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Twinning In AllBirds

Posted on March 15, 2018

Ever since I can remember I have been into sneakers. I must have at least 100 pairs in my closet! Over the years my taste has changed, but I’ve always, and still do love runners. It’s always exciting when I find a new brand and style to add into my collection. The AllBirds Wool Runners silhouette is a clean, minimal look and it’s comfort is on another level! When you put the sneakers on it feels as if you’re wearing a soft merino wool slipper, not to mention, they are one of the most lightweight sneakers I’ve ever owned! I’m typically a no-sock guy, so the fact that these are super soft, wick moisture, and help minimize odor, is a huge plus for me! I was a little nervous that because they’re made of wool they would be too warm, but the merino wool is actually temperature regulating and perfect for any time of year. I just love the clean design and how lightweight they are! Aside from all of these benefits, one of the coolest things about this brand is that they make the exact same runner in Nate’s size – they’re the Smallbirds Wool Runners. He got them in the Kotare Jo and NZ Blue colors. And I must say, I think Nate rocks them better than me LOL. He just always makes anything he wears look super cool. My wife also scored a pair in the natural white color, but unfortunately she’s behind the camera so we didn’t get to show hers off. I kinda love when the entire family has part of their outfit matching. I love my little family, so anytime we can coordinate pieces of our looks, or shoes, it make me feel that much more connected to them.

I have to be honest, I don’t do enough to help the environment. I mean I recycle and do other basic things to try and leave a smaller imprint on the environment, but like everyone I could always do more. So, when I see a company doing everything they can to reduce their environmental footprint it’s definitely inspiring! AllBirds has made this part of their design and promise. The merino wool uses 60% less energy than typical synthetic materials, their shoeboxes (which are so creative and fun) uses 40% less material than traditional shoe packaging, they’re involved in a Soles4Souls partnership, and are B-Corp certified. Now I know when most people are looking for sneakers, these aren’t really things people seek out for, BUT if you can get a shoe that looks great, feels amazing, and from a brand that aims to provide “better shoes in a better way” it’s an all around win! You guys have to try a pair out. With spring right around the corner, they’re the perfect sneaker to go sockless in and words cannot relay the comfort level on these! The fact that my son wore a pair of sneakers with no socks, says it all! 🙂

Family Reviews

Morning Routines With Folgers®

Posted on February 28, 2018

This post has been sponsored by Folgers Coffee. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As most of you know by now, besides blogging, my other full-time job is as a union electrician. My normal commute is about an hour each way and I have to be at the job site to start my day at 7 a.m. I do most of my blog writing, emails, and social media responses in bed late at night and usually end up staying up until about 11:30pm, right after I get in my last Friends rerun episode in LOL. I just can’t fall asleep without one! I don’t understand how anyone can even say they’re a morning person, but I definitely am not one – no matter what time I go to bed! Add that onto the fact that I don’t eat until about noon, due to the intermittent fasting diet that I’m on. So, you can see how I’d be irritable in the mornings LOL. One thing that really helps get me going in the morning and fulfill my morning food craving is a hot cup of coffee. I’ve never actually used a traditional coffee maker, so I make mine with the Folgers® K-Cup® Pods and my single serve coffee machine.

I don’t know how I ever survived without Folgers K-Cups and my single serve coffee machine system! I literally have the same routine every morning: get dressed, head downstairs, turn on my coffee machine and pop in one of my Folgers K-Cups, pack my lunch, start my car, pack up my tools, and by the time I’m done, my to-go cup of Folgers coffee is ready. I really look forward to my hot cup of coffee (while I listen to my sports radio) on the way down to work…it makes my commute that much more enjoyable.

I think it’s that familiar morning Folgers coffee scent and cozy taste that helps bring a comforting start to my morning. From my morning routine, to my wife’s mid-afternoon perk-up, to my son’s weekly chore, Folgers seems to be a part of all of our routines. Flavor wise, our favorites are the Morning Cafe and Classic Roast. From my morning routine, to my wife’s mid-afternoon pick-me-up, to my son’s weekly chore – Folgers seems to be a part of all of our routines.

