St. Mary 2025-26: It Takes a Community

Posted on June 12, 2026 by brent

I know I am a few years late using this phrase, but Sloan and Beau understood the assignment! Today they concluded the 2025-26 school year and are now on summer break.

The 2025-26 St. Mary Catholic School year came to a close this morning. Students, staff, and Fr. Jeff huddled together for this photo after mass (photo courtesy of Paolo Davila de Muela).

This recently completed school year, our sixth at St. Mary Catholic School, was a success. Not because our kids were perfect (they weren’t), not because Sloan was immune from drama (she wasn’t), and not because Beau was a perfect angel (don’t make me laugh), but because there was obvious growth—from both an academic, social, and spiritual standpoint.

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo inside St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley) during 2026 Catholic Schools Week. They weren’t perfect this school year but they did experience growth.

Sloan wrote book reports, learned multiplication and division, played basketball, joined the chess club, read her Catholic School Week essay at mass, and continued to forge close relationships with her very tight-knit class.

Sloan had a good third grade year.

Beau learned the basics of reading, tackled homework for the first time, endeared himself to his classmates, took a turn as star student of the week, and masterfully read the responsorial psalm at a recent school mass.

It was awesome to see Beau make strides in reading this year.

But the thing that makes St. Mary such a special school is that it is never about the individual performance of any one student—it is about the community as a whole.

And trust me, what I just wrote isn’t a hollow statement. I observed firsthand the pride and care that exists within the walls of St. Mary as I served on the 2025-26 School Advisory Council (SAC) with select school staff members and a handful of other parents. We discussed issues facing the school, opportunities for improvement, and proactive ideas to implement. The genuine desire to continually advance the school is inspiring and I was so impressed by the staff members who would stay long after the school day concluded to attend these meetings. Mrs. Kathy Olsen, Mrs. Devon Rapp, Mrs. Sharon Lonergan, and Mr. Kevin Schultz—you are all AMAZING!

I am heartened by how the St. Mary staff members support Sloan and Beau.

Don’t think I forgot about the individual who chairs SAC. Principal Stephen Hart did a fabulous job leaning into the expertise of each person on the committee—staff member and parent alike—to uncover the best ideas and guidance.

I snapped this photo of Mr. Stephen Hart when he opened the doors of St. Mary Catholic School (Spokane Valley) to begin the 2025-26 school year. Today he closed those doors on a successful year.

But let me make an overall assessment of Mr. Hart and his impact at St. Mary: It isn’t an accident that the school is devotedly Catholic, enrollment keeps climbing, test scores are superb, and that BIG plans are on the horizon. Stephen’s leadership has transformed the school community over the past three years and we couldn’t be in better hands.

And to think that Mr. Hart could still be in the public school system if a certain person didn’t make a somewhat unconventional hire at the end of the 2022-23 school year…

Today, Fr. Jeff Lewis said his last school mass at St. Mary (Spokane Valley). The kids got a photo with him afterwards.

As we say goodbye to Fr. Jeff Lewis as he leaves for his new assignment in Walla Walla, there is no doubt that his work with the school will be part of his outstanding and expansive legacy at St. Mary. Aside from his slam dunk principal hire, he made consistent/legendary visits to the classrooms, presided over beautiful school masses, and did whatever humanely possible to assist with fundraising. He worked great with Mr. Hart and always did what was in the best interest of the school. We will miss him dearly.

Fr. Jeff Lewis receives the gifts from Sloan during a St. Mary School mass. He always did an incredible job with the students.

Finally, my admiration for what we have going at St. Mary doesn’t just extend to the students, staff, principal, or even Fr. Jeff. I am also continually impressed with my fellow parents. Make no mistake about it, at any private school the moms, dads, and guardians can have an oversized influence—for better or worse. Of course, no matter where you go, any school will probably have a mix of both…St. Mary is no different. But I believe the positivity overwhelmingly outweighs the negativity and some of that evidence can be found in the parents of the third grade and kindergarten classes.

Beau poses with his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Kristen Mead, this morning. Mrs. Mead is not only a St. Mary teacher but a St. Mary parent as well. In fact, she is one of the third grade parents in Sloan’s class.

Some of the moms and dads in Sloan’s class (and their kids) have been around since we started her in Pre-K3 six years ago. The students in the third grade class are extremely close and that bond extends to us parents as well. I am constantly amazed at how supportive they are not just of the school but of my kids (Beau, too). I watch as many of these parents invest heavily in both their time and money to bolster St. Mary Catholic School…it blows me away.

The third grade class is close and it extends from the students to the parents as well. It was extremely special that Sloan and her classmates made their First Communion/Confirmation together this year.

Then we have the parents in Beau’s class. Sid and I have had the chance to get to know many of them better over this school year (hello birthday party circuit! 😂) and I am really impressed by their energy and passion. There are parents in that class who are going to spearhead some major projects that will keep the school’s current momentum for years to come. But aside from the big picture, my heart is warmed by how quickly the parents in Beau’s class volunteer and lift each other up. Oh, and the way they showed up at this year’s school auction was the stuff of legends.

Beau’s kindergarten class has a lot of energy…both the students and the parents.

