• BriGuyHogie •

The Final Farewell

2011-01-01T00:00:00.006-05:00

Dear BriGuyHogie Blog Fans,

There comes a time in all of our lives when we face occurrences that could lead towards an immeasurable amount of opportunities. Unique opportunities that could possibly make a difference in this world, maybe even change it with hopes for the better. For me, it was a significant challenge that would develop into something far greater than what I could have ever imagined. It was a task I was sure to be destined to fulfill during the prime of my lifetime, and to one day earn the prestigious stature of becoming none other than... a blogger. But not just any blogger, oh no. I was set out to seize the notable title as a specific blogger as someone to tell the tales of my adventures through detailed pictorial snapshots along with extraordinary cinematic videos. This idea had come into fruition during the glorious heyday of October 2005. And now, after five years later with a collection of 88 blog posts, 6,150 pictures, and 117 videos I would say it's time to relieve myself from these grueling duties of such a distinctive blogger.

Actually, on a more serious note, I really have enjoyed posting blogs over the years and in a way I'm kind of sad to be making the choice to stop. To be honest though, nowadays it's just too much work for me to keep updating the blogs with new pictures and the occasional video here and there. You'd think I would have learned to stop using my camera so much, but that really hasn't changed and it probably never will change. After much thought on deciding to end the blog I realized that at this point in my life it has become less of a hobby and more of a chore, which of course just makes it less appealing to maintain it. So that's basically my reasoning for calling it quits. I knew this would eventually happen one day, and so I guess that day has finally come. I want to thank all of the "fans" for following the blog and I certainly hope it was somewhat entertaining as I attempted to share a few experiences I had during the last couple of years of my life. Now of course when I say, "I'm calling it quits" that might be a little bit of an overstatement. I'll definitely be posting pictures of fun adventures on those fancy social media web sites that are all the rage, so I'm not completely "retiring" I suppose. One reason why I'm going this route is that I have a bit more control over privacy, and the second reason is that it will simply just be easier for me to post pictures.

So that's it for the blog! I don't plan on taking any of these posts down, so if you feel like it you can always check out these priceless oldies! Just click on the little twirl-down arrows on the left side to see the blogs. Thank you again for following if you have over the years. My hope is that you have enjoyed these blog posts as much as I have enjoyed posted them.

Your Ex-Blogging Friend,
Brian Hogan

Another O-Town Christmas

2010-12-30T00:00:00.009-05:00

My family came down to stay at my place for Christmas this year! Scott couldn't make it since he wasn't able to get off work in Arizona, but at least he was staying warm like the rest of us. I had a lot of fun with all of them during their last visit down in Orlando for Christmas, so I was definitely excited to be with most of the family again this time around. Heather gave me a couple of tickets to Universal Studios for my family, which of course was a super nice thing for her to do. Nothing says Christmas like roller coasters and simulator rides! Liz and Javan also spent most of their time with my family while they were here so that made things even more fun. It was great to just kind of relax and go at a slow pace during this little holiday break. Although we were all pretty tired at the end of Christmas Day when we were at the theme parks. But enough of this jibber jabber…take a look at the pictures and videos to see for yourself!

My family made it in town! I dressed up to impress them and to create the illusion that I'm a very welcoming individual.

Now that we're all here we don't know what to do.

I had a bag of Honeybell Oranges in a bag and I wanted to surprise my mom since it's her favorite kind of orange. I tried to get her reaction on video, but she peeked in the bag before I could get the camera going....so here is her reenactment.

My mama sure likes d'em Honeybells!

Michael is excited about all of the pictures I will be taking during his stay in Orlando.

The week before was my mom's birthday and I didn't have time to send her present and card out to Illinois in time, so I waited until she came down and I think she liked her card the most. It's HARE-Y POTTER!!!!!

After a light celebration of her birthday my mom complained about how hot it is in Florida.

Michael was trying to help out in the kitchen with my mom, but she told him to make like d'em eggs and scram!

So he left to go play a Wii cooking game instead.

My mom sat down for a bit to catch up on the news with her fancy shmancy magic window.

Once she was finished reading up on her news sites she needed a little help out of the papasan chair.

Liz came over!

And look...JAVAN!!!!!

My mom brought our old stockings that we have had since we were born. Michael wasn't too fond of the smell.

My parents thought it was a very nice Christmas Eve and were even impressed with my magnificent tree!

The next morning we went to Universal Orlando for the day!

Javan was excited! As he should be.

We made our way into the park looking for the new Harry Potter land.

All we could find was a land of Grinchmas and my mother was not too pleased with this at all.

Then we ran into a talking fountain where my mother had a little chat with for a moment.

FINALLY!!!!! We found the Potter land...now let's get this over with.

Liz was super excited!

Javan wasn't as much because he's deathly afraid of black magic.

My family and I at the spooky lookin' castle.

What could be inside of this thing?

It was a bit disappointing when we found out it was mostly just house plants.

We discovered a huge secret door that leads into the huge castle!

Javan was greeted by a huge bird!

The paintings...they're alive!

Michael does his best to intimidate the paintings.

Look! It's the enchanted gossiping hat!

After exiting the spellbinding plastical castle and all it's glory we spotted a wild Hippogriff in the nearby enchanted woods.

My mom figured it out that we were waiting in line to go on another ride.

She didn't really want to go but it was too late because we were already on it!

Now it's time for a little Hippogriff joyride.

My mom thought it was quite the doozy.

Such a delightful view of slanting structures.

My mom didn't have the time to look behind her to see it.

That is one tough snowman to withstand the Florida weather.

More tilting chimneys!

This place was packed!

That's why Javan, Liz and I stayed together the entire time so we wouldn't get lost.

One of the window displays piqued the ladies interest.

I just kept taking pictures of the angled rooftops.....

.....and Michael kept drinking Butterbeer. It was really good!

My parents really don't know too much about Harry Potter...so we were ready to leave.

So long spooky lookin' castle!

We headed over to the Jurassic Park ride because that seemed like a good idea for whatever reason.

Michael is never impressed by the mighty brontosaurus.

My mom enjoyed the little boat ride.....

.....until we ran over some unexpected guests.

Uh-oh...not the DANGER ZONE!!!!!

DANGER ZONE!!!!!

Michael took a video of my mom in the front of the boat and as you can see she enjoyed it immensely.

Javan didn't go on the ride and now we know why.

Although my mom didn't think it was all that bad. It was like a hot shower!

Okay...time for the next thing.

It's a good thing too because we could have been lunch meat! Or even worse...DEAD MEAT!!!!!

We somehow walked right back into the Harry Potter land…..

…..and we ended up going through the thick crowd once again.

Would you just look at all of those suckers down there waiting in line!

Liz and I always enjoy a good view of watching suckers from afar.

Michael got a hold of one of the props from the movies and smashed it up real good. He definitely thought it was worth it even though he probably ruptured his spleen.

We were going to take the train out of there, but we couldn't get through the horde of "Muggles."

We managed to leave in one piece and made it over to Michael's favorite part of the park…Seuss Landing!

Liz and I caught up with a Who.

A festive Lorax greeted my mom and then told us to bug off.

Javan and I were ready to challenge Doctor Doom!

Liz and I waited in line and showed no fear.

My family were chatting up a storm in Doctor Doom's secret basement.

Javan stayed quiet as he prepared himself for the worst.

He also prepared himself for playing Texas Hold'em poker.

Somehow my mom was able to go on this crazy tower ride, which if you know what kind of ride this is it's pretty impressive my mom actually took the challenge!

