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Leave a comment Posted on January 1, 2015January 1, 2015 car reviews, parenting, Uncategorized

2014 Lexus LX 570: Family Friendly Review

For Christmas break, I had requested to review the new 2015 Toyota Sienna, which I already did a mini-review on back a few months ago when Toyota flew me down to Jacksonville for their new reveal of the updated Sienna, Yaris, and Camry.

I had wanted to spotlight the new Sienna’s “Easy Speak” feature, by loading up my extended family in the vehicle and taking a road trip to Birmingham for my son Jack to visit his best friend Sophie; as they recently met up at Opry Mills Mall to meet Santa, while we reviewed the Lexus: Dear Jack: Meeting Santa With Sophie At Bass Pro Shop (Lexus RX 450h Weekend).

Turns out, all the Siennas were booked for Christmas. So instead, I was given a 2014 LX 570 to review instead.

Wow.

I have now officially reviewed my most expensive and most glorious vehicle here on Family Friendly Daddy Blog.

Imagine how nice and wonderful a Toyota Land Cruiser is. Well, this is the Lexus version… the $89,805.00 version, to be exact.

To say it was a privilege to be trusted with a $90K vehicle for a week; that would be an understatement.

Another change of plans occurred when Sophie’s parents had to work the day after Christmas, the day we were supposed to meet her family in Birmingham.

So since those plans got cancelled, I made sure our family still got to take advantage of the Lexus LX 570’s awesomeness, as you can see featured in the stories below:

Dear Jack: My Childhood Christmas Tree, The 1980s Time Capsule

Dear Jack: Christmas Is Always Quirky Wherever We Are

Discovering A Mysterious Purse While Geocaching In Fort Payne, Alabama

Dear Jack: Little River Falls/Abandoned Church Christmas Trip

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

How To Have A Vegan, Vegetarian, Kosher Or Plant-Based Christmas

2014 Lexus LX 570: Family Friendly Review

By far though, the most interesting, exciting, and popular story featuring the Lexus LX 570 ended up being Discovering A Mysterious Purse While Geocaching In Fort Payne, Alabama, as the title alone indicates. Check that out…

Also, I made a walk-around video so you can get 360 degree perspective of the vehicle:

This is an 8 passenger vehicle with 383 horsepower, 403 lb.-ft torque, built-in DVD players, and even a built-in cooler in between the front 2 seats, which runs off the vehicle’s A/C.

Hope you’ve enjoyed my review, come back anytime!

Leave a comment Posted on December 31, 2014 Nostalgia, parenting, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

With Mommy and I both being able to take the day after Christmas off (Friday, December 26^th), we were able to extend our official Christmas break to basically a 5 day holiday.

That meant that the fun wasn’t over just because Christmas day had passed. The morning started off with you trying on some on gag glasses that happened to stashed with some of my old toys there at Nonna and Papa’s house.

You then put them on Pandy and made him the teacher of the class…

Mommy and I decided to take you and Nana in the Lexus LX on a one hour drive through the mountains to a place called Flintstone, Georgia; where my own grandparents live, just a few miles from the Chattanooga, Tennessee city limit.

We filled up the built-in cooler with Larabars and water for snacks; and I made sure we had some DVDs for you to watch on the way there.

Of course we adults had plenty of beautiful mountain scenery to enjoy, as you sang to us…

We rarely end up visiting that side of the family during the holidays, so once we got there, I saw cousins I haven’t seen since before you were born.

To break the ice with them, and to help make you feel more relaxed, I took turns sneaking up to each one of my male cousins and pretending to punch them in the stomach; in the over-the-top style of the Power Rangers, or Marvel Universe Live that we recently saw.

“Punch the one with the white beard, Daddy!” you instructed me after you saw one of my uncles sitting on the couch.

Realizing that we had moved on from pretending to punch my male cousins to now my uncles, I “started a fight” with my Uncle Johnny (Papa’s older brother); who I would probably have to say other than your Papa, is most responsible for essentially teaching me to roughhouse at family get-togethers.

Once I “punched him” and told him that you told me to do it, he started motioning to you from across the room to “come here.”

