Minnesota 2012 with Kevin

I was going to come up here by myself at first and invited Kevin along for the ride. But rooms with 2 beds cost like $20 more per night so I said he could stay for free if he slept on the floor. And even though it was uncomfortable, free always feels great.

I told Mike to put Mason in the bin of watermelons so it would appear as if children were also $6.29 each. I don't know why Mike listened to me because it didn't end well and Mason started crying once left alone amongst the watermelons. This is why I'm unfit to be a father or offer any parenting advice. Then we went down another aisle and I told Mike to put Mason on a shelf. I don't know why he still listened to me after the watermelon incident but Mason seemed to be happier when his value increased to $7.49. Maybe that's what it was. He was just upset that he was being sold below market value. But I still think he's selling himself way too short.

It was funny to watch Mason operate. Not like a surgeon or anything, but as a kid. That would be wicked awesome if he was a surgeon at just 18 months old. He would blow Doogie Howser out of the water. But he's not there...yet. In the meantime he played around with the nonperishable foods like you saw in the video. Sometimes I wish I could be a kid and have fun with nothing.

Mason tried to put everything back where it belonged but Mike had to clean up the mess. It takes a grown up sophisticated mind to properly stock the shelves at Target, which is why their employees are top notch. Pfft. Nah. I lied. Anyone can do it.

I found this tricycle and gave it to Mason and he rode it around the aisles. With a little bit of help of course. He loved it so much that he cried when we took it away from him. I should have given it to him for real. At the register. With cash or credit. My bad.

We went out to dinner at Olive Garden and then returned to the hotel. After last night and the events of today I was toast, and not the kind you slather with butter. If I was at home I would have stayed in tonight. But I wasn't home. I had to get out of bed.

Kevin's friend Katy lives in Minneapolis. They went to High School together and she met us out at the bar. She seemed like a pretty cool chick but I was surprised that Kevin has friends. No offense, but he's so weird that I thought only family could deal with him because blood is thicker than water. I guess not.

Kevin found this lizard mask from The Amazing Spiderman, put it on, freaked me out and decided to keep on wearing it. He loved it so much that he cried when we took it away from him. I should have purchased it for him. It would have really made his day.

We went out to Town Hall Brewery which is my favorite bar in Minneapolis. It's a microbrewery and every time I go there they have some new seasonal beers. Plus the waitress Jill was really hot and I was flirting with her. And I was just pathetic enough to believe that I had a chance with her. I love lying to myself.

Katie stayed home with her parents and the kids. It would have been nice to have her come out but she doesn't get to see her parents that often so I understood. I was glad that Mike came out though because he really is my best friend. It makes these trips so important. I look forward to these moments all year.

He's probably going to read this someday if he doesn't just skim over the text while looking at the pictures so it will take him a while until he knows that he's my other best friend. I said it. I hang out with Kevin more than any person that is not my sister Jenny, so I guess it was inevitable. I might as well deal with it.

It was time to go to bed for real now, and it was by my own choice and not by passing out due to excessive amounts of alcohol. What a different a night makes, right? I was looking forward to a good night's sleep in a giant hotel bed.