As a blogger, there are many aspects of my job that I love.
However, blogging? It can be lonely.
You forge wonderful friendships on the internet with people with whom you most likely will never have the opportunity to meet.
Sniffle.
So that said, I jump at local opportunities. JUMP! You mean this mom gets to interact with real live bodies? Who talk? There will be yummy food? I can make it a date with my husband? There will be celebrity chefs? All in Seattle.
Dream come true!!
Just such a dream was offered to me recently all wrapped up in a Tom Douglas bow. Yes, the Tom Douglas.
You know.... 1994 James Beard Award for Best Northwest Chef. 2012 James Beard Award as Best Restaurateur. Best American Cookbook author Award...
Victor against freaking Masaharu Morimoto in an episode of Iron Chef America...
I frantically made my way through rush hour traffic to get there. Navigated the downtown Macy's escalator in heels. Then luxuriated in the wry humor and delicious bites of Toooooom. Ohhhh Tom!! My friends, the repartee was flying.
Oh it started with his straight man...errr lady, the prim and proper Macy's assistant. Tom swigged straight from the wine bottle. Forthwith, the straight-laced Macy's rep brought him crystal. So what does he do? Serve some guests wine in a stainless steel measuring cup for knowing the name of Chinese broccoli.
The look on the Macy assistant's face was priceless. He started the night by keeping it real.
Then it got juicy when he referenced fellow chef Gordon Ramsey. My friends, I am guessing there is no LOVE LOST between those two. Apparently Tom is of the more kindler, gentler of kitchen bosses. A quote, "That's as Gordon Ramsey as I get...could you please hurry sir." Juicy!
As he whipped together a gorgeous pear tart, he continued the his down to earth style. Another gem we enjoyed, "Stick your finger in it to see if it's ready. Like my dad poked me at the Christmas table for my manners. Joking!! " Nope, this was no stuffy chef. No airs. All about the food and entertainment!!
A few great tips: Use a melon baller to core ripe pears. Just like buttah! Don't forget to poke puff pastry with fork.
My kind of chef!!
He continued to tease his pastry chef about savory chefs being real. Still he gave her some serious credit as as his head pastry chef at the Dahlia Bakery and honored the precision required of pastry chefs. He repeated his cookbook The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook: Sweetness in Seattlehas been tested many times by his pastry chefs.
Lots of schnecken
Then we started to get a littttle bit naughty. He's talked about soft squishy Schnecken German Pull-apart bread and their....erm....similar texture to soft, squishy bewbies. Hence why his then teenage self learned to make them. Heh!
Then we moved on to the turkey. As Tom says, "It's all about being the better cook than you neighbor...or sister."
Well isn't that the truth!!
Someone in peanut gallery just said she put vodka in her gravy in place of sodium. Omg!! Tom suggested cayenne. Then he proceeded with another gem, "I OWN gravy."
Having tasted his gravy, I had to agree. Almost as good as mine!
While we waited for our plates of turkey and gravy, we learned he had roasted it with coffee beans inside. Oh the yum. Even better, my husband won a freshly roasted bag to put in our turkey for knowing the last three restaurants opened. Go CG!!
Mmm hello cheesy lovah
Another delectable treat? Mmm hello Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Broccoli Rabe with Fontina. Yep, it was a paleo cheat night if you didn't notice...it was worth every bite! I had some serious acid reflux later, but worth it.
In the meantime, we bought the book, got it signed by the man himself (squee) and plan to have a few more gluten-free cheat days. We even checked out his Serious Pie restaurant the following week. Now that is a story for another day, but I can't leave you without flashing you some pie porn:
OMG!
OMG Times 2!
Drooling yet, my friends? What?? That was cruel??! You don't live in Seattle? No worries. We bought the book.
That grilled cheese? Page 248. That serious coconut pie recipe?? It's in there!!
Want to learn more? Seek out @Macys @CulinaryCouncil @TomDouglasCo @DahliaBakery on Twitter.
