Author Archives: brent

My Top 5 Favorites Cheeses

Posted on by
Reply

I don’t feel like I would do Martin Luther King Jr. justice if I tried to write about his impact and I don’t want to get political with today’s Inauguration. So, I guess I will write a cheesy blog post instead. Sharing today with MLK Day and Inauguration Day is National Cheese Lover’s Day. Almost five years ago, I wrote about my cheese preferences but I didn’t go as far as to rank them. I shall do that today by sharing my top five cheeses.

Let’s talk about the cheeses I love! Spoiler alert: parmesan cheese might make an appearance.

5. Parmesan Cheese (Grated/Shredded) – When I talk about parmesan cheese, I am referring to the kind you sprinkle on spaghetti. Oh wait, I don’t just “sprinkle” it, I make it rain and/or cover any possible Italian food item ranging from pasta to sandwiches to soups to pizza. When I go to the Olive Garden, our server is going to get a workout as he turns the handle on the parmesan cheese dispenser before I eventually tell him to stop. The only other person who I know who likes parmesan cheese more than me? My wife!

4. Queso – Is there anything more enjoyable than a hot bowl of queso paired with fresh chips? It is probably my favorite appetizer. I also really enjoy queso inside a burrito. If I could tolerate eating it by itself, it would probably rank higher on this countdown but at least it made it. Whether white or yellow queso, please pass it my way.

3. Blue Cheese – You either love it or you hate it. When it comes to my own palate, I absolutely love it. Blue cheese crumbles are completely agreeable with me as I enjoy them on burgers, salads, and mac and cheese. The taste of blue cheese is unique and strong—a combination that doesn’t agree with everyone but it surely does with me. Yes, go heavy on the blue cheese crumbles.

2. Cougar Gold – When I worked at Washington State University, I became acquainted very quickly with the institution’s signature cheese. In fact, I even produced a video about it where University of Wisconsin fans touted how incredible it was. Packaged in a can, Cougar Gold is a white sharp cheddar that has a delicious taste and even better texture. It pairs perfectly with crackers but go ahead and just eat it straight from the can…you won’t be able to stop.

1. Pepper Jack – My favorite cheese is pepper jack. A spice lover like me can’t resist the heat that a single slice packs. I don’t think I have ever ordered a Subway sandwich without pepper jack on it. At cookouts during the summer, people who truly know me will have a slice on hand to top my burger with while they are cooking it on the grill. Flavorful, spicy, and colorful, I believe pepper jack is truly a cheese of deliciousness and beauty.

—————–

Dang, when I took a look at my list, I would say I am a fan of a wide variety of cheeses. From blue cheese to pepper jack to queso, I am a man of many cheesy tastes. What is your favorite? Don’t Blink.

Fantastic Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
Reply

After getting back into the swing of things with the first Thursday Rundown of 2025 last week, I am stoked to begin a streak. Let’s get started with tonight’s five topics…

Baptism Birthday Bash – This past weekend, we attended the latest Family Faith Night at our parish. The theme this month was Baptism Birthday Bash as it coincided with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday. Marie Bricher, our director of religious education at St. Mary, once again did a phenomenal job of presenting the content. She covered the significance of baptism, the necessity of baptizing infants, and the importance of celebrating our own baptismal birthdays (I was baptized by Fr. Adrian Van der Hyden on Nov. 30, 1986, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Walla Walla). The kids played games, took photos in front of the “happy birthday” backdrop with their favorite priest, and decorated cupcakes.

My family had a really nice time at the latest St. Mary (Spokane Valley) Family Faith Night. It was a baptism theme.

Fargo – Over the weekend, Sidney and I decided to make a super random movie choice. We decided to give Peacock a chance and I pretty much blindly chose “Fargo.” I had heard of the movie before (mostly thanks to the song “Hey Leonardo”) but had no idea what it was about. Turns out the 1996 film is about a family man who hires a couple of outcasts to kidnap his wife so he can scheme ransom money out of his father-in-law. “Fargo” actually exceeded my expectations as I got a big kick out of the “Minnesota Nice” midwestern accents and solid performance from Frances McDormand. Also, as a marketer, I enjoyed how product placement was inserted into the movie. If you have nothing else to watch and you subscribe to Peacock, give “Fargo” a shot.

