This Full House Reviews

#KelloggsTour of Gymnastics Champions: The Recap from New Jersey

Gymnastics has been my favorite summer olympic event (to watch, not to participate in, of course!) from way back (nevermind, just HOW far!) so I was super-excited to share with you my interview with fellow Team Kellogg's Mom, Rita Wieber -- Olympic Gold Medalist Jordyn Wieber's mom!

Enjoying dinner out before #KelloggsTour of Gymnastics Champs. Like all together & at the same table even. #GreatStarts twitter.com/thisfullhouse/…

— Liz Thompson (@thisfullhouse) November 10, 2012

This month, my family and I had the pleasure of attending the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions 2012 event at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

Family-Friendly FMX Show: Nuclear Cowboyz - East Rutherford, NJ Tour Dates and Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: So happy to be sharing tickets to this awesome show with you, A. Abduramani (comment #4) please check your email for further instructions, thanks!!!

My son turned 13 last month (hold me!) which simply means, being raised in a house filled with females, he's grown used to navigating through a raging sea of hormones.

Also, rooting through an endless supply of feminine products, because, well, there has GOT to be a roll of toilet paper, in there, somewhere, DAGNABIT!

Long story, short (you're welcome) my husband and I make it a point to try and remember to do boy-friendly stuff, too.

Like, accepting the opportunity of attending the Nuclear Cowboyz Freestyle Motorcross show on March 2nd at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ.

My son is beyond THRILLED and canNOT wait to meet Jersey boy Ronnie Faisst and experience freestyle motorcross performances, up close and personal, guaranteed to get MY heart pumping while hollering, "I am SO GLAD you are NOT my son!"

I'm looking forward to blogging our experience and sharing some awesome pictures from the show.  Here's a sneak peek of what to expect:

Yes, it's LOUD and FLASHY which means my son and his bestie will, you know, absolutely LOVE IT!!!

Want to come along? 

Deal Alert: Get Deals That Fight Hunger in New Jersey with 3SquareDeals!

My friend Deb Smith at Jersey Bites has launched an awesome new program called 3 Square Deals: a daily deal site being offered in partnership with local food banks in New Jersey.

So, how's it work?

Buy the Deal:  3 Square Deals offers discounts on local businesses for 50-80% off thingsto do in your city!

Print the Deal:  Print your deal voucher and use it as early as the next day.

Share & Enjoy:  Don't keep this a secret!  Tell your family, friends and co-workers and go enjoy the deals together!

Here's the BEST Part:  3SquareDeals will donate 10% of its revenue to the Food Bank of South Jersey, Community FoodBank of New Jersey and FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties . The potential to raise tens of thousands of dollars for hunger relief could become a reality once we are serving all of New Jersey.

That's just all sorts of awesome, YO!

DETAILS HERE:   http://www.jerseybites.com/2012/01/3squaredeals-has-arrived-deals-that-fight-hunger-in-new-jersey/

© 2003 - 2012 This Full House

Disclosure:  No payment, product or any other considration, besides the chance to give hunger the virtual bitchslap it deserves, was received for this blog post.

Health and Wellness Ambassador Program: Time for a Mom's Time Out, Yes?

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to participate in Kellogg's Health and Wellness Ambassador program and wrote about my sister-in-law Pat's recent battle with breast cancer.

Her strength and courage inspired me to start taking better care of myself, as well.

After 5 years, I finally made an appointment with a new doctor and I am very happy to report that I am now fully recovered from my surgery, addressing a health issue that could NOT have waited any longer.

Pat and I recently had the chance to spend some quality time, together (FINALLY!) at Peter Conte Salon and Day Spa here in Monmouth County, NJ.

Although, a trip to the spa may not be a great fit for everyone's budget (mine, either!) some salons do offer very nice packages that would make fabulously wonderful gift suggestions, like Peter Conte's Winter's Escape for $99 which included:

• 1/2 an hour in their hydrotherapy tub
• a reflexology hand & foot massage
• a full body scrub
• rainforest shower

Pat and I had a FABULOUS time -- it was 2+ hours of pampering, worth every penny, trust me -- and we had a very relaxing dinner at Masala Kitchen (my new favorite Indian restaurant, here in Jersey, btw) afterward.

