Tag: Liz Thompson

  • Barefoot Parenting
    (Pants ARE optional!)

    Finding Balance Playing the concentration game, on the fitness trail, while being bombed with acorns by militant squirrels, it's a gift.

    Balance.  Either you have it, or you don't.  Then again, maybe you're one of those people who, over the years, have taken one too many nose dives into the asphalt and learned to NOT over-complicate a situation by, you know, wearing shoes.

    [sound of crickets chirping]

    Roots 2
    No?  Okay. Perhaps you're one of THOSE people who stop, look back and are all like…WHOA!…did you see that?!?  Then swear that it came straight out of the ground (whatever it was) grabbed you by the ankles and, you know, face meets asphalt, the end.

    [cricket]

    Allllllrighty then.

    "Shouldn't you be wearing shoes?!?"

    Roots

    Me?  I used to wear heels.  Until, I had kids.  Now, I have enough trouble strutting my stuff on the sidewalk (without falling down) or, maybe it's my bohemian roots, beginning show (among other, more grayish ones, I mean) and perhaps, I should just change my name to Agador Spartucus.

    "Shoes make me fall down!"

    Dual-survival
    Who knows?  Since turning 40-something-or-another (closer to another, if you must know, DAMMIT!) maybe, I'm just getting back in tune with the earth (ahem!) like that hippie dude on Dual Survival and his…um…friend…who sort of remind me of an old married couple (cough!) with kids (cough, cough!) but, DAYUM if they don't make for entertaining television.

    Balance Act
    Hey.  Hang on.  There's a novel idea.  Perhaps I should start evangelizing the benefits of "barefoot parenting!"

    Dual Fitness

    You know, I can be the minimalist and primitive skills expert, trained in counterbalanced living and suburban preparedness…like, yes, she's texting (AGAIN!) but, they ARE outside and what if one of them breaks an arm, or something, right?

     

    Pull Your Pants Up
    With 17 years of combined tween and teenage survival experience…like, yes, he's wearing low rise, skinny-something-or-another…but…um…at least, he's NOT playing a video game, right?

    Pull Your Pants Up, DAMMIT!!!

    Balance.  It's ALL a matter of perspective.  Sure, I can insist he pull his pants up (DAMMIT!) then again, this picture wouldn't be half as funny and, more importantly, just fade into yet another missed opportunity in increasing my "Break curfew again, bub and I'll show your girlfriend," arsenal, to boot!

    "Um, mom?"

    Maybe THEN the Discovery Channel will give me my OWN show!

    "Mom?"

    Aaaand, I will FINALLY get to go to an island!

    "Mommy?"

    Where no one cares who you are (or, aren't) where you are from (originally) and that you weigh more than what's on your driver's license (ahem) or, that you've worn white (AFTER Labor Day) with pink underwear (cough) and forgot to shave your legs, AGAIN!

    "Mom?"

    Oh, but there IS a bed (dogless, catless, hairless and MATCHING pillows) a VERY large bathroom (with a double sink) with room service (a sun-kissed-20-something-or-another with, dark eyes and a wicked tan) giving you undivided attention and an endless supply of fruity cocktails…FOR FREE!

    "Mommy?"

    Aaaand maybe then (and ONLY then) will the tired, frustrated and gravity-challenged parents of the world (like me) truly unite and achieve GREATNESS!!!

    "Mooooommeeeee!"

    [blink, blink]

    "It's okay that you're driving in your pajamas, right?"

    Momma's in Pajamas Again!

    Except on Mondays, then ALL bets are off, DAMMIT!!!

    © 2010 This
    Full House Blog
    / This Full House Gone Shopping

  • This is What it Sounds Like, When Butterflies Cry

    Fogged In

    This is what 6:15 a.m. looks like, in Jersey!

    The morning came quickly, as it usually does to a seasoned (i.e. perpetually perplexed and severely sleep-deprived) parent (like me) and, unlike most mornings, I let the dog out, while my husband started the coffee (bless his squishy heart) and we both continued to pretend like last night did NOT happen.

    "She's in tears."

    Long story, short (you're welcome) unlike her 3 siblings, today is the 1st day of school for my middle girl.

    "What DID you say to her?"

    Suffice it to say, I've earned yet ANOTHER ✔ mark in reasons why I make OTHER mothers look good (really, don't mention it!) by upsetting my daughter to the point of tears, on the night before her 1st day of high school.

    "She started it!"

    Did I forget to mention, her mother also happens to have the emotional maturity of a 9 year-old?!?

