Toxins Toxins EVERYWHERE! Stroller Brigade to the rescue!

This 37th year celebration was one of the best! If its any indication of what the next 12 months will be like, I am SO ready!

Although there were no balloons, ice cream or cake. I woke up to a husband, 6 happy and healthy children, breakfast in bed, an opportunity to

Mya may not go in body, but she will always be with us in spirit

honor my daughter,
Mya’s life and represent for my loved ones with autism, so it was looking great from the start.

My mission for that day was to stroll around Capitol Hill at the Stroller Brigade in Washington DC wit my Momsrising friends!

We are on a mission to create better laws that reflect how dangerous toxins are. As they are the root cause of all illness and disease. The current toxin laws  were written in 1976. Yet, a plethora of toxins have flooded the marketplace since then. Yucky-yuck- yuck!

How many toys, lip sticks, couches, carpets have you had over the years? ……a lot right?

There’s real cause for concern as chronic diseases in our children are on the rise and mysteriously high levels of autism and other learning disabilities are plaguing this young generation. We can not continue to sit around and watch our children and other loved ones demise.

Toxins are defined as a poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms

You can get involved! All it takes is guts! Look at us. We are everyday moms. In this picture, the man that leg belongs to said that it was the best meeting hes ever attended on the hill.

It was nice meeting all the wonderful people with the same goals like Anne Brock, of Flour Mama, Sonali Desai,Kate Roetzer,Dennis Sills, Lee Anderson, Bryan Mcgannon, and Erin Kesler. Just as I finish this post, I just learned that we met with nearly 80 Congressional offices during yesterday’s #StrollerBrigade. That’s awesome!

Join us! ~QCSUPERMOM

I nursed Noah on Capitol Hill. 🙂

Friday Four: My Birthday, My Yearly Self Evaluation. Hold the cake please!

It’s been almost 365 days since my last evaluation I’m so grate full to have another year. I’m up for my “job review”. It’s just like any review. What I have accomplished. What I failed at, and what I would like to improve on as well as where I see myself by the next review.

1st pedicure ever this year at 37 ears old.

Overall, I would give myself a B+.This past year was filled of many uncertain events. Some were good some bad and others were incredible. My best moments included having Noah Elohim and becoming a doula. The biggest challenge was our 6 month displacement in the hotel and my obstacles with JC, my daughter. Even with those issues, its been worth it to be where I am today!  Which has brought me to my focus for this new year. I have PLANS! (doesn’t everyone do this?)

These are my four goals for next year:

1. Complete the QC Supermom’s “Motherhood 101′ line. (that is all I will say on that.Just watch out for some great things for motherhood!)

2. Grow the doula partnerships and supplemental services initiatives. I want to continue working at home even after I finish nursing Noah.  For all of the experiences I earned over the years, it would be a disservice to not maximize it.

3. Become more aggressive in collective self sufficiency. Gardening, and diy projects are a start, but there is so much more to do. I just believe that days of job security is few and in-between. it’s surly the days where the strongest survives.

4. Position my children to think more often with the end in mind. Did you know that Origami Owl was started by a teenager? Isabella “Bella” Weems has her entire family in the business. That’s brilliant! Origami Owl, a custom jewelry company whose direct sales business model turns would-be entrepreneurs into salespeople and evangelists.

So what her mother had a bout with the law. It didn’t prohibit their success in any way. The girl has made $215 MILLION creating and selling  “jewelry bars,” supplies!

This is where I take out my bull horn: “You can hold me to my past if you want to but I am not looking back there. My future is ahead of me.- Christian “Chrissy” Weems

What about  Zandra Azariah Cunningham the thirteen year old entrepreneur? She owns a fruitful business. It’s called Azariah’s Innocence, a natural bath & body product line. I want that for my children.

Ok,drop the party hats & back to the drawing board. No party this year.I have a lot of work to do before next years reveiw, Onward I go!

Happy New Year To Me!~QC Supermom

QC Supermom
Birthday Reveiw

Wednesday WoW! Our Family’s Bucket List

NOTHING compares to the gift of time. NOTHING!

Have you ever heard of a family bucket list? I haven’t. I just knew that there were a couple of things that I would love to do before all of my children graduated from “school.” Well that was till I turned to the Steve Harvey Show. He has a show that grants such wishes. How lovely right?

