This Full House Archive

Tag: #NaBloPoMo

  • I have faith in my husband’s DIY abilities, enough for the both of us!

    I was 5 months pregnant with our first when we moved into our house and, 20 years later, my husband Garth (not his real name) and I still lovingly refer to it as, "our starter home."

    So, yeah, we're REAL slooooooooooooow starters.  

    We've grown comfortable with our surroundings and often times describe our home as being decorated in Early American Garage Sale, having inherited nearly everything we own.

    It's okay, because each piece of furniture has its own story, my favorite being the dining room trestle table and benches: they belonged to my mother-in-law, she raised 5 kids and shoo'd numerous springer spaniels from off of it…enough said.

    I love EVERYTHING about the fact that many of the pieces we've adopted have survived the test of time: except for the light fixture in the dining room, I even had a REAL hard time trying to find a picture of it…until realizing JUST NOW that it is in my blog's header…DERP!!!

    Not so thrilled about this light fixture

    Thing is, the dining room is in the original part of the house (around 100 years-old) so there is no electricity in the ceiling and finding ceiling fixtures that do not require hard-wiring, but are in the low or less than three figures, has been near to impossible.

    Dining Room Chandalier

    So, I cashed in a gift card, bought us a brand new light fixture and insisted that Garth (not his real name) is handy-enough to turn a hard-wired light fixture into a totally hang-able (for lack of a better word) chandelier.

    Illumination
    TAH-DAHHHH, I love being right: our brand new, picked it my ownself, dining room light that I love more than bacon.

    Now, if you'll excuse me, Imma ponder Garth (not his real name)'s talent with kitchen ceilings!

    ©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!

  • Kellogg’s #GreatStarts 2014 Olympic Team & My Teen Idol, Jim Craig: sharing their stories to help kids in need.

    Team Kellogg's

    Kellogg’s #GreatStarts bloggers, standing left to right: Deanna, Caryn, Jaime, Crystal, Me, Danielle (that’s Jim Craig, SQUEEEE!!!) and Fred standing next to the adorable Charlie White.

    I am very honored to once again partner with Kellogg’s, as well as U.S. Olympic legends and athlete hopefuls representing Team USA, as a Champion of #GreatStarts blogger and…yeah, I KNOW!!!…who EVER thought a dork (like me) would EVER be able to say that, out loud.

    Last week, I was invited to meet with these awesome athletes in New York City (I know, RIGHT?!?) to help kick-off the 100 day countdown to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and to personally hear each of their great start stories, including that of 1980 U.S. Olympic gold medal hockey team goalie (and my teenage crush) Jim Craig.

    After bumping into him and nearly breaking his foot, I mean. 

    (more…)

  • A Brief Encounter, With a Doorman, In New York City

    Creepy Mannequins

    I hate fake people  ~  Yeah, me too!!!

    Day 1 into NaBloPoMo…[scratches head, blank stare]…and NOW I remember why I haven't NaBloPoMo-ed since 2011…this blogging every day (even on weekends) thing is hard…YO!!!

    The really cool thing about NaBloPoMo-ing is that there are daily prompts to help get my blogging juices going, but today's prompt was a little too hard (i.e. made me think more than I really care to) for a Friday.

    Instead, I'd like to tell you about a brief encounter, with a doorman, in New York City:

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  • All Decked Out & No Place Like Home

    Black Friday at Gram's House

    Decking the halls, walls and/or anything that stood still long enough at my mother-in-law's house on Friday.  But, wait, there's more!

    DSCN9461
    Hope all decked-out and taking a well-deserved break before dinner guests arrived at our house, last night.  But, not quite finished yet.

    Mama and Papa's Tree

    Because, today at their Mama's and Papa's house, the kids are getting REAL GOOD at trimming trees.  Anyone else need any help? Got hot chocolate?  A dozen cookies, or twenty?

    Home again, all snuggled in my favorite chair and enjoying a hot cup of tea.  Let the holidaze begin!

