Good evening, my friends. Hope everyone has had a great first week of December. How about we begin with another Thursday Rundown?

Classic Comic – I shared this Family Circus comic strip on my Instagram account exactly five years ago today and for good reason – it is funny! I decided to dust it off and present it to you for your enjoyment. The girl asks his father: “Did Santa Claus and Jesus go to school together?” I am going to say probably not.

Still funny after five years.

My Cover Story – Almost two weeks ago, I shared the news that I wrote the cover story for the latest issue of our university alumni publication, Coastal Magazine. I counted it as a career highlight and a big step up from my blogging roots. The story is now online, so if you feel inclined, please feel free to read my work by clicking here.

I had the honor of writing the cover story of the latest Coastal Magazine issue.

Dr. Pepper – Back in May, I wrote about my top 5 favorite sodas. Cracking the top spot was Dr. Pepper. Thus, it only makes sense that I share a graphic I came across on my Timehop app about the storied history of the drink. Dr. Pepper was invented in 1885 and it was first sold by a pharmacist! That makes it even older than Coca-Cola. In a world of countless different soft drinks, according to my taste buds, the soda world got it right the first time.

Dr. Pepper is really good…and also really old.

Price Comparison – We used to frequent the supermarket right next to our house, Lowe’s, for our grocery needs (it is a really nice store!). However, we now go to Walmart Market for most of our shopping. One of the reasons why? Pricing! As an ice cream fanatic, I have to share this pricing disparity. You can purchase a tub of Great Value ice cream for a staggering $1.84 at Walmart. When I went and picked up some sour cream for our tacos the other night at Lowe’s, I looked at its store brand ice cream and noticed the $4.99 price next to its tubs. That is a difference of over the $3! But it is more than just the price; it is the quality! When I conducted a blind taste test, Walmart’s Great Value ice cream was far superior to the ice cream made by Lowe’s. You can make your own decision on where you want to buy your frozen dessert but I am sticking to Walmart!

I took the photo of the Lowe’s ice cream ($4.99) just recently and I took the photo of the Walmart ice cream ($1.84) during the summer.

Sloan at 38 Weeks – Well, it has been a bit of a tough week for Sloan. She came down with a fever and has been sweating it out the past few days. Sid and I have taken turns staying home from work to care for her. The good news is that it looks like she is on the mend! She is still as sweet as ever and even though she might not be saying it consciously, the sounds DA-DA come out of her mouth all the time. She has also mastered the “Army crawl.” We received her Santa photos yesterday and they are fantastic. I will share the experience with all of you after we send out our Christmas cards. Until then, here is the latest photo collage.

This is Sloan’s photo collage at 38 weeks.

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The holiday season is in full swing. I am preparing myself for the annual Palmetto Bays Christmas party (Sidney’s work party) this weekend. If you are also venturing out over the next couple days to a holiday function, don’t forget my tips. Feliz Navidad! Don’t Blink.