There comes a time and point in your life when you are hit with a realization.  That realization point reaches when everything/everyone that made you who you are at this present time and point is at a breaking point.

What am I referring to?  Social Media.

I am consumed with it, live it, breath it, eat it, sleep with it…..the insanity goes on…..

Yes, I was a daddy blogger, yes I was on twitter, yes I was on facebook.  No longer.  No more.  It has taken away from me what I love and cherish the most, my family.

Yes, I am admitting this is an issue.  I have no problems admitting to it.

I arrived in the blogging world with my son, Lil Boo.  Who would not love to hear the trials and tribulations of raising a child from a dad’s perspective?  Seriously, pure gold!  I mean poop, literally.  There were not that many dad bloggers to be found, in fact you could quite possibly count them on two hands.  I arrived on twitter with @OddBlast (no longer) when twitter first arrived.  I transitioned to @PeasandBananas taking up the parenting aspect of social media and accumulating a mass following of friends/followers.  It was insane, intense and simply put I was getting to big for my own good.  I lost focus.  I wanted more!  I wrote a children’s book, based on my son, Lil Boo.  I grew even more!

Do you see the issue? Notice the use of ‘I’.

Peas and Bananas was not about ‘I’.  It was about Lil Boo and the ‘trials and tribulations’ associated with that.  This is what made PnB.

Where is all this leading to?

Simply put, I am leaving the blog world, leaving twitter, leaving facebook.  Yes, for good.  Social Media and myself do not mix well.  My family is first.  They are what make me great.  Without my wife, the Mrs. I am not a great husband.  Without Lil Boo, I am not a great dad.  How is this a super family life if they do no exist?  How am I to put on a facade in the social media world that life is just peachy and hunky dory wonderful?  When everything around me is crumbling, by my own doing?

I think you catch my drift….

The Peas and Bananas site will remain up, it will however change over into a static page, offering the first book, and perhaps someday if life has it, additional writings by yours truly of life with Lil Boo.

It has been a blast…odd at that.  I have made some wonderful friends, and lack there of.  I met some wonderful people, of whom I am ever so glad to have met.  I could go on and on.  However it may be, I will not.  I am going back to focusing on what is most important to me, my family.

With that said, I bid you farewell, one and all….and remember -

Welcome to the YOB Years!  Where all you need is a BIG Hug!

Peas Out!

~daddy b.

Seriously, you have not seen me rant about this yet, at least not this year!  Bloody monkey balls of fire, not only is it HOT in the Valley, it is HUMID!  When the hell did we move to Houston??

To catch a glimpse of how hot it really is, Lil Boo can not stand it anymore.  Every morning when he wakes up, “Mommy it’s hot, I want to move, let’s move to where it snows.”   This is rather interesting….he has never been in snow…how does he know what snow is?  I suppose this holiday season the snow machine will have to make a special appearance!  Palm trees, cactus and a freaking snow machine, yes the Mrs. will just adore me!  Anyone have an extra bed or couch I can sleep on??

Then in the afternoon when I pick him up, it’s “Daddy, it’s to hot outside to play, I’ll watch a movie instead, alright!”  Now for the tie in, he has been watching holiday movies, that include SNOW!  Now that’s thinking smart!!  Watch cold weather and you’ll feel cooler! hmm is this why I drink ice cold adult beverages?? #smr baby!

Cabin Fever has over extended its stay with us.  I hear a much needed vacation in our future.  You know like one down to the South Pole with the penguins!

What is it you do during the summer to cool off?

Welcome to the YOB Years!  Where all you need is a BIG Hug!

Peas Out!

~daddy bookins

This past weekend I attended my first #bkarmy tweetup/meetup at Corbin’s and met up with some absolutely amazing people!  The highlight of the event was of course  meeting with my BFF Beverly Kidd! 

What was supposed to be a vlog of the two of us, became rather a quick blurp of someone feeding someone else popcorn, of course…how could I refuse?  BK is amazingly down to earth and a great friend to all!  Plenty of good times still to come….enjoy!  Thank you @OhMyDoan for taking the video!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl9MVA-byso

Welcome to the YOB Years!  Where all you need is a BIG Hug!

~daddy bookins

You have heard me RAVE about Funky Monkey Snacks lately, especially with all of Lil Boo’s allergies.  The Mrs. happened to find these GREAT snacks at Whole Foods, to which lil boo thoroughly enjoyed!  Of course, I am certain you could only imagine his two ‘favorite’ snacks out of the bunch…Bananamon and Purple Funk….both with Banana’s….do we see a pattern here??

Now they have NEW flavors!!  Applemon, Pink Pineapple and MangoOJ to spark that Funky Monkey madness inside of you!  Getting back to our roots and one of our favorite giveaway sponsors, Funky Monkey – we put them to the Lil Boo test! 

Sadly enough, he prefers the original flavors!  Bananamon and Purple Funk!  YES! Lil Boo still likes Bananas and he still *hearts* his Funky Monkey Snacks!!!  What’s not to say your lil boo’s n roo’s would not enjoy a case of the new Funky Monkey Snack Flavors?

Highlights

• Funky Monkey Snacks have no added colors, flavors, sugars, or preservatives
• Our special, proprietary manufacturing process provides for a crunchier texture vs. conventional freeze-drying techniques
• We use full slices and pieces (not dices) of delicious, fresh fruit
• Funky Monkey is made in Brazil using tropical fruits at the peak of freshness
• Our products are gluten-free and are certified Kosher
• One of our seven flavors, Purple Funk (Lil Boo’s Favorite), also includes açai, a berry from the Amazon that is viewed as the newest superfood
• Bananamon, JiveALime, and Purple Funk are 100% organic, and Carnaval Mix is 70% organic!

