I love how Hope is using one of her flip flops as the steering wheel – here are some more photos from our weekend away at Cape May – yes, this IS New Jersey.
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© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
To think, this mommy/daughter mugging for the camera moment was nearly lost, forever!
Last week, I wrote about how we hit the road and drove to Cape May for the weekend (yes, even the Doofus-Dawg seemed excited about his first road trip) and I did promise you pictures, to prove that Jersey is NOT all what you see outside your window, flying over Newark Airport (seriously, dude, we ARE called the garden state) but, my middle girl hid her camera from me, because I broke mine and, you know, she's smart like that.
"You can't use my camera."
Gosh, but some 14 year-olds can get very touchy about using their stuff, right?
"Why not?"
Sheesh, I only wanted to grab the memory card and already promised NOT to touch anything else.
"Because, I lost it."
Now, I could've reprimanded Heather for being forgetful, or acting irresponsibly with her stuff, but, well, it would be sort of like talking to myself, really.
"Lost what?"
Gosh, but some almost 9 year-olds can get very nosey about stuff, right?
"Never mind."
Now that ALL the laundry from the trip is done (almost) STILL no camera.
"Quick…take MY picture next!"
I was telling someone at school how upset Heather was (about losing her camera, I mean) and…wait a minute…what the?
"Who's camera is that?"
Long story short (you're welcome!) my youngest daughter found Heather's camera shoved into the pocket behind the driver's seat in the minivan and, well, thank goodness for nosey little almost 9 year-olds!
"Hey, I found it FIRST!"
Wanna see other moments nearly lost?
I took this picture of Hope and Glen (my two youngest) in 2005 — the year my parents moved out of the house I grew up in — and, already, my son was very protective of his baby sister.
"I don't want her to fall in da wah-der!"
Didn't matter that my father's koi pond was only about ankle-deep; in true Thompson fashion, my son is a born worrier (he gets that from his father) and, well, his concern for the physical and emotional well-being of everyone around him was sort of, you know, cute.
Last night, however, turned chronic.
"I can't make ANYONE happy."
5 years have passed (I know, wasn't it just yesterday I was blogging about his peeing on a tree?) and, although the stories are pretty much the same (only, with less pee) I find myself feeling as if we BOTH haven't learned a gosh-darned thing.
"I don't understand?"
You see, my 11 year-old son is entering middle school next year and long story short (you're welcome!) let's just say the boy is feeling a little stressed.
"My teacher, you and dad, are ALL pushing me!"
Okay, A LOT STRESSED.
"To do what?"
Seriously, the kid was blowing snot and — although, my husband and I had already had a talk with his teacher and discussed her concerns over his penchant for day dreaming — he's been carrying and A/B average and I was at a loss as to why he was SO upset.
"I'm going to fail."
Oh. I know this one. In fact, 5 years ago, during my middle girl's parent-teacher conference, I was the ONLY parent to cheer when her 3rd grade teacher told me that she had failed her 1st math test.
"It's about time the kid learns to fail, something!"
Her teacher agreed, btw.
"All your father and I care about is that you do your best."
Apparently, my son's teacher feels differently.
"She said I was going to get absolutely lost in Middle School!"
Look, I get it. I couldn't do what she does — teach, someone else's kid, I mean — however, I know my son and — although, I think, having our kids attend K-3, switch to another school for grades 4 and 5, and then again to the middle school, our school system hasn't helped to make it ANY easier — this time, I believe the change will do him good.
"I think you're going to be just fine."
For the next 3 years, anyway.
"Just ask Holly and Heather!"
My 2 oldest daughters have already given him a run down of all the cool teachers and the, you know, not so cool teachers he'll probably get…in middle school.
"What are you doing, Hope?"
My youngest daughter (she's 8) ran out of the room to grab a pen and piece of paper.
"I want to write a letter to the principal of my new school…"
She's graduating 3rd grade next month and is changing schools, too, OY!
"…and I want to tell her that I want Holly's and Heather's teachers, ONLY!"
If ONLY life was that easy, right?
"Don't worry, Hopey, I already told her AND the nurse that my youngest sister is coming!"
You see, some things NEVER change AND my son happens to know that his baby sister is a frequent flyer!
"The nurse's office has got PLENTY of band aids!"
Hope, however, rolls like her mother.
© 2010 This Full House
My 8 year-old is SUCH a free spirit and, unlike her sisters, is a bit of a Tomboy, as well (she gets that from me) and, well, being the youngest of 4, the survival instinct is strong with this one.
