Category Archives: Uncategorized

Fireworks Overload

Posted on by
Reply

Last night, Sidney and I went to the top fireworks store in Myrtle Beach. Wanting to just pick up some sparklers and smoke bombs for our niece and nephew, we hoped to just run in and run out.

Silly us.

Did we really think it would be that easy on the Fourth of July? It was quite the sight at Phantom Fireworks. We pulled up to the busy parking lot to see people spilling outside of the store’s entrance. Once we finally made it through the door, the real shock set in. It was hotter inside the building than it was outside! People upon people picked at the shelves as lines at the checkout registers snaked back all the way through the aisles. Before joining the masses in Independence Day procrastination, security intercepted Sidney and I as we walked in and directed us to a table where we had to show our IDs.

This is what Phantom Fireworks looks like. This is just a random image from the company’s website so it doesn’t show the scene from last night (photo courtesy of Phantom Fireworks).

Once free to browse the pyrotechnics that seemed to be flying off the shelves, we did our best to quickly get what we wanted so we could start camping out in line. As the sweat dripped from my face while Sid and I waited to pay for our $25 worth of product, the true madness of the scene inside Phantom Fireworks became evident to me.

People were pushing shopping carts overflowing with fireworks. I kid you not. Dudes had carts filled to the brim with expensive variety packs, large fountains, mortars, boxed items, oversized packages of firecrackers, and more. They had so much inventory that they needed someone to help them push and someone else to navigate. It was insane.

What was even more insane was a dry erase board located at the checkout area for all to see. It had a section for “biggest spender of the day” and “biggest spender of the season.” Next to the proud person’s name for the “day” category was a figure that exceeded $4K. The biggest spender of the “season” was just shy of $9K.

Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE fireworks. Some of the best memories I have from my childhood came from the Fourth of July celebrations we had with my extended family in Walla Walla where our firework arsenal was nothing short of outrageous. I had uncles who went out and dropped probably close to what yesterday’s “biggest spender of the day” did just so we could have an incredible holiday (and because they were borderline pyrotechnics themselves). But because I am now an adult and have a different view/appreciation of money, all I can say about spending $4,765 dollars on fireworks is this…

Must be nice.

I am not criticizing anyone who has the means to nonchalantly purchase every type of rocket in the store for one night of firework mania. I am just pointing out that there are people out there who really have a passion for the Fourth of July and make no qualms about showing it, no matter how much of their disposable income they might blow.

For the record, we had a fabulous time lighting off our “kiddie” fireworks with Russell and Harrison. In fact, I almost felt bad. While we laughed and cheered as we lit off our minimal purchase, I cranked my neck in all directions as I watched the top of the line fireworks shoot through the air around the neighborhood, the beautiful colors and glorious explosions not costing me a dime. Thanks to all the “biggest spenders of the day” for the added enjoyment. Don’t Blink.

Disappointment With Airlines

Posted on by
1

Probably the biggest knock on my blog is that I am too positive. Sorry, not sorry. When you have so many positive things to write about and you are an optimist by nature, what do you expect? However, let me shift to the “dark side” just for tonight’s blog post.

I am fed up with airlines. Maybe it is just bad luck on my end, but over the past three years I have seen way too many flights delayed and/or canceled. Now I can understand blizzards and hurricanes throwing wrenches in air plans but this has hardly been the case. When flight conditions are pristine, whether it be in the middle of the summer or during a time on the calendar where the nation is enjoying stable weather, it seems like more and more are getting canceled. Why is this? The airlines never tell you.

Okay, fine, let me give the airlines the benefit of the doubt. I know certain conditions must exist beyond our wildest imaginations that can make a flight extremely unsafe. Thus, the numerous times flights are canceled for seemingly no reason whatsoever, there must in fact (well at least I hope) be a reason.

However, although there might be a reason, there is rarely any accountability. I have flown airlines where our entire itinerary was ruined and we didn’t get so much as a voucher or a complimentary hotel stay so we didn’t have to spend the night on the airport floor. Other airlines have provided us with decent customer service and travel vouchers. Unfortunately, the vouchers were for such a small amount that all they served as was a gimmick for us to fly that airline again at just about full price.

