This Full House Archive

Tag: blogs

  • Viewing the World Through Frozen Side Mirrors

    Back-to-school

    Most days, I wake up and, if my feet hit the floor and my head is still attached, then, it really doesn't take much to convince myself that, YES, half the battle is actually getting out of bed and HOORAH! but, it's gonna be a good day…DAMMIT!

    Until, it's time to leave the house.

    "Why IS it so hard to make a left turn!?!?"

    Then, I remembered.

    "Oh yeah, 'cawse I live in Jersey!"

    Is it just me, along with perhaps the rest of the Eastern seaboard, STILL digging out of one of the snowiest winter's in, well, recorded history (yeah, I'm looking at you, Washington, D.C.) or, has Snowmageddon (or, as I've come to call it, Snowpocalypse) frozen everyone's nice buttons, shut? 

    (more…)

  • She IS the Ty Pennington of Blog Design

    Soooooo, what do ya' think?  Cynthia at NW Blog Design put together an awesome new look for Scribbit (seriously, go take a peek, I'm pretty sure Michelle won't mind) and, well, in my opinion, her redesign fits the feel of her blog, very well!

    "Love what you did at Scribbit's place!"

    So, I thought, maybe, juuuuuuust maybe, Cyn could help even a dork (like me) get a virtual remodel — but, how DOES one best define This Full House?

    Um, shuddup, I know, that was a rhetorical question, really.

    After 16 years of perpetual renovation, (see virtual tour) IRL, I'm STILL staring at drywall, but we've ALL grown used to it and my house has this laid-back, sort of shabby ecclectic feel.

    Even IF my house is a mess (IRL) I believe that Cyn hit the nail right on the head and, well, I really, really, like what she's done with the place!

    "Honey, I blew up my navigation bar!"

    Yeah, I was messing around a little and the nav bar does NOT work, at the moment (I know, act surprised, anyway) but, Cyn said she would help me fix it (she's a saint, really) right after she redoes my other blog, to match!

    Since, you know, Ty Pennington won't even return my calls and NO, can't say as I blame him, either.

    Stupid drywall!

    [Edited to add:  I fixed the nav bar…all…by..ownself…and, well, if only I could say the same for the rest of the house — stupid under-cabinet lighting!]

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.

  • On A Long Winter’s Night

    Candlelit and Blizzardid

    And the snow began to fall…aaaaand, fall…school was closed…the next day, too.  Then, ALL the lights went out.

    "GAAAAAAH!"

    Aaaaand, DAYUM, it was dark.

    "Don't NOBODY move!"

    The sort of inky gloom that makes a person lose all sense of good grammar, too.

    "Do we have any candles?"

    Is the Pope, well, whatever.

    [click, click, click, click]

    "I'm cold…I have to go to the bathroom…I'm scared…I'm hungry!"

    It's hard, you know?  Living in the suburbs.

    "Whatever you do, do NOT open that fridge!"

    Minutes.  Hours.  Days.  Weeks.  Time stops, in the dark.

    "Okay, who blew out the candles?"

    Like moths to a flame, they just can't help themselves.

    "Are we gonna freeze…can we flush the toilet…are we gonna die…do we have enough food?

    [click, click, click, click]

    "Everyone, close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax."

    [whoosh]

    "Okay, who blew out the candles?"

    Honestly, I don't know how the pioneers did it.

    "Um…wait…wait…I got one!"

    It's hard, you know?  Playing charades…in the dark, inky, gloom.

    "No, it's MY turn!"

    Minutes.  Hours.  Days.  Weeks.  Can cabin fever kill?

    [flash, blink, blink, zap]

    "POWER'S BACK!"

    Aaaand, DAYUM, just in time, too.

    "QUICK, turn the lights out AGAIN!"

    [ZAP!]

    "GAAAAAAH!"

    Of course, pioneer parents probably would have agreed that playing head games on your kids is really quite fun.

    "Don't NOBODY move!"

    Or, perhaps if they had really good timing AND quick access to the circuit breakers, they probably would…I mean.

    FWAHMP!

    "Okay, who blew one?"

    Stupid snowpocalypse!

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.

  • Love Thursday: Quiet Time

    Love is….finding a quiet moment.

    Happy Love Thursday, everyone.  May you find yourself…a little quiet time.

    If all else fails, tell your kids (or, whoever) that you are giving yourself a time-out, today.

    ‘Cawse, I said so!

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.

  • It’s Called Word-of-Mouth AND Drive-by Mothering

    This Full Shopping Cart

    Can you judge a mother by her shopping cart…in MY case, ABSOLUTELY…go right ahead…I triple-dog dare you!

    If you were to ask me, years ago — before blocking the MTV channel and searching for un-holey jeans at Hot Topic ruled my world — what I disliked most about being a mom, I would have answered, without hesitation:

    "Answering to other moms!"

