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The Family Swap

May 9, 2012 By 4 Comments

If the words “family swap” conjure images of you and your cherubs cowering in a lean-to in Appalachia while the Clampetts skin squirrels in your Great Room, I suspect you’ve watched as much reality TV as I have.

(Speaking of…ask me about my Reality TV Rehab Program [results may vary]. No, you cannot watch the Housewives. No, not even Orange County. Yes, I know it’s the original one, and I also want to know all about how Vicki feels during her daughter’s health crisis or if Alexis’ nose surgery was really medically necessary or how Gretchen does in Vegas as a Pussycat Doll, but it’s time to move on. Repeat after me: PBS.)

No, by family swap, I mean a way for you to get all the extra stuff you thought you needed when you bought it into the hands of people who can actually use it. In the process, you have some family- and community-oriented fun as you gather to give away what you don’t need and take what you do. [Read more...]

Filed Under: "Un"Culture, Family, Humor, NJ Fun, Tara Spinelli

Left Stranded on the 3rd of July

February 17, 2012 By 3 Comments

The summer sunset had just begun and the 50 or so friends, family, and neighbors that had filled every crevice of my house and index card sized yard began to make their half a block pilgrimage to the waterfront. We discussed stroller versus wagon options and then abandoned wheeled transportation all together for hand holding and piggy back rides.  My daughter’s three year old hand clutched mine.  “Mommy, I’m scared.”  “Do you not want to go sweets? We can stay home and just listen from the house.”  “No mommy, I want to see the fireworks.  Do you think they will have purple ones?”  “They will surely have purple ones,” I smiled and gave her small knuckles an even smaller squeeze. I could see my husband just up ahead, my son perched on his shoulders, keeping in step with my brothers-in law, everyone happy and full of barbecue and beer. Before the explosions of color shadowed our faces, conversations spontaneously began between neighbors and strangers, all content to wait at the curb for our annual July 3rd celebration. I sat sweetly satisfied, my daughters weight snug in lap, thinking how lucky we were to have this.

In our modern world, there are far too few Mayberry moments. Sure, there are probably places west, north and south of our tri-state area that have a consistent small town feel, but here on the Jersey shore, where people out number parking spots per square mile, we ironically lack a sense of community.  However, once a year, the citizens of my borough come together as a town, to enjoy a fireworks show whose lingering glow rivals a stadium full of cell phones during “Never Say Goodbye” at a Bon Jovi concert.  That is, until this year.

For the past 10 years, I have celebrated my town’s long standing tradition of fireworks over The Navesink River on July 3rd with true and somewhat surprising patriotism. Surely for the first six of those ten years I, perhaps, contributed to the rowdier more rebel raising side of the this event, but for the last four, it has been a true red, white and blue family affair.  Now, for the first time since 1959, there will be no KaBoom. [Read more...]

Filed Under: "Un"Culture, Amy Griffiths, NJ Fun Tagged With: , ,

Featured Partner: The Community YMCA

February 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

At the Y, strengthening community is our cause. Every day, we work side by side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. We’re proud to serve over 20,000 people in Monmouth County with programs that nurture the potential of children and teens, help individuals live healthier, and foster a sense of social responsibility.

The Y is here for families! We provide safe, trusted, and high quality programs such as:  academic preschool, before and after school enrichment, health and wellness, swim and safety courses, teen leadership and character development, personal and family counseling, summer day camp, vacation and school break camps, arts enrichment and more.  

Here’s just a sampling of our programs:

The Y never turns away anyone who needs us and all are welcome.   Financial assistance is available.  For more information, please call 732.671.5505 or visit TheCommunityYMCA.org.

Connect with us on Facebook.  Follow us on Twitter.

Filed Under: Awareness, Family, Feature, Mind-Body-Spirit, NJ Fun, Sports Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Contributor Feature: Chrissy MacCarrick

January 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I’m just gonna say it. We have some veritable rock stars in our presence. We’re incredibly proud to be in the company of these talented women and host them here as JerseyMomsBlog Contributors. Chrissy MacCarrick is no exception. Her personal blog, LifeAsACEO, tracks the daily trials of her appropriately proclaimed position as CEO of her household and it is full of truth, fun and a delightful perspective.