When flights are canceled, the economic impact on the traveler is immense. You waste vacation hours, give up work wages, spend money on hotel/ground transportation, lose out on tickets/reservations you already purchased, and increase spending on crummy airport food.

But for many, the economic punch in the gut doesn’t come close to the disappointment and pain of missing valuable time with the people or places you were traveling to see. Whether you are traveling coast to coast to see family members or you are flying to your favorite vacation spot in the world, an altered itinerary is a crushing blow. Nothing is worse than when all the excitement and planning goes down the drain because an airline decides to cancel a flight at the last minute.

So how about this? What if airlines figured out a better way to stay on schedule? What if airlines developed better technologies and protocols to deal with problems that sometimes delay flights? What if airlines try to do a better job for the customers?

If such solutions aren’t readily available in the near future and travelers will continue to miss out on vacations or fail to return home at the correct hour, I challenge airlines to make it right from the economic standpoint. Yes, I know it doesn’t satisfy the disappointment that is suffered from a sentimental standpoint but the wallet shouldn’t have to take a hit. If an evening flight is canceled, complimentary lodging at a nice hotel (with round trip ground transportation) should be mandatory. As for the flight that never took off? A round trip ticket good for the entire cost of a flight should be given to anyone impacted by the cancellation. No more of this bait-and-switch voucher offer.

I couldn’t imagine life without air travel. The whole concept of an airplane still boggles my mind. Believe me, I value the service offered by airlines. However, for the amount of money that we pay and the trust we put in when we make a reservation with these major companies, a higher standard should be strived for. I welcome any feedback from people within the industry to set me straight on where I am missing the mark.

Until then, I am crossing my fingers that I have not jinxed myself. Sidney, Sloan, and I are traveling out west next week and the last thing we need is a flight delay. Don’t Blink.

Sloan’s Baptism

Posted on by
2

Exactly one week ago, Sloan was baptized. If you read my blog preceding last Sunday, you knew I was greatly anticipating this big day in Sloan’s life. I promised I would shed some light on this happy and holy occasion so today I will say a few words about the baptism.

One week ago today, Sloan was baptized at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Myrtle Beach.

About a month and a half before Sloan was baptized, I went into the parish office of St. Andrew Catholic Church and met with the pastoral associate. He went over the meaning, significance, and logistics of baptism with me. I filled out some paperwork and we set a tentative date for Sloan to be baptized. That date, June 25, 2017, would be finalized once I had Sloan’s Godparents fill out some paperwork as well. The Godmother, Stephanie (Sidney’s sister), and the Godfather, Glen (my brother), wasted no time getting it done. Sidney brought the documents back to the parish office and the date was set!

This is the outside of St. Andrew Church in Myrtle Beach, the place where Sloan was baptized.

Two days before June 25, we went gown shopping. My mom, Sidney, Glen, Sloan, and myself went to a children’s store in Myrtle Beach and picked out a beautiful gown for our daughter to wear. Obviously I don’t get that excited going out to look at clothes but this was kind of fun.

My mom and Sidney looking at baptism gowns.

On the day of her baptism, Sloan’s ceremony took place at 1 p.m. The same crew that went dress shopping showed up at the church at 12:40 p.m. The celebrant, Deacon Robert Jones, was waiting for us when we walked through the doors. It was this man who would give Sloan the sacrament of baptism. Although I had listened to Deacon Jones at mass numerous times, I had never personally met him. We chatted and then he went to put on his vestment.

Deacon Robert Jones was the man who baptized Sloan.

Shortly thereafter, Steph and her family showed up. They were followed by Sid’s parents. Also attending the ceremony was Sidney’s teaching partner, Melissa, and our friends, Kathy and Tim McCormick. With 1 p.m. approaching, we had a nice little group ready to take part in the holy sacrament.

Deacon Jones took charge. With Sidney, Sloan, and I right next to him at the baptismal font, he spoke to the people gathered in a sort of semi-circle fashion. He welcomed everyone and went over what was about to take place. He used the expertise of our niece and nephew, Russell and Harrison, to explain the healing power of water. He described why it was important for Sloan to be baptized and then made it a point to let all gathered know that everyone was welcome to take photos. He then invited Steph and Glen to join us up front.*

Russell and Harrison attended the baptism and helped answer questions asked by Deacon Jones.

