Toy Fails

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I bought something for Sloan last night that I immediately regretted. Upon reflecting on this purchase, other instances came to mind when I let Sloan bring something home that turned out to be a mistake. In tonight’s blog post I will bring to light a handful of toy fails.

Nunchucks – The inspiration for this evening’s post is Michelangelo’s weapon. Last night Sloan found some basic kid-proof nunchucks in the toy aisle. Wanting to appease her I gave the “OK” after she asked me multiple times if she get could them. Before we even got home I knew it was a bad idea as she kept striking my drivers seat. Once we were in the living room it got pretty nerve-wracking watching her wildly swing the nunchucks as Beau walked around. I became her new target once we put her little brother down. Yep, today we put the nunchucks away.

Sloan with her Dollar Tree nunchucks last night.

Kinder Egg – We went through a BIG Kinder Egg stage. Although I enjoyed putting the Kinder toys together with Sloan while watching her brain turn gears, the little pieces were a nightmare, especially with Beau crawling around. If it wasn’t for the educational value, these cheap toys and lackluster chocolate would be more trouble than they are worth.

Sloan was obsessed with Kinder Eggs for a period of time.

Recorder – Unfortunately Sloan received her daddy’s instrument-playing skills. I could never carry a tune and apparently neither can Sloan. But to be fair, does anything sound good coming from a recorder? I don’t even know how the toy instrument got into her hands but it definitely did somehow. There is certainly a special cacophony that is produced when a baby is crying, two different devices are playing random YouTube videos, and your toddler is blowing into a recorder.

It doesn’t really matter who plays it, a recorder just really isn’t that pleasant to listen to.

Putty – The safer alternative, so we thought, to slime, Sloan got some putty in her Ryan’s Egg that she found in a scavenger hunt last summer. She played with it in my parents’ living room and remnants would be found on the couch later that evening. But that wasn’t the worst part. Some of the putty found its way into Sloan’s pocket and when we washed her pants with our other clothes it stained the whole load and solidified putty deposits on several shirts and shorts.

At the end of the scavanger hunt, Sloan had found a Ryan’s Mystery Egg that had putty inside of it.

LOL Dolls – This is Sloan’s absolute favorite toy so I kind of hate to put it on this “fail” list but I am just being honest. The pieces of an LOL Doll make the pieces from a Kinder Egg look oversized. It is not if Sloan will lose any pieces but how many and whether Beau will swallow them. They are kind of like how a new car loses value once it drives off the lot; with an LOL Doll the moment it is opened it loses value because pieces immediately go missing. The dolls themselves are at least PG-13 as they are built with questionable anatomy for a young audience and their general appeal is still a mystery to me. If you have boys, just feel fortunate that you don’t have to deal with these.

Sloan ripping open an LOL OMG Doll at her birthday party this year.

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Bottom line? Don’t get your kid nunchucks. Let me know if I need to add any toys to this list. I thank you in advance. Don’t Blink.

A Parade of Three Fun Facts

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I have been a lifelong newspaper reader and although I have shuffled through many different periodicals depending on where I was living at during the time, there has always been one constant: Parade Magazine. Because of its status as a national magazine insert in more than 700 of America’s newspapers, I have never subscribed to a newspaper that didn’t carry it.

For tonight’s blog post I thought I would relate three items I learned from yesterday’s Parade Magazine (April 17, 2021) that I didn’t know before reading the issue.

Tonight I bring you three things I learned from the April 18, 2021, issue of Parade Magazine.

1. Toilet Paper Waste – I thought last year’s toilet paper shortage was the craziest thing I would ever hear about TP. But that changed yesterday when I was reading an article about how we can all go a little greener. It turns out that 27,000 trees are cut down per day to supply the world with toilet paper. That’s a lot of trees for a single use product. If we want to be more eco-friendly, we can reference the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Toiler Paper Scorecard to see which companies are using a higher percentage of postconsumer recycled fiber to produce their product. One bonus tidbit on trees in general: Each year we cut down 15 billion trees while only planting 4 billion.

