The Nostalgia of Pizza and Turtles

When I was a kid and I wanted to escape, I rode my bike. My bike was as retro as they come and I felt like it could transport me anywhere. The body was black satin, the seat a "bread loaf" banana seat, and around the tires, molded blue plastic fenders that made it look like a motorcycle. On the front was a racing placard that read Thunder Road 42, and when I was on it, I felt like I could go anywhere or be anything I wanted to be. Many afternoons, I would ride my bike to the White Hen, our local convenience store where the owner Mr. Polich would ask me how my family was and would tell me not to loiter outside the storefront. Once, he hired me to stuff Sunday papers in the back room and gave me odd jobs when he couldn't come out from behind the counter. He always paid me in silver dollars, which I felt looked more like treasure than any bill he could give me.

Sometimes, I'd use his payment to buy a pack of Pixie sticks or those wax Cola bottles and sit in the back corner near the magazine rack and read comic books until the fresh ink would turn my fingers black and he would yell "Hey Bernholdt, this isn't a library!" Sometimes I wouldn't hear him because I'd be so lost in the world of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's creation, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It almost sounded too ridiculous to be true and that's what I loved about it. On rare occasions, when I had enough money, I'd buy that comic book and race home to read it over and over again.

Back when "Totally radical" and "Cowabunga" were common phrases, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't know who Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo, and Michelangelo were. While at Target the other day, a woman at the checkout peered over at my items: Vintage TMNT shirts for the kids and me. "Oh are the Turtles back?" she asked me. "In my house, they never left" I responded.

When I started mowing neighbor's lawns for pocket money back in the day, I also started buying up all the TMNT toys. Once older, I put them away for that day when my own children and I could go back to those days together. It's the reason we squirrel our childhood things up into the attic for that "someday" in the future. Part of bringing back the things from our childhood also includes—not surprisingly—food.

You can't watch a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show without getting a craving for pizza. The two things are synonymous. To this day, I can't scarf down any pizza without thinking of the pizzeria fueled ninjas yelling “Turtle Power!” Every day after school, my brother and I would come home ravenous, but we weren’t allowed to use the oven. This is where Ellio’s Pizza came in; from frozen to toaster oven, it was an easy snack to prepare without violating mom’s “no oven” rule.

So, it’s only natural that nowadays when my kids and I watch episode after episode of the turtles eating pizza, we all start hankering for pizza ourselves. For me, this triggers memories of watching cartoons and eating pizza after school all those days. That's why creating a #Pizzastalgia night together with Ellio's Pizza is the perfect fit for our family – it’s the common denominator that brings us all together. What’s more, Ellio’s frozen pizza is easy to make, and all my kids love it. Those are qualities that are hard to come by in our household. 

An Ellio's #Pizzastalgia TMNT night usually begins by playing with the old toys I bought as a youngster with money I made when I mowed lawns for the people in our neighborhood. Playing with the kids gives me ample time to warm up my toaster oven and cook the Ellio's Pizza. In just fifteen minutes, we’re all ready to chow down on some 'za and as a parent, I feel good that what I’m serving them is made with 100% real cheese with no artificial flavors. Then, I just pop in the retro cartoon series and hang with my dudes and dudettes. When it's time for bed and story time, it means taking out old issues of TMNT and reading a few of Eastman and Laird's storytelling before bed. My little ninjas are usually ready to crash in no time.

Do you have an idea for a #Pizzastalgia night with your kids? What would you bring back to share with them? What retro things from your childhood would you introduce to them? Share your photos of a #Pizzastalgia night with Ellio's Pizza and your family via social media. You can find  Ellio’s on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr and for more information on their awesome pizza (including where you can find Ellio’s near you) check out the Ellio's website.

Don't forget to join us TONIGHT—Thursday, May 19^th—at 8pm ET for the #Pizzastalgia Twitter party with Life of Dad and Ellio's Pizza. Cowabunga! 