It took me long enough, but Sid and I watched “Fargo” this past weekend.

Decade Ago – On this date 10 years ago, Sidney and I went to the movie theater to watch “American Sniper.” To this day, I categorize it as one of the best acting jobs turned in by Bradley Cooper. The amount of preparation he devoted to playing the role of Chris Kyle was evident. But what I want to focus on is the price of a movie ticket. As you can see from the stub below, a single ticket in 2015 was $8.75. When Sidney and Sloan went to “Wicked” at the end of December, it was $15.99 for an adult ticket. Heck, when we went to “Moana” on Thanksgiving, the adult matinee price was $11.99. If movie ticket prices increase the same way they did the previous 10 years, we could be looking at movie tickets that are north of $30 in 2034.

My ticket from “American Sniper” back in 2015. It was a superb movie.

TBT – Thought I would share a throwback photo in tonight’s rundown. I chose this image because my dad always mentions that one of his favorite memories of me as a little boy was when I would throw on my favorite white hat and “mow the lawn.” What caught my eye about this photo was how old the cars in our garage look! Talk about dating myself. On the other side of the coin, check out the camcorder my dad is holding. For this photo to have been taken probably in the 1989-1991 range, I would have expected it to be some gigantic video camera resting on his shoulder.

The cars look old but my dad’s camcorder looks surprisingly modern.

Dry January – It seems like “Dry January” is a real thing this year. A couple nights ago, Sid remarked to me that she knows many people who are doing it. This morning, we threw out a bunch of beer in the garbage. However, I can’t claim it was because we jumped on the Dry January band wagon. Rather, it was because the beer expired long ago! When readers learn that it was Bud Light beer that was tossed, I am sure many of my IPA-loving friends will reach out and say that is where it belongs (expired or not!). Kudos and support to all those at the halfway point of Dry January.

We threw away Bud Light this morning simply because we didn’t drink it in time.

———————-

Thank you for reading. Let’s continue to pray for those impacted by the California fires, especially those who have lost their homes and those who are first responders. May we never know the hell they are experiencing. Don’t Blink.

The “Love You, Forever” Moments That Hit Hard

Posted on by
Reply

As a parent, I have encountered many full circle moments. Things that my parents told me as a kid that would happen once I became a dad have—in fact—happened. One small example of this is the book “Love You, Forever.” I remember my mom reading this to me as a child and struggling to get through the whole book. When a parent gets emotional, it is something you remember. When I questioned my mom about why she was crying, she told me it was something I would understand once I got older.

When Sloan was young, I read “Love You, Forever” and definitely felt what my mom was talking about. Last night, I read the book to Beau and, like my mom, struggled to finish. It seems like as each year passes, it takes more and more of an emotional toll on me.

I thought tonight I would reflect on four of the pages in “Love You, Forever” that really tug at my heartstrings. I know I usually organize most of my blog posts in groups of five but I needed to give Sloan and Beau an equal number of chances to hold the book. So here we go…

Our copy of “Love You, Forever” resting on the couch.

Aging – This spread comes about halfway through the book and stands out to me because of the mom’s appearance. Whereas the son ages each time you turn the page, this is the first time the mom looks noticeably older. Last night, Beau said “Is that a grandma?” Those of us older than 4 can tell it isn’t a grandmother but rather the mom at a different stage in her life. The bright smile and energy is still there, but the page chronicles the reality of aging—even of moms.

This spread is the first one to really show the mom’s aging. It conveys a fact of life.

The Call – This spread is very emotional. The son is going about his life and then receives a call that stops him in his tracks. You can tell the concern on his face. The mom’s request for him to come visit her is so sweet, brave, and sad. And then the page really brings the tears. The mom can’t finish singing the song because she is “too old and sick.”

A sad call to take. The mom not being able to finish the song is devastating.

