Sweet memory from Christmas past

As a little girl, one of the joys of Christmas was receiving a box of cookies from my father's mother, my Grandma Eleanor.  Every year she boxed up and mailed an assortment of treats, and each year, there was a new variety she tried out.  Some years we liked them, some years we didn't (ever had a black walnut?  yeah, not a fan.)  As years went on, she wisely repeated some old standouts.  The arrival of that much-anticipated box always meant a batch of my absolute favorites, which came to be known in our house as 7 Layer Cookies.  After she passed away, I found some of her original recipes, and this one was on a yellowed newspaper page from The Blair Press dated December 7, 1976.  Turns out the newspaper's name for them was Holiday Magic Cookie Bars.  Call them what you want, but these are super-easy and always a holiday hit!  

Thank you Grandma for the recipe, and those sweet memories of childhood. 

Grandma Eleanor's 7 Layer Cookies

6 tbsp butter 

1 and 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs 

1 can sweetened condensed milk 

6 oz semisweet chocolate chips 

5 and 1/2 oz butterscotch chips 

3 and 1/2 oz sweetened shredded coconut 

1 c chopped nuts

Put butter in a 13x9 pan and then into the oven while it preheats to 350 degrees. Once melted, make sure the bottom of the pan is coated. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over the butter. Pour milk evenly over the crumbs. Top with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut and nuts. Press down gently. Bake for 25 minutes or until light brown. Allow to cool and cut into 24 bars.

Enjoy!

10 Frustration Reducing, Money Saving, Life Improving Tips and Tricks for New Parents

I remember being at the hospital the morning after Sam was born 7 years ago. As I was walking the halls my eye caught something I'd never noticed before: A brochure for a college savings program. It's amazing how your perspective changes and things that were never on your radar screen suddenly become important.

Now that we're through the preschool years and moving on to the next stage I thought it would be helpful to share some idea for new parents that worked well for me.

First, subscribe to Amazon Prime. Reducing the number of errands you have to run will be more valuable than ever plus you get some free video content. If you're not a Prime subscriber yet check out Amazon Mom - even if you're a dad. You just need to have a little one in your life. Great deal.

Here are 10 frustration reducing, money saving, life improving tips and tricks for new parents:

1. Small Screwdrivers

You're going to be opening and repairing a lot of toys over the next few years. This set has come in incredibly handy almost every week.

2. Button Batteries

The first time the batteries go dead on one of their little toys and you try to buy replacements at CVS you'll know why buying these in bulk off Amazon is one of the best deals going. Super-expensive locally and super-cheap online with fast free shipping even without Amazon Prime (since they're tiny and can fit in a standard envelope).

3. Battery Tester

Once the kids get old enough to start repairing their own toys, you might find that as soon as a toy doesn't work they think the battery needs to be replaced. So they'll set aside the old batteries and install new batteries and the toy still doesn't work. After a while you get these little piles of mixed up batteries and it's unclear whether they have remaining charge. A battery tester like the one below will test primary and rechargeable AA, AAA, and 9V batteries. Works great.

While we're on the topic of batteries, I dabbled with rechargeables but found they'd often wind up in a seldom used toy so I'd have to buy more and more rechargeables to keep up. I found buying Kirkland (Costco) AAs and AAAs the best way to go. No shortcuts here that I could find.

4. Re-manufactured Ink Cartridges

Kids love to print. Even after engaging them in a discussion about how expensive ink and paper is and remind them of the environmental impact of needless printing they'll still want to see their creations come to life.

To maximize household tranquility and minimize financial, impact buy affordable off-brand ink cartridges. For our printer, I can get 2 or 3 replacements for each color for 1.5x the price of a single cartridge - a massive savings. Check the seller ratings and go for it. Even if a few of them don't work you'll come out way ahead.

5. Buy Refurbished Apple Devices

A top of the line iPod touch (5th generation) goes for $299. They still sell the 4th generation for $199 with 16GB. Right now Apple is offering an 8GB 4th generation iPod touch for $129. This is an ideal price point for a device that will sometimes allow you to finish your meal in peace, and you won't have a heart attack if your kid drops it on the floor.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipod/ipod_touch/8gb

6. Books

Chances are you'll likely receive books as gifts so without much effort you'll have an ample supply of bedtime reading material. The single most requested bedtime book? Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever.

Related: Best bedtime routine recommendation we received from a pediatrician that worked? "If you come brush your teeth you will get 3 books. If you don't come now, you'll lose a book."

There's also this fantastic Richard Scarry Christmas book:

7. Best Affordable Toy

Automoblox. Less than $10 shipped for these super-high quality toys are the best $10 toy for a 5 year old boy I've found:

8. Best Expensive Toys

Legos without a doubt. They provide so many hours of quiet, interactive building, but man are they expensive. You can drop $100 at the Lego Store in a second. Oh well, having boys we're lucky - no interest in American Girl.

Best Lego value I've found? The Lego Creator Lighthouse Island. Not only are lighthouses super fun but the Creator series allows the set to be assembled 3 different ways. Pro tip: If you lose the instructions, read them from an iPad from a site like this.

9. Movies

I thought I had this all figured out when I started buying used DVDs of their favorites. But you know what I discovered? They never want to watch something we own. Owning a movie makes it no longer a favorite!

So what to do instead? Ditch the DVDs (they're annoying to keep track of and get scratched) and get a streaming device like a Roku, an Apple TV ($85 refurbished) or both. Rent from Amazon (some titles included with Prime) and watch it on the go on an iPad.

10. Best Holiday Tradition

The candy strip. My mom shared this tradition with us, I loved it, and it's working very well for us. On halloween night when they've returned from trick-or-treating and they're pouring over their haul ask them to count out 25 pieces of candy. Take those 25 pieces of candy and set them aside until December 1st.

Then, create or buy (I've seen these at Home Goods) something they can hang on their wall with 25 pockets in it and place a piece of candy in each pocket. Let them enjoy one piece of candy each day in December rather than gobbling it all up in the week or two after Halloween.

Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite money saving tips and strategies for raising young kids?

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Review: Boston iPhone Repair

Ouch, right?
 
I've never been a fan of protective cases for iOS devices. Why take a device whose design Apple has relentlessly thought about and cloak it in a bulky mediocre plastic protective case? Well, the reason is you want to reduce the chances that your expensive highly subsidized device is going to accidentally be smashed.
 
Like this iPhone 4S which had both sides shattered due to an accidental drop.

When faced with a smashed up iPhone what are our choices?

1. Ride it out and wait until you're eligible for an upgrade. Doesn't work well when glass shards cut your finger while trying to ride it out.
2. Go for an early upgrade. Depends on where you are in your upgrade cycle. If you're eligible for an upgrade you'll still likely want to get the damaged phone repaired because it carries significant resale potential. If you're somewhere between brand new and eligible for an upgrade you might be eligible for a reduced price upgrade (like $449 for a new iPhone 5).
3. Go beg for mercy at the Apple Store. I hear they'll give you a new [refurbished] iPhone 4S for $199 if you trade your old one in. Not the greatest option in the world but at least you'd be getting a clean device, a new battery, and the reliable comfort of Apple standing behind the phone.
4. Get it repaired. That's what I did and that's the subject of this blog post.

A Google search for "iphone cracked screen" predictively revealed "iphone cracked screen repair boston". I was primarily looking to get information on Apple's policy for out of warranty replacement but I was intrigued by what might be available for repair options in Boston. So I checked out Boston iPhone Repair's excellent blog post here: http://www.bostoniphonerepair.com/archives/339

In that blog post they lay out in reasonable terms whether it's worth it to have your device repaired vs. taking it back to Apple and begging for mercy. I liked how they rolled and their 5 star average Yelp rating looked solid. Their site estimated $90 for repair of a cracked front screen and $40 for the back. Compared to $199 plus tax at the Apple store this sounded like a good deal. So off to Boston iPhone Repair for a 2:00 pm arrival.

They're just east of Harvard Square right across from the Inn at Harvard on Massachusetts Ave on the second floor of this building:

Upon arrival it was just what I was hoping for: Two competent guys sitting behind the counter ready to repair my busted device right then and there. No waiting.

Ned -- on the right in the photo below -- is the founder of the business and a ringer for Mark Zuckerberg who claims to not understand Twitter. He started Boston iPhone Repair four years ago as a come-to-you business. Now they're right across the street from Harvard, so the Zuckerberg resemblance is particularly uncanny and the efficiency with which they can repair iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads is hard to beat. In the time I was there a half dozen happy customers came and went. One customer was turned away for an iPod touch repair they felt would be better served by a visit to the Apple Store.
 
They looked at my device and told me it was normally $90 to repair the front glass and $40 for the back but since they were both busted he could repair both for $120. Cash, check or PayPal. It would be done in 30 minutes. Would I like to proceed? Heck yeah!
 
I had my 7 year old with me so half the fun was watching the pros dissect the iPhone. These guys know what they're doing.
 
But it's kind of like watching your wife have a C-Section. You're a bit curious and interested in the procedure at first, but about half way through it you're just praying for a positive outcome.

30 minutes into it I started to get a little worried. The technician asked for some alcohol. "Alcohol? What for?" I started to get concerned. Like a worried father, I started hovering over the operating table.

 
8 minutes later I was presented with my pristine repaired iPhone 4S. A success!
 
