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8 Reasons Why Attending A Seattle Mariners Game Is A Good Value

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When our family went on vacation last week, we kicked off the fun with a day in Seattle. The main event of that particular Tuesday was a Mariners game later in the evening. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, it was the first time I had watched a Mariners game in-person in nine years (at Camden Yards) and the first time I had caught a game in T-Mobile Park in such a long time that I didn’t even know how many years it had been.

Needless to say, attending an MLB game with children is a little different from the days when I would order numerous beers and stroll around the ballpark at my leisure. For this blog post I thought I would list eight ways that our family maximized the value of our time in T-Mobile Park.

Beau and the rest of us had a fantastic time at the Seattle Mariners game.

Convenient Transportation – We bypassed the headache of finding parking and then forking over an astronomical amount of money to pay for it. Our hotel offered a shuttle that took us to SeaTac. Once there we hopped on the light rail that took us to T-Mobile Park. After the Mariners shut out the Padres, we got back on the light rail and jumped off at SeaTac where our hotel shuttle picked us up. Round trip ride on the light rail for an adult was $3 and kids were free. So…yeah…we paid a total of $6 for transportation to/from the game.

Sidney and Beau ride the Seattle light rail to T-Mobile Park.

Value Seats – For every Tuesday home game, the Mariners offer highly discounted tickets. We were able to score $20 seats in the lower sections. We sat in 114 and had a clear and spectacular view of the action.

A view from our seats. Not bad for $20 each.

Affordable Eats – The Mariners now offer a value food menu (and value beer menu 😎) where you can get items for under $5. We loved the value popcorn.

Beau and Sloan enjoying their stadium food.

Unlimited Soda – Our family loves a good souvenir cup! We purchased a $9 Mariners plastic cup that came with unlimited refills! Self-serve soda kiosks are all over the T-Mobile Park concourse so we had no problem filling up our cup whenever we felt the inclination to do so. Let’s just say this…we definitely got our $9 worth.

Cheap Entertainment – This might come as a surprise to you, but Sloan likes attention. The T-Mobile Park video board provided plenty of entertainment as my daughter would dance her heart out between innings in hopes that the camera would spot her and she would get up on the board. Although Sloan didn’t make it up there, she had fun showing off her moves to those around us. We all enjoyed the sponsored games (i.e. hat trick, boat race, etc) and player features that also appeared on the video board.

Sloan had a blast in (and out of) her seat.

First Game Certificate – Thanks to a tip from my friend Shauna, we knew to take the kids to Guest Services so they could get their own certificate printed out that commemorated their first Mariners game at T-Mobile Park.

Beau and Sloan each got a certificate for attending their first Mariners game.

Play Structure – The Seattle Children’s Hospital sponsors a play area in center field that is FREE for kids to play on. When Beau was getting a little restless in the later innings, we took him over there. He played his heart out while Sloan and I watched the ninth inning from behind the center field wall. Beau didn’t want to leave the play area even well after the game was over!

Beau and Sloan ate Dippin’ Dots by the center field fountain before entering the play structure (you can see some of it if you look in the top right corner).

$5 Beer – As I mentioned above, T-Mobile Park now offers a value beer menu with select 12 oz. cans selling for $5. The popcorn was a bit salty so I needed something to drink so I hit the adult beverage stand. I was all set at the counter with my two cans of beer when the worker asked to see my I.D. Unfortunately I didn’t have it with me as I handed it off to Sid when we checked in at the hotel. Oh well.

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I was pleasantly surprised with the overall value of attending a baseball game as a family at T-Mobile Park. With discounted tickets, affordable food, and many free entertainment options, I would recommend an afternoon or evening at the ballpark with the Seattle Mariners. Just remember to bring your driver’s license. Don’t Blink.

