Category Archives: Uncategorized

A Camping Birthday Party

Posted on by
1

My sister knows how to throw a themed birthday party. Whether it be dinosaurs, unicorns, horses, or rainbows, Miranda can get pretty creative. Today my nephew turned 6 years old (exactly four months after Sloan turned the same age) but his birthday bash was yesterday. As you can imagine, it was themed…

Johnny and Sloan are once again the same age and it will still that way for the next 8 months.

Johnny’s birthday was based on camping! Just like Sloan’s Catholic Summer Camp last month, the party was all about embracing the wilderness.

Everyone sings “Happy Birthday” to John at his 6th birthday party.

For snacks, you could make a plate with classics such as firewood (pretzels), rainbow trout (Goldfish crackers), flames (cheese puffs), and bait (gummy worms)…

The snack table at the party topped with camping treats.

You could then play a rousing game of “Stick the marshmallow in the fire.” Don’t worry, no children were burnt by the flames—the beating sun did it instead…

“Stick the marshmallow in the fire” was a fun play on a classic.

My favorite part of the theme was the campground cake. Although from the exterior it looked like some pretty hardcore camping was taking place, when you cut in the vibe was more like glamping—a confetti cake layer and a red velvet layer…

My sister made this campground cake that was pretty cool.

Everyone then “sat around the campfire” for the opening of presents…

Johnny opens his presents at his 6th birthday party.

And of course the party attendees didn’t leave empty-handed…

Sloan holds her camping-themed party favors.

Happy 6th birthday, Johnny! Thanks for inviting us to your party and we hope you have many more real camping trips this summer. Don’t Blink.

National French Fry Day Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
Reply

Happy Thursday, friends! It is peak summertime and I hope you are enjoying every second of it. Let’s begin tonight’s rundown…

Ice Cold – Is the Reser family the only ones out there who throw ice? One of our longstanding traditions is to empty the cooler at the end of the day and then proceed to practice our aim. The other day I overturned the cooler in our own backyard and as the kids and I started to chuck ice, Sid asked, “Did you do that when you were young or something?” You bet! We are the best at cheap entertainment!

We got to do some ice throwing at my parents’ house on the Fourth of July.

Soda Machine Update – I have documented the magical soda machines on the side of the road here in Spokane and raved about the inexpensive prices. Sadly, a couple weeks ago I broke the news that the sodas would increase in price on July 6. At the time I didn’t know what the price increase would be but I now have that info. Beau and I paid a visit to the machines last week and the prices doubled. The 12 oz. cans increased from $.25 to $.50 and the 20 oz. bottles jumped from $.50 to $1. This is a pretty significant hike and it definitely takes some of the mystique away from the machines.

As Beau tries to steal a soda from the machine on the right, you can see that the machines have the new prices clearly displayed on them.

National French Fry Day – Today is National French Fry Day and because of that I must bring back the beloved French Fry chart that ranks and explains the different varieties of my wife’s favorite food. More than 7 years ago, I wrote about this chart and asked two questions: 1. Why aren’t spicy fries on the list? AND 2. Why are tater tots on the list? I wrote a lot more so you will just have to read the blog post but besides a couple of questionable calls on this chart, I sure think it is a thing of beauty.

This list ranking french fries is pretty cool.

Latest Beau Daycare Photos – St. Paschal’s Childcare recently sent home the prints from Beau’s latest photoshoot and once again they are so cute. Our son’s daycare went with an ocean theme this month and I had a hard time choosing which one to include in this post. I ended up opting for the the below image of him holding the lifesaver although the shots of him without the prop are adorable too.

Ahoy, Beau!

Capone – I have been on an Al Capone kick lately. Last week I finished a lengthy biography on the notorious gangster and I followed that up with watching “The Untouchables.” The film is from 1987 and it stars Robert De Niro as Capone and Kevin Costner as Eliot Ness, a government agent and arch nemesis of Capone. The movie is historical fiction at best but it was fun to see two blockbuster actors star in a movie that was made when I was 1. There is also a shootout scene with a baby stroller that will put you on the edge of your seat. If the movie appeals to you at all, you can catch it on Paramount+.

“The Untouchables” wasn’t bad but was highly fictionalized.

———————

Thanks for taking the time to read another Don’t Blink blog post. I wish you an awesome July weekend! Don’t Blink.

