Posts

Menards Halloween 2015 Is Up

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We went to the new Menards in Melrose Park to check out the Halloween section.  This is the new two-story store and I wasn't sure where the 'seasonal' items would be set up.  They had a bunch of space for the Halloween stuff and even took over some of the outdoor patio section for the blowups, but...one thing that they didn't have was the Halloween Village that the Glendale Heights store has up usually. Wonder if they'll do a Christmas Village at the new Melrose Park store? Here's a post from three years ago when I took the girls to check out the Halloween stuff at Menards back in the day.

Big Rob's Moving And Hauling

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Looking for a mover in the Chicago suburbs that doesn't break the bank?  Look no further than my guys at Big Rob's Moving and Hauling .  We used Big Rob and his crew to move us out of our home and into storage and we couldn't be happier.  They took great care to protect our stuff AND our house and were courtesy and prompt and super hard-working. Call Big Rob himself at (773) 858-3965.  Tell him Jake in Elmhurst sent 'ya!

Good Guy Clif Bar Customer Care On Twitter

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Yesterday, I posted what I thought was a funny video showing off the new 'zero calorie' Clif Kid Z bars that we got from Costco .  I went on Twitter and gave the fine folks at Clif Bar a little bit of grief and included the #ThanksObama hashtag for these new light bars.  This wasn't brand-shaming and I wasn't going crazy, just trying to get their attention of the problem we encountered using a channel of my choosing. Customer care via social isn't easy and the good folks at Clif Bar stepped up and responded and directed me to their other customer care channels.  Good for them.  Would have loved to see a little bit of brand personality come out in their reply, but we can't get everything, can we?!? Thanks for the conversation, Clif Bar team.  I went to the contact form and filled it out with details.  We'll see if they get back to me.  If they do?  I'm sure I'll post it here. @jakeparrillo Sorry about that. Please contact our CS team @ h

We Got A Fake Clif Kid Bar #ThanksObama

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Nat picked up a box of Clif Kid Organic Zbars at Costco this week and as I cracked it open to give one to the girls, I found what is best described as a 'fake' Clif Kid bar.  It was a perfectly sealed wrapper of a bar, but just simply filled with air. Check out the video: The girls thought it was awesome.  Me?  Not so much.   I had to dump the whole box out to figure out if we just got this as a 'bonus' or if we were short one bar.  Sure enough...short one bar.  They counted this 'air-filled' wrapper as a bar.   Maybe this is a not-so-subtle message that we're eating too many bars?  Dropping some calories through ingesting air instead of granola? #ThanksObama

Come On, Disney! Where Are The Android Apps?!?

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Imagine my delight when I fired up gmail and saw this promo email from the fine folks at Disney.  They're promoting some new mobile apps tied to the new Pixar movie 'Inside Out' - which my girls loved. Squee!  I couldn't wait to open the note and then download some stuff to show off to the girls tonight.  I mean...anything to get them away from watching unboxing videos on YouTube Kids, amirite?!? I open the email and my excitement quickly turns to frustration.  See all those iOS app store logos?  Hrumph.  All three apps that they're promoting are available in the Apple App Store only. What about us Android users?  No apps for you, I guess. Add this round of disappointment to the pile that exists because they rolled out their cute "Disney Side" app that allows you to overlay a Disney character image on a selfie.  We'd love to do that, right? Oh...too bad.  No app for you, Android user.  iOS only. Come on, Disney!  I *get* that devel

Jollay's Dairy Bar And Welcome Center in Coloma

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This little spot is right at the exit ramp when you get into Coloma.  It is run by the same folks who run Jollay's Orchard and Grandpa's Cider Mill.  We stopped here on the way to pick some peaches and Nat picked up a (what she said was) tasty iced coffee and even (gasp!) a few apple cider donuts.  You loyal readers will remember that we covered our quest for 'off season' apple cider donuts back on the blog earlier this summer .  (what my baby wants, my baby gets, right Vince?!?)

Michigan Donut Peach - 2015 Edition

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Four years ago, I posted about these Donut Peaches that we picked at Jollay's in Coloma Michigan .  Today, we picked more peaches (and nectarines) but had to just 'buy' the Donut Peaches at the little store that Jollay's has set up.  There weren't any on the trees.  

So Long, 274 N. Indiana Street. Thanks For All The Fish

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A week ago today, we moved out of this place.  We bought this home together back in September of 2008.  In fact, we closed on it the day of our rehearsal dinner.  We didn't go to the closing, but my Dad stopped by our attorney's office and picked up the key on the way to our rehearsal dinner at Southport Lanes. I remember the smile on his face when he saw me and dropped that dangling key into my hand that night.  What a whirlwind.  Buy a house, get married.  Go on a honeymoon.  Then come home and begin a long rehab process. That process took five months.  We moved in close to Valentine's Day 2009.  We had been staying at Nat's parents' place while we built the house and while that was awfully nice, it was different when we moved in here. I think of our three kids as our 'second, third and fourth projects' together.  But the house at 274 N. Indiana?  That was Nat and my FIRST project together.  And it was A LOT of fun.  Her touch is all over this pla

So Long, Piano. See You In Six(ish) Months

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That right there is our upright piano as it begins it's journey into storage for what I hope is just six months (Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, March).  It was packed with cardboard, wrapped in plastic then covered in moving pads to settle in for a climate-controlled slumber.  I know we'll be 'home' when it makes a reappearance.  More on that at some point once I know the details and timing.

#TBT Of My Mom On Her Wedding Day

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This morning, I found myself sitting at my sister's desk up in her office and noticed this black and white photo of my Momma on her wedding day.  Looks like she's carrying a bouquet of long-stemmed flowers.  Don't see that happening today, right? Not sure where Vic and Equation Boy got some of the photos around their house, but they have some sweet ones of our family from back in the day - including a few of me as a little guy.  Maybe I'll share some of those here on the blog at some point...