I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere provided me with compensation for this post about Macy's Culinary Council. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.
I was sent this Bounce Fabric Softener Bar to review. "Yay," I thought. As a blogger and mom, I love to try new products. However, when I saw that this product was meant to glue itself to the inside of my dryer, I'd be lying if I didn't say I had second and third thoughts.
In
trepidation, I attached the bar to the inside of my $2000 HE dryer. The
bar itself? Left chalky stains on my darks and didn't smell great like
regular Bounce sheets. It left towels feeling waxy. My husband HATED it.
Worst though is the softener bar only lasted a week or two before if
detached and made a mess.
Finally, I am stuck with an applicator glued
to the inside of my expensive machine that I am afraid to take off
because it is so tightly adhered that it feels like it will take the
painted enamel with it. Grrr...not cool. It sits empty and snags clothes
instead.
I am now cautious to ever, EVER try a new P&G product
again. Clearly, enough testing was not done. If this does permanent
damage to my dryer?
Believe you me, EVERYONE and their dog will hear
about it on my blog. For now, please beware and use only as last resort.
Best,
Scout/Heather Murphy-Raines
Update: Sorry, but still PO-ed.Ugh hate #Bounce Fabric Softener bar...I was finally
able to remove applicator after months of snagging my clothes and fear
of breaking the ceramic on my $1000 dryer.
Ta-da! Stinks like monkey poo, doesn't it?!
Now what? Guess I will be
scraping the dryer for the next hour or so. Kinda defeats convenience of
a bar, dontcha think?
As a woman, mother and wife about to hit her fourth decade this year, I am finding maintenance becoming more and more of a sensitive issue. From rogue hairs showing up where they shouldn't, to sags, wrinkles, and dreaded sun spots adorning my face.
Time to grow old gracefully? No way. I am fighting.
In my twenties and brand-conscious, I would have bought expensive products at department stores. However, now the good thing about being almost 40 years old?
I've discovered expensive does not always equal quality. In fact, some of my favorite products have come at crazy reasonable prices and rave reviews:
My favorite cleanser?
This is it! If any of you have the indignity of having both fine lines and breakouts like me? This takes care of them both!
From Neutrogena:
"Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Cleanser fights blemishes and the signs of aging every time you cleanse.
This
unique anti-aging cleanser is formulated with a combination of the #1
blemish-fighting ingredient and a wrinkle-fighting ingredient to help
give you clear, younger-looking skin. Salicylic Acid treats and helps
prevent blemishes by penetrating deep into pores to remove dirt and oil.
Alpha-Hydroxy Acid works to help smooth fine lines. Formula rinses
clean, with no pore-clogging residue.
Skin is clearer, softer and smoother. Fine lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced.
My favorite night cream?
I found this cream a year ago and have never looked back. Super impressive. Olay's says:
"This luxurious cream has the highest concentration of our signature
amino-peptide + B3 complex infused with intracellular fortifier and a
touch of precious marine proteins. Intercellular hydration regenerates
volume and shape across skin's 10 million surface cells, progressively
lifting and micro-sculpting to help:
Firm sagging-prone areas, even the jaw line
Smooth skin's surface
Restore elasticity"
I am not alone in loving this one. Good Housekeeping Magazine blind-trialed it against other prestigious (read: pricey) face creams and Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream outperformed them all, even the $350 one! It beat its pricey competition, keeping skin more hydrated, and for a longer time, than the fancier creams--even the $350 one!
Now for my favorite daytime cream and sunscreen for my face:
When we move into daytime and Olay has a purty cousin to the Regenerist Sculpting Cream to do the job. Yep, we love Regenerist DNA Superstructure UV Cream with SPF 30. I like that it combines a daily moisturizer and stronger sunscreen in one because I can be super forgetful about doing both, but we will get to that later...
