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5:23 AM

Our Yearly Pumpkin Patch Visit

This post is sponsored by Sparkling ICE but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Fall time is the season that most here in Texas wish we had a little more of. There really isn't a defined transitional period; it all happens abruptly. Some things that gradually carry us towards Winter are all the fall traditions our family and others have. Things such as fall family pictures, visiting a pumpkin patch, carving and decorating for festivities, and walking through a corn maze. These are the things that bring our family together during this season and that is without fail. Our Fall gatherings also include food and refreshments whether we are hanging out inside or outdoors. One of my favorite beverages to bring around is Sparkling Ice, I've tried just about every flavor but the ones in this pink variety pack are my favorites. My family and friends enjoy them just as much too and that is why I love to have a pack when friends and family are around.

Our pumpkin patch tradition started 4 years ago when Mila was born and we have gone every year to stroll around and take pictures with the kids since then. It's a great time to let the kids run around or ride on the wagons. We have to resort to celebrating the Fall without the Fall weather but that also allows us to enjoy our beverages cold since the weather here is still in the high 80's! The four flavors of the pink pack variety are Black Cherry, Peach Nectarine, Coconut Pineapple, and Pink Grapefruit. As mentioned above, these are some of the best! And what my family loves the most is that these refreshing drinks are naturally flavored, sugar-free, and caffeine-free. 

We love being able to get our family together and continue this tradition! As Mila gets older she always asks us when October is so we can go pick our pumpkins. Now that she's in school it's so funny because she's learning the seasons, and told us it wasn't Fall yet because the sun was still too hot. 

While it's mostly fun & games when we visit our favorite pumpkin patch, wrangling all the kids to get into one picture, and to smile is one of the hardest things. Having a couple of things to bribe them, like they're favorite sparkling drink really helps! 

To find out where to get your own Sparkling Ice Pink Variety Pack for all things Fall, click here!

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6:25 PM

Discovering Hidden Places In Texas | San Antonio Botanical Gardens

Last week we took a trip to San Antonio. It wasn't in our plans, to be honest, but since our trip to Austin had to be put on hold, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to take to the road in the 2019 GMC Yukon XL Denali. About 90% of our road trips have been to San Antonio, and believe it or not, there are always new things we've found to do. I've wanted to go see the San Antonio Botanical Gardens for about 2 years now, and we decided that we were going to make it our goal to make it happen on this trip. The space and comfort in the Yukon is almost overwhelming! There is more space than most of us could use on the daily, plenty of power, and feels light in contrast to its size and weight. I was excited to drive it on the trip. We could take as much as we wanted, and in fact, we did. We actually overpacked with plenty of room leftover. 

But even before we left to the Alamo City, my brother wanted to camp on the beach and since Austin was no longer on the plans we packed up that same day and headed down a short drive to the beach. We love camping, and doing that on the beach is one of our favorite things to do. This was Isabella's first time camping out and it took her a little to get used to the new noises and unfamiliar tent environment. Everyone slept soundly throughout the night. Except me. I stayed up since I wasn't sure how close the high tide was going to come up. You can see what happened to us on the last beach trip. 

Car seat installation was easy, the third row comes down at a push of a button and made loading so easy. Mila loved the retractable running boards which made it easy for her to get on board. We arrived at the botanical gardens in no time and with a respectable 15.2 MPG average. I couldn't wait to see what awaited us. From a distance, you could see the towering housing structures, which look pretty cool. We walked through the different environment settings and admired the many different plants we hadn't seen before. There is a tropical, desert, and a palm tree enclosure and they are all awesome. It was a little warm for the babies and we also brought along Ashley's great-grandpa, so we had to take it easy and make sure we didn't keep anyone too long in the heat. On our way out, we walked by an atrium with a waterfall and we stopped here for a little so we could cool off.

I had to stop and look at the many citrus trees and even saw some banana trees that were going to give fruit soon along with an avocado. The grounds are very nice and saw that they are currently working on expanding. I can't believe it took two years to finally get to experience this awesome place. There are many things here that I would like to go back to and see but we will have to save that for our next visit. It was high noon by the time we headed back to the Yukon and I am so glad that it was remote start and cooled seats. This is a must, especially here in Texas. The temperature was at 102 degrees and we were all feeling the heat so we took a break from the sun and head out for lunch.

