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Life By Dylan

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  • Installing the Chamberlain Smart Garage Door Opener

    My Favorite Smart Home Garage Door Opener

    By

    For those new to my blog, I’m a bit of a smart home fanatic. I like smart home tech so much, because I’m constantly searching for ways to make my life easier and more efficient, and that’s what it’s all about.
    I’m excited to announce that I’ll be sharing 5 new smart home items in a multi-post blog series with Home Depot over the next few weeks. Everything I’ll be sharing is  

    Read More » My Favorite Smart Home Garage Door Opener

    I want to LIVE until my late 90's or 100's

    Why I Avoid Unnecessary Chemicals in every day products

    By

    I want to live into my 90’s or 100’s.
    Not just be alive, but be living – and they’re a difference. If you’ve read many of my blog posts, you’ve likely heard me talk about my grandfather.
    He’s over 85, and still an avid snowboarder and hiker. I’ve been snowboarding for almost 20 years, and he’s still able to outpace me on 

    Read More » Why I Avoid Unnecessary Chemicals in every day products

    Toasted Sesame Seed Chicken and Brocolli

    3 Easy To Make Healthy Meals

    By

    When it comes to cooking, I have three areas I like to focus on: healthy, low carb, and easy to make in large quantities. I usually cook a couple of huge meals every Sunday and then eat them the rest of the week.  I’ve included some of my favorites below. Why Healthy, Low Carb and…

    Read More »

    Home Depot Barn Door and Furniture

    New Home Office Updates: Barn Door + More

    By

    After buying our house, we never took the time to make my home office into… well a home office. It had a desk for my computer, but otherwise, it was less than ideal. It was connected to our main living space without any door, so the noise of our two kids was always a distraction,…

    Read More »

    Brown Sperry boat shoe with Shorts and button up

    The most versatile shoe in my wardrobe – Sperry Boat Shoes

    By

    When it comes to my wardrobe, I like to buy pieces that last and can be mixed to create unique styles. Sperry’s iconic boat shoe is one of the most versatile shoes in my wardrobe, and they’re made with full-grain leather, so they’re durable. If you haven’t worn them before, they’re also they type of…

    Read More »

    Annual Business Checkup – 3 Areas to Focus on for Long-Term Success

    By

    It’s easy for business owners, especially small business owners, to spend too much time working in your business instead of on your business. A lot of business slow down in the beginning of the year as bigger clients may still be allocating budgets and consumers are still… 

    Read More » Annual Business Checkup – 3 Areas to Focus on for Long-Term Success

    Sherpa Lined Black Denim Jacket, Black Joggers, White V-Neck Tee, and Adidas Superstar white Sneakers

    1 Question I Like to Ask Everyone I Meet

    By

    Everyone’s lives are made up of different experiences. We come from different families, countries, economic backgrounds, our parents have different jobs, we went to different schools, eat different things, have different hobbies… the list goes on. Everyone has different lives and learns different things along the way. Once we’re adults, our knowledge base gets even…

    Read More »

    8 Lessons Learned from 13 years of Running My Own Companies

    By

    1. There are No Prizes for Taking on a Hard Business
    In normal life, challenging yourself to do harder things pays off. Lift heavier weights, get bigger muscles. Take harder courses in college, learn more. But in business… 

    Read More » 8 Lessons Learned from 13 years of Running My Own Companies

    Hanging with Noah at the Wyndham Austin

    Family Staycation in Downtown Austin

    By

    Last week we decided to take some time away with the kids. It’s so easy to get caught up in work and not give your kids the time they deserve. With work, there are always deadlines you have to meet, but with kids, there’s nothing guaranteeing you’re giving them enough time. We like to work…

    Read More »

    Working in Coffee Shop

    The Mindset you need to grow a successful company

    By

    Growing a successful company is all about mindset, and the difference between successful and failed business owners is often their mindset about money. Money isn’t a dirty word. It’s the lifeblood of any business. Any business not focused on actually making money is destined to fail. Even in creative fields, people need to  

    Read More » The Mindset you need to grow a successful company

    Bamboo Haiku Fan Home Office

    Haiku Fans Review – 4 Months Later

    By

    Around 4 months ago, we installed Haiku fans in 4 rooms of our house. Before I make any purchase of that size, I always look for real-world people to tell me about their experience, so I thought I could return the favor. And because we have them in our living room, office and multiple bedrooms,…