The summer is now upon us and I hope the entire school community is looking forward to some well-deserved rest and relaxation. As Fr. Jeff said in his final St. Mary School homily this morning, it would serve us all well to enter into friendship with Jesus over the break. When the 2026-27 school year starts on Aug. 31, things will look a little different with Fr. Curtis Seidel overseeing the school and some new teachers roaming the halls. But as I have alluded to throughout this post, the foundation for saint-making has been set and the sky…I mean Heaven…is the limit 🙏🏻. Thanks be to God. Don’t Blink.

Panwaffles Thursday Rundown

Posted on May 21, 2026 by brent

I begin this Thursday Rundown with excitement because Memorial Day Weekend is just hours away. Who doesn’t love Memorial Day Weekend? Not only does it provide some extra time off but it also packs optimism. With it being the official kickoff of summer, you can’t help but think, “the good times are about to roll.” Let’s jump into this week’s Thursday Rundown…

Panwaffles – On Tuesday night, I allowed Sloan to make pancakes for dinner. However, when getting her started, I made a big mistake by telling her to add more water than what the recipe called for. This resulted in a very watery pancake batter that was basically unusable. But worst of all was that we had used all the pancake mix so we didn’t have the option to add more to even out the batter. As a last resort, I took a box of waffle mix we had in our pantry and told Sloan to pout it into the mixing bowl. The unconventional approach rectified the consistency problem of the batter and we were able to make delicious (and slightly sweeter) pancakes…or, according to Sloan, panwaffles.

Sloan makes “panwaffles” while Beau looks on.

Blog Anniversary Signs – Earlier this week I wrote about my 15th anniversary of blogging. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that I have found a corny tradition to mark it with each year. Over the past many anniversaries, Sid has made a “sign” commemorating whatever year (i.e. 9th, 10th, 11th, etc.) it happens to be. I then hold the sign for a photo with the kids. This year there was a twist…Sloan created the sign! Anyway, below you can see some of the photos/signs from previous years.

Some of the photos/signs from blogging anniversaries throughout the years.

Confirmed – Sloan received the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Eucharist last week. At the mass there was a professional photographer and we received the images she took of Sloan last night. I wanted to share the moment she was confirmed by Bishop Thomas Daly. I just think it is a great shot of him placing the sacred chrism oil on her forehead while Fidela, her Confirmation sponsor, looks on with her hand on Sloan’s shoulder.

The moment that Sloan was confirmed by Bishop Thomas Daly.

Driving the Car – Back when I was a boy around Beau’s age, I got behind the wheel of my parents’ car while it was in the garage and I pulled/pressed something that allowed the car to start slowly backing out. Thanks be to God, my mom saw the car moving out from our large living room window and was able to run outside and stop the vehicle before it crashed into anything. But you would have thought that experience would have scarred me from ever letting my son get behind the wheel of my car. I guess not.

Beau driving like a maniac! In all honesty, I wasn’t going to let him have an experience like I did when I was his age.

Spirit Week – Today concluded Spirit Week at St. Mary (no school for the kids tomorrow). Throughout the past four days they dressed up for Pajamas Day, Crazy Hair/Mismatched Outfit Day, Sports Day, and Hat-Tastic Day. In addition to today’s celebration of Hat-Tastic Day, it was also the St. Mary Talent Show that Sloan participated in.

Some photos of the kids all dressed up for St. Mary spirit week.

—————————

As you can already surmise from my intro, I am pretty excited about Memorial Day Weekend. So, if you don’t mind, I am going to bounce. I hope everyone has a relaxing and safe holiday weekend. Don’t Blink.

My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2025

Posted on December 29, 2025 by brent

Let’s make it a dozen. Today marks the 12th time I have scrutinized my blogging from the past year to recognize my top posts. A tradition I started in 2014, I affectionately refer to this entry as “The Big Blog Post.”

With an unofficial title like that, I always try to bring my “A” game for this post. When crafting this countdown, I take great care to select posts that matter to me. Entries that required extra effort, mixed in creativity, recognized special people, or adequately documented major milestones will always appear before posts that only stand out because of high views or social media popularity. Quality over vanity.

For the fifth straight year, I increased my blogging output by penning 188 posts in 2025 (2020: 172 posts, 2021: 173 posts, 2022: 180 posts, 2023: 185 posts, 2024: 187 posts). Faced with my highest number of published posts since 2019, I had the challenging task of identifying the top 5% of my work for this prestigious recognition. I think I did okay…

10. Soda and App Family (March 19) – Sid and I are aware of our different familial upbringings and we usually see the humor in it. One such instance occurred this year when we watched a TikTok video about “Soda and App” families and “Only Water” families. In my blog post I highlighted that dining out with the Mathis family usually meant fun/colorful drinks and a couple appetizers for the table. In my family, we stuck to water and if we ate anything prior to the main course it was either free bread or free chips that the restaurant provided. Our different ordering preferences growing up established the way we order as our own family of four. This entry makes the list because it is humorous but it also conveys how traditions from our families of origin can be fused together to make new ones.

Our family eating at Prospector’s, a delicious restaurant in North Spokane. Portions were so huge at this restaurant that there was never a need to order appetizers.

9. The Fun of Taste Tests (September 17) – My my my, we are starting strong with food-related blog posts, huh? Well, losing weight wasn’t one of my goals for 2025. In an attempt to offer my readers a fun idea to do with their families on a rainy day, I suggested unofficial taste tests conducted right in the living room. I demonstrated how easy it is to conduct such a test by re-hashing some of the ones my family conducted in the past. From jalapeno chips to cookie dough ice cream to lemon lime soda, I offered not just examples but tips as well. This post was entertaining to write and I hope I sparked some inspiration among my readers.

