Back Again Thursday Rundown

The Thursday Rundown is back after a brief hiatus. Last week my WSU three-year anniversary landed on a Thursday so that bumped the rundown. Please forgive me. I did consider offering TEN topics tonight to make up for last week’s snub but that would have been just plain silly. So without further delay, here are FIVE topics…

Adding to the Tradition – Last year I wrote about a birthday tradition that I do with Sloan. Each year I throw on the green polo that I wore when Sloan was born and take a photo with her. The pose is always the same and this year was the seventh edition. If you look at the collage below, the photos go in chronological order beginning with the image in the top left.

This year I took my seventh photo with Sloan in my old green St. Pat’s polo.

Sloan’s Cake – Keeping my quasi-tradition of sharing Sloan’s birthday cake with all of you (but not literally sharing), here is what we ordered her this year. We opted to go with Walmart and they baked her this mermaid-themed cake. The aqua blue frosting matched perfectly with the party venue’s décor (more on that next week). The cake itself was a marble chocolate/vanilla combination that we paired with vanilla ice cream cups.

This was Sloan’s birthday cake that we got from Walmart.

Birthday Artwork – As I have documented on here before, my dad marked our milestones and achievements as children with colorful sketches. In fact, he still does it for us today. But that’s not all—he does it for his grandchildren too! This was Sloan’s sketch for her 6th birthday. Kudos to my dad for manipulating the “O” in “Sloan” to take on the form of the number “6.”

This was the drawing my dad did to commemorate Sloan’s 6th birthday.

Chips And Dip Day – Today we celebrate National Chips and Dip Day and I couldn’t help but be reminded of the blog post I wrote two years ago. In this particular post, I opined that family Mexican restaurants can standout from competitors by offering superior chips. I declared that “good” chips must be hot, thick, tasty, bottomless, and accompanied by a distinctive salsa. I sure can eat a lot of them!

Chips are very important at a Mexican restaurant.

Eggo Frosted Maple Pop-Tarts – As we conclude tonight, I share a find from my recent trip to our local WINCO. These Eggo maple frosted Pop-Tarts were on the shelves and provided plenty of temptation. Although I wanted to try them, I refrained from buying them…for now. They did make me think long and hard about whether they would crack my top 10 Pop-Tart flavor list.

Would you give these Eggo Pop-Tarts a try?

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I apologize again that you had to go two weeks with a Thursday Rundown. Hopefully this didn’t disappoint…although I am sure it did. Have a great weekend, everyone! Don’t Blink.

Risk/Reward?

I like to think of myself as a confident and experienced driver in the snow. But sometimes I question whether I am just a grandma. Over the past few months, I have watched drivers appear in my rear-view mirror from a distance only to catch up to my car and pass me like a bat out of Hell…in dangerously icy and snowy conditions!

I have also questioned the sanity of drivers I encounter during my commute to Pullman. The number of motorists who dare to pass on a two-lane curvy road with obstructed visibility is, quite frankly, mind-boggling.

And then there are the people during the morning work/school commute who will do everything to plow through a yellow/red light on Sullivan only to be immediately stopped at the next light just 300 feet away.

Again, I admit I can be an overly cautious driver. I have conceded as much in multiple blog posts (here and here). Although I would not classify myself as an extremely overly cautious driver, I would think most of society would opt for that extreme over the alternative one.

When behind the wheel, I am a cautious driver.

You see, I just question the skewed risk/reward calculation that some drivers compute when driving in the snow, passing vehicles, and doing everything possible to beat a red light. The risks are many: traffic tickets, accidents, loss of life, and property damage are just a few. The reward? Perhaps the salvage of a couple minutes at the most but in most cases probably just a couple seconds. Doesn’t seem worth it, right?

The intention of this short blog post isn’t to necessarily point the finger at aggressive drivers. Rather, it is just to get them to consider whether the glory of passing someone or being the king of the snowy roads is an accomplishment worth aspiring to. Drive safe, everyone. Don’t Blink.

The Ultimate Restaurant Birthday Treat

Not everyone thinks like me. While I couldn’t envision anything much worse than a restaurant staff singing to me on my birthday, my daughter is different. She doesn’t mind being the center of attention in a crowded eatery. But once I saw what she received after her birthday serenade on Friday night, I might change my tune.

On St. Patrick’s Day, we took Sloan to a popular Spokane restaurant called The Onion. The business has been in the area for decades and is known for its (surprise) onion rings and extensive beer selection. It is also starting to earn quite the reputation for its birthday tradition.

After we finished our dinner, our rock star server asked if Sloan could have the restaurant’s complimentary birthday treat. Heck yeah, we responded. Not long thereafter, our server emerged with most of the restaurant staff behind him (watch it all here).

Our server at The Onion emerged from the back of the restaurant with a large sundae for Sloan.

“Happy Birthday, Sloan,” the server warmly told our daughter as he placed a gigantic sundae in front of her. He then took a step back and addressed everyone in our section of the restaurant. “Attention everybody, it’s Sloan’s birthday, let’s give her a hand!”

The wait staff that stood behind our server clapped with intensity as the diners at surrounding tables joined in. All eyes were now on Sloan. The server leaned in again and asked Sloan if she wanted the “short” or “backward” version of The Onion’s birthday song. Sloan selected the backward version.

The Onion staff doing the “backward” version of its happy birthday song.

The Onion contingent hopped 180 degrees so their backs were facing Sloan and started to sing a happy birthday song that incorporated lots of clapping. At the end of the song, everyone hopped 180 degrees in a dramatic way to once again face Sloan in perfect coordination with the final lyrics of “happy birthday to you.” It was quite the performance.

But for as “extra” as the birthday song was, it didn’t compare to what was sitting in front of Sloan. As the applause faded and the restaurant employees walked away, the birthday girl focused on the giant ice cream sundae in front of her.

Sloan had a large sundae to deal with after The Onion staff performed the happy birthday song.

In a large glass goblet was a creation of sugary excess. It contained a couple scoops of ice cream, large pieces of confetti cake, an enormous mound of whipped cream, hot fudge, and COTTON CANDY. Yes, cotton candy was added in. The rim of the goblet was coated in more hot fudge and topped with sprinkles. In a final display of sweet insanity, a big carnival sucker was propped up in the whipped cream.

Where to begin? Luckily, Sloan had no trouble coming up with a game plan to devour the sundae. Of course the plan wasn’t perfectly executed because there was no way a single 6-year-old girl could eat the whole thing. Even with the help of her eager brother and grandparents, there was still a lot of the sundae left by the time everyone tapped out.

Another angle of Sloan eating her sundae from The Onion.

The crazy thing is that the sundae is free on your birthday. I know some restaurants will offer a complimentary scoop of ice cream or milkshake on a customer’s special day… but something as elaborate as what The Onion offers? It is basically dessert for the entire table and why the sundae runs for $17 on the menu.

Why would The Onion so freely give away $17 sundaes to every person who dines at the restaurant on their birthday? How is that sustainable? Just during our visit, another person in our vicinity was also celebrating her birthday by enjoying a free sundae. Who knows all the other birthday people who came in on that night alone.

It definitely took more than one mouth to put a dent in this sundae. Beau was more than happy to help out.

My guess is that The Onion manages just fine. In fact, I think the free sundae is probably one of its most valuable marketing tactics. I am sure a lot of people are influenced to celebrate their birthday at The Onion because of the sundae that awaits them. If they bring in an average party with them, the $17 sundae turns into a $150 dinner bill.

Regardless of the intentions behind the free sundae, it does add an exclamation point to a fun dining experience. I thank The Onion staff for making my daughter’s birthday special. Don’t Blink.

Sloan Reser: This is Six

St. Patrick’s Day is always associated with luck and that connotation took on new meaning for me six years ago. When Sloan made me a dad on March 17, 2017, I felt luckier than a leprechaun sitting at the end of a rainbow with a big pot of gold.

The greatest day of my life.

As Sloan celebrates her sixth birthday today, I can assure you that I am still feeling lucky. It is impossible for me to express the joy that she delivers to my heart daily and a silly blog post can’t even begin to scratch the surface.

Happy birthday to this sweet girl! (photo courtesy of Nicole Lynn).

So instead of me vainly throwing words out to describe something that can’t be described, let me offer just a few insights into Sloan’s time as a 5-year-old…

She had plenty of firsts. Sloan played on her first sports team, went to her first dance, and visited Pullman/cheered on the Cougs for her first time. Bold and brave since birth, Sloan is always willing to jump headfirst into any new experience or challenge.

Sloan played t-ball for the first time as a 5-year-old.

Sloan also improved in certain areas. Her sleep habits became more normal, her temper cooled down, and her coloring skills evolved to a point that surpassed those of her dad. Most impressive of all, she became a more patient big sister. Once not very understanding about Beau’s differing stage in life, Sloan and her brother will now amicably play with each other for long stretches of time. Sidney and I aren’t complaining.