Since then, I have made a committment to help remind other women (especially, moms like me) that it is most certainly more than okay for you (yes, YOU!) to take a self-imposed time-out, every now and again.

Trust me, your health and wellness ARE totally worth it!

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House

Small Gray-ish Print:  Kellogg's provided a gift card to help celebrate choosing my sister-in-law Pat as my Wellness Ambassador. The words, however, are ALL mine and you can't have them.

Deal Alert: FREE Science Enrichment at Liberty Science Center in New Jersey!

My friends at the Liberty Science Center just told me that there’s lots of new FREE stuff going on (yes, here in Jersey!) that's included with paid admission, like:

1. The Touch Tunnel is back (their #1 most popular original experience)

2. Chemistry classes for kids ages 6-11 on Sundays (no, really - sounds like fun, right?)

3. Liberty Science Center offers free science enrichment for young learners ages 2-5 weekdays, with “We Explore” activities that help them learn about the world around them. Topics change weekly but tend to include animals, weather, the 5 senses, etc.

4. There's also a REALLY cool IMAX film about tornadoes opening on March 8th, that will include powerful footage of storms and a story line that has scientists driving into a twister in specially designed trucks to discover more about how they form.

It's been a while since we've visited (related post) and my youngest (she's 9) is begging for some private time (yes, with me!) also, maybe I can convince my friend BusyMom to visit -- perhaps it would help with her fear of tornadoes -- or not.

© 2003 - 2011 This Full House

Disclosure:  No payment was received for this blog post.  Just sharing stuff we like and perhaps will help other families (like ours) save a little milk money, too.

Deal Alert: New Jersey - Half Off Admission to The Newark Museum and Planetarium

Looking for something cool to do, in these last few weeks of winter (i.e. stupid groundhog better be right) or, maybe you're just tired of playing around with all this snow, here in New Jersey, right?

This week, the Savvy Source editors are offerring half off 1 (one) adult and 1 (one) child admission to The Newark Museum and Planetarium!

Random Acts of Zhu for the Holidays: New Jersey & Zhu, Happy Together!

It's been a crazy, busy year -- even Santa doubts my being able to finish EVERYTHING on  MY to do list in time for eggnog o'clock -- then, my youngest daughter (she's 9) asked if she could practice her writing skills and wrote a wonderful post about Christmas.

It made me realize just how GROWN UP she's getting and, sadly, Kris Kringle won't be needing my services, for much longer, after all.

[pout]

Good thing Hope and I got the chance to play Santa, this week!

I am very proud to be one of bloggers chosen to participate in Cepia LLC's Random Acts of Zhu holiday giving program.

Each of us were given 104 Zhu Zhu Pets to donate to the charity of our choice, with no compensation OR strings attached.

Why?

Hope and I were THRILLED with the prospect of being able to help families in need and perhaps make another child's holiday a little brighter, too!

Our first stop was the Herb Young Annual Toy Drive held at Hope's elementary school where we donated 7 boxes (56 Zhu Zhu pets) to the children at Spring House in Eatontown, NJ:

"We provide services to break the barriers of homelessness and reinforce self-dignity, independence and self-awareness for women with children."

The toys will be distributed to the families staying at Spring House, tomorrow, Christmas Eve!

Next stop, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, NJ -- they took GREAT care of my middle girl two Christmases ago (okay, me, too!) -- we made an appointment to deliver the remaining 6 boxes of Zhu Zhu pets, after school on Tuesday.

We were greeted by Jara Ferrante, a Child Life Specialist and her Assistant, Elizabeth (nice name, btw, heh!) two SUPER friendly ladies with an AWESOME sense of humor (see picture above) who make it their business to help even their littlest visitors at K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital feel warm and welcome.

Hope was THRILLED to learn that the Zhu Zhu pets will be put into the "magic closet," so, whenever there's a birthday, or a child is having a particularly difficult time adjusting to their journey, they will be gift wrapped and, hopefully, help the children left in their care feel right at home.

I know, Hope did!

Thank you SO MUCH, Jara, for allowing us to bring some of that warm and fuzzy feeling home with us, along with Hope's new bff, Hopscotch (she's Dr. Bernard's bouncy buddy) too!!!

