Tylenol #HowWeFamily Campaign Video

I have received information from the makers of TYLENOL®. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post.

Hey there.  You know, I love the holiday season.  Not only is it a time to reflect on the past year, but it is also a time when you can spend time and bond with your family.  Whether it be snow fight during winter's first snowfall, holiday shopping, taking a picture with Santa, or simply hanging around an open fire, family moments are definitely precious.  And with over 60 years of experience, Tylenol knows that the well being of my family is what matters most.  That's why, I'm proud to share the Tylenol #HowWeFamily campaign video.  Real stories from real families sharing love and joy that comes with the holidays.   Check out the video below:

Hasbro Gaming Star Wars Game Pack and Giveaway

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Hasbro. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Hey there. Who's excited about the new Star Wars movie coming out next month?!?!  Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters on Dec. 18th and I simply can't wait to take the family to go see it.  I've been a fan of the Star Wars series for quite some time now and once the kids were of age, they watched the movies with me.  Watching movies eventually turned into getting Star Wars stuffs.  Mostly, its clothing or toys.  We have our fair share of Star Wars T shirts that we wear the kids have their Star Wars toys that they play with.  Some of the latest Star Wars additions to our family have come courtesy of Hasbro Gaming.  We already own a few Hasbro Gaming board games (ie. Monopoly Empire and The Game of Life: Junior) but now we can add 3 more family fun games to our collection to keep us entertained while we wait for Star Wars Episode VII:  BOP IT! Star Wars R2-D2 Edition Game, Star Wars Loopin' Chewie Game, and Electronic Catch Phrase: Star Wars Edition Game!  Check them out!

Scooby-Doo! and KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery Blu Ray Combo Pack Giveaway

Hey there.  Scooby Doobie Doo... where are you?!  Man, I used to watch Scooby Doo as a kid all the time.  It was silly, it was mysterious, and it was just a fun cartoon to watch.  The Scooby Doo franchise never really took itself seriously and there were plenty of cameos during their run.  I think that its this carefree nature that makes the franchise so endearing.  Anyways, if you are fan of Scooby Doo and you love KISS, then I have a giveaway for you!  I partnered up with our good friends at PartnersHub to give the chance for one of you fine readers to win a Blu Ray combo pack of Scooby-Doo and KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery!  The combo pack includes 3 copies of the film.  A blu ray copy, a DVD copy, and a digital copy (UltraViolet)!  To enter, all I ask is for a little reader interaction.

Uqique Mini Digital Voice Recorder Review

The perfect voice recording device!

Hey there.  Imagine this...  You're in class (or in a meeting) and you're supposed to be paying attention.  No matter how hard you try, there is no way that you take notes on every single thing that was said.  Your hand can only write so fast.  This may not be too much of a problem, but when it's a hour and half long lecture or meeting... you're going to wish you were able to "catch that again."  ESPECIALLY for those of us that need to take minutes during a meeting.  There is so much dialog and so much back and forth that you'll wish you can replay the meeting so that you can write up accurate minutes.  I'm in meeting all the time having a replay of the meeting would be perfect when writing up those minutes!  Well, with the Uqique Mini Digital Voice Recorder, now I can!!!  The awesome people at Uqique provided me with a Mini Digital Voice Recorder so that I can try out and review and let me tell you... I am glad that they did.  Not only has it been extremely in a school/work setting, but it's been extremely useful at home as well.  Before I go into my experience with the Uqique Mini Digital Voice Recorder, let's talk specs.

Snackeez Review

YES!  Finally, a cup that can hold my snack AND drink!

Hey there.  Picture this...  family movie night, popcorn, candy, drinks, living room, and 4 kids.  If you’re a parent, like me, you’re already thinking... this is going to get messy.  Lol  Its only natural.  You have 4 siblings vying for the perfect viewing spot, 4 drinks floating around, popcorn containers shifting through hands.  You’ll be mistaken if you think something isn’t going to spill.  But you know what?  You can diminish that mess with Snackeez!  That’s right, you’ve seen the commercial.  You know what I’m talking about.  Our good friends at Snackeez have provided me with one of those awesome drink cup and snack bowl into one.  Before I get into my experience with the Snackeez, here is some product details:

Make the Best of Summertime with Coastal Dog Swimwear

I participated in a Blogger Activation on behalf of Dad Central Consulting for Coastal Dog. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and to thank me for participating