No Words – In my opinion, I don’t even think the author needed to include words on this page. With roles completely reversed, the son cuddles his mom in his arms while sitting in the rocking chair. It is the ultimate display of an adult child returning the love, care, and guidance he was given. Again, the illustration says it all.

Roles are reversed as the son finishes the song.

Thoughts – Many of you might think it is strange that I find this spread the most impactful of the book. However, it just hits me. The author nails it with the single sentence he uses: When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs. Even the cat looking at him knows the sadness filling his soul. The author doesn’t need to tell us his mom has passed, we can just share in his grief. Poignant and touching.

This spread hits the hardest for me in the entire book.

—————

“Love You, Forever” is a classic. Beyond the emotion it invokes, it conveys so much about the cycle of life, parenting, and paying it forward. Do you have a favorite scene or theme from the book? Don’t Blink.

Fun With Banished Words in 2025

Posted on by
2

In January 2022, I had some fun chatting with my WSU colleagues about that year’s Banished Words List. My enthusiasm from that conversation led to a blog post and in 2023 I wrote a blog post about that year’s list as well. I don’t know what happened in 2024 other than I refrained from using all overused words because I did not write about that year’s list.

But my language is suspect again because I am all over the 2025 Banished Words List. For those who are unfamiliar, Lake Superior State University curates the list each year by identifying “overworked, redundant, oxymoronic, clichéd, illogical, and nonsensical” words and terms. That reminds me, have I ever chatted about my family’s streaming habits?…

This streaming era is getting out of control. Period. We utilize a handful of platforms and it actually makes choosing a movie/show 100% harder (IYKYK). When Disney+ dropped it was supposed to be a game changer for our kids but it just made things more expensive. Beau watches Skibidi Toilet on YouTube more than he watches Mickey Mouse…talk about cringe. Sorry not sorry, but I am tempted to cancel some subscriptions or just go back to cable.

A look at the 2025 Banished Words.

When I reflect on this list, I am guilty of using some of the words frequently in my writing. Although not influenced by Taylor Swift in any way, I use era to categorize periods of time. In fact, I devoted a blog post about “eras” while Sid and I even delivered an entire presentation on the word.

I also ashamedly insert utilize in my writing like it is going out of style. You can also call me out for using sorry not sorry and cringe from time to time as well. Honestly, what right does a blogger in his late 30s have to use those expressions?

I do agree that a couple of the words on the list need immediate retirement. The first one is game changer. It belongs in the same category as “the next level” when it comes to phrases that lazily try to convey an innovative upgrade. I also hope to never hear the word Skibidi again but my son will prevent that wish from ever coming true. Perhaps at the very least I will finally find out what it means. Because IYKYK, right?

What are your thoughts on this year’s banished list? Is there a word that you can’t seem to stop using OR is there one that needed to be banned yesterday? Come on everyone, let’s get cringe 😂. Don’t Blink.

The Latest Sid/Brent Christmas Gift Exchange

Posted on by
Reply

Sid and I try our best not to place an emphasis on material gifts during the Christmas season. Not only is it not what the holiday is about, but I much rather give (and receive) an experience-based gift like sending the kids to see Gami and Dada in South Carolina.

Thus, it probably doesn’t surprise you that Sid and I don’t go crazy when it comes to exchanging gifts between the two of us. Although we do set some time aside late on Christmas Eve without the kids to hang out and exchange presents, we typically set a $50-$75 limit. The gifts might be of the humble variety but they are always meaningful and are typically used for years.

I want to share a gift I got for Sid and a gift that Sid got for me.

In the South, all bedrooms seem to come equipped with ceiling fans. Not only do they give relief during humid and sweaty days, but they are also therapeutic to a degree. Sid swears by the fact that she can only go to sleep if there is some type of “white noise” in the background. The sound of a fan checks that box.

When we moved to Spokane, Sid figured out quickly that this area of the country doesn’t share the same fondness for ceiling fans that her neck of the woods did. Without a ceiling fan to switch on at night time, we went for the next best thing. In the four years that we have lived here, Sid and I have used a table fan we borrowed from my parents’ house. The 30-year-old artifact didn’t necessarily compare to a ceiling fan but it still managed to do the job by generating some coolness and plenty of noise.