Michael chills out in The Hulk line next to the high tech lava lamps.

Michael, Liz, Javan and I ride The Hulk and enjoyed every second of it!

I had no idea that crazy Hulk was so close behind us!

I get so angry around the guys!

But then I calmed down a little when I was next to Liz.

Storm and Rouge made us take a group picture or else they were going to cause a ruckus upon the innocent people of whatever city they live in and then blame it on us.

We couldn't trust those super heros anymore so we high tailed it out of there. Liz preferred to be carried out by rickshaw.

Javan preferred to be carried out by tiger. Then Liz thought that looked like fun so she hopped on a monkey.

It's time to leave Islands of Adventure once and for all! Good riddance!

If there's one view Michael can never get enough of it's the jumbled up disarray of gift shops, restaurants, clubs, outlet stores, etc. at City Walk!

All of a sudden Javan won't allow any pictures. What the heck is wrong with him?

Christmastime at the Universal Studios park!

We waited in line for Revenge of the Mummy where darkness lurked in every corner. That is until I singed everyone's retina with the camera flash.

My mom didn't think this ride was going to be very scary since they had a cute golden kitty out on display.

But I knew something horrible was ahead after seeing scarier things.

So after hearing my mom scream during the entire ride we made it back out on the streets.

We went to see a show called Disaster and Michael was chosen to be a part of the it.

He was born for this!

Michael makes his acting debut as an evil henchmen during one of the film shoots. Afterwards we had one final scene to shoot with a bunch of extras in a subway station. They showed the amazing film trailer at the very end and I must say it's definitely a movie I will not be willing to pay money to see.

We took a walk around the lagoon during a nice quiet evening…..

…..but things weren't too quiet for long before Michael and my mom were busted for painting this white picket fence blue!

Then Javan and I tried to make some finishing touches to the fence, but somehow they caught us in the act as well.

Liz found a Horton, but unfortunately she couldn't hear a Who.

The day would not be complete without a globe shot.

We stopped in at Pat O'Briens…..

…..for their traditional evening feast. Also known as dinner.

My mom was ready to leave the park in style while Michael was left behind in great shame.

What a fun day at the parks! Now it's time for bed.

The next morning my family and I drove about 1 1/2 hours south of Orlando just to pick up some more citrus so my parents could take it back home. It was ridiculous.

We stopped over at one of the local diners for a hearty meal.

Michael enjoys sitting next to me in booth seats.

Can't you see the joyfulness in his eyes!

My mom was a big fan of the Apollo Diner. Now it's time to go back to Orlando.

We arrived at my place later on and Michael took a load off in my temporary air mattress room.

Meanwhile, my parents told all kinds of embarrassing stories about Michael and I when we were younger.

That was Michael's cue to leave and go to the airport.

Before taking him over we had to get one last Christmas tree shot. Beautiful!

My mom says goodbye to him as he heads of for a trip to Germany.

Peace out, bro!

After leaving the airport we were all hungry so we stopped over at Tijuana Flats.

Liz joined us too because she can't pass up on a good ol' fashioned chimichanga!

Hey, look! It's the next morning!

I attempted to make breakfast for my parents and let them relax a little bit, but my mom didn't trust me at all with cooking the food.

From the looks of it…I'd say she's probably right.

My mom pretty much took over and making pancakes.

It looks like Javan might be playing around with the camera.

Yep, it's definitely Javan.

My mama and the her flapjacks.

Javan spoiled himself with his very own Silver Fox as a Christmas gift.

And now he desperately tries to figure out how to work it.

I decided to try out the springing action of Silver Fox on my mom.

Even though it frightened her at first they became buddy-buddy in no time.

Javan isn't quite sure if he can trust me with his new toy around my mother.

We had a nice little meal for dinner at my place.

The kids table!

After dinner my parents treated all of us to see the Cirque du Soleil show at Downtown Disney!

Liz and I were very excited to see a bunch of French clowns for the next two hours.

My mom thought it was a fantastic show.

It's late. Time for bed.

Early next morning my parents tried to sneak out and leave but I caught them in the act! They were lucky I didn't send Chief Wiggum on them.

But I called off the authorities and instead I said one last goodbye to the mama.

They got in the car pretty quick to head back home to Illinois. Probably because I smell weird in the morning and they've had enough.

So that's it! The holiday break was officially over for me once my parents flew the coop. Good times were had by all!

A New Orleans Thanksgiving

2010-12-10T00:00:00.003-05:00

This year my parents wanted to spend Thanksgiving in New Orleans, so Michael flew down from New York City and I flew up from Orlando. I had a lot of fun with them as always. Here are the pictures and a couple of videos to prove it!

My dad and mom met up with in the most Cajun-filled airport in the country.

We made it to the French Quarter!

I'm always a little weary about exploring new territories, but my mom helped me keep my cool while walking the streets.

The mama and papa take a nice stroll.

There were plenty of streets filled with gift shops, but this particular boulevard was hoppin' so we checked out a few of the stores.

My mom was jazzin' it up!

My dad was brimmin' it up.....

.....and I followed his lead.

At this point my mom got a little carried away, so we had to leave the store and give her a "time out."

"Time out" is over and now it's time to see more of the unique architecture that New Orleans has to offer.

For instance, this fancy lookin' Krystal joint.

All of that appreciation from the Krystal's building design really wore us out, so we went to the hotel and relaxed on the top floor.

That is one big river. I think I overheard it goes up to Mississippi or some place, but it's probably all lies.

I kept a close eye on the French Quarter...but not in a creepy way!

Michael was nice enough to drop in for the Thanksgiving holiday.

My mom tries her very best to figure out the hotel elevator.

We all went up to the top of the hotel to take in the majestic view.

Something had definitely stirred inside of Michael while being up there. It could have been indigestion.

My mom did a good job pretending to enjoy her time standing so close to the ledge.

It's time to go enjoy a Thanksgiving feast!

Michael can't hardly wait!

My mom chose this place and I think the main reason was because of their logo.

Michael takes a gander at their wide variety of chicken strips.

TWINS!!!!!

PARENTS WHO RAISED TWINS!!!!!

Everything must have been good because table looks like it's been licked clean.

Time for a stroll on Bourbon Street.

And it's also time to block a good amount of the tiny street to take a picture.

The next morning we headed over to the French Market and on our way Michael woke up to laughing at this sign.

If only I had a bowler hat and a huge 'stache.

We made it and charged right in to demanding for the best French Market Black Friday deals ever.

We didn't find any good deals...however, my mom did manage to find some very intricate jewelry lying around!

Clearly, there is too much excitement in the air.

We're leaving the French Market!

We went into a gift shop down the road where my mom encountered an alligator. She was staying perfectly still thinking that their vision is based off of movement.

Stylish!

It was such beautiful weather on this fine afternoon in fromt of the New Orleans St. Louis Cathedral.

We went to seek shelter!

I liked this place because there was plenty of head room for me.

Back on the streets!

Have I ever mentioned that Michael loves taking pictures with me.

Michael was a fast walker. This ain't NYC!

We went on a tour bus and they eventually dropped us off at an old cemetery. My mom wasn't too sure about this.

We pushed her inside so she can get the full New Orleans experience.

This angel totally saw us pushing her in.

Smoke break? If Michael smoked.

The tour bus was leaving soon so we needed to find our way out!

It was a good thing the cemetery was lined up in rows.

My mom was gettin' antsy to leave.