    In the meantime, I'll be right ovuh-heh, unable to move until probably sometime mid-December…YO!

    © 2003 – 2011 This Full House

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

      Feed me, see more!

  • Where There Is Smoke, There is Dinner

    My husband, Garth (NHRN) worked the last 2 weekends and spent Black Friday putting out one fire after another at the bank.

    By the time he got home, well, you know that saying about getting away with poking the bear once?  Nope.  They lied.  I just hope my eyebrows grow back by Christmas.

    So, on penalty of dismemberment, I asked the kids to…please, for the love of all things holiday…let their father sleep in, this morning.

    The kids insisted I wasn't telling them the truth.

    "What's wrong with him?  Is he sick?  No, really, did you even check if he's still home?"

    Because, they know he is the early-riser of their parental units (annoyingly pleasant, too) the fact that mom was up before dad, feeding the pets, making the coffee AND unloading the dishwasher…just…does…not…compute…before 7:00 a.m., even…wth?!?

    After nearly 22 years of marriage (I know, we've been together longer than some of you have been alive and unromantically symbolized by copper, btw) I can't remember the last time he slept past 9:00 a.m., either.

    Until, today.

    "Good afternoon!"

    So, of course, I spent the rest of the day reminding him how nice of me it was to allow him the 240 EXTRA MINUTES, to himself, all comfy cozy, while I put out one fire after another (in between dismembering teens and tweens, of course) and, you know, Merry Christmas early!

    Besides, we were having company for dinner tonight and, considering EVERYONE is pretty much sick of turkey, by now, we decided to tag-team the food shopping.

    Then, we put up our Christmas tree (who knew they would keep quiet long enough for me to keep my promise, DAGNABIT!) so, by the time I finished putting dinner in the oven, I was pretty much running on fumes.

    BLEEP!  BLEEP!  BLEEP!  BLEEP!  BLEEP!

    The smoke alarm went off while my 12 year-old son was playing Xbox with some of his friends.

    "Dude, is your house on fire?!?"

    [one beat, two beats]

    "Nah, that just means dinner is ready."

    It's been a loooooooooong day, my friends. 

    Tomorrow, we're off to help my parents put up their tree and only then will our holidaze be complete.

    Or, as we like to say here in Jersey, "Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-friggin-la!"

    In the meantime, if anyone needs me, I'll be upstairs, replacing the smoke alarms and trying to remember why in the hell I had children, again?!?

    © 2003 – 2011 This Full House

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

      Feed me, see more!

  • The Money Shot

    My mother-in-law gave me simply the best compliment, yesterday.

    "Your house is always so warm and inviting."

    Seeing that it is basically held together with spit and Elmer's glue.  Seriously, having tacked up the loose wallpaper on Thanksgiving Eve, I am not even kidding.

    Stupid Hurricane Irene!

    So, besides telling me that I look way thinner, it really was the nicest thing you could say to me, at the moment.

    "I just don't have your energy, anymore."

    What do you say to that?  To a woman who, as long as I've known her and even way before then, has loved the holidays best? 

    In my head, I was thinking all of the possible responses (and this would be a real good time to thank goodness you are not in my head) like:

    • Well, I am, like what, 40 years younger than you?
    • Yes, but you should see me tomorrow morning?
    • Did I mention, you are much older than I am?

    Instead, I promised to help my mother-in-law put out some of her Christmas decorations, today.

    "But, why do I have to go?"

    Much to the dismay of my 12 year-old son.

    "It would make her happy and I said so."

    Because, I'm good with the reasoning like that.

    Black Friday at Gram's House

    Although he would never admit it (out loud) that is totally my son's, "Yeah, you were right, Mom" face.

    I texted my middle girl this photo, who stayed home to rest (stupid migraines!) and honestly, we had SUCH a great time.

    Then, on the way home, my son hollered, leaving me slightly deaf in my right ear.

    "QUICK!  Pull over, Mom!!"

    In my head, I was thinking all of the possible reasons why (yadda, yadda) finally deciding that, having just passed some major roadkill, I had indeed waited too long to feed the boy.

