Ninth Month Thursday Rundown

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Well I hope your September is off to a fine start. Our month started off with a trip to Missoula, the celebration of my niece’s 9th birthday, and the beginning of the school year. Let’s dive into tonight’s five topics…

Back-To-School Boards – This year we purchased our back-to-school boards at Michael’s. We opted for a dry erase version so we no longer have to purchase a design on Etsy, get it printed, etc. Now we can just fill out the board the morning of the first day of school and we will be able to use them for years to come.

We purchased our back-to-school dry erase boards at Michael’s.

Griz Vision Cameo – As I briefly mentioned in my Missoula blog post, a highlight of the football game was Sloan making it on the giant video screen of Washington-Grizzly Stadium (called Griz Vision). We had a couple girls just a little older than Sloan sitting by us and of course our daughter made quick friends with them. Their mission throughout the game was to appear on Griz Vision. They danced their hearts out throughout all four quarters but it almost looked like the Griz Vision cameras would allude them. Not so! With under two minutes to go in the game, the girls caught the eye of the camera person closest to our section and they were projected onto the screen during one of the final timeouts. The below photo shows the group reacting to their accomplishment while they are literally on the screen.

Sloan and her new friends react as they projected onto Griz Vision in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Creepy Clown – I don’t know how it got there or who the previous owner was, but Sloan found an unsettling clown doll in my parents’ house on Sunday night while celebrating my niece’s birthday. The doll was the subject of much humor throughout the evening. Sloan wanted to bring it home but I adamantly told her no, especially since we have a certain member of our household (the other person whose name starts with “S”) who is afraid of clowns. Nonetheless, when we pulled away to head home, I noticed my dad had sneakily placed the clown in our car. Yep, it is now living under our roof.

A photo of Sloan holding the creepy clown doll that now lives at our house.

National Beer Lovers Day – I think there must be like eight different national beer days on the calendar because I find myself sharing this blog post a lot. Approximately 5.5 years ago, I counted down my top five favorite beers and a lot of people hated me for it. You will just have to see my choices to learn why (and happy National Beer Lovers Day).

I don’t think a lot of people agree with my beer choices.

What A Big Heart – Ready to feel small? Courtesy of @HistoryInMemes, the below photo is the heart of a blue whale. The arteries in this organ are so huge that an adult human could swim in them. Some more incredible facts: that heart you see is 1,300 pounds and a single heartbeat of the animal can be heard from two miles away. Puts into perspective our rather small physical size, right?

This is a photo of the heart of a blue whale (image courtesy of @historyinmemes).

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Time to sign off for the week as I turn my attention to another football weekend. Thanks for your support of this blog and may God bless you! Don’t Blink.

Kicking Off the 2023-24 School Year

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Watch a “First Day of School” video of Sloan and Beau

A new school year has started and the excitement is palpable at the Reser household. Today we sent both our children off to the same school, a pattern that should hold for (fingers crossed) the next eight years.

Sloan and Beau stand outside St. Mary Catholic School on their first day of school on Sept. 5, 2023.

This morning, St. Mary Catholic School welcomed Sloan and Beau with open arms. Sloan is a first grader in Ms. Lunsford’s class. If you remember, Ms. Lunsford was Sloan’s Pre-K4 teacher during the 2021-22 school year and we couldn’t be happier that she has moved up to lead the first grade classroom.

Sloan is a first grader in Ms. Lunsford’s class.

Beau started his projected 11-year run at St. Mary with his first day of Pre-K3. There is plenty of familiarity with his classroom too. Ms. Shaurette, who taught Sloan during her Pre-K3 year, will teach her second Reser child. Like with Ms. Lunsford, we are so happy and comfortable with Ms. Shaurette.

Beau is in Ms. Shaurette’s Pre-K3 class.

Besides Sloan and Beau, someone else had their first day at St. Mary today—the principal! Mr. Stephen Hart was hired at the end of last school year and there is much joy with his arrival. Mr. Hart has an impressive teaching background and an unwavering devotion to the Catholic faith. He will set the tone for this year with his strong leadership and passion for academic excellence. At the same time, there will never be a doubt about what is most important at St. Mary during his tenure: instilling a love of God that is infused with an unstoppable pursuit of salvation. Stephen is a great family friend and we can’t wait to watch him do amazing things.