 In true, multi-tasking-Mom-blogger fashion, Chrissy also runs her Jersey Shore Families community, a hyper-local online family resource full of ideas, adventures and advice from a Mom who’s in the know.

 In Chrissy’s own, perfectly penned words… “It’s been said that I require a placemat to list my job descriptions & qualifications because a business card would not be big enough.  My placemat includes duties as a wife, mom, business owner, website Editor, social media consultant, blogger, Zumba instructor…and everything in between {phew!}”.

 Who does not relate!?

 Here’s a fun post by Chrissy, originally featured on LifeAsACEO and an appropriate read as we head into the season of love. Enjoy. And do check out all that Chrissy has to offer at her personal blogs too.

——————–

 My Husband’s Girlfriend

 When I was my husband’s girlfriend…I really strived to be “hot.” I worked out almost daily, and flaunted what I thought was a sexy body with coordinating bra and panty sets from Victoria Secret. I owned just one velour sweat suit– & even that was a cutesie baby pink set that didn’t have lollipop stuck to it or boogers wiped across it. I went for bi-monthly manicures, never had roots {gasp!}, washed my face every night before bed and got regular facials. All of these acts made me feel confident {& sexy} in my own skin.

When I was my husband’s girlfriend…I didn’t always spend the night. I had a hard time becoming confident in the “trust” department thanks to some crappy relationships & my broken family upbringing, but I did come to realize the benefits of giving your partner space. I am a firm believer that absence makes the heart grow fonder. After a night home alone channel surfing, or a night out with pals, we always looked forward to the thrill of spending quality time together.

When I was my husband’s girlfriend…I hid some things from him. Like horrific smelling farts, or strange noises coming from the bathroom. Sure, I once sneezed and wiped my boogs on his couch {true story!} but for the most part, I acted like a lady & made certain that some things remained a mystery.

When I was my husband’s girlfriend….I was always up for a romp in the sack. {enough said.}

When I was my husband’s girlfriend….I was always up for anything! I wasn’t haggard and tired, or cranky and moody. Dinner out? Sure! Dinner in? Why not! A movie? You pick! A concert? Even better!

This March [2011], DaddyMac & I will be married for 7 years. I worked hard at being his girlfriend, but I don’t always work hard at being his wife. Any mom can relate to the physical, mental and emotional toll of child-rearing & raising–and I believe it’s understandable and acceptable to allow the exhaustion of motherhood to take over. But now that my kids are growing, and we are starting to settle into our lives, I am realizing how important it is to nurture our relationship, and my personal self. And I think reflecting on my girlfriend-self is a great place to start.

Filed Under: Chrissy MacCEO, Family, Humor, NJ Fun

Jersey Kids? Or Jersey Kids!

November 4, 2011 By 6 Comments

My kids are going to be from Jersey?

This was the first thing that popped into my head when we were moving from Maryland and I had finally accepted the reality that we would not be residing in Manhattan or another borough. I was alright with my husband’s job transfer to New York when I thought it would land me in The Big Apple. You know, pushing my stroller like Sarah Jessica Parker or chatting with Liev and Naomi while our kids played together at the park.

That’s what I imagined in my head. Then I started looking at rentals (and their prices) and my husband quietly reminded me (He was on thin ice with this move, the reminders needed to be quiet.) that we had three kids not one baby, so city living (and carting scooters up the stairs of five-story walkups) might not be as quaint as I envisioned.

So I gave in and headed to Jersey for house hunting. To this point, my experience had been visits to his grandmother’s house in Spring Lake and trips through Elizabeth on I95. He deemed Spring Lake too far on the train and quite frankly I was pretty sure we were never living there anyway (might as well rent in Manhattan). So, I was left with the refinery view from I95 and I feared that alternative.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cristie Ritz King, NJ Fun Tagged With: , ,

NJ and The Fall… Perfect Together

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What’s not to love about living in the great Garden State during the Fall. Whether you live in the city or suburbs, with the abudance of farms, beaches and rivers, a short car or train ride can take you to magical destinations if you let it. For this week’s Facebook Question Friday, we asked our readers what they LOVE about New Jersey in the Fall.  Here’s the fantastic response.. and a warning: After reading, you’ll probably crave an apple pie!

 

  • Heather Roberge Gordon: Exactly what Nikki said! :-)

  [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, JerseyMomsBlog, NJ Fun, Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jersey Fresh: Cucuzza! What?