Family Seabrook Vacation

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For the first true time as a family of four, we went on a vacation together. Last week, Sidney, Sloan, Beau, and I headed to the west side of Washington for several days of summer fun. In the past, I have commemorated trips by utilizing different writing methods for my Don’t Blink recaps. After giving it some thought, I figured I would write this summary by recounting the main events of each day while also reflecting on a special moment as well. To be honest, my biggest objective with this post is to have something for Sloan and Beau to look back on from this vacation. With that said, here is a glimpse at a very special week for the Resers…

Tuesday, August 8 – With excitement at record levels for the four of us, we departed Spokane early in the morning. We arrived in Seattle around 11 a.m. and played at a 100-year-old park called Wallingford Playfield. After stretching our legs at Wallingford we visited Woodland Park Zoo. The kids loved the otters but I was partial to the sloth bears. We checked into our hotel and then took the light rail to T-Mobile Park for the Seattle Mariners vs. San Diego Padres game. On a gorgeous night we ate way too much ballpark food, enthusiastically participated in all the between innings video board games/cheers, and passionately cheered for the home team as the Mariners blanked the Padres 2-0.

The four of us at the Seattle Mariners vs. San Diego Padres game on Aug. 8. 2023.

A Special Moment – Since it was the first-ever Mariners game for Sloan and Beau, they were both celebrated by the stadium staff as they were presented with certificates memorializing the event.

Some of the photos and moments from our first day of vacation.

Wednesday, August 9 – After eating breakfast as a family in the hotel lobby, we swam in the hotel’s pool. We checked out and drove 30 seconds to the family fun center located right next door. Called Bullwinkle’s, the kids played arcade games and exerted energy in the play structure before eating lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. We then drove 2.5 hours to Seabrook where we checked into our cabin and walked down to the beach for a quick taste of what was to come.

When we arrived in Seabrook on Wednesday night we took the kids to the ocean. Didn’t take them long to warm up to it.

A Special Moment – We stopped in Aberdeen to shop at Walmart before entering Seabrook. While there, Sloan was adamant that I take her over to a homeless woman who was asking for money. I honored my daughter’s request and she gave the lady some of her own vacation allowance.

Some of the photos and moments from our Wednesday of vacation.

Thursday, August 10 – We hit our first full day in Seabrook hard. After baking cinnamon rolls for breakfast in our cabin we swam in the town’s indoor pool. By the time we finished there the sun had made its appearance so we ventured to the outdoor pool and luxurious hot tub. After lunch we would spend most of the afternoon at the beach. What fun it was to dig in the sand and make castles with the kids! We ate tacos for dinner and then made s’mores in the fire pit of our cabin’s back yard. We then headed back to the outdoor pool for a majestic round of night swimming.

Thursday was full of trips to the pools, ocean, and more.

A Special Moment – Sid and I set up beach chairs about 30 yards from where Sloan and Beau played on the shore. When I returned to our chairs after helping Beau with something, my wife had written “Sid ♥’s Brent” in the sand.

Some of the photos and moments from our Thursday at Seabrook.

Friday, August 11 – The morning started with the four of us walking over to the shuffleboard courts. Sid and I split two games against each other while Sloan and Beau played their own game on the neighboring court with new friends they made. We fit in a beach trip and pool visit before the morning was done. During lunch we watched “Big Brother” and put Beau down for a nap. Sloan and I then went to the arcade and candy store. A bit later on, we all went over to Seabrook’s green space where a fun cover band performed a free concert. I took Beau to the playground while Sid made dinner and by the time we returned a delicious pot of chicken bog was waiting to be served up. We capped the night by making s’mores again.

Making s’mores was one of our favorite activities while in Seabrook.

A Special Moment – Sloan had the guts to run up to the stage in-between songs during the concert and request a track. Sid put her up to it and encouraged her to ask for “Bad Moon Rising.” Even though the True Romans were a little caught off by the request they played it!

Some of the photos and moments from Friday of our vacation.

Saturday, August 12 – The alarm clock went off early as Sloan and I awoke at 5 a.m. to hunt for sand dollars. Except for a man and his dog, we were the only ones on the coast as we found 22 intact “sand bucks” (as Sloan calls them). Later that morning the four of us traveled 40 miles to a place called Amanda Park so we could attend mass at Our Lady of the Olympics. After eating brunch at the town’s local diner we traveled back to Seabrook and browsed the community’s farmer’s market. The afternoon was spent swimming in the indoor pool. We then had our “nice” out-to-eat dinner of the vacation as we dined at the Rising Tide Tavern. The four of us all had a really nice time at dinner and afterwards the kids played games on the downtown streets (i.e. Jenga, cornhole, sidewalk chalk). We then walked to the ice cream shop for dessert. The day ended with an encore trip to the outdoor pool and one final s’mores session.