Later that night we were approached by some sort of GHOST DOG!!!!! But my mom is never afraid of cute spooky things.

Now that Thanksgiving is over it's officially Christmastime on Bourbon Street.

We stopped in at a place to listen to some good ol' fashioned New Orleans music and stay warm next to a pirate.

We walked into another place and had a front row seat to watch some more musicians to jazz it up. They were great!

My dad and I relaxed for a bit during the show…..

…..while my mom and Michael decided to be an extension of the show by doing their jazz hands bit.

We headed back out on Bourbon Street for a little while longer.

I was convinced that by the stroke of midnight these musicians would come to life, but we had other things to do so we didn't stick around for that nonsense.

I didn't have the heart to tell them that guy wasn't real.

There's nothing like a nice walk on a famous New Orleans street with blinding lights shining in your eyes.

We ended the night by heading over to Cafe Du Monde for their famous beignets.

They were quite tasty.

My parents agreed.

The next morning we walked around to burn off the calories from those deadly beignets.

What an appropriate New Orleans banner for twins.

It's time to meander along the river walk.

Michael was excited.

Michael likes to meander in the style of the villain from Terminator 2.

My parents like to meander like normal people.

Tugboat shot!

I had no idea what was going on, but I never miss an opportunity to point the finger at a small child.

We made it to the Riverwalk Marketplace and my mom was greeted by some kind of huge party elf.

We made it indoors and my mom was greeted by a big sleepy bear.

But when I got a closer look into his eyes I realized he was dead!

We saw this quite often in the city and my mom cracked up every time.

Michael enjoys trying on hats.

My mom enjoys opening glittery umbrellas indoors.

I enjoy running away from stalkers who turn out to be huge party elves.

When we walked back outside Michael took a bite from a fake lobster.

I tried the same but it didn't work out so well for me.

We left the Riverwalk Marketplace soon after because we couldn't handle too much of the excitement.

TWO DAT!!!!!

Michael decided to go a little nuts and try on another hat.

My parents did the same but I think they need to learn a few fashion tips from my brother.

I was a big fan of the hot sauce wall!

My mom was a big fan of the kitty masks.

Michael had a hard time guessing who was behind the mask.

CAJUN ZYDECO DANCE PARTY!!!!!

It was time to get a quick lunch so we asked for a seat where we could shake a traffic lamp back and forth. The seated us upstairs on the balcony right away!

My mom and dad had a nice lunch and politely blocked Michael and I from causing any trouble with that rickety old traffic lamp.

Michael and I had a good time eating our gator po' boy sandwiches…..Cajun style.

My mom said I didn't like Cajun style, but she don't know me!

So she just smiled and nodded.

We headed back to the hotel and said goodbye to my parents because it was time for Michael and I to head over to the airport.

I've never seem them so mesmerized by a cab pulling up to the curb.

So long mama!

I said goodbye to Michael as we went to separate terminals.

It would have been great to hang out with Michael in the same location at the airport, but I managed to have a party by myself.

I arrived back in Orlando and look who surprised me while I walked into the lobby…IT'S LIZ!!!!!

What a great way to end the trip!

Okay, that's it!

Operation: Costume Dash

2010-11-04T00:00:00.003-04:00

Javan and I were preparing for a high-risk assignment, but before setting out on this treacherous undertaking we had to suit up. And not to mention MAN UP!!!!! Watch the video of us on our top secret mission…although it's probably not too top secret if I'm sharing it on the internet.

Michael And The Marathon

2010-10-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

My twin brother, Michael, was going to be running the Chicago Marathon this year (his 4th marathon race) and I promised him I would go to the city to watch him in the race. I was really excited to see him run it since I've never been around to see him during the past three. Liz decided to come along as well so we planned a couple of days to stay in Chicago and Plainfield (where I grew up) before the actual day of the marathon, which means there's a good chance of me taking a ton of pictures. Well, you're right…there are a ton of pictures. Oh, and videos. VIDEOS!!!!! I hope you enjoy this epic blog!

Liz and I made it to the airport and are ready to say goodbye to Orlando for a fews days.

I also had to say goodbye to a giant Harry Potter.

Then we stole a hog to hightail it out of fake Hogwarts.

We took a pitstop along the way and Liz caught up with Snow White.

We're on the plane and Liz looks funny!

Here we are looking less funny…hopefully.

We made it to Chicago!

We took "L" Train up to my friend Holly's place. Liz kept a good eye on me during the entire ride.

The next morning we left Holly's place and waited for the train again. This time Liz didn't keep a close eye on me, which can only mean she is finally beginning to trust me.

Liz wasn't sure if we were in Chicago anymore after getting off the train, but when we went upstairs and saw this sign everything was fine.

Now that we definitely knew we were in Chicago Liz held on tight because she was afraid of strangers.

The Willis Tower, formerly known as The Sears Tower.

We're gonna go up in this thing.

We arrived in the lobby and it took us forever to find out which floor to get off on. Can you find Liz?!

I'm not as good at the game…but at least I tried!

Liz is being enveloped by the lobby darkness, but she still welcomes me to ICONIC CHICAGO.

Liz thought she found where we needed to go…..

…..she wasn't so impressed by the tower.

I found a different tower and was clearly much more impressive.

We finally took the elevator up 103 floors and saw the view. Liz was impressed!

I used to live in that area. It seemed like it was so much bigger when I younger!

Not only did way pay to see the city skyline from above, but we paid to see the city skyline with streaks of dirt!

There…that's better.

Another view.

And another.

Liz took the risk and tried out THE LEDGE!

Then I stepped onto THE LEDGE with her.

I thought it was really scary…..

…..but it didn't take long for me to get used to it.

Liz keeps her balance while I make my way out to join her.

It was a good thing for me to be next to Liz because it gave her something to hold on to while the building swayed slightly to the right.

It's not easy to keep your balance inside such a tall building in the Windy City.

Liz was preparing herself to be launched out of THE LEDGE at any moment and wanted to fly in style.

It turned out that wasn't going to happen at any point so she sat down and took a load off.

It was a fun time and a great view!

But it was time to go back down in a really fast elevator.

A couple of minutes ago we were all the way up there!

I told Liz how this sculpture always reminded me of Ferris Bueller's Day Off because you can see it a couple times in the parade scene, so naturally Liz decides to start up her own parade.

Liz was excited to find dying leaves!

They're good for making a nice coupley picture.

We stopped by one of the main buildings I used to go to school. That place always smelled like motion picture film!

Liz enjoyed seeing Lake Michigan, but was okay without jumping in for a swim.

Wup up, Chi-Town.

I looked away for a split second and I lost Liz. She's a pro at hiding!

We were walking along Lake Shore Drive and noticed the road was eerily quiet with a significant amount of police officers.

It turned out the President was in town.

And there he goes.

We headed over to Navy Pier to go up in this thing.

Up we go!

Liz looks happy from the outside, but on the inside she's sad to be caged in like an animal.

A view from the right.

A view from the left.

Down we go!

Liz takes one more peek.

Nighttime came quickly out on the pier.

The Future McDonald's is powered by the chaotic electrical fields piped through all of their deep friers.

I found the motherload. SUCH POWER!!!!!

We was a good time at the major tourist trap.

It would have been a perfect night for me if I hadn't gotten smashed by a giant macaroni, but I guess I can't have everything go my way.

Although our time at the pier actually did end well when Liz and I had a conversation with a nice man frozen in carbonite. He was in good spirits regardless of his circumstances.

