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11:33 AM

We Are Moving! Moving As Quickly And Easily As Possible

We are moving! Yes, it is unfortunate as well as an inconvenient time to be doing that but it's on to bigger and better things. We were planning to renew our lease but my wife and I got curious and started to look around for different options and we came across a house with more space, a backyard, more windows (natural light), and an extra room for a dedicated office. This was a no-brainer, especially since we are going to be paying less. We are all excited for this move and looking forward to lots of great new memories. The only thing I will miss once we move is the gym but we are already looking at some cool workout equipment options for our garage. 

Currently, packing all non-essential items has been a chore since we have a lot of decor and items the girls don't need for the next few weeks. The last time we moved, I didn't help much since I was working at the plants 7 days a week. Ashley packed our last home in 2 weeks and I admire her for going through the whole moving process without me being around. Moving, in general, is not a fun thing to do, but in my case, I am glad to be home to be able to pack and move. We are packing away things by room and not by category or type of items. For example, all of our restroom items go into one box while the girls' restroom items go into another box. This will help a lot when the time comes to unpack in our new home.  Everything besides large items ( couch, table, bed frames, mattress, etc.) will go into boxes making everything easy to organize, transport, and unpack. We got these medium size boxes from the Home Depot for 89 cents each!

This weekend I packed away all our plates, bowls, and some kitchen appliances, only leaving behind one pot and pan. All decorations, shelves, and picture frames have come down too. We are now less than 3 weeks away from the moving date and I am trying to stay ahead in order to not rush and go into panic mode. Our goal is to simply have everything packed away in our garage beside the mattress we'll sleep on the night before. That way, everything that needs to get loaded for moving is in one place. So far, so good. With everything going on in the world, I want to make this move the least stressful as possible.  Do you have any moving tips? 

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3:48 PM

The Workout Apparel I Needed | Born Tough

Working out has been completely different for me lately, more than likely, for most of us. At the start of the year, I committed to being consistent with my workouts and taking care of my health. After not being physically active for months and only working out 2-3 times a month at most, it was going to take some real effort to kickstart my resolution. To this day I've been consistent with my workouts even after the gyms in my area closed down and working out at the park isn't advisable. I realized that I was low on workout gear and came across Born Tough. I had seen them on Instagram and liked the products they have available. A few days later I had one of their shirts in my home and I was ready to wear it for my garage workout!

Born Tough has a great selection of workout clothing which can be used as workout clothing and athleisure. Given the current circumstances, most of us are working from home and don't have to get dressed up to go out. Safe to say, staying comfy is our new go-to, and athleisure is the way to go. I got the Men Core Fit Shirt in lunar rock , one of the many neutral colors (best for working out IMO) they have for this shirt. For size reference, this is a size Large and I am 5'11" and 198lbs. So what are my thoughts of this shirt after doing a couple of workouts and wearing it around the house? Well, it is my favorite shirt, and here's why.

The shirt fits like a glove, without looking like one. That alone is a win for me but there are some other cool features that you may overlook. The fabric is lightweight and is made of Born Togh's Signature Swift blend that consists of 93% viscose and 7% spandex. A great combination of fabrics with comfort and stretchability. The Core Fit short also has flatlock seams which not only make the seams stronger, they also lay flat against the skin for added comfort. 

Feeling uncomfortable when working out is one thing you don't want to feel when you're pushing your body's limits. With other shirts I've worn, the shirt would ride up as I'm doing exercises and Born Tough has added an ergonomic extended scallop hem to avoid that from happening. It's lightweight, comfortable, and stylish. I could also wear this short casually, as mentioned above, athleisure is gaining a lot of traction. 

The Core Fit Shirt is my favorite and if you started to look into ways of staying fit or starting to workout check out their wide selection of training apparel. Working out is also a great way to clear your head, have some time for yourself, or relieve some stress. This is very important in a time where our mobility is limited and staying healthy requires some additional effort from our part. You got this!  Check out their workout apparel here!

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4:57 PM

A Dad's Mental State During COVID-19 | #DadTalk

Dad life has been a little rough lately but also filled with many memorable memories. As much as we used to go out and travel, taking time to be with each other is great for our relationship and bonding as a family. We get to spend time valuable time with each other as well as talking more with each other. One of my favorite things has been coming up with creative things to do around the house. Mila is more into doing crafts like watercolors, painting, drawing and building pillow forts( I think that is considered a craft) , and collectively brainstorming. 

