This Full House Archive

Tag: mommy bloggers

  • Have You Thanked A Mom Blogger, Lately?

    If I've learned anything, in my 7 years of blogging (besides, the
    fact it's not a good idea to change from one hosted blog site, to
    another, before backing up your archives, der!) the most important take
    away is:

    The words I write (or, choose to publish) really
    don't matter, unless I've touched someone, in a positive, or negative
    way.

    Hopefully, in a positive way, because, well, I don't know of
    anyone who blogs to feel bad about stuff, on purpose, nor would I want
    to.

    So, when my friends Cooper and Emily over at TheMotherhood.com asked me if I'd like to participate in a special blogging event, by sending a shout out to 5 mom bloggers, who have moved me in some way (1 every day, this week) I was, like, SIGN ME UP!!!

    Here are my posts:

    Day 1 – 6/21:  Thank you, Mindy Roberts (a.k.a. The Mommy Blog)

    Day 2 – 6/22:  Thank you, Donna Schwartz Mills (a.k.a Socal Mom)

    Day 3 – 6/23:  Thank you, Mir Kamin (a.k.a. Woulda Coulda Shoulda)

    Day 4 – 6/24:  Thank you, Melisa (With one S) Wells (a.k.a. Suburban Scrawl)

    Day 5 – 6/25:  Thank you, Dawn Meehan (a.k.a. Because I Said So)

    NOTE:  Meet ALL of the bloggers we're thanking, this week, by visiting the Thank You Moms Circle at TheMotherhood!

    DISCLOSURE:  Clicking on the above posts will take you to my shopping blog, since TheMotherhood.com is paying me for my time, because it's how Cooper and Emily roll!

    © 2010 This Full House Blog

  • 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.

  • You Must Be Tired, Because You’ve Been Running Through My Mind, ALL DAY!

    Glen and 1st snow '09

    Glen in his best Aberzombie, Jr. pose.

    I've carpooled with Carpooling Mom for several years, now — which, by having 4 kids, in 4 different schools and having said that, means I really can't tell you exactly how long, since, you know, I don't remember — this year, I am in charge of the morning/afternoon run(s) to my 10-year-old son's school.

    "Do I really have to sit with ALL those boys?"

    Which means that my youngest daughter (she's 8) suffers through at least 10 minutes of fart jokes and, well, whatever 9 and 10-year-old boys, you know, talk about.

    [sound of crickets chirping]

    Okay, so, just in case you do NOT know what 9 and 10-year-old boys talk about (yes, I see YOU, over there, hunching down in the back, surrounded by headless dolls and terribly pink lip gloss) let me tell you what they talked about, this week.

    Picking-up girls!

    Yes, all 3 of the boys were comparing their best pick-up lines:

    1.  You must be a library book, because I'm checking YOU out!

    2.  I must be a paperclip, because I'm attracted to you LIKE A MAGNET!

    3.  I must be dead, because you look like an angel!

    The first one is my favorite and I know what you're thinking (maybe) so, like, which one did my son come up with?

    [drum roll]

    "I don't have one!"

    Perhaps it's because he's got sisters.  I doubt it.  Since, one of the boys has got 3 sisters, too.

    "Wait, wait, I've got one!!!!"

    [see title of post]

    "Holly says that will just get you slapped!"

    He's turning 11, tomorrow (the oldest kid on the carpool) so, between his sisters (and me) I'm hoping, you know, he can at least begin to set some sort of precedence, for other fledgling teenage boys in the neighborhood.

    "Yeah, well, maybe that's why she does NOT have a boyfriend!"

    Somehow, I doubt it though.

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

  • Wordless Wednesday: 365 Days – Tired Mom, Walking

    Tired Mom, Walking

    Welcome to my world…where EVERYDAY, is laundry 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.

  • Best Blog Pics of 2009

    Frozen Nest

    In the beginning…no, wait…let's not go that far back (you're welcome!) I'm entering my 7th year of blogging and was in the habit of embedding photos long before it was, you know, cool (shuttup!) as inspiration for that day's (or, week's) blog post.

    A picture's worth a thousand words (i.e. Worldess Wednesdays = a quick cure for writer's block) right?

    My friend Melisa (With one S) posted a month-by-month list of her favorite posts (she got the idea from Scary Mommy) aaaaand, since 2009 was, well, you know (ICK!) I'm focusing on the photos that represent the "best" of what this here blog is all about.

    Sort of — ready?

    (more…)

  • I Saw Mommy Shake Down Santa Claus

    Liz & Garth [not his real name] Christmas '09

    My husband, Garth [not his real name] and I attended his company's holiday party, last weekend and — although, this is our 21st Christmas — it's been a long time since we've attended a company party, together.

    "Should we valet-it, tonight?"

    We had no choice (no self-parking allowed) seriously, the banquet center is in a real swanky part of the county (I could very nearly spit to Bon Jovi's and Springsteen's house) but, everyone was allowed to bring a guest.

    "I don't believe you've met my wife…"

    Actually, we both knew only a handful of folks and there were, like, over 200
    people there (no biggie, after BlogHer, I know) but, the atmosphere was that of 1 big happy family (mostly) and we ALL toasted my husband's upcoming 1st anniversary with The Kinder and Gentler Bank.

    "Would you like another glass of Pinot Grigio?"

    Did I mention, there was an open bar?

    "I'll have the Chateau Briand, thank you!"

    Needless to say, Garth [not his real name] and I were dressed to impress and enjoy ourselves (i.e. no sweatshirts, or hoodies allowed) as it was the 1st time that we've been out, together (sans children) in, like, weeks, months, um…what year is it, again?

    "BUUUUUUT, YOU PROMISED TO TAKE ME TO THE MALL!"

    Seriously, on a Saturday, at Christmas?

    "Yes, you did."

