Coffee Talk Mom

Made in the USA….just ONE change can make a difference!!

Let's face it…We are all busy running in 10 different directions. It's hard enough just to get our families clothed, fed, and entertained without checking labels! Recently, Dave and I were on a trip to Aspen. We wandered through some stores (although a little out of our price range) and laughed about the prices, enjoyed the scenery, and drank our coffee. At one stop, Ralph Lauren, we were completely shocked at the prices of the men's shirts but Dave is a trooper and browsed along with me. The first thing he said when we left the store? "That junk is made in China!"…I must admit, I was a little surprised. I mean, I grew up wearing Polo shirts and fit right in with the preppy look. He is the "All-American" designer! We are talking about a casual long-sleeved shirt for over $300. I did a little research and found some information that I thought may be GREAT to share with my readers:

If we all re-allocated $1/day to Made in America products, it would create 109.5 billion in revenue. $30/month going toward an American made product would make a huge difference in the job market in the USA. We chose to send our jobs overseas where the products can be made more inexpensively. But is it really saving you money when we are in a job crisis in America? Did your teens have a hard time finding work this summer? How many friends do you know in a job they don't like, or out of work altogether?

There are many reliable websites to get you started, but I warn you, it can be overwhelming! Start small and make one small change in your buying habits!

Some brands you may heard of: Wrangler, John Deere, Dexter shoes, Pendleton, Merrell.

Let's put it this way; did you know that American Girl dolls are NOT made in America?

www.madeinusa.org can get you started on a search for some brands that you may come across. More importantly, when you are out shopping, ASK the salesperson who is always so ready and willing to help.

As a side-note, one of my books "to read" on Kindle is "A Year without "Made in China": One family's true adventure in the global economy"…I heard the tail end of a radio interview on the subject and it sounded fascinating!

As for my family? We are saving for a TESLA 4 door. www.teslamotors.com

Just a thought for your day!

 

Here is a little lesson along with a laugh from the Ibuyonlyamerican website:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnAT7FZpmg0&feature=player_embedded#at=123

 

Have a good week!

Coffee Talk Mom

Finding your inner Martha!

Many of you find it hard to believe that I could clean a house/pick flowers from the garden/and cook for 9 co-workers on short notice. Never fear!! "Martha" is here….I must be honest though: I am envious of YOU!! This just so happen to be my "thing" …Was I busy and frantic…maybe…but was I anxious or panicked…NO… Some of my friends would literally crawl back under the covers, dial Dominoes pizza and bake a roll of cookies! I would feel the same way if I had a computer to fix or a baby to deliver or if I had to help a high school student with Calculus. That is your GIFT!...something you KNOW you can do even if you're under pressure on a timeline.

First off, Martha has a lot of help and she does very little to make everything seem so EASY which is super annoying. I had a staff of 1 and used some EASY tips anyone can follow to look like a pro! The first thing may seem a little like working on pavement in 100 degree weather. TEACH your kids to cook basic things!! When I was little my mom taught me how to bake and allowed me to go at it in the kitchen. By the time I was in middle school I could: scramble an egg, bake anything from a box, flip pancakes, grill a hot dog, know when fried chicken was done, and use a knife to chop and more. I know some of you hate to do those things…practice and watch FOOD NETWORK. Your husband will be thrilled to have some food that doesn't come from take-out or a box. Both of my boys know their way around a box of Mac and cheese…YES! My college son loves to cook and, more importantly, is surviving in his own kitchen and avoiding fast food at every turn. Last summer my high school girlfriends visited and when we returned from the mountains, Thomas walked in with groceries (complete with fresh herbs hanging out of the top of the bag) and planned to make dinner for us. I had to revive them on the couch! In all honesty, both of my girlies can cook GREAT and one of them we called "Betty" in high school for her baked goods! OK…I digress…back to the subject. When under "entertainment stress" use your kids to help with the basics!

