Pinball Thursday Rundown

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Are you getting a taste of autumn yet? I can sense it coming around these parts but we are still enjoying warm days. Here is a taste of this week’s Thursday Rundown…

Pinball Wizard – When Sid, Sloan, and I went to Silverwood last weekend, we played at the Retro Arcade. It was filled with arcade games from the 1980s and 1990s such as Donkey Kong, Street Fighter, NBA Jam, Pac-Man, and many more. Best of all, it had a row of classic pinball machines! Some of the game themes included Wizard of OZ, Twilight Zone, and AC/DC. However, the one that Sid and I played was called Arabian Nights. Sidney and I each took a couple turns on the machine with my wife actually setting the high score for that day.

Sid playing the Arabian Nights pinball game at Retro Arcade in Silverwood

Sloan’s Board – On Tuesday I wrote about Sloan’s first day of school and shared a photo of her posing with her back to school board. I have decided to devote some time and space from this Rundown to give you a closer look at the board’s design and content. Sid purchased the design from Etsy, filled it in with Sloan’s information, and had Walgreen’s print it out. We then placed it in a frame and let Sloan pose with it. You didn’t go to school on the first day if you didn’t have a board, right?

This is the board we created for Sloan on her first day of Pre-K 4.

Dollar Tree Ice – And if you don’t know, now you know! Over the weekend, my sister and I both discovered that bagged ice is now offered at Dollar Tree stores, at least the ones in Spokane. I wish this product made its debut at the start of summer because we certainly would have taken advantage but better late than never.

It is true! Dollar Tree now has ice. I took this photo at the Dollar Tree on Sullivan in the Spokane Valley on Sunday.

9/11 20th Anniversary – It seems like as the years go by, it gets tougher for me to watch September 11 programming and re-watch the horrible events from that day. I tried watching the first episode of “Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror” on Netflix but had a real tough time. With that said, my admiration and sympathy for those individuals who showed bravery beyond words that day hasn’t wavered a bit. As we mark 20 years on Saturday, let us pray for those who lost their lives and their families. Let us also be thankful that an attack of that scale has not occurred on American in the two decades since that Tuesday morning.

It isn’t just a cliché….we truly must never forget.

Dollar Dollar Coins, Y’all – I can’t believe it has already been 7 years but on Sept. 9. 2014, I wrote about a surprise I received from a vending machine…and I am not talking about a bag of chips I didn’t select. When I inserted a $5 bill for a $1 item, my change was distributed in the form of four $1 coins. These coins happened to be of the Presidential $1 Coin Program variety, something I had never heard of before but sure was interested in once I had. In this blog post I posed multiple questions, including whether people would look at me funny when I tried to re-insert them into circulation (they really didn’t).

Me holding the four coins I was given from the vending machine.

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Time to wrap things up on my end. Thanks for reading and remember…Never Forget. Don’t Blink.

The Youngest He Will Ever Be

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Beau can definitely be challenging at times. Although he hasn’t reached the “Terrible Two” (at least by age), he keeps us very busy at 19 months. He is an endless ball of energy that can turn any room inside out in a matter of seconds.

We can “kind of” contain him when he is strapped in his chair.

He is a food throwing-hair pulling-toy destroying-non-edible swallowing-sister aggravating-mess making-electronics pushing-pantry raiding toddler.

Yesterday, Sloan took her back to school photos on the porch. Beau decided that he wanted his photo taken too.

But, on the other side of the coin, he is the sweetest, most affectionate little boy there is. When Beau decides he wants to cuddle or sit down on the couch and watch TV with you, there is nothing better.

I never know what random thought is going to enter my head when I wake up in the morning. They come from all angles, ranging from work-related to weekend planning to memories from my past. This morning, something inside of me kept saying these exact words: Beau will never again be as young as he is today.

He won’t be any younger than he is today.

For all the craziness he can pack in a single day, there is currently nothing more endearing than his smiles, gobbled words/sounds, and willingness to give kisses. His baby-ish cuteness and innocence will not last forever. Tomorrow, he will wake up a day older so it is best to savor Beau in his young state today. Don’t Blink.

Back to School for Sloan

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It’s back to school in the Reser household! After a successful Pre-K 3 year, Sloan returned to St. Mary Catholic School today for the beginning of her Pre-K 4 year.