I also bought a bottle of this for my daughter going through puberty since sunscreen is not even on her radar. However, most studies show the majority of the damage done to our skin happen in our childhood. This just gives me the peace of mind that we are protecting her skin now and she'll thank me for it later! Better yet, it does not break her out like other creams have done in the past. Win-win!
So, yep, you guessed it. All these products are readily available at your local drugstore and inexpensive enough to by a second bottle for your daughter. That said, knowing the right products, does not exactly translate into using them in a daily regimen.
Even with the best of intentions, I am horrible at washing off my make up at night. I am even worse at hydrating my skin with a nightly skin cream. The death knell? While I remember to put daily sunscreen on in the summer, I admit Seattle's dark winters make me lazy, lazy, and more lazy. What sun I lament, but we all know that sunshine or not, UVA and UVB penetrate cloud cover and add to the dreaded brown spots congregating on my forehead.
So, my friends? It's a new year and I am making a beauty resolution to do better. To be better. Skin care is part of the resolution. Nothing makes one feel better than healthy, clean, bright skin to put your best face forward.
How about you? What are your beauty resolutions this year? Better yet, share some of your favorite drugstore finds! I need all the help I can get fighting forty!
Then I was notified yesterday I won two free tickets to the movie Monte Carlo, compliments of Carrie at Growing My Kids Reviews. Can anyone say mommy-daughter bonding moment over Selena Gomez??
Finally (and I know you totally want to stab me about now), my husband won $50 at a awesome steak house McCormick and Schick's last week courtesy of Luke I Am Your Father. Date night!!
So my friends, the moral of the story?
Enter those giveaways! Tweet them! Like bloggers on Facebook. Blog about them! Whatever! They pay off crazy dividends. I am working on my next giveaway as we speak...
Stay tuned! I'll cross my fingers for you.
~Scout
Get my United States of Motherhood Reviews' newest posts via your blog reader.
First, I want to thank all 37 comments, follows, tweets, and reviews on both blogs. I loved all the strawberry suggestions. I wanted each and every one of you to win! Alas, there can only be one...
After throwing all entries on a spreadsheet and then using random.org to randomly generate a sequence, the winner was #4 which was this comment:
I would keep it simple. Wash the strawberries and haul them upstairs so I could nibble on them while having a relaxing bath. Just gotta talk hubby into reinstalling the bathroom door so the kids will leave me alone... P.S. Had I known that serious bloggers get free stuff, I might have taken my blogging more seriously!
Whoop! Congrats Lisa!! Besides being a kickass mom that blogs at Just This Side of Crazy, Lisa is a great friend I made at our co-op pre-school. Her daughter and Li'l Man were buds when they were four...sniffle. I cannot believe it's been five years already!
Want another chance to win something? I was fortunate to have been chosen by BlogHer to interview Stephanie Hamm, mother to Olympic soccer great, Mia Hamm in conjunction with being on BlogHer's Gatorade Sport Mom Panel. Go check it out.
Did I mention a comment, tweet, etc. will enter you in a $100 Dick's Sporting Good Gift Card. That my friends is a lot of goggles, shin guards, or running shorts!
Most who know my family know, we are a swimming family. What does that entail? It means we spend seven days a week at the pool including Thanksgiving and Fourth of July. Honestly, I am shocked that my feet aren't webbed. It is a certainly a culture adjustment as I am sure any competitive soccer, gymnastics, or any year round Sports Mom could attest. We endure up to six hours, not including commute, on any giving day at the pool. The pay off?
My daughter ranks in the top five of 11 year-olds in the Pacific Northwest. My son qualified for the 4A Washington State Championship as a freshman and will be captain of his high school swim team next year as a sophomore.
All three of my kids are proud to be on a swim team that has produced Olympic gold medalists and World Champions. Swimming is their passion.
