Dad-alytics

Valentine's Day is an opportunity to show our children love and it does not have the break the bank! NEVER sleep on Dollar Tree!  I was able to find quality, yet inexpensive, glass votives for roses.  I had an existing rose bush that I had been caring for and that is where I picked and trimmed my roses for my daughters.   While at Dollar Tree, I picked up some boxes of chocolates that they liked!   Don't. Forget. The. Card.  Spend some time choosing a card that matches the recipient.  Write something meaningful in there and they will cherish it forever.  I did not splurge for the balloons, but Dollar Tree has those too! Roses | Chocolates | Cards The reality of societal pressures gives us an opportunity to display our love for our family on this holiday.  We love our family EVERYDAY and we show it! Jesus T. Pe ñ a, M.Ed. If you or your organization is interested in partnering with RGV DADS, please see the contact information below: E-mai...

 Admission to Gladys Porter Zoo (GPZ) in Brownsville, Texas for our family (2 adults and 2 children) is $45.00.  I decided to get their One Year Family Membership for $85.  If we go to GPZ two times (and we will) during the year, it pays for itself!  The other benefits of membership I enjoy are the following: Free admission every day during regular hours Free admission to over 100 Zoos nationwide (includes a discount to Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas) Free parking in their limited access lot (space permitting) Other benefits include the following: Free subscription to their quarterly newsletter, Zoo News Free admission to Boo at the Zoo Free admission to Zoo Nights and Lights Gladys Porter Zoo currently recommends making a reservation due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see gpz.org for details).  I recommend going early because parking is easier and it is not as hot or packed with people.  You may only take water into the zoo and any container is ...

Several years ago we experienced a water loss (pipe burst) in our home.  I am writing this to help a family member and others that may need to familiarize themselves with events surrounding significant damage to their home.  I am NOT an attorney and I do NOT work in insurance.  I am a homeowner just like you. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.  The experience you are going through is traumatic.  Cry it out.  Hug it out.  I hope that you and your family are doing well. It's time to get to work.  In my experience, some insurance companies will pay as little as possible and help as little as possible.  You've paid your premiums, know your policy, and get an attorney involved if needed. You will not be able to stay in your home.  Take pictures.  A remediation company should have been called on your behalf.  Resources will likely be stretched thin.  In the state of Texas, many households have been impacted by the Winter Sto...

I started a FREE 15-Day Trial of Walmart+ and I like it!   The main reason I signed up was for the Mobile scan & go feature.  Normally I'm in Walmart by myself and I love to move quick!  I can grab my items and scan them as I place them in my cart.  Once I arrive to self-check out, I take my phone and scan the QR code.  I bag my groceries and I'm out of there! Yesterday we decided to place our first grocery delivery ever!  I'm late to the delivery game.  My family and friends have been telling me how great it is living in 2020 (I know, despite COVID-19).  Ordering with the app was easy, although some of our items were not available.  We decided we did not want any substitutions.  We scheduled delivery for the next morning and they showed up during the chosen window of time!  Did we have a problem?  Yes.  I think that is to be expected.  One of our items was damaged.  I called the 1 800 number and was iss...

Image:  Dave Lieber Steps for filing an Electronic Protest: 1.  Visit Hidalgo County Appraisal District website:   http://www.hidalgoad.org/ 2.  Click Protest Online (red button, center of screen). 3.  Enter username and password (or Create New User).  Click Login. 4.  Click Online Appeals (right of screen). 5.  Click here to E-File (green button - top right of screen). 6.  Click E-File (blue button - left of screen). 7.  Enter comments (I chose not to enter anything).  Click Submit. 8.  Enter Opinion of Value (I chose to enter last year's value - this may depend on a *Market Analysis if you have one from a realtor).  Enter Protest Reasons (I chose 1 and 2).  Click Submit. 9.  Click Done. 10.  Click Log Out. You should receive an e-mail stating that a protest and case number have been successfully created for your property. *Market Analysis:  Call Christian Chavez 956-47...

Chasse Conque and his team at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley have been working hard to enhance the fan experience at athletic events.  We arrived in Vaquero Village about one hour before the game started and we were impressed!  They have a great lounge area outside, a bounce house for the kids, food (at reasonable prices - credit cards accepted), drinks (yes, beer), and a live band!  The band played music from Daft Punk, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, and my personal favorite - Rage Against the Machine!   Jesus T. Pena and Chasse Conque We purchased general admission tickets for the game.  Every seat in the house is great!  During the game, there are plenty of raffles and activities to engage the fans.  The men's basketball team is very competitive and we were on the edge of our seats the entire time! Warming Up We were glad the game ended with the Vaqueros winning.  We are looking forward to another Vaqueros game soon! ...