    Read More »

    Men's Distressed Denim - Black Distressed Boots BED | STU

    Why Statement Pieces Should be a part of every guys wardrobe

    By

    To dress well, you have to make it easy on yourself …and why wouldn’t you? We’re all busy trying to conquer the world in our own way, so if dressing stylishly takes up too much time, it’s just not going to happen. The three way’s I make it happen is to 

    Read More » Why Statement Pieces Should be a part of every guys wardrobe

    Men's Camel Coat With Distressed Denim and Brown Suede Chelsea Boots 2

    Why Boredom is a Catalyst for Creativity

    By

    These days it’s much harder to get bored. If you’re within reach of a cell phone tower, it’s damn near impossible. Netflix, Spotify, Instagram, games, new sites… the list goes on an on. It’s far too easy to satiate ourselves with anything we want – and that’s bad… but not for the reasons you normally…

    Read More »

    Luxury House

    When Should You Quit your Job for your side Gig?

    By

    It’s a hard decision deciding when to go all in on your own business. I’ve been asked by a lot of people who see their side business growing and are hesitant to quit their current job to take it on full-time. If you make the jump too fast, you risk running out of money waiting…

    Read More »

    AllModern White Bathroom Renovation Top View with My Son

    Bathroom Renovations – Not as Difficult as Expected

    By

          We just finished renovating our master bathroom and I wanted to give some motivation for those of you looking to do the same. Before buying our first home in March, I had exactly zero experience renovating. Since then I’ve learned how to use a paint sprayer and painted our entire house, installed sinks and…

    Read More »

    Jumping over Jaguar F-Type R

    3 Factors That Can Help Find Your Dream Job

    By

    The type of jobs people take can shape their lives in profound ways. Even excluding the differences in income, the contrast can be massive. That’s why I’m writing this post to help those who may be ready for a career change, may just be entering the work force, or are even starting their own company….

    Read More »

    Hiking with Daughter

    2 Habits Everyone Should Have

    By

    This week I’m talking about 2 of the habits I’ve found that have had the most impact in making my life better. One of the most defining aspects of any person is their habits. The small things they do day in and day out paint a picture that can tell you  

    Read More » 2 Habits Everyone Should Have

    Cooking on Ilve Cooktop

    How I Eat, and Why It Matters

    By

    People eat for a variety of reasons. They’re bored, looking for an experience, need a reason to hang out with friends, or even to comfort or distract them from stress. The point is, food has become a much bigger part of our life aside from feeding us. Fourteen years ago, I started eating for a…

    Read More »

    Haiku 84" White Aluminum Ceiling Fan in Living Room

    Haiku’s Crazy Powerful and Efficient Ceiling Fan

    By

    Is it weird to get excited about a ceiling fan?  I’m a bit of a technophile, but blaming my excitement on that alone doesn’t do this fan justice. The short version of why I love it? It looks great. You can get it in sizes up to 84″ wide It’s REALLY POWERFUL (double most other…

    Read More »

    Leviton Decora Dimmers WiFi 2

    Automating My Home with Leviton Switches

    By

    I’ve said it before, but it’s worth saying again. The best smart home devices integrate into your life without much hassle. You shouldn’t have to remember how to use a smart device, nor go out of your way to use it. It should simply make your life easier, without requiring anything extra out of you….

    Read More »

    Men's 2018 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Best Jackets Shirts Shorts Shoes

    Top Men’s Picks: 2018 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

    By

    The 2018 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is underway, so I chose some of my tops items to share with you guys.  There are some awesome jackets, shoes, shirts, and shorts, but I tried to keep everything under $150, and most under $50. I’ve linked the full try on video below, and I’ve added all of the…

    Read More »

    Noah and Dylan Enjoying some Cold Brew

    Cold Brew is my New Summer Coffee Jam

    By

    I’ve always been a fan of cold brew coffee, but I wasn’t ever able to recreate the smoothness and richness of the brands I’ve bought without letting it brew over 24 hours, and even then it was never quite right. The amount of time it took to 

    Read More » Cold Brew is my New Summer Coffee Jam

    Downtown Austin

    3 Things to Keep in Mind when Starting a New Company

    By

    People make a lot of mistakes then they start businesses – it’s expected, but these three tips will hopefully keep you from making some of the fatal mistakes I see a lot when people start new businesses. 

