Drink More Beer

Until about 6 years ago I did not like beer at all. As in I would not take 1 sip of it because I hated it to much.  Not sure how that all changed but it did and I haven't looked back.  Beer has become my beverage of choice and not just the Buds and Millers of the world.  If given a choice I'm more apt to choose a Stout or a Belgian over a typical American Lager.  Michigan's Brewers Festival was full of those odd ball good quality beers I love.  Hopefully we'll get a chance to go back one day!

Beer Fest

This weekend Liz met me in Ann Arbor for the Michigan Brewers Festival.  Darren and I went last year and had such a great time, we made it a priority to go again this year!  The weather was supposed to be terrible so we went out before and got panchos.  Of course we tempted fate and it was hot and sunny all day. Perfect day to be outside drinking the insane concoctions that they had this year.  This year we tried about 15 different fruit flavored beers, 3 peanut butter flavored beers, 3 chili infused beers, a couple chocolate flavored beers along with 30 or so others.  So glad Liz got to come spend the weekend with us!!

Liz & me

Darren & me

Darren, Alex's brother Ben, me, Liz, Alex's friend Kyle, Alex and Anna at the end of a full day!

A Lookback at Fall

I'm really loving spring time finally getting here but this layout celebrates what fall is like in my mind.  My parents and brother came in and we all went to LP Field for a Titans game.   Earlier and that month, Darren took me to witness the crazy rivalry of Michigan and Ohio State up in the Big House.  What an awesome experience.  So much difference from your typical Vandy game! :)

Hail to the Victors!

Oh and I forgot to mention, Michigan won in glorious fashion.  Michigan's freshman QB, Tate Forcier, threw a TD pass with 11 seconds left in the game to give the Wolverines the W! I think Weis threw the game away with his terrible play calling but glad to see such a great game with the team I was cheering for getting the win!

PS: I'm also glad that Clasusen boy lost!  I've been rooting for his older brothers to lose for what seems like an eternity!

Maize Out

Darren bought us (matching) shirts so we could participate in the Maize Out too with our 110,276 closest friends.  Some Notre Dame fan thought we were under dressed and provided us with matching blue beads too. :)

Michigan Football

We had been looking for weeks for tickets to the game and finally decided on what we wanted to pay.  About that time Darren found buy it now tickets for good seats for significantly less than we were willing to pay.  We snatched up those tickets quickly.  Little did I know how good our 27th row tickets really were. 

I felt like I could reach out and touch the field.  They make my Vanderbilt season tickets kind of wimpy in comparison.  I couldn't have asked for better tickets for my first "Big House" experience. 

Oh and notice that huge cloud of yellow in the left corner?  That is the student section.  I was super impressed with their adherence to the "Maize Out!"

Tailgating... For real!

This past weekend I was up in Ann Arbor visiting Darren.  He thought now that football season was here that it was only in my best interest to attend a true Michigan tailgate and then go to what he calls a "real" football game.  Little does he know that I think I've attended a few of those before. ;)

We showed up at the tailgate before 11am and things were already underway.  I had my fill of Bloody Marys, beer, donuts, burgers and hot dogs! I even partook in games of flip cup and beer pong.  I was so on a role during beer pong but then we completely fizzled out and ended up losing badly! Oh well, fun times.  I did however politely refuse to use the beer bong... Sometimes you just have to say no!!

Here is a picture of Darren's friend Pete with me at the tailgate.