My kids keep me thinking positive and help me keep my mind active. It is an awkward time, mostly because staying home is not something new to my wife or I. We usually spend most of our days with our kids and do activities that revolve around them but I can't help but think of those who aren't prepared or don't have any kind of flexibility in their lives. I can relate to an extent because I can recall some times early in my childhood where I lived through some difficulties, wether financially or low on resources such as food. Keep in mind this was back in the early 90's and life is much different today. That, however, does not change the fact that some people are struggling today. Remembering where I came from keeps me grounded and allows me to help those around me without question. 

This may sound a little, debbie-downer there, but it is only  reflection of the great things I have learned in life and shaped me in the person I am today. I've been checking on my grandmas constantly, at least a lot more than before, and help them out with what they need. Anything to avoid them having to go out to the stores or crowds. It makes me happy, honestly, to be in a position to help my family because of financial responsibility learned from my dad and the generosity from my mom. I am eternally grateful because these are the things that help each generation get ahead. It is the actions that we take that moves us forward. Our family is doing great and we are stable in all areas of life, to the point that I want to feel comfortable, but knowing that there are people that need help is messing with me internally. I would love to help, but, the uncertainty and prolongation of this pandemic tells me to take care of my family until we start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

That's a condensed version of what goes through my mind on the daily. And there are positive things here to take away, in being responsible and always planning for rainy days ( financially)  my family can have some peace of mind and have one less thing to worry about. My daughters are doing great, and in creating a calm environment, we can have more harmony here and keep the anxiety levels low. Being a dad at this time can be tough, especially when work is slow and many people are getting laid off. Having worked in fabrication, oil, and chemical plants, I have been through many lay offs, and it sucks. Being an online dad doesn't mean I am disconnected or unrelatable. I have been in the positions of many dads that probably don't even use social media, which is typical when you are working 12-14 hour shifts 6-7 days a week. These times are tough and I know how it can have a negative impact on our mental state. If anyone needs someone to talk to feel free to reach out anytime, anywhere! Stay positive and remember that even in these times, our kids are always watching. 

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2:14 PM

2020 Crisis : Coronavirus, Parenting, and Homeschooling

Chances are that most of you are aware of what is going on, at least in the slightest of ways. The media is on this 24/7 and the economy has taken a 1-2 punch from the virus as well as the oil war going on with OPEC.  This makes me a little uneasy but I am trying to stay calm and collected for my family and my mental health. We have been home for over a week now and go out on the patio for some fresh air which has helped relax the tensions a bit. The girls have been well too and Mila just received her work at home plan. We just became home school teachers! That is ok, our daughters' education is of high importance and we must find ways to continue moving forward even in times like these. 

My wife and I talk about how we are feeling often, and it has helped calm us down especially when we are both seeing this situation from two points of view. We are doing our best to keep each other sane and think things through before overreacting. Fortunately, our jobs allow us to work remotely and that is a big plus since we can still work at this time, we can also be with the girls, and besides making sure our fridge and pantry are stocked up, it is fairly normal for us. We don't eat out often so that isn't an issue for us. We are looking forward to sharpening our cooking skills and being active at home. 

The well being of our family is important and as the days go by it gets a little harder to predict how long this will last. The best we can do is be safe, and stay as positive as we can together. Staying home can be hard for some people, but this is temporary and shall pass. We can flatten the curve a lot sooner if we practice social distancing and stay home as much as possible. Mila has been well and staying on top of her learning and e-learning apps like Lingokids. We're making sure she has learning time on and off the screen. It is hard recreating a school environment at home, so we try to set times where she will sit down and do her school activities like draw, color, write, and read.

Meanwhile, we are on day 8 of quarantine and are holding up alright, and are hoping we can all collectively flatten the curve sooner rather than later. Lots of people need to get back to work and there are many kids that depend on their parents to support them. It's a tough time, so I ask you to check in on your family members and make sure they are doing well, especially your elders. And then if you are able to and your finances allow you to help, find an organization you can donate your time, money or supplies to. 

Remember, feeling safe isn't the same as actually being safe. Follow through with best practices and be prepared.

