Almost Paradise...

It's almost time to relax. My last day at Wilder will be next week and then it's off to PARADISE before I start my new job. There's so much to do next week. Laundry, packing, passports, and battery charging. I can't wait. This will be the first full family vacation since we had Emma and Layla. We've gone other places before but, this will be a full blown vacation with nothing to do but get soaked in the sun, enjoy some great food, and just do nothing. We'll be heading to Cancun to stay at the Azul Sensatori Beach Resort. I can't wait for the fine dining, white sandy beaches, and the sun. My girls are going to love it. I'll be posting pictures as soon as we get back. It's going to be unforgettable...

It's been Wilder...

I've made my decision. I spent a few sleepless nights contemplating my job options. I thought about my family's future. I thought about my future. I thought about which way I should go and where will it take me. I thought about it all for about a week. I probably made it more difficult than it really was but, I felt the pressure of it all. I am now confident that I made the right choice. I took the job with the people I had the best connection with, the best work environment, the best benefits, and the job which I felt had the most opportunities. I took the position which I felt that I could make a greater impact. I just can't wait to make my presence felt...

It was a time for a change, even though it was a change that was going to happen if I found a job or not. I'm going to miss my Wilder days. These last six years all have been great. The people I work with provide great service to the community and bring good to people in bad situations. It's very satisfying to know that there are still people and places out there with such a big helping hand. People just need to learn how to grab the hand to pull them through their tough times. I will miss working with all these difference makers but, it's time to end this chapter and start a new one...

Which path to take...

I have a big decision to make soon. With so many things to sort out, I am at a crossroad. Which way should I go? Where will each path lead me? Will one path lead to a dead end? Will one path lead to more crossroads? I don't know. I just don't know. I am trying to make the best decision for myself and my family. What to do? What to do? All I know is that this is a huge decision to make...

More than meets the eye...

Me and Julie went with my sister and my dad to see Avatar a few weeks ago. Initially I was skeptical of all the hype and build up so, I had to check it out. After scouring the interweb, I decided that we should go see the IMAX 3D version at the theater near our house. After reading countless articles written about the movie, needless to say, I was bitten by the Hypebeast. I was anxious to see this movie. I didn't know what to expect. The only IMAX experience that I have had was at Omaha's Henry Doorly about 15 years ago and I think I fell asleep half way through that experience.

So we got to the theater about 30 minutes before the movie started, met my sister, picked up our nifty 3D glasses, bought a little popcorn to go with some butter, and found our seats, which my sister and dad had been reserving for us all. The theater was packed and there were still more people pouring in. I just could not wait until the actual movie started. Everyone was checking out the 3D glasses and you could just feel that there was a buzz in the air. With about 20 minutes to go before the movie began, the previews before the previews started. I couldn't believe how long the previews were. There was commercial after commercial and then the movie previews began. These were actually in 3D so, it was just a little taste of what was about to come. Then finally, at last, the movie begun. The title starts to roll and my mind is all over the place. When does the 3D start? What kind of 3D will it be? Will we get a headache? Will there be stuff flying at us through the whole movie? And then, OOOO, AAHHH, WHOA, WOW, BAM, BOOM, HOLY, MAN, DAMN THAT WAS A GOOD MOVIE!!!

The movie was mind blowing. This was a milestone in the history of movies. 3D wasn't just a gimmick they added to the movie. 3D was the movie. Some people wanted a better story and greater character development but, those people are missing the point. Like it or not, the movie was about 3D and James Cameron's new technology. The movie was the result of developing this technology and it really shows what you can accomplish with it. I now have a reason to watch a movie in the theater again. Now it's more than just a movie, it's an experience. It was such an experience that it makes you want to go back again and again. I've been trying to think about how to put the experience into words with a comparison and here's what I have come up with. It's like dreaming with eyes open while you're wide awake...

Sledding...Slipping...Sliding...

Here's some sledding action from a few weeks ago. There's nothing like sledding when you are a kid...

Ice Cream Silliness...