However, the phone said it was "Searching" for a signal. I placed a test call to my phone and it went through. I mentioned this Searching business to the technician and he pulled the SIM card out and re-inserted it and it was as good as new. No issues since. Works perfectly.

I brought the repaired iPhone home and presented it to my wife. You would have thought it was a bouquet of flowers. This was her first iPhone and she doesn't like technology, but coming from a BlackBerry she loves her iPhone. And she was glad to have it back in good working condition.
 

I love it when a small business does exactly what they're supposed to do and I pay them a fair price for doing something I couldn't have done as well as they did.

 
So check 'em out - highly recommended:
 
Boston iPhone Repair in Harvard Square
http://bostoniphonerepair.com
@BostoniPhoneFix
 

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Photos: 2013 Honda Accord Test Drive

The redesigned Honda Accord is set to hit dealerships September 19th. Bernardi Honda in Natick, MA got some in a few days early so I headed over today for a test drive.

2013 Honda Accord EX-L V6 Sedan

The 2013 is said to be a complete redesign, and it is indeed a brand new model. But to those familiar with the prior Accord -- as I am since we've been leasing a 2010 Accord EX sedan for two and a half years -- it feels like more of an incremental improvement. A very nice incremental improvement.

2013 Honda Accord Sport Sedan

The trim levels should be familiar to long-time Honda fans. An LX, an EX, an EX-L, and an EX-L V6 are available along with a new Sport model priced just south of the EX, and a loaded Touring model. The Sport lacks a moonroof but includes 18" alloy wheels, dual exhaust tips and a spoiler.

To my eye, the rear styling is a nice change from the prior model. They probably could have done more to catch my attention on the front - I think it looks almost identical to the 2010.
 
The new Accord offers some very nice standard features. It's amazing how much a single little feature -- like an AUX input for audio from your mobile phone -- can change how much I enjoy a car. All new Accords come standard with Bluetooth integration, AUX and USB inputs, rear backup cameras, dual zone climate control and more. Compared to our 2010 Accord EX which lacked external temperature display for example, the 2013 is very nicely equipped.

2013 Accord Sport Interior

The view of the dashboard from behind the steering wheel is significantly revamped, mostly for the better in my opinion.

I took a 2013 Accord Sport sedan out for a test drive. It comes with cloth seats which I thought they were a bit more comfortable than the prior model. A bit firmer in a good way. Touch points are nicely trimmed in leather and the car feels very comfortably sized with a touch of new technological splash.
 
If there's one complaint I have about our 2010 Accord, it's that the car is a bit slower than I'd like it to be. Even when you really give it some gas it doesn't have very good throttle response from say 10-45 mph when you're merging with traffic.
 
The 2013 boosts horsepower slightly while also improving mileage so I was looking forward to seeing if it was any more powerful. I'd say it felt about 10% more powerful. Which is probably enough to give us what we need but not necessarily what we want. This is an Accord after all.
 
One other unique feature in the 2013 is its Continuously Variable Transmission. I've never driven one of these before - and I think this is a first in the Accord. I was expecting the car to never feel like it's shifting but the net effect is that it felt to me like it was holding its current gear for a long time under heavy acceleration.
 
Separate from the CVT is a Sport mode which can be selected just south of "D" when selecting which gear you'd like to drive in. And separate from this is an Econ button to the left of the steering wheel that can be used, presumably, to improve mileage. I think these are welcome additions but I'm not sure I'd like to think about these things and would prefer the car to adjust automatically to provide the best mileage possible while giving me power when I need it.
 
They also had a 2013 EX-L on the lot. I thought the EX rims looked a little lackluster compared to the Sport's, and not quite as stylish as the outgoing model:
 

2013 Honda Accord EX-L

Pricing looks to be very modestly increased compared to the outgoing model. The 2013 Sport sedan I drove stickers for just $24k. I think that's a lot of car for the money.

2013 Sport Window Sticker

Full details on pricing, colorization options, and packages is set to arrive this Wednesday, September 19th.
 
I'm also considering a new 3 series or a used 5 series. Long shot considerations include the VW Passat and the Hyundai Genesis. I'd be a trading in a used 2003 325i -and- terminating a lease on our 2010 Accord 6 months early. Discounts on the new model are said to be hard to come by - but isn't that always said to be the case when you're on the buying end of a car transaction?
 
Bottom Line
 
I think the 2013 is a very nice redesign of a very reliably good midsize sedan. I'll look forward to learning a bit more about them and seeing if we can work out a deal I can't refuse.
 
Question of the Day:What do you think of the new Accord? Leave a comment below or ping me on Twitter: @RobertDwyer
 
Further Reading: How to lease a new car for a rock bottom price
 
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