August 12, 2011 By 11 Comments

Today my wonderfully helpful sister was weeding my jungle of a garden.  She told me there were tons of tomatoes, especially cherry ones.  Then she exclaimed that there were these really long cucumbers hanging off the back fence.

“Cucumbers?,” I thought.   Didn’t all my cukes die during the heat wave a couple of weeks ago?  And since when do cucumbers get “really long”?  (Yes, I know about English cucumbers, but I wouldn’t consider them really long.)  “Mmm, I’ll go take a look,” I told her.

Frankly, I have been avoiding my garden like the FREAKIN’ PLAGUE for the past two weeks since I was eaten ALIVE by freakin’ NJ mosquitos.  (My swollen and itchy legs gave me a new appreciation for migrant farm workers who break their backs harvesting the food we find in the grocery store.  I know the work is oppressive, but add mosquito bites and images of torture conjure in my mind.)  Thus, why the garden is overgrown with weeds and the vegetables are overripe and nibbled upon by voracious bunnies.

But… you are never going to believe what I found!!! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Brenda Milouchev, Food, NJ Fun Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Without Traffic, 55 Minutes

August 11, 2011 By 4 Comments

Midway through my first pregnancy, my obgyn announced she would be closing her practice in New Jersey and moving out west.  Lucky for me, her closing date fell just shortly after my due date.  At my 40-week visit and with just five days left before the close of her practice, we weighed our options on how to proceed with my fickle “cherub.”  At my 34-week mark, my cherub decided she wanted to appear early and sent my husband and I into a panic.  She never arrived and I was sent home.  Apparently the cherub was just testing our response time.  But I digress.

It was during this 40-week visit, that my obgyn and I shared a conversation that still resonates in my head.

With her cross-country move just days away, we talked about the city she was moving to and the practice she would be joining.  With malpractice insurance so much more affordable everywhere other than New Jersey and the breathtaking landscape that surrounded the new city she would call home, you couldn’t help but feel her excitement and joy. I mused at how I would love to pick up and move somewhere completely foreign to me.  To this she responded with the following:  “You are a jersey girl.  Most of you may leave for college, but in the end you return and never leave.”  She had an interesting point.  With legs akimbo, I mentally ran through the list of all my family and friends.  She was right.  Most of us did, in fact, leave for college only to return and start our families back in good ole New Jersey.

After some thought, I explained to her, “But it’s Jersey.  Without traffic everything is 55 minutes maybe 65 minutes away, tops!  Why leave?”    To this she laughed and agreed. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cristina Fowler, Family, NJ Fun Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Food Fight, Jersey-Style!

August 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hi, yes, it’s me again, talking about food. But now that I’m free to blab about this cool assignment I was on in the spring, during which I was sworn to secrecy, I just can’t help it!

The August issue of the Star-Ledger’s Inside Jersey magazine features a Best of NJ “Food Fight” article that calls out the best burgers, pizza, subs, desserts, and ice cream in the state. Each category was investigated by a crack team of hungry Jerseyans who had the insanely challenging task of sampling five locations (pre-determined by the article editor – Mr. Munchmobile himself, Pete Genovese) in North, Central, and South Jersey in the course of one month.

Plucked from a pile of hungry (and clearly unhinged) applicants, I was selected for the Dessert Team and—yes, indeed—ate a seriously indecent amount of baked, frosted, glazed, fried, dipped, and powdered items from 15 bakeries to determine the best of the best. There were highs and there were lows (the numbers on my bathroom scale not among the latter), but overall it was a mighty good time.

Pick up the mag on newsstands, or check out the article here, for the full scoop from all the teams. In the meantime, I wanted to share the top five scrumptious treats I tried. Sugar-dusted drumroll please …

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Deanna Q, Food, NJ Fun Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The NJ Festival of Ballooning: Magical!

August 2, 2011 By 5 Comments

This past weekend we headed north to Readington to the New Jersey Festival of Ballooning.

I found out about this NJ event when they contacted us here at Jersey Moms Blog.  Prior to this, I had no inkling that such a magical and majestic spectacular existed here in the Garden State.  I have to say, “too bad” because it was quite a show of grandeur and delight, for me, my husband and my kids.  So, I want to share some awesome photos with you. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Brenda Milouchev, NJ Fun Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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