After 22 Years, I Will Be Watching

Posted on by
Reply

The summer of my freshman year of high school I was in Las Vegas. But on a particular night of that family vacation I could care less about the lights, excitement, and pretty girls that waited outside of our Strip hotel. Because on that hot July evening, all I wanted to do was stay inside our room with my eyes fixated on the television screen.

As a sports-obsessed 14-year-old, the only thing that mattered to me that night was the MLB All-Star Game. Not only did the spectacle of the best professional ball players converging in one spot for the Mid-Summer Classic captivate my attention but this particular year the game was played in Seattle at Safeco Field—the one place on earth that I loved more than any other. Add to all that the fact that the Mariners were having a record year with eight All-Stars on the American League squad and you could imagine that for a young man like myself it was must-see TV.

This game that took place 22 years ago was pretty special for me.

It was pure magical. I still remember vividly the many iconic moments that happened during that game: Alex Rodriguez trading positions with Cal Ripken Jr. Ichiro sprinting past Randy Johnson for an infield single. Ripken belting a ball out of the park in his last All-Star Game. Tommy Lasorda dramatically falling backwards when a bat flung his way. The good guys (the AL) picking up the W. It was simply everything that I hoped it would be.

Tonight, the MLB All-Star Game will once again return to Seattle. A lot has changed in 22 years. Safeco Field is now T-Mobile Park, the game of baseball has pitch clocks/instant replay/bigger bases, and I am no longer a sports nut. In fact, I haven’t watched an entire 9-inning MLB game all season. But that changes tonight.

Watching this evening’s All-Star Game is a priority for me. Of course I want to pay homage to that epic evening more than two decades ago when a star-struck boy put the glitz and glamour of Vegas on hold to watch a baseball game full of pageantry that was taking place in his backyard…or at least his home state. But in all honesty, whether tonight’s game was in Seattle or not, I would be tuning in. In my opinion, no other all-star game comes close to what Major League Baseball offers.

I also equate the MLB All-Star Game with summer. Aside from Independence Day, nothing screams July more than the Mid-Summer Classic. There isn’t any other game—Super Bowl included—that I can remember what I was doing at that moment. I have so many crystal clear memories that I can connect with All-Star Games over the years…it is a little crazy.

Because we don’t have cable, I won’t be able to watch the game at home tonight. That won’t stop me from catching the game. During lunch today, I will drive over to my parents’ house. I will work the afternoon from their home and then transition directly to watching the game with my dad. We are going to eat tacos and I am so excited!

I hope those who plan to watch tonight’s game enjoy it. I sure know I will. Crossing my fingers for many special moments and an American League victory. Don’t Blink.

How To Appreciate Soda

Posted on by
Reply

For those of us who enjoy a soda from time to time, I think we take it for granted. Often, the soft drink will play second fiddle. For example, a soda is almost an afterthought when it comes with a fast food meal or we pour a glass to go with dinner. Even when we grab a can of soda to quench our thirst, I doubt many of us take a moment to say to ourselves, I am so lucky to be enjoying this flavorful beverage of carbonation and caffeine.

Sloan and Beau stand outside the entrance of Your Mom’s Soda Shop. This place helps you to genuinely enjoy a soda.

Last week, my family went to Your Mom’s Soda Shop in north Spokane. As you can imagine, it is a place that specializes in, as my parents call it, “pop.” When you approach the counter, a large and colorful menu greets you with endless combinations of creative soda concoctions. Just the options for a Mt. Dew-based drink will make your head spin.

This is the menu at Your Mom’s Soda Shop. Lots to choose from!

At Your Mom’s Soda Shop, the soft drink is the main event. You can order a pretzel or shaved ice if you please, but this is the place you frequent for that fulfilling burn that awakens the senses when a well-carbonated soft drink travels down your throat. This is where you get to truly appreciate the innovative and tasty beverage invention that is the soda.

Sloan and Beau with their sodas. They each got the Rocket Pop.

I looked past the Dr. Pepper, Sprite, and Mt. Dew-based drinks and turned my attention to the bottom of the menu where the root beer concoctions were listed. I went for the Butter Beer. It was Barq’s root beer with butterscotch and vanilla…and it was amazing. It was served in a Styrofoam cup with crushed pellet ice. I sat there and savored each sip as it seemed to refresh my soul. We actually visited Your Mom’s Soda Shop on Independence Day and I had to ask myself as I was enjoying my drink, Is there anything more American than this?

My Butter Beer drink came in this Styrofoam cup.

My children each ordered the Rocket Pop drink which was a special for the Fourth of July. It was Sprite-based with fruit flavoring, Pop Rocks, and a submerged cherry. Sidney wasn’t as passionate about a true soda experience like I was and asked for a shaved ice…oh well.

Sloan poses in front of the photo backdrop at Your Mom’s Soda Shop.

A trip to Your Mom’s Soda Shop for the soda lover is not unlike a trip to the brewery for the beer enthusiast. But instead of sipping on an IPA infused with citrus and pine notes in an industrial-but-sophisticated environment, you are enjoying a Dr. Pepper with pineapple, coconut, and peach puree in a quirky shop with a chalkboard and photo backdrop. Now that’s how you enjoy a pop!

Sidney and Sloan draw on the chalkboard at Your Mom’s Soda Shop.

The next time you drink a soda, take a moment to appreciate it. If you are having trouble doing that, perhaps finding a place like Your Mom’s Soda Shop would be a good idea. Don’t Blink.

Hanging By Threads

Posted on by
Reply

When this month started, I was focused on becoming proficient with Google Analytics 4. But just as I was starting to get a grasp of GA4, another new platform dropped that didn’t give us nearly the warning that we received for the latest version of Google Analytics.

Meta recently released Threads in a sophisticated rollout. I advocate gaining a grasp of the platform before formulating a strategy for brand accounts.

Hello, Threads.

To be fair, most of us in the digital marketing world knew Threads was about to hit, we just weren’t given the nearly three-year notice that Google provided users about its transition from a hit-based web analytics tool to an event-based one. Instead, Meta announced on the Fourth of July that Threads, an extension of Instagram but a standalone app, would launch on Thursday, July 6. Then, in a true power play of “under promise and over deliver” mixed with “catch all social media managers off guard” the app launched a day early.

And here we are two days later. The social world is still in a frenzy over the release of Threads, an app that resembles Twitter in a purer, yet clunkier, form. I have read reviews that run the gamut but I have noticed an overall sentiment that leans more positive of Meta’s big release. To be honest, I categorize most of these reactions as nothing more than hot takes. With it being less than 48 hours after the launch, I don’t take much stock in these initial opinions.

With that said, whatever the final verdict on Threads will be, most of us who work in social media knew Meta would release a capable and competitive product. Over the past 10 years, anything released under the Instagram umbrella to counter other social media platforms has thrived. As I have chronicled over the years, Instagram doomed Vine with the introduction of video, challenged Snapchat with its own ephemeral content (Stories), and put TikTok on its heels with Reels. Now it is going after Twitter. Needless to say, Instagram is a powerhouse social media channel that is ever-evolving and cutthroat.

The Storylines

So what will happen to Twitter? Well, if recent history tells us anything, I still think the app is here to stay. If Elon couldn’t destroy Twitter over the past nine months with his erratic management, I don’t think Instagram’s major move will either. With the exception of Vine, both Snapchat and TikTok survived challenges from IG. Although they didn’t come out unscathed, it wasn’t the kiss of death and I feel the same will hold true for Twitter. The bird app is simply too established to fall victim to the Instagram sword.

Meta slaying Twitter isn’t the only Threads-related narrative I reject. Although very slick in its rollout, I don’t believe the seamless Threads sign up process for Instagram users is a guaranteed slam dunk for success. Just because you download an app doesn’t mean you will consistently use it. I have a whole page of apps on my iPhone that I have only used once. Sure, the millions of initial downloads are impressive but will people continue to open the app? If not, those mind blowing numbers are as meaningless as a social media account with a seven-figure following but little-to-no engagement.

Using Threads

But let’s get away from speculation and address utilization. How do we plan to use Threads at WSU? Our social team will take an approach where we learn first and strategize second. We joined Threads and published some introductory posts but now is the time to observe and learn. Before jumping in headfirst, we want to figure out how we can measure success, give Meta an opportunity to work out some bugs, and establish a content strategy.

Some social media experts suggest throwing spaghetti at the wall with your brand accounts during these early days of Threads. However, isn’t that what our personal Threads accounts are for? Over the past couple days I have posted a mix of content on my own Threads account (@BrentReser) from top performing blog posts, favorite TikTok videos, and family photos. Instead of making our WSU accounts the guinea pig, I will gladly reserve that designation for my own account.

——

I feel Threads is an app with lots of potential. Given the track record that Instagram has with new rollouts, it is easy to believe that the sky is the limit for Adam Mosseri’s answer to Twitter. However, I don’t think it will be a cake walk. I am curious to see if the millions of people who are now “Threaders” will actually thread 😊 Let’s stay tuned. Don’t Blink.

Tigers and Stripes Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
Reply

Can it be Thursday already? I am all sorts of mixed up after the long holiday weekend. After a few “short” work weeks in a row, things will get back to normal for most of this month. Here we go with tonight’s Thursday Rundown…

Fourth of July Recap – We had an excellent and patriotic Fourth of July that included a cookout, family, friends, and some other components that I might blog about in the future. But when it came to the main event, we went to Pavillion Park in Liberty Lake for our fireworks fix. After the kids had fun on the playground, we gathered in a grassy spot and watched as two coordinated shows blasted off simultaneously. It is always a little tough on little ones when the pyrotechnics don’t start until 10 p.m. but we make an extended bedtime extension for the Fourth of July.

Sidney watches the fireworks at Pavillion Park in Liberty Lake on the Fourth of July.

Big Cats – Over the weekend, I took the kids to Cat Tales, a wildlife rescue and teaching zoo in north Spokane. If you are looking for a pristine animal sanctuary, this place definitely is not for you. However, if you can tolerate dusty conditions and want to get close to some big cats in a no frills sort of way, you might enjoy this rather primitive zoo. Cat Tales is home to tigers, cougars, smaller cats, a bear, and lots of other random animals. Because Sloan, Beau, and I have read books lately on many of these animals, it was a timely and educational visit.

We saw some cool stuff at Cat Tales.

Hamm’s – Although it didn’t make my top list of beers back in 2018, I have developed a fondness for Hamm’s. When my dad isn’t drinking PBR, this is his brew of choice which means every now and then I crack open a can with him. Hamm’s recently received a new look but its classic “the beer…refreshing!” slogan remains and so does its cheap price—you can buy a six-pack of 16 oz. cans for $5.49 at Rite Aid.

This is one of the cans of Hamm’s I drank during the Fourth of July.

National Fried Chicken Day – Today is National Fried Chicken Day and on this “holiday” two years ago I wrote about my favorite place to get fried chicken. As someone who lived in the South for six years, I surprised a lot of my readers when I said there wasn’t a specific restaurant in South Carolina that I tabbed as my favorite location to get fried chicken. Instead, I turned some heads when I humbly admitted that my top place to pick up some legs, thighs, and breasts is just the deli at whatever local grocery store is nearby. You can read the entire post and my reasoning here.

This is me about ready to eat some fried chicken at a Bojangles restaurant in Conway, SC.

Names – I am pretty good with names…as long as I allow it to register in my mind when the person introduces themselves. When meeting someone new, we have the tendency to think about what we are going to say next or how we are going to introduce our own selves that we space the person’s name. It would serve us better to look the person in the eye and listen with 100% attention when they make their introduction. Thanks to my friend Lindsi for the meme.

It is sometimes a tendency to not even register what a person’s name is.

————————-

Hope you are living up your summer. The mercury will be rising this weekend in the Inland Northwest so I am looking forward to the pool, cold drinks, and plenty of rays. Don’t Blink.

Is A Hot Dog A Sandwich?

Posted on by
1

I recently worked on a pretty fun project. Our #WSU social media team tries hard to showcase our faculty members demonstrating their expertise by addressing fun, lighthearted, and/or relevant topics. For example, we have recruited WSU professors to explain how to construct a perfect paper airplane, what makes an impactful Super Bowl commercial, and why pi is such a mysterious mathematical concept. But our latest video decided to tackle a much more controversial (but still very fun) and very timely question…

Is a hot dog a sandwich? 🌭

Since July is National Hot Dog Month and tomorrow is the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, could there be a better time to settle this debate once and for all? Thankfully, we had the most credible person you could think of to answer this question.

We made a video that asked one of our #WSU professors if a hot dog is a sandwich.

Blake Foraker, Ph.D., is a WSU meat scientist within our Department of Animal Sciences. I reached out to him and asked if he would weigh in with his opinion. Dr. Foraker didn’t hesitate to help out and before you knew it, we were in a kitchen inside the Food Sciences Building interviewing our expert.

Thanks to our talented videographer Kara Billington, the shoot and her editing yielded an awesome video that represented everything Dr. Foraker discussed with us. It captured the historic hot dog context he provided, the technical definition of a hot dog, and finally, the answer we had all been anticipating…

NO. A hot dog is not a sandwich—at least from a scientific standpoint. It has a very strict standard of identity that doesn’t lend itself to a sandwich, Dr. Foraker explained. He did leave the door open to interpretation though by remarking that a sandwich is a food product smashed between two pieces of bread and we have to decide for ourselves if that disqualifies a hot dog as a sandwich or not.

I agree with Dr. Foraker that a hot dog is not a sandwich but my reasoning is much more remedial. In fact, there isn’t much reasoning at all. A notorious story within my wife’s family is that one day Sidney asked my father-in-law What is the Alamo? He responded by saying, Well, it is the Alamo. This infuriated my wife who tried to re-phrase the question a couple different ways while still getting the same answer: the Alamo is the Alamo.

I love hot dogs and I DON’T think they qualify as a sandwich.

To put it simply, a hot dog is a hot dog (and NOT a sandwich). Happy Fourth of July, friends! Don’t Blink.

Halftime

Posted on by
1

Today is the last day of June and this month was as awesome as advertised. We became godparents, watched our good friends get married, finished up the school year, hosted Sidney’s parents, ushered my mom into retirement, celebrated our anniversary, enjoyed an epic Hoopfest weekend, and I went on a work trip to Everett. So many blessings!

It was an incredible June.

But today isn’t significant just in the fact that the month of June ends. Rather, today is the final day of the first half of 2023.

I always attach a lot of significance to July 1. Professionally, the beginning of July means a new fiscal year for many but from a personal perspective I always evaluate it for what it truly is—the midpoint of the year. In fact, I treat June 30 – July 1 as a metaphorical halftime. When a sporting event reaches halftime, you address what happened in the first half and then make adjustments to be successful in the second half. How doesn’t that apply perfectly to the halftime of life as well?

I invite you to take some time to think back on the first six months of 2023. How did it go? Successes? Challenges? Are you set up well for the final six months of 2023? Do you need to make some adjustments? If you allow me to take this silly sports analogy a step further, from a basketball standpoint, what is your halftime score? Are you crushing this year and up 65-40 at halftime? Or is it neck-and-neck with a 55-55 tie game? Perhaps you have experienced some adversity and find yourself entering the second half of the year trailing 56-48.

Whatever your situation, take solace in the fact that there is an entire second half to play. You can use the next six months to extend your lead even more, pull away from the close game you find yourself in, or make a courageous comeback and win the year.

Our family is heading into the locker room with a modest halftime lead. However, we have the potential to break the game open in the second half. Stay tuned to this blog for your full play-by-play of what will be a big six months for us.

I hope you are able to end your June on a high note and then begin tomorrow with lots of motivation and optimism. You got this! Don’t Blink.

Powerade Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
1

Does anyone else find it nuts that we are less than a week away from the Fourth of July? As much as I would like to give you some fireworks with this Thursday Rundown, I think it is going to be pretty lame. Here we go…

Brick of Fries – Last weekend at Hoopfest, we indulged in a very unhealthy snack. After I was done playing for the day, our family plus Fr. Jeff Lewis and my teammate/friend Amy would head to the park for lunch and shade. Both days, Sidney ordered a block of fries for us. Because Beau had fallen asleep, it was just Sid, Sloan, and I to tackle the brick. Thankfully Amy provided a little bit of help as it was an enormous, greasy task to eat that whole thing …but it was also really delicious!

Sloan begins to dig into the block of fries we bought at Hoopfest on Saturday.

Powerade Deal – Yoke’s is a prominent Spokane-based chain grocery store that doesn’t always have the best prices. However, this month it has offered an absolute steal. At the beginning of June, it sold the big Powerade bottles for just $.68. That price was available for a couple weeks as I would go in and purchase 10 bottles at a time. Last week it was increased to $.79 per bottle but I still bought large quantities to get us through the Hoopfest weekend. When I walked inside Yoke’s yesterday, the price per bottle took a hike to $.99. Although still a decent price, they are no longer worthy of buying them in large quantities.

A look at the Powerade shelf at the Yoke’s located in Argonne Village after prices increased to $.79 per bottle.