Here are some silly pictures of Layla on a recent trip to the good ole Old Country Buffet. She's like George eating an ice cream sundae on that episode of Seinfeld ...

Let's Get Smashed...

Have you ever gone to eat somewhere with low expectations and then the place just totally blows you away. That what happened when we first went to Smashburger. I was expecting just another burger joint with a couple of burgers. You can go in and build your own. They have two patty sizes or chicken, a couple different buns to choose from, and a variety of toppings you can add to your Smashburger. They also have their specialty burgers which come in both patty sizes or chicken with different topping and bun combinations. If you are going to a burger joint to have something else then, they also have salads and a kid's menu with chicken fingers. The chicken fingers are Layla approved.

I ordered the Spicy Baja Smashburger. It has Pepperjack cheese, Guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion, chipotle mayo, fresh jalapenos, all on a chipotle bun. Julie had the Twin Cities Smashburger. That has layers of melted cheddar bar cheese, swiss cheese, garlic grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on an onion bun. We also ordered some Smashfries, Haystack onions, and Veggie frites. Our burgers were superb. They had much more flavor than I had expected. My burger was juicy and had the right amount of heat and spicy. Julie's burger was oozing with cheesy goodness. The haystack onions were good and the Smashfries were a nice twist to fries but, the Veggie Frites stole the show. The deep fried carrots, beans, and asparagus dipped into their homemade butter milk ranch dressing was ridiculously good. I would go back just to have these by them self. So if your in the mood to get smashed and have burger epiphany, you need to get yourself to Smashburger. You can thank me later...


The Spicy Baja and some Veggie Frites...


Haystack Onions and the Smashfries with Julie's half devoured Twin Cities in the background...

For Choosy Moms...

This was an odd and funny product I stumbled upon the other day at Super Target. Yes, it is really an alcohol tester for breast milk. For moms who don't like the pump and dump method. So if you know a breast feeding mother who likes an occasional Irish Car Bomb or Three Wise Men, tell them to stop by their local Target and pick up some Milk Screen. It's pediatrician and lactation consultant recommended...

The Great Steak Escape...

MMM... Manny's Steakhouse. Always rated as the one of the top 5 steak houses in the country. Me and Julie go atleast once a year for special occasions. If you haven't been there before, it's a place you need to get to if you are a steak lover. You better bring your appetite too. They serve a mean steak with gigantic side dishes. It's also a great place for people watching. You almost always see a Minnesota celebrity or professional athlete when dining at Manny's. Last time we went, I saw Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Marion Gaborik with other players from the New York Ranger, and Derek Boogard along with other players from the Minnesota Wild.

Now onto the food. Julie loves prime rib so she always goes with the double cut prime rib. I sort of rotate myself between the double cut prime rib, the porterhouse, and the bone-in ribeye. Their side dishes say it serves two but, I think it could feed atleast four. The first time we went, we ordered two sides and our server looked at me like I was crazy or something. Then when our food came out I looked at him like he was crazy. The hash browns are great, the asparagus are gigantic, and the spinach is buttery garlicy goodness. And that's just dinner. They have a superb wine list. There is also a captain's list if you must. The dessert is to die for but, we always get something not listed on the menu. We get the Bailey's Irish Cream cake and it's superb. It's rich and creamy and the whipped topping is perfect. You'll definitely be in a food coma after dining at Manny's Steakhouse...


Here is Julie's Double Cut Prime Rib...


Here's my Bone-in Ribeye with our side of Creamed Garlic Spinach...


You'll definitely have left overs after dinner and desert...

New Vaccum...Sorta...

Check out this new vacuum cleaner at work. It's so state of the art. Who needs a Dyson when you have one of these.

HAHA. It fits right on the desk too. It's a USB vacuum cleaner. It sorta works too. You just plug it in to your USB port and it turns on. You can even empty the trash when you are all done cleaning. Just make sure you saved your work before plugging it in. Someone was showing it off and they froze another person's PC when they plugged it in. HAHA...