Tween Drama, There's An Ep. For That

You're awkward and your body is changing. Your voice cracks at the worst times. You may start to feel like the opposite sex doesn't have cooties anymore. In fact, they may seem to interest you more than you would like to admit to your parents though you would be mortified to let on that you even like anyone, you know, in that way.  You may begin to dress differently or be persuaded by your friends to do things you normally wouldn't do. There's so much more drama than you would have ever imagined. Before you knew it, you made it into middle school but it's not as easy as you thought it would be.

Parents, this is middle school. Remember the awkward times? Remember how clumsy you were or how your feet seemed to be ten times bigger than you remembered them? Remember feeling out of place trying just to fit in? The middle school years are a difficult time. It's confusing to navigate all these changes in personalities and friendships. Suddenly, you are a parent of a tween and you don't know how you got there. School is different and your kids are different so how do you help them remain themselves among all these changes?  The key is communication. But how do you broach these difficult times with your kids? Netflix has an Ep(isode) for that.

Many of the episodes and movies on Netflix include examples of common problems that tweens and teens are facing in and out of school today. Watching episodes together can open up conversations with your tweens when just asking outright might make it more awkward. Here are a list of our favorite shows and movies that bring up common issues our kids face today.

A.N.T. Farm is a great show about Chyna and her friends Olive and Fletcher who are gifted students so advanced, they are moved up to Webster High School where they try and navigate high school while in the A.N.T. (Advanced Natural Talent) program. There are some great episodes that revolve around friendship, honesty, and growing up while feeling out of place.

Lost & Found Music Studios is a great show about musically talented tweens and teens who compete to be the elite music talent of a program designed to develop their talents. While competing, they run into issues with friendship, creativity, and sometimes romance between their interactions with their peers.

Lemonade Mouth, a book written by Mark Peter Hughes, follows the rise of a bunch of misfit kids who accidentally find each other in detention one day only to form a band in a school that only sees sports as a worthy extra-curricular activity. Along the way, the learn how to deal with their collective and personal struggles as individuals trying to make their mark in the world.

If you were a fan of Boy Meets World with the ups and downs Corey Matthews and Topanga Lawrence's relationship, Girl Meets World is a similar version with their daughter, Riley this time navigating her ups and downs with friends, family, and life in junior high school.

Okay, this show isn't so much about tween drama as it is about funny, silly things that kids have to deal with but this show makes me laugh every time I watch it. Featuring special agents, Otto and Olive, the agents of Odd Squad have to go around righting wrongs in their town using math skills to solve problems. This show is delightful and the cast is incredibly funny.

If you are looking for a show that is uplifting to young girls then Project Mc² on Netflix is the show for you. Project Mc² is like having that A Ha! moment in science class or solving that equation on the smart board in front of the class. Four girls navigate high school while using their specialized talents to solve mysteries while working for a secret spy society. A show that uplifts the importance of girls mastering S.T.E.A.M? Kids will enjoy the tween drama but also learn something along the way too.


Disclaimer : This post was brought to you by DadNCharge on behalf of the Netflix #StreamTeam. All opinions are my own. 

Seven Tips For Moving with Children

We hadn't had a showing in weeks, the house was a mess and it was time for the baby's nap. My son was throwing a tantrum because I couldn't understand what he was trying to say which meant that mac and cheese I made for lunch was all over the floor. The phone rang. It was the realtor. Someone wanted to come see the house in an hour. I had a one hour window to make it look like no one lived there. Such is life when you're trying to move with children.

I've moved my fair share of times in recent years. As a stay at home dad and husband of a hard working corporate mom, you have to be willing to seize opportunities when they come your way. That was the case in 2008 when my wife was offered a position in her hometown of Rochester, NY. She had lived all over the place before she met me and was ready to strike while the iron was hot. I had at the time, never lived outside of the Chicago area and spent the first thirty-three years of life living near family and friends in Illinois, the same state I attended college to become a teacher. Ten years into the public school system as an art teacher, we decided to move away and start over in a new city where I knew no one.

