Our Latest Anniversary: Eight is Great

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Before I begin, one special note: Today we celebrate more than our wedding anniversary; we also celebrate the baptismal anniversary of our godson, Noble Andrade. A year ago today we were given the blessing of becoming godparents. Thank you for choosing us, Allyson and Ryan. We love you, Noble!

It was an ego-booster for sure. Just last month, someone who Sidney and I recently met approached us with an observation. With complete confidence and conviction, he told us that I (yes, ME!) looked exactly like Jake Gyllenhaal.

I was elated. Not since the mid-2010s when several people told me I resembled Russell Wilson had I received such a flattering comparison.

Well, Sidney brought me down to earth real quick. She proceeded to tell this guy that he was out of his mind! A text to my family text thread for their assessment of the comparison resulted in the resounding opinion that he must be blind and that my wife was right.

But Sid wasn’t going to let the reality check burn too harshly. She conveyed that it didn’t matter if I looked like Jake Gyllenhaal or Jake the Snake, she married me for me. Looks be damned.

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Today Sidney and I celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary. It is another one of those anniversaries that doesn’t seem to carry much significance, at least at its surface. However, an anniversary is an anniversary and should be recognized and celebrated as such.

Sidney and I celebrate our eighth anniversary today.

When it all comes down to it, today marks another achievement in our marriage. We receive another tally mark in the “Sid and Brent” column. The two people who are total opposites with communication styles as different as their accents continue to add up the years.

Sidney and I got married at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Myrtle Beach, SC, on June 11, 2016.

But for as different as we are, the fact that our marriage grows stronger every year doesn’t surprise me. You see, besides the genuine love we share for each other, the three things I highlight every year continue to be relevant in our marital relationship: A dependence on God’s grace, the solid examples of strong marriages from our own parents, and the special way our children enhance our relationship.

Sidney and I enjoyed another year of marriage together in large part to God, our parents, and our kids.

When I look back on the past year of marriage, two things stick out that truly define it.

It was a beautiful feeling walking back up the aisle with Sidney after we were married.

The first was moving into our own house this past August. Finding a home of our own was a dream of Sid’s and we finally made it a reality after realizing we have everything we need in Spokane. It wasn’t lost on us that the abode I currently type this blog post from will be the spot where many, many more years of our marriage will transpire.

This past year of marriage was defined by moving into our new home.

Then there was the opportunity that Sidney and I had to help lead two retreats for engaged couples. While Sid and I do Pre-Cana marriage counseling for individual couples, the Engaged Encounter retreats we led provided an entirely new level of intensity. During these weekend retreats, Sid and I worked as a team to deliver multiple marital-based presentations over the course of three days.

Sidney and I at our first Engaged Encounter weekend retreat in March. After months of preparing, we got to present and would do it again in May, too!

These presentations took a lot of prep work as we spent many late nights practicing and perfecting them. It was labor intensive but so worth it! We felt like we were able to connect with the 13-14 couples present at each retreat while also re-connecting with just the two of us. When we volunteered to do these retreats we definitely put ourselves out there but it paid off. I think all marriages can use a challenge every now and then.

This was our March 1-3, 2024 Engaged Encounter weekend team. What a pleasure it was to present with the Shroeders and Fr. Pat Kearst.

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Sidney and I do something that is quite elementary. Whenever we make a big decision together, we always “shake on it” like we are car salesmen making a deal. We made some big deals over the last year and I can’t wait to see what else we will be shaking hands over in the future.

A photo taken of us from just a couple days ago. Okay, I admit it, I don’t think I look like Jake Gyllenhaal.

Whether I look like Jake Gyllenhaal or not, I am lucky that Sid still wants me in her corner shaking hands and making deals. Thanks be to God for his abundant grace in our special marriage. Don’t Blink.

Dr. Pepper vs. Pepsi

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I recently came across some business news that surprised me. Dr. Pepper has surpassed Pepsi as the #2 soda brand in the country. While both brands own 8.3% of the soda market, Dr. Pepper obviously won the coin flip and has claimed Pepsi’s silver medal. Coca-Cola is comfortably #1 with 19.2% of the soda market.