The Home Depot offers a Kids Workshop once per month.  The event is FREE and provides a great Do-It-Yourself (DIY) opportunity for you and your child! First, you need to register online for the event:   Workshops The event at my Home Depot is held outside in the Contractor Pick-up area.  Prepare to stand for a long period of time and bring a water and/or snack depending on the age of the child.  Some wipeys to remove paint from hands would also be helpful. The time of the activity is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., but you should show up at about 8:50 a.m.  The event states "While supplies last."  This applies to the DIY project, aprons, pins, and certificates. The Home Depot provides tools; typically a hammer and a screwdriver are needed.  However, I recommend bringing some tools of your own since a large number of people attend.  If you have more than one child that will need help building the object, you shou...

Congratulations RGVFC Toros on defeating the Colorado Springs Switchbacks 3-0! One month ago, I collaborated with Ms. Gabriela Bernal on the RGV DADS Takeover event.  Our goal was to produce an event to celebrate Dads and their families.  It was a success! The event began with our children creating a Father's Day craft which included their hand prints.  Dads will cherish this memento for years to come!  Everybody enjoyed the time we spent in the VIP suite! Father's Day Craft Mr. Toro came by our suite to mingle with our children and take pictures!  He always brings a lot of energy and excitement wherever he goes. Mr. Toro and RGV DADS The Toros Girls were in attendance and took pictures with us.  They performed very well during the halftime festivities! Toros Girls H-E-B raffled off two gift baskets to the Dads at our event.  The baskets included:  H-E-B gift card, H-E-B chips, charcoal, lighter fluid, and other items for Dad...

We attended our first LEGO Monthly Mini Build on January 8, 2019.  JR and his LEGO team provided an excellent experience for my girls.  They were able to build a jet fighter and received the following items for free:  LEGO Friends set and posters!  Sign up for LEGO VIP Membership and you can sign up your children for the next Monthly Mini Build.  Everything is free and here are some things you should know: Monthly Mini Build Registration Website:   https://shop.lego.com/en-US/minibuild-registration Registration opens at 10 a.m. EST on the 15th of the month prior to the event Spaces are limited for each store, so don't wait! You will register for a specific date and time On the day of the event please arrive 5 minutes early and bring a valid photo ID  Children must be ages 6-14 Depending on the age/skill of your child, the build should take about 5-10 min. We are looking forward to the next one! If your organization is interested in ...

Like most children, our girls have been busy compiling their Christmas Wish Lists.  I transferred their Wish Lists to Amazon on Sunday evening.  You can even share lists with friends and family around the world if they would like to buy gifts for your children.  Evie and I started shopping via Amazon on Sunday night! ALWAYS compare prices online.  I typically compare Amazon, Walmart, and Target.  On Monday morning, we went to Target to get the items we could not find on Amazon.  It was nice to shop in person as the store was decorated for the holidays and the Christmas music was playing in the background.  I made sure to stop at Starbucks for my Love (we grabbed a taco for me too)! We were searching for a particular doll (the Target website stated they had some in stock...ALWAYS carry your iPhone), so Ryan (Target store associate) was kind enough to check in the back.  He found it and I told him he was our hero!  We found gifts for our fa...

LEGO has been around since 1932 and was founded by Ole Kirk Kristiansen.  I was given LEGOs in the mid-1980s and was hooked!  I enjoyed following the plans and building the various models.  It was even better when I constructed whatever was in my imagination. Several years ago I visited my parent's house and collected some of my childhood belongings.  I retrieved a blue Lego briefcase (1985) and inside was a skyscraper I had built as a child (broken in half so it could fit inside). Skyscraper and LEGO Briefcase LEGO - 1985 - Denmark My daughters have all kinds of LEGO sets and it has been exciting to see them progress from larger blocks to sets that contain thousands of pieces!  I appreciate the patience and step-by-step sequence that building a set provides for my girls. This past weekend, I learned that LEGO Master Builder Chris Steininger would be attending the Grand Opening for our LEGO store in McAllen, TX at La Plaza Mall.  Chris was s...

In about two weeks, our girls are headed back to school.  There are numerous things parents can do to ease the transition into the school schedule.  Taking action now can reduce stress on the entire family when school begins.  Students in our district are required to wear uniforms, so we made sure to shop for those items early.  We felt like we received a better deal on the uniforms this year and even received a credit back to help purchase new shoes!  We are also preparing for their return by having them go to sleep earlier.  We do not want our daughters to have trouble waking up in the morning.  During the school year, they use an alarm clock to wake up in the morning. This year we shopped for school supplies during Tax Free Weekend.  We stick to the list, but we let them pick out a few things that were special.  We felt like this would help them be more excited about return ing to school. Chosen Notebooks I asked family and fri...

Talking about money was not a popular topic of conversation in my family when I was growing up.  Some of the conversations I overheard regarding finances were negative.  My parents had a high school graduation dinner for me at Antonio's in Harlingen, Texas and thankfully I received some checks from family and friends.  I was 18 years old and my mother took me to First National Bank (now PlainsCapital Bank) to open my first checking account so I could cash those checks.  Like many of you, my past experiences shaped how I handle money today with my family. I have always taken my daughters with me wherever I go.  I have even taken them on some important errands to PlainsCapital Bank.  I feel like it is important for them to listen to me interact with bankers.  My daughters, like most children, are very perceptive.  There have been times when we return to the car and they ask questions or share comments that let me know they were listening! Girl...