Hey there.  I live in Southern California.  There's a running joke in our family that the weather in Southern California is "warm, hot, or hotter."  lol  Well, considering that it's been a warm Spring, I'm expecting it to be a pretty hot Summer.  Especially now so that I've moved into the Lancaster area.  From what I know, that's pretty close to the Mojave Desert.  So... what's a family of 6 to do to stay cool in the Summer near the desert?  BEACH AND POOL TIME!!!  We have family in Lancaster that has invited us to their pool anytime it gets hot and guess what... IT GOT HOT!  We grabbed our swimwear and were about to head out the door when my young one yells out, "WAIT!!!  DID YOU GET MY NEW BLUE SWIM SHORTS WITH THE DOGGY?!?!?!"  Why yes, son, we did grab your Coastal Dog swim shorts.

Nintendo Kicks Off The Play Nintendo Tour at Westfield Mall in Culver City

Hey there.  Who wants to play the latest Nintendo games?!  Who wants to meet some of their favorite Nintendo characters?  If you said yes to any of those questions, then you can't miss Nintendo's upcoming national tour!  The Play Nintendo Tour will take over malls across America to showcase Nintendo's hit games and they'll also have some of their top characters on hand to interact with their loving fans.  Not much in details are out just yet but I do know that they'll be kicking off that national tour right here in Southern California.  First stop?  Westfield Mall in Culver City!  And guess what... I'M AN INVITED GUEST!  Whoo hoo!

The Case of the Missing Wedding Picture

Our wedding picture.  Well... not quite but pretty damn close!  lol

Hey there. Every weekend, for the past month or so, the wife and I have been working our butts off to make our house a home.  We've put up furniture, we've put up curtains, we've picked up couches, we've set up our kitchen, we cleared out our garage, we've set up our rooms, we even got ourselves a new TV.  But you know what... it still didn't feel like home.  Like my wife mentioned last weekend, it still feels like we're staying in a hotel.  Hmmm...  It sucks when your house doesn't feel like your home, but we realized why!  We had absolutely NO pictures up on the walls.  NONE.  We've spent so much time and energy setting everything else up that we didn't bother with the pictures.  Well, that's the project we handled last weekend!

Helpful tips for a Healthy Financial Future with this SpendSmart Infographic

Hey there.  You know, I haven't been posting as much as I want to this past month or so.  Not because I'm being lazy of anything like that, it's because I have been in the middle of purchasing a home!  YAY!  It's been a hectic time for me and I simply have not had the time to post.  Now that that is behind me, it's time to start posting, it's time to start decorating, but most importantly, it's time to spend SMARTLY!  Utilities, furniture, services, home items... those are all on our list and we can very easily lose track of our finances.  That's why I wanted to share this neat infographic on how to spend wisely.  It offers more than a few tips to assure that you're finances don't get away from you.  Whether you just purchased a home or you just want to get a stranglehold of your money, these tips will help guide you!  And, if you have a teen in your household, this inforgraphic is a MUST read!  In this digital age, money may seem like it grows on trees when it's so easy to just charge it on a card.  Read the infographic, stay informed, and stay on top of your finances.  Later!

Deciding on Whether to Bank Your Newborn's Cord Blood Stem Cells

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Dad Central for the Cord Blood Registry. I received promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Offer has been extended to March 24, 2014!

Hey there.  Soon to be mom or dad?  If so, congrats on your addition to the family!  Having a baby is an awesome and exciting time, but it's also one that makes us anxious and worrysome.  Will I be a good parent?  What do I do if the baby gets sick?  Should I start saving money for college?  What if something goes wrong?  Is the house really baby proof?  Do I have enough health coverage?  It's scary, I know.  I've been there.  We are a family of 6 so I know the anxieties that come with being a dad.  The wife and I tried to be as best prepared to welcome our baby into our lives.  We read the books, we read websites, we questioned our doctors... but the one thing that we were not aware of is the option to save our baby's cord blood.  Now, I know it can be touchy subject.  Some are for stem cell research, others are not.  I'm not here to push you in either direction.  I'm here to provide you information... information that I wasn't aware of during the time of our little ones' births and it's information that you should consider before making a decision on whether or not you would like to bank your baby's cord blood.

