This Full House Archive

Category: Infographics, Flowcharts & Vlogs, OH MY!

  • 6 Easy Ways to Wrap a Scarf, Wrong

    It's springtime here in Jersey…wait, let me look out the window…YEP!…today, anyway. So, I thought it would be fun to break out with the light and airy scarves, until I tried to tie one around my neck and, well, that's an accident…just waiting to happen.

    There are about a bazillion online tutorials on how to wear scarves and they are all great, until I actually try to tie one around my neck and, well, see previous paragraph.

    6 Easy Ways To Wrap a Scarf, WRONG!

    You know, what?!? It would be a whole lot easier if someone showed us fashionably-dorky-types what [k]NOT to do…and…HEY!!!!…wait a minute…I CAN DO THAT!!!  

    Adding to the series of "how NOT to" vlogs, I am very happy to be able to present to you (still breathing and with all my limbs still attached) the scarf edition:

     

    Long story-short: Fashion can be fun, as long as it is kept safe, and I am fashion's number one safety officer, or something like that.  

    [sound of crickets, chirping]

    Hey…look over there…isn't that Audrey and Vera?!?  

    [SLAM!!!]

    Stupid scarves, dumbass impossibly difficult knots.

    ©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything!   

  • Parenting teens: the call home protocol.

    The call home protocolAs a parent-type blogger with older kids (i.e. can quantify their ages using both hands AND having moved over to their feet, even) I sometimes feel this incredible need to share a few insights to help save other parents (especially, those with younger kids) a few sleepless nights, or twenty. 

    This week: we're expecting another snow storm (seriously, enough with the polar vortex, it's called winter!) and I tend to spend my off hours worrying, rather than sleeping, especially during snow storms, because kids with their driver's licenses, yo.

    Aaaaaand, sometimes they sort of forget to call me, whenever they get to wherever it is they are going, because parents don't sleep…period.

    So, I'd like to share with you one of my favorite ways of getting the message of "CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THERE, DAMMIT!!!" across.

     

    **offers a plate of cookies, passes over the clicker**

    You're welcome.

    ©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything! 

  • Sometimes teens remember the good stuff, too.

    One of the most memorable moments of the 2014 Sochi Olympics for our family was watching my fellow Team Kelloggs and Team USA athletes Meryl Davis and Charlie White skate their way to a gold medal in ice dancing.

    You see, through our partnership with Kellogg’s (an official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams) I had the super-awesome opportunity of wishing Meryl and Charlie well and also allowed me the “once in a lifetime” chance to skate with them on The Rink at Rockefeller Center, while taping this segment for the TODAY Show  in NYC.

    Okay, I lied. I was in charge of watching everyone’s stuff (stupid borked-up back) and WOO-HOO-ing the loudest, take a look:

    I am very happy to be able to tell you that Meryl and Charlie are just as down to Earth and awesome in person, as they seem on and off the ice. Both are proving to be really great role models for kids, too.

    Especially young adults, who are struggling in school (Meryl was diagnosed with dyslexia and battled with reading until the 11th grade) and perhaps are having a hard time believing in their own aspirations.

    I know, because each and every one of my kids has struggled with self-belief (still do, DAGNABIT!) and it doesn’t get any easier in high school. 

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  • Parenting teens: the face infographic.

    Having entered my 11th year of blogging…she said, in a Gandolf-like voice…I sometimes feel this incredible need to share a few insights, if you will, to help save other parents a few headaches — especially, parents of younger kids.

    In case you missed it: there's the little infographic to help reinforce a more realistic homework ritual and the how much should you help your child with their school project infographic.

    This week? I'm laid up with a kidney stone-type pain (they ARE the devil!) and, once again, my husband used his super-power of being able to assess EXACTLY how badly I feel with 8 simple little words: do you need to go to the hospital?!?

    You know, I could never figure out those pain scales…either…which inspired me to create an infographic to help other parents decipher their child's facial expression(s), based on the top 5 faces I get from my teens.

    The Face Infographic Framed

    **passes bottle of [insert favorite brand of pain reliever, here]**

    You're welcome.

    ©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything! 

  • Parenting teens: the school project infographic.

    So, last week, I created a little infographic to help reinforce a more realistic homework ritual to help save other parents (especially, those with younger kids) a few headaches.

    This week? I was inspired by my friend Beth (a.k.a. Life in the BAT Cave) to create an infographic to help your child complete school projects – which, at second glance, could pretty much be used as another homework infographic — because I am also really good at multi-tasking, for you, like that. 

    School Project Infographic Edited

    **passes bottle of [insert favorite brand of wine or beverage of choice, because I'm easy, here]**

    You're welcome.

    ©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything! 

  • Help teens get a great start in the morning, for real!

    Jim Craig and Me

    As a Kellogg’s KChamps partner, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting with U.S. Olympic legends (that’s me over there, standing with 1980 Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist…Jim Craig…seriously?!?) and athlete hopefuls representing Team USA to help kick-off the 100 day countdown to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

    I know, who ever thought a dork like me would EVER be able to say that, out loud, RIGHT?!?

