It's the same thing, every summer, about this time, the kids shake down our mail carrier, desperately awaiting news of their teachers and classes for the new school year. So, when I heard the SLAM! of our mailbox (our new carrier seems to be a wee bit crankier than usual, I don't blame him) and then Hope's feet running for the front door (she walks/runs like her muh-thuh!) I was hoping that the wait would be over...FINALLY! [SLAM!...SQUEEEEE!] I felt it safe to assume that...yep...they got their back-to-school letters. "It's from....Hogwarts?!?" They each received a personalized letter, addressed to The... Read more →

Traveling with younger kids is hard, trust me, I know. My minivan has battle scars -- not to mention, unidentifiable stains, which will stay that way, because, seriously, I don't even want to know and I'm STILL finding petrified food c. 2006 -- to prove it! Driving, now that my kids are ALL in double-digits, however, and being stuck in traffic, for half the trip (seriously, Connecticut?) can make even the most level-headed, easy-going, and emotionally-balanced parent go all mental. "Would you PLEASE stop talking and put some noodles into your mouth, or something!" Then again, I don't remember ever... Read more →

I was born in a bay town, caressed each of my children, for the first time, in a room overlooking the banks of a river and raised them in a shore town, within viewing distance of the Hudson River. Where the ocean touches the earth, plays hide-and-go-seek with the light and the sunshine is treasured above all else. Not to mention, the slightly tangy sting of the fresh salty air. It's in their blood. Their father has been coming to this same beach since he was a child. It's where we spent our first days as man and wife and... Read more →

Seems like only yesterday, we were ALL complaining about the cold, or the cataclysmic aftermath of Snowpocalpyse 2011 and our not being able to get to CVS, before running out of milk and/or coffee, am I right?!? [sound of crickets, chirping] Riiiiiiight!!! Welcome to Humidaggedon 2011, my friends, where makeup and the use of combustible hair products is optional (albiet, ill-advised) because, MEH, why bother, right? Breathing is hard enough. In fact, it's going to be Africa-hot, for the next few days (here in Jersey, anyway) and, well, looks as if my husband, Garth (not his real name) picked a... Read more →

I was emailing, back and forth, with a friend, early today, when I noticed something funny. Not like, in, ha ha, funny (I need at least 2 cups of coffee for that to happen) but, more like, hey, wait a minute, that sentence didn't read like that...in my head...anyway. Which is when I realized something. Not ONLY do I talk in my sleep (you lucky BlogHer roomies, you!) but, I think real fast, when I write, too. However, I'm not sure if it's because my mind is used to racing...ALL THE TIME... or, if my fingers just can't keep up... Read more →

Although, it may not be perfect, a little rough around the edges, actually and perhaps even trampled on, once, too often -- on this particular day, it was lifted up, brought home, put into a special "treasures jar" and is loved, just the same. (At least, that's what I see, when I wrote this, at 3:30 a.m., when I should be sleeping!) © 2003 - 2011 This Full House Read more →

Three weeks into our summer vacation, things are going pretty smoothly and by that I mean, at the end of the day, we're all feeling a bit tired (in a good way) not to mention, sun-kissed and slightly pool-drunk from one too many belly flops. Of course, I meant to do that and yes...IT HURTS...like a son of monkey's uncle, riding on my back, along with the rest of his family and a couple of his monkey-like friends, while singing, "It's hard out here for a chimp, like me," too. [sound of crickets, chirping] Sorry, clearly I'm finding it increasingly... Read more →