By Mary Rarick

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I decided that it was time for our sixteen-year-old son to have his own cell phone. Our thinking went something like this: summer’s here and the cell phone would afford our son more freedom and responsibility. So we added limitless texting, crossed our fingers and handed off my husband’s old EnV2.

The results have been better than expected. We’ve eliminated our land line, saving us $23 a month; we can reach my son any time, so his “leash” is a little longer; he’s taken responsibility for handling the details of his social life, coordinating get-togethers and keeping us informed.

First impression: success!

By Mary Rarick

I adore my mother-in-law. There, I’ve said it. I know it’s not popular, but it’s true. Mothers-in-law get a bad rap. It’s cliche to complain about them. They’re easy targets, really.

But I’d like to think that my mother-in-law is different. She’s kind, thoughtful and incredibly generous. And she’s taught me so many things that I decided to start compiling a list. Here you go:

1. The best place to store kitchen garbage bags is in the bin under the bag currently in use.

2. Always buy the smallest jar/box possible when using a coupon. You’ll save the most money that way.

3. If you place a towel on top of your refrigerator, it makes cleaning it a snap: just toss the towel into the washer.

4. Keep duplicates of items where you use them: scissors, tape, note paper.

5. Liquid laundry detergent is best. And Biz rocks when it comes to stain removal.

6. No one really wants useless junk for birthdays or the holidays. A well-chosen given, any time of the year is best.

7. Food always tastes better if someone else prepares it, even if it’s a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

What has your mother-in-law taught you?

Are you ready to rock with the best women in the business? We’ve got 1 pair of Lilith Fair tickets to give away courtesy of K103! All you have to do to be entered to win is email your name, phone number and your pick for the “baddest” woman in rock to publisher@portlandfamily.com by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday evening.

Winner will be chosen in a random drawing.

Note: You’ll need to pick up your tickets on Thursday.

By Mary Rarick

Per several requests, here’s the famous baked bean recipe:

3-pound can of prepared beans (of the pork ‘n’ bean variety)

1 1/4 c. brown sugar (I use a little less.)

1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard

3 onions, diced

9 slices of bacon, chopped and fried crisp, drained

3/4 c. catsup

Combine all of the ingredients in a large casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 325-degree oven for 3 hours.

This recipe comes with a saucy bit of gossip. When I was young I thought that this was my Mom’s recipe. Turns out it’s originally from my “Aunt” Alma, my Grandfather’s girlfriend. We kids always knew Grandpa Roy had a girlfriend. What we didn’t know, until years later, was that “Aunt” Alma had been in the picture even before Grandma died.

By Mary Rarick

Yesterday’s post had me reminiscing about the letter writing we do in our family and the effect it’s had on our relationships. (It makes me want to sit down and pound out a few letters right now just thinking about it.) For those of you who may want to give this a try and may not know where to start, I’ve jotted down a couple of tips that may help you get started. (more…)

By Mary Rarick

I am sick, sick, sick of all of the “Perfect Item for Your Body Type” articles and their ilk. The editors mean well, but seriously, their understanding of “real bodies” and the everyday woman’s size 12 pear shape are worlds apart. I offer you two examples: (more…)

By Mary Rarick

My day is not going as planned.

The Plan

The plan was to go into the office at 5:30, take a break to meet two inspiring women for coffee before returning home to continue working. The perfect work day, right? I thought so, too. (more…)

By Mary Rarick

My son has never enjoyed shopping for clothes. Never. The past couple of years I’ve employed the oft-used bribery method. First we’d buy all of the items on the list; then we’d head over to Jamba. While this technique worked like a charm it left me feeling a little dirty. There’s gotta be an easier way.

By Mary Rarick

The only thing that went as planned on Tuesday June 12th was the pancake breakfast at Village Inn. I ate a short stack with butter and maple syrup, relishing every bite.

As I headed home to enjoy the rest of my day off, I looked forward to house hunting with my father-in-law followed by lunch with Cory.

My pregnancy had been uneventful. So I naively expected my labor and delivery to follow suit. (more…)

By Mary Rarick

So your teen has studied the book, passed the test and has a driving permit. How will she get those 100 hours of driving time needed to transition from drivers permit to drivers license? With a new 16-year-old in the house chomping at the bit, I’ve reconsidered what we did the first time around. (more…)