After our lunch, we made way towards downtown to hemisfair park to see the Tower of the Americas and spend some time at the nearby park. We didn't go up to the observatory deck this time and simply enjoyed the grounds around and let the kids play. This is a special city to us and we love that there are things that we have yet to explore and experience. Who knew that this little oasis was near downtown San Antonio. I only found it while scrolling through photos of the city and came across a picture of the structures against a clear blue sky. It got my attention and I couldn't believe that this was in the city. It looked modern and in a way reminded me of the cool Gardens by the bay in Singapore. I'm really glad we were able to make this trip happen.

With 420 horsepower on tap and 460 ft. lb of torque, we were able to drive around town effortlessly and in style. How light this vehicle actually feels is surprising and makes for a much more enjoyable driving experience. The 6.2L engine is the same one found on the Sierra Denali we drive to Palo Duro Canyon earlier this year! The cargo space is an impressive 121.7 Cu. feet with the third and second row down. I thought the Chevy Traverse was a lot, but the Yukon XL has lots more space! We love both vehicle but when it comes to being able to tow, haul people in comfort, and move effortlessly, the Yukon XL Denali is the way to go. I tried the space in the third row and I sat in there pretty comfortable with decent leg room. We all loved the big GMC and were seriously spoiled with heated and cooled seats, powered third row seats, and as mentioned twice already, the power and space, it's a winner for us. This is what we would prefer to take on long road trips. Wouldn't mind trading some MPG's for more comfort and cargo room. 

Can't thank GMC enough for allowing us to take the Yukon XL Denali on this memorable trip and we hope to inspire you in taking a little adventure!

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6:22 PM

Father and Son Fishing Trip | Vlog

This past weekend I did something that I thought would never happen in my life. My brother and I were talking about things we used to do when we were younger and we ended up talking about our fishing trips with our dad. Keep in mind, I am a very spontanous person and suggested that we go on an overnight fishing trip with my dad in the next 2 days. Little to no planning needed haha. We knew what to expect and had the right tools and equipments( well, my brother and dad did at least). I am no fan of fishing, and in fact, I have not been fishing in over 10 years until this past weekend.

Out of all the fishing experiences I have only caught one fish, and it was a fairly large sheephead caught in an estuary. The time we had to spend together was invaluable and I would, without hesitating, out aside my disliked and lack of skills to spend time with them. After we all graduated from high school and went about our own ways, we have not spent time together as we used to. That is why making an effort to spend time together is so important to me and something I try to share and show my family by example.

This trip was cut short by the weather and an unusual high tide that could have sunk my brother's new Jeep. We are in the talks of going on another trip and try to catch some more fish. I also would liket o note that I learned how to set up the fishing rigs. Honestly, that was one of the things that held me back from trying to fish. It's also about having some patience as well, something I had little of when I was younger. Now, I see the fun in fishing and the joy of spending time together in the outdoors.

I made this short vlog about parts of our trip. The high tide in the morning was probably our highlight!

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I haven't been fishing in over 10 years and my brother and I decided to take my dad out fishing. We didn't catch anything but 2 small fish all night and went to sleep around 4AM only to be awaked by the high tide. We were only about 10 feet from the shore line but the back end of the Jeep was about a foot or two away once I stepped out of the tent. We packed up quickly and desided to go fish a spot we once used to go to when we were young. No luck there either. We left shortly after to have a family brunch at our place.

A post shared by Jeff Segura | Houston Blogger (@daddystylediaries) on Jun 25, 2019 at 5:07pm PDT

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12:46 PM

Casual Looks For Father’s Day With Perry Ellis

This post is sponsored by Zappos. This is an honest review of my shopping experience.

 I’m so glad that Father’s Day comes at this time of the year. It’s early on in the summer, school is out, and the weather allows for plenty of activities indoors and out. Spending time together with family is important to me, as well as looking and feeling my best. I believe that you should never sacrifice comfort for style. Perry Ellis and Perry Ellis Portfolio has always had a place in my wardrobe for many years. Take a look at some of these items from their new collection and for some Father’s day outfit inspiration. For the wives and kids out there looking at what to gift the special Dad in your life.

 Shorts for the summer, especially in Texas are a must! Both of these looks are stylish options that are easy to wear all summer long and keep you comfortably cool. It’s also great to note that their clothing feels great and will last you a long time. Good quality is always appreciated, and I’m sure dad will love them.