Sloan and Beau became great siblings over the past year.

She learned a lot. Sloan can now read, count to 100, and memorize song lyrics at an astonishing rate. Most impressively, her vocabulary has grown exponentially. Out of the blue, she will use words that Sid and I had no idea she knew. Just in the past few days alone she has correctly used “concept,” “intriguing,” and “literally” seemingly out of thin air.

Sloan is doing great in school and is learning a lot.

Sloan has also become more independent. She fixes her own snacks, entertains herself for hours, and has no problem communicating with other adults and telling them what she wants. As her kindergarten teacher quips, “Sloan is 6 going on 25.”

Sloan loves crafts and can do a lot of them all by herself.

With all that said, we hope Sloan makes strides in other areas as a 6-year-old. We cross our fingers that she becomes more cooperative in the morning, stops sneaking candy from the pantry, and refrains from talking back. We hope she comes to grips with the fact that she can’t win every time, realizes that a lot of content on YouTube is trash, and finally stops asking if I will buy her something every single time we go to the store. Lots to aspire to over the next 52 weeks 😊 .

Sloan has my heart.

But at the end of the day, we will take these potential opportunities for growth in stride. I know I will continue to draw on Sloan for inspiration. I admire her radiant love of life, her already strong faith in God, and her genuine concern for others. My money is on another banner year for Sloan Anne Reser. Don’t Blink.

Past Sloan Birthday Posts
Sloan turns 5
Sloan turns 4
Sloan turns 3
Sloan turns 2
Sloan turns 1

My Third Year at WSU: Progress

When are you not new anymore? From the perspective of a new job, especially in higher education, I believe it is the one-year mark. You need those first 365 days to understand the academic calendar, recruitment cycle, and days of significance. It takes time to learn an institution’s culture, assess challenges, and build relationships with people inside/outside your department.

But the “one-year” benchmark is for normal times. A pandemic can delay things a bit…

After a debut year spent at Washington State University reacting to the daily twists and turns of COVID-19, my second year as the social media strategist within WSU’s University Marketing and Communications was more of what I envisioned my first year would be. I actually worked from the office, tackled projects, set strategy, and built relationships. By the end of that 24th month, I didn’t feel new anymore. 

And with that, I was perfectly set up for my third year at WSU.

Today I celebrate three years as a Coug. My dad drew this to commemorate the anniversary.

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My third year as a Coug can be characterized by progress. If the first year was reacting and the second year was building, then the third year was activating. By the time March 16, 2022, rolled around, a strategy was in place, content avenues were established, and roles within our department relating to social media were defined. It was beautiful.

I started work at WSU on March 16, 2020, so I naturally had to wear the same thing on my 3rd anniversary of employment.

But even if you have a process that is spelled out, you won’t get anywhere if you don’t have buy-in. We have it within our department. From our designers to our photographers to our videographers to our writers to our web experts, no one thinks twice about devoting their talents to help our social media efforts. I can’t thank my colleagues enough.

Another theme from my third stanza at WSU was emergence. I crept from behind the anonymity of the screen to the front of conference rooms. I had the opportunity to do a lot of speaking this year. I spoke in Vancouver at our WSU Communicators Conference, presented with my fellow PAC-12 peers at the American Marketing Association Higher Ed Symposium, gave a flash talk to a senior group of Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) communicators, served on an APLU-sponsored panel, and gave numerous private presentations. Although not a natural speaker by any means, I did appreciate the chance to share the cool things WSU is doing to audiences comprised of professionals from across the nation.

I had numerous speaking engagements during my third year with WSU, but none more important than my presentation with colleagues at the American Marketing Association’s Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Ed.

As adrenaline-inducing an activity like public speaking can be, I much prefer keeping quiet and contributing to team projects. This year, I worked with a core group of my UMC colleagues on some high-profile integrated campaigns. The portfolio includes a major effort to celebrate a record-setting gift from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) and an initiative to highlight a nearly 60-year partnership with Boeing. After closing out the calendar year by promoting how WSU is leading the quest for cleaner air travel, we launched our #GoCougsMeans brand marketing campaign at the beginning of 2023. This campaign uses powerful storytelling to share the innovative ways that WSU is positively impacting the state. To say I am grateful to have the opportunity to run point on the social strategy for all these important WSU campaigns is an understatement. No outsourcing here!

Working at WSU doesn’t mean I must stick in my digital marketing lane. During this third year, I worked with two colleagues on our CARE team to foster unity within our department as we organized events and outreach. I sat on multiple search committees that allowed me to meet people in other areas and help hire new Cougs. I wrote award submissions on behalf of the amazing work our team is doing and was elated when one of those entries was presented the CASE Circle of Excellence gold award, the organization’s highest honor. To be empowered to contribute in other ways beyond what it says on my position description makes my job even more fulfilling.

A shot of me speaking during the WSU Communicators Conference.

This third year wasn’t without its challenges. My team responded to various negative developments, nothing more jarring than a former WSU student’s involvement in the tragic University of Idaho murders. I will always remember where I was on December 30 when the news broke and the morale-crushing work that ensued that day.

With that said, there was never a time when my co-workers and bosses ceased to support one another and persevere through the challenging times. There really is something to be said about that one-of-a-kind Coug Spirit.

As I wrap this up, I have a couple people I must recognize by name. First, I couldn’t ask for a better boss. Holly Sitzmann has supported me and allowed me to grow. Whether it be her attending my AMA presentation or accommodating my family schedule or just her overall leadership, I am grateful and so lucky. I also would like to give a big shoutout to Matt Haugen, our social media manager. Our department is fortunate to have someone so passionate and knowledgeable about WSU. His contributions to our social media program are immense and are reflected in many ways, including the ascension of WSU Pullman in the respected Rival IQ Rankings. This year, our social program ranked #23 out of 300+ colleges/universities.

We weathered some storms during my third year at WSU, but overall it was a positive year for me.

I am so happy to be a Coug! This third year was the best one yet. From the people around me to my hybrid schedule to the work I get to do, I have it made. I look forward to Year #4 and pledge to serve this university with pride and integrity. Go Cougs! Don’t Blink.

A Stroke of Personality

One of my favorite aspects of Wikipedia when it comes to looking up famous people is viewing the respective person’s signature. In the box that contains their education, nickname, family members, etc., you will also find a row for their signature. You can even tap it to view in full screen and see all the loops, crosses, and dots up close.

There is just something humanizing and revealing about seeing the signature of someone like Dwight Eisenhower or Charlie Chaplin. Not only do you get a sense that they share a commonality with us in that they have to sign their name too, but you also get a unique look into their personalities by how they express their name with pen and paper.

I wonder what my own signature conveys to others. To be honest, it is not pretty. I perfected it probably in fifth grade when we had our checkbook unit and it has not changed since then. My inspiration was from my dad’s signature. I liked how he used the last “r” on Reser to cross the “t” on his first name (Thomas) so I did something similar. For a quarter century, I have used the last “r” on Reser to cross the “t” on the end of my first name. Same idea as my dad but much less elegant and much more sloppy in terms of execution on my end.

This is my signature.

Did you know there are handwriting experts who will work with you to create/modify your signature? I heard it is like $600 per session. Good for those people who can make a living off what must be a niche customer base but I don’t think I will be contracting those services anytime soon. Although I know my signature is lacking in style, I don’t have the urge to change it at this point.

And that leads me to my overall point. Even though my signature isn’t aesthetically pleasing, at least it is distinctive. After using it for 25 years, I am pretty much protected against fraudsters who might try to sign something on my behalf. Voting officials flag my ballot if my signature doesn’t look like the one they have on file. My wife, parents, and other close friends could replicate it themselves because they have seen it so many times. In many ways, it is an extension of my personal brand.

Whether it will be immortalized on Wikipedia forever or whether it will just be used primarily to sign your checks, take pride in your signature. Just like your fingerprints, it is unique entirely to you. Don’t Blink.

My Middle School Hobby

I was your typical awkward middle schooler. I wore braces, struggled to talk to girls, and fastened a pocket watch to the belt loop of my jeans. Ah yes, those were the days.

On top of all that, I also embraced a rather nerdy habit. During those 7th grade and 8th grade years, I became a hacky sack fanatic.

That’s me, wearing my Gap t-shirt and jean shorts, playing some hack sack probably 22 years ago.

Despite my awkwardness, I did manage to have a group of friends. One day, a particular buddy showed up with a hacky sack. We were introduced to a game called KILL. We would form a circle and kick the hacky sack, spelling out the work K-I-L-L. On the fourth kick, the hacky sack could be caught by a player and then thrown by that person at another player. We would play this game insistently before classes, during breaks, and even outside of school.

It wasn’t long before we all had our own hacky sacks. I remember going to a sporting goods store called Gart Sports and looking through the tub of hacky sacks to find the one that was packed perfectly and stitched with a unique design. Because all of us now had our own hacky sacks, we had time to practice by ourselves when we weren’t together as a group. This helped us develop our “hacky” skills.