Special thanks to Cepia LLC for allowing my family to help spread a little holiday cheer, this year!

Why?

Because, nice matters and being able to give a little back to our community, via This Full House of sticky floors and crunchy socks, feels REAL GOSH-DARNED GOOD, too!

LINKY LOVE BYTES:

Jersey Shore University Medical Center's Website

K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital Social Media Center

K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital on Facebook

K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital on Twitter

Happy Holidays, everyone!!!

(Cross-posted to my parenting blog)

© 2003 - 2010 This FULL House (Re)Views / This FULL House Blahg'd 

Disclosure: No payment, or product was received for this post or for my participation in this program.

Small Business Saturday: Supporting Local Crafters & Artists This Holiday Season

Thanks to American Express for sponsoring my writing today about small businesses.  American Express is presenting Small Business Saturday, a way to honor the local merchants who are the backbone of the economy, this Saturday, November 27.  They're offering statement credits to people who shop at small businesses, advertising for small-business owners, and donations to Girls Inc. for "Likes" of the Small Business Saturday page on Facebook.  Join the celebration by clicking the "Like" button and then visiting the Facebook page to learn more about the program and read the terms and conditions that apply.

Every year, one of the elementary schools in our district hosts a craft fair and my husband, Garth (not his real name) and I took a few minutes to ourselves (I don't know how that happened, either!) to stop by and visit with some of the local crafters.

My family and I really enjoy holiday shopping at these types of events.

Not only do we get the chance to show our support for local vendors -- seriously, these days, small business owners could really use the help -- I always manage to find a little surprise around every corner and you really never know who you'll bump into.

Like, the year I finally got the chance to meet local photographer Nicole Hymowitz (my middle girl is bffs with her oldest girl) and acknowledge the fact that, like many small business owners, Nicole has worked long (and hard) on sharing her passion, creating her own brand AND raising a family.

 

TFH HOLIDAY PICKS 2010

"I hope you enjoy what you see in my portfolios. I truly love working with people and creating art with them."  ~ Nicole Hymowitz

I know, attending craft fairs may not be on the top of your to do list and maneuvering through a hot, sweaty gym is definitely NOT for the faint of heart (right?) but, I really do hope you consider supporting local crafters and artists (like, my friend Nicole) and, while you're at it, why not make a day of it?

Grab a warm beverage and see what the small businesses in your neighborhood have to offer, this holiday season.

You just might make a new friend.

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

© 2003 - 2010 This Full House Blog / TFH Gone Shopping

School of Rock: Coupon Code FREE Week - Guitar Lessons, Drums Whatever, But Definitely NO Drums at Our House!

We've signed my 11 year-old son up for guitar lessons, through an enrichment program offered in our school system, which means, you know, no sleeping in on Saturdays, either!

Still, it's an hour out of our day, close to home, the program runs through December and costs us about $10.00 per lesson.

Not a bad deal, right?

I've got a pretty good one for you (yes, YOU!) too - a coupon code for a free week of lessons, courtesy of the good folks representing School of Rock.

Not a bad deal, either, especially if your kid decides that, you know, they'd REALLY rather play the drums...UGH!

First, the deets:

Calling All Pork Grilling Groupies: Win a Trip to NYC Wine & Food Festival!

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: We are VERY happy to be sharing this with LAMusing (comment #49) and Sugar2006 (comment #38) please check your email accounts for further instructions!!!

Pork.  It's what's for dinner (at our house, mostly) especially, with only 2 more weekends left before school starts.

[moment of silence]

I've got some great grilling tips to share with you from celebrity chef, Melissa d'Arabian - host of Food Network's Ten Dollar Dinners and winner of the fifth season of The Next Food Network Star.

Download Melissa's Tips for Grilling Pork, here!

Also, if you're REALLY into grilling, you may be interested to learn about the Calling all Grillers with Groupies Contest.  What's in it for you?

The grand prize winner will be awarded a trip to New York City to meet and cook with Melissa  at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival in October.  

Pretty suh-weet ticket for foodies AND foodie-admirers, right?

To help celebrate the last days of grilling season (here in Jersey, anyway) the good folks representing The National Pork Board have kindly offered a great little prize pack to share with one (1) of our online friends, too.

