This Full House Archive

Tag: new jersey mom bloggers

  • Stranded in San Diego and What the Heck is Jamba Juice, Anyways?

      Headed homeI've been on the road for the last 3 days, spending about half that time either in the air, probably flying right over your head or waiting here on the ground, hoping to get back into the air, like, REAL SOON!

    In fact I'm supposed to be in the air, RIGHT NOW!  Headed to Denver, CO.

    Instead, I'm sitting here, in San Diego, in front of a large bank of windows, next to 2 old-ish gentlemen comparing their medical alert bracelets (where are you, when SaveHer needs you, BusyMom?) and some lazy schlub's empty Jamba Juice cup (dude, really, this is NOT your living room!) while I watch other people take off and head onto their next destination.

    My luggage, on the other hand, is headed to Denver. 

    Long story, short (you're welcome) the outbound flight was delayed and I would have missed my connection in Denver, anyway.

    You know, where my luggage is going, RIGHT NOW!

    Instead, the really nice people at United were able to get me onto a direct flight back home which leaves in less than 3 hours [knocks on wood until knuckles bleed] and gets me in around the buttcrack of dawn.

    They call it "the red eye" for a reason, I think.  I'm about to find out, for sure.

    More importantly, I will make it home in time to shower, grab a HUGE HONKING cup of coffee (or cawfee, if you're from Jersey) and watch my youngest play 2nd clarinet in the Central Jersey Elementary School Honors Band concert.

    WHOOT!!!!!

    In the meantime, for your viewing pleasure, some lovely pictures from my trip, just in case MomoFali's gotten over hating me, just a little.

    View of San Diego, CA

    I woke up to this, every morning, sheesh, what's with all the boats?

    Forced Myself to Eat Outdoors

    Still, I forced myself to eat lunch…outdoors…and it…you know…hurt.

    Home Away from Home While in San Diego, CA
    And then spent an afternoon walking along the harbor surrounded by an annoyingly shine-y blue sky.

    Picked Up a Few Trinkets

    And the sound of seagulls and wind chimes, carried along a cool breeze and you know, more sunshine.

    San Diego GasLamp District

    Really, I don't know how you SoCal people stand it?  Aaaaaand, they have free WiFi here at the airport?

    [insert sh*t-eating grin, here]

    My luggage should be REAL jealous, right about now.

    © 2003 – 2012 This Full House

  • Aaaaand, Now For More “Break Curfew and I’ll Show This Video to Your Girl/Boyfriend!” Blog Fodder

    My son's voice is changing.  A lot.  It's okay, he knows he sounds funny.  So, I shot this quick video while hunting for apple cider donuts during spring break, last week.

    Aaaaand, now I'm sorta mad at myself for not thinking of doing something like this back when I first started blogging…9 years ago…when he was 4 years-old (I think) because it would have made for some really awesome "Break curfew and I'll show this video to your girlfriend!" blog fodder.

    So, I video-taped my youngest for good measure.  You know, seeing as the kid is 10…going on 29…and most likely eloping, getting married jumping out of an airplane, or something involving the use of some sort of underwater breathing apparatus, anyway.

    Then, she can send me THAT video and we'll go ahead and just call it even. 

    [sound of crickets, chirping]

    Want a donut?  I skinned it and everything!

    © 2003 – 2012 This Full House

  • Why Is Everyone in SUCH a Hurry? (Atlernate Title, If You’re From Jersey: SLOW THE FRIG DOWN!)

    Mommy's little bumper sticker

    Mommy's little bumper sticker: seriously, it's on my car right now. What, I'm from Jersey, you got a problem wit-dat?

    My 16yo daughter texted me, my husband AND my oldest at 7:05 on her way to school this morning.

    "A car just spun out on the parkway and nearly crashed into my bus.  Definitely awake now."

    I didn't see the text.  I did hear my cell phone croak in the middle of the night (note to self:  lower volume after 10 p.m.) but, my husband didn't tell me about her text, right away, either.

    "I wanted to check in with her first, because I figured you would flip out."

    He was right.  Aaaaand, my Jersey may or may not have exposed itself on Facebook.

    (more…)

  • Don’t Mess With Mother Nature, She Probably Has Teens

    The kids have been on spring break since Friday and, since my oldest is scheduled to work this week/weekend and needs the car to, you know, get there (it's about a 30 minute ride down the Parkway, in Jersey speak) we're pretty much rooted close to home.

    Boy and His Dog

    By yesterday afternoon 2 out of 4 of them weren't speaking to each other (because, girls are pretty much women in training, just so you know) the boy and I needed some fresh air.  Also, the roast had about another hour left.  So, we took Doofus-dawg for a quick walk before dinner.

    Broken Sky
    It also gave us (meaning, the boy and me) a chance to talk, reconnect and perhaps address a few issues (because, teenagers, they hazem) that otherwise may have gotten lost or mixed in with the rest of the miss-matched socks in the house…YO!

    Broken Basketball NetWe've weathered some pretty bad storms, lately (literally and figuratively speaking) and Mother Nature hasn't been very kind to our neighborhood, either.

    Broken Path
    Hurricane Irene reduced one of their favorite paths, once a bridge into a fairy world filled with magical possibilities, as a place to be feared, neglected and left totally abandoned.

    Broken Tree
    No matter how many times we changed our direction, we were reminded of just how fragile our world has become and my son was trying really hard to understand why I would want to take pictures of such random things.

    Broken Sidewalk

    I tried to explain with this broken sidewalk.  Yesterday it served as a medium for space travel.  Who knows what story it will tell, tomorrow?

    Splash of Color

    I don't know if it stuck.  The boy is only 13.  Also, he asked that I stop taking pictures so that we could get home and check to see if dinner was ready and, well, 13 year-old boys really do get hungry, A LOT.