    Kellogg’s is also an official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams and, now that we are just a few days away from the opening ceremonies for the winter games (February 7th, whoot!!!), I am super-excited to join the Kellogg’s Team USA athletes in kicking-off the Great Starts Program for 2014 AND help share in their Olympic journey!

    This month, they’ve challenged me…personally…to share tips to help other families with teens get the best possible start to their mornings: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!

    Aaaaand, if you know me…personally and/or virtually…then you know how I like to keep it real AND snarky.

    (more…)

  • Parenting teens: the homework infographic.

    NO! I am NOT and have NEVER claimed to be an expert, at anything — other than my insanely awesome ability of leaping tall piles of laundry in a single bound, while listening to 4 different conversations, at once.

    However, I can't help but sometimes feel this incredible need to share a few insights on raising kids.

    For example:  parenting under the influence of teenagers can make even the smartest of people…sound stoopid…most especially, to teenagers.

    So, to save other parents (especially, those with younger kids) a few headaches, I have created this little infographic to help you reinforce a more realistic homework ritual:

    Deciphering Teenagese

    **passes bottle of [insert favorite brand of pain reliever, here]**

    You're welcome.

    ©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything! 

  • From Our House, To Your House: It’s A Krispie Carol

    Merry Krispmas from This Full House 2
    Like most families we know, the kids and I have our favorite holiday traditions: decorating Christmas cookies ranks right up there with tricking out a ginger bread house with leftover Halloween candy, if there’s any left.  

    Assembling said gingerbread house, not so much.

    So, when our good friends at Kellogg’s challenged us to put a twist on a family-favorite holiday tradition, I thought it would be REALLY fun to replicate This Full House (the house) in Rice Krispies, but then I broke it.

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  • We don’t need no stinkin’ Rainbow Loom vlog!

    Rainbow Loomless BraceletMy youngest daughter and I were cruising the aisles at Michael's (a.k.a. our second home, besides Home Depot and Lowe's, especially at this time of the year) and it didn't take long for me to remember why I try NOT to make it a habit of going into Michael's…with Hope…too much. 

    Her head starts to shake, then both of her arms begin to twitch and, I swear, you could almost hear the electrical wiring in her body crackle, as she starts to make a mental note of all the things we'll need, for all the projects that we could do.

    Then something breaks in her brain, as it becomes all too much and she starts tossing random stuff into the cart.

    "LET'S JUST MAKE ALL THE THINGS!!!!"

    Pretty much like the rest of the free world, Hope is obsesssed with Rainbow Looms and she's been bugging me to get one.  

    Aaaaaaand, just like we are the ONLY family who has NOT gone to Disney, did you know that we are the ONLY family who does NOT have a Rainbow Loom?!?

    "Well, then I think it's a perfect addition to your Christmas list."

    Yeah, that went over just as well as you can probably imagine, however, I am also striving to become the meanest mom on the planet and probably have a HUGE head start on most folks, already.

    "Can I at least have a bag of rubber bands, PLEASE?!?!?!?!?"

    Fiiiiiiiiine, because saying "I SAID NO!!!" to a bag of rubber bands is not the kinda mean I'm striving for, don't judge.

    "But don't you need a Rainbow loom?"

    Translated in my youngest daughter's head as:  I triple-dog dare you to PROVE ME WRONG!!!

    "I don't NEED no stinkin' rainbow loom!"

    Aaaaaaand, she did prove me wrong (I know, act surprised anyway 'kay?!?) and NO she does NOT get her nimbleness from me.  Check it out:

      

    Perhaps I should remind Hope that we are also the ONLY family who STILL watches a box television set; can't wait to see what the kid does with that, right?!?

    ©2003 -2013 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook and everything!

    I'm NaBloPoMo-ing it, feel free to check out what I've NaBloPoMo-ed, so far (PHEW!) and let me know how I'm doing (I mean, 30 posts, in 30 days, really?!?) when you have time, of course!

  • Happy Belated National Coffee Day: Will
    Vlog for Cawfee

    Liz's Cawfee #FoamAtHome

    {sponsored post & giveaway}

    It’s no secret: I like coffee (A LOT!) and most of my friends (both online and IRL) know NOT to ask me ANYTHING, unless I’ve had my first cup of coffee (or cawfee, if you’re from Jersey).

    Or if you happen to be one of my teens and are attempting to take full advantage of my total incoherency:  then, for the love of all things ending in macchiato, ASK AWAY…MY FRIEND!

    There are worse things, don’t judge.

    Aaaaanyway, In celebration of National Coffee Day (what, it was 9/29, did you miss it too?!?) I’ve partnered with my good friends at TheMotherhood.com and Gevalia and we’ve got some really cool stuff to share with ALL of my fellow coffee lovers, especially if you’ve ever started your day(s), like this:

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