This Full House Archive

Tag: this full house

NWF Mom Update: The Local Impact of Climate Change – Now, With More Itch!
You know Emily McKhann, right? Well, you should, because she and Cooper Monroe founded TheMotherhood.com and, yes, they ARE very, very smart.

How do I know?

Well, personally, I've been working very closely with The Motherhood Creative for a long time, now (in Gemini years, anyway) and, quite frankly, I feel way smarter, already.

[sound of crickets chirping]

Aaaaanyway, Emily attended a lunch for DC bloggers (Amie Adams, Gayle Weiswasser, Diane MacEaachern), hosted by Jaime Matyas and her great team at the National Wildlife Federation to help them learn a little more about a few NWF programs.

Here's what Emily said:

"The conversation came around to global warming
and climate change and Jaime's staff talked about the local impact of
global warming, and how we tend to think of it as being outside our
day-to-day lives (it is global after all!), but that really, we're seeing big changes all around us."

Then, her email made me itch:

"Poison ivy, deer ticks, fire ants are all getting much worse, and
we can expect the yucky, biting Asian mosquito to arrive some day soon."

Awwwwwwwesome, right?

[scratch…scratch…scratch]

Thanks for that, Emily. Still. I was very interested in learning simple little ways in which my family can help cut our global warming pollution and, hopefully, become more energy efficient…yes…from right here in Jersey.

Here's a quick recap of what I found out, thanks to Emily's post, without the itch (you're welcome!):
- Plant shade trees: The Department of Energy says planting three trees strategically around your home to block the sun in summer and wind in winter can reduce your annual heating and cooling costs by an average of 40 percent. [TFH: DONE!]
- Become a Green Tag subscriber: Many states now offer options for homeowners to buy electricity from clean, renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass that produce little or no global warming pollution. Green energy can also be purchased through the National Wildlife Federation by visiting www.nwf.org/energy. [TFH: My husband, Garth (not his real name) is looking into renewable energy incentive programs in New Jersey and ways in which to help us find a way to decrease the initial amount of $$$$ required, upfront…PHEW!]
- Act locally: Contact your mayor and ask that (s)he sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, committing your city or town to meet or beat the global warming pollution reductions outlined in the Kyoto Protocol. [TFH: On the "honey do list," too!]
Aaaaand, if that ain't enough for ya's (I'm goin' all Joisey on ya's…YO!) here's a link to NWF's global warming page: http://www.nwf.org/Global-Warming.aspx

Here's their page listing the impact of climate change by state: http://www.nwf.org/Global-Warming/In-Your-State.aspx

Aaaaand Emily's post – http://beenthere.typepad.com/been_there/2010/04/the-closetohome-impact-of-global-warming.html

Rock on with your bad itchy-self, Emily…YO!

[FWIW: Emily and I are Founding Mothers of NWF's Be Out There program
– just helping families (like mine) get their kids outside and enjoy
nature, more – no payment was received for this blog post.]

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
April 28, 2010
Everybody Was Fast Food Fighting…HAH!

I came home from dropping the kids off at school, this morning (a.k.a. the land of the carpool lanes from h.e.double.hockey.sticks) and found this propped up against one of the kitchen chairs.

My poor husband, Garth [not his real name] obviously, he's sick (and tired) of coming home and, well, let's just say, the kids have developed a bad case of daddy deafness and, sadly, showing signs of dain bramage, too.

"Pick up your clothes…what clothes…the clothes that are lying in front of your bed…what bed…"

[cue head explosion]

It's amazing, really, how quickly, a person's head can explode, I mean.

The ironic thing about all this is NOW I am the one…sitting in the driveway…just waiting, for whenever I think it's safe to come into the house, or until daddy's head explodes.

"Hi…um…what's for dinner?"

[three, two, one]

"HOT DOGS, OKAY?!?!?!?"

Absolutely.

"Mmmmmm, sounds good!"