As it turns out it’s a growing trend among busy parents who have been other wise occupied with “life” and want to cover all important bases before the “Big Alarm Clock” goes off.

I was sitting here, and I just though to myself, “Kelle, you need to take your kids on a REAL vacation!”  They will all be out the house and the last thing you want to happen is they never really get a chance to bond with each other in their own special way.” I kept that thought to myself because I know what my husband would say if I said it to him.”Girl, these kids love each other. They’ll always have each other’s back. We have more important ways to spend money.” Well, he’s  kinda right.Go ahead and call me crazy, but I just imagine them being this loving way out of habit. Because it’s their sibling. Not because they have built a intellectual understanding of each other. I’ve seen too many grown siblings trying to cut off each others neck. I don’t want my children to ever be like that. If a cruise offers a chance to build substantial bonds, I’ll try it.

From diapers to back pack in no time!

Here’s my Family Bucket List:

1. Take all 8 kids and my husband on a cruse. (It would be nice to get away from the hustle of our life for a intimate retreat)
2. Own a house with 8 bedrooms and a huge yard, 2 bathrooms 2 1/2 baths, 2 car garage, a workshop, fitness center and basement (It’s possible. I married an carpenter for goodness sake)
3. Every family member learn how to maintain their on wellness. (I figured, if they learn about God,population control, history and law early enough, they will be a force to be reckoned with)
4. I will live to assist in the birth of all my grandchildren (don’t all doulas wish for this?)
5. Get my husband on a date in a 3 piece suit.  (Yes, I’m pushing it, but a girl can wish right?)

I’m not asking for too much am I? Need help making your families bucket list? (Use this link!)

It Can Be Done! ~QC Supermom

Toxins Suck! I’m telling my Senator!

What is a toxin? Where do they come from? How do they effect my family & how do I get rid of them? And last but not least, does it really matter? 

I’m from the south and none of these questions meant a thing to me growing up. Sure, we heard of lead poisoning, but no one I knew ate paint chips, so we were safe. Had someone came in and said “Kelle-Keisha, you can’t roll or sleep on that new carpet. I would have thrown a fit. But thanks to the ability to research, I know better now.

Today every time you turn around there is something else you have to worry about. So much so, that you have to figure out,if it’s worth the effort to even change. After loosing one daughter at 11 years old. It made sense for me to consider everything. And so we did with out any delay. Not only did we change our diet and started buying air vents on time; we did a 100% over haul.

I’ve done my part. 

We stopped using air fresheners- we now use herb based mixtures.

We stopped using pesticide grown food (well sorta) – we now wash everything before we eat it, if it isn’t organic.

We stopped using strong chemicals to clean- that stuff required opening windows AND holding our breath. Now we use more baking soda, vinegar and oil based mixtures, I still use bleach for laundry and  hard jobs(with the windows open of course).

We stopped using Bisphenol A /BPA(it’s a bad chemical used in most plastic production. Although it’s harder to keep up with the boys BPA free things, it’s worth it. We now use more glass items, which includes mason jars as cups.

We even got rid of our moth balls! That was a hard habit to break. But once we learned that those cute, smelly, white balls could cause headaches and irritation to nose, throat and lungs, we stopped buying them! Instead, we make sachets from dried lavender/ cedar and equal parts dried rosemary and mint. 

I want Congress to do their part! 

Our voices are needed not only to keep legislation moving forward, but also to tell them that any serious effort must include the following commonsense measures to protect children and communities from dangerous chemicals:

1. Make clear protections for children, pregnant women, and hotspot communities heavily affected by pollution and toxic chemicals.

2. Allow states to progress on toxics and support their right to be more protective than federal standards.

3. Require that chemicals be shown safe to remain in use, rather than require they be shown harmful to be removed.

4. Empower the EPA to move quickly on the worst chemicals, including bans and phase outs if necessary.

5. Establish timetables and deadlines to ensure timely decisions are made to protect public health from dangerous chemicals.

Do you know this girl?

I can’t tell you how much I miss this child. Words could never explain it. I hate thinking if it was avoidable.