But it was time for an upgrade.

A look at the new fan I got Sid for Christmas.

We gave Sloan the old table fan for her room because we got a pedestal fan for ours. I found the gift at Lowe’s as it gave my wife everything she wanted: better aesthetics, increased power, and more modes. But the absolute best part that made me a hero? It came with a remote control! If you only knew how many times we hopped into bed before realizing we forgot to turn on the fan. Now, Sid is able to control everything with the remote that rests on her bedside table.

A look at the fan set up.

Sid gave me a present that was probably even better than the fan. As some of my readers know, I am an avid journaler. My numerous journals that I have filled over the past 25 years are my most prized material possessions. However, if you look at my box of journals you will see that a lot of them are in rough shape. Because whatever journal I am using at the time goes everywhere with me, it tends to get beat up. Until this past Christmas, I would just always throw the journal unprotected into my bag.

Sid got me a case for my journal.

Well, for the first time ever, I now have a case for my journal. Sid bought me a Five Star case that was designed for a tablet but works perfectly for the types of journals I use. It even has a pouch for me to transport the special pens I write with. The case has already gotten a lot of use and it is offering my journal the protection it deserves.

A look at how my journal fits snuggly into the case that Sid got me.

Truly friends, life is about the little things. We couldn’t be more appreciative of our Christmas gifts. Don’t Blink.

First Thursday Rundown of 2025

Posted on by
Reply

Who missed my rundowns?! Oh, no one? Ha! Well, okay, but I am still going to write them in 2025. I know the last time I published one was LAST YEAR (on December 12) so just a reminder about how these work (because I have only written probably a million of them over the past 10+ years): I offer up thoughts and updates on five super random, unrelated topics. Here we go…

Family Spouse Photo – On the fourth Sunday of Advent, my parents, siblings, and our families gathered for home holiday cheer. Of course photos were taken. Out of the many I had to choose from, I decided to go with “the couples.” What a great representation of 67 total years of marriage…of course 43 of those years come from my parents 😂.

Four happy couples!

Bible In A Year – I know if you took my advice and started working on your own #1SE video, you are probably already pretty busy with an “every day” commitment. But I would like to offer yet another daily exercise that is way more important than #1SE. I humbly recommend that in 2025 you listen to the “Bible In A Year” podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz. It is life changing. No matter what denomination you are or even if you aren’t Christian, you will find this podcast to be engaging, informative, and holy. I listened to the whole podcast during its debut year in 2021 and I am re-listening in 2025. I wrote about what you can expect and how Fr. Mike navigates the bible and structures the podcast. If you want to journey with me, PLEASE DO. Jump on now while we are early in January and please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.

The Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz is incredible.

Favorite Drinks – On this glorious date six years ago, I wrote an even more glorious blog post (#sarcasm) about my favorite drinks. After covering my favorite sodas and favorite beers in earlier years, I ranked my top non-carbonated/non-alcoholic beverages. I am sure you can tell from the photo below some of the drinks that were included but for the full list and rankings, make sure to read the post.

In 2019, I ranked my 5 favorite drinks.

Headbanz – We are a board game family and every year at Christmas we get at least one or two new games. This year, my niece gave Sloan a game called Headbanz. It is designed for kids (although all of us adults had a blast playing it) as a fun and competitive way to describe things and ask questions. Each person puts a “headband” on and inserts a card in the contraption’s front portion so they can’t see the object on their card. The person then asks other players questions to try and guess what animal/plant/food/sport/etc. is on their card. Great fun!

Sloan playing Headbanz at our kitchen table.

College Football Playoff – From a fan perspective, I think the expanded College Football Playoff is great. The value of watching college football’s powerhouse programs duke it out in a playoff system that mirrors what has been done at the lower levels for decades is appealing. I am not crazy about the college football season extending to Jan. 20 but I guess there has to be a trade off. Despite a college athletics landscape that is broken, at least there is this bright spot. I am rooting for Notre Dame!