Liz clearly had a good day in Chicago.

We met up with my old college friend, Holly, and her boyfriend, Brian, for a fancy dinner surrounded by trinkets.

Liz was happy to meet Elvis.

But then both of us were excited to meet Super Mario.

And then everyone was excited to meet Betty Boop...except for Liz.

The next morning we stumbled upon the Field Museum so we decided to check it out and find Sue.....

.....but we almost didn't go in because Liz is deathly afraid of huge dinosaur banners.

As far as real dinosaurs go.....

.....she was doing okay.

But she calmed down when she was next to me, which doesn't make any sense to me at all!

Liz was very welcoming to guests as they entered into The Ancient Americas exhibit.

She liked to point at places of Mexico she has visited.

She also liked to point at pyramids she has been to. In this case it was The Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico.

I liked to point out my vast collection of audio cassette tapes in my sweet ride.

We walked upstairs and found Sue's real head!

She needs to get her nose checked out.

Sue's head was not attached to her body because it weighs about 600 pounds and it's easier to throw it into a glass box.

HEAD SHOT!!!!! Ooohhh...I couldn't resist.

Liz liked the stained glass window in the Grainger Hall of Gems.....

.....and she also liked the big gems.

BLING!!!!!

It was a fun day at the museum!

Later on we headed up towards the Magnificent Mile where I had the honor of meeting a Lego legend.

Liz was super impressed with the bucket drumming kids on the street and gave them a tip.

Those bucket drummers are loud!

Lunch time!

Holly joined us and splurged for some ketchup and water.

She doesn't want to show it, but Holly definitely misses my constant picture snapping.

We saw the bean!

I gawked at the bean!

Liz and I loved this thing!

Not only does the bean reflect a slightly warped image, but it also provides shade.

We probably could have shot a video of this all day.

I thought being crushed by a giant macaroni was unpleasant, but the bean managed to prove me wrong.

The bean also proved my manliness as I was willing to take a phone call even while being squashed.

Immediately after the phone call I responded to the ever growing pain!

Liz demonstrates how to be flattened by a giant object and continue to stay calm. I swear it's not as easy as it looks!

We all had an amazing time at the bean.

If you stand directly underneath the bean you could possibly be transported into another dimension.

Liz demonstrates what it might look like to be sucked into another dimension if she were to stand underneath the bean.

The bean was THIS much fun!

But not as much fun as meeting Megamind!

It's not every day you get a chance to boogie down with Megamind.

The concert venue was kind of neat to see.

Super exciting!

We did enough dilly-dallying and were on a quest to find my part of my family.

We haven't seen anyone just yet, but Liz found a giant lion so that counts for something!

Liz was brave to have her back turned from a lion. Even if it was made of stone.

We found part of my family! Michael and my mother to be exact.

My mom gave us all the shrug after playing her free marathon kazoo.

It was great to see her again.....

.....and let's not forget Michael.

My mom and Michael ran a quick marathon earlier in the afternoon and finished strong. She couldn't help but to show it off to everyone walking by.

We had dinner with some friends from college and high school.

It was a miracle no one broke out into a fight! Afterwards, Michael and my mom went back to Plainfield while Liz and I were going to spend one more night in Chicago.

Later that night we went back to Holly and Megan's place. Liz and I brought gifts for them, which Megan was completely surprised about receiving candles.

And Holly was especially surprised to get a stuffed manatee. This now tallies up to two stuffed manatees for her.

Megan was going to bed so she gave everyone a thumbs up before heading into her room for the night.

The next morning we headed over to Union Station and go on a little train ride.

It's off to Plainfield, Illinois!

It was a stupendous excursion on the train. I may just have to crop myself out of this and send the picture to Metra for their next ad campaign.

We made it back to my parents' place in Plainfield. Michael and my mom were outside looking confused. Just like in the old days.

Michael was happy to see me again.

We didn't know what to do…..

…..then we decided to go on a walk!

A walk in the woods!

There's a trail that pretty much begins right in the backyard.

My mom wasn't a huge fan of the woods.

My mom makes it down into "The Pit!"

Liz enjoyed it though!

Me and the folks.

Michael decided to go on another walk…..

…..I tagged along with him!

And so did Liz! She also liked this tree!

Michael's eyes take the midwest sunshine beatdown.

Liz and I learned from his lesson and found somewhat of a shady spot.

Michael was still on the lookout for some shade for his face.

It's always fun on a bridge!

Liz looks out for gators, but she's a long ways away from any creature like that.

Things were getting a little awkward with all the silence…..

…..until Michael chose to break the ice by telling knock, knock jokes.

Back on the bridge where it's always fun.

My parents spotted us and made is pile into the car…..

…..and punished us with a treat to some fancy Italian restaurant food.

Later that night my old friend Chad stopped by to visit and gave us his signature thumbs up.

Michael packs his bag as he heads out to Chicago the night before the marathon.

Chad and I say goodbye to Michael as he leaves the house.

Now that Michael is gone the only thing left to do is for Liz to give us her signature peace sign.

Chad did not approve of such signature hand gesture and started a fight…..

…..while I sat in the corner with no one to fight with all night.

So long, Chad!

The next morning we were set to go and Liz gave my mom a gift. It was a fancy candle with matching matches!

Okay…time to go!

We arrived in Chicago and met up with Michael and Holly just in time before the race.

Me and my bro…and the creepy Metra sign.

Michael receives instructions from my mother to run fast.

She's got the cowbell ready to go!

The race has just begun!

And Michael is somewhere in there.

We're on the lookout for Michael…..

…..still on the lookout…..

…..still on the lookout…..

My mom received her first text on Michael's status in the race and apparently he crossed the starting line about 30 minutes ago.

Me and my mom wait patiently for Michael to hit the halfway point.

Holly is also excited.

And guess what? So is my dad.

The police lead the way. They are kind of cheating with their motorcycles, but nobody says anything to them.

The first cluster of runners make their way down the course.

The runners go right pass the Willis Tower.

My mom keeps a sharp eye out for Michael.

Michael running by at the halfway point!

We hopped on the train in an attempt to find Michael on the south side of town.

Holly and I could barely hold in our excitement.

Next stop, Chinatown.

My mom is happy with her spot to cheer from on the curb.

My mom waits patiently in the shadows…..

…..and then cheered some runners on with her fancy bell.

My dad kept an eye out for Michael in style.

Liz also kept an eye out and waved to the camera in style.

The runners kept passing through.

Michael runs through Chinatown!

It was great to see Michael run by again! Now it's time to head back to the finish line!

But along the way we found my younger brother!

Scott knows how to just be keepin' it real.

Michael finished the race!

And he ate whatever he could find.

Michael is ready to go.

He looks pretty good for running 26.2 miles.

Michael tries to explain to Holly why he would put himself through such misery.

Scott continues to not say a word and look cool.

I attempt to do the same, but Scott just ashamedly thinks to himself that there is no hope for me.

Michael and Holly also join Scott by hitting me up with the shameface.

Scott chillaxes for a bit in the parking lot…..

…..and finally cracks a smile because of the absurdity of me taking way too many pictures.

Again, I'm taking way too many pictures…but if I wasn't in the shot this would have been perfect for Scott's upcoming rap album.

It's time to go get some grub.

Scott and Liz catch up a bit…..

…while Michael catches up with me about how he would beat me in a marathon.

Liz and Holly wait patiently for the grub.

Michael and I were certainly excited for the grub.