The ceremony then started. Deacon Jones asked Sidney and I the name of our child followed by what we were asking for her. He then asked Steph and Glen if they would be willing to help Sid and I with our duty as Christian parents. The deacon then welcomed Sloan into the church. Then, in a moving display, Deacon Jones welcomed everyone gathered to come up and trace the sign of the cross on Sloan’s forehead. As I held her in my arms, our family and friends came up and blessed Sloan.

Everyone was invited to come up to the baptismal font and trace the Sign of the Cross on Sloan’s forehead.

Deacon Jones then anointed Sloan with the Holy Oil of Catechumens. This is a good time to point out that Sloan, looking as beautiful as an angel, was peaceful the entire ceremony. She was half awake for the duration of it and was nothing but sweet from the start to the finish. I say this because the oil was the first time Sloan could have “objected.” You see, the oil was placed on her breast so Sidney had to pull up her long gown (I was holding Sloan in my arms) so Deacon Jones could apply it. She didn’t make a peep.

Deacon Jones blessing Sloan with the oil.

It was now time for the main event. Deacon Jones asked all of us gathered some basic tenets of the faith. After we accepted, he specifically asked the parents and godparents whether it was our will that Sloan be baptized in the faith of the church. Once we all answered to the affirmative, the water flowed.

The parents and Godparents played a big part in Sloan’s baptism.

“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” Deacon Jones proclaimed as he poured holy water on Sloan’s precious head three different times.

Deacon Robert Jones baptizing Sloan. After an initial wave of shock, Sloan calmed right down.

The first time the water touched Sloan’s head she tensed up right away and let out a little noise. However, right after the initial shock wore off, she was right back to being a peaceful little girl.

Her baptismal candle was lit and a blessing was said. Our small group started to clap and a couple of tears streamed down the cheek of Sloan’s proud daddy. Cleansed from original sin and baptized just the way Jesus commanded, it was a very joyful moment.

Deacon Jones lighting the baptism candle.

With the ceremony concluded, we all took photos. We thanked Deacon Jones for not just doing a good job with the structure of the ceremony itself but for more importantly administering the holy sacrament to Sloan. When the last photo was taken, we exited the church absolutely elated. Our girl is now baptized and salvation has been given to her. Alleluia, Alleluia. Don’t Blink.

* If you are Catholic, you have probably witnessed numerous baptisms during the course of an actual mass. I attended one parish where it seemed like there was a baptism at mass every week! Although this is the preferred method for many of the faith, I had always wanted a more intimate and personal ceremony away from the stresses and unpredictability of a regular service in front of the congregation. As a parishioner of St. Andrew, I never needed to worry about this because it is parish policy that all baptisms occur outside of mass.

American Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
1

We are in the final days of what has been an incredible month of June. Let’s savor today and tomorrow while also enjoying my latest Thursday Rundown…sound good? Here we go…

Fourth of July – Right now I am thinking about the Fourth of July and I am saying to myself, Oh my gosh, is it really next week?! Time is going by fast! But I am also saying, I can’t wait. I am a big fan of the Fourth of July. I enjoy the vibe around the holiday, I love the patriotic displays, and I just treasure that it is synonymous with summer!! Yep, there is nothing that screams summer louder than the Fourth of July. We don’t know exactly what we will be doing for it yet, but you can be sure that we will find a way to properly celebrate the Red, White, and Blue.

I absolutely love the Fourth of July.

Big Brother 19 – The season premiere of “Big Brother” was last night. This will be my third season watching the show and from what I saw yesterday evening, it will most likely be my favorite. The cast, the theme, and the “temptations” all seem pretty solid. Now that “Big Brother” has started, our summer has officially started! This season, I want to see Christmas (33-year-old crossfit extraordinaire…and yes, that’s her name) and Kevin (55-year-old dad with seven children) do well. I am picking Matthew to win, however.

Big Accomplishment for #CCUSocialMedia – If you are my friend on Facebook, you might know about this, but I would like to share with my readers as well. This week, the Higher Ed Social Media Report was released. Using engagement metrics, the report puts all Division I colleges on equal footing and calculates the social media impact of each institution. Coastal Carolina University graded out extremely well. Out of 300+ colleges, CCU was tagged as having the #3 most engaged Twitter account in the country. When it came to Facebook, we were judged to have the #6 most engaged account. Overall, we improved tremendously, going from the #191 social media program in the country to the #49 social media program country.

