Monthly Archives: June 2010

Recipe: Tortellini Pasta Salad

Perfect for your next BBQ. Quick and easy!

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
2 bags (19 oz each) cheese-filled tortellini (frozen, fresh, whatever!)
4 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup ranch dressing
1 lb bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Let pasta cool.
Mix together all ingredients. Let sit in refrigerator for about an hour. Serve cold!

Enjoy!

This post is linked to:
Check them out for more recipes!

Boobies Are For Babies

I’m not a very controversial type of person.  I’m a peace keeper.  I don’t like to blog about stuff just to create drama or get attention.  But when my sister-in-law told me about an experience she had this weekend, I just had to say something about it.  If you follow me on Twitter, you’ve already heard me say a few things about it and I just want to say thank you to everyone who retweeted on my behalf and encouraged me to speak up about it.

My step-brother and his family attended King’s Island in Ohio on Saturday.  He and his lovely wife are parents to two little boys and one adorable baby girl (no, I’m not jealous…much).  While at the park, baby girl got hungry.  The poor little thing was hot, hungry and tired.  So, naturally, my sister-in-law did what any good Mom would do and found a place to sit down and feed her baby.  She discreetly nursed her hungry baby in an outdoor pavilion where they hold shows and such.  The place was empty and there was no show going on at the time.

A woman who works for the park came up to my SIL and said, “I’m sorry, you are going to have to find somewhere else to do that. WE DO NOT ALLOW THAT HERE.”

*deep breath*

My SIL is like me. Quiet. Keeps to herself. Doesn’t like to rock the boat.  So she asked the woman, “Excuse me? What did you say?”  Thinking surely she misunderstood.

Nope. She didn’t.  The woman asked her to stop nursing the baby and leave the area.

So she did.  My SIL now says that she regrets leaving and not dealing with it immediately, but she was so angry and upset that she just walked away instead of causing a scene.

Sorry.  BUT I’M CAUSING A SCENE.

BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC IS NOT INAPPROPRIATE!

I can bet money that there were boobs hanging out all over the place at the theme park that day.  I will also bet not one of them was asked to cover up or leave the area because of it.

Since when is letting it all hang out ok but discreetly feeding a baby is not?!

Did you hear about Kim Kardashian tweeting about being appalled at a woman breastfeeding her baby in public?  (Which I read about at Her Bad Mother, by the way, another great article about this subject!)

UM HELLO?!  Pot calling the kettle black much?  That woman has her stuff out for there everyone to see!

Now, let me just say, I don’t think breastfeeding women should be whipping their breasts out for all mankind to see all in the name of breastfeeding.  I think modesty and discretion are important.

But when it comes to my boys being flashed with a booby so a woman can feed her hungry baby or the baby left for hungry so as to not “offend” anyone, I choose to feed the hungry baby.

WE SHOULD ALWAYS CHOOSE TO FEED THE HUNGRY BABY.

I’m not calling for a boycott of King’s Island or anything dramatic like that (though I do believe they need to make this right with my SIL).  From what I understand, others have had no problem nursing their babies there and King’s Island even boasts a Baby Care Center where Moms can tend to their little ones.

What I am doing here is taking advantage of an opportunity to EDUCATE.

BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC IS NOT INAPPROPRIATE!

 It is not always convenient for a Mother to “go find a different spot.”  Do you think we like to nurse our babies in the glaring sun in 100 degree heat with a blanket wrapped around us?  Don’t you think we would rather sit in an air conditioned room with privacy?

DUH.

When a baby is hungry, YOU FEED IT.

You have the right to a vending machine around every corner.  So breastfeeding babies should be allowed to eat whenever they like as well.

Does it make you uncomfortable to be around a breastfeeding woman?

SORRY.  TOO BAD.


BOOBIES ARE FOR BABIES.

P.S. – I didn’t even mention the fact that it is ILLEGAL to ask a breastfeeding woman to stop and leave.  You can read all about that HERE.

*AHEM*

I rest my case.


Many thanks to my dear sweet sister in law for letting me rant about her injustices. 🙂

Why You Shouldn’t Do The 30 Day Shred Workout Video With A 5 Year Old

Do not do the 30 Day Shred Workout Video by Jillian Michaels with a five year old.

Seriously. Don’t. Do. It.

Why?

Mommy, are you going to do your workout now? Can I do it with you?!!!

Mommy, why are your armpits fuzzy looking?

Jumping jacks? These are piece as cake! (not a spelling error, he always says piece as cake instead of piece of cake and I will not be correcting him until he is 25)

Mommy, why do your knees make noise when you bend like that?

I follow Natalie, Mommy.  She is better. (For those of you who have never had the pleasure of self torture via Jillian Michaels, Natalie is the “advanced” girl and Anita is the girl you follow if you are needing a “low impact” work out.  I follow Anita quite often. SO WHAT.)

Here, Mommy, let me hold your head while you do those sit ups.  You look like you need help with your head.

Um, Mom, THAT is NOT how you are supposed to be doing it. *eye roll*

Sorry my arm is bumping you Mom, but you are kind of in my way.

Mommy, don’t you wish there was a level FOUR?!  You’d be SO strong.  (yeah, or dead)

Whew, this is hard work, I’m going to take a break and get a snack! (NO FAIR)

That one girl is as tall as the ceiling!

Shouldn’t you be on Level 3 by now?

Did you know that this is exercise too Mommy?

You hear that Mom? Jillian said, “CHOP, CHOP!”

Two minutes of cardio Mom! Can you handle it?

What is cardio?

Do you need me to pause it for you?

If I was a girl, my hair would be shaking back and forth right now!

She said NOT to do that Mom.  You are disobeying.

Don’t you dare put that video on Facebook, Mom!

(What, you mean this video? I wouldn’t dare!)

(Or this one?, Not me! I would never!)

Now that we’re done with easy Level One, I’m gonna do Level Three by myself!

(And he does…and kicks Level Three’s butt, by the way.)

Mommy, you look like you need a hug!  Ewwww, nevermind, you smell funny.

And THAT my friends, is why you should NEVER. EVER. Do the 30 Day Shred workout video with a five year old.  (Besides the fact that you spend the whole time writing down all the funny things he says and taking pictures the whole time, thus nullifying the affects of the workout.)

This post is linked to Not Me Monday hosted by MckMama!

Mckmama- Not Me Monday

*Amazon Affiliate Links* Um, obviously.

Meal Idea: Taco Salad

Most of the meals I make do not have a recipe.  I make stuff up…often.  But that shouldn’t keep me from sharing my meal ideas with you, should it?!  Here is one of our favorites, Taco Salad. Or Tostada Salad. I don’t know, meat and salad that tastes like a taco in a little bowl that you can eat.

So, basically, I take anything that I have on hand that is “Mexican” (ish) and throw it in one of those taco bowls you buy at the grocery store.  I get the kind that come flat and then you bake them on a little silver thingy to make them curl up like a bowl.  (so helpful, aren’t I!)  I have these yummy little bowls on my “make my own recipe for this so I don’t have to buy it in the store” list. Along with eleventy-billion other things.

In ours: taco meat, black beans, pinto beans, corn, raw spinach leaves, shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream.

Delicious, and the kids love it, which is why I will save some to put into Chandler’s lunch for school.

Because, unlike the rest of America, our kids still have two more weeks of school left!  The rest of you can enjoy this for a light summer dinner.  While we will still be doing homework. 🙂