This Full House

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?

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.

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:

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!

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

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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.

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Beware: Bitch Session in Progress - Hold my calls and mind all the empty margarita glasses.

My mom had double-knee replacement surgery, last year (yes, it's just as icky as it sounds) and her and dad have had one medical challenge after another, since then.

Life goes like that, sometimes - beautiful one minute, filled with suckage the rest.

It's okay, though.  I sort of imagine life as a giant 50 foot female, all hopped up on too much caffeine and experiencing a bad hair day, and expect it will probably try to bite me in the ass, more than once.

Today, most especially, she is going to be a total BITCH!

Got teens - it's about time we had a Girl Talk, yes?

I remember the one (and only) time I ever saw my father flat-out drunk.

It was New Years Day in 1978 (I was 14) and we were on our way home from spending the entire night celebrating at The Hungarian Club, but my twin brother and I had to help my mother carry our father to the car, insisting that he was just too "happy" to drive.

We carried him upstairs, sat him on the bed and tried hard NOT to burst out in a fit of giggles, as he tried to pull his turtleneck off his head and somehow managed to twist it into something resembling a straight jacket.

We STILL laugh at that one!

"Um...Mom...have you been drinking, again?"

Blog Reader Appreciation Day

That's right, today is Blog Reader Appreciation Day.

Why?

Well, City Mama said so and Robin (The Other Mother) came up with this wonderful idea of showing your blog readers a little love; that's why!

So, what's it to you?

Beware: Mommy on Duty - Hold my calls and mind the middle child.

When Thing One was born, my husband and I couldn't wait to bring her home and welcomed our new roles, as mother and father to our brand new baby daughter, celebrating each milestone of "firsts" with equal amounts of enthusiasm and trepidation.

Then, I became pregnant with Thing Two and - though, I couldn't wait and called my husband, at work, and gave him the results of the pregnancy test, while in the middle of a meeting with a client - I soon started to worry whether or not I was ready to separate myself from being "the world" to Thing One and having to share, well, pretty much everything, from my toes up, with TWO babies!?!

Soon, my fears were put to rest and the mommy in me sort of just, you know, kicked into high gear and there seemed to be plenty of me to go around.

Until, they grew up and NOW my husband Garth (not his real name) and I combine our super parental powers and it takes every bit of that strength...NOT to bite their little heads off.

PBN Blog Blast: The Truth About Motherhood - and it is the one you probably won't want to hear, either.

The Parent Bloggers Network is collaborating with Discovery Health to introduce their new docu-drama "Deliver Me" which follows three women - best friends, working mothers and physicians - as they balance delivering babies together in their OB/GYN practice with their lives outside the delivery room.

Perhaps you're like me - having given birth to what will probably be her last baby, 6 years ago - and asking yourself, what's this have to do with me?

Well, they're looking for bloggers to tell them the truth about motherhood and I happen to have a one that just might hurt, a little.