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?
Photo editing courtesy of Rollip.com
I took this last night. It's cute how Bucky (a.k.a. Buck Beak, the cat who lived) loves to hang out with my 10 year-old son; unless, you're my 10 year-old son and you've got a summer reading packet to finish for the 1st day of school (like, today) then, not so much.
Stupid summer reading/math packets!
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I canNOT believe that summer is almost over. Can you? I mean, I haven’t even unloaded their backpacks from June, yet. Still, the kids and I can’t help but feel a little sorry to say goodbye to the Summer of 2009.
So, I put together this little movie — you know, for those who will, no doubt, by December, insist they were absolutely B.O.R.E.D the entire summer — so, hopefully, it will help them ALL remember the really good times, too.
This Full House Summer 2009 from Liz Thompson on Vimeo.
[bites lower lip]
Okay, me too.
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© 2009 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.
She may be small and she may only be 8 (although,the girl's got a mouth like a 13 year old, or what-evuh, Mom) but, I was once told by a psychic that my youngest daughter has "a very old soul."
What? She body-slammed me in the mall for a "quick reading" (the psychic, I mean, not Hopey) and well, it was for free, you know?
"You'll find what you're looking for when you don't need it, anymore."
Story of my life, really and it didn't take a psychic to convince me that my friend Melisa (with one S) was right, when she called, all the way from Chicago (because, blogging friends do that, for each other, sometimes) and helped me look for the season pass I lost, last week (no, she's not psychic, at least, I don't think she is, what-evuh) because, she found what she was looking for, right after seeing my post on Twitter and Facebook (because, I have no life) weird, right?
I mean, Melisa (with one S) finding her stuff, RIGHT AFTER reading my Facebook page…
[sound of crickets chirping]
Aaaanyway, I never did find the pass (DAMMIT!) but, had no trouble getting a replacement (thank you, Great Adventure!) so, I dropped my two oldest at the park and took my two youngest to a nearby mall – just in case it rained, or something, since there were storms in the area.
I may be a dork, but I'm not stupid, much.
"Oh look, Mommy needs a new phone!"
I stopped by the T-Mobile kiosk (because, I'm thinking about breaking up with Verizon) and was about to ask about their family plans, since we need to be adding another kid, or two, soon, damnit.
"Don't touch the phones, baby."
Too late.
HUMMMMM…POW…ZAP!
Hope poked one of the touch phones and ALL the lights went out in the ENTIRE mall!
"OMG, what did you do?!?"
If only I had taken a picture of Hope's face, right at that moment (another reason why I'm probably going to h-e-double hockey sticks, btw) because, I canNOT even begin to describe the absolute look of terror, you know, thinking that she broke the mall.
"Well, touch it again and maybe the lights will come back on!"
The T-Mobile dude was sweet and, if you were to ask me, was sort of cute, too.
"Can I, Mom?"
I maybe a dork, but I'm not raising stupid kids, much.
"Sure, why not?"
Aaaand, on the 50th day of summer vacation, Hope brought power back into the Freehold Mall and saw that the light was good.
"I've got the POW-WAH!"
I maybe a dork, but I'm a little scared that the girl is a bit paranormal, too.
[phone rings]
"They closed the park, can you come pick us up?"
Aaaand, it seems to run in the family.
[cue eerie music]
Stupid psychics!
© 2009 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.
I
If you could read my mind, what a mess my thoughts would make…
In an effort to get back to my blogging roots (i.e., stuff I used to like to write about, but somehow got lost, in all the conversations about marketing and paid trips to Disney World, just kidding, I haven't been to Disney World, since my senior class trip, anyway, way back in, well, never mind) I hereby claim this to be another Picture Perfect Thursday and take a moment to share with you another one of my less than perfect moments, in an effort to make you (yes, YOU!) feel a little better, about the stuff you're doing (or not) and FINALLY put an end to perhaps the longest sentence in blogging history.
You're welcome!
Long story, short (I know, too late) Heather and Holly purchased season passes for Great Adventure with their babysitting money (who knew, watching other people's kids paid so well?) and I was in charge of, you know, putting them in a real safe place.
BIG MISTAKE!
Here it is, 3 weeks before school starts and, well, Heather went once (end of year class trip) but, Holly STILL hasn't gone, so I promised to drop them off, yesterday.
"Do you have my season's pass, Momma?"
[blank stare]
Lost – one season's pass to Six Flags Great Adventure.
Found – a box of crap that should have been filed a loooong while ago and…oh…so THAT'S where Twilight and that set of bungie cords went!!!
Found – girl scout badges (actually, they call 'em Try-its now) and registration forms I should have sewn/submitted last June, damnit!
Found – my missing Sharpie pens ALL the kids swore that they, you know, didn't take from my desk!
Found – two ear buds-a-mating.
Found – my Ver-see-chi eyeglass case and NO my eyeglasses weren't in them, because that would make sense, der!
Found – one lone flip flop, whose mate gave up any chance of ever finding him and left with the garbage man, months ago…sorry, dude!
Found – my Mother's Day presents from…um…one, or two of the kids, I think.
Found – the closet under the stairs hides a lot MORE crap, than I thought.
Lost Forever and Ever, Amen – never did find Heather's season pass, which cost me a $15.00 parking fee (as opposed to dropping the girls off in the shuttle bus lot) and a $21.00 replacement fee, for a new pass, which they will probably not use (if I'm left in charge) again, to boot.
What Kids Learned: Do NOT give ANYTHING of importance, or requires an admittance and/or service fee, if not used, or lost, to your mother.
What Mom Learned: It freakin' rained, all day yesterday, so they closed the park, I had to go back and get the girls, who, after 3 hours of waiting on lines, never did get to ride anything, anyway.
