This Full House Reviews

Book Review: "Just Who Will You Be?" by Maria Shriver

 

My oldest daughter (she's 14) is graduating from 8th grade in a couple of weeks, but I'm having trouble organizing my thoughts - more than usual, I mean:

• Mini-me (she's my youngest) is turning 7 on Father's Day weekend.

• The Boy (he's 9) is moving to a new school and his promotion into the 4th grade is that same week.

• Thing Two still hasn't had her sleepover, yet - her birthday was in December!

• Oh, and...OMG!...I can hardly believe that my baby is going into high school, next year!

I mean, there's some really important stuff going on around here - the kind where people take pictures that end up in year books and such - but, what words of wisdom can I give my children, when I don't even know what do you want to be when I grow up?!?

Blog Carnival: Review Bloggers 21st Edition

Welcome to the May 26, 2008 Edition of the Review Bloggers Carnival!

It's no secret. I like getting stuff. I like writing about the stuff that we like and perhaps make my family's life a little easier. Especially, if it works!

Or, I haven't managed to break it...YET!

Do you have a review blog - or, perhaps found a product (or, service) that you really, really like and you're aching to share with the rest of the blogosphere - then, you may be interested to learn that the Review Bloggers Carnival has come to This Full House!

Clean off a chair and come on in - mi casa, y su casa - as we canvas the blogosphere and share together in the ultimate consumer experience....window shopping!

This Full House Giveaway #5: WE HAVE A WINNER!

With only 15 more sleeps until my kids start of their summer vacation, we're celebrating summer (early) with one of our coolest giveaways...EVUH!

Target is sponsoring the This Full House "Summer Gear Giveaway" with a $50.00 gift card!!!

[drum roll]

Aaaaaand the winner is:

This Full House Favorite Find: eBeanstalk Launches Toys for Children With Develomental Delays

I've been blogging from This Full House for nearly 5 years, now (yeah, it's been THAT long) and started my review blog last year, soon after the recalls on toxic toys starting rolling in, as a way to search for reputible manufacturers and share some of the best on-line shopping sources I could find.

It is also around the time I found one of my favorite online toy stores and wrote about how toy shopping just got easier.  But, what attracted my attention the most (about these guys) is real moms are at the heart of eBeanstalk.com:

Over 500 new mothers from 38 states with over 800 children from the ages of 0 to 5 (and 50 on the way!) comprise eBeanstalk's Mother Board.

Now, I'd like to share with you their announcement (with their full permission) that they are launching a new section on their website dedicated to toys for children with developmental delays:

Meanwhile, Back at Camp Kegel - Part I

Mom is recovering well from her surgery, thank goodness.  So, now it's Dad's turn.  Yes, wrestling with various health issues, they make a wonderful tag team!

So, while I am at the hospital, taking part in subliminal chit chat and contributing to the high levels of tmi typically found in a fully-packed waiting room -- like, telling the blue-haired lady how I froze my ass at soccer tryouts last night, will have to go again tonight and how I woke up with a cold AND my period, this morning (you're welcome!) -- and then shaking down the vending machine for something really, really salty, my friends from Kamp Kegel are holding reunions in the form of a weekly post roundup.

Here's what my fellow hair-braiding badge awardees were up to this week - oh AND there are some pretty cool giveaways, too:

This Full House Reviews: Were You Raised By Wolves?

My husband and I read a lot of books - honestly, they're stacked in nearly every corner of our house - however, our similarities come to a dead stop, right there, somewhere in between the kitchen and the wine rack against the dining room wall.

He's more of a non-fiction sort of guy, while I like to take my reading light, crisp and perhaps with a grain of salt - preferably dusted along the rim of a margarita glass.

So, when the Parent Bloggers Network asked if I'd be interested in reading, "Were You Raised By Wolves?' authored by Christie Mellor - who also penned the parent's guide to finding their happy place, "The Three-Martini Playdate" - I thought it would be a refreshing change from the mommy-blah-blah-blah-type handbooks out there.