St. Mary Principal Mr. Stephen Hart opens the doors for the first time during the 2023-24 school year. He will do great things.

Besides our kids, Sid and I are also excited for the school year. There is nothing like the St. Mary community, especially the relationships you get to build with the parents and family members in your child’s class. We have met so many friends and faithful Catholics by getting to know the parents of Sloan’s classmates. Lucky for us, we will have even more chances to build additional meaningful relationships with Beau’s new class. We can’t wait!

It is great to have both of our children at the same school. 🙏🏻

Best of luck to all students beginning a new school year! May we pray that everyone has the chance to learn and grow, both mentally and spiritually. Don’t Blink.

Sloan and Beau Experience Missoula

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As a parent, there is something profound about providing your children the chance to experience something that was special to you. Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to share with Sloan and Beau a place that played an incredible role in shaping the person I am today. Although it was for only about 36 hours, I was overjoyed to take my kids to the town where my educational, social, and professional development was built and shaped. Hello, Missoula.

It was special to take Sloan and Beau to Missoula for the first time.

Sidney, Sloan, Beau, and I were on the road by 5 a.m. on Saturday morning of Labor Day Weekend 2023. After a ride filled with Jonas Brothers music thanks to DJ Sid, we pulled into Missoula at 9 a.m. and parked at our hotel. From there it was a quick walk across the footbridge and onto the campus of the University of Montana. We had watched a bunch of Monte videos the day before so Sloan and Beau were starstruck when we lined the route of the Griz Walk and saw the famous bear himself leading the procession. Seeing the Spirit Squad and football team up close was also pretty cool. It was then off to the GSA Tailgate before entering Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Sid and Sloan watch as the University of Montana Spirit Squad leads the Griz Walk.

On a hot early September day, we watched the Griz host Butler. We had the pleasure of taking in the entire pregame performance followed by some football! Sloan stayed in her seat the entire game despite the sun beating down on us. Her goal was to make Griz Vision and with about two minutes left in the game she accomplished her goal along with the two new friends she had made in the stands. Beau was a little less engaged than Sloan but he sure took an interest in running up and down those Washington-Grizzly Stadium stairs 😂.

Our family inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium prior to the University of Montana vs. Butler football game on September 2, 2023.

After the game I let the kids run on the stadium turf and then we walked through the Adams Center. As we did the latter I showed them the Hall of Champions, a section of the facility that I played a major role in updating during my time with Grizzly Athletics. We snagged posters and then made the short walk back to the hotel.

Sloan on the Washington-Grizzly Stadium turf after the game.

Okay, football is cool and all, but we all know what trumps watching a storied program host its home opener on a gorgeous day…swimming in the hotel pool! When we got to our hotel room, Sloan and Beau couldn’t get their suits on fast enough as we splashed in the outdoor pool and hot tub for a couple hours.

Sloan (in the pool) and Beau (wrapped in towel outside of pool) had a fun swim session after the game.

The swimming helped us work up our appetites and it was off to dinner. We ate at Old Chicago and for some reason, family dinners enjoyed out of town always seem to be more special. After we ate the four of us drove around downtown Missoula a bit before ordering Blizzards at Dairy Queen. We took the ice cream back to the hotel and watched TV before calling it a night.

Sid and Sloan making some tough decisions at Dairy Queen on Higgins St. in Missoula.

We started our Sunday at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church for 10 a.m. mass. Our own pastor, Fr. Jeff Lewis, describes the beauty of this Missoula gem by remarking, “It is almost like it dropped upon Montana from Rome herself.” After mass we went to Cracker Barrel for brunch. The Missoula location was the first “Crack Shack” I ever ate at and Sidney misses the Southern chain greatly as there is not a location in Spokane. The food was excellent as usual.

Beau kneels in a pew at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Missoula prior to the 10 a.m. mass on Sept. 3, 2023.

It was now time to play! We headed off to Dragon Hollow, a spectacular and creative playground that was designed according to the suggestions of children. It definitely ranks as one of the top five playgrounds our kids have ever had the pleasure of playing on! We then hit up the adjacent carousel. Called “A Carousel For Missoula,” it was inspired by the Loof Carousel here in Spokane and is one of the fastest carousels in the country.