At the time, we only had two kids, ages three and 8 months but the multitude of toys that covered the house was staggering. We knew after shopping for our first house that to be show ready, a home needed to be staged. It needed to look like no one lived there so that anyone who did want to see it wouldn't be hampered by the superheroes and blocks strewn about the floor. Instead of seeing the wall to wall plush carpet, they would only see that maybe this house wasn't meant for them because they didn't like kids. Whatever the reason, moving with children can be difficult and stressful. But it doesn't have to be if you follow these steps which make it easier for you and the kids.

1. Get rid of the clutter

All kids have their usual toys that they can't live without. We have found that unless you take them out where they can see them, kids don't REALLY know what they have in the toy department. That's why every time you go to a store and walk past the toy aisle they will say they want something. They have no idea what is in their inventory. So, when they are sleeping, pack up the toys they hardly ever play with in boxes and label them toys but place them in a closet with these words facing in. If they never see them, they probably will never ask.  Getting rid of excess toys will cut down on the times when someone wants to look at your house and when your move date arrives, you'll be less stressed.

2. Purge

As visions of gummy worms dance in their heads, you should take this opportunity to throw away anything that is unnecessary. All those McDonald's toys or the junk they get at birthday parties needs to disappear like an informant with cement shoes. Word to the wise, if you do throw things out, don't throw them in a high trafficked trash bin where they might see it and place all the throw-aways in a dark black plastic bag to avoid any accidental discoveries of their favorite popsicle stick they can't believe you are throwing away.

3. Don't buy boxes from stores

Pro tip for all of you out there looking for boxes. Moving stores are going to rip you off. Liquor stores have an abundance of boxes but while plentiful, most of them are not practical for packing. Look on Craigslist for someone who has recently moved who would like to unload their boxes. When we moved the first time, we were relocated and the movers provided boxes. Instead of recycling them at the new house, I separated them by size and sold them on Craigslist for a dollar a box and charged five for wardrobe boxes or speciality boxes for transfer of art or mirrors.

4. Set up your services early and cancel before your move out date

A former provider who I believed I cancelled service with, continued to charge me even after we moved out of the house where the service was provided. Keep records of who you talked to and when while dealing with hooking up new services or cancelling old ones.  Luckily, when we moved into our new home we were pleasantly surprised to find out that the house was already equipped with Verizon FiOS. If you've never had their 100% fiber optic network, get ready for crystal clear picture and a network that you can count on. Find out before moving if Verizon FiOS is available in your new neighborhood before you decide that it's just easier to go with what most other people in the area have. The last thing you want is to be in a new home with no access to the kids' favorite shows when you want to keep them busy while you unpack.

5. Get the kids involved in packing

Our daughter didn't understand the concept of packing things into a box and finding it later at the new house. The last thing you want to do is pack something away that they MUST have with them like a special blankie or stuffed animal they won't sleep without. Pack these things in a backpack so that they can have their essentials. Any other needs should be packed in their own special box that they can put in your car or ship to the new house. Our kids loved opening up boxes on the other end and discovering what was inside so try to make it a little fun for them.

6. Prepare the children for adventure! 

Show your kids on a map where you will be moving to. Make it fun if you are driving to your new house to play car bingo or airplane bingo. Include on cards things they may see along the way that are landmarks of the new home or area. Getting the kids excited about where they are headed instead of focusing on where they have been can help with the sadness of leaving. Spend the day prior to going to the new house at an attraction close to home so they can see that moving can be fun.

7. Camp out inside the new house

There will be a time for furniture that they can't put their legs on and beds that aren't as hard as the floor. Our first week in the new house, we ate dinner on a cardboard box and sat on the floor together while we ate. Sometimes, before the TV is even set up, this can be a great way to get to know your house. Sleep together in sleeping bags in a common area so they can get used to household noises or the settling of newer house. There's less apprehension about staying in a room you don't know if you've spent the night there with your loved ones before.