Guess what?   

This Full House Giveaway #5: Summer Gear Giveaway!

[Edited to add 5/26/08: WE HAVE A WINNER!]

 

That's right, Memorial Day is just around the corner - not to mention, the 15th anniversary of my 29th birthday - and then it's only 15 more sleeps until my kids start celebrating the start of their summer vacation.

[shiver]

Okay, it's only 50 degrees out, here in Jersey (would someone puh-lease turn on the heat) still.  We are more than ready to hit the surf and Target has the hottest pint-sized fashions and baby gear to stroll the beaches and boardwalks, this summer!

Want to see?

This Full House Reviews: Pandora.com - Music that soothes a tired mom!

In Greek mythology, Pandora's box was a prolific source of troubles for the supposed first woman on earth to have wreaked havoc with her sense of curiosity.  In cyberspace, however, the name lends itself to a new sort of online radio station that only plays the music you (yes, YOU!) like - did I mention, it's free?

This Full House Special Offers for May

5% off all orders! Use coupon code MAY5 at checkout. Expires May 31.

Free Shipping on all orders of $65 or more! Use code FREEOVER$65 at checkout.

15% off and Free Shipping on All Gift Series orders - A new toy arrives every 3 months for the first year!  Expires May 31.

FIND IT HERE:  ebeanstalk.com

GET IT HERE:   Get 10% off your total order at eBeanstalk.com using the coupon code: FULLHOUSE

© 2008 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

[Oh, and did you know that we host a Review Bloggers Carnival, too?!?]

Mommybar: A virtual toolbelt for moms!

Google me this - is there a way a tech saavy mom, like you (yes, YOU!) can shop, keep coupon codes organized, find out just what in the heck parents are talking about, keep your favorite blogs close AND wear it like a pretty little tool belt?

 

Well...YAH...it's called Mommybar and it's a toolbar you can download (for free) that becomes a part of your web browser and features:

• Mom blogs
• Discussion boards
• Shopping sites
• Explore social networks, resources, podcasts, magazines and other media
• Coupon RSS feeds (updated every 5 minutes)
• Email notifier
• Google search box
• Kids Bar, included

System requirements and download includes:

• Windows Vista/XP/2000
• Firefox 1.0.1+
• Windows, Mac, Linux
• Includes Uninstaller

Did I mention, it's ALL free!?!?

FIND IT:  Mommybar Toolbar

© 2008 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

[Oh, and did you know that we host a Review Bloggers Carnival?]

This Full House Reviews: Venus Fly Trap - It eats bugs for lunch, sort of!

Our family loves the Discovery Channel and we very rarely miss an episode of Deadliest Catch (Go Time Bandit!) and Dirty Jobs (with the hunkiest host on television) or, Survivor Man (this guy eats bugs) and Man Vs. Wild (he's just gross) but, our new favorite Discovery show has to be The Alaska Experiment. 

Why?

Because it's about real people (two of them are from Jersey!) who agreed to move to Alaska, during the winter, and all six of us HATE BUGS!

Still.

My kids were a bit skeptical about the Venus Fly Trap we received from the Discovery Store.

Blog Carnival: Review Bloggers 20th Edition

Welcome to the May 12, 2008 Edition of the Review Bloggers Carnival!

It's no secret. I like getting stuff. I like writing about the stuff that we like and perhaps make my family's life a little easier. Especially, if it works!

Or, I haven't managed to break it...YET!

Do you have a review blog - or, perhaps found a product (or, service) that you really, really like and you're aching to share with the rest of the blogosphere - then, you may be interested to learn that the Review Bloggers Carnival has come to This Full House!

Clean off a chair and come on in - mi casa, y su casa - as we canvas the blogosphere and share together in the ultimate consumer experience....window shopping!

Blogging FYI: Mother's Day Giveaways, Contests and Beyond!

