My kids love hearing the stories behind their namesakes and each still pretty much like their given names, except for our youngest: while playing a name game at a friend's baby shower, Hope insisted she wanted to be called Robin. "How come my name doesn't start with a H, like the girls?" For two reasons: naming your children with the same letter sounds harmless enough, until you try hollering for one of them, and can't seem to remember their names, without sounding like an idiot...each and every blessed time...because, I'm smart like that. There is also a pretty neat and... Read more →

I feel extremely lucky to have experienced (what I consider to be) once-in-a-lifetime type moments, via my little corner of the internets and feel very blessed to have a strong online network of friends and peers (yes, they know about it!) most especially, when dissing them during the Type-A Advanced blogging conference in Philadelphia to spend the rest of the weekend, with my oldest daughter. it's our first mother/daughter weekend away, can you tell?!? While my friends Amy Clark and Jo-Lynne Shane fed my inner-squirrel...I mean, what I meant to say was...encouraged my love of Pinterest (heh) and Maria Bailey... Read more →

I had the extreme pleasure of being invited by new friends at the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection in Ontario County, NY for a girlfriends weekend getaway and join them as guests of the Finger Lakes Foodie Awards. We were treated to a wonderful foodie tour and met with some of the most amazing folks spearheading the farm to table (a.k.a. field to fork) food revolution. Our 4-day visit was packed with SO MANY wonderful experiences, so I am very excited (and most eager) to share with you the fun things to see and do in the Finger Lakes region of... 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 →

My favorite view of Provincetown, MA. We're baaaa-aaaack! What an AWESOME trip we had, too. I'm STILL sorting through piles of dirty laundry, as we speak. So, for your viewing pleasure, some highlights of the last days of our summer road trip through New England. Day 7 - Provincetown is located way at the tip of Cape Cod, or "upper cape" as the locals call it.The girls were all like, "Wow, Provincetown has a boardwalk!" Though, we couldn't find anyone selling any funnel cakes, or knew what the heck a "Zeppole" is (i.e. fried dough in Jersey) but, we did... Read more →

Why don't you take a long walk on a...um...oh my...but, that's one looooong jetty! We just got back from spending a 4-day family getaway with Mini-me's godparents, my parents and my Aunt Elizabeth (she's my father's youngest sister, who I happened to be named after, and...YES...she happens to be a lovable DORK, too) who's visiting from Hungary for the summer. Yes, we are ALL still speaking to each other...sort of. My parents are not able to walk very long distances, anymore - which sucks and can make someone, who's used to always being on the go, very, very cranky -... Read more →

[This is an original New Jersey Moms Blog post - newest sister site to Silicon Valley Moms Blog - cross-posted here to This Full House and yes, I am VERY HAPPY to be their first contributing blogger!] Contrary to what other people may have told you - especially, if you've ever watched the opening credits of The Sopranos - there are some very pretty places to visit here in New Jersey, if you're willing to travel beyond the toll booths outside of New York City and away from the factories lining both sides of the New Jersey Turnpike. It's not... Read more →