Scott wasn't too sure about the grub.

GRUB!!!!!

After the grub we made our way over to find the boat tours.

Twin buildings!

Liz was excited to see the architecture of Chicago!

We're on the boat and ready to go!

My mom is clearly ready for this.

And Michael is definitely ready.

Cruisin' through the Chicago River.

Michael didn't see this building in time before we floated by it at a leisurely pace.

My parents enjoyed the tour.

Scott probably didn't. Or maybe he did…I couldn't tell.

Michael unquestionably loved it!

The Willis Tower! Complete with Skydeck ledges!

Liz and I took a break from looking up at the buildings by looking down at the camera.

However, Michael's neck was stuck and needed to be readjusted.

My mom continues to laugh at the tour guide's cheesy jokes.

I couldn't tell if Scott was sleeping. Again…I couldn't tell.

Michael asked politely when the tour was going to be over.

It's the Trump International Hotel & Tower! Plus Michael's head!

Liz likes the boat ride.

Michael doesn't like the boat ride.

This time I could definitely tell Scott liked the boat ride.

Chicago from afar.

One more picture of the folks with the city before we head back in.

Hooray for boats and tours!

Everyone is now full of knowledge of Chicago Architecture.

Scott is ready to leave us while Michael, Liz and myself need to drive over to the airport.

Family shot on the mean streets of Chi-Town.

And don't forget Liz! She was also on the mean streets of Chi-Town.

And don't forget about the latest and greatest for neighborhood watch programs in Chi-Town.

Liz asks Michael what he plans to do now since he's finished his fourth marathon. He hasn't thought that far yet.

My parents dropped us all off at the airport and now it's time to say goodbye.

Liz is excited to fly in style!

Time to head back home to Orlando.

We're back! That was fast.

And look who picked us up…it's our good pal JAVAN!!!!!

We're back at Liz's place to drop her off. It was a fun trip…and now it's time for some sleep.

The End!

Hurricane Simulator

2010-09-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

I've been living in Florida for almost five years now and I still have never experienced the power of a ferocious hurricane (not that I'm complaining). Liz and I were walking around in a mall and saw a giant machine that claimed to simulate a hurricane while being encapsulated inside of a giant tube. I figured it was about time for me to man up and step into the exceedingly forceful HURRICANE SIMULATOR!!!!! Will the full blown experience be worth the two dollars? You'll just have to see and find out for yourself! Oooo…what suspense.

5K Power Saunter!

2010-07-26T00:00:00.002-04:00

Javan, Liz and I signed up for the 2nd Annual Run for Africa 5K from Children of the Nations. It was a run to help give money towards education to orphaned children in Africa. The race went well for us as we were proud to be the last group of people to finish! Here's the "rundown" on what happened. That's right...I just made the best pun ever.

It was a fine Saturday morning and everyone was ready to compete fanatically against each other.

.....but Javan and I were determined to win by using our secret weapons known as the headband.

Liz wanted to join us but we warned her that she would have to keep up with us. Javan and I only know how to run swiftly at blazing speeds throughout the course.

Javan was quite impressed with her effort.....

.....and she quickly found a good pace to run along with us.

However, I had to catch my breath after fleeing off in a mad dash and Liz caught up to make sure I was okay.

Then we decided it was too hot to run, so we did the next logical thing...POWER SAUNTER!!!!!

Liz and I were pumped to go on a leisurely walk!

Clearly, we know how to leisurely walk when being pumped up.

Javan expresses his excitement in the form of a Jazz Hands performance dance while Liz follows his lead.

Liz and I know how to make 5K walking look easy.

We were getting close to the finish when Javan and I were enjoying a little bit of guy time, but then Liz came over to girly it all up!

We made it to the finish line and survived the 5K!

Word on the street is that you should drink water at some point after running/walking a 5K. I didn't believe any of that rubbish, but Liz was totally suckered into this myth!

Liz seemed to be a bit glum that the 5K was over, but when I told her she could power walk to the car she was pumped all over again!

Javan and I weren't exactly too thrilled about this idea, so we took a load off for a couple of hours while Liz roamed free throughout land.

And that's the end.

Toy Store Trip

2010-07-20T00:00:00.001-04:00

It's been a very hectic summer for both Javan and myself, but even with all of the busyness in our lives we decided to take a little break and have some good ol' fashion roommate fun. And what better way to do that than taking a quick trip over to Toys 'R Us! Seriously…what else could be better? I need some ideas! In the meantime, here are some pictures and videos of us wasting our precious time.

We arrived in the parking lot so we pretty much figured our adventure was halfway over at this point.

Javan managed to find the entrance.

I managed to find an intimidating gang of Pixar characters.

Never trust a Potato Head.

They were fresh out of Brian mugs so I had to settle for Brianna.

Javan tries out the store's fine selection of dinosaur toys.

We had no interest in the girls section due to our fear of being exposed to cooties.

I need to watch where I'm going when turning the corner. You just might jam your head into a ball cage!

Luckily, I was able to use this helpful little gadget to pull myself out rather than using my own hand.

Javan loved the Iron Man toy and didn't want to let go of it…..

…..until he spotted a jumbo size mask that talks back to you with attitude.

You can't go wrong with Slimmer, a Ghostbuster classic…..

…..or even the marshmallow dude.

But leave it to Godzilla to ruin the party and chase us out of the aisle.

We escaped the wrath of Godzilla and found ourselves surrounded by more funny looking dinosaurs.

To stay hidden from the dreaded Godzilla and various dinobots I blended in with this trusty white ninja mask I had just found.

I then double backflipped down the aisle to grab me this trusty white ninja foam sword.

Don't ever mess with a ninja with glasses.

Javan decided act less like an idiot and go head on with the Star Wars gear.

I didn't think going full on Star Wars was such a bad idea either so I tired out a light saber.

Javan decided to test one out as well…..

…..but because of my catlike reflexes I thought he was about to attack me with his clearly evil colored saber.

Javan, however, also possesses quick catlike reflexes to guard himself from my deadly attack.

Who knew there would be more Star Wars stuff!

Javan was very tempted to buy this little guy…..

…..but that thought quickly ended once he saw the jumbo Bumblebee helmets.

Those masks just aren't very appealing to me as much as Power Wheels. I had some trouble getting into this vehicle…..

…..but then I found one that was just right!

It was about that time to go and Javan couldn't let me have all the fun with driving off with a kid-sized vehicle…..

…..but I clearly had the last laugh with these strange puppets.

We found the exit and made our way out of the store. It was a good little trip without having to deal with any of the employees telling us that we are weird…at least not in front of our faces.

The End!

"Illinois Chad" Visits Florida...AGAIN!

2010-06-06T00:00:00.002-04:00

"Illinois Chad" is the first Chad I met and we were friends growing up in Plainfield, Illinois (Surprisingly, I am friends with quite a few guys who go by the name Chad). He came down to Florida a few years ago and stopped by Orlando to visit, which was a lot of fun to hang out with him. He came down for a second visit and this time and the main thing that we did was we played a lot of imitation-type golfing games. This may sound a bit shocking, but he was visiting me for 2 1/2 days and I really didn't take too many pictures. Crazy, I know…but here is a little bit of what happened!

We went to Fantasia Gardens at Disney World because it's my favorite course to play. It had nothing to do if Chad or Liz would actually like it…..

…..but they seemed to like it. Look at the excitement!

I always putt with dignity.

I climbed up on some rocks and Liz waited patiently to watch me tumble back down to the green…..

