Good morning. We have had a lot of new things going on since my last post, sorry for the long absence. I'll just highlight some of the last 15 days in no particular order
-Grandma Connie (mom's mom) had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. She begins her radiation this week. This surgery took place on May 27th. We continue to keep her in our prayers.
-We ran in the Get Your Rear In Gear 5k on Sunday May 22nd: We do this each year to honor/remember our dad who passed away from Colon Cancer. We had a good turnout for racers/walkers this year with 19 participants. We ran/walked in the rain but it was pretty warm. Thanks to all for participating
-I did a TV interview with Fox Business on Wednesday May 18th. I talked about ethanol and it went ok. I wasn't thrilled with it, but I didn't freeze up either and the questions were not pre-planned, it was all live and "on the spot" which is tough to do.
-We had our first Couple's League last Friday evening and it was cancelled due to rain. We had 15 couples dine together at the new restaurant at Troy Burne.
Memorial Day Weekend was a lot of fun. We played golf around the rain showers and BBQ'd also around the rain showers. Overall it was very relaxing, Nicole was on call at the hospital but only got called in on Saturday so she had Sunday and Monday off which was nice.
The Wards
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Weekend Update
Friday night we got together for dinner with a bunch of couples from the neighborhood at the new Troy Burne Restaurant. They haven't ordered any wine yet for the club so they let us bring our own bottles free of corkage fee. The new cook/chef there cooked up NY Strip steaks, walleye, crabcakes, and chicken breast with a cream sauce. The food was very good and we are very excited for the new menu to be released. This was just sort of a tasting and welcome to the homeowners. We had a great time with about 20 of us joining in on the fun.
On Saturday, Nicole was on call so when she gets up she calls the hospital to see if there are any orders. There were not, so that gives her the day off to do whatever. The weather was cold/rainy so no golf. We cleaned up the house and then went to St. Paul. We were having friends over for dinner and we were doing surf/turf so we went to Coastal Seafoods in St. Paul for the Tuna. We get our steaks in Stillwater at a place called Hegberg's, which is a little butcher shop in the back of a gas station, it's hilarious, but great prices and we have had great luck there so far with their steaks. We checked out some shops on Grand and spent a good part of the afternoon there. Our friends coming over for dinner were Tim and Cathy Renken and their son Samuel. Samuel is 15 months old and he was such a good boy. He ate steak with us and strawberries, but mostly he just wanted to play and run around. He was very active, but not too destructive.
We had 2 good bottles of wine, a Chardonnay from Trefethen and a Pinot Noir from Merryvale, both were excellent. The food was just ok, I would say my grilling performance was a B-. Tim wanted his steak Medium Rare so instead of my normal 5 minutes/side that I do to get them medium I went 4 minutes/side and they were more rare than Medium Rare. Nicole had to put hers back on for a while and I just ate mine. Tim said it was perfect though so at least he was happy. The tuna doesn't stay warm long when you sear it for 1 1/2 minutes/side which is about perfect, but you need to eat it pretty quick. Nicole had made a great salad and roasted potatoes which were very good. Samuel got tired around 8:30 so the Renkens' headed home. A very different Saturday night having a 15 month old setting the schedule. Nicole and I just relaxed the rest of the evening.
On Sunday we cooked breakfast on the grill with eggs and hashbrowns. We got a new grill a couple weeks ago so we use it pretty much every night. Nicole again checked with the hospital but there was only 1 order and it was an insurance she is not licensed to see so her partner will see that client tomorrow. So, she had today off too which was nice. I played in a golf tournament at 1:00 p.m. and it was SO WINDY! I didn't play great, but not too bad either, but not good enough to win any money. Bummer.
Grilling a full chicken on the grill tonight and having mojito's tonight. The weather looks very nice this week to hope to play golf everyday. We need the practice. Enjoy the sunshine this week.
On Saturday, Nicole was on call so when she gets up she calls the hospital to see if there are any orders. There were not, so that gives her the day off to do whatever. The weather was cold/rainy so no golf. We cleaned up the house and then went to St. Paul. We were having friends over for dinner and we were doing surf/turf so we went to Coastal Seafoods in St. Paul for the Tuna. We get our steaks in Stillwater at a place called Hegberg's, which is a little butcher shop in the back of a gas station, it's hilarious, but great prices and we have had great luck there so far with their steaks. We checked out some shops on Grand and spent a good part of the afternoon there. Our friends coming over for dinner were Tim and Cathy Renken and their son Samuel. Samuel is 15 months old and he was such a good boy. He ate steak with us and strawberries, but mostly he just wanted to play and run around. He was very active, but not too destructive.
