Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts

Friday, September 2, 2011

I Need a Stainless Steel Sink

Hey there.  You know... I'm getting pretty tired of looking at the blue (yup... blue) ceramic type sink  that is sitting in our kitchen.  We had always said that we would get rid of it when we first bought the house and get one of those stainless steel kitchen sinks that look classy and nice.  We've always thought that stainless steel items in the kitchen make it "pop" and we figured that a stainless steel kitchen sink is exactly what we need.  Considering that the labor day weekend is coming up, I think I might get to changing it.  I think it's definitely time.  Later!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Dance Central for the Xbox Kincet

Hey there.  When the Xbox Kinect first came out, I was a little skeptical of it's use and it's longevity.  I figured that petting animals and pretending to kick a ball would not have the lasting appeal that many hardcore gamers are looking for.  Nevertheless, when I offered a Kinect at a bargain price, I picked it up.  I figured that I would use it as a means of exercise.  I even picked up the Zumba dance game for it in hopes to increase my dancing stats. lol

Friday, June 17, 2011

The Best Pet Hair Remover: The CarPET

Hey there friends.  As most of you know, I'm a proud owner of 3 dogs.  My mini poodle Odin, my chihuahua terrier Lucy, and their young one Lacy.  Even though they spend most of their time outside, we like to let them in the house from time to time and they just LOVE to hang out on the couch.  Wait... did I say hang around???  It's more like, roll over, jump, drag, and pounce all over them.  lol  I swear, it's as if they see the couch as a doggie jumper!  I like seeing them play and be happy.  What I don't like is having to clean up all the hair that they leave on the couch.  And since they all have white hair, it's very noticeable on our dark couches.  The short hairs really get in the upholstery so even after I vacuum the cushions, I still find hair every now and then.  But guess what... my good friends at Wicked or What offered me a solution... the CarPET!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Great Father's Day Gift Ideas at Walmart

Hey there.  Father's Day is near!  What have you picked up for your pops?  Nothing?  Oh man... No worries, I'm about to show you some pretty awesome stuff that you can pick up at your local Walmart for your dad!  But before getting into that, let me tell you of a time before iPad 2's and Blackberry tablets.  I'm talking about the 80's where a VCR was the main tech attraction.  You see, I was born in 1982 and I only had my dad for 9 short years before it was time for him to move on from this life.  I didn't get the chance to shower him with some of the awesome technology we have today.  Most of my gifts for dad included hand drawn cards and pasta encrusted creations.  Sincere, loving, and always from the heart.  It would have been cool to grab my dad a GPS navigator (we got lost a few times... I know that for a fact) or an awesome big screen TV for the big fight or game.  Even though he's no longer here, this Father's Day, I will be getting my pops a gift, it just won't be of the tech variety.  And kids... I know you're reading this.  Use this post as the "Unofficial Daddy's Wishlist".  lol

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Experience Buying a Home

Hey there guys.  You know, we've been in our home for about 4 years now and a question that we get asked a lot is how difficult is it to get a home?  I usually answer that it's a different expereince for everyone.  People with an awful credit score and no money will have a more difficult time securing a home than those with an awesome score and lots of cash on hand.  Our experience wasn't a bad one, but it wasn't so smooth either.  I didn't have the best of credit and becuase of that, it took awhile to get pre-approved.  We needed to show that we were more than able to pay for the mortgage.  And on top of that, we had money in the bank to show that we had some cash saved for a rainy day.  All in all, I'm sure that if I were to have had a better credit score, the process would have been easier and we would have saved a lot more money in interest.

Friday, May 27, 2011

My Experience with an Online School

Hey there. You know, many years ago, I attempted to complete my degree in business with an online school. I figured that I wouldn't have time to go to a brick and mortar building for school so online studies would be perfect. Especially since I'm a night owl and I stay up late anyways. Win-win situation for me, right?  In theory, yes.  In practicality, no...  My problem was that I didn't have the drive to finish school.  Not at that time, at least. I always told myself that I would go back to school when I am good and ready.  To not only get that degree but to set an example to the kids that higher learning can be achieved at any age.  Now, I believe that I am ready.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Easy Gaming at GameHouse.com