Next, think about what your guests will actually SEE when they come to your house. One of my girlfriends nicely reminded me that if Dave's boss wants to see your bedroom, that is a little weird! De-clutter, vacuum, and dust the main floor. I just happened to have a huge garden of daisies in bloom and aspen tree greens so they were my "décor"…; I lit some candles, and turned on "coffee shop" music channel. It was my lucky night…the weather was beautiful, so I was able to hang some candles in the tree by the back porch and float daisies in a big glass dish with an old floating candle (they didn't know that!)…I was so happy that on my last trip to Home Depot, I grabbed the oil lamp refill. Sometimes the "I'll get it later" mentality comes back to haunt you when you are in a hurry!

Last, I keep a book of "sure things". Even my friends who really don't like to cook have things they KNOW they can make! There is a recipe from Colorado Collage for honey basil chicken. It is easy and looks beautiful once you plate it and add some extra fresh basil to the plate. I knew it was a hot day, so I stuck with a grilled corn salad (you can get the grilled corn in a bag now and it tastes great! COST CO). I had just bought the bag last week so I knew I could build a salad out of that using my tomatoes from the garden. I splashed good olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the veggies and left it on the counter to blend the flavors while I went to the store for some other veggies. I purchased rolls although the Rhoades dough in the freezer section is easy and the rolls are "fresh". I doubled a recipe of cheese potatoes (don't look at the calories) and knew I had the basics covered. www.foodtv.com is a great resource.

Back to the mom who taught me desserts. My mom can eat pie for breakfast with a cup of coffee and not only LOVE life, but keep her figure. I think I baked pies in the womb! I ALWAYS make my own crust from my grandma's recipe, because beyond that, they KNOW you faked it!! The recipe is EASY and memorized and requires NO fine combo of ice water and flour. I will now tell you my secret:

In a Mixing Bowl combine:

2 cups flour

2 T sugar

1 tsp salt

In a measuring glass pour 2/3 cup oil and stir in 5 T milk

Pour over flour and mix.

Push ½ into pie plate (NO ROLLING PINS)…save the other half to crumble on top!

THAT'S it!

I had 2 fresh baked pies within an hour using berries from Cost CO (freezer section).

 

I am not perfect! Did I mention in 6^th grade I had to make cookies? The teacher had mixed up the quantities of sugar with salt. I went ahead with the cup of salt!! Hey…I was following directions!!

Lastly, make ahead the decaf and put all serving dishes on the counter with sticky notes (in case you have helper's last minute)…

Speaking of coffee…I could use one now!

Carry on you Marthas of the world!!

What is it about Dogs?

When I was growing up, we always had a dog. I loved those dogs, but I never really appreciated what a dog brought to a family until about 7 years ago. We had been married for years, our boys were beyond "old enough to help"… We had recently lost a young family member whom the boys were close to. It's hard to explain to a 9 and 14 year old that their cousin was not coming home. Our family struggled…not just us…the ENTIRE family. I remember just feeling like a dark cloud was over all of us for months. One day I had Thomas at the rec center and as we left, we saw a board of "sale" items. One had picture of puppies..."2 left" it said. I looked at T and asked him if we should call. He looked up to me (not any moreJ) and smiled. I grabbed my cell and it took us about a minute to discover the puppies were right around the corner. Now keep in mind, I never bought a dog in my life. We always had pound puppies! We were ushered into a garage with about 8 lab puppies both black and yellow. Of the 2 that were available we instantly fell in love with the yellow one. The only problem? Dave was at work and had NO IDEA Thomas and I were on a $300 mission to solve our loneliness and grief. I placed the call, using my best "can we please have a super cute dog"? It worked. We had no idea what we were doing, so we went to pick up Lexie and she cried all the way home. I think Thomas and I were crying a little too, worried that we wouldn't be able to pacify this cute thing in our car. I quickly consulted with Michelle, my dog expert down the street. In a week, Lex was kennel trained, slept in the laundry room and was taught to stay out of the upstairs and downstairs…did I mention we all have some form of allergies?