    SLAM!

    So, rather than expose my children to further examples of what NOT to do, for which I'm hoping their future significant others will thank me for, later (probably not) I took a self-imposed time out on our front porch.

    Did I forget to mention, our front porch is NOT screened in, or the fact that I absolutely DESPISE bugs?!?

    GAH!

    So, rather than risk being eaten by mutant moths (Mothra lives!) I swallowed my mommy pride and slunked back into the house.

    SLUNK!

    "Can I talk to you, Mom?"

    Long story, short (yeah, I know, I lied) we ARE a lot alike (my 14 year-old and me, I mean) and we were both just stressed out (to the MAX) by the fact that, you know, she is going into high school.

    "Don't worry, Sweetie, you'll be just fiiiine!"

    Boy, if I had a dollar for each time I lied (like that) well, you know.

    "But, you're so far away, Mom!"

    Did I forget to mention, she was accepted into a career academy, that happens to be 25 miles away (i.e. approx. 30 minutes, if you're from Jersey) and that the bus picks her up at 6:25 a.m.?!?

    "Doesn't anybody stay in one place, aaaaanymore?!?"

    [blank stare]

    "It would be SO FINE to see your face at my door…"

    [blink, blink]

    "…doesn't help to know, that you're so…"

    Did I forget to mention, whenever faced with a difficult parenting situation, under extreme pressure, I often break into song.

    "Okay, you can STOP singing now!"

    If only it were THAT easy.

    Heather Kindergarten Halloween Parade 2000

    Kindergarten Halloween Parade 2001

    "Long ago I reached for you, and there you stood…"

    She's A Freshman, Now!

    Freshman in High School 2010

    "Holding you again could only do me good…how I wish I could, but you're so far away…AND, I know you love me, aaaaaanyway."

    [bites lower lip]

    Okay, I added that last part in, but Heather and me, yeah, we're good (for now) and PLEASE don't tell her, or the part about her mother being SUCH a dork.

    [heavy sigh]

    Because, she's MY daughter and…trust me, she already knows…bless her squishy little heart!!!

    © 2010 This Full House / This Full House Gone Shopping

  • The 11th First Day of School

    Photo0733.jpg

    "Wait, let me take your picture!!!"

    My 11 year-old son (the ONLY boy in the house, btw) is smiling, but inside I know that he was all, like, JEEZ!

    "CRAP!  Wait, it's too dark!"

    Frankly, the kid has lived with me long enough to know that, you know, it's just easier to pretend EVERYONE'S mother is a dork (like me) especially, on the first day of school.

    "Okay, now, smile!"

    Photo0738.jpg

    DAMMIT!  Hang on.  Can I just, you know, UGH!!!  Wait a minute.  Is he?  Nooooo.  Who am I kidding?  Maybe he was just wiping some leftover sleep from his eye.  Or, a bug flew up his nose (it COULD happen) still, it would be nice to think that my kids, you know, like having me around, kind of, sort of, too.

    Photo0736.jpg

    "Wait, let me take your picture!!!"

    My youngest daughter (she's 9) was packed and ready to start school, a couple of weeks ago and, no, I can't say as I blame her.

    "CRAP!  Wait, it's too light!" 

    She's the last of my kids to ever enter the 4th grade and, I'm sorry, but I just don't remember the other 3 ever looking THIS little.

    "Okay, now, smile!"

    Photo0739.jpg

    DAMMIT!  They just NEVER wait, anymore, do they?  Maybe she was feeling sorry for her baby sister (ahem) or, because she's a freshman now and doesn't start HER high school until next week (SOB!) still, it would be nice to think that my kids, you know, really do like each other, kind of, sort of, too.

    "Wait a minute…"

    [scrolls thru cell phone]

    "…who did I forget?"

    DAMMIT!  I'm just NOT ready to admit that MY OLDEST IS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!  Maybe, it was just WAY too early in the morning and I couldn't find my phone (it COULD happen) still, it would be nice to think that she already knows, after ALL these years, I love her, just the same.

    Wait a minute!

    Holly's Hair

    Does a "night before school starts" picture of my coloring her hair count for at least something?!?

    [sound of many crickets, chirping]

    Besides, the fact that, you know, YES, I am one of THOSE moms and, well, there could be worse things.

    [ducks lightning bolt]

    Like, she could have a mother stupid enough to actually leave that picture (up there) on Flickr, right?

    [cricket]

    Riiiiiight.  Wait a minute.  She DOES read my blog.  D'OH!  Never mind.