What a fantastic vacation it was. We took our photo at Seabrook’s signature oversized chair.

A Special Moment – Watching Sloan’s face light up when we found whole sand dollars was pretty cool. We had looked for intact dollars the previous two days but couldn’t find any. Sloan was rewarded for getting up early and browsing the beach at the time in which sand dollars were plentiful.

Some of the photos and moments from our Saturday in Seabrook.

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Sunday was spent making the nearly seven-hour drive back to Spokane. This time we didn’t have a Seattle excursion to break things up but the kids did awesome (all things considering). We sure had a lot to reminisce about from the vacation and we all agreed that we can’t wait to return to Seabrook again. Having six days to spend exclusively with my wife and kids was a blessing beyond words and I will always cherish the memories we made. Don’t Blink.

Homeowners

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We bought a house!

After seven years of nomadic living, we decided to establish some roots and secure something a little more long term. The Resers are now the owners of a four bedroom/three bathroom house in the Spokane Valley.

This is our new home by D.R. Horton.

Because of our careers and family on both coasts, renting made sense for us. In fact, I have nothing bad to say about renting—I loved the flexibility! But after living in four different houses since we tied the knot coupled with what we have established here in Spokane, making the big investment seemed like the right thing to do at this point.

We landed in a brand new development in the southern part of Spokane Valley. We are one of the first families to move into a neighborhood that currently has about 20 completed houses built but will eventually boast more than 300! To be one of the “originals” is kind of cool.

The “location, location, location” real estate cliché proved true for me. Sid made sure that we were taken care of house-wise while I focused on where exactly the foundation would sit. I wanted to live in a bustling neighborhood near school, church, and work. We checked the boxes on all three of those items. Sloan and Beau will each attend St. Mary this fall and instead of a nearly 20-minute drive, it won’t even be a 10-minute drive. We confirmed that yesterday when we drove to mass and realized how “early” (relatively speaking) we were when our car entered the parking lot. I also now have easy access to the highway that will lead me to Pullman on those days I work on campus.

All credit for our new status as homeowners goes directly to Sidney. She had the drive to buy our own place while I continued to sing the praises of renting. My wife flipped me and then took the lead to find our dream home. Many of you know that purchasing a home is a wild roller coaster and Sidney was in that front seat navigating the whole ride.

We can’t wait to start inviting our family and friends over as we begin the process of making memories under this roof. What an opportunity! Don’t Blink.

Morning Thursday Rundown

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It is with enthusiasm that I wish you a happy Friday Eve! Hopefully your August is off to a fantastic start and you have fun weekend plans on the horizon. Let’s get started with the latest rundown…

Froyo Combo – I always enjoy sharing the froyo combinations of my children because, well, kids have different tastes than adults. Sloan and I walked to Didier’s, a classic north Spokane frozen yogurt shop that came way before self-serve “froyo,” from my parents’ house over the weekend. I think Sloan picked solid flavors (island coconut and vanilla) but her choice of Sour Patch watermelon pieces and Nerds was a little questionable. Oh well, she liked it.

Cotton Candy Soda – How dare I poke a little fun at Sloan for eating like a kid when I am over here drinking like a kid. I found this cotton candy soda four-pack at the Dollar Tree and couldn’t help myself. I brought it home and gave it a try. For someone like myself who is pretty easy to please, this cotton candy stuff might be some of the worst soda I have ever tried. It maybe tasted like cotton candy for one second before it got bitter and then ended with an aftertaste that seemed very similar to what smoke bombs might taste like. It does pour as a vibrant blue liquid so it has that going for it but the taste itself is pretty bad.

This was the cotton candy soda that I bought. Just not very good.

Mariner Drought About to End – On this date nine years ago, Sidney and I were in Baltimore to watch the Mariners play the Orioles. Little did I know that it would be more than 3,285 days before I saw the M’s play again as that streak will end next week…but more on that down the road. Camden Yards was a sweet ballpark with my favorite feature being the mini monuments in the outfield seating area that mark where noteworthy home run balls landed.