 Perry Ellis

I was browsing through the Perry Ellis collections on the Zappos website and found these lightweight cotton shorts, the Dobby Stretch Shorts. At first glance, I thought they were a pair of typical khaki shorts until I noticed that they had a pattern. I had to have these since I was looking for new shorts for my wardrobe. They have a subtle pattern to them that can make you stand out without being flashy. I then began to look for a shirt to pair these shorts with and came across this slim fit arrow print shirt that stood out from the rest. Instead of a plaid or gingham shirt, this arrow print shirt can be worn throughout the whole summer and even through the fall, at least here in Texas. Another thing I loved about this shirt is that it is a casual shirt without the chest pockets. I personally think that these type of shirts are more versatile. Wear them casually or dress them up a little.

Perry Ellis Portfolio

I then looked through the Perry Ellis Portfolio collection and found some items that really stood out to me. Even though I wanted to get some slacks, the current weather advised me against them and I found these grey shorts. This is their performance short. Not to be mistaken with workout shorts, these are made of 100% polyester and has moisture-wicking properties which is great for a day out with family, taking a trip to the golf course, or everyday errands. Comfortable and silky soft making this one of my favorite shorts at the moment. For the top, I was looking for either a white or blue shirt to pair with the shorts and ultimately decided on this mini circle print stretch shirt. As the name suggests, this is a great shirt to pair with these shorts. Let’s me enjoy the day in comfort and full motion. It’s composed of 98% cotton and 2% elastane which allows it to have that stretchy feel. It’s almost like the workout outfit for the casual world.

 As a Zappos rewards member, one of the best perks is the free expedited shipping which made the process easy from checkout to delivery! I wish you a great father’s day and hope this helps you in your gift shopping for dad.

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6:04 PM

Men's Summer Outfits From The Houston Premium Outlets

This time of year is one of my favorite out of the whole year. My family gets to celebrate me and I can also reflect on all the things that have made me better. It's also a time of receiving gifts family members devoted their time and thoughts to pick out. I don't know about you, but the dads in my life tend to be pretty picky and to be honest, I'm no different. One area that is fairly easy to find gifts for dad are clothes, and that is where the Houston Premium Outlets comes in to lend a helping hand for Father's Day!

The Premium Outlets feature more than 145 designer and name-brand stores. There are many options here and that is a great thing when you're shopping for dad. Out of all those stores, we made sure to stop at 4 clothing stores that vary in style and price points. We first stopped at Under Armour to check out their sales and try on some clothes. It's worth noting that all of these stores mentioned have father's day sales going on. I wanted to try out a variety of styles and ended up trying out a workout outfit and a golf outfit. Even though the golf outfit is specified for the golfing sport, I would wear this casually over the course of the summer along with these shorts with breathable material. My second stop was at a store called Theory. This store has a minimalist concept approach and their quality is top grade. You can find items ranging from t-shirts and sweatpants to jackets and slacks. Their price point is higher than the rest of the stores here but the quality you get from here is what I would love to be wearing while lounging around at home or at a cocktail hour somewhere. This was my first time at this store and I'll be going back for some items I need in my wardrobe. When the father in your life needs some high-quality essentials, be sure to make a stop here.

We had two more stores in our plans to check out and so on to Robert Graham we went. There are a lot of fun prints and patterns to find here as well as some more subtle. I would describe the styles found here as eclectic and unique. I found some cool graphic t-shirts to layer with denim jackets as well as a nice assortment of shorts. By the way, I am giving out a gift card valued at $150 for Robert Graham! Simply head over to my Instagram and comment on the picture of my daughter and I shopping at the outlets! I'll be selecting a winner at random this coming Friday the 14th!

Our last stop of the day, and with a great Father's day discount (Up To 50% OFF) , was Polo Ralph Lauren. There were many people shopping here, and with good reason. You can find just about all types of clothing for all seasons here and in a huge selection of colors and great quality. Polo is known across the world for their polo's and I believe every dad should have a couple of these in their wardrobe. Take care of them and they will last for years to come. There is something for dads of all ages here too. Father's Day is June 16th and that leaves plenty of time to check out these stores!

In case you need some help, from June 10th through the 16th, with the purchase of a $75 or more in Amex or Visa gift cards from Simon Guest Services, located in the food court, you will receive golf T's, a suit bag, and more goodies. So don't wait and give dad the best. I hope this gives you a head start!