How could a young institution that was founded in 1954 rank so high? It is because at CCU we have leaders who embrace social media and a team of content creators (photographers, videographers, writers, designers, interns) who continually support the program with their talents. Also, when you have a social media audience as passionate as #TEALnation, it makes things much easier. Special shoutout to my counterpart and friend at the University of South Carolina, CJ Lake, for taking her school’s program to new heights as well! To download the report, click here.

A look at where Coastal Carolina University stands when it comes to social media.

Sloan Photos of the Week – Tomorrow our little girl will turn 15 weeks. She is now laughing and is “talking” more and more. Her kicking has not slowed down one bit. She is about to grow out of size 1 diapers and she is a true milk monster, gobbling down those ounces at an astonishing rate. Here is the latest photo collage.

Here is the latest photo collage of Sloan.

Gas Update – Every now and then I brag about the gas prices in South Carolina. This morning when I went by a gas station near campus, I took the below photo. That’s right, a gallon of gas is $1.85 in the Myrtle Beach/Conway area right now. Talk about a Fourth of July gift! I thoroughly enjoy living in a place where gas prices routinely hover under the $2 mark.

The gas was $1.85 per gallon in Myrtle Beach today.

—————-

Like I said above, enjoy the rest of your June. Thanks for reading and I wish you a great weekend. Don’t Blink.

Playing at Dave & Buster’s

Posted on by
3

This past weekend, I finally experienced something I had only heard about. After all the legendary stories from friends, after all the commercials, and after all the complaints from the people in whatever city I lived in about the lack of a location, the wait recently ended.

On Saturday night, the place that once seemed only mythical to me was revealed. I finally went to a Dave & Buster’s.

Well, to be honest, I actually got my first taste on Friday evening. My mom, brother, and I went to one of Myrtle Beach’s hottest spots, Broadway at the Beach. It is at this major destination for tourists and locals alike that the new Dave & Buster’s recently opened. At around 10:30 p.m., we walked through the place. Talk about a sensory overload! We needed time to prepare for this one.

The next day, my brother and I made plans to return to Dave & Buster’s with the intention to actually “play” this time. We swapped my mom out with my wife. Exactly 24 hours from our initial brief visit, we walked through the doors again.

Although I didn’t really play too many games while we were at Dave & Buster’s, I made sure to race against my wife.

It was the exact same circus it was an evening earlier.

The facility, which contains a large bar, game floor, restaurant, prize center, and TV area, was filled to the brim with people. On both visits the demographic was primarily in the 18-30 range, with many of the people dressed fashinonably. A sense of excitement that you could feel buzzed around the entire place. Folks were running in every direction and you had to speak up to be audible. It was pretty insane.

What first jumped out to me was how pristine the place was. It was spotless and, for good reason, everything was visibly brand new. The bar area was extrememly inviting and trendy. The televisions were all top of the line big screens. The game floor was covered with the latest and greatest gaming technology on the planet. Well-trained employees did their jobs with purpose. There was absolutely no debating that the Myrtle Beach Dave & Buster’s is impressive.

Although it would have been nice to sit down, order off the menu, and sip the signature cocktails, we came to play the games and drink beer.

Well, that’s what my brother and wife did at least. I primarily just did the latter as I was a little intimidated by the high volume of people seemingly taking up every game in the place. Sidney and Glen both loaded cards with “chips” and got right to it. Throughout the hour or so we were there, they played classics like basketball hot shot and football toss. However, they also played many of the “high risk, high reward” type games where you try to earn tickets by utilizing “skill” to drop an object into a cup, knock coins off a ledge, stop a light strobe on the jackpot, etc. Sidney also played Guitar Hero and Kung Fu Panda.

Sidney playing Kung Fu Panda at the Myrtle Beach Dave & Buster’s.

The value of it all? Heck if I know. Consider this: You pay for all games with a Dave & Buster’s card. Loaded onto that card are chips, the “currency” system of D&B. Topping the confusion off, each game seems to require a random amount of chips to play. Thus, deciphering the amount you are paying per each game gets lost in translation. I had absolutely no idea if the game my brother or wife started playing happened to be $1, $2, or $5 per single play. I do know this: Glen and Sidney each loaded their cards with $25 each and while it didn’t last forever, it also wasn’t gone in the blink of an eye.