Relax. They were 100% beef. Still. I thought it would be fun to write a little song about fast food (i.e. better than doing the laundry) because, you know SOMEONE is bound fight me on this one:

(more…)

April 27, 2010
Parenting Tip #2,100,382:
Always Learn the Rules, So You Can Break Them Properly

I'm a BIG believer in Karma — what comes around goes around, you get what you give and all that — it's simple, easy to remember and exactly the sort of logic required, to help ward off a sixth sense for getting myself into trouble,.

In other words, I am very capable of making an asshat out of myself, without anyone's help…thankyouverymuch, Mr. Dalai Lama!

For example: Wednesday – I wrote a post, on my shopping blog, about raising free spirits and teaching my girls to embrace their own sense of style.

KARMA…KARMA…KARMA…BAM!

Then, yesterday morning, I got home, saw the red light blinking on the answering machine and thought about, you know, ignoring it.

I mean, it could have been HGTV.

"Congratulations, you've been chosen as the winner of Green Home 2010!"

Probably not.

"Uh, hi, Mom, it's me, Glen…"

[wince]

"…um…well…uh…I'm in the principal's office…"

Seriously?

"…I got in trouble for wearing my wrestling t-shirt."

Yesterday, my son was sent to the principal's office for "inappropriate" attire and, well, I kinda, sorta KNEW that he was breaking the dress code and, you know, sent him to school, anyway.

"Are they gonna let you wear
that shirt?"

I wish I could say it was a rebellious need to question the school's authority in deciding what my kids should eat, drink and/or wear — although, I sometimes do think folks are getting a little, you know, militant about that sort of stuff — rather than, admit it was a simple attack of mommy brain.

"Yeah, I wore it to school lots of times."

Honestly, I guess I was just feeling really tired of arguing (ALL THE TIME) and, well, we were already late for our carpool.

"Fine."

Besides, it's about time my kids started accepting responsibility for their actions and, well, maybe even I can learn how to quit blaming myself, for every little thing they do wrong, right?

[beep]

Odd. He hung up. Oh, well…look, there's another message…maaaaaaaybe…

"Um…I forgot…you need to come to school and bring me a new shirt!"

D'oh…shuddup Dalai Lama…stupid HGTV!,

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

April 23, 2010
Wordless Wednesday
Just Imagine

Momma, momma, what do you see? A free spirit calling out to the inner-child…in me.

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

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

April 21, 2010
Trash to Treasure

Today is my best friend's birthday. Actually, she's not really my best friend. Not anymore, anyway. In fact, I can't even remember the last time we spoke.

Wait, yes I can.

[glances at calendar]

It will be 28 years, this coming June.

You see, Shirley and I fought our way out of grew up in the same neighborhood and, if I think real hard, I could probably even remember the street she lived on.

[frowns]

Okay, I give up. I can, however, tell you that her family lived a few blocks closer to the Arthur Kill, which afforded their house a better view of the Staten Island dump.

Then again, even the "uptown" folks had no choice but to acknowledge our neighbors from across the river….especially, in the summertime.

After a while, you sort of grew used to the smells, I guess and, well, quite frankly, we were too busy having fun, just being kids, to even notice, anything other than which street lights to watch for (hint: NOT the ones with the smashed bulbs) a clear signal that it was, you know, time to go home.

"Why don't you go and get some fresh air?"

My youngest is 8 and, well, not only do my parents insist that Hopey is as…ahem…active and rambunctious as I was (especially, at that age) she is also, part monkey (see picture above) I think.

"What are you doing?"

Still, a lot has changed since I was a kid. The dumps aren't visible any longer (there's a new project refreshingly referred to as the Fresh Kills Park) today, I'm missing the old neighborhood (sort of) and my best friend, Shirley (Happy Birthday, wherever you are!) and, well, there's a teeny-tiny part of me that will always be partial to the smell of garbage.

