Save money shopping online with Groupon Coupons

Did you know that you can save money when shopping online? I'm sure you might have your various websites you like to frequent but the latest one to offer coupons and deals to your favorite online shopping sites is Groupon!

Groupon offers coupon codes and deals right from their familiar groupon.com interface. I know I'm going to add it to my repertoire of sites to check before I go shopping on various sites online. I recently purchased something from amazon.com and even found a code to save $10 just for signing in to the amazon app with prime.

NOTE: We are part of USFamilyGuide.com Blogger Network. Compensation was provided in exchange for this post.

Summer colds... *sneeze*

One thing I've forgotten is when you have an infant and toddler you get re-exposed to many viruses. Since the beginning of the year, someone in our family has had some type of cold, ear infection, virus, etc and it's getting tiresome.

The more I think about it, the more content I am that it's just a cold/infection and isn't anything more serious. We are thankful that we are generally healthy and as the old saying goes... this too shall pass.

Have you experienced this when your kids were very little? I'm just surprised that no one really spoke about it or warned us. It would have just been nice to know!

Looking forward to times when everyone in the house is healthy!

I hope you are all having a nice summer, my readers...

Movie Night and Billy Joel Night at Fenway Coming Up!

Hey guys! There's two theme nights I'm excited to tell you about coming up at Fenway: Movie Night on 7/26 and Billy Joel Night on 8/1!

On Wednesday, July 26, Red Sox fans of all ages are invited into the ballpark to watch the iconic movie, A League of Their Own, on the videoboard in center field to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the film. Prior to the start of the movie, fans will have the chance to walk the warning track where they will have the opportunity to meet and greet with former All American Girls Professional Baseball players Maybelle Blair (All the Way Mae), Shirley Burkovich (Hustle), and actress Tracy Reiner, who played Betty Spaghetti in the film.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and are available at redsox.com/movienight. The event is free for Red Sox Season Ticket Holders.

On Tuesday, August 1, the Red Sox celebrate Billy Joel and his unprecedented 4th consecutive sold out show at Fenway Park! Billy Joel Night, will include a pre-game concert on Yawkey Way by Heart Attack Ack Ack Ack Ack Ack, a Billy Joel cover band. Additionally, all tickets ordered through this link, http://www.redsox.com/billyjoelnight,  will receive a limited-edition Billy Joel bobblehead commemorating his performances at Fenway Park.

Father's Day BBQ, Catch with Dad at Pawsox and SoxShowcase Recap #hosted

Playing catch on the field!

This Father's Day we went to McCoy Stadium, home of the Pawtucket Red Sox for a barbecue, catch with Dad on the field and then to watch the afternoon game. We were treated to a double-header of baseball thanks to some rain the night before. That pushed up the start of the first game and made each of the games 7 innings (a special thing in Minor League Baseball).

We got to the stadium at 11 am and found it easy to park on the grounds. Parking is free and we recommend getting there early if you want a good spot!

The barbecue started early at 11:30 and we walked in and decided to go right to play catch on the field as that special option only went from 11:30-12 noon. I was lucky enough to take the whole family so my daughter had a chance to play catch with me, my dad and my father in law as well as other family members. It was something that we'll remember for a long time for sure! My mom even brought our 10 month old son on the field in a stroller so he could watch his big sister.

After playing catch, we went to the White BBQ Tent which was in foul ball territory. Since they had to start the games early at 12:30 to get both games in, we were eating the delicious BBQ food (hot dogs, hamburgers, pulled chicken - my fav!, drinks, dessert, etc.) while the game as going on. We were surprised, shocked and then relieved, when we were about to go back to our room, when all of a sudden, we hear "LOOK OUT" and then a thud, and when I looked down I noticed a dent in our son's stroller inches from his feet. Thankfully the foul ball didn't hit him, and the PawSox staff even helped retrieve the foul ball which will be a keepsake for sure!

Our daughter participated in one of the mid-inning breaks where she ran on the field and helped to brush off the bases, while dressed as one of the mascot's (polar bears) kids (or cubs)...

We then went up to our seats and watched the game from the stands. In between the two games we even participated in the Sox Showcase which was touring from Fenway which had batting cages, pitching, jenga, and a replica miniature green monster from Fenway. We had an absolute blast!

NOTE: We were provided with tickets for the BBQ, Catch with Dad and the baseball game. No other compensation was provided and as always, all opinions are our own.

Peanuts Night on 6/29 & some July Events from the Red Sox

The Red Sox are having a night commemorating the 50th anniversary of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and the Peanuts gang on 6/29 and you can get your own limited edition Charlie Brown Red Sox Bobblehead by purchasing tickets through this special theme night link at http://redsox.com/peanuts.

They are also having some great events coming up in July that I would love to tell you about...

Game of Thrones Night 7/18
On Tuesday, July 18 to help the Red Sox Defend The Wall against the Toronto Blue Jays, they will celebrate the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning series, Game of Thrones®. Fans who purchase the special ticket package will receive a Ser Andrew Benintendi bobblehead and have a private session to sit on the Iron Throne for a photo opportunity from 5 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. The Iron Throne photo opportunity will then be available to all fans through the game following the private session reserved for purchasers of this special ticket package. More information can be found at redsox.com/gameofthrones

Movie Night at Fenway 7/26
A League of Their Own, the popular Penny Marshall-directed 90’s movie about two sisters who join the first female professional baseball league during World War II, will be featured on the Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Vision® videoboard in center field at Fenway Park on Wednesday, July 26. To ensure the best viewing on the 40 by 100-foot Diamond Vision® videoboard, fans in attendance will be seated in the lower seating bowl and down the first base line. Fenway Park gates will open at 6:45 p.m. and the movie will begin at 8 p.m. Attendees will be invited to walk the warning track from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., weather permitting. Concessions will be available. Former All American Girls Professional Baseball players Maybelle Blair (All the Way Mae), Shirley Burkovich (Hustle), and actress Tracy Reiner, who played Betty Spaghetti in the film, will greet fans as they make their way around the warning track before the movie.