Hey there.  I love to play games.  Whether it be on my gaming console or computer.  I like playing games while I work on my computer but I can't spend too much time on any particular game.  They need to be fast, entertaining, and something that I can spend a few minutes on at a time.  This rules out MMORPGs right off the bat.  lol  I simply don't have the time to spend playing those kind of games on a computer for hours on end.  However, I don't mind a quick game of Bejeweled or any other fast paced flash game.  Gaming sites like GameHouse.com offers those quick load times and 5 minute games that I love to play.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Vote for the World's Greatest TV Dad

Hey there.  Father's Day is about a month away and Man of the House is doing this great campaign to find out who will reign supreme out of 32 popular TV Dads.  That's right, it's a World's Greatest TV Dad Contest!  How awesome is that?  There have been wonderful father figures in our favorite TV shows and it's about time that we find out who the people believe to be the best.  From memorable fathers such as Cliff Huxtable to new comers such as Michael Kyle, a bracket of 32 dads has been composed to find out who will earn the title, World's Greatest Dad!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

What Weight Loss Method Has Worked for You?

Hey there.  I've hit a plateau.  I've been doing so well in my exercise routine but now I've fallen off the wagon.  I haven't been to the gym for well over a month and I've probably only worked out home once or twice.  I need to get back on track!!!  I need to lose some of this weight!  I'm beginning to feel it.  I'm beginning to feel the shortness of breath after climbing up a flight of stairs.  I can't keep up with the wife when I've gone for a walk with her, I can't keep up with my toddler when he's running around (to my defense, their little balls of energy!!!), and I can't keep up with my oldest son when we're playing sports.  It's unacceptable!  I need to get some of this weight off, build some muscle and gain some endurance.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Freschetta Simply Inspired Bamboo Cutting Board Give-a-Way Winner

Hey there.  It's time to announce a winner for the Bamboo Cutting Board from Freschetta!  We had a total of 58 entries and the comments were numbered 1-58.  The number corresponds to when the comment so if you were the first to comment, you are number 1 and if you were the last to comment than you are number 58.  So let's see what random.org says!  And the winner is:

Using Herbalife as a Dietary Supplement

Hey there.  What's your take on Herbalife?  While at the mall, I've seen many kiosks with herbalife supplements and have always wondered what their deal was.  Is it a metabolism booster?  Is it a dietary supplement?  What exactly is it?  Little did I know that the answers where right there at home.  At point in life, my wife took a herbalife tea as a dietary supplement.  She said that it was good for her in the sense that it gave her that energy boost to continue with her workouts.  She also warned that there are many kinds of herbalife supplements and that each one specializes in different areas.  So whereas the herbalife tea that she took helped in boosting her metabolism and energy, others may help in weight loss or overall health.

Friday, May 13, 2011

I Hate My Mailbox

ey there.  I hate my mailbox.  It's a crummy, old thing that is dangling from my door by a wire frame.  Don't believe me?  Look...

Not very attractive
Yup...  Held to the door by a metal wire

See.  I just don't like it.  I think it's lazy and a little on the hideous side.  I guess that doesn't speak very highly of me, huh.  lol  Anyways, I've been thinking of getting a new mailbox.  Maybe something a little more fancy, but definitely something a little more detached from the door.  lol  I've seen a few mailboxes that sit on posts that look pretty cool.  My only problem with that is that I don't have a fence and it would be pretty funny looking to see mailbox posts around the neighborhood and not have a fence nearby.

It's funny, actually, how you don't give it any thought when you buy a home.  You start thinking of changing some things around in your back yard, inside the house, and what not, but you never give your mailbox any thought.  I guess because it's just a box for mail and you figure that you'll give it a second thought at a later date.  But then that keeps getting pushed back because of many other projects around the house.  I know that I am definitely guilty of that. 