I have enjoyed the College Football Playoff and am rooting for the Irish!

———————–

Alright, I feel totally back in the groove with Thursday Rundowns. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great weekend. Don’t Blink.

Dazed and Confused

Posted on by
Reply

Confusion. Haze. Doubt.

That’s how I felt over the past two weeks when anyone asked me what day it was.

To be fair, things always get a little foggy during the two-week holiday season. People take off work, kids are out of school, and we celebrate major holidays. Routines and calendars take a backseat as we enjoy the season. It is a recipe for completely losing track of the day of the week.

During the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s Day, I need to keep a calendar close by to know what day of the week it is.

Perhaps I am just getting old and absentminded, but this holiday season seemed to reach new levels with day of the week confusion. Adding to my advanced age might be a couple other factors as well.

First, Christmas and New Year’s Day, which always fall on the same day of the week, landed on Wednesday in 2024. When these holidays land on a Friday, Monday, or actual weekend day, they can become absorbed into a general holiday weekend. However, because Christmas and New Year’s Day were on Wednesday, it simulated an additional weekend itself. Thus, Tuesday felt like a Friday and Wednesday felt like a Saturday. Logically, that meant Thursday felt like a Monday (and so on).

Second, working a portion of the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day also didn’t do me any favors. I usually take that week off, but since Sid and the kids were in South Carolina and because I am still a new EWU employee, I worked Dec. 30, Dec. 31, Jan. 2, and Jan. 3. With the Wednesday mid-week holiday, which was preceded by another Wednesday holiday, everything was thrown off.

Can you imagine how hard it was to keep track of garbage day? Our service got bumped from Thursday to Friday for both holiday weeks. Just that is confusing. But add in all the haziness about what day it actually was in the first place and you can understand the conundrum.

But maybe this is by design. During the holiday season the argument could be made that we shouldn’t worry about what day of the week it is. As I alluded to above, there is something about the embracement of a special time of the year where we aren’t confined to whether it is a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.

So, as long as I can keep tabs on when the garbage truck is coming by, I won’t worry about the calendar as much next year. Don’t Blink.

Really, Costco?

Posted on by
2

I rarely cuss. In fact, unless I am writhing on the ground in pain because of a cramp, you will almost never hear me utter a bad word. But every now and then, an exception must be made. Unfortunately, I must direct an unpleasant acronym at a popular wholesaler. So, here it goes…

Costco…WTF?

I couldn’t believe it when I heard it. I have spoken out against shrinkflation before, but at the time it hadn’t hit home like it recently did. When word reached me that Costco had completely changed its signature jumbo muffins—for a smaller and more expensive version—I lost it.

This is NOT okay.

You might be thinking, What’s the big deal, Brent? We are talking about muffins. You don’t understand! Costco muffins are incredibly special to me. They have been a constant in my life. No matter my age nor where I lived, a Costco muffin has always been not just nourishment but comfort for me. It anchors my list of top 5 items I buy at Costco. When I completed a strenuous weight loss challenge diet, I told the fitness instructor the first “bad” thing I was going to eat was a Costco muffin. I literally wrote an entire blog post paying tribute to the most clutch “meal” on this planet.

Me holding the original Costco muffins (notice how happy I was) back in 2024.

So please forgive me for my tantrum, but this just doesn’t sit well with me. You see, I think the Costco muffin is more sacred than the Costco hot dog. In my opinion, I think the muffin should have received the same well-documented protection that the Costco dog enjoys.

Photo I took of the new Costco muffins this past Sunday.

Please, don’t try to defend the new muffins. People have tried to spin the downgrade by saying that since the new muffins come in packs of eight, you no longer have the stress of eating 12 muffins (the product count with the original muffins) before they go bad. I assure you, thanks to an invention called the freezer, we never “stressed out” about eating the muffins before they went bad.