Every Friday night is ShopRite night in my house. My family usually starts with an early pizza dinner, then we head to ShopRite for our grocery shopping! We actually make our shopping list in the order that the aisles are in. At our ShopRite, the Folgers K-Cups are in the 4th row, near the front of the store. Next time you’re at your local ShopRite, be sure to look out for a Folgers K-Cups $1 off digital coupon available with your ShopRite Price Plus® club card! I don’t know if it’s my age…but I’ve finally become a coupon guy LOL.

After we get home from ShopRite, it’s become my son’s job to put all of the Folgers K-Cups away in the drawer below. He takes this job very serious and makes sure to make all the little cups as neat as possible…sometimes he goes a little overboard and makes some sort of pattern. While we’re putting the rest of the groceries away, my wife and I are not allowed to look until he’s completely finished. But once we do, we have to make sure we “ooohh and ahhh”, about how good of a job he did. It’s the cutest thing and has now become a ritual.

Aside from my morning commute, some days I’ll come home from work and have a cup of coffee as well, while my son joins me with a cup of milk or hot cocoa in his own little mug. This is my time to get all of my school questions in for Nate, while we’re both relaxed on the couch, before he starts running up the walls and tuning me out LOL. It’s crazy to think I remember watching my dad sit back and relax after work, while drinking his coffee, and now here I am today, doing the same thing. I wonder if my son will one day be with his son thinking the same thing. Crazy to think that Folgers has actually been a part of family traditions since 1850! I mean, who hasn’t recited the famous “the best part of waking up…is Folgers in your cup”?!

Family Home

Valentine’s Day Gifting For Your Man With ProFlowers

Posted on February 8, 2018

Valentine’s day is one of the many days you get to show your love to that special someone in your life and is also one of the largest flower sending holidays. But let’s be honest…for the most part, it really has become a day for the man to buy his wife some roses and some jewelry. 90% of women have reported receiving flowers, and 53% of men report never receiving them. For some reason flower gifting is often perceived as a man’s chivalrous duty. Do women not think men want to feel the love too? Shivalry should be shared!!! My wife is a prime example of just that, and it all started the very first day we met. I was at the bar, that my wife worked at, with my friends and I was on the dance floor doing my thing to J.T. (Justin Timberlake). LOL When my wife saw me tearing it up, she had no choice but to make the first move and came up and started dancing with me. From that day on, it was history! Here we are now, 15 years later…married, house, kid, dog and all! Even though she made the first move, and still does with certain things from time to time, I must say, I am somewhat of a lovey dovey husband, and also love surprising her with special gifts, or just constantly telling her how beautiful she is, even when she just wakes up with hair a mess and retainers in mouth. LOL This Valentine’s Day, we partnered up with ProFlowers, and my wife flipped the script on me again by surprising me with this beautiful Golden Pothos Tabletop Plant from them. She knows I love the greens! And I’m really loving the idea of gifting a guy a plant for Valentine’s Day. It definitely falls in line with the same vibes as surprising your lady with some flowers, except a little more masculine 🙂 Not to mention, I’m trying to cut back on the chocolates! I love that this one comes in a geometrically modern pot and I love the grey & gold color combo. There was also a little more thought behind gifting me this plant. I actually have really bad allergies, so she opted for this plant from the ProFlowers Breathe Happier™ Collection – it actually has air purifying properties! Besides adding a little life and style to our room, it’s going to make me breathe a little happier too. Plus, this one is also easy to care for, which is much needed in our house, because our thumbs are not very green. It’s perfect on my nightstand, right near my head while I sleep. Thanks boo…I love it! Ladies, definitely consider making the first move this Valentine’s Day. ProFlowers has a great assortment of flowers, plants or sweets for your sweety. We may not show it, but like I said, us guys like to feel the love too from time to time! Take the initiative and surprise us! Fellas, this does not (and I repeat), does not mean you don’t spoil your significant other too. Make sure you always one up her no matter what! 🙂 And if you’re not in a relationship, I say spoil yourself! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Family Home Reviews Travel

Getting Away with Oyster Bay

Posted on December 27, 2017

This month has been crazy! Between running around to shop for gifts, decorating the house from top to bottom, and making December special for Nathan, I felt like it was about time to show my wife a little magic as well. Taking care of her two boys the way she does is no easy task. I really wanted to give her a day of complete relaxation – free of chores and to-do’s – to show how much I appreciate all she does. This silky-smooth Pinot Noir from Oyster Bay inspired me to truly celebrate how much I love her by taking a quick local getaway to a nearby bed and breakfast overlooking a serene lake.

