Belly Up Success!!

As the title shows the Belly Up gig was a success!  This past Friday night (Jan 23rd), the band I sing in called, "The Credentialed" performed at the Belly Up in Solana Beach.  We played the happy hour set from 5:30-8:00pm.  It was an absolute blast!  We pulled in between 275-300 people and everyone was having a great time.  We had the crowd dancing and singing along like crazy.  It was such a fun time!  I had amazing support from family, friends, and people from the gym.  It was so cool.  Our next gig is Friday March 20th at 7:30pm at La Costa Canyon High School.  After that we are hoping to do the Belly Up again and Fiesta Del Sol.  Updates to come on those.  Overall, Friday was awesome and I wish we did it more often!

This past week has been crazy.  After being gone for three weeks to Minnesota, getting back to CA was bound to be a little hectic.  I had to catch up on a lot of things: paying for school, tutoring, training clients, getting back into teaching classes at the gym, band practice, etc.  It seemed like there was so much to do and so little time.

On Wednesday I start school for my last semester.  Wahoo!  I am taking 21 units all combined in two days-M/W.  It should be interesting to combine so much into two days, but they are going to be fun classes so I am excited.  Then on Friday, the band that I sing with "The Credentialed" are playing at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach from 5:30-8pm.  It should be a lot of fun and there should be a good crowd of people.  Other than that, its just a whole lot of personal training, tutoring, and back to the grind here in San Diego.

Farewell for now Minnesota

It seems that my trip has come to an end in Minnesota.  It was a great three weeks and I am so glad I was able to visit.  Today, I leave to go back to Cali and I am all packed and ready to go.  It seems like such a short trip now, but I had a great time.  I feel like I did a lot while I was here: hung out with friends, visited with family, checked out many different gyms in the Twin Cities.  I also id all the fun winter activities such as ice skating, playing broom ball, and sledding.  Going to the MN Wild hockey game was a blast and listening to my friend Ali and her sisters sing (Redpath) was awesome!  Besides doing fun things I read three books while I was here in MN and just started a fourth!  I got a lot of reading done at it was great.  I just finished, "New Moon" today which is the second book in the "Twilight" series and now it is time to move on to the third.  Half way through!  

Overall, I had a great trip.  Today it is about 13 degrees here in MN and back in CA it is said to be around 79 degrees!  What a crazy change in temperature.  I am used to bundling up in layers and standing by my mini heater.  No more of that I guess!  Well, farewell for now Minnesota...its time to catch a plane back to warm California.

End of Week Two in MN

Now I have come to the end of week two in MN.  A little recap is necessary I think...

-Christmas-Spent the night at my grandparents and celebrated with my dad's side of the family.  It was a lot of fun and great to see everyone.  My parents and siblings came in town late Christmas night.

-Leading up to New Years-My family went to the Mall of America a few times.  I hung out with a lot friends.  I went sledding with my mom, siblings, and cousin Sam in Stillwater, MN.  My brother, dad, and I went to a MN wild hockey game.  It was awesome!  My friend Lauren sang the National Anthem at the game and a few other friends were there as well.  It was really cool. 

-New Years-A bunch of my friends and I went to the U of M to a friends apartment, then St. Paul to an apartment, a bar in St. Paul, and then back to Mahtomedi.  At the stroke of midnight a few of us were at my friend Ali's house and watched fireworks on the lake.  It was a bit of a drama filled night, but ended up being fun.  Some friends stayed down in Minneapolis and one friend broke his leg playing ding-dong-ditch in an apartment complex.  Embarrassing!!  

-From New Years until now-My siblings left New Years Eve and my parents left New Years day.  I am still in town until January 10th and am loving it!  I have seen so many people and everyone has been really nice.  Last night a group of us played broom ball on the lake and it was a blast!  Cold, but fun.  Today I went to a funeral for my friend Ali's grandpa and it was really sad.  He did a cool thing though, and wrote a letter for his family awhile back about his faith.  Ali's dad read it out loud at the service and it was awesome.  I had only met him once (Fred), but from hearing what everyone said about him, he seemed like a great man.

So far my trip has been great!  I have loved seeing everyone and I am enjoying the Twin Cities.  It is very cold, but I am getting used to it.  My mini heater is my new best friend!  I have already read two books while being here and am on my third!  I read, "Alone Against the Atlantic" and I just finished reading, "Twilight".  Now I am starting "The Pillars of the Earth."  So far, so good.  I am staying with family friends in their apartment and it is great.  I am also using their car and loving it.  I have met with a few different gyms about working here if I move back and things have been going smoothly.  I have one more week and I am excited for it!  

Merry Christmas Eve!

The title says it all, "Merry Christmas Eve!"  Last night I went to Eagle Brook Church and enjoyed a wonderful sermon by Pastor Bob Merritt.  I enjoyed it so much that I went back today at 1pm with my aunt, uncle, and cousin.  Pastor Bob talked about how we put our faith is so many things-cell phones, airplanes, etc. and just trust that they will work.  When it comes to faith in God, we need to trust and put our faith in Him as well that He will take care of us.  His message went very deep and it was a great one!  Then at 3pm I went to St. Andrew's Lutheran Church with my friend Sally and her family.  That was a children's more traditional service, but it was good.  I love going to Christmas Eve services and seeing all of the people who attend.  Just seeing all of the people who are searching or know God blows my mind and sometimes even makes me emotional.  It is great to see the community of Christ.  

Tonight I am heading to my grandparents house to spend the night in Stillwater.  At 11am or so tomorrow all of my dad's side of the family is coming to my grandparents to open gifts, have brunch, play games, and hang out as a family.  I am super excited and this has been a great white Christmas so far!  

Merry Christmas Eve to all!  

Snow Snow Snow

I got into Minnesota the other night and snow covered the ground.  It is going to be a very White Christmas indeed!  Yesterday some friends and I drove to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to go to our friend Ali's graduation party.  We ended up staying out until 2:30am, falling asleep around 3:00am, and waking up at 7:15am to drive back to Minnesota because of snow conditions, was a little crazy!  Plus, being the only one not drinking, it turned into a VERY long night for me.  When we were driving back the snow was falling very fast, but luckily it was pretty light.  Going from sunny San Diego to Minne-snow-ta is a little different, to say the least!  I am having a great time though!  Tonight I am just going to veg out though.  Tomorrow I am going to church with my aunt and then to listen to my friends sing at another church at night.  They are awesome and their group is called Redpath.  Check them out: www.redpathonline.com   They are three sisters from Minnesota and I have known them all since I was young.  Ali, the one who I went to her grad party, is one of the sisters.  It should be lots of fun and I always enjoy Christmas music!

Three Weeks in Minnesota starts today!!

Today I take off for Minnesota for three weeks!  I am very excited and have packed for VERY COLD weather!  I have packed and re-packed so that I bring all warm things, but I may end up having to borrow a lot of warm stuff from people.  I plan to hang out with family and friends.  It is going to be a White Christmas and I am very excited!