We had 2 good bottles of wine, a Chardonnay from Trefethen and a Pinot Noir from Merryvale, both were excellent. The food was just ok, I would say my grilling performance was a B-. Tim wanted his steak Medium Rare so instead of my normal 5 minutes/side that I do to get them medium I went 4 minutes/side and they were more rare than Medium Rare. Nicole had to put hers back on for a while and I just ate mine. Tim said it was perfect though so at least he was happy. The tuna doesn't stay warm long when you sear it for 1 1/2 minutes/side which is about perfect, but you need to eat it pretty quick. Nicole had made a great salad and roasted potatoes which were very good. Samuel got tired around 8:30 so the Renkens' headed home. A very different Saturday night having a 15 month old setting the schedule. Nicole and I just relaxed the rest of the evening.
On Sunday we cooked breakfast on the grill with eggs and hashbrowns. We got a new grill a couple weeks ago so we use it pretty much every night. Nicole again checked with the hospital but there was only 1 order and it was an insurance she is not licensed to see so her partner will see that client tomorrow. So, she had today off too which was nice. I played in a golf tournament at 1:00 p.m. and it was SO WINDY! I didn't play great, but not too bad either, but not good enough to win any money. Bummer.
Grilling a full chicken on the grill tonight and having mojito's tonight. The weather looks very nice this week to hope to play golf everyday. We need the practice. Enjoy the sunshine this week.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Happy Mother's Day
This weekend was full of events and it went way too fast again.
Friday night we worked and once in a while when Nicole picks me up from work she stops at Key's Cafe to get her favorite cookie of all time, the Monster cookie. They were particularly good that day so that makes our commute home a little easier. We were excited to get home on Friday as we were babysitting Hudson Wilson. Jeb and Kaylan as part of their Christmas gift were given a "night out" free from the Ward's. They dropped him off at about 6:00 p.m., they grabbed a nice bottle of wine out of the cellar and headed to Il Gatto (Italian restaurant) in Uptown. We had the little guy for about 4 hours and we had a blast with him. We took him over to the golf club as it was a beautiful night and we wanted to test the water having a 10-month old on the golf cart out on the course. Nicole didn't play but Hudson had fun riding on the cart and looking at everything going on. He is very funny, but loves to be held so he needs to break that habit a little in my opinion. We played 7 holes with Brent and Courtney Snyder and then had dinner at the club. Hudson, like all babies was the center of attention. Jay and Sue Glasnapp (other friends of ours) who have their first grandchild coming this summer were excited to see Hudson as well. I actually think Sue would have taken our babysitting duties if we would have let her. She's excited to be a grandma. Hudson fell asleep a little after 8:00 p.m. and Nicole and I just relaxed at home until Jeb and Kaylan got home from their dinner. It was a lot of fun.
Saturday we got up and got our usual Starbucks and ate breakfast at home. I was caddying for Brent that day in a tournament in Minneapolis and Nicole had plans in the evening with the girls. The tournament was at the Minneapolis Golf Club (a presitgious private club) and I was excited to see the course and to carry the bag for my man Brent. I love to watch him play and enjoy being involved in the decisions that he makes on the golf course. My analytical mind is always turning and it is so interesting to me to see/hear what he is thinking about different situations on the golf course. He is an amazing player and just a lot of fun to watch. The putter was cold on Saturday or our reads were wrong, one or the other. Brent shot level par (72) which moved him up the leaderboard, but that round could have been something special, like 65 special, maybe better. We had so many birdie looks it was scary how good he hit the driver and the irons. At the pro level it all comes down to putting though and that day they weren't falling. I was so impressed with Brent's ability to forget the previous hole and move forward. He kept saying, "just have to keep giving myself chances" and eventually they will fall. They didn't that day, but his summer looks good. He has a big tournament coming up in June to qualify for the PGA Championship held later this summer in Atlanta, GA. Fingers crossed!
