I grew up watching the TGIF show “Boy Meets World” with my brother and sister. A popular catch phrase from the show was established when Eric slapped Corey on the head and said “Life’s tough, get a helmet.” The three of us would routinely remind each other of this advice (head slap included) as we lived out our childhood days.

I never really took this advice from Eric Matthews literally, but lately it has taken on more of a direct meaning for me. Last week, Beau started wearing a corrective helmet.

It doesn’t take a trained eye to see that Beau’s head is a bit misshaped. The back of our poor little guy’s noggin is on the flatter side. This mostly resulted from him favoring certain sleeping positions early in his life. Just as concerning, his ears aren’t symmetrical with the rest of his head. We had known that a helmet for Beau was most likely inevitable and when Sid took him to the doctor upon arrival in Spokane, the medical professional confirmed it.

Thankfully, helmet therapy is extremely effective and risk-free. The technology is top of the line and the headgear is custom made to fit like a glove. Babies wear the helmet and their head is molded back to a normal shape.

A look at Beau right before he went to pick up his helmet and then right after.

Despite the positive outcomes, it is a little tough making Beau wear his helmet for 23 hours per day. He has adjusted really well but you can’t help but feel bad for him when he tries to scratch his head or struggles to keep balance with the newly added weight. As his physical therapist says, it is like a bowling ball (head) on a toothpick (neck).

Even with the helmet, Beau is still happy.

Perhaps the length of time he must wear the helmet is the most discouraging. Beau will sport his new headgear for the next five months. The average duration is three months but our son’s condition is a bit more severe than your typical case. His helmet will be squarely on his head for many milestones and special moments over the upcoming 20+ weeks.

But with anything, you have to look at the silver lining and that is what we are doing. If all goes well, Beau will be able to shed his helmet by Christmas, a holiday gift that will no doubt bring joy to us all. Also, the possibilities to decorate his helmet are endless as my wife made sure to order him a plain white one so stickers and elements will pop. Best of all, you can’t discount the end product: a normal, symmetrical head.

This little helmet is going to make a big difference.

The helmet journey has started and we are trying to make Beau feel as comfortable as possible. As long as we take it one day at a time and discourage Sloan from disforming the helmet by putting it on her own head, we all will be just fine. Don’t Blink.

Good evening, everyone! Sorry for not writing much this week. However, there is no need to apologize to those who tell me they come to my blog just for the Thursday Rundowns. Well, that is where we are at again tonight…Five. Random. Topics.

Almost Home – Today marks two months since my family landed in Spokane to join me on this new life journey. The milestone will be followed by another one when we officially move into our new house this weekend. I will have more to say about this down the road but we are excited to finally move into a place of our own again. However, it will be bittersweet leaving my parents’ house. It is tough to adequately describe how welcoming and kind my mom and dad have been throughout these past several weeks. So while we are sad to leave their warm confines, we take solace in the fact that we will now be only 30 minutes away from them.

We will be moving into the left side of this brand new duplex.

Birthday Party – We celebrated my dad’s 63rd birthday on yet another gorgeous summer evening. We had a cookout on the back deck and topped it off with my favorite dessert that Sidney makes…candy bar cake! If you ever want to make something special for a loved one’s birthday, contact my wife and get her recipe for candy bark cake, you won’t regret it.

Riverfront Park – Spokane held the World’s Fair in 1974 and the green space that the event took place on is now known as Riverfront Park. After taking Sloan to the park during a visit to Spokane three years ago, we took her back this past weekend. She had a lot of fun playing on the giant red wagon, walking along the water, and feeding the garbage goat. Beau had a nice time too as he lounged with Sid in the shade.

TikTok Sensations – What happens when you have a couple toddlers and a 5-year-old perform a TikTok dance? Perhaps the cutest thing ever. Sloan and her cousins, Mikayla and Johnny, took a stab at one of the more popular dances on the platform. While Mikayla nailed it, the other two might need a little more practice. Seriously, watch it.

Tough Times for Bowling – They say that because of COVID-19, many bowling alleys (just like other businesses) might not survive. It would be a tough pill to swallow for both diehard leaguers and casual bowlers to lose their neighborhood alley. Does it stress me out? No. Two years ago on this date, I wrote about my feelings regarding the sport and the bowling experiences I enjoy most. To be honest, I choose to do other activities before play 10 frames.

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Thank you all for reading my latest post. Let’s not forget to pray for those working ferociously to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus. Don’t Blink.

In the two months that Sloan has called the state of Washington home, she has started to become regionalized. One indication of this is how she addresses Sidney and I. Over the past several weeks she has phased out calling us “mommy” and “daddy.” Now, more often than not, she calls us “mom” and “dad.”

It is a little weird, I guess. While “mommy” and “daddy” are Southern monikers that are used by people from that region to refer to their parents over a whole lifetime, toddlers across the country also use them for a few years of their lives before graduating to more formal terms. Because Sloan had both going for her––Southern roots and being the ripe age of 3––I thought “mommy” and “daddy” might stick with her for a little longer. I was wrong.

Sloan is now calling us “mom” and “dad.’

In a way though, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. I address my parents as “mom” and “dad” and Sloan observes this multiple times each day. She also hears her aunt and uncle do the same thing. Sidney hates that Sloan has adopted these terms. She much rather her daughter call her “mommy.” Although there is something definitely endearing about a little girl calling her parents “mommy” and “daddy,” at least she is addressing us by appropriate, acceptable terms.

Well, perhaps I shouldn’t go that far.

While she isn’t calling us Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, she doesn’t exactly always address us by a mother or father derivative. She is very much aware of our first names and takes delight at the annoyance in our faces when she calls us “Sidney” or “Brent.”

So, when I came across today’s Life’s Little Instruction, I couldn’t help but smile. I think the instruction was written in the first place because the author knew how cringe-worthy it sounds when a parent is called their first name by a young child. That’s why I like this calendar series so much, the people making it can relate!

This was today’s Life’s Little Instruction. It reminded me of Sloan!

From Sloan’s perspective, I think there are a couple reasons why she usually follows calling me “Brent” with a mischievous snicker. First, as I mentioned above, I think she savors the reaction it elicits out of me. Also, I believe she feels clever when she says it, almost like she has figured something out.

I guess I shouldn’t take what she calls me too personally. As long as I am relevant enough that she is addressing me in the first place, I should be content. Don’t Blink.

It is not often that a Thursday Rundown falls on the front end of a three-day weekend so this post must be special! So before you put on your red, white, and blue why don’t you read tonight’s five topics?…

Moving Things – This past weekend we emptied our storage unit we had in Pullman, put our belongings in a 26-foot moving truck, and transported it all to our new house in the Spokane Valley. After much deliberation, we decided to stay in the Spokane area. Once the WSU campus opens up again I will be making the daily commute to Pullman but we think it will be worth it. Although we moved our belongings into our new home, we won’t be able to actually live in it for a couple weeks as it is still getting finished. More to come soon.

My brother, dad, and brother-in-law filling our 26-foot moving truck this past Saturday.

Chicken Bog in Spokane – Five years ago, Sidney traveled to Spokane and wowed my family when she made chicken bog, the king of all Southern dishes. Well, she did it again earlier this week. Sid once again delighted my parents by making a big old pot of “bog” that tasted delicious and reminded me of South Carolina.

Sidney made this pot of chicken bog for dinner earlier this week.

State Countdown – I was recently reminded by Timehop of this very unscientific countdown of the 50 states that was written in 2015. I am proud that my state, Washington, was ranked #8. I guess spearmint oil production is good for something, right? Unfortunately, the other states I have lived in didn’t fare as well. If you are looking for a good laugh, give it a read.

This countdown is pretty good!

Night – On this date four years ago, Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel died. I remembered hearing the news and taking a couple moments to reflect. Wiesel wrote “Night,” a chilling account based on his experiences at Auschwitz and Buchenwald. During my junior year of high school we read the book in my humanities class. To conclude the unit, our teacher had several of us write letters to him about the impact the book had on us. It was a surreal day later in the school year when we received a letter back from Mr. Wiesel himself thanking us for reading the book and encouraging us to do what is right. “Night” should be mandatory reading for us all.

One of my best high school moments was receiving a letter from Elie Wiesel.

Fourth of July Garb – Let’s end the Thursday Rundown with some Fourth of July tomfoolery. As one who has always been up for dressing up, here are some of my favorite Independence Day outfits from years past. God bless America.

Some Fourth of July fun.

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It is my hope that you can have an enjoyable holiday weekend. I know for many it is tough to do in this current climate but I hope some patriotic joy comes your way. Don’t Blink.

Recently, I have written blog posts at the end/start of the past few months chronicling the many challenges faced in what has been an unprecedented year. With today July 1, I couldn’t help but continue the pattern, especially with what I wrote a year ago.

You see, I hold July 1 in high regard for many reasons, the biggest being that it is the start of the second half of the year. Even in normal years, I remind others that it doesn’t matter how big of a flop the first six months were––the next six can be transformative with effort and optimism.

Although I am going into the second half of 2020 with a positive mindset, I am not naïve. The second chapter of this year is going to be hard for many.

I think we need to put a renewed emphasis on taking everything one day at a time. I understand that a lot of people just want to get this year over with but who is to say that a switch will be flipped at midnight on December 31? We are stuck with 2020 for the long haul and might as well seize each day left in it and control the things that are still in our power (i.e. attitude).

The cynic in all of us might think how can the second half of 2020 be worse than the first? Sadly, I don’t want to give the next six months any added motivation to disappoint. Again, as I alluded to above, from a pandemic-sense, we need to prepare ourselves for more rough times.

But where the virus can overtake our immune systems, it can’t overtake our brains and our hearts. No matter how grim things get, we have to ask God for the serenity to accept the things we cannot change and the courage to change the things we can. As we begin the second half of the 2020 journey, we must remain strong. Don’t Blink.

The powers that be decided to reserve today as Social Media Day. But in this day and age, one could make the argument that Social Media Day falls on every day of the week that ends in “y.” But with today’s official designation, I have an internal voice asking me what has social media meant to you?

The answer is A LOT.

Rewind the clock 15 years to a time when I didn’t even know what social media was. To think that I would one day make a career out of it was understandably preposterous. If you fast forward a couple years from that age of ignorance, you would find a sophomore in college debating whether to embrace The Facebook or not. It actually took a lot of encouragement from others to set up a profile but once I did I guess that was my initial foray into a new communication enterprise that would transform the world we live in.

I became very interested in social media after I was introduced to it and started hitting personal milestones.

Although I didn’t enter the professional world because of my social media savviness, it didn’t take long before I was working with it extensively. After I graduated college, I landed a marketing position within the athletic department at the University of Montana. About a year into that first job, our athletic director decided to place a major focus on social media and asked me to lead the efforts. Building our athletics social media presence was a blast and I became intoxicated with the idea of building an audience and developing community.

It was a blast leading the athletics social media program at the University of Montana.

When offered the opportunity to take my higher education career from an athletic department to a central marketing/communications office, I couldn’t pass it up. Social media brought me to sunny Myrtle Beach where I worked at Coastal Carolina University for nearly six years in the Office of University Marketing and Communication. It then brought me back to the western part of the country when I accepted the social media strategist position at Washington State University.

I recently concluded my time working at Coastal Carolina University.

I have literally made my living with social media. What greater testament to “what has social media meant to you” than that? Despite it paying the bills, I also admire how it has evolved. I have watched social media go from status updates and photo albums to augmented reality and challenge videos. I have watched it go from a “free” PR model to a multi-billion-dollar advertising juggernaut. I have watched it start as something that was measured simply by likes and followers to something that is now evaluated by complex analytics and ROI.

I have continued my higher education social media career at Washington State University.

Social media has led to the rise of influencers, the phenomenon of viral moments, and the scorn of digital fails. It has caught people and brands at their best and at their worst. It has chronicled historic moments, introduced countless words into our vocabulary, and launched movements. It has held people accountable while at the same time serving as a sounding board for those spewing hate. It has united and divided.

Throughout the good, the bad, and the ugly I have watched the proliferation of social media both through the lens of a professional in the industry and as an average user. It has been a crazy and unpredictable ride. On Social Media Day 2020, I am very appreciative for this powerhouse communication medium that has provided for my family and given me more inspiration than I could have ever imagined. Don’t Blink.

To put it simply, summer in eastern Washington is the best. In fact, the season is so pleasant that it is actually worth the (sometimes) long wait. However, while the days themselves are highlighted by bountiful sunshine and warm temperatures, I personally prefer when the sun starts to go down.

It is hard not to find peace during a June or July evening in the Inland Northwest. The sun lingers around but the heat does not, making for a calm and comfortable sunset followed by a refreshingly cool nightfall.

You forget how comfortable summer can be when you live in a humid climate for several years. Although I am a big fan of South Carolina’s mild winter temperatures, I don’t miss the suffocating humidity that doesn’t relent simply because it is nighttime or early morning.

As Sloan continues to experience her first Washington summer, I am making sure she enjoys the extended evenings. That means enjoying the outdoors even if it is after 8 p.m. Whether it be a walk through the woods, playtime at the park, ice cream on the patio, or lawn games in my parents’ front yard, we are making memories one summer night at a time.

One of our favorite activities has been to walk to an ice cream parlor as the sun sets.

But these summer evenings are fun for us adults too. Just this past weekend, my sister invited Sid and I over for a bonfire. We made s’mores, recorded TikToks, and told stories around the fire. At one point, Sid laughed, saying that we would never get away with doing something like this in South Carolina. With no relief from the 24/7 sticky humidity, it is hard to get excited about a bonfire.

We had a bonfire at my sister’s house the other night.

When enjoying the summer nights here, you must go one step further than savoring the extended daylight and basking in the cooler temperatures. That step is to take a deep breath. You see, there is nothing like the fresh, crisp air that swirls around this time of the year. It tastes exactly like summer and there really is nothing better. Don’t Blink.

Summer is here! I hope you have all had a nice first week of this beloved season and that the weather has complemented it. Although summer has arrived, this blogger isn’t on vacation. Let’s begin the latest Thursday Rundown…

Zoom Truth – I thought I would start off today’s post with some humor mixed with reality. A friend recently shared the below meme that will resonate with those of us who spend much of our day on Zoom. I was fortunate enough to have my most recent professional headshot taken by the talented Judy Johns who of course made me look way better than I actually do. So, by the time my last meeting of the day arrives at the end of the week, I don’t look anything like my polished photo…the contrast is real.

This meme about Zoom is true.

Ryan’s Mystery Egg Disaster – Sloan loves Ryan (“Ryan’s World”), the YouTube sensation who reviews toys and has his own line at Target. Ryan does a good job of pushing his merchandise during his videos and these plugs are not lost on the toddlers watching them. After constant begging from Sloan for a Ryan’s Mystery Egg, basically an egg-shaped container with a bunch of junk in it, we caved after a week of good behavior. We staged an elaborate scavenger hunt for Sloan to find it and let her spend that Friday night playing with it. Unfortunately, one of the items in the egg was putty. After playing with it non-stop, she placed it in her pocket and it went through the washer. When we started to fold laundry we noticed hardened spots on our clothes. It took us a few minutes to realize it was the putty. Basically, we blame 8-year-old Ryan for ruining a portion of our wardrobe.

At the end of the scavanger hunt, Sloan had found her egg.

Looking Back on Sloan’s Baptism – On this date three years ago, Sloan was baptized by Deacon Bob Jones at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Myrtle Beach. Family, friends, and mentors joined us for the special and holy day, one that I remember well. It is important to remember and celebrate the day of your baptism while praying for the person who performed the sacrament. We have helped Sloan out with this today. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

Sloan was baptized three years ago today.

Latest Energy Drink Review – A few months ago, I ripped the cotton candy Bang energy drink I tried. I thought it tasted unpleasant and cheap. I was told by numerous people that I tried the wrong flavor and needed to give Bang another chance. Well, okay. Today I tried the black cherry vanilla flavor and I must say it was much better. It was not only drinkable but it actually tasted good. Although it didn’t give me the same jolt of intensity that the Coca-Cola ENERGY drink I tried last week did, it still helped me power through the work day.

I tried Coca-Cola ENERGY last week and Bang Black Cherry Vanilla this week.

Watch You Like a Hawk – For those people interested in nature, a hawk visited my parents’ yard this past weekend. This guy swooped in and perched himself atop our basketball hoop. He stayed there for probably 10 minutes before taking off. To be honest, I really didn’t think it was that cool but my dad did so I thought I would share. Nothing but total transparency here.

This was the hawk that visited my parents’ house on Saturday.

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That’s all for tonight, folks. Busy weekend for us as we move our stuff into our new house. Hope your weekend is productive as well. Will catch up next week! Don’t Blink.

Before froyo, there was frozen yogurt. Believe it or not, the business used to be about quality, not quantity. Scales need not apply. People didn’t need the “freedom” of self-serve. The horror of paying a whopping $9.47 per cup seemed impossible.

But here we are in 2020. Although I did get caught up in froyo mania for a while, I soon saw the light. Three years ago, we were visiting Spokane. While out running a few errands, Sidney and I stopped by Didier’s Yogurt & More, a frozen yogurt place I frequented countless times as a child. We walked inside mainly for nostalgia purposes but once I actually tasted some of the yogurt I realized what I had been missing for years. After frequenting the gimmicky froyo stores that had seemingly taken over on every corner of the country, I had forgotten what good frozen yogurt actually tasted like.

Didier’s is a superb frozen yogurt location in North Spokane.

Growing up, my family celebrated stellar grades, athletic victories, and good behavior by going to Didier’s. A North Spokane mainstay, we equated it with achievement and tradition. Prior to driving to the store, we would call and ask for the flavor lineup as it changed daily. I remember crossing my fingers that a couple of my favorite yogurts, marshmallow dream and Snickers, would be on the handles that night. Oh man, I can still feel the anticipation thinking about it right now.

Didier’s was a hallmark of my childhood.

Didier’s wasn’t just a family obsession, it was the official hangout of my high school. If you were a Mead Panther, it was the place to see and be seen. You know how certain bars are known on college campuses for their weekly specials? If it was a Tuesday night, you could find roughly half of the Mead student body at Didier’s. That is because the store would offer heavily discounted frozen yogurt. For a long time, you could purchase a medium dish for $.99. Although the price has increased over the years, the value is still there and whenever you think of Tuesday you think of Didier’s.

This is a medium dish at Didier’s with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and strawberry shortvake yogurt.

Besides the reverence that Didier’s held with my family and high school, it was held in high esteem by my friends as well. I spent many summer days walking there with my buddies. We would walk through my neighborhood, cut through some woods, and stroll through another neighborhood before arriving at our frozen yogurt mecca. The journey was just as rewarding as the cold stuff.

Me eating frozen yogurt from Didier’s a couple years ago.

Last night, I took Sloan on the same walk that I trekked so many times during my childhood. It is on the longer side and you deal with some tough terrain but she did great. Our reward was sweet and delicious as we enjoyed our medium dishes (it was Tuesday after all) on the outdoor patio. Sloan ordered half watermelon yogurt and half French vanilla yogurt with gummy worms on top. What a winning combination.

Sloan had a great first Didier’s experience.

I am delighted to see that Didier’s has continued to prosper despite the newer froyo model. I have many good memories there and was so happy to make some more with my daughter. Don’t Blink.