Well, how is your summer going? It doesn’t get any better in Spokane than July and we are certainly living it up. Let’s get started with my latest Thursday Rundown…

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – Apparently all the cool kids are playing Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. It is a sequence-based card game that challenges players to think fast when a card is turned face-up on the pile. Sloan has played the game all summer at daycare and is pretty good. Me? I had a hard enough time getting the basic taco-cat-goat-cheese-pizza order down, let alone remembering what to do with the special cards. Even with my lack of skill, I still had a blast playing it with my family.

Beau was a little slower at “Taco Cat Goat Cheese” than the rest of us so Sid played a special 1-on-1 game with him.

Picture of the Week – How could you have anything but an ear-to-ear grin when you are at the pool on a hot summer day? I guess the answer is when your mom is photobombing you. Last Saturday, my family went to the Northside Aquatics Center in Spokane County. We had a great time at the sparkling facility as I raced Sloan on the water slides and Beau continued to impress us with his comfort in the water after his timidity last summer. Except for Sid, this photo definitely doesn’t convey the enthusiasm the kids exhibited for most of the afternoon.

I love this photo of Sid photobombing Beau and Sloan at the Northside Aquatics Center.

Dog Theme – Throughout the years, I have chronicled the clever birthday party themes (here and here) my sister has pulled off for her kids. Another opportunity came up this past weekend when my sister and brother-in-law hosted my nephew’s 8th birthday party. The family recently adopted a yellow lab they are in love with so it was natural that my nephew, John, would want a dog-themed party. Below is a photo of some of the “doggy treats” offered at the party. You have doggy poo (no-bake cookies), dog toys (oranges), puppy piddle (lemonade), puppy chow (muddy buddies), pup-corn (popcorn), and more. Happy birthday to John who celebrates his actual special day today!

That Makes Sense – Last week I mentioned that a brother from my Knights of Columbus council recently passed away. Rob Heacock had many hobbies and areas of expertise, including that of a Lewis and Clark historian. He wrote a book that documented the various campsites of the explorers and how to access them. In the introduction of the book (I now own a copy), he encouraged those looking to discover the campsites with the following advice: There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. In a moving eulogy, his son referenced his dad’s quote as well. So, whenever you want to mail something in because it is starting to rain or it might be too hot, just remember the words of Rob.

Rob Heacock was a talented, smart, and kind man. He was fond of saying, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” I will miss Rob.

Jalapeno Chips Mania – I am a BIG fan of jalapeno chips. The heat and flavor just do it for me! On this date six years ago, I had the pleasure of blind taste testing three different brands of jalapeno chips. This experiment was made possible by my sister-in-law who purchased the goods and then conducted an extremely regimented and scientifically-acceptable taste test. The winner? Hands down it was Tim’s Cascade Jalapeno Chips. Thick, crunchy, flavorful, and HOT, no one does the jalapeno chip better than Tim’s. In fact, I would argue that no one does the potato chip better than Tim’s. The thickness and texture should always win over any potato chip fan. It is just a shame that Tim’s only distributes its products in the Pacific Northwest.

The best chip is the Tim’s Cascade jalapeno chip.

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Hope you continue to rack up those summer memories. Mid-July is a great time so take advantage of it! I look forward to touching base next week. Don’t Blink