…..but her patients grew thin and she continued to play thru.

Chad got a hole-in-one!

I was impressed by Chad's shot while Liz pouted for the next five minutes.

Chad got another hole-in-one!

Hey look…we're finished playing. (I can't believe these are the only pictures I have!)

The next morning we were all enthusiastic for a game of disc golf so we headed over to the course right away.

Liz and I were ready to do this.

It may appear that Liz was about to throw the disc, but she was actually about to take a sip of her Gatorade.

Chad completes Hole 1 without a problem.

Liz catches up.

Chad decides to go with the classic "Driver Throw."

Liz decides to go with the "Ninja Attack."

I decide to go with the "Banana Peel Slip."

Chad completes the hole and wishes I would put my camera down and just play the game.

Liz was concentrating on her next throw and I don't think she noticed I was taking a picture…..

…..but I was wrong and she roughed me up with her deadly "Ninja Attack."

I took over sign duty for a while.

It was time for a break…..

…..and then resumed the game by digging out our discs in thorn bushes.

I made the goal!

Not only can Liz pull off a flawless "Ninja Attack", but she can also do an outstanding "Banana Peel Slip."

We just finished another hole…I'm going to assume it was Hole 10.

Chad carefully studies the course map before launching it into another thorn bush.

Liz dramatically completes Hole 13.

Chad was ready to see Liz throw her best shot.

Liz was satisfied with her throw…..

…..but Chad tries his best to overtake her throw…..

…..and I simply try my best to not fall over.

Chad finishes Hole 18!

Liz totally copied Chad!

Chad and I tie at the end, which means we can still be friends.

So there you go…it was a fun time playing imitation-type golfing games!

End.

Whale Sharks Or Bust!

2010-05-14T00:00:00.002-04:00

Javan and I have been talking about a road trip to Atlanta, Georgia for a while now and it finally happened! We specifically wanted to check out the Georgia Aquarium and unfortunately did not have enough time to really see anything else, but that's okay because it gives us an excuse to go back and goof off another time. The main reason to go to the aquarium in Atlanta is to see the whale sharks. That's right…WHALE SHARKS! Oh yeah...Liz and Mollie tagged along, which also made it a lot of fun! Okay, that's enough. Here are some pictures and videos.

I waited patiently for the whole gang to arrive at my office. They saw me up on the second floor of the building and we began to scream at each other in outrage.

It was time to throw everything from Javan's car into the rental before we headed on our way.

Javan is such a man.

TIME TO GO!!!!!

Javan pumps himself up with some hot beats!

A few hours later we stopped at a Burger King for some fine dining.

I could totally be the king of Squaresville.

Liz was ready to get back on the road and hear me yap some more about how I would rule over Squaresville.

Javan was whining because he wanted to rule Squaresville, but I wouldn't let him.

We stumbled across an even bigger Whopper than what I had gotten earlier. I then proclaimed this giant burger as property of Squaresville.....

.....which would then signify I have the proper endorsement to eat this thing all for myself.

However, Liz was not okay with this scheme and wanted a few bites as well.

Javan and I found a gorilla on the side of the road that desperately needed our attention.

Liz distracted this beast by giving it a high-five while Javan pounced on it by surprise to bring it down.

Although our mission had failed to capture a fake gorilla on the side of the road, we were all still in good spirits the next morning for an adventure to the aquarium. Javan and Mollie were ready to leave the grand city of Macon to continue our quest in finding Atlanta!

Liz and I were ready to kick back and if we happened to find it then we find it.

However, Javan was more determined to find another killer hip-hop song complete with hot beats.

We continued to look for Atlanta and it was nowhere in sight.....

.....until Liz said, "hey, what's that?" Sure enough, it was Atlanta!

Javan still hasn't seen the city yet since he's still searching for a track with hot beats.

We were excited to find a place to park and get out of the car once and for all.

Javan was ready to do this.

Liz was ready for her glamour shot.

We made it inside where Javan and I were quickly greeted by a bunch of rip-off Nemo fishes.

The big one was really creeping me out.

Javan was ready to do some gambling in the casino lobby.....

...but Liz wasn't feelin' so lucky at the moment to place any bets so she wanted to check out the Tropical Diver exhibit.

We dove in and saw plenty of sea wormy/snaky things.

They were too cool to be rollin' with the fishy school.

What a cute little jellyfish that's potentially dangerous.

Liz and I would be perfect in an old Frosted Flakes commercial.

And while we would be on television we might as well make an appearance on an old X-Files episode.

Group shot with a jelly!

Mollie and Javan tried to blend in, but I was quick to find them.

These jellyfish seem to be a bit cramped in the tank.

Javan found all of the bad jellyfish in the detention cell.

Kids love the jellyfish.....

.....until Javan pushes them out of the way to get some sweet pictures for himself.

We had to get a silhouetted bromate shot. It was the only reason why we made the trip up to the aquarium.

We found another tank with a lot more stuff inside.

Clearly, I was mesmerized by the colors.

Javan was nice enough to take a shot of me and Liz.....

.....so I was going to do the same with him and Mollie but then this joker with a scuba masked showed up.

NO WAY!!!!!

You can't pass by a cartoon frog and not kiss it.

We were back in the gambling den of the aquarium and enjoying every minute of it.

They had a whale shark slide.....

.....and I couldn't pass up something like this to ride.

Liz likes most animals.....

.....unless they are crabby.

These Floridians prepare to make their way into the some chilly temperatures.....

.....but since I'm from the midwest I am not effected by the fake snow.

We were all very fortunate to make it through alive in this dangerous exhibit entrance.

We were greeted by some very happy (and large) crabs.

The giant crabs have a staring contest with the humans.

You can tell this is fake because if I was actually shaking its claw I would be screaming like a little girl.

A beluga whale was up ahead!

Beluga footage!

Liz takes one last look at the beluga whale before we see see what else is around.

We found a crazy octopus that was trying to find a way out.

This octopus needs to learn how to fight.

This grumpy little guy reclaimed its cave.

The octopus is on the lookout for another spot.

I was a lucky guy to have survived from touching a group of sea anemones.

On to the next adventure!

Blue fish!

Non-blue fish!

That orange one is quite possibly the worst player I have ever seen in hide-and-seek.....

.....but then I looked away for a split second and it was gone. I was greatly mistaken!

Liz and I almost died from taking this picture, but it was totally worth it.

Liz pretends to be a fish caught in a net.

Javan pretends to be a normal guy at an aquarium.

Vanilla chocolate alligators are my favorite.....

Although I do feel bad that they have to constantly deal with pink eye.

This fellow swam right above us eating anything insight, which gave me the right to call it "the vacuum of the sea."

Yum! Yum!

Group shot in front of the most beautiful background the Georgia Aquarium has on display.

No one can deny that sea otters are super cute, and if you refuse to believe this then I guess you just have no soul.

Here is some cute sea otter footage just for you!

We made it all the way to the final exhibit and are about to see the mammoths of the sea!

It was indeed a treacherous voyage and we were all very scared to go forward, but we had no other option except to go through the futuristic oceanic tunnel of doom.

Javan and Mollie looked above to see a whale shark.

I was too busy looking below and into the camera lens.

It's feeding time!

Under the sea is where it's at!

Javan continues to take pictures of the whale shark…..

…..and I continued to follow his lead.

These stupid non-whale shark animals kept getting in my way. It was so annoying!