Defenders will also try to focus on the fabulous new flavors. Oh, you know Costco eliminated all the classic flavors, right? Say adios to blueberry, banana nut, vanilla chocolate chunk, and even poppyseed. In their place, new bougie flavors like lemon raspberry, butter pecan, and cinnamon chip. Thankfully, the chocolate flavor still remains but not without some marketing spin. Instead of double chocolate, the flavor is now called triple chocolate.

Double chocolate was plenty enough for me. The new triple chocolate mini muffins aren’t nearly as good.

The biggest crime is that you get less for more. An article I read broke it down like this: The old muffins were priced at $9.99 for a dozen, but the new eight-count package comes in at $6.99. We crunched the numbers, and pound for pound, the new muffins are about $1.34 more expensive (allrecipes.com).

And they aren’t even that good! Well, scratch that, they are good. Just not as tasty as the old ones. They are drier, they crumble, and they don’t fill you up. Any way you look at the situation, it is a downgrade. And trust me, I know this is a first world problem and I should probably just stop eating muffins entirely and opt for a salad instead. But shrinkflation bothers me and when it messes with one of my favorite commodities, I get a little fired up.

A photo I took of the new Costco muffins at the north Spokane Costco warehouse this past Sunday.

Remember when Coke came out with its new formula in the 1980s? The outcry was so severe that the company pulled the new drink and replaced it with the classic formula. Do I think something similar will happen with Costco muffins? No. But a guy can dream. Don’t Blink.

A Short But Sweet 2024 Christmas Break

Posted on by
1

It seems like 2025 is already in full swing and that 2024 is a distant memory. However, I felt like it was necessary for me to reflect on this past holiday season because it was such a joyful time.

But I guess I should mention that even though it was a joyful time, it was also a shorter time. The past couple years I took close to two weeks off because I had that luxury and because someone needed to be with the kids during the full duration of their holiday break. This past break, Beau and Sloan were released from school later than previous years and they left with Sid to South Carolina for the second half of it. Thus, I just took the week of Dec. 23 – Dec. 27 off. However, I made the most of every moment.

When I look back on my 2024 holiday break, I have a few sweet memories that especially stick out. They include staying up late with Beau watching movies, serving with my family as greeters at Christmas Eve mass, playing with my kids as we unpackaged new toys, and enjoying a couple of special meals just the four of us.

Quick photo with the kids after we returned from mass on Christmas Eve.

And even though I didn’t go with Sid and the kids to South Carolina (duty calls at work), driving them out to the airport and still sharing with them that excitement of hopping on a plane to see family made my heart really happy.

Sid, Sloan, and Beau at the Spokane Airport before they boarded a plane for Atlanta (en route to Myrtle Beach).

So besides the truly important aspects of the holiday season that we took to heart (God, family, and thankfulness), I had the opportunity to do some fun things with the kids during that last full week of December. Here are five of them…

Inflatables and Cousins – On Monday (Dec. 23), I met my sister at Jump 4 Joy in Spokane Valley. Miranda brought Mik and John to play with Sloan and Beau inside the indoor inflatable park. While they expended all of their energy, Miranda and I lounged on the facility’s couches and chatted away.

We all had a nice time at Jump 4 Joy in Spokane Valley.

Christmas Movie – On Tuesday, I took Beau and Sloan to the historic Garland Theater for a free showing of the original Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie from 1964. It was nostalgic for me as it had been years since I watched it and exciting for the kids who had never seen it before.

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo after watching “Rudolph” at the Garland Theater.

Mall Rats – I enjoy taking the kids to the mall because it is an inexpensive way (if you do it right) to pass some time. Sloan browsed Claire’s for way too long, Beau played on the indoor jungle gym, and we enjoyed all the Christmas decorations. Throughout the week, we made stops at Spokane Valley Mall, Northtown Mall, and River Park Square.

While at the Spokane Valley Mall, we went to WePlay, the facility’s indoor playground.

Libraries – It wouldn’t be a break from school if I didn’t take the kids to the library, right? We hit up both the Spokane Valley County Library and the Spokane Public Library – Central to break up the constant stimuli from the crazy holiday week. Sloan and Beau read books, built Legos, and did crafts.