Part of that lifestyle for me though is always worrying if I am fueling my kiddos the right way to do their very best at competitions. Do I make them eat hearty meals before meets like our traditional slow cooked oatmeal with peanut butter toast or do I make it a light snack? Which energy bar is the best? Are they getting enough protein? All these ideas crowd my head as I chide my kiddos to multi-task and gobble up their snack and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate while they do their homework on the way to the next pool. Did you know 70% of athletes show up for athletic events dehydrated according to a survey conducted by Gatorade?
I actually did know this because I belong to the worrier/researcher category of moms otherwise known as WR condition. Okay, I totally made that up, but you know the type. Heh!
Scout's Honor/Heather Murphy-Raines
This Sports Mom complex was why I was so excited when BlogHer and Gatorade chose me to be in a panel of Sports Moms. Not only was I invited to interview Stephanie Hamm, mom of Olympian soccer player extraordinaire Mia Hamm, but I was also the recipient of the latest research and science behind Gatorade's product lines.
Stephanie Hamm, Mother of Olympic Soccer Player Mia Hamm and Gatorade Sports Mom
Stephanie is a founding member of Liv in the Game, a non-profit organization aimed at empowering girls through physical activity and sports. She also served as development director for The First Tee of Greater Austin, which positively impacts the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.
Now that we have the credentials out of the way, how was Stephanie, you ask? Just awesome. She is so down-to-earth and filled with the common sense only a seasoned mom of six could bring to the table. She admits the sports atmosphere she raised her kids in is MUCH different than today. She marvels at the involvement and time commitment the modern Sports Mom puts into her kids. She and her husband Bill raised their very large family in a variety of sports--most of which her kids could walk to on the Air Force base on which they lived. Wouldn't that be dreamy? No carpools...just bikes. I yearn for those simpler times as a former U.S. Army mom myself.
Having run the gamut of a multitude of sports with a multitude of kids, Stephanie says one of her and Mia's largest concerns is the early specialization path she sees most athletes these days take. She advocates for trying out a little of everything and trying to achieve balance early. She said she was her kids' biggest cheerleader until they decided they had enough.
8th Grade Graduation
One of my questions for Stephanie was how to find balance when a certain stubborn child of mine has decided swimming-- and not our family objective of academics first-- is his only priority?
Along with year round swimming, we also swim our summer rec team simultaneously. On top of that, my eldest son started high school swim team this winter which had an attendance requirement.
As you can imagine, it is a struggle to keep on top of time management and grades, especially since he made swimming a priority over school. I asked her how to deal with this short-sightedness. It sounds like such a downer, but I try to remain realistic about my kids' sports careers. While college scholarships sound nice, in the end it's his education which will take him furthest in life. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve told my son, "Unless you are Michael Phelps, swimming is not a career."
Competition As a Life Skill
Stephanie agreed with that statement especially since, besides Mia, only one other child of hers had stuck with competitive sports through college. The Michael Phelps and Mia's of the worlds are one in the million.
This doesn't mean your or my child won't be the next super star, but it is very unlikely. More likely is that they will gain success having received a solid education and learned life strategies in sports that will help them win (and not in the Charlie Sheen way) in life.
Fortunate for my family, we have agreement with that belief by our fabulous coach that academics are key. Stephanie did have some sage advice to try to inspire the competitive side of my son that comes out in his swimming and funnel it into academics. Stephanie Hamm suggests, "Make school a competition," if you must. She did say it was a struggle to get Mia, exhausted from tournaments to come home and focus on her school work. She said she and her husband spent many late nights, sitting there with Mia, hour after hour, helping edit and focusing her in her work. Often time, it was finding the energy that was the challenge.
Is it bad during the interview I was secretly relieved that I am not the only one with a teenager athlete whose attention span is that of a flea?
Rec Swim Team on a Rare Sunny Day
Stephanie also reiterated my beliefs feels that while the struggle to stay in a competitive sport is worthwhile, she infuses the same realism that most commonly, sports ARE "not wage earners." However, the lessons of competition and fair play can prove to be invaluable when applied to life. This discussion lead us to the second part of the call--the science of Gatorade which can help create a more focused, energized athlete. Slide after slide, I was amazed at the level of research that has gone into the formulations over the years.