Sidney and I in Baltimore at Camden Yards in 2014. It was the last time I saw the Mariners play in-person.

Happy Birthday, Mom! – My mom celebrated her 66th birthday yesterday. I don’t know what our family of four would do without her. She embraces her mom, mother-in-law, and grandma roles with such selflessness, dedication, and enthusiasm. But her role as a party animal might be diminishing a bit. Yesterday, my dad took her to a bar and the bartender told my mom that she was entitled to a free birthday shot. My mom turned him down and ordered an iced tea instead. Cheers, mom!

Happy Birthday, mom.

National Watermelon Day – Today is National Watermelon Day and I celebrate it with some sadness because I haven’t ate any excellent watermelon this summer. Despite trying a decent amount, I haven’t found a melon that is crisp, juicy and flavorful…yet. Hopefully something will come around this month. Speaking of watermelons, I will never forget when my sister made a watermelon cake for my nephew’s birthday and paired it with chocolate chunk watermelon ice cream 😂

A look at the watermelon cake my sister made along with how it looked when paired with the ice cream.

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Thanks for your time today. I am always humbled by those who don’t mind my ramblings. Let’s pray for those souls who have recently left this earthly world and for their grieving families still here. Don’t Blink.

Big Things In August

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August is here and I have strong feelings about this month. In fact, a year ago on this date I wrote an ode of sorts to the eighth month of the year. I explained that for so long August was a transitional month for me—leisure and summer the first half and then back to business and autumn the second half. It doesn’t hurt my feelings that over the past few years the month of August is no longer split between the two extremes but rather a complete extension of summer.

Stock up on your ice cream this month and savor every scoop!

Boy, I sure am glad that the “extension of summer” August will once again be in effect this year. Why? Because it is safe to say that this month will be unlike any other August I have ever experienced. In fact, the month will forever be immortalized starting TODAY. More on the event that will shape this August like no other in a future blog post (sorry for the tease). But besides the “big” event, our family has so much to look forward to this month including a wedding, baseball, vacation, and much more.

But enough about my August. I want to encourage all of you to enjoy this month as much as possible. I understand that for many, as my father-in-law would say, “the party is over” this month. If that is the case for you, I hope you can enjoy the remaining days of leisure before your responsibilities heat up. Savor these sweet days of summer, my friends!

In closing, I do want to extend heartfelt sympathy to all the children I know in South Carolina and other states who must return to school in the coming weeks (yuck). But as I have already alluded to in this post, don’t find yourself dreading the beginning of the school year so much that you can’t enjoy what you have left. Happy August to everyone—make it memorable! Don’t Blink.

Not So Awkward Moments

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I am working out at a new gym this week and I received quite the surprise this morning. As I was about to march off to the cardio section of this particular north Spokane gym, I heard someone call out my name.

“Hey, Brent Reser?”

My direction turned to the man who said my name. We had entered the gym around the same time and I had definitely noticed him but didn’t think there was any connection as he was wearing a hat and we were both focused on our workouts. But as I gazed over at him with a slightly puzzled look, he ended the mystery by quickly identifying himself. It was my high school assistant principal!

We took just a couple minutes to catch up but it was really nice to see him after so many years. It also helped that he told me I didn’t look much older since the day I graduated high school (yeah right! 😂).

Since moving back to my hometown three years ago, I can say that it has been such a joy re-connecting with people from my childhood and teen years. To be honest, when I returned to Spokane in 2020 after 15 years away, I thought it might be awkward to see people who I last saw a decade and a half ago. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Over the past few years, I have run into old friends and acquaintances at the store, community events, and the park. I have also bumped into blasts from the past under more unique circumstances. For example, on Halloween when I was passing out candy at my parents’ house, an old classmate brought his child to the door. Last weekend at the wedding I attended, the photographer was an old elementary school friend. And then of course this morning I chatted with my high school principal as we pumped iron.

Each time I have engaged with someone after not seeing them for 15 years or more, I have walked away feeling energized. It hasn’t been weird or uncomfortable but rather interesting and a little inspiring. No matter how small the role we had played in each other’s lives, we were able to recognize that history and celebrate it.