    © 2010 This Full House / This Full House Gone Shopping

  • When You Give a Doofus-Dawg a Watermelon

    Doofus Dawg on Watermelon

    Doofus-Dawg on Watermelon 

    I love my dog.  Truly, I do.  Most of the time.  He is a rescue.  They found him tied to a dumpster.  I can only imagine his life, b.u. (before us) still, there ARE pretty good reasons why we also refer to Rudolph as Doofus-Dawg (a.k.a. Pinhead) and why my husband, Garth (not his real name) texted me, while I was having dinner with the kids at my folks' house, last night.

    "Wet sticky spot on living room rug, trail of dried juice on kitchen floor, watermellon gone, dish appears not to have broken, I'm not speaking to the dog."

    Yes, he spelled watermelon wrong, so, I knew he WAS, you know, pretty angry.

    "Where r u?"

    Aaaand, I didn't answer him (right away) because, you know, I was THE ONE who left the watermelon on the counter.

    "Why is the floor SO sticky?"

    My son (he's 11 and, besides the dog and cat, is the ONLY boy in the house) woke up in a HORRIBLE mood, this morning.

    "Rudolph ate some watermelon, last night."

    Aaaand, he seems to be paying for it (see photo above) too.

    "Ah, man, you kiddin' me, who left the watermelon out?"

    Apparently, he wanted some.

    "Um…Daddy DID!"

    Relax.  One good rescue deserves another, right?  Besides, I'll tell him the truth, later (maybe) suffice it to say, I'm the one that has to live with the boy, for the next 8 hours, or so.

    "AH, MAN!!!"

    School starts tomorrow…THANKGAWD…stupid dog!!!

    © 2010 This Full House / This Full House Gone Shopping

  • What I UnLearned on My Summer Vacation

    Happy 20th Anniversary, Garth (not his real name!)

    Happy 20th Anniversary to us, Garth (not his real name!) 

    Most of my kids go back to school, this week — my middle girl has been accepted into a specialized high school and doesn't start until the Tuesday after Labor Day AND yes the other kids are NOT happy about it.

    So, to soften the mood of our house (seriously, where DID the summer go?) my husband Garth (not his real name) surprised me for our 20th Wedding Anniversary (thanks for the well wishes, btw!) by taking a vacation day last Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday to spend more time with me (yes, ME!) doing absolutely nothing of REAL importance, which truly is a  MONUMENTAL act of love, on his part.

    Trust me, I know!!!

    Although, it's nice to find some folks sharing their secrets to a happy marriage (97 of them, to be exact) I just think it would be prudent to just tell you that Garth (not his real name) and I have absolutely NO idea how we made it, this far!

    Especially, considering what happened THIS passed weekend. 

    (more…)

  • The Year of the Big Dress and Cinderella Poof!

    1990 Bride

     August 25, 1990 

    20 years ago (I know…I'm old…shuddup!) I was cruising down the Parkway (a.k.a. Garden State Parkway, for those of you who aren't, you know, from Jersey) surrounded by taffeta and covered in tulle (it was the end of the 80's, baby) as my soon-to-be-sister-in-law mooned traffic and made me laugh so hard, I snorted champagne out of my nostrils!

    You would have thought SHE was the one getting married (the aforementioned Parkway-mooner, I mean) the way her hand shook, each time she filled my paper cup.

    It took her forever to FINALLY convince her brother to ask me out.

    "Just this once and then you leave me alone, right?"

    I guess, since we DID get engaged, only 2 months later, she was just hoping it would, you know, work out.

    Flash forward 20 years:  taking into consideration, ALL the good times (and bad) oh, and even those days that totally sucked hairy donkey balls (you're welcome!) not to mention, 4 kids, 2 cats, 1 sock-eating doofus-dog AND enough laundry to circle the planet (twice) YES, I really would do it ALL over again.

    However, this time, perhaps with MORE champagne, a little less tulle and I'd be the one, you know, mooning the Parkway.

    So, what ARE we doing for our 20th?


    [shrugs shoulders]

    Well, in lieu of fine china (which, is a really bad gift idea, for a klutz, like me, btw!) we're celebrating by taking our kids hiking to Bushkill Falls, PA today (it's where he proposed) then, having lunch at Hot Dog Johnny's in Buttzville, NJ (I kid you not!) followed by a burping contest across the Delaware (because, nothing burps better than Johnny's birch beer!) and then probably order in for some Chinese food, tonight.

    Because…unlike Cinderella…I did NOT marry the man of my dreams…THANK GAWD and I do….TRUST ME…every blessed day!!!