    Read More » 3 Things to Keep in Mind when Starting a New Company

    Amazon Alexa in Kitchen with Budget Bot

    New Skills and Tricks From the Amazon Alexa

    By

    Smart devices are already making a big impact in how our homes operate, and it’s only going to grow from here. At the center of it all seems to be the Amazon Alexa. It’s come out ahead as the leader in the voice-controlled assistants and integrates with almost every smart device I’ve come across.  At…

    Read More »

    Drinking Angel's Envy

    Lessons From our Fathers

    By

    With Father’s Day fast approaching, I’m excited to be partnering with Angel’s Envy Bourbon to share one of the best lessons I learned from my father. I’ve learned a LOT from my dad over the years, so I’ve distilled it down to one that has brought me the most happiness and success. Do Your Own…

    Read More »

    Harry's Razor Set

    5 years with the Same Razor, why i switched

    By

    When it comes to holiday’s neither my wife nor I go heavy on the gift giving. We’re both over 30, and are pretty smart with our money. That means if there’s something we really want, and it makes financial sense, we buy it. Instead when it comes to gifts we like to do small things,…

    Read More »

    Walking with Timerberland Bag & Shoes

    Casual Spring Style Inspiration with Timberland

    By

    My typical day involves working from home, hanging out with my kids, and popping into meetings, so I opt to keep it casual when possible. Around spring, you always have to deal with big temperature fluctuations – especially in Texas – so it’s smart to dress in light layers that can be shed as necessary. …

    Read More »

    Tesla Model X Falcon Doors Open

    13 Things You Don’t Know About The Tesla Model X

    By

    If you’ve heard of the Tesla X, you’ve definitely heard of the Falcon doors, but there are a host of other features that may surprise you.  I’ve been wanting to check out the Tesla X since it came out, and this month I found one for rent on Turo, so I pulled the trigger. More…

    Read More »

    Austin Food and Wine Festival

    Exploring the Austin Food and Wine Festival with Bank of America

    By

    Lee and I got out for a bit and explored the Austin Food and Wine Festival. We’d never been, so right off the bat, we were surprised by just how big of an event it was. In addition to the 40+ cooking demos there were around 90 food, wine and liquor purveyors all offering hearty…

    Read More »

    Rachio 3 Smart Water Sprinkler System

    Automating my Lawn with the Rachio 3 Sprinkler Controller

    By

    We recently bought our first home, and inherited a less than stellar yard. The previous owners didn’t take great care of it, so it was now our job to bring it back to life. The good news is they already had a sprinkler system installed. After replacing some sprinkler heads we were up an running……

    Read More »

    6 Things To Know Before Starting DIY House Renovations

    By

    Lee and I bought our first house a few weeks ago. It had big windows, open spaces, plenty of room for our growing family…. beat up walls, black doors and trim, and a yard half filled with dead grass. We had the vision of what it could become, and figured we could do the renovations…

    Read More »

    Distressed Jeans, White Henley, Blue Rain Jacket, White Sneakers

    What I thought would bring me happiness vs what actually has

    By

    Everyone thinks they know what they need to be happy. During my college years I was convinced the solution would be making A LOT of money. I had visions of yachts and flying to different cities just to grab lunch.  I’m not sure why I was so focused on money. It just seemed like at…

    Read More »

    Eufy Robovac 11+

    The Budget Friendly, Automated Vacuum – Eufy Robovac 11+

    By

    In our house, vacuuming in one of the chores that never gets done as much as we’d like. The dirt and hair slowly build up over time until BAM! We finally notice just how dirty it is, vacuum, and let the process repeat itself. I knew there had to be a better way, so we…

    Read More »

    Smart Home Tech Reviews

    New Smart Home Posts Coming Soon

    By

    I’ve always been interested in smart home tech, but now that we have a house, it feels like the right time to test it out. Whether it’s in life or business, I’m always searching for smarter and quicker ways to do things, so smart home tech… 

    Read More » New Smart Home Posts Coming Soon

    3 Tips We Use to Find Cheap Flights

    By

    I know I just posted about something like this, but there was a lot of interest in my post last month about how we’re getting 50% off all our flights for the next two years, and not everyone was able to take advantage of the same loophole we’re using. That’s why I sharing 3 more…

