Open Discussion: Blogger vs. Wordpress

Today I am traveling to Maryland to to celebrate my youngest nephew's first birthday so I didn't have much time to write this morning.  So today I thought we could try an open discussion topic.  I would love to hear your opinion on the Blogger vs. Wordpress debate.  Which do you prefer?  Which do you feel is more reliable?  Which is more user friendly?    These are questions just to get us started.  I would love to hear what everyone has to say.  I have heard that many fellow bloggers are moving over to Wordpress and I was just wondering is the move worth the hassle?  Keep the discussion going and I'll chime in when I get home this evening.  Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

Misikko Winner!

I am so excited to announce that with 553 entries, Jess is our lucky Misikko winner with comment number 84!  Jess won with this comment: "Follow Misikko on Twitter."  Congratulations Jess!  I hope you enjoy your new flat iron!  Jess has 48 hours to accept her prize before I randomly pick a new winner.  Thanks to all that entered and thanks for reading Between the Lines!

Fabulous Food Friday With Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Mom

Welcome to Fabulous Food Friday! While exploring the blogosphere, I realized that there were many great recipes to share. So every Friday, I am going to try to feature an awesome blogger with their great recipe!  Today’s feature blogger is Jane from Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Mom. When you get a chance to swing by Jane's yummy blog, make sure to check out all her fantastic recipes. And I know this isn't really a signature recipe, but she just posted Panera's great Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad. So good!

Here's a bit from Jane herself:

I'm a mom, wife, 2nd grade teacher, blogger, and author of Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms. As a busy mom with sport schedules and very little time to cook after work, I have found make-ahead meals to be very helpful. I try to prepare our meals a day ahead or make extra meals on the weekend and freeze them. I always thought about having my own cookbook. So when I learned about self-publishing on-line a couple of years ago, I began turning my favorite recipes into make-ahead meals for my own cookbook. I figured if these tasty make-ahead recipes helped me...it would help other parents as well. My cookbook was published in September of 2009. Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms is available at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Now that we're into summer, I thought you might enjoy this cold pasta salad. It's my favorite! I usually make it a day ahead to save time.


Pasta and Pickle Salad

Ingredients

3 cups rotini or pasta ruffles pasta
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup bread and butter pickles, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced

Directions
 1. Cook the pasta according to the directions. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain well and place the pasta in a large serving bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and sugar. Pour this over the pasta and mix. Add the pickles, celery, carrot, and green onions; mix well. Refrigerate several hours before serving.

Serves 6


For more recipes and fun giveaways, check out my blog Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms. I have a Linky HERE where you can add your favorite salad recipe from your blog!


Thanks Kelly for having me participate in your Fabulous Food Friday!

You Love Me! You Really Love Me!

In the last few weeks, you all have made me feel so loved! I have won not one, not two, not three, but four awards! I am so glad that I have so many followers who love reading my blog since I love writing it! Family of 4 On the Move and Kelly from Mommy’s Kicking Cancer’s A$$ awarded me with the “Sunshine Award”. Yenta Mary from Food Floozie and Owen’s Mom from Adventure In All Things Food have been kind enough to award me with "The Versatile Blogger" award. Ladies, thank you for the fabulous awards and for reading my blog! Due to my busy schedule and preparing to teach summer camp, I’m going to roll these awards into one. Winners feel free to choose one or both awards to keep. You know you deserve them both!! 

7 Things You May not Know About Me


1. I love gymnastics.
2. I play piano.
3. I love the sound of the ocean and would love to live in a oceanfront house one day.
4. I hate driving…I get car sick.
5. I always sleep with the fan on…even in the winter.
6. Flowers and flowery perfumes send me into fits of sneezes.
7. I’ve only worn heels once since my wedding about 9 years ago.



7 Great Blogs that are Deserving of an Award (or two)


1. Pumpkin Tart
2. Magical Schoolhouse
3. Mia Ma Miah’s Diaries
4. Mommy Moment
5. Personalized Sketches and Sentiments
6. Mommy Has to Work
7. Mama B

Tricky Trivia

Who was the first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time television?

Take a guess in the comments below!

Sleeping Habits

My kids have never had very good sleeping habits. Since they were born, sleep has never been their choice activity. By six months, they slept 6 hours a night and one 2 hour nap. By age one, they were down to 8 hours at night and about a 45 minute nap. By age 2, they were done with napping and had decided 5 am was a good hour to wake up. Bed at 7:45 pm and up at 5:00 am has been our routine for about four years. Occasionally we would miss bedtime, but they would still be up by 5 (even if they went to bed after 10 pm). This summer, however, our routine has changed. Although I don’t worry about the change too much, I am trying to discourage it because school will be starting up again in about 5 weeks. This summer we have let our girls share a room. They are best friends and love being together. The only problem with this, is it translates into a lot of talking and giggling all night long. If this went on for about an hour, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but they are usually up now until about 10 or 11 every night. That is too late for a 4 and 6 year old. Lucky for them, they have been sleeping in until 7:30 – 8:00 every morning now. And I might add that this is only because I have covered their windows with blankets so they don’t know when the sun “wakes” up. What interesting sleep habits do your kiddos have? Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!