    © 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

  • Hair of BlogHers Past

    Only 14 more sleeps until BlogHer '10 and, since this IS my 4th year attending this particular blogging conference (read:  proved myself to be a dork, 3 times, for REAL, already!) I feel it safe say, "WHOOT!" and admit that I am sooooooo happy I do NOT HAVE TO worry about flying, you know, in an airplane, or eleventy.

    Heeeeeeello, NJTransit…it's been a while…how've ya' been, dawg?

    Still, it can get sorta weird, stepping out from behind one's blog and leaving your delete button, behind (mine is broken, go figure) and, well, it's kind of hard to pass myself off as the ageless, yet brilliantly insightful and entertaining blogging ingenue….

    [sound of crickets chirping]

    ….AM SO!…in my mind, anyway…still, BlogHer is one of the very few chances I get (if any) to hang out with some of my favorite people in the blogging community.

    [Yeah, I'm looking at you, BusyMom, Jenn, SocalMom, Melisa With one S, Headless Mom, Dawn and NYCityMama, just to name a few!!!]

    Also, to meet and thank past blogging partners and new business associates who I am also very proud to be able to call, friends.

    [That would be you, Cooper and Emily!!!]

    Because, in some weird-ish way…we HAVE become friends…who happen to agree…to disagree and like each other, anyway.

    Me and Melissa

    In fact, it was Melisa's post (more specifically, the above picture of us…at BlogHer 2009 in Chicago…together) that inspired me to write this one and say to ALL of you going to BlogHer, this year…HOLY CRAP!…I do NOT look like that, anymore.

    In fact, looking back, I've had a completely different hairstyle, or color…every year.

    Me and MamaLoves

    That's Aimee and  me at BlogHer 2008 in San Franscisco with my short (very, very short) dark-ish, HOLY CRAP, but California is a LOOOOONG way from New Jersey, look.

    Blogher 2007 in Chicago

    That's Lisa, Amber, Dana, Shannon and me at BlogHer 2007 in Chicago with my long-ish, gold-ish THANK GAWD these people don't seem to mind hanging with a dork, look.

    Aaaaand, what's the look gonna be…this year?

    [snicker]

    Well, only 14 more sleeps and you'll find out…soon enough…besides, I wouldn't want to ruin your image of me, anymore than I have, already, maybe.

    [sound of crickets chirping]

    Oh…look…over there…is that something shiny?

    Mariska at sag awards
    Oh, alright…this is me at a recent family barbecue…IS TOO…just, look for me at the BlogHer 5K Fun Run/Walk…I'll be wearing the same color tutu (for Tanner) so, how do I look?

    © 2010 This
    Full House Blog
    – All Rights Reserved.

  • Monday Morning With Doofus-Dawg: Well, it WAS morning the last times ahs-looked, anyways!

    DoofusDawg Monday

    YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN!  D'oh, hello…eyes didn't sees yous come in all quiet like.

    [smacks lips]

    Mah name is Doofus-dog.

    Ma ain'ts at her desk, right now and…d'oh…she ask-did me to…uh…excuse me a minute, puh-leeze.

    BARK-BARK-WOOF-BARKITY-WOOF-WOOF!

    D'oh, sorry 'bout that.  Ah hates squirrels.  Don'ts yous?  Anyways.
     Ma ain'ts here, ah think and…um…d'oh yeah…ah remember now.

    WOOF-WOOF-BARK-WOOFITY-BARK-BARK!

    Stupid squirrels!

    D'oh, aaaanyways, Ma is a bear…um…buffallo…no, that ain'ts it…wait, ah remember now…she's a bee…uh…she's be busier than a cat covering up poop on a cee-ment floor, right now…d'oh…whatever that means.

    SCRATCH-SCRATCH-SCRATCH!

    "Cawse ahs knows, and yous knows cats is stoopid.

    SNORT!

    D'oh, hello…wait a minute…do ah know yous?

    [heavy sigh]

    D'oh yeah, ah remember now…um…ah'm supposed to tell yous that too-mahr-raws another day…d'oh…that's naught right, either…'cause, everybody knows too-mahr-raws the today that yous forgot all about yesterdays.

    SNORT!

    Nah, hers 'puter brokedid aaaaay-ghenn (NO, AH DID NAUGHT BROKEDIDIT!!!) but, she's busy plannin' some-in, 'cawse some-ins happenins the day after too-mahr-raws and that some-ins gonna REAL GOOD, too..brokedid 'puter or naught!