From a personal standpoint, this news is bittersweet to me. Dr. Pepper is my favorite soda but Pepsi holds sentimental value. Growing up, we were a Pepsi family. Although my parents only let my siblings and me drink soda on a special occasion basis, it was usually with a Pepsi when those times presented themselves. I also fondly remember my grandpa stocking his fridge with Pepsi from his restaurant when my family visited.

Dr. Pepper is my favorite soda but I also have an emotional to Pepsi.

Because of this emotional connection, I have rooted for the brand over the years, even if I would choose a Dr. Pepper if given the choice. In fact, I have always approved of Pepsi’s marketing strategy. In my mind, Pepsi rightfully selected a modern, pop culture-based strategy to counter Coke’s nostalgic approach. Think “Pilk” and A-list celebrities vs. polar bears and “classic” messaging.

My daughter drinks “Pilk,” a combination of Pepsi and milk that the soda giant embraced as a way to be relevant and in-touch with the country.

But perhaps Pepsi has never fully evolved from the 1980s Cola Wars to equip itself to compete against other formidable competitors. The story of Dr. Pepper’s ascension from a small regional Southern product to a national powerhouse brand is pretty impressive. How did the company do it? Well, as a marketer, you know what my first reason would be. Strategic marketing decisions, such as partnerships with college football/ESPN and its wildly successful “Fansville” advertising campaign, endeared the brand to a sports-obsessed country. However, I think there is something else prominently at play that can explain the soda shift. Dr. Pepper simply offers a product that is distinctly different from cola. In a society that values variety and has embraced “dirty soda” drinks, DP is uniquely positioned at this point in our country’s history to replace Pepsi as #2.

It’s not like Pepsi isn’t trying when it comes to its marketing. Campaigns to partner with other brands like the Pepsi x Peeps contest are creative but they don’t necessarily directly respond to the threat that Dr. Pepper poses.

The question now is this: Will Sprite (8.1%) leapfrog Pepsi as well? I think the answer is no—at least not in the next year. With Pepsi’s recent demotion to #3, I think it will serve as a wake up call to shift the focus back to its flagship brand and perhaps be more aggressive in its marketing to directly compete against Dr. Pepper.

What soda are you going to put in your shopping cart this summer? If you choose either Pepsi or Dr. Pepper, because of razor-thin margins, chances are that you’re helping decide who seizes the #2 spot in the soda market. Don’t Blink.

King Thursday Rundown

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Awww…it is wedding season. I want to start this Thursday Rundown by wishing the best to all engaged couples who will be tying the knot very soon. I also want to congratulate all married couples who will be celebrating anniversaries over the next few months. Alright, let’s get going with tonight’s five topics…

First Ice Cream Truck Purchase – There is nothing quite like that first ice cream truck purchase of the summer. For my children, it happened this past Friday at Browns Park in the Spokane Valley. We had a dinner picnic with my sister and her children when at one point that familiar music reached our ears. Of course, Sloan and Beau pleaded for the chance to pick something out and I relented (at least this once 😂). Beau got a Spider-man treat and Sloan got a bomb pop. The most ironic part? The kids enjoyed their first ice cream truck treat on the same date this year (May 31) as they did last year.

I captured this moment from last Friday when Sloan, Beau, and their cousin, Johnny, picked out their first ice cream truck treat of the summer.

King Richard – Sidney and I recently watched “King Richard” on Netflix. Want to know what stood out to me? Throughout the film I totally forgot that Will Smith, one of the best actors on the planet, was playing Richard Williams. He played the role so well that his reputation and celebrity never made me think “Okay, how is Will Smith going to approach this next scene?” Besides Smith’s performance, the movie was solid and I really enjoyed watching the different coaches and how they put up with Richard’s demands/ego.

Will Smith delivers an outstanding performance in “King Richard.”

Amputee Soccer – I was today years old when I learned about amputee soccer. What an inspiration! Athletes who are missing a leg play with forearm crutches but without their prosthesis. It takes guts to play a sport but the courage needed to play with a significant disability is a whole different level. I was introduced to the sport of amputee soccer when this ABC report came on at the gym.

I loved learning about these talented athletes.