2. Honey Never Goes Bad – I have referenced Marilyn vos Savant’s Parade Magazine column in this blog multiple times over the past 10 years. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the world’s highest IQ, I never doubt the answers she dishes out to readers. A fellow from Kansas City asked her yesterday if the rumor is true that honey never spoils. Well, according to vos Savant, it isn’t a rumor. Believe it or not, honey is not susceptible to bacterial growth. In general, most of honey’s water is evaporated and the low H20 content dehydrates bacteria. Furthermore, honey contains acid including a hydrogen peroxide which inhibits bacterial growth. Turns out the honey I received six years ago from a co-worker to help remedy my terrible South Carolina allergies would still be good!

3. Burps vs. Hiccups – Although burps and hiccups can both be caused by eating or drinking too fast, a burp comes from air expelled from your stomach and a hiccup is created from a contraction or spasm in the diaphragm. If you are interested (and I really was not) an entire article was devoted to burps. In fact, I learned that the length of the longest burp on record was 73 seconds.

Did you learn something tonight? If you did, you’re welcome. Don’t Blink.

Lemon and Raspberry Thursday Rundown

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Can we already be exactly halfway through April? I hope your month is going well and that you are ready to celebrate the midpoint with a Thursday Rundown blog post. Let’s get started…

Chick-fil-A Potatoes – I ran into this article about where Chick-fil-A gets its potatoes to make the best waffle fries on the planet. It turns out the chicken sandwich chain raids my home state for its spuds. A farm in the Columbia River Basin that takes advantage of a very fertile soil supplies Chick-fil-A with its potatoes. The farm’s soil benefitted from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens and the ash that was deposited. The nutrient-rich ash covered the ground and mixed with the soil to significantly increase its growing quality. French fry lovers rejoice!

The potatoes for these fries come from the state of Washington.

Looking Back – Tomorrow will mark exactly seven years since I worked my last day at the University of Montana. My time at Grizzly Athletics was highlighted by playing roles in numerous big events and getting my feet wet in the professional world. Starting my career as a Griz was an awesome experience and I am so glad I had many influential co-workers to show me the ropes.

Starting my career at the University of Montana was a blessing.

New Costco Muffin Flavor – Some of you might know about my Costco muffin obsession. I love them! In fact, the first thing I ate after I finished my weight loss challenge in November was a chocolate Costco muffin. As you can imagine, I was excited when a new flavor rolled out earlier this year—raspberry lemon. On Easter I tried one for the first time and my reaction was mixed. Most bites are good but every now and then you will take a nibble that is just a little too tart. Also, Sidney and I both got raspberry seeds stuck in our teeth from eating them…so annoying! Verdict? Not bad but definitely not as good as this article makes them out to be.

These were pretty good…but they don’t compare to some of the other Costco muffin varieties.

My Spokane Barbershop – For nearly the first three decades of my life I went to Great Clips for my haircuts. However, prior to my wedding I went to a salon to get my hair trimmed and ready for the big day. After that, I started going to a barbershop exclusively for guys. There was no going back to Great Clips for me. When I moved to Spokane I needed to find a new place for my hair needs. I now go to The Man Shop, a barbershop with several locations in the Spokane area. Each location has a pool table, popcorn machine, televisions installed at each chair, and more. Best of all, I have had pretty good results each time I visited If you are a dude, live in the area, and need a haircut, you might want to try your nearest Man Shop location.

I go to The Man Shop to get a haircut in Spokane.

Texting Styles – So, what approach describes you? I am definitely the type of guy who composes one message with everything I want to say as opposed to a more free flowing, serial texter. I always have my text message notifications on silent so it doesn’t matter to me if it takes someone 10 different texts to ask if I want to go to dinner but I thought this meme was pretty funny (thanks, Lindsi!).

Which “type of person” are you?

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The forecast calls for nothing but sunshine and blue skies this weekend. Wherever you are reading this from, I hope you have similar pleasant weather on the horizon. We will catch up next week! Don’t Blink.