He grabbed you by the foot and pulled you across the rug as you laughed hysterically.

Shortly after, my aunt Rosa (Papa’s youngest sister) asked you to let her take Pandy home and once you refused, she started swatting you with a roll of wrapping paper; like the way you and I played just the day before.

Horseplay really is the best way for a little boy to get to know his extended family, if you ask me.

Afterwards, I took you outside on the deck for some fresh air.

Then it was time was receive your gift from my grandmother, which couldn’t been any more appropriate for you:

A Captain America racecar and his nemesis Red Skull’s vehicle as well. You were so proud!

Before we left for a late lunch at Whole Foods, just 8 miles away, one of my cousins helped me load up Papa’s gift, a 3 ton jack, into the Lexus LX.

Once we got home, Papa showed you how the jack worked, in his shop.

And Mommy and I even ventured out and bought our new house’s washer and dryer at Gary’s in my hometown of Fort Payne, AL.

So yeah, the fun didn’t end just because Christmas day was over!

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on December 31, 2014 car reviews, parenting, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Little River Falls/Abandoned Church Christmas Trip

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

The way I’m wired, I just can’t stay indoors all day relaxing. I have to get out and feel the sun on my skin and breathe in the fresh, brisk air.

So while I definitely appreciated all the fun we had Christmas morning, I headed up a trip to Little River Falls, which is just about 5 miles from Nonna and Papa’s house, in Fort Payne, Alabama.

Papa had a sinus infection, so he had to stay at home. However, had he went, all 8 of us could have fit in the 2014 Lexus LX we were driving that week.

As we made our way down the walkway bridge to the waterfall, I realized something:

Your Uncle Andrew was the one taking care of you, while Mommy was taking care of your cousin Calla.

In essence, it was like Mommy and Uncle Andrew swapped kids for a little while. Like most little boys, you idolize the men in your life.

So while you and I do have a close relationship, I appreciate how much you look up to your Uncle Andrew, who has the mechanical skills I don’t.

We had a fun race back to the car. Of course, Uncle Andrew had a slight disadvantage since he was carrying you!

From there, we visited the old abandoned church we discovered last year while I was reviewing the Lexus LS. Last year, you and Calla were asleep so you didn’t get to check it out.

As we unloaded from the Lexus LX, Nana was concerned you’d fall out on the ground once I opened the door.

However, she saw that because there is an extra step before the running board, so combined with your climbing skills, you managed just fine.

So we did indeed attend church on Christmas day; we were just the only ones there.

Love,

Daddy

1 Comment Posted on December 30, 2014 parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Christmas Is Always Quirky Wherever We Are

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

There is no way around it. By now, you’ve just accepted it as normal that every daddy in the entire world apparently carries around a camera with him wherever he goes, knowing that any potential event will serve as another quirky story for his website.

Of course, while these letters are available for the free world to read, in real time, my main reason for writing them is to do the best job I can of chronicling your life; as I’ve been doing at least weekly since April 2010, when Mommy and I went public with her being pregnant with you.

It’s my way of helping you travel back in time, as I’m sure you’ll be a nostalgic person like I’ve always been.

With that being said, I made sure to capture some good family Christmas memories for you, like when your new Ninja Turtle decided to hang out at (your cousin Calla’s) Barbie’s beach house.

Seriously, what boy hasn’t played with his sister’s or girl cousin’s toys in a masculine way?

Granted, as a joke, Leonardo came disguised in a pink princess box:

There’s also the excitement of knowing that in our new house, which we close on exactly a month from today, you now have some gear to help us have cool camp-outs in our back yard:

Uncle “Owl” (Al) and Sharon got you a huge Noah’s Ark tent and Spiderman walkie talkies! Not to mention a Bumblebee remote control car to drive around in our cul-de-sac.

You and also had fun after breakfast when we used rolls of wrapping paper as ninja swords. Not the safest idea on my part, but as usual, you managed not to get hurt or break anything in the house.

And then there’s the fun you had in playing with the laundry chute: Mommy stayed upstairs in the bathroom while you threw stuffed animals down to the laundry room, trying to hit Nonna in the face.