Last week I was on a walk with Lexie and it dawned on me. It has been 7 + years with this dog. She saved our lives in a way. She helped us to focus on something else, even for minutes at a time. She gets the paper every morning; golfs and returns balls to Dave in the back yard, "helps" me empty groceries from the car, swims in her baby pool, "hunts" bunnies, and generally provides us with unconditional love. She is running less distance now, likes her afternoon naps, and is just slowing down a little in general. I think I cry more when Thomas leaves for school now because I see her try to get in the car with him. Buzz has taken to tug of war and chases in the den on a daily basis and checks in with Lexie when he gets home from activities before he checks in with me. What is it about dogs? They become part of who our family is…if only we could keep them in a time machine forever stuck on age 5 or 6 or 7…same with my boys…ahh LIFE!

Family Bonding with Swamp People!

It all started very innocently. Dave was laying next to me in bed, earphones on watching "Netflix". The next thing I knew he was laughing hysterically while I was trying to get to sleep. OK…this better be good…Apparently, he had found a History Channel show on his phone…"Swamp People". Over the course of the next few days it came up in conversation a dozen times. Most normal moms would have something better to do than sit on the couch after dishes and watch this show. I however, wanted to see what this was all about.

After you get over the initial shock of seeing these Cajuns hunting gators, it was actually quite fascinating! Other than the pure facts that get thrown around during the show, it's the real life characters that MAKE the show! As Dave said, if we were ever invaded by another country, we would head to Louisiana. They are ONE TOUGH bunch and we would be completely safe with Bruce the gator hunter! I had to laugh at that. They are all American tough guys with dedicated wives and families. We were hooked! Of course, after about 2 shows, we invited Will to join us and it became our post dinner and dishes summer activity. When William had a hard day helping kids at summer camp, "Swamp People" put it all into perspective! If you think YOU'RE having a hard day, try reaching into the bayou, pulling on a little string with a giant gator at the other end, shooting it, then somehow lever it into a boat and tag it. Now do it again about 15 times in 100% humidity!

Needless to say, it has been a great side-track from the heat and a exhaustion of the day. We were all a sad last night when we had finished the first season on Netflix. I guess it's back to "Pawn Stars"! Trust me people, with my "house of boys" there will be no bonding taking place watching "Project Runway"!

Keeping the Faith : Casey Anthony

Sometimes life just doesn't make sense. Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that the mother of Caylee Anthony has been found NOT GUILTY. When you see the evidence in the case and the behavior of the mother and father, it is hard to believe in a JUST and LOVING God. That is why I open my bible. Here are some verses for the people involved in the trial from The Message bible.

Casey Anthony:

Proverbs 12:17

Truthful witness by a good person clears the air, but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.

James 4:17

If you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil.

Proverbs 16:6

Guilt is banished through love and truth.

John 3:20

Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and wont come near it, fearing a painful exposure.

For the Jurors:

1 Corinthians 14:32

If you chose to speak, you're also responsible for how and when you speak.

1 Peter 3:16

Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath.

George and Cindy Anthony

Proverbs 16:25

There is a way that looks harmless enough. Look again- it leads straight to hell.

Psalm 34:17-18

Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you. If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there. If you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath.

For US

James 4:11

Don't bad mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it.

Proverbs 3:27

Never walk away from someone who deserves help. Your hand is God's hand for that person.

May the God that knows all things give us the HOPE that we need to see that in Him and through Him anything is possible. Let it go…HE is in full control. Keep the faith!

 

 

 

 

A boy is a boy is a boy….