Next time you are driving by your neighborhood, take a look at the many styles of residential mailboxes that adorn your neighbors yards.  You'll be surprised at how many seem ignored by the owner.  I know I've ignored mine for far too long and I think it's time for an upgrade.  What do you think?  Is it worthwhile to have a mail box that suits the style of the family?  Later!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

A Happy Birthday and the Lakers Downfall

LAKERS GONNA WIN!!!  Oh wait...
Hey there.  The Lakers are out of the playoffs...  I think I can now talk about it without getting too upset.  This was the team that was favored to sweep the Mavs, if not win in 5 games.  What the hell happened?!?!?!  Now there's talks about them being too old, Kobe not being Kobe, Gasol having personal issues, Odom is too inconsistent, blah blah blah...  Listen, this is the same team that has gone to the finals for 3 straight years.  This team is still made up of pretty much the same guys.  So what the hell happened???  Don't know.  But just by looking at the team during the games, they just looked uninspired.  Kind of like they were saying, no worries, we'll win the next one, and pretty much just sleepwalked through the games and that kind of attitude bit them in the ass.  The great thing about the Lakers is that we measure the season's success by championships.  If we win the title, it was a successful season.  If we don't win the title, then the season was a bust.  It's really as simple as that and all Laker fans are spoiled by that mentality.  We expect to win and when we don't, all hell breaks loose.  I'm hoping that they'll be able to get their act together and make another run next season, but man... did we just stink it up against the Mavs...

Now, on to brighter days.  My birthday was yesterday!  The big 2-9!  lmao  I don't make a big deal out of my birthday, I never have, but the wife loves to make it a little festive.  This year, she did this:
Playing Black Ops, dad.  Oh yeah, and Happy B Day!
 
The wife is great at creating an atmosphere.  I know, I know...  Lakers were eliminated on Sunday, but we all didn't think that was gonna happen.  lol  So she carried on with her Lakers theme and prepared my meal of choice, T bone steak, mashed potatos and veggies!  Oh yeah!
The woman sure knows how to make a mean batch of mash taters!
Then we all sat together, had our dinner, and goofed around a bit.  Cause that's what we do.  The wife and I sat on the couch, watching the kids play with, wait for it...  balloons...  lmao  That's right, balloons.  I understand that the young one would want to bat around a balloon for kicks but the older kids were having a blast themselves.  lol
Oooh...  Balloon...
Almost... got... it...
Then it was time for the cake.  As the wife gathered everyone around the cake and snapped a few photos, she asked to take one of me and the cake.  I think it's some kind of tradition to do that.  lol  So I sat in the chair waiting for the pic and this happened...
Why so serious
Whoa...  what is that?!  lmao!  Hand me a knife and some evil cloak because there is definitely murder in those eyes!  hahahahaaha!  The wife wasn't too happy with that one so we took another.
A lot better
After I made my wish and blew out the candles it came time for the family portrait (which my wife conveniently decided she needed to take manually so that everyone comes out 'nice'  lol) 
Happy birthday Dad!
Baby says, my cake!
Awesome.  Awesome.  Awesome!  From the decorations, to the meal, to the cake, to the laughs.  A great b day spent with my family.  So why not go out to a "fancy" restaurant for your b day?  Eh.  I'd rather spend the time at home, messing around with the wife and kids than to have to "behave" at a restaurant.  The wife will tell ya, she jokes (well I think she's joking...) that I can be just as bad as the kids.  It just comes to show you that I like to have fun.  Regardless of what the candles on the cake say.  lol  Later!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Joys of Knuffle Bunny

Hey there. You know, children are funny, little creatures. lol The most mundane of things will keep them entertained and happy. Me, being "funny daddy" and all, take advantage of that knowledge all the time by doing quirky little things around the house. With my youngest daughter, we have mini dance offs. We do the robot together all the time. With my oldest daughter, we've been having a "flinch contest" for the last week or so where we try to make each other flinch (I'm winning because I have awesome ninja focus!). lol With my oldest, well... he's kinda a preteen now and little quirky moments don't affect him as much as much as the younger kids. He does, however like it when I create absurd movie trailers and they usually begin with, "In a world..." lol Yeah, they definitely like that those.