Pickleball Oasis – I took Sloan and Beau to Riverfront Park on Saturday. While walking to the Ice Age Playground, we decided to investigate all the commotion that was coming from under the pavilion. Lo and behold, we strolled into this beautiful pickleball scene. As part of the 50th anniversary of Spokane Expo ’74, a pickleball tournament was held to promote and celebrate the wildly popular sport. I enjoyed watching some of the play while the kids participated in the pickleball activities offered by the vendors who were set up on the pavilion floor away from the action.

I took this photo of Picklefest ’24 underneath the pavilion at Spokane’s Riverfront Park. What a cool event!

Summer Essentials – With summer practically here, I had to take a photo of Beau next to the below Safeway display. It just nails it when it comes to the bulk essentials needed for these summer months. I probably averaged 10 Otter Pops per summer day as a kid and now, rightfully so, my children pay me back by leaving their sticky Otter Pop wrappers all around the house. You need crisp, cold water during these sweltering summer months—at least two bottles for every beer. And finally, I am convinced the classic licorice tub is bottomless. I eat piece after piece but I don’t think I have ever seen one of the containers completely empty.

Otter Pops, water, and Red Vines….who is ready for summer?!

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A hot weekend is on tap here in Spokane and we have a lot on our agenda! Thanks for taking the time to read this blog and I will catch up with you in a few days. Don’t Blink.

Delivering Phone Books

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Last week, I was reading a book to Sloan and Beau called Strong Man. It was a children’s biography on Charles Atlas, a bodybuilder and fitness guru who was a national celebrity during the first half of the 20th century.

Sloan holding the book “Strong Man” by Meghan McCarthy.

At one point in the story, it addressed how Atlas got his start as a strongman in the Coney Island sideshow. During his routine, he would tear phone books in half. When I read that part, Sloan stopped me with a confused look on her face and asked a question.

You can see the reference (bottom left) to phone books that made Sloan ask “the” question.

“What’s a phone book, daddy?”

Although a bit mortified at how old her question made me feel, I couldn’t hide my laughter. I explained to her what a phone book was and then I told her a personal story…

During one summer in college, I answered a classified ad in the newspaper. The gig? Delivering phone books. I reported to a warehouse in Spokane Valley where a gruff guy interviewed me for 10 minutes in a makeshift office. Convinced that I wasn’t going to hoard the phone books for myself, he hired me and assigned me a route. The guy then helped me pack every spot in my small Nissan Sentra with phone books.

For the next couple weeks, my time was consumed with delivering phone books to front porches. The pay structure was based on how many books I delivered, with each book netting me something like $.10.

Yep, not something I was going to get rich on.

I was kept honest by automated telephone calls that were placed to the households on my route. The recording would confirm that the person received a phone book. As you can imagine, this work could get strenuous. Hauling phone books in the heat through hilly neighborhoods at a dime per delivery wasn’t exactly a cushy job.

Thankfully, I didn’t do the phone book racket for too long. A road construction job I held for a couple summers started again so I said “peace out” to my phone book delivery duties after finishing my route.

But the experience did build a little character, put some money in my pocket, and provided a story that I could one day tell my children about. Little did I know how educational that story would end up being. Don’t Blink.

Our Resident Spider-Man

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Did you have an item that you wore obsessively as a kid? Most likely it was a hat and it ushered you through a phase. I had a white ball cap I wore all the time. My brother donned a plastic construction hat that was basically glued to his head as he wore it even during naps. My niece wouldn’t be caught dead without her stocking cap during a long stretch of her toddler years.

Well, Beau has hit a similar phase but instead of a hat it is a head-to-toe Spider-Man costume. About 10 days ago, Sidney was cleaning when Beau’s Halloween costume re-surfaced. Our son happened to be near Sid when she found it and since then he has been a perpetual 3.5-foot Spider-Man.

Beau has been wearing his Spider-Man costume around the house A LOT lately.

He jumped into the suit right away and ran through the house shooting imaginary webs at us. Beau kept the costume on throughout the Saturday as we hung around the house. Once we did actually need to run an errand, we told Beau it was time to ditch the costume. He wasn’t having it. Insistent upon remaining Spider-Man, he wore it in the car and out in public. That was just the beginning…

Over the past 10 days, I have had to strap a mini Spider-Man into his car seat more than once.