Create Your Own LEGO Minifigure Postcard

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LEGO for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hey there.  Check out this awesome LEGO Minifigure Family postcard that I created at MiniFigureFamily.com.  I have been playing with LEGO blocks for as long as I can remember and I am glad to see that they have expanded to more than just blocks.  As popular as they are, I love that they are still a simple concept with limitless creative possibilities.  Even as a 30 year old, I still have fun creating using LEGO blocks.  I still find myself creating stuffs with my young son.  Before I know it, more than hour has passed and we're still having fun and building.  Creatin with LEGO blocks is just plain fun.  Even in a virtual world.  The above postcard was created in just a few minutes and I was able to get the whole family involved!  Let me tell you just how easy it is to create your own LEGO minifigure postcard.

RAVPower Dynamo On The Go Power Bank Review

Hey there.  Who here has a mobile device?  You know... a tablet or a smart phone.  In this day and age, just about every one and their grandma has one.  I'm guilty of owning several devices!  I have a Kindle Fire, a few iPods, and a few smart phones in our household.  And you know what... it can be a pain to have to charge all the devices at once.  Our "charging station" is full of adapters and chargers that it's not even funny.  Anyways, when your family is as dependant on mobile devices as mine is, the last thing you want to see is "low battery" on any of them.  And you knowwhat... it happens a lot!  The kids are listening to music or watching videos on thier iPods, the wife is pinning away on the Kindle Fire, and I'm checking in on sports on the phone.  With the heavy usage that we put into our devices, it's bound to happen.  But you know what... it sucks when it does.  That usually means you have to stop doing what you are doing and go to the "charging station."  In our family, that means you're stuck in a corner, attached to a wall charger and that's no fun.  But that's about to change now.  Our good friends over at RAVPower provided me with a RAV Power Dynamo on the Go Power Bank to try out and review!  It's an external battery where you can charge your mobile devices without having to be confined to a wall outlet.  I've had the pleasure of trying out and testing the Dynamo on the Go Power Bank for the past week and I am now ready to let you guys know how awesome it is. Let's get to it!

Steam Family Sharing Enters Beta in Mid September

Hey there.  One of the things that many people love about Steam is the ease of being able to download an awesome game for an unbelievably low price.  Once you own that game, it's yours and will forever be tied to your account.  But what if there is one computer and multiple Steam accounts?  At this point in time, each account would need to purchase the game in order to play it.  Well... that's about to change!  Steam Family Sharing will allow game sharing on accounts that also share the same computer!  How awesome is that?!?!  No longer will your son or daughter have to use your personal Steam account to play games.  You can authorize them to access your games on thier personal account and they can now play your downloaded games.  The best part about it is that they will also have their own saved files and achievements tied to their accounts and won't affect your personal account what so ever.

Keep Your Body Dry with Gold Bond No Mess Powder Spray

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Gold Bond. I received product samples and a promotional item as a thank you for participating. 

Hey there. Summers can be pretty hot here in Southern California. Temperatures regularly hit 90 degrees and that can lead to some pretty sweaty bodies walking around.  Even though many of us can hit the beach or walk around an air conditioned mall, many others are stuff inside offices and being sweaty at the work place is just not recommended.  See, I work in an office and for the most part, the air conditioner keeps us cool.  But there has been times where it breaks down and we are stuck in the sweltering heat.  I've gotten into the habit of sprinkling some Gold Bond foot powder spray in my shoes to keep them dry.  Last thing I want to have is moist feet where fungus and bacteria can grow.  But the problem that I had with the powder is that it's kind of messy.  Sometimes I sprinkle too much and it gets all over the rug.  Sometimes it gets all over the outside of my shoe so I'll have to spend some time cleaning it up.  Well, now I don't have the messy problem anymore.  Our good friends at Dad Central and Gold Bond have provided me with the Gold Bond No Mess Powder Spray to try out and let me tell you, this is replacing the standard powder.

Bring Awareness to Hepatitis with the Three Unwise Monkeys Campaign

Hey there. I have a cousin does awesome work at a local clinic.  One of her main functions is to drive awareness to dangers of unprotected sex.  She's constantly reminding the community of free HIV testing and she has participated in seminars in schools to make our youth aware of the disease.  Now, HIV and AIDS may be the sickness that gets headlines, but did you know that hepatitis is just as lethal?  A study by The Global Burden Disease showed that viral hepatitis was responsible for just as many deaths as HIV and AIDS.  That's a pretty big eye opener, no?  So I'm going to follow in my little cousin's footsteps and help bring awareness to the community.  Here are some details about hepatitis:

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D at the Los Angeles Zoo Nintendo Event

Oh yeah!  I'm there for the event!!!