    "Hey, but thanks for the walk mom."

    Aaaaand, next time, I'm thinking about dying my hair purple.

    "My head feels a whole lot better."

    Mine too, enough said.

    © 2003 – 2012 This Full House

  • Wordless Wednesday: Low Tide, Cape Cod Style

    Hunting for Quhog

    Taken while visiting with my friend Sue in Cape Cod, MA (my pretend home) using my non-iPhone (Pppffflllttt!)

    © 2003 – 2012 This Full House

  • I’m Vloggy and I Know It!

    Inspired by an incredible interlude with my long lost mojo, this morning…I hope it lasts…I blame Tara 🙂

    © 2003 – 2012 This Full House

    Freshly-Brewed Elsewhere:  Robin Wilson Home – Hypoallergenic Bedding Collection & Down Alternative Luxury Bed Pillow Giveaway [takes deep breath] because allergies suck wet poodle!

  • This was only a test; if this had been a real emergency, I’d be wearing matching underwear!

    My oldest daughter started her FIRST part-time job last week (THANKYOUBABYJESUS!) so, I've been driving her to and from work, after school.

    Her job is about 20-30 minutes further south, depending on traffic (which is how we measure driving distance here in Jersey) and, considering we live along the busiest highways leading to the Jersey Shore, it is a bit of a hairy commute.

    Which is pretty much the reason why I drive my oldest daughter to/home from work.

    Yes, she has her driver's license (SOB!) however, we only have the one car to share between us and, well, you know.

    She is saving up for a down payment on a non-minivan and, at this rate, she'll be lucky enough to be able to afford gas for the gosh-darned thing; not to mention car insurance and clean underwear.

    We live in Jersey, enough said.

    It's really not all that bad (mostly) she works twice a week (for now) and every other weekend and my husband can help with that, unless, you know, he's working that weekend UGH!

    I'm just glad the timing happens to work out well with my youngest daughter's softball schedule. 

    Plus, my middle two are bused (AND THEN THE ANGELS BEGAN TO SING!) so, no more worries about getting them to and from school.

    My youngest, on the other hand, is still a walker (which is an oxymoron, because she still gets to and from school, in a vehicle, really) however, we have a mutually agreed upon meeting place that does NOT involve my having to actually enter the school parking lot.

    I learned of it from a few other parents who also have this thing about school parking lots.

    Plus, there's this one particular boy who insists on carrying Hope's book bag and, honestly, it's sort of cute.

    Except maybe on Tuesdays and Thursday.

    BEEEEEEEEEEP! BEEP! BEEEEEEEEEEP!

    [squints at clock]

    "C'MMMMMMMMMMMMON!!!! 

    Okay, most definitely NOT on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

    "We have to get Holly to work!!!!"

    However, I don't know which is funnier:  the look on the other kid's face?!?

    "GAH!!!  I FORGOT!!!"

    Or, his hauling ass after my kid…STILL holding her book bag…each AND every time?!?

    © 2003 – 2012 This Full House

  • Did We Not Learn Anything With Footloose?

    My son came home from school the other day, threw his backpack into the dining room, I asked him how his day went (fine) if he had any homework (no) and if he was sure he did not have any homework (uh, wait a minute, I dunno, maybe) he's 13, enough said.

    "Oh, and hugging is now against the rules in the middle school."

    Seriously, I thought he was kidding.

    "No, seriously mom, they made an announcement and everything."

    Aaaand, two questions immediately came to mind:

    (more…)

  • 3/21 #BBRadio Interview With Liz Thompson @ThisFullHouse (Hey, yeah and WOW! That’s me!)

    I had the EXTREME pleasure of being invited, along with Rita Pacenta (a.k.a. Look It's Megryansmom) and Kat Tierney (a.k.a. Sassy Irish Lassie), to speak with the amazing Beth Rosen  on the #BBRadio show — a SocialRevUp brands blogger show — that aired LIVE last night…like…NO, you won't have access to a delete button…you BIG dork…GULP!

    Just in case you missed it, here it is:

    Listen to internet radio with SocialRevUp on Blog Talk Radio

    Frankly, I was a little nervous.  Okay, I was >this< close to wigging out.   Honestly, this is not an every day sort of thing for me, you know, exposing myself on an internet radio show (figuratively speaking, of course)!

    So, after I got home from softball practice with my youngest, my husband sent me to my room with a glass of wine and two telephone handsets, you know, just in case:  SCORE!!!

    So, yeah, it's a fun way to get to learn a little more about why and how I started blogging in the age before Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Google+, Pinterest…etc…you know, around the time they invented the wheel, or something…and why I split my blog in two as This Full House and This Full House Gone Shopping.

    Did I mention, I'm a Gemini?  Oh, and apparently, my Jersey was showing…just a little.

    © 2003 – 2012 This Full House

    Cross-posted on my gone shopping blog and proudly flying the "I am a dork" flag.

  • Nearly Wordless Wednesday: You Know You’re a Blogger, When…

    Sue's Walk Beach

    While visiting with another dear bloggy-type friend (Hey, Sue!) before heading home (SOB!) she drives you to one of her favorite photo walks, turns the corner and you cover your mouth with your hand…trying REAL HARD not to swallow your gum.

    DSCN9607

    While on your way home and at the risk of being called out as an Out-of-Stater (or, Stay-tah if you're from New England) you randomly pull over, take a few minutes to balance yourself on the driver's side seat, hoping you remembered to pull the parking break (ahem) then hold your breath and try to capture that very moment…in one heartbeat or less.

    DSCN9610

    Okay, maybe two…I blame Sue.

    © 2003 – 2012 This Full House