I didn’t attend my 10-year high school reunion because I was living on the east coast at the time. But even if geographic limitations didn’t factor into my absence, I don’t know if I would have attended. With my 20-year reunion just a couple years away, I am actually looking forward to it.

I feel fortunate to live in the area where I grew up and I have appreciated re-uniting with some of those people who I knew from my original/first stint in Spokane. It is important to embrace, not avoid, these opportunities. Don’t Blink.

For Par Thursday Rundown

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The time has come for my latest Thursday Rundown and the final one of July. Let’s get this party started with five topics…

Froyo Date – Back in June, I wrote about a list Sloan made for school that detailed her summer plans. An item on that list indicated she wanted to “Eat at Froyo Earth on 7-3-23 at 10:20.” Although we were over three weeks late, Sloan finally had her froyo with Robbie, the classmate she made the intention with. It was awesome to get the two together and see the plans they made actually materialize!

Robbie and Sloan at the froyo outing they organized.

Golf Night – On Friday evening I dusted off the golf clubs. My childhood best friend asked me to play a round after work at Deer Park Golf Club. With a 6:30 p.m. tee time, the course was pretty quiet by the time we got on it. We had a fantastic time catching up and swinging the sticks. As for my golf game? Terrible!

It was a lot of fun to play golf with John at Deer Park Golf Club.

Crazy Price Difference – When picking up a certain over the counter medicine (sorry for TMI) at our neighborhood grocery store, I couldn’t believe the price difference between the premium and generic products. Now granted the Imodium had more caplets than the generic but that price gap of $13.80 was pretty intense. I will always buy generic name brand medication over premium but unfortunately it wasn’t an option this time. Evidently everyone else had already made the sane decision to pass on a $15.19 product in favor of a $1.39 one.

The price difference is just bonkers.

Stream of Week: Bling Ring – Way back at the beginning of our relationship, Sidney and I watched the movie “Bling Ring.” It was based on the true life events of Los Angeles teenagers who broke into the homes of multiple Hollywood celebrities and stole their stuff. Fast forward nearly a decade since we watched the movie and we recently finished up Netflix’s “The Real Bling Ring” docuseries. Over the course of three episodes, two of the actual perpetrators are brutally honest about their crimes. Although they are now repentant, you will be knocked off your feet by the audacity, entitlement, and thirst for fame they had while committing the crimes.

It was interesting to hear Alexis and Nick tell their stories.

Pet Rock – I was today years old when I learned that “pet rocks” used to be a thing. I guess in 1975 a guy came up with the concept when after his friends complained about the significant commitment of owning a pet. This entrepreneur wanted to find a “pet” that didn’t require such strenuous care. The dude sold 1.5 million pet rocks in a short period of time before the fad slowed down. Sidney and Sloan keep asking for a pet…I wonder if a rock will pacify them?

This guy became a millionaire because he sold pet rocks.

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Huge weekend for our family coming up but more on that later. I hope everyone is able to enjoy these last remaining July days. Don’t Blink.

The X-Pulsion of Twitter

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To be honest, I was a little angry.

Over the course of nine months, I observed an ego maniac cripple a social media giant with bad decision after bad decision. I watched this guy treat his employees like garbage, strive to create deliberate division, and chase whatever impulse he felt entitled to even if it was to the detriment of his company. I cheered when this toxic “leader” supposedly removed himself from day-to-day operations of Twitter by announcing a new CEO.

So after all the turmoil and damage that Elon Musk caused, I was happy when Twitter seemingly scored a big win. This past weekend, engagement numbers for the new social media platform that was supposed to send Twitter to its grave were released…and they weren’t good.

Forbes reported that the daily active user count for Threads plummeted from 44 million on July 7 to 13 million this past weekend. Even worse, the average daily time spent on the app tanked from 19 minutes in early July to four minutes as of July 21. Compare that to Twitter’s 200 million active users and average daily time spent on app of 30 minutes and you would think that new bird boss Linda Yaccarino and her crew would be toasting champagne. After so many months of crummy developments, Twitter notched a victory by standing strong against its latest (and what was supposed to be its “greatest”) direct competitor.

Leave it to Elon to sabotage the positive momentum.