Anyways, I bring up those little quirks because yesterday, I was reading a book to my daughter.  You know, they (or you) need to read a book every night for homework?  Yeah, that.  So I pulled out the book that was chosen and it's this book:
I recognized it from when my oldest daughter brought it for her "read at home" homework and she claims it's one of her favorite books.  I've read it a few times this year already since they keep sending it home to read so I decided to have a little fun with the reading.  It's an awesome little story of a young one that can't speak words yet and travels with her favorite stuffed toy, Knuffle Bunny.  The toy gets lost and the adventure begins.  It's definitely for the younger readers and the book has few words, as well as some baby babble.  When I read the book, I did voices for the characters.  The young one in the book had a "monster" voice, I did Bean's voice, from KROQ Kevin & Bean fame, and I just did a regular "mommy" voice for the mom.  The kids loved the Bean and monster voices.  lol  But I think it's because I ad lib some of the lines.  lol  Yeah, I'm cool like that.  The oldest, which was in his room watching Dragon Ball Z or something, came out and chuckled and said, "Dad, what are you doing?"  lol  So even my voices got his attention and the girls asked me to read it again cause he wasn't there from the beginning.  Kids...  lol

So, do you guys do anything of that sort with your kids?  Am I the only doofus that will change a story and make it their own for a few innocent laughs out of the kids?  Do you have any stare contest with the kids?  Dance offs?  Or any crazy, quirky things for a laugh.  Kids are awesome.  lol  I love my munchkins, cupcakes, and goofballs.  lmao!  Later!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Freschetta Simply Inspired Bamboo Cutting Board Give-a-Way

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Freschetta Simply Inspired Hawaiian Style PizzaHey there friends.  Who doesn't love pizza?  Pizza is usually considered an unhealthy choice of food but now a days you can find a wide variety of mouth watering and healthy pizzas.  That's where our good friends at Freschetta have our backs and rolled out their Simply Inspired line of pizzas.
I was fortunate enough to get to try one out over the weekend and all I can say is wow.  Since my boy and I are the resident pizza experts at our house, we went to the market to choose the FRESCHETTA® Simply…Inspired™ pizza of our choice.  With 8 different varieties, it was definitely a hard decision.  I would have loved to have ry the Chicken Bianco style pizza.  Mmmmm....  Grilled chicken, red peppers, black olives, and alfredo sauce.  Man, that just sounds awesome.  Alas, it was not to be since no one at home eats olives but yours truly.  After a brief debate with my son, we decided that we were going to try the Hawaiian style pizza.  The family would enjoy that more than the Chicken Bianco.
Anyways, one the of first things that I notice is the packaging.  It's not in a standard, old pizza box.  It's in this light, plastic container that is different than any other pizza packaging that I have seen.  I was glad to see that on the back it states that it is using 30% less packaging so not only is Freschetta looking out for me, but it's looking out for mother Earth as well.  The second thing I noticed was the fresh smell of pineapple once I opened the container.  Once you peel it open, the sweet aroma of fresh meat and veggies fills the air.  Unlike many frozen pizzas, Freschetta did not seal their pizza in what seems like shrink wrap.  I guess that's what they mean by "Fresch-Taste-Seal".  So far, simply awesome.
Personally, I like thin crust pizza and the FRESCHETTA® Simply…Inspired™ line of pizzas are all thin crust.  The argument that my wife makes is that there's less pizza to eat if it's thin crust.  I say, it's just a different texture.  Sometimes you're in the mood for a little thickness in your pizza slice, sometimes your not and if you're in the mood for some awesome thin crust pizza, this is it.  It has the perfect amount of crunch that it doesn't take away from their signature sauces or ingredients.  Did I mention that this one had a sweet BBQ sauce on it?  I'm not a BBQ sauce fan and I was pleasantly surprised by the how great it was.  For far, I'm loving the ingredients, the taste, and the style.
The family definitely enjoyed the pizza and we already decided that this weekend we're going to try the Chicken Bianco style pizza.  (YES!)  lol  The kids gobbled it up, the wife thinks it's a great, healthy pizza, and I think  that any pizza that can satisfy a family of 6 is always welcome at our home.  But don't take my word for it.  Go to freschettasimplyinspired.com and check out all the pizza varieties in the Simply Inspired line and find out which style is simply you.
Still not convinced to try one out?  Here, I'll give you a coupon for a free pizza!  Whoa!  Whoa!  Whoa!  I don't have one for EVERYONE reading this post.  1 lucky reader will walk away with a coupon for a free FRESCHETTA® Simply…Inspired™ pizza.  And to sweeten the pot, our good friends at Freschetta are throwing in a wooden bamboo cutting board!  Check it out!
Freschetta Wooden Cutting BoardFreschetta bamboo wooden cutting board