Saturday night was a "Jason alone" night, which is kind of weird for me, but sometimes it is ok to just do your own thing and relax. Nicole went out with some friends to Sugarland which was at the Target Center. They went to Rock Bottom Brewery to eat, which had a 2.5 hour wait, they went upstairs to Palomino only to find out that it was closed for good, and then they went to a new place called the American Bar. She said the concert was so much fun and they had a great time. They had great seats right on the floor.
After my round of caddying for Brent, I stopped and picked up a good steak for the grill. When I got home I played 9 holes of golf and then home to grill and hang out on the deck. It was fun and relaxing, but not nearly as fun as it would have been with Nicole there. (no kidding).
Sunday we headed to Rosemount for my niece Chandler's confirmation. She had to speak in front of the church and she did a great job. She just winged it, wrote nothing down and she was funny. She is just like her dad, good in front of a crowd. After church we went to my sister Shelly's for brunch. We missed mom on Mother's Day as she was with her mother in Mapleton. We talked on the phone and she knows we love her. Happy Mother's Day to both our moms, Maryann and Michelle!
Friday night we worked and once in a while when Nicole picks me up from work she stops at Key's Cafe to get her favorite cookie of all time, the Monster cookie. They were particularly good that day so that makes our commute home a little easier. We were excited to get home on Friday as we were babysitting Hudson Wilson. Jeb and Kaylan as part of their Christmas gift were given a "night out" free from the Ward's. They dropped him off at about 6:00 p.m., they grabbed a nice bottle of wine out of the cellar and headed to Il Gatto (Italian restaurant) in Uptown. We had the little guy for about 4 hours and we had a blast with him. We took him over to the golf club as it was a beautiful night and we wanted to test the water having a 10-month old on the golf cart out on the course. Nicole didn't play but Hudson had fun riding on the cart and looking at everything going on. He is very funny, but loves to be held so he needs to break that habit a little in my opinion. We played 7 holes with Brent and Courtney Snyder and then had dinner at the club. Hudson, like all babies was the center of attention. Jay and Sue Glasnapp (other friends of ours) who have their first grandchild coming this summer were excited to see Hudson as well. I actually think Sue would have taken our babysitting duties if we would have let her. She's excited to be a grandma. Hudson fell asleep a little after 8:00 p.m. and Nicole and I just relaxed at home until Jeb and Kaylan got home from their dinner. It was a lot of fun.
Saturday we got up and got our usual Starbucks and ate breakfast at home. I was caddying for Brent that day in a tournament in Minneapolis and Nicole had plans in the evening with the girls. The tournament was at the Minneapolis Golf Club (a presitgious private club) and I was excited to see the course and to carry the bag for my man Brent. I love to watch him play and enjoy being involved in the decisions that he makes on the golf course. My analytical mind is always turning and it is so interesting to me to see/hear what he is thinking about different situations on the golf course. He is an amazing player and just a lot of fun to watch. The putter was cold on Saturday or our reads were wrong, one or the other. Brent shot level par (72) which moved him up the leaderboard, but that round could have been something special, like 65 special, maybe better. We had so many birdie looks it was scary how good he hit the driver and the irons. At the pro level it all comes down to putting though and that day they weren't falling. I was so impressed with Brent's ability to forget the previous hole and move forward. He kept saying, "just have to keep giving myself chances" and eventually they will fall. They didn't that day, but his summer looks good. He has a big tournament coming up in June to qualify for the PGA Championship held later this summer in Atlanta, GA. Fingers crossed!
Saturday night was a "Jason alone" night, which is kind of weird for me, but sometimes it is ok to just do your own thing and relax. Nicole went out with some friends to Sugarland which was at the Target Center. They went to Rock Bottom Brewery to eat, which had a 2.5 hour wait, they went upstairs to Palomino only to find out that it was closed for good, and then they went to a new place called the American Bar. She said the concert was so much fun and they had a great time. They had great seats right on the floor.
After my round of caddying for Brent, I stopped and picked up a good steak for the grill. When I got home I played 9 holes of golf and then home to grill and hang out on the deck. It was fun and relaxing, but not nearly as fun as it would have been with Nicole there. (no kidding).