"Allllllll…most…GOT IT — I'm trying to help keep the Earth clean!"

Disrespecting where you live…no matter where you live…not so much.

"Can you buh-leeve some big, fat jerk left garbage on OUR playground!"

What can I say? She's got a mouth, like her muh-thuh!

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

April 19, 2010
Will You Still Read Me, When I’m 164?

Meet my neighbor, Miss Grace. She's turning 103, this year. I know, right? Trust me, it's not easy being her neighbor — I took this picture from my kitchen window, yesterday.

NO! I wasn't spying on her. Not really. I just happened to be doing the dishes — because, the dishwasher was full, but SOMEONE forgot to turn it on, the night before and, if you've visited here, before, it probably won't take you very long to guess who — and, well, don't let her age, or the size of Miss Grace fool you, either.

"Hi, Miss Grace!"

The woman IS intimidating as h…e…double hockey sticks!

"Liz…COME HERE!"

Aaaand, she can STILL holler, REAL LOUD, too!

"Have you changed your phone number?"

Not that I haven't thought about it, but, no.

"Where've you been?

Shoot.

"No, Miss Grace, but I got a job and…."

Then, she gave me that look…you know…like, it was a rhetorical question…MORON!

"I tried calling you."

Oh, wait, maybe I'm NOT such a dope, after all.

"Oh, really, when was that, Miss Grace?"

This time, she looked me dead in the face with her milky eyes and I winced, imagining what they must have seen, or at least, what Miss Grace saw in me, right then and there.

"I've been trying to call you…ALL WINTER!"

Shoot me, now.

"I'm sorry, Miss Grace."

She tapped her cane and her great-grand niece gave me a smile, all empathetical-like (at least, I hope it was) as she tried to nudge Miss Grace along.

"You must have dialed wrong, Auntie Grace."

[one beat, two beats]

"Well, MY phone number hasn't changed any."

Miss Grace also calls 'em like she sees 'em and, well, I can't say as I blame her, either.

"So, how've ya' been?"

I mean, what DO you tell an almost 103 year old woman…anyway?

"I'm just fine, Miss Grace, thank you, and you?"

What else?

"Did you know I fell?"

Shoot me, tie a couple of cinder blocks around my ankles and just throw me into something wet.

"No, I'm so sorry, Miss Grace."

Dang, but I felt like total pond slime.

"Nothin' to feel sorry, 'bout."

Rhetorical, or not, Mis Grace has this way of making me take a real a good look at myself (and my life) and, well, I just stood there, quietly and planted my feet firmly to the pavement, ready for my scolding.

"I'm still alive, ain't I?"

[grin]

"Yes, Ma'am and will probably outlive me…too."

She slapped her good knee (I think) and, well, I'm just glad Miss Grace doesn't have a blog, or not that I know of, anyway.

"GAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!"

Because, just imagine what she would write about me?

"You lost weight, or somethin'?"

[eyes go wide]

"Why, yes Ma'am…yes, I have!"

[one beat, two beats]

"Well, there ya' go!"

Aaaaand, then she smiled, tapped her cane and hobbled off to her house.

"Uh…okay…um…have a nice day."

I know, right? You go ask her what she meant. Not me. Quite frankly, I'm too scared to find out and obviously way too busy being a MORON!

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

April 16, 2010
Driveway Divas

Mom's Driving School: Holly, Day 1 – sitting in our driveway!

We live on a very busy street, so we get A LOT of traffic in the front of our house.

Like, in, HOLY HANNAH MONTANA, I can't even get out of my own driveway…GAH!…oh, forget this, they'll just have to learn to like eating dry cereal, kind of busy.

"Will SOMEONE let me in, already?"

Drives me positively mental and NOT in a good way, either.

"Oh, hey, nice to see ya; how've ya' been?"

On the weekends, however, I take back what's mine and, especially, if the weather's nice (like, this passed weekend) well, then there's most likely a tailgating party at my house!

