This Full House

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Be Still My Sunset Heart

I spent Mother's Day weekend weeding my parents' garden while my husband Garth (not his real name) under-planted their fruit tree with two flats of impatiens and vinca.  Later, after indulging myself in a bowl of mussels swimming in marinara that was beautifully infused with hints of garlic and herbs and washing it all down with a spicy Sangria, I excused myself from the table and decided to take a walk.

My children insisted I needed a chaperon and I, much to their disappointment, gently refused their proposals of Hop Scotch, Hide-and-Go-Seek, or Eye Spy, as well.

No, I needed to clear my head and put myself into a mommy-time-out.

Mommyfest: An Interactive Online Event for Moms!

Being a mom is hard - although, I also believe that my husband Garth (not his real name) could really use a day off, or two - but, blogging about raising kids and killer dust bunnies makes life seem...I dunno... a lot more...you know...livable.

Especially, when you get to invite your friends over to your place, meet a couple hundred-or-so moms, listen to some really great speakers and you don't even have to take a shower, clean the house, get dressed, or anything...if you don't want to.

Did I mention there will be contests and a bunch of free stuff to choose from?

Child Web-Safety: It's NOT just a scare tactic.

Our superintendent sent out a letter that there would be an evening presentation held at the middle school on teaching your children about online safety.

It's not the first time I've received such a notification.  Besides, I attended something similar two years ago.

I have four children (14, 12, 9 and 6) who will be entering into four different schools within the district, next year.  So, I'm pretty much used to getting scary letters from school.  Like the latest outbreaks of chicken pox and head lice and the typical "just so you know" type letters, reminding parents "how to know when your child is too sick to go to school" AND the repercussions of "excessive absents."

I know...DUH!...I spend a lot of time on the Internets.  I make it my business to surf the blogosphere and have spoken about the power of the mom blogging community (more than once) and I have become fearless.  In fact, I feel safer here (in my blog) than I do out on the street and thought...meh...I am so done with scare tactics!

Until, it happened to our family.

PBN Blog Blast: All I want for Mother's Day

The Parent Bloggers Network has teamed up with Johnson and Johnson to promote their new charitable giving site, Johnson’s Baby Cause, powered by Global Giving.

As part of their responsibility to the global community, Johnson’s has hand-selected dozens of charities around the world that mirror their deep commitment to caring for the health and well-being of mothers and children - not just on Mother’s Day, but every day of the year.

This is the 100th Anniversary of Mother's Day and my 15th year of raising kids -- not to mention, killer dust bunnies -- in this mother-loving world of comfortable running shoes and matching hoodies.

So, as a mother of a teen, a tween, a precocious 1st grader and The Boy who refuses to admit he is NOT getting a brother for Christmas, what could I possibly want for Mother's Day?

Be sure to leave the twenty, on the nightstand, on your way out!

What?  Is it Tuesday, already?  Is it me...or, does anybody else NOT have the time...for anything, anymore?  I swear, the older the kids get...well, you know...I wonder.  Does anyone else know if snoring on my husband's lap is considered foreplay?

This Is My Early Morning Singing Song!

Gliddy glub gloopy
Nibby nabby noopy
La la la lo lo...

I'm not a morning person.  I'm a mommy, you know what I mean?  Still.  My husband Garth (not his real name) couldn't care less if I woke up, tomorrow, decided to shave my head and start referring to myself as:

"Hello, my name is Starshine and I AM Mr. Clean's bitch!"

I'm telling you, as weird as it sounds, he'd STILL think I'm sexy.

Why?

Because, my husband is really NOT all that interested in what's going on with my head - yes, he is a very smart man - but, he HAS sung praises of his love for me...from the neck down...many, many times.

A Perfect Post for April - So, You From Wisconsin?

The kids and I recently had the pleasure of introducing my friend Dana (she's from Wisconsin) to her first seaside experience, not to mention the best damned "boardwalk pizza" in the Garden State!

Okay, New Jersey is not perfect - people are buying gas less and spending most of their money on groceries, including us - but, I'm comforted by the fact that waterfront is at least within walking distance.

Until, I read my friend Cheryl's post on how she was, you know, okay with leaving the waves behind - she's ALSO from Wisconsin.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Catherapy

Cats.  Some people seem like they can't live without them and others just don't understand the attraction.  Either way, cats can bring out the best (and worst) in their human counterparts.  I mean, they do have a reputation of being a tiny bit self-absorbed and often times are considered to be not a very good, you know, people-type pet.

Still.

There are those times, during their seemingly endless days of captivity, when a cat can sense that something is off and their owners aren't feeling quite right, or perhaps the planets are aligned and the earth's rotation has shifted just a tad, and they simply slip out of character.

Or (in this case) when the other more affectionate and much younger beta cat is at the vet and in critical care, at the moment.

Either way...there IS peace in the valley, tonight.

Thanks, Old Man - I owe you one - and get well soon, Bucky (named after Buck Beak, one of Hagrid's many pets in Harry Potter) we miss you, so much!

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This Full House Giveaway #3: Rememberall

Pssst....click on the sticky note for details!

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New Jersey Moms Blog Launched, Today!

Last month, I was asked by the lovely Jill Asher (co-founder of Silicon Valley Moms Group) if I'd be interested in writing for an upcoming new sister site, for New Jersey mom bloggers.

"Hey, you know, I'm from Jersey!"

Well, yah...and DUH!

Today, I am thrilled to tell you that the site has officially launched and...GUESS WHAT...I even got to write the introduction:

Love Thursday: Quieting the Demon Child Within

Being elegant, gentle, soft-spoken and a bit shy, by nature (no, not ME!) Thing One was born with a wonderful sense of being able to recognize, understand and empathize with what other people are feeling.

Then, one day, she woke up and unleashed the demon child within.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Hot Dogs and Warm Heart

My mom is still in the hospital, but she's doing nicely - thank you for your kind thoughts - so, I was able to spend the last night of spring break with my kids.  But, I was emotionally spent and way too tired to cook.  So, when my kids asked my husband Garth (not his real name) if they could roast marshmallows, I told them that we were all out of marshmallows (stupid food shopping) but, suggested that perhaps they'd like to cook their hot dogs on the fire pit, instead.

[eyes go wide]

"For real?"

You see, 2 of my kids want to go camping...but, the other half don't like bugs...and thanks to having given birth to all 4...my sciatica does't do tents, very well...so, roughing-it seems a little too much work, if you ask me.

Still.

It warms my mommyblogging heart to get a chance to do something...anything...together and kicking back in our yard is perhaps the closest our family gets to, you know, going wild.

"Where's Mini-me?"

[shrugs shoulders]

"She said she doesn't like turkey dogs and is looking for something else to eat."

[SLAM]

"Okay, I found some meat-wike-wooking-thing in the fweezer...I think it's eat-uh-bow!"

It's seems like my youngest daughter (she's 6) can fend for herself and doesn't have a problem playing "survivor girl," thankyouvermuch!

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I've got tons of stuff to catch up on here and I'm heading back to my folks' house tomorrow, but I'll be back home on Monday.  So, please make yoursevles at home, feel free to check out This Full House Reviews: Vincent Shoes - Designers for kids, just like mine...too! and - if you haven't, already - don't forget to enter our bloggy giveaway for The Flip camera!

Wishing you all a great weekend and TGIF...early!

© 2008 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

[Please, clean off a chair and stay a while - subscribe to email updates or the RSS feed or - if you really, really like me - then Digg This, I'll love you forever!]