Sloan received the opportunity of a 5-year-old’s lifetime when I told her she would get to sample three lemon lime sodas.

8. Wishing Your Spouse “Happy Birthday” On Social Media – This post made the countdown because it did spark some debate and because I had a strong opinion about it. A smug influencer made a cringy video in which he declared that spouses who wish each other “happy birthday” on social media are insecure. Hmmmm. Although I conceded that I might be subconsciously insecure, I made it clear that I consciously wish Sidney a “happy birthday” on social media for other reasons. In the post I fleshed them out, including the desire to notify others that it my wife’s birthday, the creativity that social media allows for birthday wishes, and the documentation/historical aspect that digital communication offers. If the happy birthday/insecure arguments becomes “trendy” in the future, I won’t hesitate to point to this blog post.

I always wish my wife a “happy birthday” on all my social platforms.

7. Falling Down the Stairs (August 19) – Although short and rather insignificant, I knew when I wrote it that this post would make my yearly rundown. This entry takes the reader through my traumatic experience of falling down the stairs and the toll it took on my old body. But what seemed to really make this post shine was my daughter’s response when I told her my fall was caused by tripping on one of her toys. I still don’t appreciate what she said.

A look at the stairs I fell down in our house.

6. One Year An Eag (August 1) – I had multiple work-related posts I considered including but I decided to go with the most significant and all-encompassing option. I celebrated my one-year anniversary at Eastern Washington University by looking back at the main themes from my first 365 days while including a pretty spiffy Dr. Pepper motif. In the post I highlighted the meaningful work I embraced, the powerful work relationships I made, and the growth I experienced. I also questioned whether people telling me “It seems like you have been here much longer than a year” was a good thing or not.

Members of my team and I take a photo during a video shoot at Turnbull National Refuge. My first year at EWU was full of growth and adventure.

5. Our Father/Daughter Dance Tradition (February 11) – Earlier this year, I attended the St. Mary Catholic School Father/Daughter Dance with Sloan for the third consecutive year. Over those three evenings from 2023-25, some special traditions have been established. This blog post shared those traditions and included photos from each dance. I am grateful for this post because I think it will help Sloan and me uphold traditions at future dances and also serve as something to look back on years after my daughter has finished her time at St. Mary.

This post touched on the traditions we have established at the Father/Daughter Dance and showcased photos from all three years.

4. Why We Went to Disney World (May 5) – In 2025, we had the privilege of going on two major vacations: a cruise and a trip to Disney World. However, the blog posts that covered those adventures didn’t make “The Big Blog Post.” Rather, the post I wrote about why we went to visit Mickey did. You see, the only reason why we had the opportunity was because of my wife’s incredible work with her company, Traveler’s Insurance. Sidney won a prestigious award and was granted an all-expenses paid trip to Orlando. This post dove more in-depth about why she received the honor and how she was celebrated once we arrived at Disney World. Yep, the post is brimming with pride but it was the least an awestruck husband could do to properly say CONGRATS to his wife.

Thanks to Sidney’s work performance with Traveler’s Insurance, we were given an all-expenses paid visit to Disney World. This is us at the beach welcome party on Thursday, May 1.

3. Fr. David Gaines Dispensing Healing and Forgiveness (February 7) – Earlier this year, a priest I know was suddenly thrust on the national news outlets after being attacked at Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral. Fr. David Gaines was participating in a prayer service from the cathedral’s sanctuary when a mentally ill individual sprinted from the pews and ambushed him. In the post, I expressed how touched I was by the way Fr. Gaines conducted himself both during and after the attack. While the attacker was throwing punches, Fr. Gaines did his best to calm him down. Afterwards, when Fr. Gaines was sought by organizations ranging from TMZ to NBC News (and everything in-between), his message was the same: forgiveness. How inspiring! The post allowed me to convey that I am proud to be Catholic, proud to be part of the Diocese of Spokane, and proud to know Fr. Gaines.

My brother and I receive a blessing from Fr. David Gaines right outside of Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral during Bloomsday 2024. About nine months later he would be attacked inside that very same church.

2. Travis Overton: A Kind and Selfless Leader (January 1) – 2024 ended on a sad note when I learned on New Year’s Eve that Travis Overton had passed away unexpectedly. I worked with Travis during my time at Coastal Carolina University and was shocked to learn of his death. I wrote the entire next morning about our history together, his ascension up the career ladder, and how I respected him. I then told a story I had never shared publicly about Travis coming to my rescue during a very vulnerable moment. By far, the post was my most-read entry in 2025 but like I said before—I don’t strongly consider views when building this countdown. Rather, this blog post earned such an esteemed spot because it was a raw tribute to a friend and mentor.

Travis Overton was a special person. This photo is a screenshot from the 2016 holiday video. I was pretty surprised that I didn’t have an actual photo with Travis but you can spot me in the background trying to do a “dance move” in the teal hoodie.

1. Godparents to Neteyam (July 15) – This past summer, Sidney and I received the incredible blessing of becoming godparents again. That’s justification enough to earn the top spot on this countdown! However, the post I wrote regarding our godson receiving the holy sacrament went beyond just Neteyam getting baptized. It also delved into what set us up to become his godparents: our friendship with his mom and dad.