Beau plays on a portion of the Dragon Hollow playground in Missoula.

My daughter then proceeded to impress me. After we were finished in downtown Missoula we headed back to campus where Sloan was adamant that we hike “The M” trail. I was a little skeptical about whether she could do it but after we changed clothes in the University Center and headed to the base of Mt. Sentinel, I knew she was dialed in. Sloan did awesome as we ascended the mountain and made it to the top of The M. What a memorable moment with my little girl!

That’s Sloan on The M overlooking the University of Montana campus and the city of Missoula. I was so proud that she hiked all the way to the top!

On that high note, it was time to head back to Spokane. We made a stop at the $50,000 Silver Dollar Bar and then drove the rest of the way to our home. It was about 8 p.m. by the time we walked inside the house.

Sloan holds a stuffed animal she bought at the $50,000 Silver Dollar Bar.

There are certain “firsts” that you don’t forget. I believe Sid and I will always remember taking the kids to Missoula for this initial time. I am also convinced that Sloan will always remember the trip as well, especially the adrenaline of seeing herself up on Griz Vision and the accomplishment of hiking The M. What a perfect Montana getaway it was. Don’t Blink.

Pickleball Thursday Rundown

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Let’s open this blog post with the sobering reality that many people in our country are facing unimaginable hardships due to disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires. Please pray for all those impacted and for the conclusion of these disastrous events. On that sad, but necessary, note, here are tonight’s five topics…

Night At Indians Game – On Wednesday evening we finally attended our first Spokane Indians game of the summer. Thanks to our friend Shauna (whose daughter, Aminah, is a great friend/classmate of Sloan) we had free tickets. Even better, Shauna arranged for Sloan to announce the first Indians batter. If you think I am lying, watch her flex her announcing chops here. It was a rainy day but it all cleared by first pitch as it was truly a gorgeous evening at Avista Stadium.

It was a great night for baseball at Avista Stadium as the Spokane Indians hosted the Everett AquaSox.

Other Drink Stand Business Models – Last night I told the story of the drink stand business model we concocted for Sloan. Well, there are many other creative options out there as well. Nearly eight years ago, several groups within a business class at Coastal Carolina University converged on Prince Lawn to compete against each other in a lemonade stand battle. Each group did something different and innovative to attract customers. I loved going from stand to stand and I wrote this blog post highlighting the models and tactics that each group used.

This was one of the lemonade stands I encountered on the Coastal Carolina University campus back in September 2015.

Pickleball – Our new neighborhood has a couple of really well-done pickleball courts and we are all about them. The Resers are now part of the national craze as we have ventured down to the courts multiple times for some family fun. Sidney bought a couple of the Target pickleball sets and they are working just fine for us at the moment. However, if we continue to have a blast playing, we might have to invest in equipment that is a little nicer 😎.

Sloan loves pickleball already!

Strike Force Five – It is kind of a neat concept. Colbert, Fallon, Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver are collaborating on a podcast to support their striking writers. Although I am not a fan of any of them, especially the first three I mentioned by last name, I admire what they are doing. When reading about it, I kept thinking, Could you imagine Letterman, Leno, and Conan doing this in their heyday?

I admire the teamwork of these five comedians.

What A Feat! – Early in my career I was a marketing director for an intercollegiate volleyball team so I understand the challenges of packing the venue with fans. Because of this experience, I was blown away by the 92,003 people who filled the University of Nebraska’s football stadium to watch the Cornhuskers volleyball team host Omaha. Many Division I football programs would be ecstatic if just a third of the fans that showed up in Lincoln went to a game in their venue. What transpired on Wednesday night reveals so much about Nebraska’s passion for women’s sports, the commitment of the institution’s marketing team, and the success of the volleyball program. How cool it must have been to watch that match in-person!

What an incredible and encouraging sight! (photo courtesy of CNN).

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Okay, I think I am going to release all of you so you can enjoy a terrific Labor Day weekend. Be safe and savor these last official moments of summer. Don’t Blink.

