And just like that, the first month of 2026 is almost in the books. But before Sunday (Feb. 1) arrives, allow me to introduce these five random topics…

Girls Vegas Trip – Last Thursday, my wife, mom, sister, and niece boarded a plane for Las Vegas. They would spend the weekend enjoying the sights and sounds of the Strip. The main catalyst for their journey? They wanted to see “The Wizard of Oz” show in the Sphere. The women gave the show—wait, it is actually more of an experience—rave reviews. But it didn’t take Dorothy and Toto to make their trip special. Rather, it was the opportunity they had to bond together away from us dudes and children. I was really happy they had a great time and I truly admire the relationship Sidney has with my mom, sister, and niece!

My niece, Sid, my sister, and mom prior to watching “The Wizard of Oz” inside the Sphere.

Catholic Schools Week – This week is Catholic Schools Week and Sloan had the honor of kicking it off for St. Mary this past weekend. Not only did Sloan deliver one of the readings at mass but she also read an essay she wrote about the prioritization of Jesus. If you want to watch it, tap here. Sid and I feel so fortunate that Sloan and Beau receive a Christ-centered education. If you have any questions about St. Mary Catholic School please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo inside St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley) after Sloan read her essay to conclude mass on Jan. 24.

TBT Newspaper – I have read the newspaper since I was in grade school. A common sight growing up in our household was of me sitting at the head of the table reading the Spokesman-Review and eating cereal before going to school. This particular photo was taken in March 2025 when I was a senior.

What do you say we rewind nearly 21 years? This is me at the kitchen table reading the Spokesman-Review in March 2005.

Sid’s Birthday – We celebrated Sidney’s 34th birthday last night in a quiet but nice fashion. I brought home takeout from Olive Garden that we all ate around the kitchen table. We then opened gifts as Sloan and Beau couldn’t contain the excitement of their mom opening the presents they got her. Finally, we had cake. As I have mentioned numerous times on this blog, we purchase most of our cakes from Rosauers because the quality is just so good. Last night, the chocolate-everything cake I got Sid may have been the best ever as the freshness and taste was so on-point.

Sid, Beau, and Sloan pose for a photo right before we sang “Happy Birthday.”

Bizarre Cupcakes – Tomorrow will mark the 11-year anniversary of when I ate two very bizarre cupcakes. I visited a wildly popular shop in Myrtle Beach called Coccadotts and purchased a couple of their special Super Bowl-themed cupcakes. The flavors? One was chicken wing and the other was Bud Light. Let’s just say that since trying them 11 years ago, I haven’t had a craving to order them again. I wrote a blog post that described what they tasted like.

Here is a look at the famous Coccadotts cupcakes I purchased 11 years ago…chicken wing on the left and Bud Light on the right.

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For those of you across the country who continue to face the cold, snow, and ice please hang in there. Funny enough, here in Spokane we have enjoyed rather mild temperatures for late January combined with a healthy dose of sunshine. Just about five months until summer! Don’t Blink.