Gatorade and Hydration Science
One of the themes from Stephanie that came through in the interview was that with simpler times came more difficulty keeping their kids hydrated in the hot Texas sun-- until Gatorade products came along. I can relate since we too started our sports in one of the hotter parts of California where temperatures often soared in the triple digits for weeks on end.
Meet my Daughter...and Future Olympian?
That was our first introduction to sports. Yes, we've come a long way from when my kids first put their first tippy toe in a pool. My baby girl started to swim on a bonafide team when she was two and a half. Yes, way too young, but before you think I am a Tiger Mom, there's a story to it. Her five year old big brother wouldn't get in the pool for tryouts even though he wanted to be on the team. So they coaxed her in to show him it was OK. You know the old trick-- no self-respecting brother is going to let a little sister show him up. It worked because she always was fearless and quite the water baby.
At the end of the try out? I was stunned when they took them both. She wasn't even trying out.
Six And Under Finalist at Age Four
Now 9 years later, she's a veteran swimmer. She loves it. My kids actually cry when I tell them we aren't going to practice. I even use it as leverage for grades and getting rooms clean. Too stinkin' cute. Her 50 free short course time today as an 11 year old is a blistering 28 seconds. And then? A rip-roaring 2 minutes 23 seconds. Hey, for a three year old, that's faaast. Heh!
Fast forward to today, living in Seattle, our concern is not so much the hot sun, but the lost electrolytes the kids don't even realize they've melted off during a 3 hour work out in an indoor pool. This is where finding a product to keep them at their best performance is important and here in the Pacific Northwest, Gatorade seems to be king for the younger set.
I must admit, I and my other swim moms were leery of the high fructose corn syrups (HFCS) and dyes of the original Gatorade formulations.My question to the Gatorade researchers and dietitians on the call involved both of these concerns:
I Love it When a Brand Listens
To What Moms Want
"Funny enough, when we go to Canada meets, my kids always want to stock up on Canadian-formulated Gatorade because they feel the formulation with cane sugar over HFCS is much, much tastier. In reference to the dyes and high fructose corn syrup, do you think there would ever be a market or plan for something akin to clear or nude Gatorade line?"
Imagine my surprise when I learned from GSSI scientist Lisa Esposito that all Gatorade product lines had been HFCS-free for over a year.
Even better, they have a new Gatorade G Series Natural line at Whole Foods in select markets which uses vegetables to color their electrolyte beverages and uses all natural flavors and ingredients. Sweet. I can't wait for it to hit the Seattle market.
Easily my two biggest concerns wiped away with a little research and a few quick questions.
My friends, it costs us as much to swim each month as some people's mortgages: Wouldn't it be silly to spend the time, energy, and money on practices only to fail hydration and on the refuel that spares muscle and allows quicker recovery?
Quick Sports Nutrition Tips
Protein
Most athletes need 10-20 grams of protein within 30-60 minutes post workout to help muscles recover. It will actually make them less sore the next day. I always tell my kids they better drink the chocolate milk, protein drink, PB&J, or whatever protein source we brought that day, quickly in the car on the way home or else that practices was useless.
Hydration
Monitor urine of your children, especially in the warmer months. If their pee is lemonade color? Great. Apple juice? Not so great. Soda or Guinness ale color? Rush them to the hospital. Funny enough, according to Gatorade's team, clear urine isn't great either. It indicates over-hydration in a short time whereas the body expels the hydration/electrolytes rather than being able to store it. This is where I found out I was doing it wrong as a swim mom. Instead of telling my kids to chug a sports drink, they should have been slowly sipping a couple hours before practice, every 15-20 minutes during practice, and a little more after practice. Another method is to weigh the athlete before and after practice being sure to take off sweat-soaked clothes. For every pound lost, 16-20 ounces of electrolyte beverage is recommended to replenish the body's stores.