Pretty soon we weren’t just playing KILL. Our skills had evolved to a point where the primitive game of trying to string four consecutive hits together was too remedial. Instead, we would form a circle and engage in pretty skillful freestyle session where we would kick/pass the hacky sack to one another over the course of long volleys. We also invented our own games. A favorite was the hacky sack equivalent of basketball’s horse—a player would perform a combination of kicks and the next player would have to replicate it. If he messed up, he picked up a letter.

True to my nature, I took the philosophy of “anything worth doing is worth over-doing” to hacky sacking. I would carry my hacky sack with me everywhere in my pocket. At the grocery store? Okay, let’s kick it around in the chips aisle. At a family reunion? I bet my aunts and uncles share my passion for hacky sack too. Watching one of my sister’s gymnastics meets? You think a beam routine takes concentration and skill, watch what I can do with my feet.

I would use my hacky sacks until the colors were faded, the fabric was worn, and the beads were busting out. It had become an obsession.

But at least it was a healthy, albeit nerdy, obsession. The hobby improved my coordination dramatically. It also provided a great way to get loose and stretch out. It proved to be a superb social activity and resulted in countless hours of entertainment.

Once we left middle school, we ditched the hacky sacks too. However, the skill itself hasn’t left me entirely. Even to this day, I can still kick around a hacky sack in a semi-decent manner—which makes me happy—because more than 20 years later I rather be hanging onto a hacky sack over a pocket watch. Don’t Blink.

I Got Goosebumps Thursday Rundown

Go Cougs! Okay, I just had to get that out of the way. Did you see our women’s basketball team storm through the Pac-12 tournament as a #7 seed to take the title and punch a ticket to the Big Dance? It was incredible. Okay, five topics are coming right at you…

Fish Fry Season – Oh my goodness, I love fish fry season. During the Lenten season when Catholics abstain from meat, it is very common for parishes to stage fish fry community events. At St. Mary, my Knights of Columbus council puts on what might be the best fish fry in the Spokane Diocese. Last Friday, my parents, sister, and her children came with the four of us to the St. Mary school gym to partake. The cod was fresh, the baked potatoes on point, and the conversation exquisite. What a fun evening!

Sidney and my sister at the St. Mary Knights of Columbus fish fry on March 3.

Getting Goosebumps – A name from my childhood became relevant again this week. R.L. Stine was accused of changing some words and phrases in his “Goosebumps” series. It turned out it was Stine’s publisher, Scholastic, who did the altering in an effort to offer more inclusive language. I am not getting into this messy debate because that’s not the point of this topic. Rather, the point is to say that I loved the “Goosebumps” series as a kid. When I was done with those books I moved on to Stine’s “more mature” line of horror books for teens—“Fear Street.” I wonder what a trip it would be to open a Goosebumps book today and read the whole thing?

I loved reading the Goosebumps books as a kid.

Broadway Diner – For Christmas, my parents always give us kids and our families a gift card to a restaurant. However, each of us receives a different gift card based on our particular tastes. My brother was given a gift card to Outlaw BBQ and my sister’s family was given a gift card to China Dragon. Us? We got a gift card to a truck stop…and we couldn’t have been happier. The Broadway Diner is a hidden gem in Spokane that caters to truck drivers but is welcome to anyone. The portions are large, the food is greasy, and the menu diverse. Since moving to Spokane, it has become one of our favorite spots Over the weekend we redeemed our gift card and loved every bite. Thanks, mom and dad!

A look at our Broadway Diner experience from last Saturday. The chili cheese burger belonged to me 🙂

Katie Sandwina – I have an historical interest in the circus and those who performed in it. I recently learned about Katie Sandwina, a strongwoman for Barnum & Bailey. She would wrestle men on stage and perform massive feats of strength, such as lifting a 300-pound weight over her head. Katie didn’t stop performing in the circus until she was 60 years old. I am always fascinated by the grit, talent, and endurance many of these circus performers possessed—they performed seven days a week on brutal travel schedules in many times less than ideal conditions.

Katie Sandwina was a circus strongwoman who could outwrestle and outlift most men.

Coasters – You will find our home absent of coasters. I think we simply forgot to put them on our wedding registry. But even though I am not a coaster connoisseur, I can still find the below “Off the Mark” comic strip to be humorous.

This “Off The Mark” comic strip was enough to bring a faint smile to my face.