For more info visit Verizon's page to get Tips for Moving and share yours in the comments or on my Facebook page DadNCharge. Happy moving! 


Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post with Verizon FiOS in Philadelphia. All opinions expressed are my own. #FiOSPhilly

Where The Wicked Become Rested and Are Crowned Kings

It never fails, my kids wake up at the same time every day. There's no sleeping in for them. They are morning people probably because they go to bed at a decent hour unlike my wife and I who get sucked into binge watching Netflix into the wee hours of the morning. They seem unfazed by the bleary looks on our faces as I try to brew our coffee without adding the grounds. Even daylight savings time doesn't seem to throw them off. Fall back or spring forward, it makes no difference to them.

There's no rest for the wicked they say. Well if "the wicked" means tired parent, I'm right there. On normal days I'm up at 6:45 a.m. every day making sure my son gets on the bus, getting my daughters ready for school, and then working around the house to ensure that things are straightened, pillows are fluffed, and everyone has clean underwear.

My first order of business is the dishes in the sink. I can't function unless it's free and clear like a clean slate to start the day. I need to make sure no one has to eat cereal out of the salad bowl with a gigantic serving spoon like I did in college. Being a parent is hard work and it all started with the children robbing us of our sleep and somewhere along the way, our restful ways. Remember when you would just lounge around the house doing nothing? Me neither.  

As a new parent, you don't really realize until you are in the weeds what it means to be sleep deprived. My worst bought of sleep deprivation came with our first child and then we had two more! Each time we had a kid, those hours just disappeared. We will never get them back but I try to get my rest in where I can. A body with no energy is not good for business no matter what your job is. To keep up with my kids I have to be well rested, that's why I am the #KingofRest. 

My wife's creepy obsession. Pictures of me sleeping.

My youngest daughter hasn't napped since she was eighteen months old. She always wanted to stay awake to see what her older siblings were doing. Even now, she only occasionally falls asleep in the car but it only happens when I have somewhere important I am supposed to be with her. She however, still finds openings for times in which daddy is at rest. I make a pretty darn good body pillow.  

When you're a busy parent on the go like me, you learn to adapt. You find ways to make sure you get your beauty rest and you take your rest where you can get it. That may mean taking a nap with your pets in the middle of the day, sleeping under your desk George Costanza style at work, or nodding off during your boss's presentation on TPS reports. When you are trying to get a little rest, it can happen in the weirdest of places. Sometimes, even the lull of the elevator Muzak can just get to you. 

Falling asleep at critical times during the day is no way to go through life. Sometimes it can be because your mattress just isn't giving you the support you deserve. Support is everything to a parent and Restonic mattresses have your back. Every Restonic mattress is handmade with better quality materials and greater attention to detail than comparably priced mattresses from other brands. Their mattresses allow you to stay in one position longer which prevents you from having restless sleep. Instead of waking up, a deeper sleep means your body has a chance that heal and restore the energy it needs to function.

Sounds good doesn't it? Imagine all the things you can get done with a well rested body. Instead of falling asleep on the rug, we can play with our kids longer.  We will be more productive at work and alert for when our boss offers us a raise for being on top of everything. And think of all the ways we use our beds beyond just sleeping. We fold our laundry on it, read to our kids on it, and we watch TV together as a family on it. Our beds are a place when the wicked become rested.  A mattress is just the the beginning of those dreams coming true.

Do you think you have what it takes to take my throne as the #KingofRest? By entering below, anybody has the chance to win a queen sized HealthRest® Mattress from Restonic. Invest in your health with one of Restonic's HealthRest® Brio™ Mattresses. Layered with latex and TempaGel® by Restonic and supported with a Trucomfort core™, a healthy, supportive night’s sleep is yours for the taking.