Just another classic Christmas memory, which I will assume is relatively exclusive to our family.

That’s the thing. I know we’re not the only family who did weird and funny stuff on Christmas day. It’s just a matter of questioning what weird and random (yet fun) things their family did during Christmas break.

A lot of what makes Christmas such a warm and sentimental holiday is knowing that you get to just be yourself with people who know you way too well.

Therefore, new quirky memories are made and traditions are born.

Like this: How many children in America got to burst open a giant paper Mache egg, carefully created and crafted by their aunt and uncle, to find more Christmas goodies inside?

I’m sure there were some others, but by no means was that normal.

Granted, some of the gifts given and received were full of character as well…

Mommy and I got you the Jack character from Thomas & Friends, who I believe actually pays a resemblance to you.

There was also the “pinball machine” you asked for, which was delivered in the form of a much smaller version…

By the way, this was the first Christmas you were able to spot which gifts your specifically yours, now that can you can read your own name and recognize it on the tags.

Meanwhile, I received a can of “vegan Pringles,” some new pairs of funky socks, deer warnings (because my personal vehicle got hit by an albino deer), a new carabineer for my keys (the last one which I’ve owned for 9 years had a busted compass and didn’t quite mesh well with the keys to the $90,000 Lexus LX we have been reviewing this week), and a much needed new wallet. I immediately gave you my old one, which you instantly began “Play-Dohing” during breakfast.

Yes, our Christmas morning was quite unique, but the quirkiness didn’t end there. I’ve still got more letters to write about the rest of our Christmas vacation…

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on December 29, 2014December 30, 2014 Nostalgia, parenting, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: My Childhood Christmas Tree, The 1980s Time Capsule

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

This year for Christmas, it worked out for our family to spend about 5 days at my parents’ house in Fort Payne, Alabama.

So last Tuesday after I got off work, and after you and Mommy had visited both Primrose and Rainbow daycare facilities as we decide which one to transfer you to once we move into our new house in a month (our closing date is exactly a month from today), we loaded up the 2014 Lexus LX 570 and made our way across the Tennessee state line.

After we settled in that night (December 23^rd), I noticed something:

The Christmas tree’s ornaments serve as a 1980s time capsule.

Those ornaments mainly consist of decorations collected during my childhood.

There are crocheted ornaments clearly displaying the year “1987” on them. There is also an array of ornaments I made in school and church, from 1987 to 1991.

In fact, the one from 1987, where I am sitting on (a very lousy looking) Santa, features me wearing a McDonald’s sweat suit.

The irony is very present; never knowing back then that I would eventually become a vegan, nor would I have been able really understand what that word even meant back then.

I also noticed a 25 year-old egg shell ornament. Back in 3^rd grade, for Christmas 1989, I had made an ornament in Mrs. Lawrence’s class, where we all brought in an egg, poked it with a needle to drain it, then covered it in sparkles, a sticker, and some glue.

Somewhat miraculously, than 25 year-old egg has never cracked or shattered!

I also laughed when I saw the Star of David made out of tongue depressors. It helps explain why I always sort of assumed we were Jewish.

And don’t forget the bubble lights! It’s amazing those things still work…

The next morning on Christmas Eve (December 24^th), your cousin Calla came over and the two of you both got to open one present early.

She got a Play-Doh factory and you got a really cool Lego set that was a tree house; which contained a Lego treasure map and a pizza!

It’s a bit of a blur, but at some point while your Uncle Andrew helped you build the new Lego set, I ended up wearing the top part of a broken sombrero that I think my Great-aunt Jennie had bought for me as a souvenir while visiting Mexico, where her parents were born.

You were pleasantly surprised when you discovered a Brother Bear figurine of the Berentstain Bears (from a McDonald’s Happy Meal); being that you had just watched on the DVD on the drive there in the car, on the Lexus LX’s built-in system.

So I guess it’s safe to say in addition to the Christmas tree’s ornaments serving as a 1980’s time capsule, my overflowing collection of McDonald’s Happy Meal toys helped add to that undeniable sense of nostalgia at your Nonna and Papa’s house.

Just check out that ice cream cone that transforms into a robot!

Love,

Daddy

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