"I wanna do the Lip Sync show, again!"
Last year, her older sisters helped choreograph Hope and her friends in performing, "We Got the Beat" by the GoGos and, more importantly, I didn't have to do a gosh-darned thing, other than, you know, drive them to and from the show.
"Am I picking your daughters up at school, or your house?"
This year, however, I did even less.
"I dunno?"
Lip-sync-related stuff, I mean.
"What time do we have to be there?"
My father was scheduled for major surgery and, well, if you were to ask me a week ago, at this EXACT time, exactly what was on my mind, I would have said…uh…I dunno, what day is it, again?
"The show starts at 7 o'clock!"
However, by Friday they had kicked my dad out of the hospital (thank you for ALL the good thoughts, btw, they worked) and he's recovering, quite well.
"Can't wait to see the show!"
I was so ready for the week to be over, but had no clue what to expect, other than their act was based on the Risky Business dance scene, this Heidi Klum Guitar Hero commercial and one of my favorite episodes of The Nanny (you know, Fran Drescher…she tawks funny) and they called themselves, No Business 4 Boyz!
They did a FABULOUS job, right (Hope is the cutey on the left) so, who's the boy?
"What a good big brother you are!"
Apparently, my oldest daughter bribed my 11 year-old son to play the part of the "boss man" (for the latest issue of his favorite wrestling magazine, I think) and extortion sorta runs in the family…here in Jersey, anyways.
"I had to sit in a room full of screaming girls!"
I'm sorta glad it's over, too.
"I almost threw up."
Aaaaand, I'm grateful that, as they get older, my kids really seem to enjoy helping each other out.
"But, I just swallowed it and walked on stage."
Mostly.
© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
Momma, momma, what do you see? A free spirit calling out to the inner-child…in me.
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Today is my best friend's birthday. Actually, she's not really my best friend. Not anymore, anyway. In fact, I can't even remember the last time we spoke.
Wait, yes I can.
[glances at calendar]
It will be 28 years, this coming June.
You see, Shirley and I fought our way out of grew up in the same neighborhood and, if I think real hard, I could probably even remember the street she lived on.
[frowns]
Okay, I give up. I can, however, tell you that her family lived a few blocks closer to the Arthur Kill, which afforded their house a better view of the Staten Island dump.
Then again, even the "uptown" folks had no choice but to acknowledge our neighbors from across the river….especially, in the summertime.
After a while, you sort of grew used to the smells, I guess and, well, quite frankly, we were too busy having fun, just being kids, to even notice, anything other than which street lights to watch for (hint: NOT the ones with the smashed bulbs) a clear signal that it was, you know, time to go home.
"Why don't you go and get some fresh air?"
My youngest is 8 and, well, not only do my parents insist that Hopey is as…ahem…active and rambunctious as I was (especially, at that age) she is also, part monkey (see picture above) I think.
"What are you doing?"
Still, a lot has changed since I was a kid. The dumps aren't visible any longer (there's a new project refreshingly referred to as the Fresh Kills Park) today, I'm missing the old neighborhood (sort of) and my best friend, Shirley (Happy Birthday, wherever you are!) and, well, there's a teeny-tiny part of me that will always be partial to the smell of garbage.
"Allllllll…most…GOT IT — I'm trying to help keep the Earth clean!"
Disrespecting where you live…no matter where you live…not so much.
"Can you buh-leeve some big, fat jerk left garbage on OUR playground!"
What can I say? She's got a mouth, like her muh-thuh!
© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
DAY 1 of our spring break/challenge was a total RainFAIL! Then, Day 2 and it was time to send out for an Ark!
[wipes feet]
Finally, we were able to get outside and fall into a pot of fairy soup.
[sound of crickets chirping]
Moving on…I love that picture of me and my mom (up there) because, there really aren't many pictures of me, or my mom, let alone, the both of us…together…since, you know, we're the ones usually doing all the picture-taking.
My mom and dad are going through a real rough patch, with several health issues, right now (theirs and my twin brothers) and, well, based on years of personal study (what can I say, I'm a people watcher) in my opinion, hanging with the grand kids can sometimes have a real positive healing effect.
Did I mention, we Hungarians are a very reflective lot? We have open forums and very passionate discussions (ahem) about the meaning of life sort of stuff and, well, there aren't many secrets in my family.
Like, here, Heather is reflecting on the fact that her mother (that would be me) did NOT give her enough time to straighten her hair (seriously, takes forever) before going out…in public…and having to wear a ponytail (which she hates) and, well, I didn't make her smile for the camera, or anything.