Liz gave the whale shark a little tickle and it laughed so hard the futuristic oceanic tunnel of doom began to shake uncontrollably.

Whether it's shaking or not, Javan and Mollie are big fans of the futuristic oceanic tunnel of doom.

We went into a different room and found another whale shark!

And another non-whale shark…..

…..and another non-whale shark…..

…..and another non-whale shark…..

…..WHALE SHARK…..

…..and another non-whale shark…..

…..Liz with another non-whale shark…..

…..TWO WHALE SHARKS…..

…..JAVAN WITH A WHALE SHARK…..

…..and another non-whale shark…..

…..uhh, and another non-whale shark. Blah.

WHALE SHARK FOOTAGE!!!!!

Liz and I failed to break open the Ocean Voyager tank, which in hindsight was probably a good thing.

But that didn't stop us from pretending to swim with the fishes.

Our seafaring adventure had continued down a dark hallway and as we turned the corner THIS was our view!

A whale shark stopped by to for a few pictures.

I found a whale shark all by myself.

And then I found another one. I was getting really good at this game.

Again…another boring non-whale shark.

But thankfully not too much time had passed by before yet another whale shark came swimming along.

Liz was proud of herself for finding one this time. I know how it feels.

If there's one thing I enjoy giving sea creatures a great big hug…..

…..and kisses. BIG WET ONES!

Javan and I were challenged by a couple of fish in a staring contest.

These fish are pros.

Liz was intimidated by scary looking sharks…..

…..but not so much from the cute 'n fluffy WHALE SHARK!

Javan and Mollie are also calm when a WHALE SHARK swims by.

In case you haven't gotten sick of seeing the whale sharks…here's some footage of WHALE SHARKS!!!!!

WHALE SHARKS!!!!!

It was a fun-filled day at the Georgia Aquarium, but now it's time to leave it's casino lobby once and for all.

We headed back to Macon to hang out at the hotel, but Liz and I weren't ready for those plans just yet so we headed out on the road.

The open road!

Liz was ready to find some sweet ramps to jump off with the rental car…but alas, we did not find any during our stay.

It's the next morning and it's time to pack up!

Now it's time to go!

And now it's time to make shadow puppets!

It was extremely bright outside, but Javan managed to drive through it…..

…..while Liz and I tried our best to not melt away.

We made it back to Orlando…time to unpack!

We finally did it after talking about it for so long…we went, we saw, we experienced the WHALE SHARK!

It was time for Liz and I to get in the rental car and take it back to my place for the rest of the day.

It was a fun trip all in all, but one of the highlights was when I did a couple of donuts while driving in some dude's lawn. Good times.

That's all.

Into the Deep of Wekiwa Springs

2010-05-03T00:00:00.003-04:00

Liz and I went to Wekiwa Springs in an attempt to discover the dangerous swampy lands of Florida. Here's what happened!

We took a nice little stroll through on the walking trails.....

.....but paddling on a WATER trail seemed like a much better idea!

Liz was ready to go.

So was I.

We paddled into the deep of the swamp lands waiting to wrestle any alligators that we may encounter.

We were also on the lookout for any flying mythical beasts from above.

Liz and I went into a hidden area away from the main trail and took a quick break.

Liz was nice enough to turn around and say hello.

I said hello back to her and snapped a picture while I was at it.

I only paddle in the manliest way possible.

I made the attempt to get us back onto the main trail while Liz captured it on video.

Liz continued to play with the camera while I struggled to paddle the double kayak.

Liz and I had a really nasty fight, but once we both cooled off she turned the camera back on.

Those aren't my toes.

Liz was on the lookout for any hanging tree limbs.....

.....and sure enough she found one!

She pulled the kayak underneath at a blazing speed and almost knocked me out.

Remember how I mentioned we were on the lookout for flying mythical beasts? Well, we found one...so we checked that right off the list.

We also found some sort of block party...so we wrote that on our list and crossed it right off.

It was time to turn around and head back up the stream.....

.....which I was okay with because I'm afraid of bridge trolls.

Liz made a friend while we were paddling back.

She introduced me to her new friend.....

.....but I don't trust dragon flies so we didn't get along.

Liz couldn't help herself!

Gator sighting!

What a happy little fellow.

Liz impolitely points at the mother alligator and babies.

Remember how I mentioned we were on the lookout for alligators to wrestle? Well, we didn't wrestle them...BUT WE SAW A BUNCH! That counts as a half-check right off the list.

Liz didn't know I was taking a picture.....

.....but now she knows!

We made it back to the main lake with a little bit of time to spare so we chilled out for a little bit.

Keeping Liz's hat on her head is a team effort with me holding up her arm while she presses the hat directly into her scalp.

We spotted another gator! But neither of us wrestled it because we have no clue how to have fun.

Again, Liz impolitely points where she would like to explore.

But I convinced her to stay in the kayak so I can take another adorable picture of me and include her in it as well.

We had a great time...and it deserved one thumb up from each of us.

THE END!

Nathan's Birthday Piñata Surprise!

2010-04-17T00:00:00.001-04:00

It was Nathan's birthday earlier this week, so Liz and I made a quick stop at the store to pick up a few things for our good pal. That's right, pal! Before we met up with him and other people from our connect group we thought it would be fun to get a fancy celebratory piñata.

Liz proudly showcases what Nathan will be receiving as we celebrate his birth.

I'm a little excited about the piñata.

The wind was not cooperating for this shot.

Liz is astonished by such a stupendous group of 48 colors.

It's time to shove 'em in!

As you can clearly see, Nathan was very excited to receive his very own birthday piñata later that night.

There was nowhere to hang it so Nathan just gave it a good smashing on the closest stair railing he could find.

When he discovered there were crayons coming out of the piñata.....

.....that's when we gave him a coloring book!

He was the happiest birthday boy I have ever seen.

That's all!

Fun Times At Universal Orlando

2010-03-25T00:00:00.001-04:00

So if you've been following the blog for a while there's a pretty good chance you've seen pictures of me at Universal Studios before, which means a lot of this will probably be the same thing of what you've seen in the past. Although this time Liz came along to join the fun! Heather was nice enough to get us both in for the day and Steph came along as well. So without further ado...here are some more theme park pictures!

We made it through the intimidating security guards and are ready for an adventure!

ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE!!!!!

The bridge clearly read that our adventure was about to begin.....

.....me and Liz were ready to begin.

First things first, I gave Dr. Bruce Banner a little tickle to make him angry enough to form into the The Incredible Hulk.

Liz snuck into Dr. Banner's laboratory without permission.....

.....it was not a good idea, and we barely made it out alive by hopping on a roller coaster.

But The Hulk eventually caught up with us after exiting the ride, so we hightailed it out of there!

We met up with Captain America and he kept us safe from all of the Marvel bullies.

Then I got sucker punched by a fake Captain America because he thought he could do a better job at protecting our group instead of the real deal.

Liz was excited to see what wasn't blocked off at the Harry Potter island.

I was on the lookout for chimney sweeps, but there were none in sight.

Liz was very disappointed that she did not have permission to go beyond the walls of the Potter island.....

.....but I told her to cheer up and everything was okey dokey.

Heather also cheered her up by looking over a bridge and pointing out the fact that they didn't have to wait in line to try this out.

It was time to get high in the sky on the Seuss Trolley Train Ride.

It was certainly the fastest and scariest ride we'd been on all day!

WOOT! WOOT!

We saw the dude from Green Eggs and Ham so we all gathered 'round for a group pic...then I told him to try eating food that isn't grossly discolored.