Throughout the Memorial Day weekend, Beau continued to wear the costume. It didn’t come off when we went geocaching, to my parents’ house, or to a church meeting. On Tuesday when he returned to school, we had to explain that Spider-Man went against the St. Mary dress code. That didn’t stop him from putting it back on right when we arrived home after the school day. Even during this past weekend, Beau continued to spin webs in his Spidey suit.

On our geocaching adventures, Spider-Man summons his powers to help us find the caches. This photo was taken at Saltese Cemetery.

When it all comes down to it, there are worst things that a 4-year-old can be obsessed with. Perhaps any iota of sarcasm you sense just comes from the fact that it gets annoying to put the costume back on. Beau needs an adult’s help to get inside the jumpsuit. You have to help him put it on feet first and then fasten him up. The costume is secured by aligning three Velcro patches near the back of the neck. Not only does the costume come on/off naturally throughout the day (or a typical after school afternoon), but Beau has to go to the bathroom…a lot. Each time nature calls, we have to help him take it off and then put it back on.

Beau has been defending our neighborhood in his Spider-Man costume.

As I write this, the phase is still in full force. How long until our little Spider-Man decides to be content with just being Beau? I guess it is anyone’s guess. In the meantime, I think our neighborhood is safe from Doctor Octopus. Don’t Blink.

Rango Thursday Rundown

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It is June Eve Eve. In just a couple days we will welcome the first month of summer. So on that sunny note, let’s get to this evening’s five topics…

Grave Recipe – Our geocache activities took us to a small graveyard this past weekend. The Saltese Cemetery featured many unique tombstones and memorials. A particular gentleman who passed away in 2022 had a recipe for ranch dressing on the back of his stone. Marty Woolf also had a Diet Mt. Dew can resting on the base of the monument. I would make the recipe in his honor if I liked ranch dressing but since I don’t hopefully one of my readers will do it instead. I read his obituary and Marty seemed like an exceptional human being.

Those who enjoy ranch should take note of this recipe. May eternal life grant upon Marty, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Rango – On Saturday, I took the kids to the Garland Theater to watch “Rango.” This particular animated film was made in 2011 and stars Johnny Depp as the voice of the leading character, a lizard who tries to re-invent himself. The movie is billed as a western and received rave reviews when it came out 13 years ago. However, I personally thought the price of admission—which was free—was about as much as I would ever pay to see it.

We went to the Garland on May 25 to watch “Rango.”

Signature Select Cookie Dough Ice Cream – In last week’s Thursday Rundown, I marked the eighth anniversary of my famous cookie dough ice cream battle that tasked my wife with sampling and rating five different brands of cookie dough ice creams. Since we lived in the South at the time, we didn’t have access to a Safeway store. If we did, I would have been curious to see how the company’s Signature Select cookie dough ice cream would have performed. I opened the below tub earlier this week and was impressed with how packed it was with cookie dough and chocolate chunks. The taste was on-point too.

This ice cream looked good and it definitely tasted good.

Top Five Fun – If you remember, last week marked the sixth anniversary of my top 5 beers blog post. Today I get to mark a couple of other “top 5” anniversaries. On May 30, 2017, I revealed my top 5 favorite sodas. I will let you follow the link for the full list but the shirt I am wearing below will give you a good idea on what tops it. And then on May 30, 2018, I wrote about my top 5 favorite Glade air fresheners. I promise, I do actually have a life 😂.

I am a Dr. Pepper fan.

Rainbow – What better way to end this rundown than with a rainbow? Yesterday evening Sloan and I were out geocaching. We hit up a couple sites that no longer had a cache and it put Sloan in a bad mood. However, the rainbow managed to put a smile back on her face.

Taste the rainbow! What a beautiful scene on May 29, 2024, in the Spokane Valley.

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I hope everyone has enjoyed a worthwhile May. Sending positive vibes for June and the best summer ever. Don’t Blink.

Celebrating National Hamburger Day

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It is National Hamburger Day and since I missed National Cheeseburger Day back in September (😂), I thought I should probably write something today. However, I don’t want to beleaguer the topic too much so how about just a few points—or better yet—bites? Just the perfect amount it takes to devour a good-sized slider.