Photo we took of Sloan prior to her first day of school as a Pre-K 4 student at St. Mary Catholic School in Spokane Valley.

It is bittersweet now that Sloan’s summer has come to an end. I enjoyed having her around the house five days per week. But this is a situation that is more sweet than bitter because I know Sloan was so excited to return to the classroom. St. Mary had its welcome back orientation last week and Sloan connected with her new teacher and couldn’t contain her enthusiasm seeing all of her classmates’ name tags.

Sloan cruising in the car to her first day of school.

So it goes without saying that Sloan was chomping at the bit this morning. We carefully put on her uniform and loaded her backpack. When it was time to head to school, she didn’t show the least bit of nerves as we helped her into the car.

Sloan confidently held her mommy’s hand as she skipped through the parking lot and into school.

Once at St. Mary, there was no hesitation. We walked her to the classroom and without hesitation she ventured into the big world…ummm…I mean ventured to her desk.

Sloan standing inside St. Mary Catholic School right after arriving. She was ready to go!

When she returned home, Sloan was still ecstatic about school and ready to return tomorrow.

Once Sloan sat down at her desk she was in the zone and ready to learn!

Please pray for a fruitful school year for not just Sloan and her classmates but all students returning to school. May everyone learn lots! Don’t Blink.

Labor Day Weekend 2021

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Looking back on this Labor Day weekend I feel thankful. Thankful for the break. Thankful for the opportunities. Thankful for the weather. Thankful for family. In my holiday weekend wrap up post, I figured I would just highlight one item from each day.

Friday, Sept. 3 – I took Sloan to her first high school football game and it wasn’t just any ordinary high school football game. We drove out to watch my alma mater play its home opener in its brand new digs, Union Stadium. The facility technically opened during last spring’s COVID-adjusted season but this was the first time that it was open to the entire public. What a beautiful night to watch football in a gorgeous stadium! As Sloan explored the nooks and crannies of the facility with her cousins, I sat in the stands with my mom, sister, and brother-in-law watching high school football under the lights on a pleasant Friday evening. Doesn’t get any better.

Sloan stands for a photo prior to the Mead vs. Ferris football game in Union Stadium on Sept. 3.

Saturday, Sept. 4 – As a reward for a reading program Sloan completed in the spring and to celebrate the end of summer, Sidney and I took our daughter to Silverwood. The theme park is located in Idaho but is only about 40 minutes from our house. Grandma and Papa took care of Beau as Sloan got to be “the only child” for a day. We spent the morning at Silverwood’s water park, Boulder Beach, and then used the afternoon to go on the rides. We also managed to eat plenty of good food, try our luck at the carnival games, and play in the retro arcade. When we left the park at around 8:30 p.m., Sloan had played hard for more than nine hours straight. Needless to say, she fell asleep in the car on the ride home.

Sidney and Sloan at Silverwood. Great time!

Sunday, Sept. 5 – As much as I couldn’t believe it, my niece turned 7 on Sunday! It seemed like just yesterday when I wrote this blog post about her birth. Shock aside, we had a wonderful time at her birthday party. Warm weather, games, cake, and plenty of fun to go around. Here’s to a great year, Mik!

As birthday girl Mikayla looks on, Sloan is spun around as she tries to pin the tail on the donkey.

Monday, Sept. 6 – Ryan and Allyson, our good friends we met through our Catholic Adult group, invited us for breakfast at their house. It just seemed right to conclude the summer with them on Labor Day weekend as we started the season at their lake property over Memorial Day weekend. What a nice morning it was catching up with them and admiring their beautiful baby girl, Aria.

Don’t mind the mimosa, but Beau covers up a plate of waffles while Allyson cooks.

What a weekend it has been! And, believe it or not, it isn’t over just yet. We are about to head over to my parents’ house for a Labor Day cookout. I hear grilled sausages are on the menu so I got to run. Time for one last hurrah! Don’t Blink.