Dance Party

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We run a tight routine with our kids on a nightly basis. After dinner we transition into bathtub-books-prayers. Sidney bathes Sloan and Beau and then I dress them in their pajamas. We then go downstairs and read at least a couple books. Then it is prayer time followed by bed. However, over the past several weeks we have introduced a new component to the mix.

Between dinner and baths, we usually have some dead time. In March, we started to fill that void with dance parties. That’s right, for about 20 minutes we get down in our living room. We put our Alexa to work by calling out fun songs to play. Sidney, Sloan, and I get at least one request each as we blow off the day’s steam.

Sloan dancing to “Savage Love” by Jason Derulo.

To be honest, the dance parties do more than just help us release some energy. They also let us effectively clean the kitchen. Dancing keeps the kids occupied which means that we can unload the dishwasher and do other kitchen chores that Beau usually interferes with (he gravitates towards an open dishwasher). It works out quite nicely.

Although I am not a dancer, I make an exception for our dance parties. In fact, I ignore my dancing insecurity so much that once the session is over I am borderline in need of a shower. While it is true that most people would say I have bad form, Sloan and Beau think I am the best dancer on the planet. But don’t think my confidence extends past our living room. While I occasionally see other families post their personal dance parties on social media I would never subject my own followers to such a scary site.

Sloan hits the dance floor while Beau acts as her hype man.

As I mentioned, we all have the chance to ask Alexa to play certain songs each night. The three songs at the top of Sloan’s playlist are…

– “We Will Rock You” – Queen
– “Dance Monkey” – Kidz Bop version
– “Astronaut in the Ocean” – Masked Wolf

You better believe Beau dances too! In fact, he dances so passionately that it is usually impossible to get a non-blurry photo.

So before I get too much mud on my face and look like a big disgrace, I think I better sign off. Hopefully no one has nightmares about our family dance parties. Don’t Blink.

What Makes A Chinese Restaurant Stand Out

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After attending the Saturday night vigil this past weekend, we decided to go out for dinner. As we were driving down Sprague Avenue in the Spokane Valley, we decided to turn into a place that has caught our eye many times before. Called Peking Palace, you can’t miss it. With a prominent red neon sign, fancy red façade, and two lion statues standing guard, it definitely stands out, even on a busy street like Sprague.

Peking Palace in Spokane Valley really stands out on Sprague Avenue.

Sidney and I both really enjoy Chinese food so I guess I should point out that its impressive exterior wasn’t the only reason why we chose the Peking Palace, but it did give it a leg up on numerous other Chinese restaurants nearby.

The exterior of the Peking Palace will draw you in.

Sloan and Beau were particularly challenging on this evening but we still managed to enjoy ourselves. After restaurants were shuttered for so long, we have learned not to take eating out for granted. We were eventually able to get some peace when Sid let Sloan watch her phone and I appeased Beau by taking him over to the fish tank.

Two lion statues stand guard at the entrance of the Peking Palace.

I think I am a little pickier with my Chinese restaurants than I am with my Mexican restaurants. I have said on more than one occasion that most food from family Mexican restaurants tastes the same to me. But when it comes to Chinese restaurants, dishes and flavors seem to vary more from place to place. When we eat Chinese, I typically prefer three things out of the restaurants we choose…

Our entrees at the Peking Palace on Saturday night.

1. Crunchy Chow Mein – I always prefer crunchy chow mein to soft chow mein. I like crunchy food texture in general so it makes sense that I opt for the crunchier variety of noodles. Crunchy chow mein paired with flavorful soft vegetables is a winning combination for me. However, you would be surprised at how many places only serve soft chow mein.

2. A Good Sweet and Sour Sauce – Don’t get me wrong, I will eat the thick, sugary red sweet and sour sauce but I will remember a Chinese restaurant that offers a more flavorful yet subdued sweet and sour version. I like being able to taste the brown sugar and ginger flavors in a sauce that is more paste than syrup.