There is nothing better than a great burger.

I have much admiration and comfort for the universality of the hamburger on a restaurant menu…and when I say “universality” I am of course speaking of just American restaurants. You won’t just find a hamburger on the menus of restaurants like Applebee’s, Chilis, and Buffalo Wild Wings. You will also find them on the menus at the fish house you don’t like because you hate seafood, the Thai place that intimidates you a bit, and the steakhouse where you don’t want to shell out $60 for a steak. Hamburgers are seemingly on most restaurant menus and provide the perfect fallback option.

Retro photo of me eating a hamburger in 2012.

Although ordering a hamburger can be the economical choice on many menus as I just alluded to with the steakhouse example, don’t think it has been immune to inflation. I see many burgers priced at $17-$20 these days and let me say this: I have had a lot of bad $20 burgers over the past couple years. But I have also enjoyed some pretty good ones over that span as well. Case in point, just this past weekend we ate at a place called Pint House Burgers and Brews here in the Spokane Valley. My $17 cheeseburger came with two patties, a shiny/fresh bun, and the necessity that two hands be used to eat it. Almost worth every penny.

I ordered this cheeseburger just this past Friday at Pint House Burgers and Brews.

I can easily make due with just the bun, meat, and slice of cheddar cheese but I am not opposed to enhancing a burger with toppings. Back in 2017 I wrote a post that revealed my top five burger toppings but I can save you the link click (because I am feeling nice today) and just tell you them here: bacon, pepper jack cheese, french fries, BBQ sauce, and blue cheese crumbles. And oh yeah, I also love some peanut butter on my burger too!

This is a peanut butter hamburger I ate at River City Café, a famous burger place in Myrtle Beach.

Happy National Hamburger Day, friends. Make sure to celebrate accordingly. Don’t Blink.

Treasure Hunting For Kids

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After mass yesterday, the four of us were looking for something fun to do. Sloan then suggested the perfect idea: geocaching.

We dipped our feet into the world of geocaching late last year when we went to a couple sites during winter break. However, with the arrival of longer days and warmer temperatures, Sloan figured the conditions were more favorable to resume our geocache expeditions.

Sloan holds her first-ever Geocache capsule that we found in December 2023 outside the Safeway store on 32nd and Pines in Spokane Valley.

For those who don’t know, geocaching is an activity where people use their smart phones to navigate to specific places marked by coordinates. Once at these various spots, the goal is to find the cache that is usually creatively hidden within the natural environment. We like to think of it as modern-day treasure hunting. And, if you know anything about kids, you know they love a good treasure hunt.

As I mentioned, during the winter we scoped out a couple different geocache sites. At the first one, we didn’t even find the cache! With Sidney now part of our squad, we decided to begin our day of hunting by going back to that same spot. I thought my wife would push us over the edge and find it herself. But guess what? Sloan was the one who found it. This particular cache was hiding in a fake rock at the location that had alluded us back in December. I couldn’t believe Sloan sniffed it out!

Sidney, Sloan, and Beau look for the geocache at the location that stumped us back in December.

You see, caches are usually hidden in tubes, kits, and bottles. From all our research, we never suspected that a fake rock with a sliding bottom door would house one. That big find by Sloan instilled confidence within us for the rest of the afternoon.

By using the geocache app, we visited three additional spots to look for caches. Even though we chose locations near us, the specific places we visited were completely new to us.

Beau investigates the contents of a geocache. Wearing a Spiderman costume will give you an advantage when on the hunt.

Our first new spot was an old dairy farm. It is now an out-of-the-way, overgrown park but learning about the history was fascinating. Sloan found the cache kit in a corner of the grounds…

Sloan found this Geocache kit in an old dairy farm. It has since been converted into a very basic park.

Our geocache adventure then took us to a small pioneer cemetery. Many of the graves were from the 1800s and with it being Memorial Day weekend, the visit was very timely. In addition to finding the cache under a bench, I taught the kids about cemetery etiquette and respect for the dead…

One geocache hunt took us to Saltese Cemetery. Sloan looks on as Beau opens the cache.