30 minutes later.

"Yeah, I know, right, anyway, what time should I pick So-and-So up?"

I love it when my kids' friends want to come and hang out at our house, seriously, I really do!

"Oh, don't rush, we're here all day!"

Especially, when the stars are aligned and my husband Garth [not his real name] and I happen to be home, at the same time.

"We've got tons of chores to catch up on, too."

[waves]

Then, the next car pulls up.

"Oh, hey, nice to see ya!"

30 minutes later.

"Oh, take your time, we're here all day!"

Aaaaand, before you know it, there are 4 MORE kids running around the house and they are ALL hungry!

"Mom, there's someone in the driveway!"

Funny thing, living in the suburbs, I mean, one minute I'm cursing everyone (and their mother) and then, 120 hours later, we're sucking on our coffees (or, cawfees, if you're from Jersey) and shooting the breeze…in my driveway.

"Why don't you just invite them in?"

You know, I never even thought to ask.

"But, it's soooooo nice outside!"

Besides, I sorta like the idea of my being a "Driveway Diva," as my 14-year-old kindly pointed out to my sister-in-law, who happened to be over (whoops, and yep, I sorta forgot) and seems to also prefer visiting with us…indoors.

"Um, I'll just catch up with you later, okay?"

30 minutes later.

"Why is your sister's car still here?"

It was just easier to let her take my husband's car.

"There's too many cars in the driveway!"

Is it any wonder my 16 year-old hasn't started driving, for real, yet?

"She'll be back to pick it up on Monday."

Riiiiiiiight.

"As long as she get's here before the early train, or after the school starts!"

Don't believe me? Stop by, anytime, during the week, around the hours of 6 and 11 a.m., or 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. and, well, if you're trying to make a left turn, just fuhgehtaboutit!

I'll just come to your house, okay?

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

April 13, 2010
Just Don’t Call Me a Tech Blogger!
I break things (a lot) so, calling me a tech blogger would be bad (even my kids would back me up on this point) and I am certainly not the most connected or coolest mom and she's pretty much cornered the market on savvy (don't worry, they really do know their stuff) but, does it really matter what I blog about?

No.

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

Still. Should it make a difference, how I choose to approach (i.e. respond to) this whole mommyblogging business?

Pardon my Jersey, but abso-friggin-lutely!

In fact, last week, I was asked to speak on a panel of (along with the aforementioned cool, connected and savvy) moms who blog (because, not everyone necessarily wishes to be defined by the term mommyblogger) about working closely with brands (there, I said it!) and not just because I'm an expert, or anything (because, I'm not, der!) but, I feel, to provide a slightly different (i.e., seasoned) point of view, when addressing online mom-specific communities, as a whole.

"I blog because it makes me feel good."

Actually, the point I was trying to make (because, some of us write better than we speak, ahem) is really simple: I enjoy making other mothers feel good (seriously, if we don't lift each other up, who will?)

My mission is equally as simple: to help dismiss the idea that anything beginning with the word "mother," or ending in "hood" should be portrayed as nothing, if not perfect (especially, in the media) oh, and pardon me if my blog makes me feel a little better about myself, too.

[steps off soapbox]

I'm not the same person I was 7 years ago and I'm not saying blogging should be, either (times change, you know?) and I certainly don't want to sound like a purist, or preachy (do people really read blogs, anymore?) however, I have to agree with Busy Mom in thinking that perhaps we should all look a little inward, before responding to all the negativity surrounding moms online — or, simply reaffirm the fact that there is a community out there, for everyone, regardless of what type of blog you keep.

With that said, here's a headline you probably won't read anytime soon:

Moms aren't necessarily all about the blog bashing and the comment thrashing, or into the drama of virtual hair-pulling contests, either!

I mean, don't we see enough of that at PTA meetings, right?

[ducks to avoid flying fundraisers]

Me?