No,she isn’t your daughter, the president’s love child, but she’s just as important and she had Auto Immune Hepatitis. She past at just 11 years old. Her name is SaMya T. Pressley-Scott and she’s my daughter. I fight toxins for her, her siblings and yours too.Help fight for your babies with me & Mom’s Rising. Together we can keep our babies toxin free*! PLEASE SIGN THE LETTER BELOW!

Sign this letter to your Senator!

Thank you, QCSupermom

Great resources for locating toxins in your home

Toxins in your kids things

10 steps to reducing common toxins in your house

Friday 4: QC Supermom’s Week In review

It just hit me. We never stay home.  I guess it’s my fault. As a home schooler, I make it a priority to create as many progressive opportunities for them as possible. But I think it has back fired on me.

Yesterday I wanted to stay in and get some rest.  I have been in over drive all week long with the planning of The Total Children’s Wellness Fair. But naaah, my kids just couldn’t get it that mama was tired.

INSTEAD this is what we did:

Talk about the fun to be had there!We went to check on a family friend. It’s t

1. My husband and I set out on a date to the car auction. Yes, it was a date. We didn’t take another soul with us away from the house.

2. I took the girls to check on a family friend. He’s a teen parent. Yes, there is a lesson in that as well. I was pretty relieved that they both knew that although no child is a mistake, teenage pregnancies CAN throw you off your game of life.

I think he’ll be just fine.

3. Total Science Day! Everyone wanted to do a different science project on the same day. We usually complete science projects once a month, but last month we derailed a bit. So for them it was open season. Some made cashew nut butter with Carissa, my niece, others discovered how water molecules hold together. One daughter begged to see the insides of a grasshopper. They were all over the place. But we did them all. That day.  Thank God for my husband having those days off.

4. The Jr WearHouse  annual Breast Cancer Awareness event. The guest speaker, Jodi Huebner-Marquez, was amazing!! What a brave soul. My daughters even enjoyed listening to her.  Charlotte Radiology,Susan G. Komen for the Cure Charlotte Affiliate, Carolina Breast Friends,The boys enjoyed  Brixx Wood Fired Pizza and Fuze drinks. At one point I do remembering removing the plastic breast sample from their lil all-male hands.  The pink ladies were just beautiful. Those ladies really put in work for that 90 minute event. It was a pleasure to meet the new director as well. Congrats to her!

Well, I better go join the family and rest. No telling what they have planned for the weekend.

The 4th Annual Total Children’s Wellness Fair is 11.16.13. Don’t miss it!

I love my life. But this week was a challenge. I hope that I can sleep in Saturday before we had out for the day.Wish me best!  ~QC Supermom

WEDNESDAY WOW: COSTUME SEASON

I grew up in a small town. We DID Halloween BIG! Our drivers would ride us on the hoods, with the doors open house to house with in the neighborhood. We would chant; “Trick or treat, trick or treat give me something good to eat!

If they acted right we would not “tp” their house.We would say thank you and go on to the next house smiling.  If they didn’t, we would sing the other version. It went ” Trick or treat, smell my feet. Give me something good to eat.If you don’t, I won’t be sad. I’ll just make you wish you had!”  and let’s just say, they would save a lot on bathroom tissue that week. (those were the days- Thank God for wisdom!)

Watch: Fat Albert Halloween Special 1977

Of course, at that time, the very best part of Halloween was getting more candy than we’ve ever seen all year long! Half of the thrill came from putting the costume together piece by piece. I’ve been an angel, a nerd, a doll baby, a witch, even a clown.  If it was affordable, I was it. I remember even switching up with my neighbor one year. It was so much fun!

Over the years things have gotten so different. It went from me enjoying those same days with my children to slowly pulling back and taking them to the mall, then gradually to church and then community only events. Same fun, but I started to wonder Why the horror? I never liked scary costumes, but my kids were starting to look rather boring!

With 4 young sons and 2 older daughters in the house, I was running out of ideas quickly!  I was lucky that my oldest son got tired of dressing up at age 15. I bet that now in his college years, he’s finding a new liking to it.

Low and behold,as I was surfing online last week I found the best idea EVER for all of my young sons! This will be a hit! I can’t wait to get their costumes together.

“D”, Cassie & JC

I’ll be

looking for a few ideas for my girls too!