We concluded our hunt in a neighborhood we never knew existed. We had to navigate through some bushes but eventually found the kit without drawing too much attention from the neighbors who were outside enjoying the pleasant Sunday…

Sloan holds the geocache kit we found in a random neighborhood.

If you are looking for something unique, inexpensive, and educational to do with your children this upcoming summer, consider geocaching. With our adventure yesterday, I think Sid and I opened up a can of worms with Sloan and Beau. Don’t be surprised to find the Resers roaming around random spots in the Spokane Valley over the next couple of months. Don’t Blink.

Happy 13th Ordination Anniversary, Dear Friend

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It is a special day for our pastor and friend.

Today, Fr. Jeff Lewis celebrates the 13th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. On May 26, 2011, he answered God’s call and became a living sacrament of Christ when Cardinal Blaise Cupich ordained him a priest for service within the Catholic Diocese of Spokane.

Fr. Jeff celebrates 13 years of priestly ministry today. He was ordained by Cardinal Blaise Cupich on May 26, 2011.

When I wrote about Fr. Jeff’s 12th anniversary of ordination a year ago, little did I know all he would do between that time and today. It certainly has been a banner year for our family priest. Over the past 52 weeks, Fr. Jeff delivered an incredible talk at SEEK, launched a parish-wide evangelization challenge, produced major increases in average weekend mass attendance, made a grand slam principal hire that positively changed the trajectory of our school, and so much more.

Fr. Jeff receives the gifts from Sloan during a St. Mary School mass just a few weeks ago.

However, this year’s ordination blog post isn’t about delving into his many successes as pastor of St. Mary Parish. Nor is it to highlight his numerous priestly merits (I did that last year). Rather, the purpose of this year’s post is to thank him for being such a good friend.

Fr. Jeff has a close relationship with Sloan and Beau. My kids think the world of him.

In the four years that we have known Fr. Jeff, he has always nourished our family with the sacraments and sound spiritual direction. Over the course of this time we have also had the pleasure of getting to know him on a personal level. Thanks be to God, he has always been just a text message away for our family. But this past year we grew even closer and our friendship blossomed.

We are blessed to call Fr. Jeff a dear family friend. (photo courtesy of Carl Lockwood).

When I look back on the past 12 months, it seems like many of our family’s memorable events included Fr. Jeff. From spending Hoopfest weekend together to watching Cougar football in Pullman to “guy’s night” at the rectory to birthday parties to dinners, we have had the blessing of enjoying these good times alongside Fr. Jeff.

We joined Fr. Jeff Lewis and other St. Mary friends on a fun road trip to watch the Washington State University football team defeat the University of Colorado.

There is nothing like hanging out in a seemingly “non-parish” public situation with Fr. Jeff. Although we might be outside the walls of the physical St. Mary church, he is truly always on call as a disciple of Christ. This is evidenced by the many people who approach him for counsel, request a blessing, or call out “FATHER” when walking in a crowd (alright, Fr. Jeff is really tall so he does stand out).

Achieving success during Hoopfest 2023 was great but spending the weekend with Fr. Jeff in-between games was just as awesome.

What I am trying to say is that being a friend of a priest is eye-opening because you are constantly reminded of how much they are needed. Observing this firsthand via our friendship with Fr. Jeff has not only underscored the importance of priestly vocation but has left little doubt about how much our tall friend cherishes his.

Sidney sits next to Fr. Jeff during a break in action during Hoopfest 2023 (and of course Sloan had to be close by as well 😂). It was so cool to see so many approach Fr. Jeff during that weekend.

For all the great times we had with Fr. Jeff over the past year, the undisputed highlight came just last week. Sidney and I had the blessing of presenting with him at the latest Spokane Diocese Engaged Encounter retreat. Over the course of three days, we worked together to deliver five different marriage-based presentations to 14 engaged couples. I would say the chemistry between the three of us was pretty evident 😉. To minister with our friend in such an intimate and important way was pretty special.

The last night of our Engaged Encounter retreat, we had a little celebration for Fr. Jeff after all the programing was done for the day. What a blessed weekend it was!