How awesome is that?  So how do you enter for a chance to win?  I'll make it easy.  Simply leave comment on this post on this post with your favorite pizza toppings.  That's it.  Once the the deadline has past, I'll use random.org to chose a number and that will determine our winner. Let's recap the rules:
  • Give-a-way is available to US and Canadian friends only.
  • Give-a-way will run from now until May14th.  Winner will be announced on May 15th.
  • Leave a comment on this post stating what your favorite pizza toppings are to enter.
Be sure to check out Freschetta on Twitter and Facebook for upcoming news and give-a-ways.  Like Freschetta on Facebook for a free downloadable and printable coupon for $2 off any Simply Inspired pizzas.  So let's hear it friends, what are your favorite pizza toppings???  Later!
Visit Sponsor's Site

Thursday, April 21, 2011

A Review of InkGrabber.com

Hey there.  You know, it's kind of tough to find quality printer ink without paying a lot of money for it.  This is one of the reasons why I've been out of a printer for so long.  I simply refused to pay so much money for ink.  But you know what... I have realized that I need a printer.  Especially now that my oldest son is in JR High and there will be a need to print out reports and essays.  So I'm on a mission to check out websites that sell printer ink to see where I can find the lowest price.  I'm not looking for cheap ink, I'm looking for ink that's cheap.  First stop:  InkGrabber.com

Right off the bat, I'm liking this site.  They have a listing of ink by brand on the left hand side while showcasing major brands right in the middle.  And to make it even better, they proudly display a coupon code on the right hand side to save me money on printer ink.  If a store is willing to give discounts right off the bat, I'm  definitely interested.  Upon clicking on a brand, a whole slew of printer models come up.  If they don't have what you're looking for, I'd be extremely surprised.  They seem to have a vast array of inkjet cartridges available for all kinds of printers.  That is a huge plus.  I distinctly remember having to buy ink cartridges at a store for my mother's printer and it was hit or miss on whether or not the store carried it. 

After browsing around, I like how the site is organized.  You can clearly point and click on what you need and most importantly, the prices are more than fair.  And again, they offer discounts, not only through their ongoing promotions, but through Facebook as well.  Ordering is fairly simple and I like that there's a toll free number to call if you need assistance or looking for an update on your order.  All in all, a very decent online store for ink.  I definitely recommend you guys check it out for all your printing needs.  Later!

Friday, April 1, 2011

Xbox 360 Repair Tech in Training

Just like my dad!
Hey there. I wanted to post this picture because I think it's awesome. lol  I haven't really had the chance to work on some Xboxes that need some repair.  They all have the 3 Red Rings and considering that I've had some moderate success in repairing them, I told my cuz I'd give it a go.  While I was cleaning the CPU and GPU chips on one of the machines, I got out of the chair to get a drink.  That's when I see my youngest boy on the chair, ready and eager to get to it.  lol  That's when I snapped the pic above.  My wife told me last night that our son grabbed his tools (toys) and placed them on top of the computer as if he was gearing up ready to work on it, just like his pops.  lol  That young one sure is something else. 

As for the Xboxes, I managed to get 1 of the 3 working.  I played some games on it and watched a DVD to make sure that it wouldn't over heat and it worked just fine.  I pieced it back together and it's ready to go back to the owner.  When I was about to work on Xbox #2, I decided to check the error code before digging in.  I find that it has error 0003, from what I've been told, may not be repairable due to a bad GPU or bad solder connections around the GPU.  I don't have the tools or the know how to even comprehend the problem, but I decided to remove the X-clamps and readjust the heat sinks.  Still no dice.  It has the same error code and considering that I'm not 100% what's wrong with it, I won't mess with it any more without the consent of the owner.  Xbox #3 will have to wait til tonight.  I haven't checked the code on it or anything but I'm confident that I'll be able to get it working.