    I must have been high on Lysol, or something, but my husband also reminded me that, since our oldest was sleeping over someone else's house (about danged time, too) Heather kindly offered to sit the rest of our kids, for us.

    "You take her and I'll take the rest to Five Below, or something."

    Besides, it was Heather's turn for some private mommy time and, at 13, I'm just happy that she still, you know, admits that I am her mother, let alone agrees to be seen with me, in public.

    "You can take my car!"

    WHOOT!…[cue new car smell]…so, I kissed my husband (whispering, in his ear, something about looking forward to, well, you know, later) and we went our separate ways.

    "No…toll…paid…what does that mean, Mom?"

    [eyes go wide]

    "I dunno, I thought the E-ZPass Lane was open and…OH, FRIG!"

    Then, I remembered that I had my husband's car.

    "Daddy doesn't have E-ZPass?"

    Nope.  Aaaaand, I'd blown through 2 tolls, already, which cost my husband (does the math) $50.00 in tickets.

    "Aaaand, we haven't even gotten to the mall, yet!"

    So, I asked Heather to text her father what happened, hoping that it would give him enough time to, you know, get over it.

    Then, he texted back.

    "Well, at least, something's getting blown around here."

    No he didn't.  But, if you have kids, then you KNOW he was thinking it, right? 

    "I'll make it up to you."

    Did I mention that there was going to be an open bar?

    "It's not like I haven't heard that one, before."

    We really did have a wonderful time at the Christmas party and, as we helped our youngest children find their beds (or, which ever one happened to be the closest) Garth [not his real name] and I were still feeling, you know, toasty.

    "I can't sleep; can I go upstairs to Glen's bed?"

    [eyes go wide]

    "Orrrrrrr, did you guys wanna be alone?"

    [the sound of a romantic mood, exploding]

    This Christmas, I'm giving Garth [not his real name] the gift of hope.

    "Maybe we should just install an E-ZPass in OUR bed."

    Or, which ever one happens to be the closest, right?

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2009 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

  • The Littlest Elf That Could, Fo’Shizzle!

    Christmas Foshizzle 2009

    Hope found her sister's infamous skull cap (you know, the one I wrote about, a few years ago, when my middle girl was going through, well, at the time, it seemed like something pretty major) and, as with most things in our house, time heals old parenting
    wounds and my husband, Garth [not his real name] and I just don't seem
    to sweat small-ish head gear, anymore.

    "Wait, let mommy take your picture!"

    You see,
    Hope is our youngest and, being 4th in an already long line waiting to get
    into the bathroom (my 16 year old has moved in, apparently) and, well, it's like we get a do-over, sort of.

    "You never let US sleepover anyone's house until we were, like, in middle school!"

    Yes, but I also pointed out the fact that Hope has never had her own room.  Okay, neither did Heather (consider yourself lucky, Holly) but, that's NOT the point.

    "When can I get a second hole, like Heather?"

    [eyes go wide]

    "I think wearing 2 earrings in the same ear looks cool!"

    Oh, phew, I thought she meant [remembers that Heather might be reading this, right now] never mind.

    "Maybe when you're 10."

    WHAT?

    I know, I know, but you don't live here (you're welcome!) or have to hear constant comparisons being made on just how terrible of a mother I am, was and forever shall be, no matter what I do, do you?

    "Did you hear what Hope did, today?"

    I came home from work, one night…um…this week (I think) and, though Garth [not his real name] has stepped up to the dinner plate, rather nicely (his home made chicken fingers taste way better than mine, DAMMIT) let's just say that, apparently, he was a tyrannical slave driver in a previous life and the kids are, you know, beginning to really miss me.

    [closes eyes and rubs left temple]

    "What now?"

    Long story short (you're welcome!) her father was looking through her backpack (seriously, the guy IS anal) when he saw an envelope marked "from the class mom" opened it and found it was filled with change.

    "$10.00, to be exact."

    Quarters, nickles, dimes and pennies, ALL stuffed into a smallish white envelope.

    "What, is she extorting money from the class mom, now?"

    Not exactly.

    "It's for the teacher's gift."

    Apparently, she's lived with me long enough to know that, you know, I sometimes don't remember to sit down and actually read the bazillion handouts, that come home, anymore (seriously, there are some freakishly anal people out there!) and she's absolutely right.

    "I'm almost exactly 8 and a half, now."

    Yeah, I know and it's making me feel a little sad.

    "I can take care of myself, you know."

    Okay, more than a little sad.

    "So, can I have an allowance?"

    I'm all torn up that my littlest elf can NOW reach all the way up to the top shelf.

    "NO WAY, WE DON'T EVEN GET AN ALLOWANCE!"

    Don't worry, I'll get over it.

    "Maybe when you're 10."

    But, probably not.

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature

    © 2009 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

  • Now, that IS some serious feminine protection!

    Disclaimer:  This is not a review. I don't do those, here — although, I do, do those, over there — but, you don't even have to click on that link, if you don't want to, since I wasn't approached by anyone,or offered to do a review for Kotex, now, or at anytime during the month, or am I considered an "insider" for Kotex — although, that would be funny, right? — so, this blog post is being published for no other reason than, you know, it's been raining for a really long time, the kid was bored, we got a sample in the mail (linking just in case you might want some, I SWEAR!) and it's just some funny stuff we do, sometimes, here at our house and I'm just darned surprised she actually let me film it…I mean, her…d'oh…blogging used to be so much easier, you know?

    [inhales deeply]

    Edited to Add:  Just noticed I forgot to move the bottle of hand lotion, as some may even consider that a serious offense and poor excuse for product placement, but I'm not mentioning (or, typing) the name of the brand, so it's ALL good.

    Liz@thisfullhouse signature
    © 2009 This Full House – All Rights Reserved.