Sloan’s Savvy Drink Stand Business Model

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I wanted to offer a quick first grade “business model” if anyone is interested…

All summer, Sloan has been asking to do a lemonade stand. She sees them set up across the street from my parents’ house at the neighborhood park and has become a little obsessed. I loved doing lemonade (Kool-Aid) stands as a kid and I think I learned a lot too. However, my thought was that Sloan is still a little too young.

You see, my anxiety was at work again. Will she have the coordination to pour lemonade from a large pitcher into a cup? Probably not. Will she keep the stand organized and sanitary? Doubtful. Will she be able to accept bills, calculate change, and then distribute it correctly? Sloan is smart, but her development isn’t at the point yet to perform those tasks.

Weighing Sloan’s strong desire to do a lemonade stand with the reality that this is the last week of summer vacation, I tried to think of something that would give her a quasi-lemonade stand experience. An idea finally came to me yesterday morning at the gym.

We did a creative spin on the typical lemonade stand.

After my workout, I hustled over to Safeway and purchased cheap soda, bottled water, ice, and poster board. Back at home, I packed a cooler and Sidney wrote a sign. Later that morning, I set Sloan up in the front of our house. I gave her a chair and placed the cooler beside it. I put a bin in front of her that “displayed” the product she had to offer.

Sloan was in charge of her own complimentary soda stand. To bypass the concerns of her spilling lemonade all over the place, I totally removed the need for a pitcher. Sloan would just hand out canned soft drinks and bottled water. As for the possibly chaotic situation of Sloan making change? This business model didn’t charge customers for the refreshments. That’s right, we had a large sign that said, “FREE DRINKS.”

Our target audience was the many workers who are on our street each day building houses, installing lawns, painting walls, and performing every single other activity you would associate with erecting a brand new neighborhood. We figured these folks would appreciate a small reward for their hard work. We explained to Sloan that she was presiding over her first stand as a service to those making our neighborhood beautiful.

However, customers of Sloan felt compelled to leave “donations.” So even though Sloan didn’t go to work expecting to make money, she clocked out with plenty of cash in a plastic cup.

If you have a first grader who wants to do something fun with the last days of summer, I recommend our drink stand model. Provide pre-packaged drinks free of charge and you won’t have to worry about spills, messes, or change. The only thing you might have to worry about is your child becoming money hungry as those donations roll in. Don’t Blink.

Stopping the Beat

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I have a question about a specific instance of human behavior and I am open to all of your theories!

When we moved earlier this month, I started going to a new gym. This place is actually another Snap Fitness and it is going to work out just fine for me. If you are familiar with Snap Fitness gyms, you know that these fitness centers aren’t elaborate by any means but aren’t basic sweat boxes either.

This is my new gym…Snap Fitness on Dishman-Mica in Spokane Valley.

I am usually the first one to arrive at this particular gym in the early morning. At this location, the “sound system” is a simple stereo that sits near the entrance. Sometimes it is turned on when I walk inside. In those instances when it is not turned on, I will flip the switch myself and set the volume at a medium level. I do this more for some background noise as I have never exercised with a personal music device/earbuds. As I wrote 10 years ago, my thoughts serve as my “music” more than anything.

Because I have such a relaxed disposition to music at the gym, what happens on the daily doesn’t bother me that much but it does make me curious. After I am pretty deep into my workout, a couple other people trickle in. Shortly after those regulars are pumping iron, I hit the treadmill. As I begin to run, a couple will walk in. Probably in their late 40s, both the man and woman are muscular and very fit. After they stretch out, the woman will come over and turn off the stereo.

But why?

Both individuals wear earbuds. This woman obviously notices that I don’t wear them and I am pretty sure at least one other person doesn’t as well. Don’t you think she would assume that since the music is playing and since we don’t have personal music devices that we are listening to it? Does she just really detest classic rock?

As a newcomer to the gym, I wonder if I am breaking some type of etiquette norm with this morning group. You don’t even have to be an observant person to notice the deliberateness of this lady marching up to the entrance after her stretching regimen and shutting off the stereo (which is right next to the treadmill I am running on).

Enough of my rambling. What are your thoughts? Why is she doing this? Why would the music bother her to the point of turning it off? The crazier theories the better 😂. Don’t Blink.

