Tough Times

It's inevitable, dark clouds roll in and taking shelter under a good, strong umbrella is comforting. Whether it's finances, car trouble, or a broken relationship, we have to confront these issues if we ever hope to get to the other side, the sunny side.

I became unemployed in February 2009 and with that loss of income our family was hit hard by the mortgage crisis. We are working with our lender to modify our loan and I'm hopeful that this will happen, but I have also been very proactive in making the calls, sending in the paperwork, and basically being the squeaky wheel. This is just one aspect of the stress we are all experiencing.

Another is the toll all of this is taking on our relationships, be it marriage, friendships, family, or business associates. When people feel these kinds of pressures, they tend to withdraw and communicate less. With less communication comes confusion and questions. More often than not you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, a confrontation. Even those of us who handle these situations more easily don't like them but the fact is, a confrontation is merely the warning signal that more communication is needed so understanding can occur. Understanding each other does not mean you will agree, but you can at least see the situation from the perspective of the other.

Take some time to connect and talk. We are all going through these tough times and having many of the same experiences. If you are invited to a barbecue, go. When a girlfriend calls you to join a girls night out, accept the invite. Get out and be with other people, not only will it be a nice distraction from whatever the current crisis is, but you never know, there just might be a connection or opportunity waiting for you!

Quotes That Resonate

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Noodle to Noodle, Dinner for Two!

"Noodle to Noodle, Dinner for Two!"

We love pasta but we love to have fun more! Pasta is one of those foods that just naturally lends itself to "playing with your food." I've always wanted to share a single string of pasta with Mason and he's finally old enough to play along. We had a ton of fun trying to get this picture and what I learned above all else, you can't suck pasta, laugh, and keep your eyes open all at the same time!

This all came to be while we were putting Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta to a taste test to see if we could tell the difference between the Ronzoni and regular white pasta. I can't say we could tell a dramatic difference in taste, but it was clear we liked the higher fiber pasta better. The texture was clearly better and it was even better in the few days after we originally cooked it. We love it!

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Ronzoni and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review and photo contest entry. In addition, I received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Quotes That Resonate

~"Behind every technological breakthrough there lies a dream. Behind every new product there lies a dream. Dreams create realities-- through hard work." ~
Rolf Jensen

Pasta! Pasta! Pasta!

We love, love, love pasta and any of you with kids eat more than your fair share! Not only do we like traditional spaghetti with red sauce, but we like cold pasta in the summer months. As mom, I like to get more healthful grains and fiber with my pasta but it tends to taste a bit like eating cardboard. When I don't like it, I know Mason isn't going to eat it. I was excited to put Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta to the test and even more so, interested to see if Mason can tell the difference. I'm happy to report that we all picked the Ronzoni over the traditional white pasta!

Here's a picture of our favorite summertime pasta dish, Funky Spaghetti! It's pasta with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. So easy, so good, and now with Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta, so good for you!

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Ronzoni and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review and photo contest entry. In addition, I received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”