3. Masterful Use of Spices – I love spicy food and I think Asian cooking is the absolute best at bringing out its best flavor. When I scan a Chinese restaurant menu, I look for dishes that are marked with an asterisk for being extra spicy. If I eat a dish that makes me sweat a bit without burning my mouth, I will return.

Before you ask, I don’t eat fortune cookies so they aren’t as important to me at a Chinese restaurant as chips are for me at a Mexican restaurant. But I once did a big experiment with fortune cookies before.

On the subject of Chinese American restaurants, I once did a big experiment with fortune cookies

How about you? What makes or breaks a Chinese restaurant experience for you? Also, if you have any Spokane Chinese restaurant recommendations for me, please don’t hold out. Have a great week. Don’t Blink.

Cosmic Thursday Rundown

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Is it Thursday already? Oh man, apparently it is. It is spring break for Washington schools and what a treat it has been for students and teachers alike as the weather has been gorgeous (at least for the first three days). Alright, let’s get started with the Thursday Rundown…

Cosmic Crisp – When I went for my interview at Washington State University in December 2019, I brought home some Cosmic Crisp apples. I was amazed by the taste! Bred by WSU scientists, the Cosmic Crisp is a premium apple that will change the way you feel about the fruit. However, up until early this week I had not had a Cosmic Crisp in my possession since late 2019. That changed when we picked up our groceries at Walmart and discovered that inside one of our grocery bags were these two complimentary Cosmic Crisp samples. If you see them at the supermarket don’t hesitate to pick up a few, you won’t regret it.

We got these Cosmic Crisp apple samples with our Walmart grocery order.

Cookie Sandwich – Below is a viral tweet of a “sandwich” that was actually made at Subway. The Snapchat caption pretty much said it all (If you ask Subway will make it) but the reply tweet that said “there is still probably more sugar in the bread than all those cookies” made me laugh out loud. Would I order this for a blog post? Perhaps, but I don’t think I would enjoy eating it—so—to prevent against food waste and/or a really bad stomach ache I think I will refrain.

This is not a joke. Someone actually ordered this and Subway made it.

National Beer Day – Yesterday was National Beer Day but don’t think because I am late to that party that I am not going to mention it tonight. One of my all-time favorite blog posts was when I counted down my top 5 favorite beers. Perhaps it isn’t something I should get too excited about because my list is pretty embarrassing but I did have a fun time writing it. I am giving no spoilers here so if you want to see my list from three years ago, click here.

You can’t go wrong with Bud Light. Photo is of me with my cousin Cody in the summer of 2017.

Last Word on Gonzaga – It was tough watching Gonzaga fall to Baylor on Monday. If there was ever a season of destiny, it seemed like this was it. I was really hoping it would conclude with that storybook ending but it wasn’t meant to be. At the end of the game I asked myself, Will Gonzaga have a chance like this ever again? Then I reminded myself that I asked the same question in 2017 when the Bulldogs also fell in the title game. So yes, I think they will be back in the future as the quest to bring a national championship home to Spokane continues.

I was really hoping that Gonzaga would win on Monday night.

Jelly Beans – I am a big jelly bean fan. Whether a classic approach like your basic jelly beans or something more gourmet like Jelly Belly, I really enjoy candy-coated beans. In fact, I also like jelly beans based off of popular candy brands such as the Starburst variety…so good. But I recently tried another candy brand-based jelly bean that I didn’t particularly care for. The Easter Bunny brought SweeTARTS jelly beans for Sloan and I must say no bueno. Not only is the texture rather odd but they are too sour. I guess the fact that they are SweeTARTS jelly beans should have given that away but I guess I was just hoping for a more mild taste. Oh well.

Our container of sweeTART jelly beans.

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It has been a pleasure running down these topics with you tonight. I hope you have a nice weekend and I look forward to catching up with you next week. Don’t Blink.

A Trip to the ER I Will Always Remember

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For Gonzaga fans, the Jalen Suggs’ overtime buzzer-beater that eliminated UCLA and advanced the Bulldogs to the national championship game will be one of those Where were you when it happened? moments. I won’t ever have to hesitate it when answering: the emergency room.