    Although, having to explain myself…to anyone…is STILL really hard — especially, without relying on cocktails, or the use of visual aids — living a fishbowl existence and swimming along with the same old school of thought, day after day, is even harder.

    "Oh, just LOOK at how SHE is dressed…I would NEVER let my little Muffy wear black, EVUH!"

    No flaming.  I understand.  Maybe even have told Buffy (you know, Muffy's mom) that we went through something similar.  However, today, I would totally see Buffy's point and perhaps raise her an opinion…

    "Oh, she's just expressing herself."

    …or, two.

    "But, absolutely NO belly button piercings until at least 17!"

    Point being (I really do have one, I think) I find myself relying A LOT more on, you know, what OTHER moms are saying.

    "Hi Liz, just wanted to let you know that, you know, cookie orders are due."

    Yeah, it's girl scout cookie order time (AGAIN!) and I knew, that my youngest girl's leader knew, that I was supposed to hand those in, like, a week ago.

    "I hate being THAT mom!"

    [silence]

    Because, my father-in-law drops Hope off and I don't even see, talk, or hear anything from any of the girl scout families, anymore, since picking up the afternoon/evening shift at work.

    "You know, the one who forgets EVERYTHING!?!?"

    [very awkward silence]

    "I'll drop it off, during pick ups, today."

    Even though, I don't really know whether I'm dropping off, or picking up, unless another mom, you know, texts me.

    "Hey, isn't that my girl scout leader's car?"

    Why, yes, yes it was AND she's stopping to talk to me…uh-oh…right here…in the middle…of traffic!

    [rolls down driver's side window]

    "Heh, good timing, did you stop by my house, yet?"

    Then, I realized something (besides the fact that my oldest must have put the cookie order into my tote, I mean) after 16 years of raising kids (and killer dust bunnies) it doesn't matter.

    [passes cookie order through window]

    "Here ya' go!"

    I still have NOT learned to, you know, get over myself!

    "Well, that worked out well, didn't it?"

    At the end of the day, no matter how crazy it gets, or how absolutely awful I feel, somehow, it really does NOT matter.

    "I'll be seeing you."

    At least, my being able to admit that…YES!…I am THAT mom….hopefully, helps other moms see that, no matter, we ALL come together, in the end.

    "Hopefully, sometime soon!"

    Aaaand, if not, don't worry, I'm on YOUR side AND I'm pretty sure, with my help, other folks will understand, too – especially, if you ARE a mother!

    [fast-forward to CVS, last night]

    "Muffy is at her Valentine's Day party at girl scouts, tonight!"

    It's like the mother of all barking chains, really.

    "Wow, well, Hope has hers tomorrow, so I guess I'd better check my email, then, huh?"

    Stupid girl scouts!

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.

  • Yes I am Wearing Red for Women AND Men!!!

    Go Red!

    It is National Wear Red Day 2010 in support for the Go Red For Women movement.

    Yes, I am wearing red.  I happen to like the color (A LOT) but, it's a simple and powerful way to help raise awareness of heart disease and stroke.

    But, what about men?

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States:

    "About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event."

    Aaaaand, I asked my kids to wear red (if they had something clean, I mean) NOT just because I happen to like the color (A LOT) either.

    "Doesn't Uncle Bradi have heart disease?"

    No, but my twin brother is ALSO fighting something just as deadly.

    "You mean, Farah Fawcett type of cancer?"

    Kids today, you know, they talk AND they have a very keen sense of perception – especially, standing in the check out lane at the grocery store.

    "No, sweetie, but he's fighting really hard, like your Papa, too."

    My children are well aware of the terrible effects of heart disease,
    with a bird's eye view from their stroller(s), while seeing my father
    through one life-saving procedure after another.

    Thanks to his doctors, surgeons and my mother's valiant attempts at
    maintaining a healthy lifestyle, by keeping his diabetes in check, as
    well, my father has been beating back the effects of heart disease for
    quite a few years, now.

    [knocking on wood until knuckles bleed]

    So, yeah, I'm wearing red.

    "Is your, or my heart bad, too?"

    Aaaand, NOT because I think I'm someone special.

    "No, I don't think so, sweetie."

    But, my kids sure do.

    "That's okay, I like red."

    I know.

    "It looks good on you!"

    Yes, I am wearing red.

    "Aaaand, I love my Papa!"

    Especially, for him…too…GO RED!!!

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.

  • Wordless Wednesday: 365 Days – Just Another Sick Day

    Sick Day

    Another snapshot courtesy of my 365 Days microblog project — where I'm taking a self-imposed timeout, every day, to post wordless (you're welcome!)