    Turns out, he just thought the sky was too awesome NOT to stop and take a closer look.

    Aaaaand, he was right. It really was one of the prettiest sunsets I have ever seen.

    But, this?  Being able to see his warm and happy expression, right through the shadows?  In my opinion, it is the money shot.

    And, to think, we almost missed it, if it weren't for one simple little compliment.

    Thanks, Mom!

    © 2003 – 2011 This Full House

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

      Feed me, see more!

  • Turkey Neck for Your Thoughts

    We've hosted more than a dozen Thanksgivings (yes, on purpose!) however, this year marks a first.

    We were ALL seated and eating by 1:30 p.m.

    My in-laws aren't comfortable driving at night, anymore (we live in Jersey, I don't blame them) and I'm not comfortable with my parents driving the 45 minutes to get home (give or take an hour, which is  equal to about 45-50 miles, if you're not from Jersey) either.

    Still, in our minds, each moment we get to share, with each other, is a gift.

    So, my husband Garth (NHRN) and I decided to have dinner early, giving our parents time to sit, enjoy themselves and then get home with time enough to spend a quiet evening, with each other.

    Us, too.

    So, now that the dishes are done (mostly) the dining room broken down and the kiddie table is back in the garage, it's time to start celebrating our own private little Thanksgiving.

    I've already missed half of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the Jim Carrey version is our favorite and lines from the movie may or may not be quoted, throughout the year) soon to be followed by Christmas Vacation.

    So, pardon me, while I change into my pajamas and squee-gee myself into a spot on the couch.

    "Whassup with the turkey neck?"

    Of course, I couldn't pull ANY of this off without the help of my husband, Garth (NHRN) and yet, have to remind him, every year, about the turkey neck.

    "It's for my grandmother."

    It was her favorite and in my mind, 8 years after her passing, she still gets first dibs.  I know.  I'm a dork.  Still.

    "If she shows up to eat it, I'm leaving!"

    [one beat, two beats]

    "Go ahead and give it to the Doofus-Dawg!"

    I may be a tired, wigged-out, slightly sore and totally pms-ing major dork, at the moment (you're welcome) but, my Nagy Mama did NOT raise no fool.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, my friends.

    © 2003 – 2011 This Full House

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

      Feed me, see more!

  • Nearly Wordless Wednesday:
    Williamsburg, VA 2005

    Williamsburg, VA 2005

    One of our most favorite places and yet we haven't been back since?  Perhaps I can convince Garth (NHRN) for one last road trip before the oldest goes off to college, next fall (SOB!)

    Oh, and I almost missed seeing my youngest, way over there on the right, she was so, so tiny (double-SOB!)

    © 2003 – 2011 This Full House

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

      Feed me, see more!

  • Luck Be a Cup of Coffee, Tonight!

    22 days into NaBloPoMo and, well, NOW I remember why I have never NaBloPoMo-ed before.

    This blogging every day thing is hard, man (for me, anyways) however, it's been a great writing exercise (so far) especially, this time of year, when my head could always do with a good, you know, brain dump-ing.

    You're welcome!

    Aaaaaanyway, the cool thing about NaBloPoMo-ing is that there are daily prompts to help get my blogging juices going.

    Today's prompt:  What is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to you and why?

    (more…)

  • Reason #21,123,166 Why I Would Be an Epic #FAIL on Fear Factor

    14 days into NaBloPoMo and, well, NOW I remember why I have never NaBloPoMo-ed before.

    This blogging every day thing is hard, man (for me, anyways) however, it's been a great writing exercise (so far) especially, this time of year, when my head could always do with a good, you know, brain dump-ing.

    You're welcome!

    Aaaaaanyway, the cool thing about NaBloPoMo-ing is that there are daily prompts to help get my blogging juices going. 

    Today's prompt is a guest post by Ricki Lake:

    I was terrified to go on DWTS, but facing my fear and overcoming it has been an incredible experience. Have you faced fears and overcome them?

    (more…)