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In this digital new world, more and more parents are connecting with their kids via untraditional methods…facebook, linkedin, myspace, etc.  Whatever happened to good old fashioned talking?

Since when is twitter a viable method of finding out what your kids are doing?

Granted, my children are still young, but I’d like to think that talking won’t be outdated by the time they are teenagers.

An interesting article on the topic is found here.  What are your thoughts?

Penne Pasta

This recipe comes from one of my favorite sites, Cheap Eats.

The author provides a great deal of information on choosing the correct ingredients and preparing the most cost effective recipes that your family will love.  Stop by her site and take a look around.

We all know it.  We just don’t want to admit it.  Once you have kids, you change.  There’s something that happens to you (perhaps physiologially) that just alters your chemistry.  You become the person you never thought you’d be.  You become someone you never thought you could be.  You become your mother.

How do you know when this happens?  Here’s a few signs to be on the lookout for.

1. Your feet stick to the kitchen floor, and you don’t care.
2. When the kids are fighting, you threaten to lock them in a room together and not let them out until someone’s bleeding.
3. You can’t find your cordless phone, so you ask a friend to call you, and you run around the house madly, following the sound until you locate the phone downstairs in the laundry basket.
4. You spend an entire week wearing sweats.
5. Your idea of a good day is making it through without a child leaking bodily fluids on you.
6. Popsicles become a food staple.
7. Your favorite television show is a cartoon.
8. Peanut butter and jelly is eaten at least in one meal a day.
9. You’re willing to kiss your child’s boo-boo, regardless of where it is.
10. Your kids make jokes about bodily functions, and you think it’s funny.
11. You’re so desperate for adult conversation that you spill your guts to the telemarketer that calls…and HE hangs up on YOU!
12. Spit is your number one cleaning agent.
13. You buy cereal with marshmallows in it.
14. The closest you get to gourmet cooking is making Rice Krispie treats.
15. You’re up each night until 10:00 P.M. vacuuming, dusting, wiping, washing, drying, loading, unloading, shopping, cooking, driving, flushing, ironing, sweeping, picking up, changing sheets, changing diapers, bathing, helping with homework, paying bills, budgeting, clipping coupons, folding clothes, putting to bed, dragging out of bed, brushing, chasing, buckling, feeding (them, not you), PLUS swinging, playing baseball, bike riding, pushing trucks, cuddling dolls, roller blading, basketball, football, catch, bubbles, sprinklers, slides, nature walks, coloring, crafts, jumping rope, PLUS raking, trimming, planting, edging, mowing, gardening, painting, and walking the dog. You get up at 5:30 AM and you have no time to eat, sleep, drink, or go to the bathroom, and yet…you still managed to gain 10 pounds.

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Bill Koellner believes that it’s important to equally parent your children.  I completely agree.  As much as the love of a single parent can influence the growth and development of a child, it’s always a better situation if both parents are involved.

So Bill set off on a bike ride to raise awareness.

My question is…

Who was watching his children while he was riding his bike?

That’s right.  Mom was.

See you when you get back Bill!

You probably have most of the ingredients to make this yourself at home.  Enjoy!

Easy Summer Macaroni Salad Recipes

Macaroni salads are always a big hit at summer barbecues. These recipes are easy to prepare and you can make them ahead of time. They taste better if you let them sit in the refrigerator and let the pasta absorb the flavors of the other ingredients. Surprise your loved ones with one of these delicious pasta creations at your next summer family get together.

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb. salad macaroni
12 med. green onions, sliced
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 c. thinly sliced celery
12 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
1 c. dill pickles, chopped
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. mustard
1 tbsp. horseradish
1 tbsp. dill pickle juice
Salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain well. Rinse and drain again. Place macaroni into large bowl. Add onion, eggs, celery, and pickle. Blend together the mayonnaise, horseradish, mustard, and pickle juice. Stir into macaroni mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill 4-6 hours.

Deli-Style Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (7 oz.) corkscrew macaroni
6 oz. sliced genoa salami, cut into strips
1 small onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced pitted ripe olives, drained
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried oregano and basil (crushed)
6 oz. provolone cheese, cut into 3/4-in. cubes
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1/4 c. snipped parsley
1-1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
Sweet red pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
2 med. tomatoes, cut into wedges

Cooking Instructions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. In large bowl combine macaroni, Provolone cheese, salami, zucchini, onion, peppers, olives, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Dressing: in screw top jar combine olive oil, vinegar, dry mustard, oregano, basil and garlic. Cover and shake well. Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss lightly to coat. Cover and chill overnight, or at least 4 hours. To serve, add tomato wedges and toss lightly.

Curly Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:
1 pkg. curly macaroni
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. chopped ham
4 tbsp. mayonnaise

Cooking Instructions:

Cook macaroni and drain well. Add the rest of the ingredients. Chill.

Shrimp Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:
2 c. macaroni
1 c. celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1 (7 oz.) can shrimp, drained
3-4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. Miracle Whip
3/4 c. French dressing

Cooking Instructions:

Cook macaroni and drain well. Mix Miracle Whip and French dressing together and pour over ingredients. Toss. Chill and serve.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

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