As Fr. Jeff celebrates his anniversary today, I know there are scores of parishioners—both from St. Mary and his past parishes—who are celebrating his 13 years of priestly service too. Count us in that bunch! For our family, we are celebrating a priest who gladly eats our cooking, humorously inserts Sloan’s name into mass, and gladly accepts Beau’s hugs. We are also thanking God for a priest who genuinely cares for our salvation. Whether Fr. Jeff is saying a mass for our family, hearing our confessions, blessing our house, or doing a multitude of other things, we know his desire is that we make it to Heaven.

Fr. Jeff blessed our house in September. We know our salvation means a lot to him.

Throughout this past year, I have heard Fr. Jeff express how he is filled with joy and peace for the gift of his priesthood. As he embarks on the next 13 years of his priestly ministry (and the next 13 years after that, etc.), I hope the Holy Spirit continues to swell those blessed fruits within him. Please pray for our friend. Don’t Blink.

Apple Thursday Rundown

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Is the Memorial Day weekend within your grasp yet? I know a few of you out there will be playing hooky tomorrow. I will be working but let me promise you, I won’t let my envy deter me from writing my latest Thursday Rundown. Here we go…

Apple Jacks Pop-Tarts – Alright, after boycotting Pop-Tarts for a few days because I was so disappointed with “Unfrosted,” I am back to eating them again. And not only have I resumed chowing down on them but I am once again seeking out weird and limited edition flavors. This week I tried Apple Jacks Pop-Tarts and in the same way that “Unfrosted” didn’t resemble the actual origin of Pop-Tarts, Apple Jacks Pop-Tarts didn’t resemble the actual taste of Apple Jacks. Actually, that first bite I took was pretty bad. But it grew on me as I went along—it tastes just as you would expect an apple-flavored pastry to taste. Also, for what it’s worth, my wife came downstairs about 15 minutes after I toasted mine and said, “What smells so good?”

These Apple Jacks Pop-Tarts were decent.

Apple Pizza – From Apple Jacks Pop-Tarts to apple pizza. No, I am not talking PINEapple, I am talking straight up APPLE. On Tuesday night during our WSU System Marketers and Communicators Conference, I went with some colleagues to a pizza place in Moscow, ID, called Maialina. I ordered the Mela, a pie topped with caramelized onion, gorgonzola dolce, cow’s milk ricotta, cream, sage, and APPLE. Always good to try something different but I don’t think I would order it again.

When we dined at Maialina, I ordered the Mela. Probably not something I will order again.

Spirit Week – It has been a week of fun and creative outfits for Beau and Sloan. It is Spirit Week at St. Mary Catholic School so the students have ditched their uniforms for sillier options. Mismatch/Crazy Hair Day, Career Day, Sports Day, and Decade Day have all transpired throughout the course of this week. Much gratitude to Sidney for serving as the architect of putting all these outfits together!

Sloan and Beau pose in their mismatch clothes (left) and then in their career clothes (Sloan is a teacher in the top right image and Beau is a police officer in the bottom right image).

Sloan’s Soccer Season – I took some time earlier this week to recap Beau’s t-ball season so I also want to recognize Sloan’s soccer season. She concluded her spring slate of games this past Saturday. She improved a lot from the fall and I really enjoyed watching her engage with her teammates and the enthusiasm she constantly displayed. Sloan’s coach, Caleb Hatch, is so patient and knowledgeable. The Squids won more games than they lost (although they don’t keep score) while playing up a division. Congrats to Sloan and her teammates!

That is one happy bunch! This photo was taken after the last game of the spring season this past Saturday.

Archives – Since I don’t have anything better to do, I thought I would reach into the archives for other blog posts I have written on May 23 in the past. Back in 2013 I described the importance of checklists. In 2015 I wrote about ice cream pie and how it became a birthday tradition in the Reser household growing up. In 2018 I wrote a blog post I find myself sharing at least a couple times each year—my top 5 favorite beers. In 2022 I told the story about a high school teacher of mine who conveyed in dramatic fashion that cheating is not okay. Alright, is that enough?

Sidney made me an ice cream pie on my birthday in 2015.

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That will wrap things up for tonight. Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend, everyone! Don’t Blink.