The Goods

Funkey Monkey Snacks has agreed to give the winner of the Give-A-Way/Contest 1 case (12 bags) of their snacks to one lucky Peas and Banana’s reader. 

To make it interesting (and stay true to lil boo’s favorite fruit – banana’s) here’s how you enter.

Each item you do below, post a comment with your email address (in order to contact you), this will gain you additional entry points, as the winner will be selected from a random number generator.

1. Post a comment below of what funky creation you would like to see next from Funky Monkey. (ie:guava and strawberries)
2. Become a Fan of Funky Monkey Snacks on Facebook and post a comment on their wall stating you entered the Peas and Bananas Giveaway. (Leave additional comment below saying you joined their facebook fan page for an extra entry)
3. Follow @FunkyMonkeySnck on Twitter. (Leave additional comment below with a link to your twitter status of the tweet below for an extra entry – post it twice and get two points)
   • (Send out the Tweet: “I’m looney for @FunkyMonkeySnck thanks to #lilboo on www.peasandbananas.com“)
4. Join the Peas and Bananas Facebook Page.  (Leave an additional comment below saying  you joined for an added entry)
5. Subscribe to Peas and Bananas RSS Feed. (Leave an additional comment below saying you did for an added entry)

That’s it.  You have five (6) chances to enter.  Enjoy and have fun!

Entry Deadlines

The Giveaway will run from July 13th, 2010 until July 20th, 2010 and the winner will be selected on July 21th, 2010.

Good luck to all of you and a BIG Thank You to Funky Monkey Snacks!

Enjoy!

Welcome to the YOB Years!  Where all you need is a BIG Hug!

~daddy bookins

If this is the first thing you run into while on vacation……

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTzgX2FXqaw

You know you are in for one hell of a vacationing good time!  Cheers!

Welcome to the continuation of the YOB Years! Where all you need is a BIG Hug!

Peas Out!
~daddy bookins

Seed Power Body Care and yours truly! Enjoy the video!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOB273H4mqc

Original Blog Post on SEED.

Welcome to the continuation of the YOB Years! Where all you need is a BIG Hug!

Peas Out!
~daddy bookins

I thought it was pretty nifty to receive this gift basket from GourmetGiftBaskets.com, especially since Father’s Day is just around the corner.  However it may be though, I didn’t get to try any of the goodies inside of it?!?!  Really!!  The Mrs. raided the goodies the night it arrived!  Which only means one thing, it was good!  I would like to personally thank Brian from Gourmet Gift Baskets for taking the time and sending out a great gift basket!

Now it is your turn!  Would you like to receive an excellent gift basket for your dad or hubs in the house??  GourmetGiftBaskets.com will give one lucky Peas and Bananas reader a fantastic gift basket!!

Update: This was supposed to be a Father’s Day Giveaway and in lieu of recent events – well my Father’s Day wasn’t much of one I would expect anyone to go through.  Gourmet Gift Baskets is absolutely amazing and I hope you will find them as such as I have done!

Giveaway Rules

• Join GourmetGiftBaskets.com on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/gourmetgiftbaskets
• Post on their wall you entered the Peas and Bananas Giveaway and which item you like from their website www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com.
• Leave a comment below stating that you have done the above mentioned items.

Prize

Random Gift Basket from GourmentGiftBaskets.com

Deadline

Monday July 12th, 2010

One random winner will be selected to win the gift certificate using Random.org random generator.

Additional Entries

• Follow @GmtGiftBaskets on Twitter. (Leave additional comment below w. your Twitter handle)
• Tweet Out the following: “I entered the @GmtGiftBaskets GourmetGiftBaskets.com Giveaway on PeasandBananas.com” (Leave additional comment below w. status link to Tweet Out)
• Join the Peas and Bananas Facebook Page. (Leave additional comment below)

Welcome to the continuation of the YOB Years! Where all you need is a BIG Hug!

Peas Out!
~daddy bookins

*Disclosure – I received a Father’s Day Gift Basket as compensation for this review and giveaway.

Over the past few weeks I have learned:

• Life is short.
• Life is unfair.
• Life is abrupt.
• Life is fun.
• Life is random.
• Life is unique.
• ….most importantly though, Life is what you make of it!

Just my thoughts in motion……go hug someone randomly….why – because that’s what makes life INTERESTING!

Peas Out!

~daddy b.

A few videos we came across that my dad took of Bella, the dog.  Watch, Enjoy, Share, Laugh….you know the good stuff you come across when no one else is around to watch you!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o0cjkH7eeI

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SxIXwOJCE8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHj0PubeCOY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcvKY-1oKbQ

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcvKY-1oKbQ

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNmq38DvDdg

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNmq38DvDdg

Peas Out!

~daddy b.

James Davison, born in Grindleford, England, on Sept. 20, 1943, passed away on June 17, 2010.

Jim is survived by his wife Vickie of 36 years; son Cameron; daughter Samantha; daughter-in-law Colette; grandson Liam; sister Margaret Turner; and niece Tracy.

Jim enjoyed traveling, reading and teaching himself foreign languages. He taught himself Chinese and the art of writing Chinese.

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world.” -Buddha

Credit: The Daily Courier 06-24-2010

Peas Out!

~daddy b.