Beau coming in hot off the slide at the Spokane Public Library – Central. Can you spot Sloan?

Mobius – We made our annual visit to Spokane’s Mobius Children’s Museum on Friday. I love taking the kids here because they are so engaged. Beau, who always gets distracted when we go to trampoline parks and other attractions by the arcade games/food stands/etc., never had his attention span thwarted by what was offered on the museum floor. He interacted with most of the stations and we all had a lot of fun.

Beau living his best life at Mobius.

———————-

It was a blessed holiday break indeed! Thankfully, everyone successfully transitioned back to the school/work grind which is an impressive feat considering I returned them home from the airport late last night. I am appreciative of the memories made and look forward to when we will do it again in December 2025. Don’t Blink.

A New Record! Sloan Reads 600 Books

Posted on by
Reply

Did you know the men and women who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier space their uniform medals at 1/64th of an inch? I didn’t either. Of course, I didn’t know a lot of things before reading 600 books with Sloan in 2024.

Sloan holds “Twenty-One Steps,” the 600th book she read in 2024. She read this book to Beau and me at the Spokane Public Library – Central.

On December 27, 2024, Sloan read her brother and me Twenty-One Steps at the Spokane Public Library – Central to reach her goal. The book, which explained the origin and significance of the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, was the culminating story in a year dominated by reading.

Beau reads to Beau her 600th book at the Spokane Public Library – Central

After reading 500 books in 2022 and 500 books in 2023, Sloan became a little brazen at the beginning of 2024. Caught up in the excitement of New Year’s resolutions, Sloan wrote a goal at school to read 600 books during the year. Okay girl, I said, I am going to hold you to it.

And I did 😂.

Sloan made the New Year’s resolution to read 600 books early on in 2024.

What is just an additional 100 books in a year, you ask? Believe it or not, it does increase the nightly reading output more than you think. A few times throughout the course of the year, Sloan had bouts with reading fatigue but for the most part she was committed to reaching the big 6-0-0.

Sloan holds up a couple books she read at Spokane Valley County Library in February 2024.

The lofty goal helped cover her nightly reading homework, scored her Silverwood passes, and continued to improve her reading skills. It also taught her (and me) a lot. In 2024, we transitioned to books that fit her level better. Mature themes (death, divorce, disease, etc.), biographies, historical events, relationships, processes, nature, religion, and culture were all subject matter we consumed over the year. But don’t worry, we had Curious George and Pete the Cat thrown in there as well 😉.

Sloan points to a book she read at the Argonne County Library during the summer of 2024.

We managed the goal like we had in the past. Most of our reading material came from Spokane County Library locations where we would make bi-weekly visits to stock up. We read mostly at night during our infamous Books and Prayers period. We logged the books in the Notes app on my phone. At this point in Sloan’s reading odyssey, everything was pretty routine. However, despite the solid structure, the reading itself still needed to be done. And let me tell you in no uncertain terms: Sloan did the reading.

We logged our books in the Notes app of my phone.

However, things will change in 2025. Sloan and I won’t have a standing nightly date to read books shoulder-to-shoulder together anymore. Instead, she will be released to read independently on her own. She already does this but not with the consistency and structure that will guide the activity this year. My daughter enjoys chapter books—especially the Diary Of A Wimpy Kid series—and it is time to allow her to grow with more challenging literature.

The books Sloan is holding here in a photo from early 2024 at Spokane Valley County Library, are now being replaced with books that more accurately reflect Sloan’s reading level.

But don’t worry, ol’ dad won’t be shedding any tears as he is left on the couch without his daughter. Beau will be taking his sister’s spot. In fact, he already has. Well, not her physical spot, but he has joined us for books over the past couple years. However, his undivided attention will be emphasized a bit more this year. I am excited to see the same growth from him that Sloan exhibited during the early years of our reading program.

Keep reading in 2025, friends! If you ever have any book suggestions for Sloan or Beau, please don’t hesitate to send them my way. Don’t Blink.