This was only the second time my wife and I had stayed at a bed and breakfast, but as I get older, I realize I’m more and more into them. The peace, hospitality and cozy vibes really help you unwind and enjoy a holiday away from home. By turning our phones off, avoiding emails and disconnecting from the distractions of everyday life we could truly relax, drinking Oyster Bay’s fruit-forward Pinot Noir and enjoying each other’s company in total peace. There wasn’t even a TV for us to watch. Normally, I couldn’t survive without one (LOL), but with the ingredients we had, it made for a magical escape!

We played board games (which I of course won ;)), read a little (which, sad to say, I haven’t done in a looong time) and I even made the B&B’s cats sing by messing around with a guitar (I don’t know how to play at all).

For me, drinking wine always makes any ordinary day feel like a special occasion. On a romantic weekend away, great wine takes the moment to a whole new level. When I’m looking to celebrate, I can’t rate highly enough Oyster Bay Pinot Noir from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It’s fragrant, soft and flavorful style is the ideal catalyst for any magical celebration, and set the mood perfectly for our romantic local getaway.

Family Home Reviews

How We Slow Down for the Holidays

Posted on December 5, 2017

December is here, which means it’s officially time to get ready for the holidays. As magical as this time of year is, it’s easy to get caught up in all the festivities, from decorating to shopping to holiday parties and the general running around you inevitably have, to squeeze into the five weekends of December. For my wife and I, it’s also one of the busiest times of year for work. Between all the demand of the holidays, it’s so important to stop for a minute, relax with someone you love and remind yourself what you do it all for. It’s not the gifts that create lasting memories, but the experiences and the time spent with friends and families that make this time of year so special. Like most people, we’ve been in overdrive for the past few months and don’t see ourselves slowing down until 2018. So, one night last weekend, I decided that once I got home, it was time for the wifey and I to relax, unwind and embrace the holiday spirit in a stress-free way. Naturally, my first thought was wine!

Since Oyster Bay Wines are synonymous with great moments, enjoyed in great locations, with great people, it was only right to pop a bottle (or two, who’s counting?) for a romantic night at home! Since there’s nothing relaxing about having to spend a ton of time cooking and doing dishes, I kept it simple and made some elegant finger foods. I love making crostinis! They’re easy, you can make a hundred different kinds, and most are usually just a few simpleingredients. For these crostinis, I opted for brie, prosciutto, basil and drizzled honey. I also bought my wife’s favorite stuffed mushrooms from her favorite restaurant as an accoutrement. The earthiness of the shitakes/Baby Bellas/etc. complimented the elegant fruit-forward flavors of Oyster Bay’s Pinot Noir perfectly. We also snacked on cherries, to enhance the fragrant concentration of bright red cherries in Oyster Bay’s signature pinot from the cool, maritime-influenced climate of New Zealand’s Marlborough region.

While relaxing and sipping (with the lights dim and Bing Crosby playing in the background), we started going through some of our holiday decorations. Every year we buy Nathan a new ornament. He loves his car ornaments, and it has grown into a family tradition! This collection belonged to my wife’s late father, but my mother-in-law handed them down to Nate. We just sat there and reminisced about the past years & ornament ideas we had for this year! It made us really giddy for the holidays, especially with Nate being so into Christmas. He keeps the magic alive for us!

All in all, slowing down with a cozy night in is a great way to kick off the holiday season. There also might have been some canoodling, but hey, I’m not one to kiss and tell! (LOL) We’re already looking forward to the next time we have a second to enjoy a bottle of Oyster Bay together, but our upcoming weekends are already packed. ‘Tis the season!