I will gladly reaffirm that:
1. I am a dork (but, I'm not stupid)
2. I will continue to share my stories (sorry, Mom)
3. Also, share cool stuff I find online and try not to break things (too much)
4. While, hopefully, continue to give back to my community, in a positive way (without being taken advantage of, by media folks who still just don't get it, der!)
5. Because, well, it's how I roll.
Unless, you think moms are stupid, or blogging about nice stuff is dumb, then it ALL doesn't really matter, anyway, right?

Well, then, there's always Engadget!

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.
April 9, 2010
The Magic Garden
Beware – chuckling daisy patch ahead!

This freaky little flashback was inspired by my friend, the lyrically-gifted BusyMom (apparently, she grew up watching really weird stuff on t.v., too!)

See, and we turned out alright…right…RIGHT?

[sound of crickets chirping]

OH…look…OVER THERE…BusyMom's wearing pigtails?

SLAM!

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

April 7, 2010
NWF Be Out There Challenge: Reflections, Senior Living and Shuffleboard

Me and My Mom on Good Friday 2010

DAY 1 of our spring break/challenge was a total RainFAIL! Then, Day 2 and it was time to send out for an Ark!

[wipes feet]

Finally, we were able to get outside and fall into a pot of fairy soup.

[sound of crickets chirping]

Moving on…I love that picture of me and my mom (up there) because, there really aren't many pictures of me, or my mom, let alone, the both of us…together…since, you know, we're the ones usually doing all the picture-taking.

My mom and dad are going through a real rough patch, with several health issues, right now (theirs and my twin brothers) and, well, based on years of personal study (what can I say, I'm a people watcher) in my opinion, hanging with the grand kids can sometimes have a real positive healing effect.

Did I mention, we Hungarians are a very reflective lot? We have open forums and very passionate discussions (ahem) about the meaning of life sort of stuff and, well, there aren't many secrets in my family.

Like, here, Heather is reflecting on the fact that her mother (that would be me) did NOT give her enough time to straighten her hair (seriously, takes forever) before going out…in public…and having to wear a ponytail (which she hates) and, well, I didn't make her smile for the camera, or anything.

I did, however, catch a quiet (albeit, very, very RARE) little happy moment, shared between siblings but…shhhhhhh…don't tell 'em, okay?

Then, there's my youngest, Hope (she's 8) but, her Jersey name is Hopey Baseballs.

Who's STILL reflecting on the fact that mom did NOT sign her up for softball…in time.

As, my only son, Glen reflects on the fact that mom managed to miss baseball sign-ups, as well, DAMMIT.

And, Holly, who insists she HATES playing anything that remotely resembles a sport (she'd rather spend her day reflecting on a piece of art in a museum, somewhere) well, even she seemed to enjoy…using the golf pitch…for baseball practice.

However, all 4 of my kids are ALL about shuffleboard; the sport of cruise camps, senior living facilities and retirement communities, everywhere!

Yep, we ARE down with the shuffleboard and, after 5 years of incessant taunting by their grandparents (i.e., I can't believe I've been beat by a senior citizen!) my kids are gosh-darned good at it, too.

Cross-posted to our 365 Days mircoblog project — where I'm taking a self-imposed timeout, every day, to post wordless (you're welcome!)

No, it may not have been a day in Disney World (seriously, we are
perhaps the only family, in Jersey, who has NOT had breakfast with a
princess, yet) but, it's nice to know that even a leisurely day, spent outdoors, with the people who love you the most, well, Holy Hannah Montana, the kids and I couldn't have asked for a better day!

Reflect on that, Mickey!

Now take your kids and GET OUT (heh) also, you can visit the NWF site for ideas on what you can do to get these kids outside…besides, promising them a trip to Disney…I mean!

[FWIW: I'm a Founding Mother of NWF's Be Out There program
– just helping families (like mine) get their kids outside and enjoy
nature, more – no payment was received for this blog post.]

© 2010 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

April 5, 2010