We're both suckers for cheesy pictures!

Green eggs and ham probably would have tasted better!

The cat in the hat is hands down my favorite hat accessorized feline.

And the Grinch is by far my favorite mean-spirited brute.

He was targeting me with his grinch-vision, but I got away from him just in time before he completely zeroed in on me.

Liz wanted to give the Lorax a hug, but it wouldn't get off that stupid stump.

Heather and Steph are ready for a go 'round on the Caro-Seuss-el.....

.....as are me and Liz.

Liz throughly enjoyed strangling her Seussy beast.

Heather and I feared for our lives!

We all remained alive after spinning at such a blistering speed! Heather joined one of the Seuss characters in teasing the sheer terror of death!

Next stop...Universal Studios. That sphere also spins around at a breakneck speed!

But before we entered into the park Liz had to show off her mad wizardry skills.

Even though there is nothing related to Dr. Seuss at this park it was still very difficult to escape it.

"Okay, what's next?"

Liz getting eaten by Jaws...that's what's next.

We still gave it some love.

Heather and Steph did the same.

TIME FOR A BOAT RIDE!!!!!

TIME FOR EXPLOSIONS!!!!!

What are we gonna do? Where are we gonna go?

Heather and I kept our cool...Steph on the other hand was freaking out!

Jaws came out to play.

Liz was ecstatic.

But the boat driver shot it down real good and burned it to a crisp. Liz never did get a chance to have a play date with this old fish.

We stumbled upon the secret headquarters of MIB, which means they need to work on making it much more secretive.

I get really timid around extraterrestrial creatures.

Ain't nothin' like shootin' lasers at d'em weird lookin' martian fellas.

Liz thought this dude was super cute.....

.....but not as super cute as my new hairdo!

This alien had quite enough of my foolishness, and Steph and Heather had a front row seat for the entire brawl.

Heather relaxes for a bit inside of the Cool Zone.

I clearly wasn't as cool to be able to keep my cool.

I tried my best to calm down and regain my coolness.

I'm having so much fun in the Cool Zone!

Time for a ride with the Simpsons!

I'm always up for a ride with this family.....

.....unfortunately, I had to wait in the twin section in line with Patty and Selma.

Liz was ready to ride on the scary clown machine!

Liz and Chief Wiggum gave me a time out for not keeping my hands within the car at all times.

Steph called up my mom to let her know my behavior on the ride was unacceptable.

Then I talked to my mom to tell her I learned my lesson to keep my hands in the car.

Liz took a moment to say hi. Everything was a-okay and we were all ready to have some fun again!

So we checked out the Mardi Gras parade and Heather gave all of the statues high fives.

Me and Liz found some beads.

Liz tried to hold in her excitement for whatever reason.....

.....but after a few seconds she couldn't hold it in any longer!

We said goodbye to our friends Heather and Steph, and then we walked around trying to find a gift shop. Luckily, it doesn't take too much effort to find one.

How can you not phone home to this endearing alien?

How can you say no with eyes like these?

Or these?

It's been a good few hours since we had any encounter with Dr. Seuss goods, so we tried a few things on before getting scanned by the giant copier machine off to the side.

I learn from the best when it comes to web slinging action.

Apparently I can be a bit of a joker.....

.....but so can Liz!

Most people call us The Wild Card.

Liz seemed to have had a good time.

So did I. Thanks again, Heather!

The End.

Strawberry Fair Delight

2010-03-17T00:00:00.003-04:00

Liz and I set out on an adventure to Plant City, Florida to explore the wondrous event known as the Florida Strawberry Festival in observance of 75 spectacular years!

I knew we made it to the right place when I saw this sign.

We have our tickets and are ready to go!

Pig racing was on the top of our list of what to see, so we checked it out and watched the warm up show with kids hopping on piggy balloons.

I was impressed with the amount of piggy balloons they had on display.....

.....but I suppose the real pigs were just as fun to watch.

The rookie pigs are ready to race!

Round 1!!!!!

The first race was fun to watch, but now it's time to step it up with the big boys!

The crowd is ready for another race!

Round 2!!!!!

I was mistaken when I thought the big boys were coming out to race. The next round of pigs were quite a sight to see!

The behemoth pigs are ready to go...this ought to be good.

Round 3!!!!!

Me and Liz both agreed the pig racing was definitely worth checking out.

I had no idea Liz had such an enthusiastic fascination for hot Wisconsin cheese.....

.....but she had no idea I felt the same way towards strawberry totem poles.

We took some time to look around at the jumbo glittery fruit exhibit.

The artist for this piece was excited about 75 amazing years celebrating the wonders of strawberries.

Liz was so excited she accidentally slapped the strawberry display in the face!

Take 2. Hands down...except for the strawberry.

Liz was quick to point out that the only time you'll ever see camo drapes mixed with pastel colors would be at a fair.

The Geico gecko took some time out from his busy schedule of saving people 15% or more off their car insurance to take a picture with us.

By the middle of the day I took a break in this swinging chair apparatus, which was a bad idea because I didn't want to get up. Liz had to pry me out and I ended up kicking and screaming for a good half hour.

Liz tried to cheer me up with a little bit of "tractor time," but that just wasn't doing it for me.

Then we stumbled upon a vendor selling a few fine choices of deep fried Pepsi and deep fried butter.....

.....we decided on the delicacy of the deep fried Pepsi.

I wasn't cranky anymore!

We continued to walk around and I bumped into my old crony Dr. VegDome. We go way back in the day of servin' up the other food groups.

Liz had to get another tractor time in for the day!

I decided to go with destruction time.

Liz had never been on the giant spinning swing ride...so we went on it!

It was a nice twirl in the sky.

That's no UFO...that's the twirlin' ride!

We found ourselves up in the sky in a double ferris wheel.....

.....with a lovely view of the fairness happening below.

I was astonished and confused all at the same time while riding in this crazy contraption!

I was also very thankful that the other ferris wheel above us did not fall and crush my skull.

Liz definitely had a lot more fun on this ride while I tried to refrain myself from shrieking in terror.

We made it back to the ground safely! I was very thankful.

We went on one last ride and it was Drop Zone! There's nothing more exciting than falling from the sky in a ride that was built from a truck!

The rides were fun but we sat down and took a break for a while.....

.....and we had the perfect scenic view of cheesy carnival prizes.

It was almost time to go, but before we do we had to stop and get some strawberry shortcake.

I was ready to tackle this!

Before.....

.....after.

Neither of us could finish what we took, but it was still a great dessert!

We happened to spot an enormous fake strawberry shortcake and Liz did not approve of this at all. What good can this possibly bring to society if it cannot be eaten?

Liz sat down in the strawberry throne and couldn't contain her excitement.

I told her to stay still for a just a few seconds and she managed to do so.

It was my turn to take over the strawberry throne!

All in all, it was a fun-filled strawberry-licious kinda day!

Fin.

Mama Hogan's "Best Of The Best"

2010-03-13T00:00:00.003-05:00

A few weeks after my mom and twin brother came down to visit I had some time to sort through all the pictures and videos I took when they dropped by in Orlando. I sent Michael a few discs up to New York City with everything that was captured during their visit, and when he watched the videos he was sort of inspired to cut together a "best of the best" of our mother...so that's what he did. I thought the video he posted online was really funny and definitely a nice addition to the previous blog post. If there's one thing this video does well it's to further prove that my mom is still (and will most likely always be) one of the funniest people I know. Enjoy!