Whether it’s a romantic night in, small gathering, or festive dinner, Oyster Bay Pinot Noir is the ideal companion for all your celebrations. Try it yourself by heading to select liquor retailers nationwide, ordering via Drizly or checking out oysterbaypinotnoir.com to learn more. Cheers!

Family Home Reviews

Black Friday Pre-Gaming With Flipp

Posted on November 22, 2017

This post is sponsored by Flipp, however all opinions are my own.

Everybody knows that Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year. Everyone is going crazy looking for the best deals, and who can blame them?

I mean let’s be honest, Christmas time can get expensive! I decided to stop running around the crowded mall this Black Friday and use my Flipp app to make saving money a lot less stressful. You can go right on the app homepage and see the Black Friday countdown – wow, only 2 days left! Then, under the countdown, you can find all the Black Friday circulars you need, with an easy call-out as to when the sales begin and when they end – to ensure you don’t miss out!

If you don’t see the store you’re looking for, simply search the specific store using the search tool. You can even search for a specific product! While browsing through flyers you can click on the products you want and they will be automatically added to your list. Hey, you might find a deal you weren’t looking for from the start! You’ll love how Flipp keeps the items in your Shopping List super organized.

Download the Flipp app now and plan your Black Friday shopping (once your belly is maxed out from turkey) right from the comfort of your couch so that you can find the best deals and have a game plan BEFORE you go to the stores. And, even if you have the urge to hit up the malls on Friday, don’t run around like Nate and I did…sit back in the food court with some hot cocoa and let Flipp help you find the best deals first!

Family Reviews Style

Defying my DNA With Rogaine #Sponsored

Posted on November 21, 2017

This post is sponsored by Rogaine, however all opinions are my own. It’s true you can’t change your DNA, but your DNA doesn’t define you. So why not work on it and try changing the things you can control. I lost my father when I was only 15. Just like my son is a lot like me, I am a lot like my father. Even though my father was amazing to me and was a great dad he had a lot of bad habits. Unfortunately, without even knowing I was following in his footsteps, after he passed away I found myself also following some of his bad habits. Now, being a dad, and with my son Nathan here, I want to make sure I’m around longer than my dad was, and to see that Nate doesn’t make the same mistakes I did. By staying healthy and active, I will defy my DNA. I have to be honest with you, it’s not always easy for me. I try to make it a lifestyle, but there’s probably 3 months out of the year where I end up not exercising and binge eating! I blame it on my sluggishness from allergies and the time of year, but I’m working on it! I try and work out about 5 days a week and involve Nathan in it as much as possible. Whether it be going for a jog, or now that Nathan plays sports, it’s a little easier, because we can go to the park and play soccer, basketball, or just run around and be silly. I think if my father hadn’t passed away when I was young, maybe I would’ve been more involved in sports and other activities in High School and would’ve had less time to make bad decisions. I actually have the same exact hair as my father, which makes sense, because I get most of my looks from him (sorry mom). Unfortunately, thinning hair is hereditary, and now that I’m getting older, even though I still have a lot of my hair, I’m definitely starting to notice it thinning. At first I was really bummed, not only because I don’t like the way I look with thinning hair, but it’s also a reminder that I’m getting older. I tried making myself feel better by telling myself that at least it didn’t happen until I was 37, unlike some of my friends who had to shave their head early on due to balding. But, it’s still getting to me lately. Luckily, there are products like Rogaine out there that can help. If we’re proactive and start making changes early on, we don’t have to just let baldness happen and we can use products like Rogaine to regain our confidence! When I look back on photos of myself from a year ago, I now do notice the thinning hair, but for whatever reason at that time, I didn’t really notice it then – or maybe I was in denial! I’m happy I can finally accept the reality and am in the process of working towards a better head of hair with Rogaine. Men or women, if you’re starting to notice some hair thinning…don’t wait….Be proactive about it!