    Read More »

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Tesla Model X Falcon Doors Open

13 Things You Don’t Know About The Tesla Model X

Honda MIIMO HRM 520

Mow Your Lawn without leaving your couch

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Samsung Smart Hub Fridge – Best Features

Dylan and Noah with Schlage Encode wifi lock

My Top 3 Smart Home Security Devices

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Our garage is one of our favorite places to hang o Our garage is one of our favorite places to hang out on the blazing summer days. We bought the house while it was still being built, so we had no idea just how big the garage was going to be. #Ad #TargetPartner
Once we saw it, we realized it would be much more fun to convert it into a rec room instead of just parking our cars in it. The latest addition has been an @Xbox. We got Xbox All Access from @Target , which got us an Xbox along with 100’s of games. Our kids are pretty new to gaming, so it was awesome, because there was no upfront cost, we get to keep the Xbox, and they can try out a bunch of games instead of me having to buy a bunch of different ones. Noah keeps changing his mind about which game is his favorite, from Forza to Minecraft, and now it’s Craftopia, so it’s already saving money 😂
#TargetPartner #xboxallaccess #xbox
#LTKmens #LTKkids #LTKfamily 

https://liketk.it/3LOFH
I’m trying to make our Florida house as easy to I’m trying to make our Florida house as easy to take care of as possible, so I bought a bunch of different smart home devices to help with the cleaning, lawn, thermostats, water leaks, lights, etc. This is the third house we’ve done this with, so we’re starting to finally figure out what works and what isn’t worth it. Check out my stories for our recommendations and to get links. #smarthome #florida #homeimprovement
It’s already heating up here in Texas, so we’v It’s already heating up here in Texas, so we’ve been splitting out time between the pool and the couch 😂 # ad. I’m always looking for things that both the kids and I both enjoy, so we naturally end up spending more time together. 
We signed up for Xbox All Access a couple months ago from @Target, and what’s nice about it is that you get a @Xbox as well as access to 100+ games for a just monthly price with no upfront cost, and it ends up being a good deal. It works out especially well for us, because Noah and Emma like very different types of games, so instead of us having to buy lots of games, there are over 100 already included for them to play.  It’s currently only available for purchase online, so I’ll link it in my stories. #TargetPartner #xboxallaccess #xbox 
https://liketk.it/3Inta
Father’s Day is about celebrating fathers, but I Father’s Day is about celebrating fathers, but I wanted to share appreciation for @LeeAnneBenjamin who gave me the privilege of being a father. Before I met Lee, my young, naive plan was that I wouldn’t be married until I was 30 and definitely wouldn’t be having children until I was at least 35. 
I was married to work and the idea of creating companies and wealth. I didn’t think I had time for both. 
Then Lee came along. I had no idea when I met her, but it was the luckiest moment of my life. I couldn’t dream of ending up with anyone better.  If there is such a thing as soulmates, I found mine. 
We’ve been together 17 years, almost half my life. And I couldn’t imagine my life without her. 
She’s the reason I get to be the father of two kids I’m obsessed with, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
Happy Father’s Day!
We decided to have some fun this morning! The kids We decided to have some fun this morning! The kids have been getting into some games lately, so I thought we’d set it up all outside, because… why not! # ad 
We recently signed up for #xboxallaccess at @Target, where for a monthly price we got an Xbox Series X and access to hundreds of games. It’s been awesome for us because there are a ton of different games to try out. Noah seems to be into the racing and Minecraft games, while Emma’s been enjoying Paw Patrol 
Check out my stories to see what I’m talking about.

