It's springtime here in Jersey...wait, let me look out the window...YEP!...today, anyway. So, I thought it would be fun to break out with the light and airy scarves, until I tried to tie one around my neck and, well, that's an accident...just waiting to happen.

There are about a bazillion online tutorials on how to wear scarves and they are all great, until I actually try to tie one around my neck and, well, see previous paragraph.

You know, what?!? It would be a whole lot easier if someone showed us fashionably-dorky-types what [k]NOT to do...and...HEY!!!!...wait a minute...I CAN DO THAT!!!  

Adding to the series of "how NOT to" vlogs, I am very happy to be able to present to you (still breathing and with all my limbs still attached) the scarf edition:

Long story-short: Fashion can be fun, as long as it is kept safe, and I am fashion's number one safety officer, or something like that.  

[sound of crickets, chirping]

Hey...look over there...isn't that Audrey and Vera?!?  

[SLAM!!!]

Stupid scarves, dumbass impossibly difficult knots.

©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything!   

As a parent-type blogger with older kids (i.e. can quantify their ages using both hands AND having moved over to their feet, even) I sometimes feel this incredible need to share a few insights to help save other parents (especially, those with younger kids) a few sleepless nights, or twenty. 

This week: we're expecting another snow storm (seriously, enough with the polar vortex, it's called winter!) and I tend to spend my off hours worrying, rather than sleeping, especially during snow storms, because kids with their driver's licenses, yo.

Aaaaaand, sometimes they sort of forget to call me, whenever they get to wherever it is they are going, because parents don't sleep...period.

So, I'd like to share with you one of my favorite ways of getting the message of "CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THERE, DAMMIT!!!" across.

**offers a plate of cookies, passes over the clicker**

You're welcome.

©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything! 

One of the most memorable moments of the 2014 Sochi Olympics for our family was watching my fellow Team Kelloggs and Team USA athletes Meryl Davis and Charlie White skate their way to a gold medal in ice dancing.

You see, through our partnership with Kellogg's (an official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams) I had the super-awesome opportunity of wishing Meryl and Charlie well and also allowed me the "once in a lifetime" chance to skate with them on The Rink at Rockefeller Center, while taping this segment for the TODAY Show  in NYC.

Okay, I lied. I was in charge of watching everyone's stuff (stupid borked-up back) and WOO-HOO-ing the loudest, take a look:

I am very happy to be able to tell you that Meryl and Charlie are just as down to Earth and awesome in person, as they seem on and off the ice. Both are proving to be really great role models for kids, too.

Especially young adults, who are struggling in school (Meryl was diagnosed with dyslexia and battled with reading until the 11th grade) and perhaps are having a hard time believing in their own aspirations.

I know, because each and every one of my kids has struggled with self-belief (still do, DAGNABIT!) and it doesn't get any easier in high school. 

Having entered my 11th year of blogging...she said, in a Gandolf-like voice...I sometimes feel this incredible need to share a few insights, if you will, to help save other parents a few headaches -- especially, parents of younger kids.

In case you missed it: there's the little infographic to help reinforce a more realistic homework ritual and the how much should you help your child with their school project infographic.

This week? I'm laid up with a kidney stone-type pain (they ARE the devil!) and, once again, my husband used his super-power of being able to assess EXACTLY how badly I feel with 8 simple little words: do you need to go to the hospital?!?

You know, I could never figure out those pain scales...either...which inspired me to create an infographic to help other parents decipher their child's facial expression(s), based on the top 5 faces I get from my teens.

**passes bottle of [insert favorite brand of pain reliever, here]**

You're welcome.

©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything! 

So, last week, I created a little infographic to help reinforce a more realistic homework ritual to help save other parents (especially, those with younger kids) a few headaches.

This week? I was inspired by my friend Beth (a.k.a. Life in the BAT Cave) to create an infographic to help your child complete school projects -- which, at second glance, could pretty much be used as another homework infographic -- because I am also really good at multi-tasking, for you, like that. 

**passes bottle of [insert favorite brand of wine or beverage of choice, because I'm easy, here]**

You're welcome.

©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything! 

As a Kellogg's KChamps partner, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting with U.S. Olympic legends (that's me over there, standing with 1980 Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist...Jim Craig...seriously?!?) and athlete hopefuls representing Team USA to help kick-off the 100 day countdown to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

NO! I am NOT and have NEVER claimed to be an expert, at anything -- other than my insanely awesome ability of leaping tall piles of laundry in a single bound, while listening to 4 different conversations, at once.

However, I can't help but sometimes feel this incredible need to share a few insights on raising kids.

For example:  parenting under the influence of teenagers can make even the smartest of people...sound stoopid...most especially, to teenagers.

So, to save other parents (especially, those with younger kids) a few headaches, I have created this little infographic to help you reinforce a more realistic homework ritual:

**passes bottle of [insert favorite brand of pain reliever, here]**

You're welcome.

©2003 -2014 This Full House with a fan page on Facebook, a way for you to subscribe to receive This Full House blog post by Email and everything!