Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: You Scored Your 1st Goal in a Soccer Game!

6 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack,

It had been over two years since your Aunt Dana, Uncle Andrew, and cousins Calla and Darla had seen you play soccer. Things were a lot different back then, as you would just stand there and look down at the grass.

But this time around, they got to see a whole new you. They got to see an almost 7 year-old boy who actually cared about chasing and kicking the ball.

Mommy and I immediately noticed how, especially during this game, you were on fire! And you made it seem effortless.

I had the perfect seat in the grass as I watched you go foot-to-foot with a girl from the opposing team, who was nearly close enough to kick the ball in her goal. I yelled out, “Chase her, Jack! Chase her!”

And you did.

Then you got the ball…

You managed to zig and zag to the other side of the field, as you kicked the ball along. Finally, you were in the perfect position to kick the ball in the goal.

And you did!

I was so proud of you. I yelled so loud. It was such a big deal.

You acted like it wasn’t.

After the game, you walked your cousin Darla back to the parking lot, where the shiny 2017 Lexus IS 350 had undeniably gotten a bit dusty from the soccer field.

On the way back to the house, Mommy had to run in the grocery store to pick up a few things to make vegan tacos for dinner. I stayed in the Lexus with you and your sister. After we found a place to park, you took it upon yourself to read to your sister from your Pokemon book.

Your plan to appease her while Mommy was inside the store worked. I was grateful. You are growing up!

It was a very special Saturday morning. I couldn’t have been any more proud of you.

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on car reviews, fatherhood, parenting, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: Trying to Figure out Halloween as a 1 and a Half Year-Old

1 year, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

Last Friday night we took our first family drive as in the 2017 Lexus IS 350 and made our way to your brother’s school for Trunk or Treat. Having just turned a year and a half this week, you have been busy using your brain to attempt to understand how the world works.

I would speculate that the American tradition of Halloween has to be a bit perplexing for you. For example, why was your brother dressed up as a skeleton? He looked so scary!

And why did Mommy insist on you wearing a scarecrow outfit? So strange…

Since you refused to continue wearing the hat to your scarecrow costume to the car, Mommy decided to wear it instead. At that point, realizing I was the only person in our family to not be wearing some kind of special costume, I decided to go as a guy who requires me to just look like I already do…

My non-costume costume was that I pretended to be the guy from the Campbell’s Go Southwest Chicken soup package, since everyone apparently already thinks that’s really me. (It’s not!)

Once we arrived at the school, your brother began collecting candy from all the parents and school teachers who had dressed up the trunks of their cars.

You tried your best to process what was real. For example, you saw a child walking past you dressed in a giant dinosaur costume. Immediately, you pointed, and make a guttural sound that apparently was your attempt to make a scary growling sound like you thought dinosaurs should sound like.

I think next year you’ll be able to appreciate Trunk or Treat a little bit more. The next morning, we made our way to the pumpkin patch. That was much more your speed.

Love,

Daddy

1 Comment Posted on fatherhood, People, Uncategorized, Writing

Experienced SEO Freelance Writer for Hire: $1 Per Word (Or for $100, See Your Own Writing Featured on My Site as a Guest Blogger)

If you are considering hiring an experienced and proven freelance writer for your next press release, or would simply like to be featured as a guest blogger on my site, consider my skill set and history.

Begin by clicking on the links below, to get a feel for recent work I have been hired to do for high end brands like Lexus and Primrose Schools; as well as other household names like XFINITY and Moe’s Southwest Grill.

Primrose Schools Executive Function Skills

Lexus Father and Son Road Trip

Toyota Family Road Trip to the Boonies

XFINITY Entertainment on the Go

Moe’s Meals on the Go

I would like to highlight my skill in writing and knack for engaging readers in original compositions, as is demonstrated on both my personal website, FamilyFriendlyDaddyBlog.com, and my previous corporate sponsored blog, The Dadabase on Parents.com. Through these websites combined, I have been able to create content which has allowed me to connect with thousands of readers across the world, garnering over two million hits within the past several years.  I am solely responsible for determining topics of interest, researching for validation, authoring, editing, managing and updating all material on the sites.

If you would like to hire me to write your next press release, based on what other companies have already hired me to do over the past year, this is my rate:

$1 per word; minimum 350 words.

Or, if you simply want to see your own work featured here on my blog, which obviously has healthy SEO, based on the fact I am approached weekly by companies and fellow writers who request to be featured on my platform, as I am currently featured as CreditDonkey’s Best Dad Blog 2017, you can simply hire me for that option as well. Based on what other companies have already hired me to do over the past year, this is my rate:  

$100 per post.

Here are some recent examples of other companies and bloggers who hired me for that option:

Trail4Runner.com

Chicago Metro Home Inspections

Museum Hack

Superior Honda

Brian Leach

Are you ready to get started? Send me an email at nickshell1983@hotmail.com. I look forward to working with you. I will close by sharing some of my resume with you:

Nicholas Shane Shell, B.A.