A League of Their Own is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its 1992 release. The PG-rated film stars Gena Davis (Dottie Hinson), Lori Petty (Kit Keller), Madonna (All the Way Mae), Rosie O’Donnell (Doris Murphy), and Tom Hanks (manager Jimmy Dugan). Tickets for “Movie Night at Fenway Park,” presented by Mitsubishi Electric, are available now at redsox.com/movienight or by calling (877) REDSOX-9. General admission tickets for the public are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. The event is free for Red Sox Season Ticket Holders.

I'm very thankful to be a part of the Red Sox Parents program, which lets me share this information with my readers!

NOTE: I was provided with a Charlie Brown bobblehead for promotional purposes as part of the #RedSoxParents program. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

A new experience at 18/8 mens salon and a giveaway!

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to check out a fine mens salon at University Station Shopping Center in Westwood called 18/8: A Fine Mens Salon. They just celebrated their one year anniversary at the end of May and look forward to years to come.

I arrived at 9 am and was greeted and had a short wait. I was treated to a nice fresh cup of coffee and relaxed in the waiting area. After a few short moments, I was welcomed by my barber, Julian, who brought me to his pristine work area. He offered me a robe so I wouldn't get my clothes dirty and then I sat down in the oversized, very comfortable leather chair.

He first asked how I wanted my hair cut then washed my hair with a quick scalp massage then we chat as the cut my hair. The entire cut took around 30 minutes and then he started the preparation for my executive shave. This was the first time I've ever gotten a shave from a barber. I'm totally used to my Gillette power fusion 5-blade razor with shave cream. What was interesting was that Julian used a few hot towels along with shave oil to loosen up the hair and my skin before we moved to the next room.

The new room had an interesting machine that used steam to further prepare my skin and I found it to be a little warmer than my liking but all in all it worked well so that when Julian went to give me a shave, I didn't feel anything and it was the closest shave I've ever received. You can see the photos below for yourself! Julian also took his time and was very careful so I didn't get cut.

I was also treated to my first pedicure by a nice woman named Maggie. The folks at 18/8 offer a MANicure as well as pedicure that you can add on to your hair cut or just get it by itself. I went to sit down in the massaging pedicure chair as Maggie prepared the foot bath. She started out by introducing herself and explaining that if I was ticklish on my feet we might be laughing. I had warned her that this was my first pedicure and indeed I was ticklish.

She started out by inspecting my feet and was surprised at how well kept and nice my feet looked since I had never had a pedicure. I said I just cut my nails regularly and that's about it. She started out by massaging my feet with a sugar scrub that was quite relaxing then clipped my nails and explained a bit what she was doing as she did it.

Then she massaged them with some lotion and then some oil to protect the nails and cuticles. I'll be honest... I learned WAY more than I ever knew about feet and nails and to be frank, now I understand why Emily likes pedicures, it's a relaxing time that you get just to yourself and don't have to worry about the day-to-day, minute-to-minute journey called parenting that we all have to manage.

As guys, all too often we take time to ourselves by hanging out with friends, enjoying a past-time (baseball, tennis, golf), or some "me" time by hiking, walking, exercising. I would strongly recommend adding this place as another spot for "me" time as dads. It's a great space and a fun time!

The nice folks over at 18/8 gave me an executive shave package to giveaway to one of my readers! Since father's day is coming up next Sunday, we'll run this giveaway until 12:00 am next Sunday, June 18.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: I was provided with a complimentary Executive Shave package and pedicure in order to facilitate this review as well as an Executive Shave package to offer to one of my readers for a giveaway. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

A new WiFi experience for your house, introducing Comcast’s xFi

This post was sponsored by Comcast xfinity. All opinions are our own.

Recently, I was invited by Comcast to their #xfinitynight at the Watermark Seaport Apartments in South Boston on a beautiful night in May. We were treated to some delicious food and drinks and had the chance to try out some of their new offerings which I’m happy to tell you about.

First up, they had a virtual reality simulator which they are going to have at all Celtics and Red Sox games where you can put on a pair of virtual reality goggles and get a chance to see what it’s like to step on center court at the TD Garden for a celtics game or get a behind the scenes tour of the locker room and practice facility.

Next, we went into an apartment that was staged to showcase the latest home offerings for the consumer. Here are some of the highlights:

xFi

There is an upgraded WiFi home router and modem as well as the latest edition cable box along with their xfinity home products as well. Recently they launched xFi, a next-generation method of controlling your home WiFi straight from your mobile device or tablet, available right now to customers with compatible routers/modems. As you follow the easy set up process, you can create different device groupings per individual so that you can troubleshoot connectivity issues per device as well as control network access per individual/device in case you want to only have the kids’ tablets accessible to the internet during daytime hours. xFi provides a simple dashboard to set up your home WiFi network, find your password, see what devices are connected, troubleshoot issues , set parental controls and even pause network access during dinnertime or bed time. xFi can be controlled from a mobile app, website or from your X1 voice remote on your TV.

X1 Platform

As we previously mentioned, Comcast xfinity came out with the X1 platform and we’ve been loving it! You can now get an xfinity report with voice control which makes it easy for your little ones to play the latest episodes of their favorite TV show. You can also get Netflix on X1 and even a special area on the platform just for kids called Kids Zone.

Updated xfinity stream app

xfinity stream (formerly xfinity TV): this app makes your cloud DVR available on your mobile device including most of your service available while in the home. If you’re outside of the home you can view select channels as well as download previous recordings to your device to watch on the go.