It's hard to believe that just over one year ago, my family moved to St. Mary's County from DC.  Alot has happened since we settled in and I became your Macaroni Kid publisher. 

Our readership has steadily grown this past year to 750 (and counting) weekly e-newsletter subscribers as of this morning, not to mention the more than 12,000 monthly views to our website.  Everyday our Facebook page receives "likes", and our Tweets reach many local residents and businesses on Twitter.  We've enjoyed relationships with the many Friends of Macaroni ... businesses that realize the value of our website to families in St. Mary's County and neighboring areas. 

We've added new regular features:  Our Military sections, The Tot Spot, Macaroni & Cheese, Macaroni Community Cares, and Macaroni Moms in Business, plus seasonal spots from area museums, non-profits and the library.  We're bringing awareness to more local family friendly businesses through Macaroni Deals -- and helping you save money in the process.

Macaroni Kid has been out and about too!  From Halloween in the Garden at Annmarie, impromptu visits to local playgrounds and our Mom's Night Out at dressbarn to providing craft areas at holiday events, the NAS Pax River Car Show, Beach Days and several First Fridays in Leonardtown.

Our subscribers have won all sorts of great giveaways: tickets to shows in DC and to local festivals and kid events, baby products, goodie baskets, amusement passes, class passes, music lessons, gourmet food items -- just to name a few.

It's been a fantastic year for me with Macaroni Kid on so many levels.  I have loved meeting and building relationships with other local mom-preneurs and sharing their stories.  In December 2010, our corporate MK office invited me to take over as Managing Editor for MK's national publication Macaroni Military Family.  And as a business owner residing in Leonardtown, I joined the Leonardtown Business Association.  Whew, I've been busy!

What's in the future?  I'm planning to attend the Macaroni Publisher's Meet Up in Miami this October, along with hundreds of other publisher moms across the country.  Our MK tent will be at more community events and festivals, and of course your MK e-newsletter will be online and delivered to your inbox every week, with up to date kid and family friendly events.

In closing, I want to thank you, my subscribers and readers, for your kind support and thoughtful words of encouragement and praise; the many businesses who supported our publication this past year with advertisements and giveaways; and most of all my super terrific family -- my loving and supportive husband Manny (the Macaroni Magic Board -- which he built -- is a hit)  and Laney and Sam -- my energetic, full of great ideas, awesome and talented kids.