Family Home Reviews

Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes & Savings With Flipp

Posted on November 11, 2017

This post is sponsored by Flipp, however all opinions are my own.

One of the best things about fall is pumpkin flavored goodies. Every year around this time we all get excited for yummy treats like pumpkin candy corn, pumpkin cider donuts, pumpkin cider, and one of my family favorites, pumpkin pancakes! I’ve partnered up with Flipp, a shopping app that makes it easy to search for deals and coupons by item, brand or retailer.

I wanted to show you my steps for making the perfect homemade pumpkin pancakes – beyond just the recipe. Every Saturday morning, I take on breakfast duties and these pancakes are a family favorite. These seasonal pancakes require a few ingredients that require a quick grocery trip – so I turn to Flipp to help plan ahead and stay organized.

One of my favorite features on the Flipp app is the Shopping List feature. I always have my phone on me, so having my grocery list right at my fingertips is convenient, and ensures I’ll never forget what I need. My wife, who also has the app, can add groceries to the exact same Shopping List, which is super helpful when we’re at the store together or making separate trips. This feature really works well for us, because now when it’s time for me to go shopping I don’t have to keep calling or texting her asking what’s on the list, and when we check off an item we can see those updates in real-time.

Flipp also makes it a lot easier to shop for everything on our grocery list and help us find the best deals and coupons. I was able to search for my specific supermarket, view the weekly circular and quickly find the available coupons for that location. And, just by clicking a button I was able to add them right to my (virtual) price plus card! Once I got to the supermarket I was able to choose the store location I was at and locate what aisle the products I needed were in. This is especially nice so I didn’t have to walk around aimlessly searching – when Nate’s with me, it’s best to be in and out as quickly as possible (LOL). Once all the shopping is complete, I can just hand the cashier my phone and they can scan it for access to my price plus card. It’s so nice not to have to carry around these cards anymore and have one central location for them to all be stored on the app.

My family tends to put all the grocery circulars directly in our recycling bin before they even make it in the house because we know we’ll never end up remembering to bring them to the store anyways. But, now with Flipp, I’m actually looking at digital flyers in advance and using coupons for the first time! I’m finally taking advantage of savings! Watch the video to check out our shopping experience with Flipp and my first stab at making homemade pumpkin pancakes! They were soooo yummy! For the ingredients and pumpkin pancakes recipe, which I found online, see below! To top them off I added a little bit of whipped cream and some cinnamon and sugar!

Share how much you saved using Flipp! It’s available to download for free on iOS and Android!

Produce
● 1 cup Pumpkin puree Refrigerated
● 2 Eggs

Condiments
● Butter
● Maple Syrup

Baking & Spices
●   2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
●   1 tbsp Baking powder
●   1/2 tsp Baking soda
●   1/3 cup Granulated sugar
●   2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice blend
●   1/2 tsp Salt
●   2 tsp Vanilla extract, pure

Dairy
● 3 tbsp Butter, unsalted
● 2 cups Buttermilk

1.   To a large bowl, add the buttermilk. If using the vinegar plus milk option, let sit for about 10 minutes to allow the milk to turn to buttermilk.
2.   Add the pumpkin, eggs, butter, and vanilla and stir with a whisk to combine.
3.   In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
4.   Pour the dry ingredients over the wet and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
5.   Let batter rest for about 5 minutes.
6.   Heat a non-stick griddle to 325 degrees or set large frying pan over medium heat. Melt a little butter on the cooking surface, spreading it evenly, if desired (if the surface is non-stick, you may not need to do this). Using a 1/3 cup measure (or, my pancake scooping weapon of choice, a trigger-handled ice cream scoop), pour the batter onto the griddle or into the frying pan. The pancakes are ready to flip when they look a little dry around the edges and start to form little bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and completely cooked through, 1 to 2 more minutes.
7.   Serve topped with butter and maple syrup, if desired.