Only 2 more sleeps until Mother's Day and - though, I've already posted my idea of the perfect gift for Mother's Day on my other blog - here are a few more links of some pretty cool giveaways going around the Internets in celebration of Motherhood:

5 Minutes for Mom:  If you haven't had the chance to visit this site, take a few minutes (more than 5 is okay, too) and check out the $1,000 Mother's Day Photo Contest and their amazing list of other contests...um...except, the one for the Kodak ESP 3 All-in-One-Printer...because, I broke mine and that baby is SO on my list!

Mamanista:  You can win a Scootababy and a pair of gorgeous diamond earrings...that's right, DIAMONDS...they ARE a girl's best friend!

ModMom:  Is giving away a Kodak 8.1 megapixel digital camera and iPod Nano from one of my favorites places in the whole wide world - why, Target (Tahr-Shay) of course - and you've got plenty of time, because this contest doesn't end until May 31st!

Mommyfest.com:  Is holding their 5th Annual Mommyfest - an interactive online event for moms - May 12th thru 16th, where bloggers are introduced to some really cool guest speakers and a chance to win some awesome prizes.  Participation is easy and This Full House Reviews (that's me!) will be hosting a giveaway for this event, as well...details coming soon.

Work-it-Mom:  Is hosting a contest and asking readers to write A Mother's Day Tribute for a $150.00 gift certificate from Spafinder.com - details are here!

[takes deep breath]

Speaking of hard-working moms:

CityMama is giving away a Wii Fit and...WHAT?...you want a Wii to go with that whine?  No prob; she's giving that away, too.  All you have to do is write a post about your most embarrassing fitness moment.

Here's mine:

In school I was "the skinny kid" with the scabbed-over knees, happily strutting around with my twin brother (and his friends) and wearing my band aids like trophies.

Then, I hit the 3rd grade and all hell broke loose on my body.

I developed very early and, by the 6th grade, I was the tallest one in my class and kids would call me names like "Amazon" and "SheMan."

Ouch.

My mother said I was "big-boned" and I suspect it was because the poor woman was 13 lbs. when she was born and perhaps already knew that I was genetically doomed to be "a big girl."  Either way, it sucked and my Aunt Theresa (who was 5' and 11") took pity on me and signed us both up for karate class when I was in the 8th grade.

It was great.  The outfit was much more comfortable than the stupid clothes kids were required to wear in gym - a very unflattering jumpsuit that ended with an elastic thigh...UGH - in fact, my karate uniform felt more like a loose pair of comfy pajamas.  I loved it!

Until.

"Hee-YAH!"

[eyes go wide]

"What?"

After an extremely powerful kick, followed by a deep lunge, I jumped up from the mat and followed everyone's gaze to see that my Kotex pad had fallen out and was lying on the floor (face up) and in front of the entire class!

Yeah, I roll like that.

[the sound of crickets chirping]

Did I mention, this was just before self-stick maxi pads came out and I totally forgot to wear my belt!?!?

Don't know what the heck I'm talking about, do you?  Well, it WAS 1970-something.  But, I bet each of you have your own horror stories of menstruation, too.

Even Walt Disney!

Ain't being born female GRAND!?!?

[heavy sigh]

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

© 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!]

[Oh, and did you know that we host a Review Bloggers Carnival, too?!?]

This Full House Giveaway #4: We Have a WINNER!

I love Target (Tahr-shay) and thanks to the nice people representing Target.com (seriously, Rachael deserves a raise, a day off, or something) I have been given the extreme pleasure of making one of you (yes, YOU!) very happy, too.

My youngest (she's 6) has graciously agreed to assist me in the highly technical challenge of picking a name out of a hat.

What?

It was very early this morning, I needed the help and Mini-me is SUCH a camera hound...can you tell!?!

Aaaaand the lucky Momma is....

This Full House Giveaway #4: Rememberall!

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

© 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!]

[Oh, and did you know that we host a Review Bloggers Carnival, too?!?]