The atmosphere of Dave & Buster’s is what appeals to me. In a way, it is much like a casino. I enjoy going to a Vegas style casino every now and then to just soak in the excitement, have a drink, and people watch. I don’t really gamble that much. With Dave & Buster’s, I don’t really “game” that much but I do appreciate the vibe.

Even though we have Dave & Buster’s within 10 minuites of our house, I definitely won’t be going every weekend. However, it is a place I can see myself going to every now and then. Saturday night provided us with a fun evening and a great orientation to one of our country’s most talked about adult entertainment centers. Don’t Blink.

#SloansBaptism Weekend

Posted on by
1

This morning, I said goodbye to my mom and brother as they started off on their 17 hour trek* back to the west coast. Because their time in Myrtle Beach was so wonderful and because we will all be reunited again in a short couple of weeks, it wasn’t an emotional farewell like it sometimes is. This time it was all about hugs, smiles, and dry eyes.

My mom and Glen came to South Carolina for Sloan’s baptism. They definitely accomplished their objective. While I hope to go into detail about the baptism ceremony in a separate blog post, for tonight I want to just recap the special weekend we all had.

It was a blessing to have my mom and brother come to Myrtle Beach for Sloan’s baptism weekend.

Thursday: I arrived home from work to find a couple travel weary visitors! Well, at least one travel weary visitor. My brother was asleep on the couch while my mom was holding Sloan. It was so great to see my family members again in the flesh. Sidney, Sloan, my mom, and I went to the grocery store to buy groceries for the weekend while Glen slept off his jet lag. By the time we came back home and stocked the shelves, we were ready to go out to eat.

Because both my mom and Glen had never seen Downtown Conway before, we went there and ate at Rivertown Bistro, the town’s most well-known restaurant. Sidney’s parents met us there and we had a delicious dinner that really impressed my mom. We came home and watched a new dating show called “Love Connection” and I made us all ice cream sundaes.

On Thursday, my mom and brother got to hold Sloan after a long trip to get to Myrtle Beach. I also made some pretty refreshing sundaes.

Friday: I worked a half day on Friday. When I returned home, it was almost deja vu from when I walked in on Thursday. Mom, Sidney, and Sloan were conscious while Glen was asleep on the couch. I woke him up and the two of us went to satisfy one of my brother’s requests for the trip…eat at Chick-Fil-A. We scarfed down our spicy chicken sandwiches and enjoyed each other’s company. We returned home and the five of us (I am including Sloan) talked in the living room. We then all went to a children’s clothing shop and picked our a baptism gown for Sloan. Glen, Sidney, and I then went to a local watering hole called Longbeards to have a couple drinks and swap stories. When we finished there, we came home to a very content lady who was enjoying every second with her granddaughter.

During the day on Friday we went to Chick-fil-A, purchased a baptism gown for Sloan, and went to a place called Longbeards.

For dinner, Sidney made a cheesy potato casserole dish that was delicious. We ate and then watched Jeopardy. My mom then watched as Sid gave Sloan a bath and put her down for the night. With Sloan sleeping soundly, my brother, mom, and I went to Broadway at the Beach. We walked around the revitalized area on a warm evening as we bought salt water taffy, watched a fireworks show, and sat out on a back patio of a frozen drink establishment that overlooked the water. We then came home and ate a midnight snack of peanut butter chocolate chewy bars that Sidney had baked.

The fireworks at Broadway at the Beach were great. Sidney cooked an amazing dinner (cheesy chicken potato casserole).

Saturday: With my mom, Sloan, and myself the only ones up at around 7:30 a.m., we went for a walk around the neighborhood. My mom and I took turns pushing the stroller as we took Sloan all through our residential area. We came home from the walk and replenished ourselves with breakfast. Glen and Sidney soon arose for the day and they joined me for a fun outing. With grandma taking care of Sloan, the three of us went down to the Boardwalk. We played a baseball antique arcade game that was also one of my brother’s requests while throwing our money into the many other games offered at the area’s arcades. We found a bar to hydrate at before playing 18 holes of putt putt. We went to the Captain Hook course where I came out on top.

We came home and then my mom and I went right back out the door to pick up ingredients for dinner. She enjoyed her first experience at Publix as we purchased blue cheese stuffed and cheddar cheese stuffed hamburgers. Once we returned home, all of us got ready and we went to St. Andrew for 4:30 p.m. mass. We worshipped in the place where Sloan would be baptized the next day as she practiced by once again being a great baby in church. After the service we drove back to the house and Sid cooked up the burgers. A little while after we ate, Sid went to the store and bought the Family Feud home version game for us to play. It was a lot of fun as we all did our best Steve Harvey/Louie Anderson impersonations.

With grandma more than happy to watch Sloan so the three of us could continue to have fun, we went to the newly opened Dave & Buster’s. I will write more about this experience later but we had a really fun time. When we exhausted the funds on our D&B cards, we walked to American Tap House where we had a beer and watched baseball. Once back at home, we chatted with my mom who was still up.

Saturday was a fun day spent at the Boardwalk and Dave and Buster’s. We had some excellent hamburgers as well.

Sunday: This was the big day! We woke up and lounged around the house for most of the morning. Once we were all ready, we headed off to St. Andrew for Sloan’s 1 p.m. baptism. Deacon Robert Jones officiated the ceremony and did a great job explaining what was going on and welcoming everyone who was there. In front of family and friends, Sloan didn’t make a sound as she was baptized in the name of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. At the conclusion of the sacrament, we took time to snap photos of the joyous occasion. We left the church and returned home to change. We then went right over to the house of Sidney’s parents for a lunch reception. All of us talked and enjoyed each other’s company as we ate fried chicken, numerous sides, and peach cobbler. Sidney and I also opened up Sloan’s baptism gifts.

Sloan’s baptism was beautiful.

Once the reception in Sloan’s honor concluded, I went to the mall with my brother and mom. Once back at the house, Sidney set up the Wii as her and Glen competed against each other in various games. With most of us full from lunch, it pushed us to have a late dinner. Sid, Glen, and I ordered pizza for carryout. While our order was prepared, we went to the neighborhood tavern for drinks. It was a low key environment and a great opportunity for us to relax and recap the trip. We returned home with the pizzas and we ate in the living room while we watched TV and I posted photos to Facebook for my mom. We then indulged in ice cream and watched a movie.

We made the most of the brother’s and mom’s final night in Myrtle Beach.

———–

This brings us back to this morning’s joyful goodbye. I am so thankful that my mom and brother sacrificed so much to come to Myrtle Beach for Sloan’s baptism. It was a memorable weekend. Don’t Blink.

* This is no joke. I am not exaggerating. Due to time in the car, time in the plane, and a couple layovers, my mom and brother are traveling for 17 hours today. It will be 3 a.m. on the east coast when they arrive in Spokane.

A Thursday Rundown For You To Read

Posted on by
Reply

Good evening! On the heels of a special weekend, I present to you my latest Thursday Rundown…

Arrival of Family – They are here! My mom and brother arrived in Myrtle Beach this afternoon. My mom is once again reunited with her grandchild and Uncle Glen had the pleasure of meeting Sloan for the first time. All is right with the world!

Grandma and Uncle Glen have arrived!

Sloan’s First Swimming Pool Experience – Our daughter LOVES baths. She sits happily in the water and doesn’t flinch while her mommy cleans her. Based on her performance in the bath tub, we thought we would go a step further. On Saturday, Sidney’s friends (and my new friends), Caylee and Kevin, invited us over to their house to swim. When the time seemed right, we gently ushered Sloan into the pool. She wasn’t quite ready. When Sidney dipped her little legs in the water, Sloan voiced her displeasure. Oh well, she still looked super cute in her swimsuit.

Sloan wasn’t too happy when we put her in the pool for the first time (thanks to Caylee for the photo).

An Amazing Southern City – Three years ago on this date, Sidney and I returned from a trip to Wilmington, North Carolina. I was so impressed with our weekend excursion. The charm and history of the city danced together with sweet grace, giving off an incredible vibe. Dare I say that I even liked it better than Charleston? Anyway, as you can tell, I remember our little adventure very fondly, and I am thankful to our friends, Kendra and Josh, for hosting us. Here is the post I wrote on June 22, 2014 reflecting on our experience.