I wasn’t impressed by Elon Musk’s name/logo change (graphic courtesy of The Mirror).

Twitter Deserved Better

I am disappointed in the rushed and Mickey Mouse-esque way in which Twitter was “re-branded” to X. Even as a digital marketing professional who knows the greatest constant of social media is change, what happened in this case was an impulsive shit show. A platform that has meant so much to millions of users over the span of 17 years deserved better than to be ousted overnight and replaced by a single letter with a logo that looked like it was created on Kids Pix.

Sorry to sound cranky, but I am also irked from a professional standpoint. The haphazard “re-brand” means our WSU team needs to swap out countless Twitter depictions found in areas such as our website, residence hall posters, online social media directories, and even my analytics reporting spreadsheets. But even more frustrating than swapping a bird for an X is that I have been answering for Elon to my WSU colleagues for nine months now. I have given him way too much leeway while advising my fellow Cougs to stay the course. But when is enough truly enough?

X Isn’t Going Anywhere

Well, enough is still not enough…at least not for now. Despite Musk’s latest and most extreme stunt, the sun still rose for the platform now known as X. On Monday morning, my favorites like CNN, Darren Rovell and the Seattle Mariners were all still twe—I mean Xing? Despite the hideous new logo, the app is still essentially the same microblogging platform it was before Sunday. We shook our fists at Elon and mocked the rollout but it was still business as usual in terms of content deployment on the platform formerly known as Twitter.

So, yes, once again I advise not to pause/delete your X presence. The vast majority of accounts will continue to exist and engage on the platform and the stakes may be too high not to participate. If Twi—sorry, X—has proven one thing over the past nine months it’s that it is stronger and more resilient than a man who seems hellbent on destroying it.

Elon’s Motives Aren’t Mine

Perhaps I shouldn’t be so appalled at Elon Musk’s quest to dismantle what we knew as Twitter. After all, it is his company and his priorities aren’t mine. I look at the changes happening through the lens of a social media strategist who wants to preserve X as the social media powerhouse it once was. That’s not Elon’s vision. He wants to make X an enterprise that people depend on for fulfilling the most pressing tasks of life. With a goal like that, I guess I can see why posting updates about what you ate for breakfast might not be his primary concern.

But based on Musk’s decision making, maybe I am giving him too much credit. Although I can see why he would buy a platform with millions of users to springboard his lofty goals, I don’t think the way he treats people nor the prideful esteem he holds himself in will translate to the glory he is seeking.

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So let the X era begin. I hate being held mercy at the hands of a whiny billionaire but as I have said time and time again, we must adapt to the constantly changing ecosystem of social media. Don’t Blink.

#QuinnTheDay

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This past Saturday, our family had the blessing to attend a special wedding. We sat inside St. Mary Catholic Church as Brendan Quinn and Sarah Hiller entered into the sacrament of holy matrimony. We became part of the lives of Brendan and Sarah when Fr. Jeff Lewis asked us to provide their Pre-Cana marriage prep counseling. It was a very rewarding few months for all involved as we went through six content lessons plus an introductory meeting and then a casual debrief session at a Spokane Valley Mexican restaurant with Fr. Jeff.

A photo of us with Brendan, Sarah, and Fr. Jeff in March. This was taken at De Leon Foods in the Spokane Valley at the conclusion of our marriage prep program with the Quinns.

We were delighted and honored that Brendan and Sarah extended the relationship we had forged by inviting us to their special day. The entire afternoon/evening was beautiful but here are three quick things that I remember especially fondly from the #QuinnTheDay experience.

Sidney and I pose for a photo with Brendan and Sarah at their wedding reception.

Holy Wedding – Whenever I attend a Catholic wedding, I am always in awe at the reverence devoted to the most holy sacrament of matrimony. Saturday’s mass was incredible and such a fantastic start for the Quinns. In Fr. Jeff’s homily, he preached how God made woman as the perfect complement to man. However, he illustrated this point in the direct context of Sarah and Brendan which was pretty hilarious. Brendan was portrayed as a golf-obsessed cave man and Sarah was the woman who carried him out of the stone age 😂.