Lucy and Virginia Thursday Rundown

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I think it is Thursday, right? Well that means it is time for the Rundown. Thanks for hopping aboard, let’s get right to the five topics…

Chuck E. Cheese Wrap Up – I know you are probably sick of me writing about Sloan’s adventures at Chuck E. Cheese but just one final note. Last weekend we went to the fun center for the final time this season. I purchased Sloan a summer pass that allowed her to go once a week for 30 minutes of unlimited play. We made Saturday mornings our special time to play together. We played a lot of games, earned a lot of tickets, and won a lot of prizes. We had tons of fun that went far beyond the $40 I spent for the pass.

After we exited Chuck E. Cheese for the last time for the summer on Saturday, I took this photo of Sloan. The pass we purchased provided a lot of entertainment.

Happy Birthday, Grandma – I always like to mark my grandma’s birthday in this blog when it comes around. If she were still alive, she would turn 104 tomorrow. My grandma was a quiet but strong Italian woman who was devoted to her faith and loved a good joke. To get a better sense of the tough lady she was, consider reading this post I wrote in 2017.

Before my grandma was an “amazing lady” she was just a girl. Here is a photo from her earlier years.

Gourmet Ramen – Every now and then, Sid and I decide to have Top Ramen for dinner. However, we have different approaches. I just add a couple cups of water and throw it in the microwave. Sid, on the other hand, cooks it on the stove and adds numerous ingredients from sauces to spices to sesame seeds. She truly goes gourmet. Last night she added teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, garlic, honey, and more. Our kitchen smelled like an Asian bistro and her ramen tasted like it was straight out of P.F. Changs.

A look at Sid’s ramen she made last night.

Let’s Talk to Lucy – Although it won’t make my top five Sirius channels, the new Let’s Talk to Lucy format on 104 is pretty interesting. Lucille Ball had a radio talk show in the 1960s where she interviewed a lot of people—some famous and some not so famous. After the show ended in 1965 no one heard the recordings again…until now. I personally like listening to the channel because although you can get a sense for how different people were back then, you gain a greater appreciation for how similar they are to us today. And Lucy herself is a hoot—enjoy listening to her express her own personal views and talk to her guests like they are old friends. The channel is worth 10 minutes of your time.

You might consider giving the “Let’s Talk to Lucy” Sirius channel a listen.

Overthink – This is so me! I have a true disdain for these online security measures that “test” to see “if you are a human” and the ones that force you to choose boxes with objects in them are the absolute worst. Many of the grainy, random photos are so ambiguous that it is more like a guessing game than a simple security measure. Can we please get rid of these things forever?

These online tests are terrible.

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That will wrap up things for tonight. I hope you get plenty of time this weekend to watch some college football…let’s hope for an exciting and uninterrupted season. Don’t Blink.

The Other Way A Mexican Restaurant Can Stand Out

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Earlier this year I wrote a long blog post about what makes a Mexican restaurant stand out. I zeroed in on the signature item that comes out in a basket when you sit down—chips. Now I am still pretty adamant that good tortilla chips paired with a flavorful salsa can bring any family Mexican restaurant to the next level. But this past weekend I had an experience that teleported me back to my childhood and also reminded me that there are other ways that Mexican restaurants can separate themselves from the pack.

Chips are very important at a Mexican restaurant.

On Saturday night, my wife, kids, and I piled into the car. We were actually going to pick up sandwiches at Jimmy John’s but as we were driving down Trent in Spokane Valley a small (dare I say hole-in-the-wall?) Mexican restaurant called Dos Amigos caught our eye. Sidney and I looked at each other and that’s all it took for me to signal out of the turn lane we were in and go through the intersection and then switch lanes again so we could reach Dos Amigos which was on the other side of the street.

We stopped at Dos Amigos in Spokane Valley on Saturday night.

Despite its diminutive size, the restaurant had character with murals on the walls and pinatas hanging from the ceiling. With delicious food, low prices, exceptional service, and (yes) good chips, we were satisfied. But then came the literal cherry on top. As our server cleared our dishes she announced that she would be right back with dessert. Again, Sidney and I looked at each other.

Soon thereafter the server came back with four dishes that each contained a sopapilla topped with whipped cream and cherry sauce. The festive desserts, which are essentially cinnamon and sugar fried dough, were fun and fresh. It was totally unexpected but made our visit to Dos Amigos even more special. Sloan had never seen anything like that before.

But I had.