Sidney and I enjoyed a great trip in Wilmington three years ago.

Sloan Photos…The Latest – Sloan turns 14 weeks tomorrow. On Sunday, the same day as her baptism, she will turn 100 days old! She is smiling all the time now and she continues to kick her feet continuously. One of her new habits is to put her hands into her mouth. She is our little bundle of joy!

Sloan is a very happy girl these days.

Bragging About CCU – We all know that Coastal Carolina University is on the rise. The campus is growing, applications are increasing, and the academic offerings are expanding. Also, CCU is now an FBS school and is still (at least for another week) home to the baseball national champions. But how about the impact the University has on our state? According to a brand new study, Coastal Carolina generated more than half a billion dollars for the state of South Carolina in 2016. For those willing to do the math, that is $1.5 millions dollars per day. I am proud to work at a college that not only excels in every area but also contributes to the state’s economy.

Coastal Carolina University is doing a lot to help the state of South Carolina.

———————-

Okay, I got to go hang out with my family now! Have a wonderful weekend. Don’t Blink.

Mom and Brother Visiting for Sloan’s Baptism

Posted on by
1

Because it only happens 2-3 times a year, I get really excited when I have the chance to see my family. In fact, the happiness I feel on the eve of these reunions usually causes me to write. Tonight is no different.

Tomorrow afternoon, my mom and brother will arrive in Myrtle Beach. They will stay with us through the weekend before departing on Monday morning. They are coming for a significant event: Sloan’s baptism.

This Sunday, my brother and mom will be in this very church they are standing in for Sloan’s baptism.

On Sunday, Sloan will be baptized at St. Andrew Catholic Church, the same sacred place where Sidney and I said “I do” a little over a year ago. Since the day Sloan entered the world, I have looked forward to her receiving the sacrament of baptism. As evidenced by the way she behaves in church, she has too!

My brother served as my best man at my wedding and he will begin his Godfather duties at Sloan’s baptism. Glen will be an excellent faith mentor to Sloan and I am humbled that he has agreed to travel so far to attend the ceremony. Stephanie, Sidney’s sister, will make the perfect Godmother.

Sloan is ready to be baptized on Sunday!

While the baptism is the main event of the weekend, I am just pleased to have my brother and mom around for a few days. This will be Uncle Glen’s first time ever meeting Sloan. He has told my mom that because it is his initial visit with his new niece, he should have the right to hold her first.

I don’t know if my mom likes that idea.

Whether or not my mom holds Sloan first or second, one thing is for sure: My daughter is happy to see her grandma! When my mom came to visit us in April, she did so much for Sloan (and for Sidney and I). I know our little girl has remembered those several days and has been anticipating grandma’s return.

As always, I love it when my family from the west can be with my family from the south. It is going to be a memorable weekend and I can’t wait for the many blessings that are on the horizon. Don’t Blink.

My Five Favorite Desserts

Posted on by
2

Last week, we had our friends and Pre-Cana marriage counselors, Tim and Kathy McCormick, over for dinner. When we arrived at the dessert portion of the meal, Tim asked whether I had ever written a blog post on my favorite desserts. While I had written about my favorite fast food desserts, I have never addressed my favorite homemade desserts. That all changes tonight.

5. Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches – When I was younger, my mom would make homemade ice cream sandwiches on two occasions: for my birthday so I could bring them to school for my classmates and also during the middle of summer for those hot July nights. My mom would take two of her homemade chocolate chip cookies, cram a generous portion of ice cream between them, put each sandwich in an individual ziplock bag, and freeze them. At the time, I thought I was getting two desserts in one. They were so fresh, so cool, so refreshing.

4. Candy Bar Cake – The first time Sid ever baked me a cake was for my first birthday spent in Myrtle Beach. She surprised me with a candy bar cake. It was chocolate cake on the inside coated in frosting that was mixed with crushed Hershey candy bars on the outside. I am not kidding, Sid probably ground up five or six candy bars for that dessert. Every bit of real estate on that cake was covered with candy pieces. It tasted perfect as each bite contained the perfect amount of cake, frosting, and chocolate bar.