Sunday we headed to Rosemount for my niece Chandler's confirmation. She had to speak in front of the church and she did a great job. She just winged it, wrote nothing down and she was funny. She is just like her dad, good in front of a crowd. After church we went to my sister Shelly's for brunch. We missed mom on Mother's Day as she was with her mother in Mapleton. We talked on the phone and she knows we love her. Happy Mother's Day to both our moms, Maryann and Michelle!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Cold Weather, Go Away!
We spent another lousy weather weekend at home in Hudson. Luckily we had dinner parties both Friday and Saturday night that passed the time beautifully.
Friday night we went to Andy and Sue Knott's home in Chanhassen, MN. It was a wine showdown between a top notch Pinot Noir from Oregon and a Burgundy from France. These are both the same grape (varietal) and we did a blind tasting. It was a unanimous victory for the good ol' USA Pinot Noir from Domain Droughin. On the menu was ribeye steaks from Andy's family farm in Tracy, MN and Tuna steaks. The food, wine, and company were great. In attendance were the hosts Andy and Sue (their 1 year old Maria), Brandon Marshall (my coworker) and his Canadian gal Kim (she had a neat accent), and of course Nicole and I. Before we went to Andy and Sue's we stopped by my brother Andy's who had a house-warming party. We weren't able to stay long but we got to see my mom who was there helping prepare food and clean (what a good mother) and my brothers Ryan and Chad. It was a fun time all evening.
On Saturday we had no plans until 5:30 p.m. We left for Rosemount, MN a little early and stopped by Pottery Barn in St. Paul. Then onto Greg Picker's House in Rosemount. Greg was having a dinner party for the docs that work at Nicole's practice (not her practice) but for the docs who work at Natalis. We had a lot of fun with great food and wine and good discussion about the future of the practice. There are some smart people that work there and it was fun to be a fly on the wall in their conversations about how everything works. It was fun to see Nicole in her element talking about things she does everyday, that sometimes she doesn't normally bore me with, but it was interesting. It is a fun group of young motivated practicioners.
Sunday was a completely wasted day. Cold/windy and no fun at all. We had a tee time in the morning that we couldn't possibly keep due to 35 degrees and windy. We grilled brats for lunch and made pizza for dinner. Nicole cleaned the house (out of boredom) because I thought it was clean already and we watched some golf and some movies. Ugh! Please bring the sun and warm weather soon! It is May 2nd and I have only golfed 1 time and Nicole has not played yet.
Friday night we went to Andy and Sue Knott's home in Chanhassen, MN. It was a wine showdown between a top notch Pinot Noir from Oregon and a Burgundy from France. These are both the same grape (varietal) and we did a blind tasting. It was a unanimous victory for the good ol' USA Pinot Noir from Domain Droughin. On the menu was ribeye steaks from Andy's family farm in Tracy, MN and Tuna steaks. The food, wine, and company were great. In attendance were the hosts Andy and Sue (their 1 year old Maria), Brandon Marshall (my coworker) and his Canadian gal Kim (she had a neat accent), and of course Nicole and I. Before we went to Andy and Sue's we stopped by my brother Andy's who had a house-warming party. We weren't able to stay long but we got to see my mom who was there helping prepare food and clean (what a good mother) and my brothers Ryan and Chad. It was a fun time all evening.
On Saturday we had no plans until 5:30 p.m. We left for Rosemount, MN a little early and stopped by Pottery Barn in St. Paul. Then onto Greg Picker's House in Rosemount. Greg was having a dinner party for the docs that work at Nicole's practice (not her practice) but for the docs who work at Natalis. We had a lot of fun with great food and wine and good discussion about the future of the practice. There are some smart people that work there and it was fun to be a fly on the wall in their conversations about how everything works. It was fun to see Nicole in her element talking about things she does everyday, that sometimes she doesn't normally bore me with, but it was interesting. It is a fun group of young motivated practicioners.
Sunday was a completely wasted day. Cold/windy and no fun at all. We had a tee time in the morning that we couldn't possibly keep due to 35 degrees and windy. We grilled brats for lunch and made pizza for dinner. Nicole cleaned the house (out of boredom) because I thought it was clean already and we watched some golf and some movies. Ugh! Please bring the sun and warm weather soon! It is May 2nd and I have only golfed 1 time and Nicole has not played yet.
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