Last Saturday, my family was over at my parents’ house watching the Final Four matchup between Gonzaga and UCLA. I was downstairs watching with my brother-in-law when all of a sudden I heard a little thump followed by piercing cries from Beau. I ran up the stairs to see Beau cradled in Sid’s arms, blood dripping from his mouth.

Sid managed to tell me that he fell on the stairs and busted his bottom lip. That was about as much as I could get out of her as she announced that she was feeling like she might faint. I took Beau into my arms and my dad went and steadied Sidney. We tried our best to control the bleeding as my sister made a call to urgent care to see what we needed to do. She got off the phone and gave us the necessary direction…go to the emergency room.

Sid and I hopped in the car and I drove us to Holy Family Hospital. My dad met us at the facility and the staff checked Beau in. Although the back-and-forth basketball game was no longer my top concern, I could still keep tabs on the score as the Holy Family employees had the game on in the waiting room.

With it cleaned up a bit, you can see the wound on Beau’s bottom lip as we wait in the emergency room.

We were called back to our room. Sid jokes that the first thing I asked when we walked in was where the remote was. Overtime had started and I flipped the game on. My shirt was covered in Beau’s blood but he had calmed down a bit. I also had calmed down. I took a couple moments to reflect on the incident. Our little man had lost his balance going down the stairs on his belly and smacked his mouth on the bottom wooden corner of the staircase that supports the railing.

The arrow points to the exact spot where Beau suffered his injury.

A hospital employee entered the room a few minutes later right as Sid stepped out to use the restroom. The staffer started to ask me questions as the final 25 seconds of the game played out. Trying to shoot glances in her direction as I watched the pivotal moment I did the best to answer her simple questions. What is your relation to the patient? Ummmm…his dad. When did it happen? 45…minutes…ago. How did it happen?…

YAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

The entire ER wing erupted as Suggs’ shot banked in. The noise from the other hospital rooms mixed with my spontaneous yelp of excitement. A stair, he fell from the stairs! I said with way too much enthusiasm. I am so sorry. The employee told me not to worry and that she was following the game too.

Just a moment later the doctor came in. Things got serious again. He took one look at the wound and remarked that it was rather severe and that multiple stitches would be needed. He also said that he couldn’t rule out scarring. He said to hang tight and left the room.

We waited a few minutes and then the ER nurses came in followed by the doctor. We put Beau down on a device that basically restrained him and the doctor and his team went to work.

He worked fast but also meticulously to stitch up the wound. He gave all the nurses body parts to control while he took care of the lip. Sid stood bedside with Beau while I looked over Sid’s shoulder. After the doctor completed two of the stitches he gave Beau a quick break before beginning again.

It was during this break that Sid looked back at me. She told me that I looked as pale as a ghost. She told me to sit down in the chair in the corner (talk about a role reversal from just an hour earlier!). I replied that I was fine but by this time the doctor had taken notice of the situation. After making sure I was okay he ordered me to sit down in the chair. He then completed the rest of the procedure.

Beau was stitched up and ready to go home. One of the nurses brought me a cup of ice water and an orange juice and said “I highly recommend that you drink these.” The only other time in my life I remember feeling like I was going to faint was when Sid’s doctor shocked us by saying they were going to deliver Sloan three weeks early.

Beau resting peacefully as we drove home from the hospital.

But my low tolerance for something as minimal as four stitches is not the focal point of this post. Beau is dealing with his stiches like a champ and will get them out on Monday. Speaking of champs, I wish Gonzaga was one right now but Baylor kind of got in the way. I actually got to see the end of that one at home.

Beau will get his stitches out on Monday.

Thanks to the ER staff at Holy Family for taking care of Beau! It was by far the most efficient and professional emergency room we have ever experienced. Let’s also hope that it is the last. Don’t Blink.