Have you ever been brought a complimentary one of these at a Mexican restaurant before?

Granted, it had been a long time. When I was a kid, there was a Mexican restaurant called Rancho Chico that my family always went to for nearly a decade before Azteca opened closer to our house. Besides the bad checks plastered to the wall behind the cash register and the oversized sombrero that was placed on the heads of people celebrating a birthday, the fried dough dessert the servers never failed to bring out at the end of the meal was another pleasant memory.

Sloan sure enjoyed his dessert at Dos Amigos in Spokane.

However, the memory grew faint as I visited Mexican restaurant after Mexican restaurant for the ensuing couple decades only to get a mint at the end of dinner if I was lucky. But the childhood magic was rekindled this past weekend when Dos Amigos pulled a page out of Rancho Chico’s playbook.

Do the chips at your Mexican restaurant suck? Hope is not entirely lost. Salvage the dining experience of your customers by offering sopapillas. I can you tell you this, Dos Amigos now holds a special place in the hearts of our kids. Don’t Blink.

The Grief of Bob Ross

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Over the weekend I watched the new Netflix documentary about Bob Ross. You know, the dude with the soothing voice and afro that had a wildly successful painting show in the 1980s and 1990s? The documentary, officially titled “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal, and Greed,” is currently in the top 10 of Netflix’s programming.

The new Bob Ross documentary taught me a lot about someone I recognized but didn’t know very much about.

To be honest, I knew very little about Bob Ross until Saturday night. The only exposure I received of Ross up to that point was through parody. It was very interesting and entertaining to learn about this talented painter, watch him at work, and hear his philosophies. It was also notable to me to discover that he once lived in Spokane. Crazy, huh?

The documentary also devolved into the last few years of his life. Unfortunately, it was not the happiest period of his time on earth. Cancer ravaged his body and he dealt with business partners who thought he was worth more “dead than alive.”

There was one other part of the documentary that has stayed with me over the past couple days. Prior to Ross getting sick, his wife passed away. The film did a nice job chronicling the marriage between Bob and his wife, Jane. It wasn’t a perfect union as Bob was unfaithful during a certain period but they ultimately reconciled and they certainly loved each other. Anyway, the documentary showed “The Joy of Painting” episode after Jane’s death when Bob looked straight into the camera and opened his heart to the viewers.

He acknowledged the hundreds of cards he received from viewers and how they not only expressed sympathy to him but honored the memory of Jane. This was touching to Bob because although his viewers saw him on a daily basis they never really saw Jane but still cared about her. At the end of his emotional address, he said thanks for grieving with me.

Today is National Grief Awareness Day. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the numerous ways in which people cope with loss. As I am sure most of my readers are well aware, people grieve in different ways. For someone like Bob Ross, he found comfort grieving with others, even those folks he didn’t know. Others prefer to grieve in a much more private manner. Some people might appear not to grieve at all. Some might grieve for years.

Let us always respect the way others grieve, even if we might not understand it. If there is a way we might lessen the grief of others, let’s not be shy to act on it. If there is not, let us have the discipline to not make things worse. Perhaps the one thing we can all do is simply reach out. At that point, we can evaluate next steps…including whether there is no next step at all. Don’t Blink.

Scoreboard Thursday Rundown

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Are we already at the last Thursday in August? That means my next Thursday Rundown will be in September! I never root for the summer to end but the writing is kind of on the wall. Let’s forget about that and move on with tonight’s Thursday Rundown.

Spot the Error – On Tuesday, our family was in the Taco Bell drive-thru and came face-to-face with this sign that belonged to the business next door. It will most likely take you only a few seconds to spot the punctuation error on the sign itself (not the marquee). If you immediately recognized the unnecessary apostrophe you might feel a little bad for this bar since it has to live with this oversight while thousands of cars pass by it daily. Then again, perhaps it’s goal all along was to make the error on purpose so that it could be featured in this blog.

Can you spot the error on the Sullivan Scoreboard sign?

Pop-Tarts – Think up any obscure countdown list and chances are I have taken a crack at it in this blog. I gave my readers a real “gift” six years ago on this date when I ranked my top 10 favorite Pop-Tarts. If you are saying to yourself I didn’t even know there were 10 varieties of Pop-Tarts you need to get out more. I still eat Pop-Tarts to this day and my list is still current more than a half decade later.