What Goes Up Must Come Down

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Growing up, my family could always count on a particular event occurring on New Year’s Eve. When the clock struck midnight, the neighbor to the back of my parents’ house would emerge into his backyard, straighten his arm to the sky, and shoot the rifle he was holding about a handful of times.

Although I thought it was kind of cool, my dad had a different take.

“Doesn’t that guy (he used a different word) know those bullets have to land somewhere?,” my dad would ask in an angry and rhetorical manner.

No, I guess the sky doesn’t swallow up stray bullets.

Nowadays, whenever NYE comes around, I still think about the neighbor and my dad’s reaction. It happened so consistently during my childhood and my dad was so displeased about the boneheadedness of such an act that it is hard to wipe off my mind when December 31 comes around.

However, this particular memory came to the surface for me a little earlier than usual this year. On Friday night, two women were injured while watching a Chicago White Sox game in Guaranteed Rate Field. They were seated in the outfield bleachers when a bullet grazed the abdomen of one of the women and struck the leg of the other. As confusion ensued, the Chicago Police Department allowed the game to continue. As you can imagine, the CPD and Chicago White Sox organization are currently taking a lot of heat for that decision.

At this time, a couple of facts have been established: There was no altercation that took place during the game and there was never an active shooter in the stadium. The top theory about how the women were shot was that the bullet(s) came from outside the ballpark.

For all the other reasons we have to be scared about guns, add the possibility about sitting in a stadium and having a bullet randomly strike you from outside the confines. It is the NYE neighbor scenario that my dad always warned about.

I am following the investigation closely and will update my readers in a Thursday Rundown when more information becomes available. As for the neighbor behind my parents, the tradition ceased many years ago. Don’t Blink.

Waffles And Burgers Thursday Rundown

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And so the summer continues. Let’s get started with the five topics of my latest Thursday Rundown…

Darius Anniversary – Yesterday marked the 9-year anniversary of when I participated in a Darius Rucker music video shoot. Rucker came to perform a concert on the Coastal Carolina University campus but wanted to maximize his time in Conway. The day before he arrived, his social accounts asked CCU students to show up to the venue early for a chance to participate in the filming. I showed up at the designated time to cover the excitement but ended up participating in the shoot as well! If you have time, I encourage you to read this blog post I wrote about the experience because it has some great behind-the-scenes info. The next month I was grinning ear-to-ear as Rucker’s “Homegrown Honey” music video was released and your favorite blogger made the cut!

I made the cut in Darius Rucker’s “Homegrown Honey” video.

Roller Skating – I will never forget those nights at the skating rink as a young lad. Growing up, we would go to Pattison’s in north Spokane to skate our hearts out. The smell of the rink, the jitters of couple skating with someone, and the pain/embarrassment of falling on the unforgiving track stick with me to this day. On Sunday, I took Sloan to Roller Valley Skate Center. She used one of the trainers and became proficient with it pretty quickly. She had a blast and has been bothering me all week about going again this Sunday.

Sloan had a lot of fun at Roller Valley. She is currently relying on her trainer but I think it is just a matter of time before she is off it.

Praying Mantis – I am not a fan of insects and bugs but it was kind of interesting to observe this praying mantis. I arrived home with the kids the other day and I noticed something on the front of our garage door. I opened the door and the creature fell to the ground. Sloan, Beau, and I rushed out of the car to investigate and watched the brownish mantis move around. I don’t think there is a more graceful insect.

We encountered this creature over the weekend.

Waffles and Burgers – Today is both National Burger Day and National Waffle Day. For the latter, I actually wrote about it in-depth last year. Namely, I wanted to know if National Waffle Day only celebrates the breakfast waffle or if it includes other items like waffle fries, waffle cones, and Waffle Crisp? As for burgers, I have written about America’s favorite sandwich in a variety of contexts countless times over the years. However, tonight I will recommend my favorite hamburger topping post (spoiler alert: blue cheese crumbles is my favorite) and the entry I penned regarding the first time I tried a peanut butter burger.