    Check out the Official Wordless Wednesday HQ
    Tag, you're it:   

    Also, I'm letting it ALL hang out on Flickr

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

  • Writing Challenge #8: Plot – Let Sleeping Kids AND Their Perceptual Parents, Lie

    Write of passage

    This is part of a writing challenge at {W}rite-Of-Passage, a community of bloggers who are looking to get back to the writing part of blogging and brainchild of my friend, Mrs. Flinger.  Today’s challenge was to write a post with a clear plot – the point in which you are trying to make (I know, good luck with that one, right?)

    ——————————————————————-

    Napalooza

    It’s Napalooza at Mama’s house (stupid camera!)

    Yesterday, my husband Garth [not his real name] and I made plans to take the kids to visit with my parents, who are both dealing with difficult health issues at the moment, for a turkey dinner.

    What?  I clean.  My mother cooks when she’s frustrated and, well, seeing as the kids haven’t had a decent meal since I started working, who am I to argue, right?

    “I’ll bring the green bean casserole!”

    Seeing as, I am NOT a total shitehead, either, I also offered to cook the turkey, too!

    “No…nuh-uh…that’s okay.”

    Apparently, the kids have been talking with my mother…about me…too.

    “So, how are you guys…”

    Aaaand, the flood gates opened.

    “Your father probably needs a pacemaker and those 3 knee replacements I had, didn’t work!”

    Apparently, my parents had 2 emergency medical visits, last week and, NO, they didn’t call me.

    “We didn’t want to worry you!”

    So, of course, by Sunday morning, I was VERY worried!

    “I don’t care if you ARE still naked!”

    Aaaand, annoyed — because, when taking showers, some kids have to be reminded to, you know, actually GET IN THE SHOWER!

    “WE ARE LEAVING IN 5 MINUTES!!!”

    Long story, short (you’re welcome!) as much as the kids ADORE my parents (me, too) and love visiting with them (sort of) it is never an easy trip.

    “Move your seat up…I’m squished…move over…I…can’t…breathe!!!”

    In fact, just getting in the car is enough to drive a sane person to, you know, walk the 44 miles.

    “ENOUGH!!!”

    When it comes to head-spinning, Linda Blair has got nothin’ on me!

    “Next person who speaks, gets grounded for a week!”

    Long story, short [don’t mention it] you coulda cut the tension with a spoon and, well, at this point, my husband and I weren’t speaking, to each other, either.

    “What’s wrong?”

    I don’t know what it is.

    “C’mon, tell me.”

    Ever since I was little, I could NEVER lie to my mother.

    “Nothing, really!”

    Until, at least, around dessert time.

    “I don’t…[sniff]…know…[snort]…what to do!“

    What?  Some people go to therapy.  Hungarians cry.  Right into our desserts.

    “I know, me either!”

    So, we allowed the flood gates to open, once more — we sat, we talked, we cried, we hugged, got over the fact that, you know, sometimes life just has to happen and there was peace in the dining room, once more!

    Until.

    Napalooza 2 

    Napalooza 2

    It was time to wake the kids.

    “I don’t WANNA go home!”

    Really, can you blame them?

    “There’s always President’s weekend!”

    Aaand, I bet that YOU don’t even have to guess real hard how my mother knew that the kids would be off…and willing to sleep over…that weekend…TOO.

    Other folks participating, today:

    Write on!

    [Click here to view past Writing Challenges]

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.

  • Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Yes, I Lie Like a Rug, My Name SHOULD Be Matt!

    Been working A LOT of hours, lately (SHOULD be feeling blessed, I know) younger kids are feeling ornery (no, I don't blame them) older kids been picking up the slack (thanks, you guys) and, well, let's just say I've pretty much blown any chance (as if, I were even close to being, you know, in the running) of winning "Mother of the Year," after both my 8 and 10 year-olds announced:

    "Things are just not the same, since you went back to work!"

    [shot to the heart]

    You know when I said that it's a mother's right to decide what works best for her family?  Well, I lied!  Like a rug!  It is so not THAT easy.

    "Can't we just go back to the way it used to be?"

    [salt to the wound]

    So, for your viewing pleasure, courtesy of a blast from my blogging past, I present to you Dancing Matt 2008!

    [Note: Includes really awesome music and feel free to go and grab a beverage — it is SO worth watching all the way through — oh, and I triple dog-dare you NOT to smile!]

    Thanks for the dance, Buzz and (if you find yourself all, like, "Who the hell are you?") you just can call me, Matt!

    Check out the Official Wordless Wednesday HQ
    Tag, you're it:  

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

  • 11 Things I Learned, Raising a ManChild

    Happy 11th Birthday to my ManChild and…NO!…I did NOT let your sisters color their hair…until they were in middle school, anyways and…YES!…I am well aware of the fact that you are now in the 5th grade!

    [checks calendar]

    So, you know, you can always try me again, next year.

    P.S. I love you!

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.