Wienermobile – On this date in 2018, we had a close encounter with the Wienermobile. The “big hot dog on wheels” visited Myrtle Beach and parked in front of a Publix grocery store. It was fun to scope it out, touch it, and pose for photos in front of it. But the best part was definitely the free hot dogs from the Oscar Mayer trailer that was a short distance away from the Wienermobile.

In 2018, our family visited the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.

Winnie – We read a lot with the kids but I seldom give book suggestions. However, I want to recognize a children’s book that tells the origin of Winnie-the-Pooh. When Sloan, Beau, and I read “Winnie” last night on our back porch, we learned that our modern day Winnie was a black bear named Winnipeg. His owner, Harry, bought him for $20 and trained him to help train horses as part of the Canadian war effort. There is much more to the story but eventually Winnie would meet the real life Christopher Robin. The story captivated the attention of my children while also teaching them about historic events. Not too boring but also not too fluffy, we thought this book deserves two thumbs up.

Beau, Sloan, and I had a nice time reading “Winnie.”

Prices Going Up – I once wrote an entire blog post about the best soda machines you will ever find and even made a TikTok out of these secret beverage dispensers. A big part of what made these soda machines stand out is that a 12 oz. can of soda cost just $.25. Unfortunately, that is all coming to an end. When I visited the machines this morning, the below sign communicated the lousy news that a price hike is coming. In a future rundown I will update you on the new cost of a can because I know you all must be extremely distraught.

I am not looking forward to the price increases at the soda machines at the Coke plant on Montgomery St. in Spokane.

———————

Fries, hot dogs, Powerade, soda? Once again I focused more on food and drink than originally planned. Oh well, the hot dog talk makes sense as we approach Independence Day. Have a great night. Don’t Blink.

A Wilderness Adventure For Sloan

Posted on by
1

That special week in the early summer is here: Catholic Summer Camp! On Sunday night, the kickoff event for this year’s event was held on the St. Mary campus. We attended mass, ate dinner, and learned about this year’s theme…

This year’s Catholic Summer Camp theme at St. Mary in Spokane Valley is Wilderness Adventure Through the Sacraments.

For the next several days, Sloan is on a wilderness adventure. Or, to be specific, a Wilderness Adventure Through the Sacraments. The campers are taking each day to learn about 1-2 of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. For example, yesterday was baptism and today is Holy Eucharist.

Sloan loves going to camp! Each camper received a t-shirt that they wear each day. All first graders received green shirts.

As they learn about the sacraments, the kids are treated to all the fun stuff you would find at your typical vacation bible school: crafts, music, skits, games, and, most importantly…snacks! So the curriculum and the child-appeal factor are both definitely present.

Marie goes all out with everything she does. This photo backdrop that Sloan is posing in front of is awesome!

But what sets this camp apart from other vacation bible schools—both Catholic and non-Catholic? The answer is Marie Bricher. She is the camp director, which encompasses part of her role as St. Mary’s director of religious education. Marie goes absolutely all out for everything she does, including Catholic summer camp. You would be amazed at the decorations, organization, attention to detail, and enthusiasm she pours into this program. Most impressive of all, however, is how she can explain the content at a level that makes sense to elementary students.

Marie Bricher addresses campers, staff, and parents at the kickoff event inside the St. Mary gym. She is phenomenal at what she does.

And that special ability that Marie possesses is crucial, especially with this year’s theme, because nothing is more important than the sacraments. Ever wonder what makes being a Catholic so unique and why more than a billion people belong to the Church? It is because of these graces given to us by God. Needless to say, the sacraments is a topic that deserves the utmost attention and care when being explained to anyone—especially children—so it is such a comfort that not only is this year’s camp based on it but that someone of Marie’s caliber is leading the discussion on it.

All the decorations and props for this camp are so cool.

Sloan is on fire for this camp. She loved attending yesterday and I was impressed by all she told me about baptism when she returned home. What makes this year’s theme resonate even more is that in Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Catechism In A Year podcast we are currently right in the middle of the sacraments. He just finished baptism and is currently on confirmation. While Sloan is learning about the sacraments on a children’s level I am learning more about them on an adult level. Although two different modes of delivery are at play, Sloan and I are able to “compare notes” and know that we are still learning the same thing. How cool is that?!

Please pray for the campers, the volunteers, and Marie as they continue to go through this week. As Pope John Paul II said, “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure.” Don’t Blink.