A Sour Experience Turned Golden

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On Saturday, we ended up at a noon Easter egg hunt in the Hillyard district of Spokane. This particular hunt was put on by the Guardians of the Children, a charity motorcycle group that fights against child abuse. It took place in a grassy lot surrounded by railroad cars at the corner of Market and Queen. When we walked up to the spot I had my doubts.

A look at the set up of the Easter Egg hunt.

The eggs were sparsely scattered and Sloan had barely slipped into the 4-11 age group by having her birthday just a couple weeks ago. She would be competing for eggs against kids much bigger than her, and let’s face it, Sloan isn’t blessed with speed or agility to begin with.

I took Sloan to the starting line of her age group and Sid took Beau to his 0-3 age group starting line. As we stood waiting for the hunt to begin, I saw kids several years older than her practically salivating as they eyed the eggs they would be running after.

Needless to say, Sloan’s confidence was not the best prior to the hunt starting.

On your mark…get set…go…

Dust was kicked up as the kids ran in all different directions. Sloan tried her best but it was honestly just like a movie—she would bend down to pick up an egg only to have a kid swipe it up from under her nose. The hunt probably lasted for only two minutes before the grassy field was absent from colored plastic eggs. Sloan was empty-handed.

I could tell she was upset but she handled it as best as a young 4-year-old could. We found Sid and Beau…empty-handed as well. Sid and I compared notes on our experiences, both admitting that our children really had no chance. But there was nothing for us to be disappointed about. Sloan and Beau had been to other Easter activities earlier in the morning and were not hurting for candy.

Nonetheless, a couple of teenage girls passed us and noticed our empty Easter baskets. A couple minutes later, one of the teenagers came back with a golden egg and handed it to Sloan.

“My parents helped organize this so we knew where one of the golden eggs was hidden,” she said.

Sloan lit up and opened the egg. It didn’t just contain ONE $1 bill but TWO $1 bills. It was like she won the lottery.

“Give me that over candy any day,” I told her.

Sloan was elated to get a golden egg at the Inland Northwest Guardian of the Children Easter Egg hunt.

From feeling disappointed to feeling like a million bucks (or at least two bucks), Sloan left the hunt site with a big smile on her face. Although Sid and I would have been content with her learning a lesson about not always getting what you want, we were still fine with the scenario that played out. Luckily she got a piggy bank for her birthday. Don’t Blink.

Easter 2021

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You can’t call it an Easter of redemption because every Easter is one of redemption. But I think I can say it was more of a “normal” Easter in 2021 compared to what we experienced in 2020. And, to be honest, I was glad. To celebrate Easter Sunday with my family after missing them so much last year was extremely sweet. Here is a look at our day…

Sid and I were up bright and early so we were ready when Sloan and Beau awoke. Once they were up we led them downstairs to their Easter surprises. Although Beau didn’t say much, Sloan sure was excited.

Sloan and Beau on Easter morning.

Next came the most significant part of the day. We went to St. Mary Catholic Church for 9 a.m. Easter Sunday mass. After not being able to gather last year for this most holy mass it sure meant a lot to celebrate in our sacred space once again. Fr. Jeff Lewis celebrated the beautiful service and delivered a homily about the strength of the Church throughout the past couple millenniums. We sat with my brother and his fiancée and truly found ourselves in the Easter spirit.

Dressed for Easter Sunday mass!

After mass we drove out north to my parents’ house. We ate a brunch of pastries that included muffins, breads, and donuts. Sloan and Beau also opened Easter baskets that grandma and papa got them.

A look at my brunch plate.

We then took a couple hours to just relax. As is a tradition, I played some Easter hymns and we just took it easy and chatted.

Soon enough my brother and his fiancée joined us at my parents’. They were followed shortly by my sister, brother-in-law, Mikayla, and Johnny. We all gathered in the living room and chatted. That is simply what us Resers do when we gather—we talk. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It wasn’t long before we were all sitting down for the Easter meal. This year we had ham, corn casserole, mac and cheese, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, salad, and more. The dinner marked the first time that my wife and kids got to spend Easter with my parents and siblings so I made sure not to take it for granted.