Sidney made me this delicious candy bar cake for my birthday.

3. Darn Good Chocolate Cake – This is the Mary Reser (my mom) classic. Baked as a pound cake, my mom has made this for years, usually for New Year’s Day. She uses chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding, and a bag of chocolate chips for the base of the cake itself. She then frosts the entire thing in a thick chocolate frosting. We then eat it hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I love rich desserts, and this delivers.

2. Ice Cream Pie – After you eat my mom’s ice cream pie, you will never want a traditional cake for your birthday again. While my mom made us ice cream sandwiches for our school birthday celebrations, she made us ice cream pies for our family celebrations. How much do I love this dessert? I once wrote a whole blog post on ice cream pie. My mom would start with a brownie crust. She would then let the birthday boy or girl select his/her favorite ice cream to fill it with. She would then top it with fudge, candy, cookies, and sprinkles. Probably weighing in at 1,000 calories per slice, I loved this Reser family tradition.

Me holding one of my mom’s delicious ice cream pies.

1. Peanut Butter Pie – The best thing about me moving to the South is that I met Sidney. The second best thing is that I discovered peanut butter pie! The day Sid made me peanut butter pie for the first time I knew I was in love……………

……………..with the dessert AND Sidney!

It was everything I crave in a dessert: rich, heavy, chilled, easy to eat. It also used a main ingredient that I am slightly obsessed with.

 

The dessert is a mixture of peanut butter, cream cheese, and whipped cream (plus other things such as heavy whipping cream and sugar). Sid then spreads it over an Oreo cookie crust and serves it with more whipped cream. Although the serving size is just a small sliver of a piece, I can easily gobble down two large pieces. It is so addicting and so good. As you can imagine, this is the dessert we had when the McCormicks were over.

On the left is a peanut butter pie made by Sidney. On the right is what it looks like after I am through with it.

———————

Sorry to my health nuts out there, no healthy or fruit desserts on this list! Not that I don’t like those too, but my favorite dishes are the ones that pack the calories and the flavor. Do you have a favorite dessert you would like to make me? Just let me know. Don’t Blink.

Different Styles of Driving

Posted on by
2

When it comes to gender roles in a marriage, many people expect the guy to be the aggressor while tabbing the girl as more of the passive personality. Sure, this stereotype plays out in some ways for Sidney and I. However, there is no denying one behavior that Sidney performs with much more fearlessness than me:

Driving.

When it comes to getting behind the wheel, I am a little bit of a grandma. Although I have received a couple speeding tickets in my lifetime, most of the time I am very cognizant of the speed limit. I also follow all other road regulations, I let people cut in front of me, and I slow down instead of speed up for yellow lights. It isn’t that I just refrain from making low risk moves, I sometimes yield toward caution in such an extreme way that I probably put myself and others in danger.

Sidney is the exact opposite. She will tell you that she is a crazy driver. Heck, what do you expect after years of driving in Myrtle Beach? She is a speed demon. Not wanting to let oblivious tourists mess with her plans, Sid will do what she feels necessary to get the upper hand on the road.

So, you might be asking, what is it like when the two of us drive together?

I must be honest, Sidney is a much better backseat driver than I am. If I extend a 10 minute drive into a 15 minute drive, she doesn’t say much. If I drive contently in the right lane for a little too long, she will usually just let me be. If I neglect to turn out onto a road because I feel a certain break in traffic doesn’t give me ample time to do so (even though it does), she won’t give me a hard time.

On the other hand………….

Although I don’t necessarily try to, I am much more of a nag as a passenger. Don’t call me a backseat driver, call me a backseat babysitter. My foot is constantly on the imaginary brake, I clutch the interior handle, and I brace myself when she starts to decelerate. If Sid is on her phone, I will subconsciously shoot glances her way. Usually she puts up with my nervous habits but at times it can drive her nuts. Unfortunately, my tense mannerisms have just gotten worse since Sloan was born.

We have our distinctive driving habits for sure. I could probably speed up a bit behind the wheel. When it comes to Sid, based on her driving record (it is pretty good), I can’t really argue with her style that much. My question is this: Am I the only guy in a marriage who is the more timid driver? Or do other dudes out there have spouses who put them to shame? Asking for a friend. Don’t Blink.