Freelance Writer on Family Friendly Daddy Blog Since September 2009

  • Create, design, and maintain all website content, consisting of over 2300 individual posts written since the website’s inception.
  • Prepares photo gallery using Fotor to incorporate several photo collages per post.
  • Applies SEO techniques to selectively tag content to increase visibility by Google and carefully crafts titles for posts to drive traffic to site and ultimately increase readership.
  • Website has garnished over 2.1 million hits and currently averages 16,000 hits per month.
  • Invited multiple times to special events sponsored by Lexus and General Motors to feature dozens of vehicles both locally and regionally.
  • On rotation to receive and review vehicles from a “Family Friendly” perspective from a variety of companies, including, Lexus, Toyota, Scion, Fiat, Buick, Chevrolet and Nissan.
  • Invited to serve as the official host for Annie’s Homegrown during a scheduled Google Hangout session.
  • Featured three times on Word Presses’ Freshly Pressed homepage within the span of a year.
  • Sought out and hired on a regular basis for my SEO skills
  • Awarded with Best Dad Blog 2017/Top Parenting Experts by CreditDonkey

www.Parents.com/dadabase created through www.Parents.com

Freelance Blogger, May 2011- June 2014

  • Recruited by chief editor, Michael Kress, of Parents magazine’s website to become the official daddy blogger for Parents.com based on the independent success of personal blog.
  • Developed creative concept, researched, wrote and edited content for each individual (400-word minimum) post while incorporating a minimum of two photos to accent the subject matter.
  • Personally promoted each post using social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.
  • Has had nearly one million hits since inception; averages 13,000 hits per month; most hits in one day: 9,900.
  • Coined the title of the blog The Dadabase.

EDUCATION

Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia

Bachelor of Fine Arts

May 2005

Major: English

Honors:  Dean’s List

TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION

Lipscomb University, Nashville, Tennessee

Certificate of Achievement, December 2012

       Course: Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Learning System

Global English School, Bangkok, Thailand

ESL Instructor, June – July 2003 & June – July 2004

  • Instructed and prepared daily lesson plans covering a variety of subjects for approximately 25 elementary students.

Leave a comment Posted on car reviews, Uncategorized

Back Seat Space with Child Car Seats in the 2017 Lexus IS 350; Plus, How to Adjust the Driver’s Seat- Videos Included

In case you are considering buying, leasing, or renting a 2017 Lexus IS 350 and are curious as to whether you could fit an adult in the back seat between two car seats, then you’ve come to the right place.

Through my practical and realistic video, I show how I am able to successfully fasten my seatbelt while sitting between a child’s car seat (for my nearly 18 month-old) and a child’s booster seat (for my nearly 7 year-old).

 

I serve as the perfect model human being, as I am 5’9” and around 165 pounds. I am arguable the average sized American; if you combine both men and women.

The results? While I did have to sort of lower my head since it grazed the ceiling, and I did have to either put my arms directly down on my knees, the positive aspect was that in addition to being able to fasten the seat belt without much trouble, I had plenty of room for my legs.

I know sometimes in the 3rd row seat of SUVs, there is barely enough room for my legs, as they hit the 2nd row seat in front of me. But that is definitely not the case with the 2017 Lexus IS 350.

So in the event you are needing to fill the vehicle to full capacity, with two adults up front, 2 children in the back, and still need to squeeze in another adult in the backseat, I am proof it is possible. It is especially possible if that adult in the backseat is shorter and/or lighter than I am.

I also made a video for anyone who is curious to adjust the driver’s seat. There are several buttons and several options to cater to the comfort level of the driver.

 

Thanks for reading and watching today. I hope you found my work to be helpful as you plan your next drive in the 2017 Lexus IS 350.

Leave a comment Posted on Health, parenting, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: Your 3 Day Long Virus with a 106 Degree Temperature

1 year, 5 months.

Dear Holly,

While getting tubes put in your ears a couple months ago definitely has helped prevent you getting more ear infections, it doesn’t prevent you from getting sick beyond that. So the weekend before last, you woke up in the middle of the night with a 106 degree temperature!

It definitely was scary for Mommy and me, but the nurse on the phone advised us to give you a bath to cool you down, along with pain reliever/fever reducer. When Mommy took you to the doctor the next morning, we learned that you simply had a virus that would end in 3 days; no prescription medicine would help cure it any faster.

Nonna and Papa were already planning on coming up to our house for most of the week because your brother’s school was on Fall Break. But because of your condition, they rushed up early by a few days to help take care of you; as Mommy and I still had to go to work.

You definitely needed extra cuddle time with Nonna as your body was fighting off the virus, and she was happy to oblige. And your naps were much longer as well; 3 hour naps compared to your usual 45 hour naps.

But as the doctor had predicted, your fever went away and your energy returned. The pictures starting streaming in from Nonna, as she sent them through Facebook Messenger.

I saw you playing with Papa and going on a stroller ride with Nonna.

You eventually even went to the park and wanted to go play in the creek with your brother. Too bad you didn’t have rain boots on!

We are so grateful that you are okay now and that Nonna and Papa were able to rush to the rescue! Thank God our little girl is okay.

Love,

Daddy