Family Reviews Style

Old Navy Streetstyle With Nate

Posted on November 1, 2017

This fall weather has me wanting to pick out more and more comfy, casual pieces. One of the most classic pieces you can have in your wardrobe is a denim jacket. During fall and winter, a great way of keeping the denim jacket season going is by getting one with a cotton sherpa lining. A lot of times when you come across a sherpa lined denim they can feel bulky and even stiff, but Old Navy did it right and this denim has a more broken-in feeling that makes it really comfortable. I wanted to do something a little different than my other Old Navy looks and keep this one a little more grungy-street, so I layered the jacket with a black distressed pullover hoodie underneath. I’m in love with this hoodie. It’s also very comfortable and cozy. The distressed color is so on point and really looks good with any outfit. I’ve already worn it twice since we shot this look! I really like how hoodies look when layered with a denim jacket. I always tend to trend toward a skinny leg, or in this case a slim pant. The rust color, or trident maple as Old Navy calls it! looks great with the tops I chose. It’s almost that garage-worker kind of vibe that I dig, and I thought the look worked really well with Nate’s Jacket. Without really matching color or pieces this time around, Nate and I were trying to kind of match grungy styles. Nate loved the piece sign patch on his jacket, and I have to admit if they had this jacket in my size we probably would’ve been wearing matching jackets! He wore a pair of matching navy pants – also skinny fit. I really like how Old Navy pants fit on Nathan. He’s got his father’s skinny chicken legs, so it’s nice to find a good skinny jean that’s comfortable for him and that doesn’t have a wide leg. While shooting, we were lucky enough to make a new friend, Zeba-DeAngelo. (If I messed up his name, I apologize!) It was this beautiful white parrot with these bright blue eyes that was just the sweetest. Nate and I got a chance to have him climb on us both, see him do some tricks, and of course snap some pics for the gram!

Family Home Reviews Style

Soccer Season Begins With Flipp

Posted on September 26, 2017

This post is in partnership with Flipp. All views and opinions are my own.

With the warm weather coming to an end and the long days of sunshine slowly getting shorter, the end of summer can be a very depressing time of year. However, this September was VERY exciting (and emotional) for us, because our little boy started kindergarten! And by exciting, I mean for Nate…for me it’s more of just sadness. I’m excited for him, but it’s also just a reminder that he’s getting older and starting this new big boy chapter in his life. Lucky for me we had lots of back-to-school shopping to do to help cheer me up. I’m curious if I’m the only dad who actually enjoys this part of it! LOL

With most of Nate’s new clothes shopping complete, we just needed to pick up some equipment for his first year of actual soccer. Last year it was more practice drills with hands-on help from the parents, but this year he’s on a little team with real practices and real games! He’s very excited. It also means he’s going to need some official equipment. I recently teamed up with this amazing app, Flipp, to show you how I handled finding exactly what Nate wanted at the best prices. Talk about perfect timing! The app takes all of the circulars you receive at home (or don’t receive!) and brings them to one digital space. Think of all the time you can save by just opening up the app and finding all the deals from your favorite retailers right at your fingertips, and not having circular after circular scattered across your counter-top! Browse by retailer, by product category, or by discount offered…no matter which way you Flipp it, Flipp helps you find the best deal across multiple retailers. Whenever I’m in a store and find an item I usually try searching it online to see if I can find it cheaper, but now that I have Flipp, it can handle all of that for me!

You can even store all your reward cards in one place so you don’t have a wallet or keychain full of cards. Once you find the deals as well as any additional coupons you want, Flipp gives you the ability to just clip them right to your loyalty cards, or get money back via rebate. I must introduce this app to my mom and mother-in-law who are still carrying around reward card keychains from 1999! LOL

We used Flipp for our back-to-school soccer season shopping. Nate was able to pick out his cleats, shin guards, and a hat that he wanted for soccer and then I was able to go on the app and figure out where I could purchase them for the best prices. He’s officially all set for his first week of practice, and we saved at least $30 by using Flipp to find the best deals.

Apparently my son also thinks that when you just click an item in the app, it will magically be shipped to our home, (no $ needed) so he asked for us to download Flipp on his tablet as well so he can browse for soccer balls! LOL

Download the free Flipp app today for iOS or Android and let us know how you used it to help you save for back-to-school activities!

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