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That will wrap things up for tonight. Take a moment right now to send a text message to someone you appreciate (it can even be your favorite blogger if you want 😊). Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. Don’t Blink.

Knowing It Is Coming

This morning I heard a wise man say something profound…

Sometimes what hurts the most about suffering is knowing that it is coming.

Knowing that suffering is coming is an agonizing ordeal.

Wow. Think about that for a second. It can be true, right? When thinking of a lighter example to share, I kept going back to an uncomfortable rite of passage that many of us face in our late teens…wisdom teeth extraction. I shudder just thinking about it. Showing up at the oral surgeon’s office, going under for the operation, waking up with a bloody mouth, and then the 1-2 week rehabilitation process of soreness and soft foods. Man, it really sucks.

But the lead up to the extraction day isn’t a picnic either. At least from my personal experience, the couple weeks prior to my procedure became defined by nervousness, angst, and dread. The combination of generally knowing the discomfort that awaited but not knowing its full extent messed with me immensely.

Of course, in life, pre-suffering can be much more intense and scary than just getting your teeth pulled. A cancer diagnosis, incarceration sentence, or upcoming deployment can drown even the strongest person in anxiety and fear. Awaiting the initial round of chemo or the first day in prison can be terrifying, lonely, and depressing. It can be a very dark road.

Let’s take time to pray for those people who we know are in a pre-suffering stage right now. May they look to Jesus Christ who knew the unfathomable suffering he would eventually endure. Don’t Blink.

Cereal: Thinking Outside the Bowl

Today is National Cereal Day and it is safe to say I have celebrated the breakfast staple with enthusiastic zeal throughout the years of Don’t Blink. Whether I was listing my top three unhealthy cereals, my top three healthy(ish) cereals, paying homage to all cereals in general, or just highlighting the quirky cereals I have found/tried, my love for John Kellogg’s ingenious invention is well-documented.

Perhaps an underrated aspect of cereal is its versatility. You don’t always need a spoon, bowl, and milk to enjoy it. Tonight I thought I would pay tribute to cereal by offering five ways I enjoy it in a non-breakfast/non-milk sense. Here we go…

I love eating cereal out of these big made-for-cereal bowls

Dry Snacks – If we need to rush out the door or if they need something to munch on while watching TV, I am giving my kids dry cereal. I pour whatever sugary cereal we have in in a Ziploc bag and let them snack on it as we ride in the car or they sit in front of the television. Not only does this satisfy them but some cereal is actually better dry than it is with milk poured over it.

Ice Cream Topping – The froyo craze from several years ago really brought cereal as an ice cream topping to the forefront—and for good reason. Cap’n Crunch or Fruit Loops on frozen yogurt or traditional ice cream adds crunchiness and a complimentary element of sweetness to the treat. Plus, cereal doesn’t freeze like gummy bears or gumballs do. I kid you not, if I am at a froyo shop I am topping my creation with cereal.

A photo of me at Froyo Earth in Spokane during my froyo tour of the city in September 2013. Notice how I have Cap’n Crunch pieces topped on it?

Marshmallow Treats – Who doesn’t love a gooey rice krispie treat? Talk about a classic! But Rice Krispies is not the only cereal you can combine with melted marshmallow for something truly delicious. In fact, you can pretty much choose any cereal you want (although you might want to avoid Raisin Bran). For Sloan’s first birthday, we made Lucky Charms treats. Another favorite substitute of mine is Fruity Pebbles. Just get crazy and have some fun!

We love making rice krispie treats at our house!

Snack Mix MVP – Cereal can be a crucial component in various sweet and/or salty snack mixes. Take for instance Chex pieces…talk about versatile! We use it in our Christmas Trash. Speaking of Christmas mixes, Target’s Rudolph Mix uses white chocolate-covered Cheerios. Heck, I recently ate a snack mix that utilized Cinnamon Toast Crunch as its headlining piece. Original Cap’n Crunch is another cereal that is widely used in various snack mixes. The license to be creative is endless!

This is me holding our tub of Rudolph’s Mix. Notice the chocolate-covered Cheerios?

Cooking Companion – Cereal even crosses over to dinner entrees. In this respect, Corn Flakes is ever popular. Countless cooks have incorporated the cereal into their dishes, especially casseroles. Whether it is used as a crust or a topping, it seems to always work…well, at least most of the time.

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Whether you celebrate National Cereal Day the old-fashioned way with a spoon/bowl or whether you branch out with an alternative consumption option, I hope it is tasty and enjoyable. Don’t Blink.