What This Means to You: Absolutely, nothing. It's how WE roll, DAMNIT!
You're welcome!
© 2009 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.
Looks sort of like a lineup, to get into the Breakfast Club, right? RIP, John Hughs!
My husband's Aunt Ann passed away last week (cancer sucks, btw) and, although the Leavitts aren't really related to the Thompsons — I'd venture to guess it's why my husbands family got along so well with their family — Ann and Pres were at our wedding, they both got a chance to meet 2 out of 4 of our kids (in person) and we've been exchanging Christmas cards…GULP…for almost 20 years, now.
It's been Aunt Ann and Uncle Pres, ever since.
So, we decided to attend her memorial service last weekend, as she was perhaps the kindest, funniest and most bravest woman I know (battling cancer for 10 years, sucks wet poodle!) and, well, nothing says, "Hey kids, it's time for another fun-filled family vacation," like a death in the family, right?
Riiiight.
Aaaaand, where did we take them?
To see LOTS OF DEAD PEOPLE, of course!
Yeah, for sure, so it makes my eyes hurt (a little) but, isn't it awesome?!? My middle girl (she's 13) made it for me. Yesterday, I think. Although, I forget what day it is. These last few weeks are beginning to meld, together.
"What time is it, Momma?"
In fact, this week sort of reminds me of when my brother and I would spend summers with my grandmother, sitting on her plastic-covered couch…a little sticky and, if you move to fast, you could really hurt yourself.
"Why, you have some place to go, or something?"
Actually, besides staying with my folks (while, I'm away at BlogHer) my two oldest girls with their respective babysitting gigs and a long-overdue-visit with my friend Kate [waves] our calendar is absolutely open for the entire month of August.
"No, but can So-and-So come over and swim?"
Which, of course, could be a good thing, if you're like me and trying really hard to simplify your life, because, I swear, it does NOT get any easier, I don't care how old your kids are.
"NO! It's MY turn to have someone over!!!"
Then again, there's a reason why my husband, Garth [not his real name] calls me, before turning into our driveway, to see if we: a) need milk; b) should order an extra pizza or c) have enough Midol in the house, before coming home from work.
FYI: We have three people who are menstruating at the moment (you're welcome!) so, THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH MIDOL IN THE HOUSE!
"Actually, it's your brother's turn!"
No, my son is NOT menstruating (thank haven for small favors) but, the poor kid has three sisters (two who are popping Midol, I mean) so, perhaps you'll understand why I can't help but be sensitive to the fact that the poor little dude often times feels like the odd man out.
Aaaand he's ten, so he knows what the word menstruating means, anyway…no thanks to Garth [not his real name] damnit.
"OH, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY, FLUSH THE DAMNED TOILET, ALREADY!"
Okay, so I sometimes forget other stuff, so what?
"Can JD sleep over?"
Sure, what's one more, right? So, this morning, I was making with the pancakes, bacon and stuff, when I realized something.
[the sound of music playing]
Where the hell were the girls? They're old enough to do stuff like this. I mean, both of them have cooked breakfast, before. Besides, I really had some work to catch up on and stuff. So, I hung up my apron (no, I'm kidding, just one more thing to wash, in my opinion) I peeked into the living room.
"What are you guys doing?"
Picture this: My two oldest, sitting in the middle of my favorite chair, surrounded by the three other kids.
Why?
Because, well, they didn't have their makeup on and I wasn't allowed to take a real one, picture, I mean…DUH!
"We're watching previews of the new Harry Potter movie!"
Uh-oh.
"Um…well…I've got a lot of work to do and stuff…and…"
[cut off in mid-ummm]
"Don't worry, we'll take them outside for you, Momma…we can always go to the movies, later."
[color me dumbfounded, again]
I don't know what I did (or, didn't do) but, I just had to share it with you guys (especially, my friends with little, little ones) because, I'm going down into the crawl space, to check for pods and, well, you just never really know, right?
"HEY…wait for me, you guys…Mommy's eyes are hurting, anyway!"
Besides, it is summertime and weird stuff like this happens, all the time, around here, in Jersey, you know?
© 2009 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.
So, my kids made a list of things to do while away on our summer vacation (first family getaway in six years, btw) and my husband, Garth [not his real name] and I were pleasantly surprised to have checked off every single check box (even the "no arguing" one) except for one:
As a slight compromise — since, the kids didn't seem to mind our decision to stay on Cape and visit Provincetown, instead — we promised our son (who was looking forward to checking out the USS Constitution, as well) to make a quick stop in Fall River, MA (birthplace of Emeril, YO!) and see just what the heck kind of boat is sitting out there, in the water, under the bridge, in Mount Hope Bay and all.
We're baaaa-aaaack! What an AWESOME trip we had, too. I'm STILL sorting through piles of dirty laundry, as we speak. So, for your viewing pleasure, some highlights of the last days of our summer road trip through New England.
Day 7 – The Cape Cod Lighthouse at Hightower is only a stone's throw away from Provincetown and open for a quick 20 minute tour, although we were ALL pretty much toured-out, by this point in the day.
Day 7 – The kids were happy to be able stretch their legs (before getting back into the car, AGAIN!) and, well, just breath in the fresh salty air heavily infused with the scent of cranberry and rose hips — someone needs to figure out how to bottle the stuff, seriously!
Day 7 – This vacation was all about relaxing and being able to partake in quiet little moments (like, chasing sea gulls and getting lost in all the dune grass) while we re-learn to enjoy each others company. So, yeah, our trip to the Cape Cod National Seashore has paid off BIG TIME!
Next on tap: Views from a Battleship Wedding!
© 2009 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.
[3/17/10: Edited to Add – submitting this story to the travel site, Uptake.com]