I did, however, catch a quiet (albeit, very, very RARE) little happy moment, shared between siblings but…shhhhhhh…don't tell 'em, okay?
Then, there's my youngest, Hope (she's 8) but, her Jersey name is Hopey Baseballs.
Who's STILL reflecting on the fact that mom did NOT sign her up for softball…in time.
As, my only son, Glen reflects on the fact that mom managed to miss baseball sign-ups, as well, DAMMIT.
And, Holly, who insists she HATES playing anything that remotely resembles a sport (she'd rather spend her day reflecting on a piece of art in a museum, somewhere) well, even she seemed to enjoy…using the golf pitch…for baseball practice.
However, all 4 of my kids are ALL about shuffleboard; the sport of cruise camps, senior living facilities and retirement communities, everywhere!
Yep, we ARE down with the shuffleboard and, after 5 years of incessant taunting by their grandparents (i.e., I can't believe I've been beat by a senior citizen!) my kids are gosh-darned good at it, too.
No, it may not have been a day in Disney World (seriously, we are
perhaps the only family, in Jersey, who has NOT had breakfast with a
princess, yet) but, it's nice to know that even a leisurely day, spent outdoors, with the people who love you the most, well, Holy Hannah Montana, the kids and I couldn't have asked for a better day!
Reflect on that, Mickey!
Now take your kids and GET OUT (heh) also, you can visit the NWF site for ideas on what you can do to get these kids outside…besides, promising them a trip to Disney…I mean!
[FWIW: I'm a Founding Mother of NWF's Be Out There program
– just helping families (like mine) get their kids outside and enjoy
nature, more – no payment was received for this blog post.]
© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
DAY 1 of our spring break/challenge was a total RainFAIL! Then, Day 2 and it was time to send out for an Ark!
[wipes feet]
Moving on.
I'm scheduled to work at the gym, this afternoon (stupid braces, dumb college fund) but, I left the camera home, with my kids and, well, it'll be interesting to see what they come up with.
Yesterday, I decided to allow my 2 oldest girls to sleep in (as if, I could wake them, or I had any other choice) and took Doofus-Dawg for a walk.
Having spent the last 3 days home, alone, with 2 very cranky teenagers (trust me on this one) my 2 youngest were more than happy to tag along!
"Let's go and visit the waterfall!"
When they were little-er (yes, it's a word!) we would take pre-nap walks into the next neighborhood and visit "the waterfall."
"It used to look a whole lot bigger."
Still, there's something really cool about the water…even if it's simply rushing over an embankment…no matter how old you are, I think.
Not to mention, the moss-lined creek running through our little corner of the suburbs, in Jersey; who'da thunk, right?
Aaaand, there was lots and lots of onion grass!
Good thing, because the fairies, who live under "the waterfall," just LOVE onion soup; or, so I'm told.
Even though he would NEVER admit it (out loud) Glen still believes in flower fairies — yes, he does — especially, when exploring the woods behind our house, or hunting for fire flies in the summertime and most especially whenever his little sister is around.
We spent the rest of the morning, enjoying the playground at Glen's school and, yeah, it was a little muddy.
Still, it's sorta nice to have the pre-commuters' tunnel…all…to…ourselves…and, when you're 8 and 11, being able to jump, run and even shout at each other, without being hollered at, well, life was good.
Until, someone gets a little too close to the fairy soup.
Accidentally falls into said soup (yes, she's my daughter alright!)
Aaaaand…well, then even this Mom knows that it's pretty much time to go home.
"Wait, take another picture!"
No, it may not have been a day in Disney World (seriously, we are perhaps the only family, in Jersey, who has NOT had breakfast with a princess, yet) but, it's nice to know that even a simple walk through our neighborhood, during a rather rainy spring break, can become, you know, totally blog-worthy.
Now take your kids and GET OUT (heh) also, you can visit the NWF site for ideas on what you can do to get these kids outside…besides, promising them a trip to Disney…I mean!
[FWIW: I'm a Founding Mother of NWF's Be Out There program – just helping families (like mine) get their kids outside and enjoy nature, more – no payment was received for this blog post.]
© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
Cross-posted to our 365 Days microblog project — where I'm taking a self-imposed timeout, every day, to post wordless (you're welcome!)
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Also, got some freshly-brewed crafty handmade stuff over at my shopping blog: Klutz Fashion Origami
© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.