June 4

Thank you for the Birthday wishes, calls, cards and presents.

I enjoyed the day at work before getting out into the nice Friday evening and enjoying a little bit of Brasa with Katy, Paul, Nick and Becca. We all enjoyed it, their garage doors were open at the Grand Avenue spot. We wandered a little on Grand, going into J. Crew but most stuff closes down early on Grand so we didn't go in too many places. However, we did get a dish of ice cream from Grand Old Creamery.














Nick, Joel and Paul waiting in line for some ice cream.


This was at Biaggi's in Maple Grove on Wednesday night June 2. Katy and I picked up Mom, Dad and Grandma. It was quite the few days of hanging out with Mom and Dad and it was great to see them. Some people asked when I saw them last and I wasn't sure. That means it was a long time, I suppose it was last summer.

Among our time together it seemed that most of it was spend enjoying a great amount of calories. Sunday was PF Changs! Monday we were at the Johnson's and were able to enjoy a great spread of food as well as the key item, venison! Monday night we went to WA Frost. I enjoyed lobster risotto with roasted shiitake mushrooms, julienne of snow peas in a smoked paprika sauce and a vanilla emulsion. It was a crazy good. Dad also ordered a charcuterie plate, which is just a bunch of cured meats on a plate with some sourdough bread and a couple of sauces. It was awesome, tasting something new!

We also ate at Old Chicago one night but then night before they left we ate at Biaggi's. It was pretty good as I stayed on the seafood train and got some lobster in pasta and it was delicious.

So, that's that. I'm 27 years old with 73 more years to go. I wonder what I will accomplish in this coming year. I do pray for alot...

Interesting Family Connection

So, it looks like the world is small yet again. I know I've been surprised and interested already with how many connections our family provides but here is a new one.

I posted a comment on Krista (Daniel's) facebook page and got a direct message from one of her friends, Alyssa. It turns out Mr. Daniel's was her pastor as a kid in Arizona before the Daniel's moved back to Minnesota. And in turn she has Minnesota connections as well. She said "Are you related to Bruce and Donna Dischinger? Bruce is my dad's first cousin and like Bruce and Donna, my parents both went to Bethel."

She thought it was fun to see a Dischinger last name and was just wondering.

I messaged her back that I was related to Bruce and Donna and that I live within a couple of miles of them at the moment and commented on how small the world is.

She then said "It turns out your grandmother and my grandmother (Helen Skon--daughter of former Bethel president Henry Wingblade) are first cousins." So, I haven't done the research but she said that would make her dad (Ronald Skon) and Dad third cousins and then the two of us fifth cousins. And apparently when the Skon family lived in Minnesota, they got together with Bruce and Donna often.

So, this person, Alyssa, lives in Chicago too and looks to have a journalism and law degree.

Anyhow, that was interesting to learn about a far off cousin in a random way. Kind of cool.

Oh, kind of like this one. This last fall we hired a girl who goes to St. Thomas for accessories and in learning about people her brother goes to Bethel, an interesting connection and then come to find out is dating Gretchen!