A look at our Easter meal.

After we let our food settle, it was time for the annual Glen and Carrie (brother and his fiancée) Easter egg hunt. They hid a whole bunch of eggs in my parents’ backyard and then Sloan, Mik, and Johnny went out and found them after a quick pep talk from Glen. Backyard egg hunts are the best hunts.

Glen and Carrie always do a great job of putting on this Easter egg hunt.

Finally, it was dessert time. My mom made ice cream cake in honor of Miranda’s birthday (which was on March 28) and my brother made peanut butter pie. Despite eating myself silly at dinner I still managed to eat a little bit of both.

Miranda, Glen, and Carrie enjoying dessert.

We all talked for a little bit longer and then we all departed to our respective houses. It was a special day after a meaningful Lenten season. But as a priest from my past used to say, we don’t look at this present time as the end of Lent but rather as the start of the Easter. So, happy Easter my friends, let’s joyfully celebrate the resurrection of our Lord over the next several weeks. Don’t Blink.

Pizzagaina Thursday Rundown

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Welcome back, friends! I hope your Holy Week is going well. Take a moment or two to browse this week’s five topics in my latest Thursday Rundown…

Pizzagaina – In my Easter 2020 recap, I briefly mentioned a food called pizzagaina. If you didn’t read that post, you might be asking What the heck is pizzagaina? Well, it is an Italian dish made at Easter that will bring a smile to your face. Think of it as a savory pie of goodness. Macaroni and cheese and ham are packed into a flaky crust and then baked. Pizzagaina has been a tradition in my mom’s family for decades and this past weekend she made a lot of it. In fact, she was able to give big loaves to my siblings and I to share with our families. At my household we have a pretty good start on ours.

This is the pizzagaina loaf that my mom gave us. We have ate about a quarter of it.

Beau – So our 1-year-old told us that he feels Sloan has been getting all the blog love lately so I told him he would get a Thursday Rundown section to himself. Beau is walking more than he is crawling these days, keeping us very busy. He says words like “mama” and “hot” and loves to play with lego blocks. When his sister and cousins are playing he wants to be right in the middle of it with them, even if his presence might cause some minor inconveniences to the older kids. Beau is happy and loving as he freely gives out kisses. Safe to say, our little man is thriving.

These days, Beau is walking more than crawling.

Pepsi PEEPS Contest – Last week, Pepsi made an earth-shattering announcement that it would produce a PEEPS-flavored cola. However, it would be distributed in a very exclusive, non-grocery store manner. In order to have a shot at tasting the soda, which is called Pepsi x Peeps, you must post a photo on either Instagram or Twitter using specific hashtags and you must explain what your favorite spring activity is. Pepsi will then choose a certain number of entries and send the participants a 3-pack of the product. As you can imagine, I took the bait. Sloan and I posed for a photo and posted it to Instagram. We hope we are chosen!

We are now entered in the Pepsi x Peeps contest! Hope we win! #HangingWithMyPeeps #PepsiSweepstakes

A Thing of Beauty – I called my dad last night and when he answered I just said damn. When he asked me to elaborate, I said Damn. Gonzaga is good. I am amazed at how the Gonzaga men’s basketball team has stormed through the competition to reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. I guess it is what you expect from an undefeated team but the way they are making it look so effortless is incredible. The ability of the Bulldogs to get easy shots and outrun their opponents is probably the best I have ever seen from any college team. For a program that I have a special connection to, I sure hope this year’s squad can produce two more wins and bring home a national championship to Spokane.

Best of luck to the Gonzaga men’s basketball team in the Final Four.

Didn’t Realize It – Did you know that William Shatner turned 90 last month? I surely didn’t. I must give credit where credit is due…he looks pretty good. Sorry for the language in the tweet.

I had no idea this guy was so old.

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Thank you for reading. I wish you a warm and meaningful Easter. Celebrate this sacred holiday with enthusiasm and reverence! See you next week. Don’t Blink.