#TargetPartner #xboxallaccess #xbox @xbox 
#liketkit #LTKmens #LTKkids #LTKfamily
@shop.ltk
https://liketk.it/3GTA1
What's your favorite thing to cook on your grill? What's your favorite thing to cook on your grill? We go through a lot of burgers, but I love cooking thick ribeyes. If you can get enough heat on them for a good sear, I'm convinced there's nothing better. When we customized our new outdoor kitchen from @RTAOutdoorliving , we put in a grill from @coyoteoutdoor that has an infrared searing burner that IS AWESOME. Excited to share more details of our outdoor kitchen with you guys on stories. Lee's favorite part of the kitchen are the Corian Endura countertops from @coriandesign. Check out my stories for a video of some sweet sweet grilling action 😂
This week as part of @LeeAnneBenjamin 's and my go This week as part of @LeeAnneBenjamin 's and my goal to teach out kids something new or give them a unique experience every week this year, we're building @Lego Technic cars from @Target #Ad. I thought Noah would really be into them, but I was surprised by just how obsessed Emma has been with them too. They take a few days to make, so we've been doing a little bit most mornings or evenings. @Target has a bunch of different ones, and even has an exclusive on some of them like the green Mustang we're building, which is one of the less expensive ones. It's been an awesome way to get some good one on one time with both our kids. Check out my stories for more info and some links. #TargetPartner #TargetStyle 

Follow my shop @dylanbenjam on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!

#liketkit #LTKunder50 #LTKkids #LTKfamily
@shop.ltk
https://liketk.it/3DBQt
We’ve got a new project! I want to get the kids We’ve got a new project! I want to get the kids out fishing on the lake, but the boat slips here are either on a waitlist or too expensive to be worth it. Instead we’re going to transform this one into something we can drop in the water ourselves and spend less than we would on an annual boat slip. 
It’s not as big of a project as some we’ve done in the last, but this one should get done quickly. 
I’ve got a lot of ideas of what to add to it so we can have “Champaign taste on a beer budget.”
First up is a motor we can drive by a remote and eliminates the need for an anchor by using GPS. Check out my stories for more info

#fishingboat #fishing #smallboats #smarthomes #austinblogger #smarthometech #austintx #guyswithlonghair #casualman #styleoftheday #mensfashion
Spring's finally here, so we've finally been able Spring's finally here, so we've finally been able to get back outside. We've made a lot of changes to our backyard and are excited to share it all. One of our kids favorites is definitely the outdoor ping pong table from @Ledgelounger. It's made from high-quality resin just like their signature chairs, so it's going to stand up to just about anything the weather is going to throw at it, so we can simply enjoy it. Check out @leeannebenjamin 's stories for more info. #ad
We’re buying this house in Florida and Noah and We’re buying this house in Florida and Noah and Emma still don’t know :)
If you haven’t been following along on @leeannebenjamin ‘s stories, we’ve been looking for a Florida home for quite a while. 
In this crazy real estate market, even if you put an offer in a house above asking the asking price, there is a good chance you won’t get it. 
We had our offer accepted on this one a couple days ago, and today was the first time we got to see it in person. I shared a walkthrough of the house on @leeannebenjamin ‘s stories, so you can see more there. 
I’m super excited to let the kids know, but we’re going to wait until the closing is done, so we can bring them both to Florida and surprise them! I can’t wait to see their faces!

#newhouse #florida #smarthomes #austinblogger #smarthometech #austintx #guyswithlonghair #menwithstyle #mensfashiontips #casualman #styleoftheday #mensfashion
Happy Tuesday guys! Thanks for the love on my unde Happy Tuesday guys! Thanks for the love on my underwater shenanigans. Let me know what I should do next! Wearing this comfortable slub crew neck sweatshirt & my favorite pair of @express jeans today. The weather is finally cooling off enough in Austin! Linking this outfit from @express today with http://liketk.it/3nFNb

#ExpressPartner #liketkit #LTKmens #LTKstyletip #LTKunder100
@shop.ltk
Did I redeem myself @leeannebenjamin ? Did I redeem myself @leeannebenjamin ?
I liked the @Denizen jeans so much, we got some fo I liked the @Denizen jeans so much, we got some for Noah too. Can you guess if he likes them? 😂
They have some added stretch to them that makes them comfortable all day, even for a kid as active as Noah.
The Boys' Skinny Fit jeans he's wearing are only $19 and my 216 Slim Fit jeans are only $29. Check out my stories for the links. #ad #denizenyourway
When I wear jeans, I never sacrifice comfort. Thes When I wear jeans, I never sacrifice comfort. These Men's 216 Slim Fit Straight Knit from @denizen are only $29! The soft knit fabric makes it feel like it would cost so much more! They have just enough stretch to keep them comfortable all day and a skinny without being too skinny. Check out more and where you can find your @denizen in my stories! #denizenyourway #ad

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