Slime is still popular and it's even better when your children can make a mess somewhere else!  Chick-Fil-A (27th and Nolana in McAllen, TX) reached out to RGV DADS for their "It's Slime Time" event on July 17. I started RGV DADS on July 1 and have been working to partner with various organizations for kid-friendly events.  RGV DADS mission statement is  Creating opportunities for fathers in the Rio Grande Valley to network through meetups, blogs, and sharing information about fatherhood . It was over 100 degrees on July 17 and families were in a line that wrapped around the Chick-Fil-A restaurant!  The Chick-Fil-A mascot was in attendance to interact with the children and was available for photos. Chick-Fil-A Mascot My daughters and their friend were able to create slime by visiting a few stations to acquire the necessary ingredients.  The Chick-Fil-A employees are known for their customer service and hospitality, and they did not disappoint! ...

I have been wearing Cargo Shorts for quite some time, but I never knew their true value until Evie and I had children.  No matter what age your children are, there is always something that needs to be at your fingertips.  In the past, my cargo pockets have stored snacks (Goldfish was always popular), sippy cups, and cream (sunscreen, anti-itch cream, etc.).  As my children grew older, it was interesting to watch them approach their respective pocket to gain access to the item they needed.  Afterwards, they would return the item if needed.  Recently, my older daughter placed her 16.9 fl.oz. plastic bottle of Ozarka water in my pocket before we left the house without even asking me.  It's just a given nowadays for my girls! Dads all over the country are wearing Cargo Shorts.  I follow NYC Dads Group and I have seen Lance Somerfeld and others wearing them.  Check out their website:   NYC Dads Group . There are many brands of Cargo Short...

In the mid-1980's, Black Cats (fireworks) were placed in my hands and an explosive history was ignited!  I spent New Year's Eve and Fourth of July holidays with my cousins popping fireworks in Harlingen and Primera, Texas.  We would drive on caliche roads to the nearest fireworks stands and fill those brown paper bags with smoke balls, tanks, bottle rockets, satellites, M-80s, and more. Fatherhood provides an opportunity to relive some of my childhood experiences.  I explained to my wife how much fun I had growing up with fireworks.  We agreed to let our daughters try it out for themselves to see if they liked it.  Our girls were timid at first, but with the proper safety and supervision they now look forward to fireworks twice per year. Shopping for fireworks has changed!  We now drive on paved roads to a nearby fireworks air conditioned WAREHOUSE and purchase by credit card.  Some of the girls favorite fireworks include:  tanks, smoke balls,...

Jessica was born in late June 2009.  My wife and I are both teachers, so Jessica being born in the summer was perfect!  I was in graduate school at the time, but one of my favorite professors advised me to take one summer session off.  I'm glad I did!  I was able to bond with Jessica in a way that I never knew was possible.  My love for her grew exponentially! My wife was going to return to teaching in August, so we needed child care.  I asked my wife to look into various daycares in the area, and let me know which places were the top three.  We visited those daycares together and finally picked one; bonus - it was near her workplace!  Unfortunately, we were only there for a short time as we felt it was not the right fit.  Trust your instincts!  Be prepared to walk way.  We would later learn that the daycare went out of business. The search for a daycare was on and we chose Grandma's Daycare ( 5507 Sugar Rd., Edinburg, TX 78539)...

The cost of raising a child today is $233,610 – excluding the cost of college – for a middle-income family, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Source:   USA Today Diapers account for a hefty chunk of that $233,610!   Evie and I tried various types of diapers before settling on Pampers.  The most important test was the BLOWOUT!  For the new Dads, this is when your child has a bowel movement that escapes the confines of the diaper.  Yes, call for back-up!   Pampers were given to us at the hospital and have a detector that lets you know when your child is wet (yes, they thought of everything!).  Also, family and friends mostly gave us Pampers at my Pamper Party.  Men, make sure you have a Pamper Party.  Invite your friends, coworkers, - any soul with a heartbeat - to bring you diapers.  You'll reciprocate the favor later! I teach my students about Unit Price.  Unit Price = Price/Unit....

Nine years ago, my wife and I were in the hospital expecting our first child.  We were both filled with a range of emotions (my wife more so since she was actually doing the whole childbirth thing).  It was determined that she was going to have a Cesarean section.  I was amazed with the number of medical professionals in the room with us as the surgery took place.  I saw my wife's doctor inhale some Oreo cookies before scrubbing in for the procedure!  Each person seemed to have a specific role in the process.  My wife and I had agreed that I would follow our newborn after delivery since she would need to stay behind, and I did just that. Later the three of us would be reunited and I had the pleasure of changing the first diaper as my wife was still recovering from the surgery.  I am thankful that she was there to talk me through the process because I was nervous (I would later become a professional; changing thousands of diapers). While in our hosp...