Hey there.  Last weekend was Memorial Day weekend and it was a time of remembrance.  Many of us spent the day out with our families and gave thanks to those brave men and women of the United States Military that gave everything they had to protect the freedoms that this great nation believes in. Many of us celebrated by enjoying that freedom by enjoying it with our families.  I spent Memorial Day weekend with my family as well.  But I also spent it with Nintendo.  How so?  Well, this Memorial Day weekend, the great people at Nintendo offered my family and I a press pass to enjoy the LA Zoo AND meet Donkey Kong!  How awesome is that?!

I Need Tips for Camping Trips

Hey there.  Would you believe that I have never gone camping before?  Like... EVER!  I didn't go on camping trips with school mates, I didn't go to summer camp as a child, I haven't even gone as an adult!  That's about to change, though.  The wife and I have been talking about taking the family on a camping trip. There are plenty of camping grounds in Southern California and I think it's time for me and the family to get reaquianted with the great outdoors.  I love being outside and being able to sleep under the stars in tents sounds like a great time to me.  The problem?  I've never been to any overnight camps so I'm going to need a little bit of help.

Donkey Kong Country Invades the LA Zoo and Botanical Gardens this Memorial Day Weekend

Hey there!  Who has any plans for this Memorial Day Weekend?  Many of us will be firing up the grill and having outdoor BBQ and others will venture off to the beach or other main attraction.  It's almost as if Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of Summer.  My plans for this weekend is to take the family to the LA Zoo!  It's been awhile since we last visited the zoo so I think it'll be a great time to check it out.  Our young one is now 3 so he's old enough to enjoy checking out the animals.  Who knows, maybe he'll enjoy spotting lions, snakes, alligatots, Donkey Kong.  Wait... What?!?!  DONKEY KONG?!  YUP!!!  This Memorial Day weekend, Nintendo has partnered up with the LA Zoo & Botanical Gardens to host an event!  How awesome is that?!  The event is taking place in the Campo Gorilla Reserve to commemorate the launch of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D on the Nintendo 3DS on May 24th, 2013.

A Young Man and Summertime Sports

His first of what I hope is many sporting events for the boy!

Hey there.  The weather is getting warmer and it's time to get the kids outside and have them play some sports!  I'm glad to see that the kids are FINALLY beginning to show more interest in sports.  Especially my oldest.  He's an athletic guy and I've been waiting for him to decide that he is ready to start playing.  I don't want to be one of those overbearing parents that dictate their kid's hobbies.  I let him be and when he's ready, he's ready.  He can play baseball, football, and basketball and he seems more suited for baseball or basketball.  Come to think of it... he can even do track too!  He's expressed much interest in running as well!  Almost forgot about that one!  lol  I say that the boy (14 yrs) will do in anything that he puts his mind in.  I'm sure that once he's in high school, he'll make that final decision, but until now, we'll play basketball and we'll go out and throw the baseball around.  We end up throwing the baseball more than anything else, actually, and I think he's beginning to find his sport.

Time to Tackle Organization with a Brother P Touch Labeler

Hey there.  It's time to tackle the garage.  Spring cleaning season is in full effect and Summer is just around the corner.  That means that stuff needs to be cleaned and organized because once Summer rolls around, everyone is going to be looking for their Summer stuff.  Whether that be the slip and slide, summer toys, the cooler, or the beach chairs.  Our Summers in Southern California are usually spent at the beach and, though it's one great time for the family, getting all of our stuff ready for the trip never is.  "Mom, where is my football!"  "Dad, I can't find the cooler!"  "Mommy, where is my water gun?!"  If you're a parent, you know the drill.  Nobody can find anything when it's time to go.  But you know what?  That's not going to happen this year.  We're prepared.  Well... at least we're going to be.  Thanks to our good friends at Mom Central, we have obtained Brother P Touch Labeler!  I know it's not a miracle worker, but it's going to make our lives a lot easier!  Let me explain.