As a part of our 25^th anniversary gift, I gave my hubby a round of golf at the Broadmoor. I must admit, I was a little nervous because honestly, I am really a pretty new golfer. As the day got closer I had visions of being placed with some pro woman golfer who was "warming up" for the US Open. Well, I was pleased when we introduced ourselves to Reid and Brayden. It wasn't long before Reid told us that his son was a world ranked golfer. Brayden is 7. OK… here comes the humiliation! What does a "Mom" do? Well…I act like a mom of course. As I downplayed my golf and tried to have a good time, it was about 6 holes before I broke the serious look on Brayden's face and he was sneaking back to my cart while the "Dads" started on the blue tees. I guess I just have a soft spot for boys and as hard as he tried to be serious, I knew deep down he just wanted to have fun and be a boy! We started by talking about the fine art of ball hunting. He told how his "papa" takes him ball hunting. I think he was shocked when I said "ME TOO"! Little did he know that "my papa" was my dad! Now every hole we were secretly trying to find good spots to hunt. We decided that the colored balls are the coolest. I showed him my collection and he was immediately focused on a light green one. He had never seen one THAT color . Sometimes it takes a 7 year old to feel cool about your "stuff". Meanwhile, his dad (and caddie and coach) was on him about his stroke, his follow through, his lack of concentration, ball placement, blah blah blah…I knew I better get serious every once in awhile or I may get in trouble myself. What a great boy! Golf has taught him respect of others, great manners, encouraging others…etc…Of course by "encouraging others" I mean me! At one point his dad asked how long we had been married. "25 years" Dave said as they walked toward the blues. As Brayden and I hung back at the carts I perked up and said "I was married when I was 12!"…B took a second, cocked his head, and said "wait a minute…really?"…I laughed and said "B my friend, when you have been married that long, it makes you feel old"…"I think you look real young" he said…Yep he had me!! Hole 17… after some hunting I found 3 balls in a wooded area off the green. I handed my fellow hunter 2 of them. He was thrilled and thanked me over and over. As we finished up he removed his hat, shook hands with everyone, and I handed him the green ball. "I have a special ball place he said! I will always remember you cause of this". What a day, and what a privilege to meet this amazing young man and his dad. One day I may be able to say "I knew him when…" but deep down he is just a boy….

“Sure, I can substitute in the nursery”

Famous last words! For 9 months a year I sing in the church choir. We sing both services and we have the summers off. One morning I stopped to talk to one of my friends and sure enough she was looking for volunteers. DO any of you go to a church where the same 25 families do all of the volunteering? Well, that is a bit of an exaggeration since I go to what most people would call a "mega church" but in general, the LAST thing someone wants to do on summer vacation is take care of little ones. So it took all of a day for me to hear from the coordinator to set up a "sub Sunday". With great enthusiasm I entered my given room number at about 8:45 last Sunday morning. Much to my chagrin, I was in the 18month to 2 year old room. There must be a mistake! I offered to "rock babies" knowing I would interact with adults. Well, it was no mistake and in fact I was listed as the "leader" of the room.

First thought: "Lord have mercy. It's been 14 years since I had a 2 year old". Second thought: "What do I do with these kids for 90 minutes?"…I learned quickly that there are no videos, music, Jesus learning moments, or even age appropriate books (the few I saw were about "Germs" or another beauty about NOT saying inappropriate things like "You're stupid" to your friends). UGG! I did have one junior high school aged volunteer to which I am grateful. The final tally was 9. I had NINE 18 month olds. It took about 5.3 minutes to realize that one of them was a "biter"! Little Nolan (name has been changed) was adorable! He just thought that if he didn't get what he wanted, he would simply apply pressure using his vice like jaws to the arm of his unsuspecting victim! Let's see 82 minutes to go… I discovered an amazing life-saver! GRAHAM CRACKERS!! There was one little girl who was so chunky and sweet…all she wanted were crackers and she would jam them in her mouth so readily that it formed a kind of paste to which I was mortified she would choke on. Now I needed to watch the biter and the eater! We played kitchen, zoo, and pushed bubble sticks around until it dawned on me to start singing. All 9 would stop what they were doing and stare at me like I was from Mars..haha…at least they would listen for a bit before returning to their toys. I was informed by said helper that there was a dirty diaper in the house. As I went to change the little girl, I was so proud of myself. I was feeling pretty high and mighty until I realized that her parents didn't bring a diaper bag and there was NO diaper for her. As I struggled to put a newborn left-over on the 18 month old pooper, Nolan bit the eater and all hell broke loose. YES…this can and does happen in church. I had to report the bite to which I was told…"The biter's parents are not allowed to know who he bit and the eater's parents cannot know who bit her." Oh boy! Now I can hardly wait for the end of Sunday school so I can play "PC SUBSTITUTE LOSER" with the parents who left their kids in the able bodied hands of an out of practice volunteer! 85 minute mark and it is time to clean up. I start to sing the Barney clean-up song and as I do I wonder to myself "Is Barney still on TV?"…The kids stare in wonder and I know that I have made it…not exactly brain surgery but I did it none-the-less. Next up: finding some music and books for those rooms. It's always something!