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4:39 PM

Making My Smile Shine With GLEEM | New Electric Toothbrush and Whitening Strips

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of GLEEM. All opinions are 100% mine.
There is a new rechargeable electric toothbrush in the market and I have been using it to its full
potential! This electric toothbrush comes from GLEEM and I’ve been testing it with some extra
goodies to bring out my best smile and make it gleem! Rechargeable toothbrushes are great
and offer a deep clean at home or while traveling. I just got back from a trip and didn’t even
have to take the charging base, which is great when you’re packing light and compact.

You can get this new electric toothbrush in 4 different colors, found at Walmart ! I got the one in
the slate color. I have sensitive gums and at first wasn’t sure if the toothbrush was going to be
too strong, ended up cleaning better and softer than my regular toothbrush. There are two
settings you can use, once you turn it on, you are on the first setting which gives you a classic
clean. Press the power button one more time and it activates GLEEM mode, this mode gives
you additional sonic vibrations for a gleem-ing smile! I like to keep my counter clean and clutter-
free, and thanks to the long-lasting charge, the charging base doesn’t have to sit on my counter
every day. In fact, you get 16 hours of life out of a full charge, that is with regular brushing twice
a day!

Pairing the cleaning power of this great new toothbrush with the GLEEM One Week
Professional Teeth Whitening Light Kit + Booster Strips has given me the cleanest smile to date!
You can start seeing a visibly whiter smile by the third day, I started noticing on the second day
however, which is great! The whitening strips go on for an hour and then I use the GLEEM LED
light the last 5 minutes. During this hour I can tidy up the house and pick up a book to read. The
GLEEM’s Blue led technology specifically targets yellow tooth stains which goes beyond what
the strips can do alone.

On this recent trip, I packed my GLEEM rechargeable toothbrush, 2 whitening strips, and the
GLEEM LED light. It all fit perfectly in the travel case that comes with the toothbrush. I love that
this fits so well into my lifestyle, it works great, looks great, and the quiet motor is a plus! These
amazing products just released and can get them at GLEEM.com or found at Walmart.com.

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2:29 PM

6 Versatile Date Night Outfits For Men

These 6 outfits are easy and made with essential pieces that we should all have in our wardrobe. Once you have your essentials locked in, you can swap items with different outfits to change the look. Sometimes changing the color of the shoes and top gives you a completely different look even with the same pants/jeans and shirt on. 

Some of these essentials pieces would be, a solid white dress shirt, black jeans, dark denim jeans, grey trousers, white sneakers, black/brown boots, a dark color suit, and a pair of dress shoes or boots.

The underlying basics to these would be a good quality white t-shirt, neautral color long sleeve shirts ( white, grey, black), neautral color knitted long sleeves or sweaters, and a good jacket for layering, depending on your style.

Here are 6 easy date night looks for men that you could pull of or get some inspiration from.  

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Versatile outfits are very important in everyone's wardrobe. These pieces allow you to interchange items and dress them up or down. Here are 6 Easy and Versatile Date Night Outfits for Men. Layered outfits allow you to change your outfit on the go and cozy up depending on the weather. Look 1: white dress shirt from H&M Sweater - thrifted Jacket - Forever21 Jeans - Goodfellow by Target Chelsea Boots - Aldo Look 2 Waffle Knit long sleeve from Goodfellow by Target Grey Suede Jacket - Thrifted Dark Denim Jeans from Arizona Jeans Brown Brogue Boots - Clarks Look 3 switched out shoes and jacket for Black Sport Jacket from H&M Black Leather Chelsea boots - H&M Look 4 Grey Dress Shirt Charcoal Perry Ellis Suit White Reebok Club C shoes Look 5 Switched out sneakers for Black Leather Chukka boots from Florsheim Look 6 Added the Tan waffle knit long sleeve from Look 2&3

A post shared by Jeff Segura | Houston Blogger (@daddystylediaries) on Feb 17, 2020 at 12:14pm PST

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1:41 PM

Vlogging Again | Our Lives Are Very Different Now

Vlogging was a great way to show what our daily lives were like when both Ashley and I were working from home. As some of you know, Ashley's pregnancy with Isabella was a little rough and we decide to slow down our content and take it easy. In doing so, the vlogs stopped and we had not picked up the camera to vlog since. Once we thought we were ready to vlog again, I went back to work and there was definitely no time to vlog then. There were a few weeks when I felt uninspired as well, and now that we are through with that, we are back at it with the vlogs. Not doing these daily though! You can look forward to the vlogs being every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!