Without a doubt, Confetti Cake Pop-Tarts are my favorite!

Throwback Thursday – My wife would describe this photo by saying, “we look like babies!” This picture was snapped seven years ago on this date at a Myrtle Beach Pelicans game. In the past several years we have had a couple kids, changed jobs, did some moving, and completed plenty of other “life” things. So, yeah, we have put some miles on our bodies and faces but it has all been worth it…well, except for maybe my noticeably gray hair.

This photo was taken on August 26, 2015. We look like babies!

Flattery – When you get to be my age, it is very flattering when someone asks to see your ID prior to a purchase. Unfortunately for me, it has been several years since I remember a restaurant server or bartender carding me. If I want to show my ID I have to check my own groceries at the supermarket so the store clerk is required to come over when I scan my six-pack. Back when I would actually get carded and if I went to dinner with my parents, I fondly/embarrassingly remember my dad always interjecting when I gave my ID to the server, “You want to see mine too?” The ultimate dad joke.

“Can I see your ID” is a question I am never asked anymore.

America In Color – The current series I am streaming right now is on Paramount and is called “America in Color.” Three seasons are offered and cover topics such as organized crime, the Wild Wild West, recreation, titans of industry, Hollywood, and more. The series is basically compiled by old home movies that ordinary people took during the early eras of America. The filmmakers then colorize the clips to really bring them to life. I love it. There is nothing that gets me more excited than watching forgotten videos from the 1920s in brilliant color. If you like history and Americana, you must give “America in Color” a chance.

I highly recommend “America in Color.”

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Enjoy your last August weekend. Count your blessings and always love life. Don’t Blink.

Hot Tub Time Machine

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Growing up, we all know it was important to have a friend with a pool. I mean that was a no-brainer. But if you played it right, you would also have a friend who had a hot tub.

I was lucky enough to have a couple friends who had hot tubs in their backyards and memories to go with it. As kids, our skin is a little more sensitive to extreme temperatures and the toughest part of taking a dip in the hot tub was just getting in. Although it could be a little jarring submerging oneself into the hot water, it was also challenging and fun at the same time.

Then you had hot tub seating placement. The goal was to always find a place to sit with a jet. Nothing said “status” more than holding court in the corner of the hot tub with pressurized water pelting your back.

Probably my fondest memory was hanging out in the hot tub in the middle of the winter with snow falling from the sky and a white blanket covering everything in sight. The combination of the beautiful scenery mixed with the sensation of sweating when it was below freezing was always unique.

I don’t get into a hot tub much anymore and when I do it is not for very long. But during those rare times I do think back a couple decades. Just like then, I think it is still advantageous to have a friend who has a hot tub—even in adulthood—but I still prefer a pool. Don’t Blink.

Back on Campus

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GO COUGS! We are now officially in-person.

For the first time since March 2020, classes at Washington State University took place in physical classrooms with an instructor up front teaching material and students in desks absorbing the content.

Classes were in-person at our five physical campuses today, including at WSU Tri-Cities.

How long has it really been? I wasn’t even working for WSU the last time in-person classes were held. But the 18 months of remote learning is now all in the past and it is full steam ahead. Well, kind of—I am not that naïve. I know the Delta variant has the potential to cause disruptions so I am keeping those ramifications in the back of my mind. To be honest, though, I am staying positive and hoping for an entire academic year of faculty engaging students on our beautiful campuses across the state.

The absence of students on campus was an especially tough pill to swallow at WSU Pullman. To see a full campus was awesome.

Alright, let me slow down a bit. There really isn’t a reason tonight to look too far down the road, or, for that matter, rewind through the past year and a half. Instead, I think it is important to just savor today. Seniors and juniors got to return to their beloved campuses, second year students finally got a taste of the college experience after their freshman year was virtual, and new students got to enjoy something they might have questioned would even be possible a year ago at this time. Today was big.

Our future healthcare professionals returned to WSU Spokane today.

I would like to wish all WSU students a fantastic semester. They deserve this. I feel fortunate to be part of the Cougar family and feel the excitement that is clearly evident. Let’s take this one day at a time and hope for the best. Don’t Blink.