Because, we roll like that!

Garden Safe Product Review and Giveaway

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED: LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING THIS WITH ONE OF YOU REAL SOON!!!

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of exploring my great-aunt's vegetable garden -- happily digging in the dirt, along with my twin brother, while she and my parents traded old world gardening secrets -- and, I swear, I could still smell Anushka's stuffed Hungarian peppers cooking on the stove. 

Today, I've passed the gardening gene to my youngest (she's 9) who loves to run out into our yard and pick a couple of cucumbers and tomatoes for dinner, or maybe even a handful of fresh flowers for the table.

I just love that!

Worrying about the effects of using nasty pesticides, not so much -- so, we don't use any -- still, I don't like the idea of our feeding the entire bug population (in Jersey) either!

I was recently contacted by the good folks representing Garden Safe, a brand for gardeners (like me) who are seeking new alternatives to control garden pests and seeing as we ARE dealing with a few pests of our own (in the garden, I mean) it seemed like a really good fit.

Exhibit A:  The Fig Tree that Lived...

Despicable Me: Movie Review & Giveaway

SHARING WITH:  CDZIUBA (COMMENT #16) PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS!!!

Despicable Me is due to be released in theaters nationwide on July 9, 2010 (in 3D, too!) but, my kids and I had the pleasure of being invited to a special screening (i.e. we had reserved seats and everything) close to home, right here in Jersey (thank you, Dina!) on Saturday and, well, I had my doubts.

I hadn't heard much about it, besides that Steve Carell was in it (or, at least his voice) and the kids and I absolutely LOVE him! 

Did I mention, we had reserved seats and, well, I left early (i.e. before shore traffic) AND fully-armed with donut holes?

Calling All BlogHer Moms: Enter To Win $1,000 Shopping Spree, Spa Day & More!

Raise your hand if you need a time-out and/or some quality “me” time!

[raises BOTH hands]

Well, BornFree wants to give one (1) lucky mom going to BlogHer 2010 a well-deserved break, including:

The Ultimate Indulgence Package at the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon & Spa

• Elizabeth Arden Facial
• Desert Hot Stone Massage
• Olive Oil Manicure
• Olive Oil Pedicure
• Shampoo, Blow Dry, & Finish
• Makeup Refresher
• Spa Lunch

Dinner for you and a friend at The Russian Tea Room ($250) http://www.russiantearoomnyc.com

A $1,000 NYC Shopping Spree

Yeah, I want it, how about you?

Enter Here: http://bornfreemom.com/2010/06/01/attention-all-blogher-2010-moms-you-need-a-time-out/

 

© 2010 This Full House/This Full House Gone Shopping

DISCLOSURE: No payment, or consideration, other than an entry into the contest, was received for this blog post, 'cawse...um...yeah...I really, really want this!

Oprah's Live Your Best Life Weekend: Truvia at Oprah Event Recap

I had the extreme privilege of attending Oprah's Live Your Best Life Weekend for O Magazine's 10th Anniversary celebration with a very good friend of mine (waves to Gina) where we learned life tips from experts, like Martha Beck, Suze Orman, Elizabeth Gilbert, Nate Berkus and the grand dame of inspiration, Oprah herself.

Along with eleventy-hundred of Oprah's biggest fans, I mean -- you can almost see the end of the line, at the traffic light, waaaay over there -- so, how the heck did WE get in anyways?

Oprah's No Phone Zone PledgePull Over, Rover!

It's no secret, I love sharing information on multi-functional gadgets that perhaps help make life for families (like mine) a little easier.

Here, in Jersey, it's illegal to drive while talking on your cell phone. 

Still, if I had a dollar for each time I saw someone driving, while holding a cell phone to their ear, well, I'd FINALLY be able to take my kids to Disney...maybe.

I get it.  Maybe you're on hold with the doctor's office, your kid missed the bus, or you've won the HGTV Green Home (DANGIT!) like, my pledge with Mom Sends the Msg says:

"Put...the...cell...phone...down...or, just pull over!"

Today is National No Phone Zone Day and I am very proud to partner with the Oprah Winfrey Show in helping to spread the word about the No Phone Zone campaign: