This Full House

Blogging Out Hunger: So, I Got Stop & Shop To Do Their Part, Now It's Your Turn!!!

[Edited to Add: Okay, so I'm totally willing to beg for someone else's food, this week - I know I'm no Dooce, but won't you consider helping reach my goal of 300 comments, for charity, even for a Dork, like me?]

Last week, over 100 of my blogging friends and I got together and blogged about the This Bank Can't Fail campaign (spearheaded by my blogging friend and fellow Jersey Girl Deborah Smith of JerseyBites.com) to Blogging Out Hunger on behalf of The Community Food Bank of New Jersey and families in need across the garden state.

Growing up ours was no stranger to hunger.

Okay, let's be honest, what's the diff -- what about the rest of the year -- what's so special about blogging and who listens to Mommybloggers, anyway?

[bites lower lip]

Well, I asked my friends at Stop & Shop if they would like to help sponsor This Full House with a call out for donations in support of Blogging Out Hunger and they seemed to feel that it's, you know, a pretty good idea.

Aaaand, here's the good part, there's a way you (yes, YOU!) oh, savvy Internets, can help.

How?

[grin]

Why, by doing what you do best...of course!!!

Blogging Out Hunger: Campaign Launch - We Can't Let This Bank Fail!

It was 1946 and Hungary, as nearly all of Europe, was devastated by World War II, including the small hamlet where my mother attended kindergarten.  My mother's earliest childhood memories -- one of a very few that she will even speak of, I mean -- is the day the Americans shipped a case of peanut butter to her school. 

Each child was asked to line up and receive his, or her ration of peanut butter and then it was my mother's turn.

"Eva, where is your bread?"

My mother shyly whispered into her ear that she didn't have any -- the bakery ran out of their allotment of bread, earlier that morning.

"Well, what am I supposed to spread the peanut butter on, the palm of your hand?"

Growing up, we were used to hearing such stories at the dinner table  -- how, even in a big city like Budapest, my father was forced to steal to feed his younger siblings -- I don't think that my twin brother and I ever really understood how difficult it was for my parents.

Until, I got older and started raising a family of my own.

Today, I'm not ashamed to admit that we lived a frugal life and that my parents chose to accept the charity of strangers, to ensure that their children would never know that kind of hunger.

Today marks the official launch of This Bank Can't Fail campaign and I'm very proud to be joining forces with my blogging friend and fellow Jersey Girl Deborah Smith of JerseyBites.com, who has taken on the huge task of coordinating the Blogging Out Hunger on behalf of The Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

Why?

Parenting Tip #1,910,653: Taking the "I" Out of the Holidays

Taken on Thanksgiving weekend in Cape May, NJ - The Boy (he's 9) and my father enjoy a quiet moment, rare as it is.

Today, way before the rest of the house or even the sun wakes, I'm meeting my twin brother (yeah, I've got one of those, too and he's a lot prettier, than me, dammit!) and then heading to the hospital and do something that we both have grown used to, yet are still not very good at, doing.

Waiting.

We'll catch up on all of our holiday plans -- probably, hovering somewhere near the coffee and endless line of vending machines -- as we try and keep my father good company, while my mother goes through a procedure to increase the blood flow through her heart.

Big as it is.

In less than a week, my husband, Garth (not his real name) and I will be anxiously looking for the most awesome pediatric care team at Jersey Shore University Medical Center to take our 12-year-old baby girl away for what will, undoubtedly, be one of the longest waits of our lives, as I try to wrap my brain around the fact that her 13th birthday is only 3 days after Christmas.

Yeah, so maybe this mom needs someone to hold her...me...WHATEVER!...I need a hug, can you tell?

Yet, there's a profound sense of contentment in believing that suckage is also life's way of making sure that we take the "I" out of the holidays and focus on holding onto what's really near and dear to all of our hearts.

So, is anyone else late in getting their greeting cards in the mail?  EXCELLENT!  When you finally do find the time to make out your Christmas/holiday cards, I...uh..that is to say, this mom...would like for you to consider sending one to the following address:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW

Why?

Because...um...okay, life can really suck sometimes...but, it sort of feels pretty good, too -- especially, when you've had a hand in helping someone else beat back the suckage, for a change.

Aaaand?

Well, because...uh...wait, I know this answer...okay, because, nice matters and I'm already too gosh-darned tired from trying to convince my kids that...yes, dear...if you study really hard, and eat all of your vegetables, there's a pretty good chance that you won't grow up to be a dork, like your mother.

Happy Hold-days!

© 2008 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

Blogging Out Hunger: We Can't Let This Bank Fail!

My blogging friend and fellow Jersey Girl Deborah Smith of JerseyBites.com is coordinating a blogging campaign on behalf of The Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

This Bank Can't Fail is scheduled to launch December 15th.

The goal is to get 100 New Jersey bloggers spreading the word about the desperate need that The Community Food Bank of New Jersey is in due to the increased demands being put on New Jersey food pantries.

Why?

Because, blogging can be a beautiful thing and the keyboard is mightier than the sword, or something like that.

You from Joisey - did I mention, Bruce Springsteen is doing his part to help?

Go Pink with Let's Dish: Helping families cope and kick cancer's ass, for real!

Okay, I know what you're thinking - seriously, what's up with all the pink ribbons this month - but, what if I told you that (this time) I heard about this pretty cool food website called Let's Dish and their campaign to do something, you know, real to help families affected by breast cancer?

Aaaand, you don't have to buy, collect, or lick anything.

It's called the Pink Dish! Campaign and (as a blogger, suffering from the overuse of exclamation points!!!) I'm very excited to tell you that there are OTHER ways in which you can show your support for breast cancer awareness and NOT feel as if we're, you know, selling out.

Gal to Gal Virtual Walk

[10/13/08 Edited to Add:  It is with great sadness that I learned that Gal to Gal Foundation President, Dorit Shapiro, lost her brave battle to Stage IV breast cancer, yesterday 10/12/08 - please visit, "A Tribute to Dorit Shapiro" and hear about her story, spoken in her words, at the opening event, earlier this month.  My thoughts are with Dorit's friends and family.]

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and today, I'm joining in the 2nd Annual Gal to Gal Virtual Walk starting in Boston, MA and ending in San Francisco, CA.

That's Marg Helgenberger (CSI) and actress Molly Sims on the left, leading a few of the walkers and...yep, that's me...in the middle wearing a pink track suit and joining the walk that is going on every day in October.

Why?

Because, it's pretty and - for the price of a Starbucks coffee - I'm doing my part in showing support for Stage IV breast cancer patients and their families.

So, you want to join team This Full House?

Blog the Recession Month - Helping my fellow bloggers out, one click at a time!

[8/15/08 Edited to Add: I borked-up my blog and accidentally disappeared ALL comments - sorry, if I lost yours - because, I am A DORK!]

I was so busy trying to squeeze every bit of low-tech fun out of summer that I possibly could, while staying away from using the car, too much and trying NOT to drive my kids, too hard (or, anywhere for that matter) I almost missed this one!

Did you know it's Blog the Recession Month?

When you're a Mommyblogger, you're never really alone.

[8/15/08 Edited to Add: I borked-up my blog and accidentally disappeared ALL comments - sorry, if I lost yours - because, I am A DORK!]

In support of Lisa, via Jealithe!

"OMG, Lisa's got Cancer!"

It was very early in the morning (NOT my favorite time) and I was checking Twitter (because, I am a DORK) to see who else was, you know, awake and followed a link left by The Bloggess.

My husband, Garth (not his real name) handed me my morning coffee.

"Who?"

[covering mouth]

"Um...Midwestern Mommy...a mommyblogger."

No, not really.

Bloggers Unite for Human Rights: A Mom Speaks Out For the Families of Myanmar

This month marks the first anniversary of Bloggers Unite and they're launching an awareness campaign chosen by BlogCatalog members and partnering with Amnesty International. Today, May 15, 2008, bloggers across the Internets are uniting for human rights to make a statement:

All people are born with basic rights and freedoms - life, liberty, and justice!

So, what DOES a wigged-out, total klutz of a mother with 4 kids, 2 cats, 1 super-hyper sock-eating dog and 2 damn much laundry (like me) possibly have to say about human rights, that would make sense to anyone else other than the voices in her head, anyway?

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.