - Roy Oswalt, Dave Bush, John Lackey, Jason Schmidt, John Smoltz, Rich Harden, Mariano Rivera, Dan Wheeler, Jonathan Papelbon and Joe Borowski. Give 'em hell DirtCutters!

Friday March 23rd was Megan Tasca's annual birthday trip to Halftime Rec in St. Paul. Gotta love Irish music and bocce ball in a dirty unfinished basement. I love that joint - it wreaks class.

March 21st I played garbage man for Steve and his bathroom remodeling project. I'm good at lifting heavy object and throwing them in my truck. I consider events like this a potential resume builder.

Saturday March 17th was a big day for multiple reasons. First it was a big weekend in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. I love the first weekend of games. Second, it was ST. PATRICK'S DAY! Perhaps my favorite holiday besides Thanksgiving. Third, it was the day of the Dwyer & Thorson dual bachelor party. Dodgeball, basketball and Corey's balls were all topics discussed at the event. It was a great time. Big thanks to everyone for attending!

What's going on?

2007-03-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post. What's been going on you say? Well...

On Feb. 24th Erin Cox had her 30th birthday party. The party centered around bowling and dressing like someone living in 1977 (Erin's birth year). Megan Tasca went "rollergirl" style and Shawn and I rocked the fu.

On Feb. 27th the football DirtCutter squad won the Division A title. The championship game was won by a forced safety. Unbelievable!

http://www.mnflagfootball.com/season.asp?SportID=1&ProgramID=1&SeasonID=10

On Feb. 28th my bro, Mitch Anderson, turned 24 years old. Happy birthday brosef!

March 1st & 2nd the state of Minnesota got learnt by a massive snowstorm. Nothing like work being canceled for two days (except for the back and shoulder pain from shoveling 15" worth of snow).

http://www.startribune.com/484/story/1032599.html

On March 3rd some folks braved the snowy roads and went out for Bryan "Football" Anderson's 29th birthday. Gotta support the 'Cutters!

That should do it for now. Coming soon - St. Paddy's Day & the Dwyer/Thorson Bachelor Party.

Oktober!

2007 NFL Mock Draft - Version 1.0

2007-02-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

Here is my first stab at the top 10 plus Packers pick at #16:

#1 Raiders - JaMarcus Russel (QB - LSU): Russell has a great presence in the pocket, accurate throw, and an outstanding deep ball. Just what Al Davis is always looking for to run the Raiders vertical passing game.

#2 Lions - Joe Thomas (OT - Wisconsin): The Lions will pass on C. Johnson & B. Quinn. Matt Millen will make the fist smart move of his tenure by picking up this future franchise left tackle.

#3 Browns - Adrian Peterson (RB - Oklahoma): Romeo Crennel's job is in jeopardy so he needs this pick to be a "home run". Peterson has injury concerns but when healthy is an elite running back.

#4 Bucs - Calvin Johnson (WR - Georgia Tech): Rare size, strength and speed. The Bucs have many needs but Johnson would be nearly impossible to pass on at this point.

#5 Cardinals - Gaines Adams (DE - Clemson): Adams is currently considered the best defensive player in the draft. Should be an instant defensive playmaker, which the Cards definitely need.

#6 Redskins - Alan Branch (DT - Michigan): The Redskins have many needs on the defensive line and Branch has the speed to play DE and the power to play nose tackle. His versatility will push him ahead of Amobi Okoye.

#7 Vikings - Jamaal Anderson (DE - Arkansas): The Vikings biggest need is at wide receiver. However, with Childress not being a supporter of first round wide receivers, the next option is to improve the pass rush. Anderson is coming off an outstanding junior year, and would make a great partner opposite Erasmus James. It'll be difficult to pass on Brady Quinn but the Vikings have already invested in T. Jackson. Anderson is the pick.

#8 Texans - Brady Quinn (QB - Notre Dame): Quinn is the question mark of the draft but if he is available here, the Texans simply cannot let the opportunity pass them by. At this point the Texans would draft Quinn and trade David Carr for a first day pick.

#9 Dolphins - Amobi Okoye (DT - Louisville): Age and free agency make the middle of the defensive line a priority for the Dolphins. Okoye began his college career at age 16 and was dominant, despite being the youngest on the field. At age 19, Okoye is ready to produce at the NFL level.

#10 Falcons - LaRon Landry (FS - LSU): Given the players already gone, this is an easy pick. The tandem of safeties for Atlanta last season was less than impressive and Laron Landry would make an immediate positive impact where they need it most.

#16 Packers - Marshawn Lynch (RB - California): Great inside runner, with the ability to take a hit and quickness to turn the corner. Will be the replacement for Ahman Green and will be the franchise running back for years to come.

Feel free to critique...

Super Bowl XLI

2007-02-02T10:08:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 4, 6:25 p.m. ET on CBS

It's almost time for the big game, the NFL title game - Super Bowl XLI. The Chicago Bears are back in the Super Bowl for first time since beating the piss out of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX in January of 1986, while the Colts, who beat Dallas in Super Bowl V, will make a Super Bowl appearance for the first time since the franchise abruptly relocated from Baltimore in the middle of the night. Both teams started the 2006-2007 season fast with the Bears winning their first seven games - easily crapping on the chest of Brett Favre & the Green Bay Packers (26-0) in the opening game of the year, while narrowly escaping the ball hawking Minnesota Vikings (19-16) in there third game of the season - on their way to the NFC North title and a 15-3 overall record. The Colts started 9-0 behind the laser rocket arm of Peyton Manning and went on to win the AFC South crown and finish with a 15-4 overall record. The game will feature strength against strength with the Colts electrifying offense, ranked third in the regular season, going against a stingy Bears defense that finished the season ranked fifth overall. Both teams have plenty of talent, with Chicago sending eight players to the Pro Bowl, six from the defense or special teams, and the Colts boasting five Pro Bowl players, all from the offense. Bears coach Lovie Smith and Colts coach (University of Minnesota Alumni) Tony Dungy are close friends, dating back to Smith's time working on Dungy's staff with the Tampa Bay Bucs, and the two are the first African-American head coaches to reach the Super Bowl.

The keys for the Bears are the following: Nathan Vasher & Charles Tillman must keep Marvin Harrison & Reggie Wayne from making big plays. The Colts are going to move the ball but the Bears have to stop the "home run". If the Bears starting CB's do there job it's going to come down to Ricky Manning being able to clamp down on Colts TE, and Iowa hick, Dallas Clark. Limit the Colts passing game and dare them to move the ball on the ground. Offensively the Bears have to pound the ball with the two-headed monster of Thomas Jones & Cedric Benson. This will take the pressure off of Rex Grossman and keep Peyton Manning & the Colts offense off the field. Hopefully Rex's head will be in the game, unlike the game at the end of the year where he was thinking about a gang bang with Paris Hilton and GAVE the win to the Packers, and he'll be able to make the throws necessary to sustain drives. Another key for the Bears will be the ability of Devin Hester to hold onto the ball and exploit the Colts weak special teams units, especially on kickoff coverage.

The keys for the Colts are the following: the Colts defense needs to control its aggressiveness and not overpursue the run. They need to contain the Bears run game and make Rex Grossman beat them. If the Colts can stop Rex from gaining confidence, especially early, they should be in good shape. Offensively the Colts have to keep possession of the ball. I know it's obvious but if the Colts can limit turnovers and allow the Corky (from "Life Goes On") look alike to have 10 or more possessions then they should be able to score enough to put the game out of reach.

Personally I have reasons to want both teams to win. I like Peyton Manning and would like to see him lose the lovable loser tag but I also would love to see the Bears win for my buddy Brutus. I've been debating my prediction for a week now and I think I'm going to roll with the underdog. I think the Bears will force three turnovers, get a big special teams play and control the game offensively by running the ball.

Final score: Bears win 20-17.

The last week or so...

2007-01-26T13:11:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-11T07:30:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-01-09T13:25:00.000-08:00

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!

Merry Christmahanzakwanzaka!

2006-12-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

For those of you who are looking for last second gift ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA

We didn't get Iverson but we do have a Jackson!

2006-12-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

Damn it McHale, you needed to get this done!

http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/9881256

Damn it Childress, this change should have taken place long ago!!

http://www.vikings.com/news_detail_objectname_MNNotes122006.html

Skol Vikes!!

Man Down!

2006-12-19T09:06:00.000-08:00

I finally went to the doctor for a knee injury that has been lingering for a couple of months. An MRI diagnosed me with a non-displaced Tibial Plateau fracture with a sprained ACL & MCL.

http://orthopedics.about.com/od/brokenbones/a/tibia_2.htm

According to the doc I'm supposed to try to stay off my feet (avoid all running and jumping) and wear a knee brace for the next two months. Umm...no.

Good thing I played in the Turkey Bowl with a broken leg!

Wow...I'm a crappy blogger!

2006-12-14T07:30:00.000-08:00

I just realized I have this blog and have only posted one entry. Man do I suck at this. Well here is what's going on in my world...

I bought myself a new TV:
http://us.lge.com/products/model/detail/tvaudiovideo_plasma%20flat%20panel__42PC3D.jhtml

I finally got into the iPod generation:
http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/

My DirtCutter football team is kicking butt:
http://www.mnflagfootball.com/season_standings_3.asp?SportID=1&ProgramID=1&SeasonID=9&SeasonDivID=30

Jarvy is coming back for good:
http://mrjarvy.blogspot.com/2006/12/end-date.html

And the holiday season is upon us...

For those of you scoring at home here are my tentative plans for my holiday break. I'm planning on leaving St. Paul and arriving in Onalaska on Sunday evening (Xmas Eve). My plan is to stay in O-town through the morning/afternoon of Wednesday Dec. 27th. Wednesday afternoon I believe Derek Kruse and I are going to drive down to Madison. We'll stay in Wisconsin's capital through the morning of Friday Dec. 29th. At that time we will make a return voyage to Ona for my dad's 50th birthday party. Sometime Saturday afternoon I should make my way back to the Twin Cities. And guess what Sunday December 31st is?

Sunday December 31st is time to party:
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?inviteId=YQKVDUBJDNSCPHZHEVTY

I think that should cover it for now. I'll try to post more often in the future.

Happy Holidays!

I have a blog?

2006-07-14T20:42:00.000-07:00

With all my friends fucking around in other countries I decided to create my own blog so we could exchange pictures and stories. So here you go... I hope you find the content amusing. If you don't tell someone who cares.