Sarah and Brendan up at the altar with Fr. Jeff Lewis. Sarah and Brendan were married at St. Mary Catholic Church in Spokane Valley on July 22, 2023.

Sidney on the Altar – Brendan and Sarah humbled Sid and I by asking if one of us would do the opening reading at their wedding. Believing that the guests would be more captivated by a sweet Southern accent proclaiming God’s word instead of my boring, accent-neutral monotone, Sidney represented us. She read Genesis 2:18-24 and did a really nice job. Sidney has expressed interest in becoming a full-time lector at St. Mary for regular Sunday masses and this was a perfect way for her to get a taste of what it takes…I think she has it!

Sidney delivers a reading at the wedding of Sarah and Brendan at St. Mary Catholic Church in the Spokane Valley.

Butch Appearance – The reception was at Center Place in Spokane Valley and it was so much fun! Sloan and Beau had a blast dancing the night away and the food/drink was such a treat. But what really stood out was the ultimate wedding reception surprise of all! Early on, the DJ teased that a special guest was about to make an appearance. At that moment, the WSU fight song started to play and Butch T. Cougar ran out onto the dance floor, a grand entrance indeed! Butch stayed for a couple hours as he interacted with guests, posed for pictures in the photo booth, and gave plenty of well-deserved attention to the Coug-crazed bride and groom. Both my kids were starstruck!

A big highlight of the #QuinnTheDay experience was Butch. What a surprise!!

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Sidney and I wish the Quinns a happy, faith-filled marriage. It is worth saying again: We are so blessed to be part of their lives. Don’t Blink.

Teeth Thursday Rundown

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Yesterday was the 200th day of 2023…I hope your year is going well! Consider me honored that you have returned for another Thursday Rundown. Without further ado, let’s get to tonight’s five topics…

Weird Teeth – I have always known that George Washington had fake teeth but I was under the impression that they were wooden. Sloan and I recently read an awesome book about oral care called “The Tooth Book” and in addition to all the great tips about maintaining healthy teeth, it also had some interesting trivia. That’s how I learned that Washington’s dentures were made of ivory, gold, human teeth, and ANIMAL TEETH. Animal teeth in your mouth?! That would be just a little too weird for me.

“The Tooth Book” was educational and entertaining.

Losing My First Tooth – Okay, because we are on the subject of teeth and because Sloan is so mad that she has not lost her first tooth yet, I thought I would share the below photo. “The Tooth Book” says that kids lose their first tooth between the ages of 6-7 and I believe I was right in that range for this picture but I am not 100% sure. As for Sloan, I am telling her to just be patient as she is low key freaking out that she still has all her baby teeth.

A photo of me as a little boy after I lost my first tooth.

National Fortune Cookie Day – Today is the day we celebrate fortune cookies. I don’t care for their taste but the messages do intrigue me. In fact, they interest me so much that 10 years ago I went to every Chinese restaurant in Missoula to snag some of their fortune cookies. I then went back to my apartment, cracked them open, and compared the fortunes. This is what I found.

A photo of me with fortune cookies laid out in my apartment.

Churro Kit Kat – This portion of the rundown might be kind of a letdown because I didn’t actually try them, but Sloan and I encountered Churro Kit Kat bars at our neighborhood grocery store last night. Perhaps the reason why I didn’t give them a try is because I am not a big fan of churros (or Kit Kats for that matter). But Sloan and I thought we would let the world know that they exist. Okay, I am done with that.

Sloan poses next to the Churro Kit Kat display in the Harvest Foods grocery story on Trent in Spokane Valley.

Stream of the Week – I managed to watch the five episodes of the American Gladiators documentary over the course of several nights. On Netflix and titled “Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators,” the documentary will produce some nostalgia for those of us who remember the show. I recall watching reruns as a young boy during the summer and I fondly remember the “Family Matters” episode where Steve and Carl competed on it. The documentary tells some wild stories and offers interesting insight about how the series was created and the extremely challenging first season that ensued. I found it pretty entertaining!

The Netflix documentary on the American Gladiators was entertaining.

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That will wrap things up for tonight. We have endless hot weather on tap here in Spokane and I plan to enjoy it. Hope everyone has an excellent weekend. Don’t Blink.