My top blog post of the year chronicles the mass in which Fr. Jeff Lewis baptized Neteyam Perry but it also speaks to our relationship with his parents, Dylan and Fidela. In just about four years we have gone from not knowing them to serving in one of the most important roles one couple can bestow upon another. The post fills in the blanks of those four years and reveals the glue that keeps us so united. It also gives glory to God for the gift of baptism. A post of the year for sure.

Me, Sidney, Fr. Jeff Lewis, Fidela, Neteyam, and Dylan pose for a photo in the St. Mary sanctuary after the baptism on July 6, 2025. Thanks be to God! (Photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

———–

And that will do it for my top posts of 2025. Thank you for your readership throughout this year and for any feedback you might have about my selections. The plan is to continue to write in 2026 so I hope you will continue to read Don’t Blink as we enter the new year. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s annual year-in-review. Don’t Blink.

Past Annual Top Blog Post Entries
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2024
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2023
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2022
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2021
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2020
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2019
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2018
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2017
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2016
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2015
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2014

Crustless Thursday Rundown

Posted on October 23, 2025 by brent

That day of the week is once again here and I am ready to roll. Let’s jump right into my latest Thursday Rundown…

Donuts With Dad – This morning, St. Mary Catholic School held its annual Donuts With Dad event. As the kids are still feeling a little blue after their grandparents flew back to South Carolina yesterday, this was a nice dose of positive cheer for them. It can always get a little hectic in the gym with so many students and dads but once again we all really enjoyed ourselves.

Thanks to St. Mary for organizing this morning’s “Donuts With Dad” event (photo courtesy of Alisha Roberts).

Missoula At Its Best – It can be tough to beat Missoula on an autumn October day. I took this photo after last Saturday’s Griz game of Sloan in front of blue skies, Mt. Sentinel, and the Clark Fork River. What more can you want?

I love this photo of Sloan at the footbridge that leads to the University of Montana campus.

Uncrustables War – Have you heard the news? The Smucker Company, which owns Uncrustables, is suing Trader Joe’s for trademark infringement because allegedly TJ’s is taking way too many liberties with its version of a crustless PB&J sandwich. The Trader Joe’s product is too similar in shape and packaging to the Smucker project. However, while those two brands battling it out, I am just sitting over here eating my Costco-branded crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Seriously, these things are awesome!

The Costco version of the “Uncrustable” sandwich is actually really good!

October Snow Storm – It was five years ago that Spokane was covered in snow. The fact that so much powder dumped during October was unusual but it also served as a “Welcome to Washington” of sorts for Sid and the kids as South Carolina is snow-deprived. Sid and Sloan had so much fun!

Sid and Sloan out in the snow during October 2020.

October Challenge – I always enjoy sharing memes that my friend, Lindsi, posts. She had some good ones today but what you see below was my favorite. It is quite easy to have monthly “challenges” take up your entire year but sometimes it is nice to allow a month or two without some self-help purge hanging over your head. With that said, continued good luck to my kids who are tackling the “No Candy Until Halloween” challenge. October 31 is just eight days away!

Thanks to Lindsi for another relatable meme.

————–

Okay, that will conclude tonight’s rundown. This is the big weekend for Halloween activities so please enjoy but be safe! Catch up with everyone next week. Don’t Blink.

Feeling Grateful For 2024-25

Posted on June 13, 2025 by brent

Today is Friday the 13th but it is not an unlucky day at St. Mary Catholic School. After all, it is the last day of school and how can it be anything less than a celebration? Okay, bad example—Sloan cried her heart out the last day of the 2023-24 school year. But I think this year she realizes that the end of school isn’t something to feel sad about but rather to feel proud of.

Unlike last year, Sloan (and Beau) was all smiles today.

What is there to be proud of, you ask? I think Sloan, Beau, and their classmates can be proud at making it through the 180-day grind, putting on their uniforms for 10 months straight, and tolerating Principal Hart’s dad jokes at the weekly “Monday Meeting” assembly. 😂

Sloan and Beau stand near the Mary statue on the St. Mary Catholic School (Spokane Valley) campus. I don’t think they will mind putting away the uniforms for the next couple months.

There is much to be proud of for the greater St. Mary Catholic School community as well. It was another year of academic excellence, striving for sainthood, and growing in faith. These pursuits all moved forward in a school environment where students attend mass, teachers go to adoration, and the principal embraces his role as a servant.

Another proud moment came when Beau graduated from preschool earlier this week.

Without question, the biggest draw for me at St. Mary—which is encapsulated in the points of pride I just mentioned above—is the mission to help students get to Heaven. And how can this mission be fully executed without the people inside the school who invest their energy and prayer into lifting our children up? The answer is easy: It can’t.

We love this school and love the people who work inside it.

I decided that I wanted to dedicate this 2024-25 St. Mary school year recap to a handful of people I feel especially appreciative of this year. These five individuals either helped my children grow directly, contributed to the positive culture at St. Mary, or made my own day brighter…

With Sidney and I both working, we feel bad that we have to send Beau and Sloan to St. Mary’s EduCare program both before and after school. Although extremely appreciative of the service, we wish we had more hours with the kids. With that said, I was always comforted by Mrs. Robin Gregory’s warmth and positivity when I dropped Sloan and Beau off in the gym each morning. I enjoyed our daily 30-second conversations and Mrs. Gregory’s ability to put a smile on Sloan’s face during those days when she woke up on the wrong side of the bed or sparred with her daddy on the way to school. 🙄

Beau poses with Mrs. Robin Gregory. It was always nice to chat with her in the morning.

Mr. Hart had the audacity to ask Mrs. Anne Mileski—owner of a thriving musical education curriculum business and music faculty member at two local universities—to serve as our school’s music teacher. Guess what? She actually said YES! As you can imagine, she transformed the program. The beauty, reverence, and just general technique Anne imparted on the kids was a blessing. My mom was blown away by the sophistication and coordination of the Christmas and Spring concerts. Additionally, Sidney has grown tired at the numerous times I have told her throughout the year that Sloan’s singing voice has improved tremendously (not that it was that terrible before 🙉 🎵). It truly is amazing what beautiful music can do to improve the morale and self-respect of a community. Needless to say, St. Mary is better because of Anne.

Mrs. Anne Mileski directs Sloan’s class during the 2024 St. Mary Christmas program. Sid and I are honored to call Anne a friend.

Our MVP goes to Mrs. Jordan Hoard. She went into the 2024-25 school year just as a classroom aide but was elevated to Beau’s Pre-K4 lead teacher after a small staff shuffle took place the second week of school. Mrs. Hoard graciously stepped up and did a better job than Sid and I could have asked for. With constant communication, enthusiasm, and the utmost respect for each student, we were so impressed by how she led the Pre-K4 classroom. From conducting great parent/teacher conferences to her creativity (alphabet days, anyone?) to teaching God’s lessons at a level the kids could understand, Mrs. Hoard exceeded our expectations. You are an inspiration, Jordan! 🙌

Mrs. Jordan Hoard came to the rescue and led the St. Mary Pre-K4 class. She did an absolute superb job. This photo is of Beau and Jordan after the preschool graduation.

The other day, I told Mrs. Alisha Roberts that it doesn’t matter what position she holds at St. Mary, our community just needs her in the school somewhere. But I guess her move from an aide to the office manager made perfect sense because the gatekeeper of a school needs to have the kindness and passion that Mrs. Roberts exuberates. What a pleasure it was to engage with her throughout the year! Whether I had a question, needed to excuse Sloan/Beau, or make alternative pick up plans it was always so pleasant and efficient dealing with Mrs. Roberts. She is a true favorite of our family and we are grateful for all she does for St. Mary.

Beau and Sloan take a photo with Mrs. Alisha Roberts, a true favorite of our family.

Finally, I want to pass on my appreciation to our principal, Mr. Stephen Hart. His leadership is valued and his commitment to the St. Mary mission is admirable. Stephen runs a school that is unapologetically Catholic and the resulting “product” (as Stephen would call it) is an education that I am confident, proud, and blessed to provide for my children. Stephen doesn’t have an easy job and he works extremely hard. Like I said earlier, he truly is a servant of the community and in my mind that makes him the best leader we could ask for.

Stephen Hart, principal of St. Mary Catholic School, welcomes Sloan on the first day of the 2024-25 school year. He has provided the school with incredible leadership that is driven by his truly authentic Catholic faith.

What a year it has been! These St. Mary students experienced some big worldly changes. A Presidential election was held, Pope Francis passed away, and Pope Leo XIV was chosen to lead the Church. These events will forever provide context for the 2024-25 school year but I hope everything that transpired within the actual walls of St. Mary provides the best memories and the most meaningful mechanisms for growth.

Sloan and Beau pose on the St. Mary campus after school.

Before I sign off, I want to shout out my fellow parents. Many of you are my good friends and many of you devote so much of your time and talent to the school. As I struggle to adequately give back to St. Mary, your positive example is not lost on me. Thanks for all you do!

A great part of St. Mary is not just the bonds that are created between the students but also the bonds between the parents. This photo is of Sloan and her classmates after their Christmas concert.

Alright, summer is here! As Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski told the children at today’s end-of-school mass, we can’t take a vacation from God during the summer because he doesn’t take one from us. What a great way to navigate the next 2.5 months. We are a PROUD St. Mary family and although we are going to savor summer, we can’t wait for next school year. Don’t Blink. 🙏

A Shattered Thursday Rundown

Posted on May 22, 2025 by brent

I understand that this blog post might be the last thing between you and a four-day Memorial Day weekend so let me try to move fast. Thankfully, it is a Thursday Rundown so you don’t have to worry about reading a novel. But I guess continuing on with this introduction isn’t helping much so let’s get right to the five topics…

Olivia Is 1 – Last week my niece turned 1-year-old. Olivia, who was born on May 15, is the daughter of my brother and sister-in-law. I remember the day she was born I picked up the kids from school and surprised them by taking them to the hospital to meet Olivia. A strawberry-themed birthday party was thrown at my parents’ house to celebrate her first 365 days.

Olivia at her 1st birthday party.

Basketball Hoop Destroyed – Speaking of my parents’ house, I must convey some really tough news. Our family basketball hoop was recently ripped from its pole and rendered completely unusable. If you remember, we celebrated the hoop’s 30th anniversary last September and the post I wrote to commemorate the milestone was chosen as my #1 blog post of 2024. On Sunday, I helped my dad pick up the detached backboard/basket and place it in his truck for transport to the dump. My parents plan to purchase a new basketball hoop and I will update you when it is installed.

The Reser basketball hoop after it was taken to the ground.

Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day – It is Spirit Week at St. Mary Catholic School as Sloan and Beau have thrown their full participation behind it. Yesterday happened to be Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day and while both children were able to check the “tie dye” portion, my youngest struggled with the “crazy hair” part. Sidney recently cut his hair extremely short and when he asked for a mohawk, we couldn’t exactly swing it. Maybe next year, Beau!

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo before going to St. Mary Catholic School for Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day.

Fun and Original Pizza – Before heading to the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center on Friday night, our Engaged Encounter ministry team went out for dinner. At the recommendation of Fr. Pat Kerst, the five of us went to Republic Pi on the South Hill. What a great choice! The sandwiches were made with the freshest bread, the service was great, and the atmosphere was on-point. But the best part was the restaurant’s signature item—pizza! I ordered the Wilson pie which consisted of garlic cream sauce, smoked chicken, Yukon potatoes, cheese blend, green onion, and roasted garlic. It was excellent and worth another trip one of these days.

This was the Wilson pizza I ordered from Republic Pi. It was good!

Peanut Butter Sandwiches for Days – In another example of how some things seldom change, I want to flashback to a blog post I wrote 11 years ago on May 21, 2014. It chronicled my obsession with eating peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. In this particular blog post, I outlined the long history I had with eating the classic staple and shared some of the reaction from co-workers who became astonished with my consistent hobby. Well, guess what I ate for lunch today? Yep, you know.

A peanut butter sandwich I devoured 11 years ago. I still eat these delicacies every day.

—————————-

I am pumped for the Memorial Day weekend. The weather is going to be gorgeous and I am looking forward to just relaxing. After a couple big trips and a retreat, I am ready to stay home and rest. Please enjoy and be safe! Don’t Blink.

2024: Making Moves

Posted on December 30, 2024 by brent

It was a questionable start. On January 1, I attended mass at St. Paschal Catholic Church. As Fr. Kevin Oiland chanted the Eucharistic prayer, a point in the mass that requires the faithful to be dialed in and reverent, I couldn’t take it anymore. Asking God for his forgiveness, I did the unthinkable and dashed out of the service.

I was sick.

The rest of my New Year’s Day was spent in bed or at the toilet throwing up. It was quite the miserable way to begin 2024 and I couldn’t shake what it might mean for the remaining 365 days (leap year) to follow. I wondered aloud to Sidney: Hopefully this isn’t an omen for the rest of the year…

Thankfully, it wasn’t.

2024 has been a blessed year for our family.

——————

I always say that even-numbered years bring about more change and surprises for my family than odd-numbered years. In 2024, this observation held true once again, at least from a professional standpoint. Duties, habits, commutes, and school drop-off routines were dramatically altered when I accepted the director of marketing position with Eastern Washington University.

But aside from that somewhat major development, the rest of our year was pretty low key. How low key? Consider that our family, at least up through yesterday, didn’t get on an airplane once nor did we visit any other state besides neighboring Idaho. Despite the lack of travel, we still managed to stay busy…

In January, Sloan figured a new way to generate revenue when she lost her first tooth. Speaking of my first-born, the next month Sloan asked me for the third-straight year to be her date at the St. Mary daddy-daughter dance. Also in February, Beau celebrated his fourth birthday with a Bluey-themed party and a few weeks later, Sid and I would present at our first Engaged Encounter retreat. Spring arrived and Beau played t-ball while Sloan hit the soccer field again. A Taylor Swift-themed birthday party for a certain 7-year-old was epically pulled off by Sidney. A new niece arrived in May when my brother and sister-in-law welcomed their first child, Olivia.

In January, Sloan lost her first tooth!

As is typically the case, things sped up during the second half of the year. A trip to Walla Walla to celebrate my aunt’s 60th birthday in June unofficially kicked off our summer. Wedding season also commenced this month as multiple couples Sid and I mentored entered into the sacrament of holy matrimony. Our family made memories volunteering at Hoopfest. In July, Sid’s parents visited from South Carolina and had their stay happily extended due to the CrowdStrike snafu. When the month ended, so did my employment with Washington State University. I would begin at EWU on August 1. After working my first week, we took a family vacation to Leavenworth. The fall was filled with festivals, galas, and birthday parties. Thanksgiving and Christmas were both celebrated with my family but the year is ending in South Carolina as the kids were given a surprise trip to visit “Gami and Dada” in South Carolina.

Sid’s parents visited us in July.

So that is the quick two-paragraph rundown of the events of 2024 but what about the themes? I am glad you asked. I can pinpoint two…

The first theme is emergence. Sid and I “put ourselves out there” by leading retreats and honing our public speaking skills. From a work perspective, taking a higher level job and overseeing more people also took a leap of faith. Sloan’s bravery increased as she became more comfortable in the water and fearless when it came to thrill rides. Beau shook off nerves and competed on his first sports team.

Sidney presenting at the March 1-3 Engaged Encounter weekend while Fr. Pat Kerst and Joe Schroeder look on.

We also faced disruption in 2024. As I mentioned earlier, our solid routines were turned upside down when I changed jobs. Sidney and I pretty much flip-flopped the household/kid duties we championed for the past couple years. It was tough at times but we managed and are now relatively comfortable with our roles. While we faced our own personal disruption, the nation was simultaneously facing its own. The presidential election was bitter and it polarized Americans. I followed the race extremely closely and was shocked when President-Elect Trump cruised to an 86-point Electoral College landslide victory over Kamala Harris.

Taking a job at Eastern Washington University caused some major adjustments to our daily routines and how we care for the kids.

In addition to those two unique themes of 2024, the same three values I highlight every year continued to be key for the Resers…

It all starts with family. With the four of us pretty much staying put this year, we had lots of time to spend together. Our house was a refuge as we spent lots of time reading, baking, and praying inside it. We cheered each other on at sporting events, volunteered together, and explored our Spokane community. A couple road trips resulted in precious bonding and our vacation to Leavenworth provided us with memories we will always hold dear. The Summer Olympics captivated our household and gave us hours of entertainment in which we learned about competition, the world, and pride for our country. Holidays, family dinners, and watch parties for my extended family became a tad more crowded this year. My niece, Olivia, was born in May but don’t worry—my parents had no issue finding extra room to accommodate the Reser family’s newest addition 😂. Sidney’s family also added a new face with nephew Patrick! I couldn’t be happier that Sid and the kids are spending time with him and everyone else in Myrtle Beach as this year comes to a close.

Sloan and Beau meet Olivia for the first time.

When it comes to our faith, it was another solid year. There might not be a greater blessing than sending our kids to the school that is connected to our parish. I’ll tell you what, Jesus was spot on when he lauded the purity of a child’s faith. It seems like each day that Sloan and Beau attend St. Mary School, they come home and teach me something about the bible or saints. Speaking of saints, Sloan was named a Future Saint of the Week in 2024. She also served as a lector, attended Catholic Summer Camp, and spoke of her faith development in the St. Mary promotional video. As a family we made a pilgrimage to the St. Francis of Assisi crèche in Spokane, attended every St. Mary Family Faith Night we could, and served as greeters at mass. Sid and I continued to grow with our Young Adult Catholic group, mentored more engaged couples for marriage, and presented at Engaged Encounter retreats. We celebrated the 13th ordination of Fr. Jeff Lewis, said goodbye to Fr. Kevin Oiland, and collaborated with Fr. Pat Kerst. Although I still continue to ask God every night to increase my faith, I feel I am making progress thanks in large part because of those I have around me.

My brother and I receive a blessing from Fr. David Gaines right outside of Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral during Bloomsday 2024.

Because of my supportive family and a strong faith, it allows Sid and me to pursue our careers with zeal. I couldn’t be prouder of the year my wife had with Traveler’s Insurance. She led multiple teams of international customer service employees, helped launch brand new software, participated in the company’s 24-hour Innovation Jam, and added so much to the daily workplace culture. I split my year between two great public Washington higher ed institutions. At WSU, my strategy to revamp our YouTube presence and the effort I led to recognize our system’s top graduating seniors earned award recognition from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). I was also proud of the #CougCounties social media campaign I introduced that spanned the state of Washington. At EWU I played a role in our brand evolution, assisted with the launch of our comprehensive fundraising campaign, and produced our holiday video. Over the past 12 months, the accomplishments at both universities were made possible by empowering bosses and talented team members.

Just like at WSU, when I started at EWU, I was connected with some awesome colleagues. This photo is of our film crew for the holiday video (L-R: Luke Kenneally, Sean Nelms, Me, Ginny Baxter).

——————

Wow, have I gone on long enough? I think so. But what do you expect? Like I said in my first blog post of the year, 2024 was an “every four years type of year.” As we lived our busy lives, a slate of 12 months highlighted by an extra day, the Summer Olympics, and a Presidential Election transpired in the background. It was a lot.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year a great one for my family.

As 2024 comes to a close, I am thankful for the many fruits yielded over the past 365 days (with the 366th day coming tomorrow). I am also mindful of the sorrows. Sidney lost her Uncle Tony and although he was mostly out of my family’s picture for the past 23 years, my Uncle Cliff passed away earlier this month. With 2025 almost here, let’s pray for health and peace. Thank you to my readers for an awesome year and I will see you all on the other side of the ball dropping. Don’t Blink.

Latin Lesson From Sloan

Posted on November 4, 2024 by brent

Yesterday afternoon, Sloan and I were running errands. As we pulled out of the grocery store parking lot, we started talking about death. Don’t worry, our conversation wasn’t completely random. Earlier that morning, Fr. Jeff Lewis preached about the squirm-inducing topic as he covered its origin, inevitability, and earthly aftermath (the funeral).

As we chatted, Sloan admitted that death was a difficult concept for her but that she is doing her best to embrace memento mori.

Memento what?

Thanks to Sloan, I learned about “memento mori.” We need to remember death.

I didn’t expect a Latin lesson from my 7-year-old daughter (thanks, St. Mary Catholic School!). I had Sloan explain what it meant in her own words and then I feverishly looked it up once we arrived home. Memento mori translates to remember your death in English. In the context of Catholicism, it is a reminder to anticipate and meditate on our own deaths. By practicing memento mori, we can prepare for the reality that we all face while living a life that will put us in the best position for God’s judgment.

Tough stuff, right? If you are like me, memento mori can be a difficult topic to grapple with, especially when you encounter it head-on late at night. But just because something is difficult or seemingly unpleasant doesn’t make it unnecessary to examine.

This month is an opportune time to contemplate memento mori. In the Catholic Church, we use November to contemplate our own mortality while also remembering the faithfully departed. As part of the “Month of Remembrance,” we place a special emphasis on those souls in Purgatory and pray even more intensely for them. Thus, I think by remembering those who have gone before us and praying for them, we can become more in touch with our own memento mori journey.

Visiting a cemetery this month is a great way to practice memento mori and to remember/pray for souls.

Death is scary but it is also inevitable. Thankfully, death is also a glorious and necessary step toward salvation. Memento mori! Don’t Blink.

My 2024 Top 3 Trunk-Or-Treat Displays

Posted on October 28, 2024 by brent

With Halloween on a Thursday, this past weekend was the opportune time to hold spooky community celebrations. Our family hit the trunk-or-treat circuit as we visited a variety of events throughout town.

During our travels, we saw countless creative/fun trunk-or-treat set ups as Halloween fans went all-out to decorate their vehicles and appeal to kids. I wanted to share with you my personal top three trunk-or-treat displays from the weekend…

Jurassic Park – This trunk was from the St. Mary Catholic School trunk-or-treat on Friday night and it paid homage to a 31-year-old blockbuster film (I feel sooo old). Although I am so sick of the t-rex costumes that ran their course several years ago, my attitude toward the incorporation of dinos in a trunk-or-treat set up is completely different. I am a big fan of Jurassic Park and this trunk used a fierce dinosaur as the centerpiece and surrounded it with plants and plenty of symmetry. If this blog could play sound, you would hear the Jurassic Park theme song because in real life that unmistakable tune was playing as attendees approached this trunk.

This Jurassic Park trunk was at the St. Mary Catholic School Halloween Extravaganza.

Dia de los Muertos – On Saturday morning we went to AM Cannon Park of west central Spokane. The trunk-or-treat offered here was organized by Latinos En Spokane so everything from the music to the booths to the trunks themselves reflected a Latino influence. I especially appreciated the Dia de los Muertos trunk that provided plenty of education about the multi-day Mexican holiday. The decorations, masks, colors, and information made it a very engaging stop at the event.

This trunk was at AM Cannon Park on Saturday, Oct. 26.

Motorcycle Bones – The final trunk-or-treat we attended on Saturday was at the Ponderosa Village (shopping center). After trick-or-treating at so many car trunks, it was nice to approach the trunk of a motorcycle. A much more intimate trunk-or-treat experience is offered when a motorcycle is involved and although this is just a hypothesis, it seems like a more liberal release of candy is also a defining characteristic. The people at this trunk were awesome!

This “trunk” at the Ponderosa Village Trunk-Or-Treat was a nice change of pace.

————-

Some pretty cool trunks, right? But don’t eat too much candy just yet my friend, Halloween Week is just getting started. Don’t Blink.

Garth Thursday Rundown

Posted on September 12, 2024 by brent

Here in the Inland Northwest, we have transitioned from hot temperatures in 90s to more early autumn-like temperatures in the 70s. With school now in session and football in full swing, it seems about right. You know what else seems about right? Five random topics on a Thursday…

Garth – At the end of August, Garth Fritel passed away (read obituary). This man was afflicted with ALS but still managed to live a fulfilling life centered on his family and faith. Garth embraced his debilitating disease as his cross and inspired so many (including myself—I wrote this post in 2022) by his love for Christ. Those of us who attended mass with Garth will never forget how he gave all his strength to receive the Holy Eucharist via syringe at every opportunity. I am grateful I had to chance to say goodbye to Garth and thank him for increasing my faith. Please pray for Garth’s soul and for his wife, Adeline, and daughters, Tovah and Daphne. May eternal rest be grant unto Garth, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Garth is pictured with his two daughters, his wife, Fr. Lewis, our St. Mary formation director, and NCR’s Kevin Wells (this photo is courtesy of Kevin Wells).

Fr. Jeff Sketch – I have written extensively about how our parish priest, Fr. Jeff Lewis, enriches our family in faith and friendship. Both of our children love him dearly. This photo is from this past weekend at the home of our friends. Sloan drew a portrait of Fr. Jeff and presented it to him for his approval. I don’t know if he was impressed…

Sloan reveals her sketch to Fr. Jeff Lewis.

Evacuate! – I could handle the humidity and rain of South Carolina, but the hurricanes sure got old. Every year I lived in the South, there was always a major storm that threatened our area. However, there was only one that caused us to evacuate. On this date six years ago, we packed up (Sid, 1-year-old Sloan, and me) and drove to Jacksonville where we stayed at Sid’s aunt’s house for a few days. We made the best of a stressful situation as we visited Disney Land, went to the zoo, and caught up with Sid’s cousin.

When we evacuated to Jacksonville because of Hurricane Florence, we made a day trip to Disney World.

National Chocolate Milkshake Day – Judging by the bold words to the left, you know what day it is. Let me take you back seven years to when I revealed my list of Top Five Favorite Corporate Milkshakes. Usually I make you follow the link to see my #1 choice but I am feeling generous tonight and will straight up tell you: Sonic is home to the best milkshakes in the country. However, if you want to find out the other four chains with excellent milkshakes, you need to actually read the post.

Beau and Sloan drinking a milkshake in November 2023.

Back to Homework – Last week, Sloan and Beau returned to St. Mary Catholic School. They spent those first few days getting acclimated to everything. This week? The homework has started! The below photo is from Monday night as my children hammered out their assignments. Sid and I have differing philosophies on homework but I think it is a great way to instill responsibility and time management while keeping the mind sharp.

Sloan and Beau hard at work completing their homework.