I love a good burger (and a good retro shot)

Big Brother 25 – Another summer, another season of “Big Brother.” Because of vacation and other life events, I wasn’t able to give my initial reaction after the first show so perhaps that saved me some face. You see, my favorite girl, Reilly, has already been evicted 😱. Oh well, the dude I am pulling for, Cory, is still going strong. Sid and I are already hooked and can’t wait to see what happens as more developments play out.

Sidney and I are watching “Big Brother 25” closely.

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Another Thursday Rundown is in the books. Thanks for visiting and let’s pray for those impacted by wildfires both here in the Inland Northwest and beyond. Don’t Blink.

My Inner Nerdiness

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During our weekly University Marketing and Communications leadership meetings, we begin with a fun/off-topic question to lighten the mood. Yesterday, the question was what was the worst fashion decision you ever made? I answered by admitting that back in middle school I accessorized my wardrobe by wearing a pocket watch. Yes, I know what you are thinking: Middle school is hard enough, why heighten the nerd factor my wearing a pocket watch?

Speaking of nerdiness, today is Find Your Inner Nerd Day. Needless to say, I didn’t have to do much searching to find mine. According to this super official day, the goal is to “share your uniqueness and your favorite nerdy things with the world today.” Okay, I will play along. Here are 10 ways in which I am a complete nerd…

You ready for this list? My annoying/nerdy hand-rubbing habit is included!

– Before going to bed, I always lay out my clothes for the next day

– I write in a journal—or as my brother calls it, a “diary”—every single day

– Much to my wife’s scorn, I use those tree-shaped air fresheners in my car

– I rub my hands together constantly as an unconscious, excited act

– Just short of a pocket protector, I always carry at least one pen in my pocket

– I write on stationary that is printed with my name, blog address, and social media handle

– I proudly wear New Balance shoes

– Our bedroom clock is 25 minutes fast to ensure that I will never sleep in

– I collected bouncy balls as a kid

– At the gym, I carry around towels designated for washing your car as my sweat towels

It goes without saying, I am a nerd! In fact, I think my nerdiness goes beyond “inner” and manifests itself externally in a major as well. At least I am embrace it, right? Don’t Blink.

The Intrigue of S’mores

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When we were on vacation earlier this month, we made s’mores three nights in a row. It may have been the favorite activity that Sloan and Beau did while in Seabrook. Is there anything better than roasting marshmallows on an open fire and then snatching it off the skewer with two graham crackers loaded with Hershey chocolate? I think not.

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

But can I make a confession? I don’t really like s’mores. Sure, making them is a lot of fun but as a confectionery treat I am not a big fan. To be honest, when we were in Seabrook, I pumped out golden brown marshmallows for the kids to use in their own s’mores but I held off myself to save room for ice cream later that night.

Sloan and I roasting marshmallows in Seabrook.

When I say I am not crazy about s’mores, I am talking specifically about the traditional graham cracker/chocolate bar/marshmallow combination. Something about that classic trio just doesn’t sit right with my stomach. I don’t particularly care for the messiness either. It is tough to take a clean bite as the graham crackers typically slide of the marshmallow and it is impossible to eat a s’more without being left with sticky hands.

A look at our s’mores ingredients from our vacation. I am not a huge fan of these three items combined together.

But the flavor of s’mores? I am all about that. Whether it be s’mores cereal, cheesecake, Pop-Tarts, donuts, etc., I will gladly partake. In the same way that I like the artificial taste of blueberry but not the fruit itself, the same holds true for s’mores.

Sloan roasts a marshmallow in Seabrook.

One final thing that I should make clear: I am a darn good marshmallow cooker. As I said just a moment ago, I have a knack for making them golden brown. And while I don’t care for a traditional s’mores sandwich, I do enjoy the fruits of my labor. So while I would supply my kids with marshmallows I made to perfection after they torched their own, I would also sneak a couple for myself.

S’mores are fun to make even if they aren’t my favorite sweet treat.

As I write this blog post, I am very sensitive to the fact that s’more season is pretty much finished in the northwest, especially here in eastern Washington. Wildfires are devastating our area and it is flat out irresponsible to possibly contribute to the carnage with a s’mores-induced spark. So for those of us who live where I live, let’s make sure to stick with s’mores Pop-Tarts and s’mores cheesecake. Don’t Blink.