Are you starting to feel that holiday spirit yet? It is the best time of the year and I am thrilled that you are taking a moment for my latest Thursday Rundown. Here are tonight’s five topics…

First Snow – It took until December for it to happen, but Spokane finally got its first real accumulation of snow this week. Our kids are still completely enamored with snow, even to the point of being overly enthusiastic about shoveling—or raking—it. I walked outside after a meeting during the work day to see Sloan and Beau using rakes to help Sid shovel the driveway.

Sloan and Beau helped Sid shovel the driveway on Monday.

Inflatables – Tis the season for lawn decorations! Several years ago, I wrote about inflatable holiday decorations and debated whether they are festive or tacky. There is no such debate with Beau. He absolutely loves them. We walk a few blocks to get our mail and I always take the kids with me. Whenever we pass a house with a large Santa, Grinch, or Snoopy in the yard we must stop so he can ooh and aah. This photo is of one such instance from last Saturday.

Beau (and Sloan) both like holiday lawn inflatables. This was on our mail walk last weekend.

New Football Coach – A week ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Jake Dickert press conference that introduced him as the new head coach of the Washington State University football team. It was pretty cool to see him ace his audition as he served as interim head coach for the final five games of the regular season and then receive his rightful reward. The Cougs will play Miami in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31. GO COUGS!

I snapped this photo at last Thursday’s Jake Dickert introductory presser.

Pass Me a Pastry – If there is high fat food I have a particular weakness for, it is the pastry. There is nothing I enjoy more than stuffing my face on a weekend morning with something sweet from a bakery. Donuts, scones, and croissants all call my name from behind the glass. I even like factory produced, low maintenance pastries like Pop-Tarts. It was my intention to celebrate National Pastry Day, which is today, with one of my all-time favorite breakfast foods, a Costco muffin, but apparently a muffin is not a pastry. That really put a damper on this “national day” for me.

Without a doubt, Confetti Cake Pop-Tarts are my favorite!

Best Santa Investment – On this date six years ago, I wrote about one of the best Christmas investments ever…the Santa suit! By throwing on a Santa suit not only do you bring instant joy to others but the inner happiness you create within yourself is really special. I bought a cheap Santa suit roughly a decade ago from Walmart. I have worn it probably 50 times over the years making countless memories and generating a sentimental value that far exceeds the $30 I spent for it. Remember, everybody always loves a Santa.

Busting out the Santa suit is fun.

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That’s all I have for tonight. The last item I wrote about tonight had to do with Santa. Don’t get me wrong, Kris Kringle is great, but let us continue to focus on the true reason for the Christmas season. Don’t Blink.