I also picked up the Kinect for the Xbox not too long ago and I must say that it's pretty awesome.  We picked it up with Kinect Adventures and even though the games are simple enough, doing the "Adventure" really makes you move and gets you sweating.  Speaking of moves, we also picked up Zumba Fitness and even though I'm a terrible dancer, it's fun to try and do the dance moves.  lmao  I guess I'll need to do the tutorials on that one because trust me, I have no rhythm.  I'm surprised that the wife has not leaked the footage of me trying on youtube.  lol  Using the Kinect is definitely a work out on it's own and if you guys haven't had a chance to try it, you definitely should.  Until then, later!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Get Your DD214 Forms Online

Hey there friends.  I recently posted about obtaining a VA Home Loan if you have served in the military.  Though I provided some pretty useful information, I was asked what could be done if they have no received their DD214 forms or if they have misplaced them.  You need your DD214 forms to determine your eligibility so it's important that you hold on them.  But if you whatever reason you don't have them, here's how you can obtain them.

Getting your DD214 forms online is extremely easy.  Using the DD214 express service from the link that I have provided, you simply fill out the request to have the forms and send them in.  If you have a fax number, you can request duplicate forms using the VA fax on demand system.  Dial 301-837-0990 from a fax machine and follow the directions.  It really is that easy.  If you already have a home loan, no problem.  You can still take advantage of the awesome VA refinance rates available to you.  BUT YOU MUST HAVE YOUR DD214 FORMS.

If you're in the military, you should definitely take advantage of the options available.  There is no excuse as to why you shouldn't.  These programs are there to help and by not taking advantage, you're just making it difficult on yourself.  Do yourself and your family a favor and look into these option.  You'll be glad you did.  Later!

My Brother in Law is Getting Married Today

Hey there.  Today, my brother in law is getting married.  Congrats to my other little brother!  He and his GF have decided to tie the knot and the after party is going to be in our place.  We've spent a lot of time decorating the back yard and prepping it for 100 guests or so.  The only thing missing are the centerpieces, which he's picking up right now, and will be heading over here to place them on the tables.  Check it out:
Not too bad, right?  The wife is getting the girls ready right now.  We have approx. 3 hours before we're off to meet with the in laws.  This is where it's a huge advantage to being a man.  I can get ready in about 15 mins or so.  lol  I guess breakfast and baby watching will fall on me this morning while the wife is curling up the girls' and her hair.  I'll catch up with you guys post ceremony.  Later!

Update:

Just as I was finishing this post, my brother in law came with the centerpieces.  They definitely add some color to the tables and look pretty damn nice.  Check it out.
What a difference a few centerpieces can make, huh.  Later!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Thinking About Getting a New Pool

Hey there.  A wonderful perk about living in Southern California is the weather.  It's usually sunny, warm and overall very pleasant.  We don't deal with severe cold winds (though you would never have guessed that with last night's winds...), blizzards, and all things cold so it's usually grilling and pool weather all year long.  We already have a grill and pool.  Not any fancy schmancy ones, but they definitely get the job done.  But what has crossed my mind is maybe getting a built in pool set up in my back yard.  Here's my back yard:
There definitely is space here for a pool.  It's just a matter of whether it's worth it or not.  We have one of those inflatable pools that is pretty sizable.  Not monstrous but a good 8 feet in diameter and about 3 feet deep or so but it's a pain to set up and put away.  Putting it away is the worst!  You can NEVER fold it the way it came packaged.  NEVER!  So it never fits all nice and snug in the box so you can't neatly set it aside.  It's a bulging mess and once frustration hits, it's just tossed in a corner of the shed. 

Having a built in pool will definitely fit that.  But then new issues come up.  Cost and maintenance are the big ones.  Will it cost me a fortune.  It needs plumbing, it needs water, it needs a filter (maybe one of those automatic pool cleaners), it will need a cover, it will need a fence, etc. etc. Especially now, that I have a very curious and adventurous 1 year old roaming the yard, I don't want to risk my boy falling into the pool.  I'm just so iffy on it.  The older kids would love one, the wife always mentioned that we COULD have one but in the end, I'm the one that usually shoots the idea down.  What do you think?  Take the plunge and build one or be on the safe side and stick to the more affordable build it yourself pools?  Let me hear your thoughts.  Until then...  Later!