    AAAAAHWOOO!

    D'oh, hello…wait a minute…do ah knows yous?

    YAAAAAAAAAAAWN!

    D'oh, oh yah, well, I hopes yous had a real nice Monday and if yous did'n…well…there's always too-mahr-raw and…shee-yah…theys plenty more room on dis-heres couch.

    BARK-BARK-WOOF-BARKITY-WOOF-WOOF

    Have a nice day, too-mahr-raws!

    Signed-doofus-dog

    © 2009 This Full House Blog – All Rights Reserved.

  • Love is Hopeful


    Love Thursday Red Skies

    Hope is a word that I use often and not just because it happens to be my youngest daughter's name (a.k.a. mommy's little ticket into heaven) but, after years of exhaustive study (i.e. stupid insomnia!) I've come to the conclusion that, for me, the benefits of remaining hopeful far outweigh the risks of considering an alternate ending.

    Then, life throws a curve ball and knocks those rose-colored glassed right off of my face and, well, maybe if I had remembered to wear my crash helmet…

    "The doctors found something."

    …but, this is NOT about me.

    "Why did you wait to tell me?"

    It's about watching the people I love the most, get smacked in the soft-squishy areas, time and time again, where your body's immediate reaction is to double over and puke…

    "What could you have done?"

    …and the best I could do is, you know, hold the bucket.

    "But, I could have been there."

    Then again, I could think of worse things.

    "Wow, would you look at that!"

    Which is what I was doing (thinking of worse things, I mean) when she (and, I can't tell you exactly who) pointed at the sky and, well, it took my breath away.

    "Looks like fingers reaching out from heaven, doesn't it?"

    Okay, but I was thinking more like strands of cotton candy.

    "Thank you."

    It was when she poked me that I realized, you know, she wasn't talking to the sky.

    "For what?"

    Then again, she might as well have been.

    "For just…you know…letting me be…right here…with you guys."

    And so, I remain, yours truly and totally filled with hope and perhaps just a dash of anxiety, for good measure.

    "Man, would you look at the guns on that guy!!!"

    Because, I may (or may not) have used that expression in front of my 9 year-old, before (especially, when watching this chef create the most impossible dinners) and, well, what DOES he have to do with all this?

    "Wow, yeah, you want me to ask him if he's married?"

    Absolutely nothing…and everything…because, hope is also contagious.

    "Yep, you ARE your mother's daughter."

    Aaaand, I'm totally keeping her…I mean, it…d'oh…because, I also believe that Hope has this way of making us ALL smile, inspite of ourselves.

    "But, you are ALREADY married…mommy…der!" 

    Aaaand, I'm sticking to it…to her…d'oh…you know what I mean, right?

    Happy Love Thursday, everyone!

    © 2010 This Full House Blog

  • Clean off a chair and make yourself at home!

    Me and Steve Hungary 1966I come from a long line of storytellers.

    My twin brother and I grew up listening to many colorful tales of far away places, long lost regrets and “those crazy relatives” from overseas (that’s us, over there, during our first visit to Hungary at age 2) so, blogging came very naturally for me.

    I started blogging at This Full House in 2003 (when blogging was still in diapers) to connect with other parents, share stories and perhaps help each other feel a little less disconnected with life, beyond all the dust bunnies and diapers.

    I expanded my reach in 2007 to include working with brands in sharing information that perhaps helps make life for larger families (like mine) a little easier. 

    I have also partnered with brands (Eggland’s Best, K-mart, Kellogg’s, Hallmark, Hershey’s, PBS Kids, Taste of Home Magazine) by providing engaging editorial content to help them connect with REAL families (like mine) both online and IRL.

    This Full House is a charter member of the BlogHer Ad Network, listed on Alltop.com and chosen as one of the inaugural Babble’s 50 Best Mommybloggers. I have also submitted articles as a columnist for The Imperfect Parent, Kmart’s PlaydatePlace.com, Together Counts Blog and as a contributing editor at BlogHer.

     

    Summer 2008

    Summer 2010
    TFH 2017

    Summer 2017

    My kids are all grown (whut?!?!) and they frequently visit this blog to settle an argument about something that happened, and/or to confirm when that something actually happened, and/or if that something actually happened like they remembered it: This Full House is now our family’s timeline.

    I am very proud to continue my work in helping to promote our online community I’ve grown to love AND adopt as family.

    Because…with 3 out of 4 kids still living in the house…what’s one more, right?!?! Feel free to visit back with us…anytime…we’ll leave the porch light on for yuhs, just in case!