Focus
Kids that are not hydrated are less likely to be able to focus during a game or swim meet. Strikingly, the scientist from Gatorade mentioned a study in which basketball shot accuracy gets better with plain water, but the best accuracy was found drinking Gatorade. It was also found athletes playing dehydrated were a full degree warmer in body temperature after a short time of play which could quickly snow ball into the dangerous category.
My Little Sea Urchin
With sports, we learn more and more as the years go by, with more and more with which to worry. Gone are the days of Mia Hamm's childhood where a child with club feet plays 3-4 sports with ease.
I wonder some part of that specialization that she and her mother worry about is simply finding the time to do more than one sport now days. I know my three kids swim because it's easier for them all to do the same sport.
We've tried a variety of sports too when they young: karate, dance, basketball, soccer, ballet and in middle school my kids have been also been able to enjoy volleyball, track, and basketball. However, to be a single sport athlete is challenging enough with children today's busy schedule. However, my third guy's interest is starting to wane from swim and seems to be headed toward football. We tried out flag football in 3rd grade, but we finally bit the bullet and are trying TACKLE football. Yikes! This will be a whole new world to us come fall. Help!!
Summer 2010
I have to wonder sometimes if all the effort we put into sports is truly worth it? The time. The sacrifice. The missed or non-existent vacations. The money. Then my kids drop some amazing time or win an incredible race and I just can't say no to them.
These thoughts lead me to the GIVEAWAY I am so happy to offer. Since I, more than any mom, realizes how costly it is to raise athletes today, I am so excited to be offering a $100 Dick's Sporting Goods certificate for one lucky reader who leaves a comment, tweet or writes a post to the following question.
So tell me your families sports experience: How do you balance sports and support the athletes in your family academically and nutritionally with all the other demands our busy kids have today? Leave a comment and be entered in my Gatorade Giveway for $100 to Dick's Sporting Goods.
Contest runs June 1st through June 30th.
Do You Dream Big For your Kids? My kids with their former teammate,
Olympian, & World Record Holder Ariana Kukors and Olympian Katie Hoff
This Contest is officially closed. The good news? Trophy Mom (chosen by BlogHer via random.org) is the BIG Winner. Congrats!
<s>Rules:
No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post. Please either leave your email address in the comment so you can be contacted in the case win OR you can also fill out the special Google doc form to leave your email contact with me more privately after you have first commented on this main page.
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. Visit the Official Rules here. </s>
I wrote this post while participating in the Gatorade/BlogHer program on behalf of Gatorade. I received product information to facilitate my post and monetary compensation for the time to write my post.
One quart down. Then we nibbled, snacked, and smoothied our way to the end of that flat. Did I mention a flat is a ginormous HUGE amount of strawberries?? We certainly got our vitamin C and juicy on that week:
I know you're jealous....
... And I hate to leave anyone of my readers jealous. Nope. Not fun. I am a share the wealth kind of lady.
So, in order to inspire you to get juicy this summer, one of my readers will get their very own strawberry delivery and a $25 Gift Certificate to Academy.com to get all sports and outdoorsy when they tell me how they would use such a berry bounty!See rules below.
3. Follow United States of Motherhood on Facebook and leave separate comment here with FB profile name; If you already follow me, just let me know in separate comment as well which will count as an entry.
5. Make a StumbleUpon or Reddit review of this post and leave your StumbleUpon or Reddit name and the review URL in a comment(s).
Winner will be chosen at random by one of my kiddos from a hat on June 2nd and notified via email or contact method provided. You will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Must be a US resident to enter.
Disclosure: I was not paid to write this post. I was given strawberries and was asked to review if I liked them. Of course, I did! They're strawberries, people!!
has been tested many times by his pastry chefs. 