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I have partnered with Life of Dad and Restonic Mattress for this promotion. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

When Going Into The Store Isn't Fun Anymore

I don't know about your family but ours is constantly on the go. There's school, after school activities, working out, meals to plan, clothes to buy, lessons to attend and supplies to be purchased. I've spent so much time in our family van that it's like a second home.

But as difficult as that is, my wife is at work every day, most days leaving so early I don't even get to kiss her goodbye, working her tail off to provide for our family. When she comes home, her work is not done. She finds time to help out with dinner, help me straighten up the house when I'm falling behind, and still manages to have quality time with the kids before they go to bed. I'm pretty sure she is Wonder Woman.

Honestly, I couldn't do this without her. She keeps us organized, on task and if you've ever been on the receiving end of one her spreadsheets, she knows how to get stuff done efficiently. In fact, she had a spreadsheet for our wedding. Four pages of where people needed to be, at what time, and what was supposed to be happening at that time.

Me, on the other hand, I'm a fly by the seat of your pants type guy. I often don't plan ahead and end up reacting to a situation as it comes. Unfortunately, that can sometimes mean that I'm less than prepared when it comes to shopping for special occasions like Mother's Day. Fortunately for me and guys like me, Sears is the perfect destination for Mother's Day shopping so head to Sears.com/AllForMom and get started finding the perfect gift for the mom in your life.

You see, you can order things from Sears online and choose their pickup at the store option so that you don't even have to set foot in the store, drive and park in their In-Vehicle Pickup area and a Sears associate will bring it out to your car in five minutes or less at no additional charge. It's like a drive through department store!

If you've ever taken your little ones out for long car rides sometimes what happens is that they fall asleep. Ever sit in your car contemplating whether to wake them up and take take them in disorientated and cranky or do you just sit there and wait until they wake up?  What if it's raining or the weather is downright nasty? That's when going into the store isn't fun anymore.

The Sears In-Vehicle Pickup makes it so much easier to get what you need and be on your way. Because if you have ever taken a five year old to a department store they can disappear inside clothes racks, ask you for everything under the sun, and will of course need to use the restroom when it is on the opposite side of the building therefore letting you do your impression of The Flash as you pray they can hold it before you get there. Instead of showing off your speed, let Sears show off theirs. Park in the designated In-Vehicle Pickup area, select Tools and Services and select In-Vehicle Pickup. Once you click your items, a counter will start telling you that your items will be in your car in 5 minutes or less.

Sears had my Mother's Day gifts out to my car and in the backseat at 4:41 but I didn't have to get out to deal with a cranky kid or even take her out of the car seat. What a cool service this is, and imagine the possibilities for people who have trouble walking or are disabled in some way. It's easy shopping for everyone.

As a bonus, shoppers that use Sears In-Vehicle Pickup for their online purchases between Tuesday, May 3 and Saturday, May 7 are automatically entered for a chance to win a $5,000 Sears gift card! Alternatively, you can also click on and enter the Shop Your Way All For Mom Sweepstakes at Sears.com/AllForMom.

Sears is making it easy on you this Mother's Day, and we want to do it #AllForMom. No matter what type of mom you are shopping for, Sears has you covered.

• The Fashionable Mom: apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty and fragrances

• The Outdoor Mom: patio decor & furniture, lawn & garden equipment, bikes, swimwear, sandals, luggage, digital cameras and camping gear

• The Fitness-Focused Mom: activewear, fitness equipment, headphones, juicer/small kitchen appliances

• Master Chef Mom: Kemore appliances, cookware, plateware, cutlery and more

• The Techie Mom: smart technology, tablets, cameras, TV’s and more. 

Visit Sears on Facebook and share your experiences with In-Vehicle Pickup on their Instagram

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Life of Dad and Sears. I have received compensation for this post; however, all opinions stated are my own.