We now have a new family tradition.  Allow me to introduce to you my large family’s new Halloween tradition, “Celebrity & Famous folks themed costumes”. I’m thinking I have another 6 -8 years before they get over “it.”

So i’m gonna milk it for everything I can! I’m giving them the joys I had as a little girl but better!

How do you celebrate Halloween? I want to know.

Talk to me.

~QC Supermom

 

 

QC 2013 The Fresh Expo: The Review

It came, it thrilled, and it inspired! Everything I was looking for, I found it there for myself, husband, our children, home and even for our dog.

You know, most people could care less about eating well till someones dies or become very sick. As a mom, wife and friend, I want to equip myself with resources before I need them. The Fresh Expo did just that! They kicked “heath fears” in the butt!  I learned more ways and resources that we CAN use to eat  and live well, with out GMO’s,  all while feeling amazing!

HealthForce Nutritionals have a great line! Jerri and her family are incredible producers.

We started with this fantastic burlap bag from Wholesome Sweeteners, (pretty big bag huh?) By the time we left, it was filled with samples and other goodies that we got great deals on!

I was so happy to see some of the vendors from last year & some wonderful new ones. And the food…… it was delicious!

Ok, please excuse me while I name drop…..but I just loved the vendors I actually spoke with!

We got a belly FULL of clean food and drinks! The cheese guy from KerryGold made my day. I learned so much about different cheeses. I considered moving to Ireland. Just kidding.

One of my daughters was impressed with the self defense table. They had pink pepper spray guns. Cute right?  Another daughter I had the hardest time pulling her from the skin care booth. Good thing I wore my youngest son, the middle aged boys didn’t want to leave the Kids Zone. I couldn’t let them miss all those great samples that was offered, so I sorta lured them with food.

One of my colleges, Shari Spector told me that I had just missed her mentor. She was a Keynote Speaker.  Fit to the Finish‘s Diane Carbonell shared tips on energizing your life through smart food choices! She’s been on the Dr. Mehmet Oz show sharing her inspiring weight loss story! Shari mentioned that she was basically told to go home a die. She healed herself with food…. REAL FOOD. Who can’t respect that??? Even our dog, Star got treats! She was so happy to get those sneaky treats. I call them sneaky because a few of them looked just like Uldis snacks. That’s right, no spirit left behind. The Humane League – Charlotte Office was there passing out information across from the Kids Zone and my favorite baby line, Happy Family.

Noah is still breastfed. When he come up from nursing, he is very selective of what he eats. He loves the new bar line they have came out with.

These (in the following kink) shared the HEALTHY CHEF STAGE and here’s few other vendors that was there.

Sassier You, Jennifer from Sugar Bear Skin Care ,Lenny Boys & Edible Charlotte was there too! (O’gosh, I love their magazine!)

Are you getting the big picture here? The Fresh Expo was pretty good! If you missed it, no worries, they’ll be back in about 360 days. I heard they will have a Doula there next year. …..Hmmmm.

Ok, i’m off to use those Veganaise and Amazing Grass coupons! Later friends!  🙂 QCSupermom

Friday 4: QC, the Fresh EXPO is HERE!!!!!

My how time fly’s! It seems like just yesterday I was  striking a pose with some hair purple guy at the Convention Center downtown. If you didn’t go, here’s what happened last year!  

The slideshow from the 1st Fresh Expo in the QC –Click here!

I had a set of tickets to give away for the expo. We received them yesterday. Since it was such short notice I gave them to a mom that I felt would most benefit from the experience.  There’s just so much to learn there. SURE it’s not The Total Children’s Wellness Fair, but yeah, you can’t have it all now can you?

TeHun has been playing with my camera. Bless his heart! Maybe, he’ll be my photographer for this evening, You never know. Just in case, I’ll

I’m not sure what Star was doing to get this dirty for the few minutes she was out, but TeHun got it on camera. (looks like she had fun though)

be picking up another pack of batteries as I don’t want to miss anything!

Here’s four points regarding The Fresh Expo and The Total Children’s Wellness Fair:

1. The Fresh! Expo! is a “Natural, Organic & Healthy Living” consumer event hosted in Charlotte that brings together local and national companies whose common goal is to increase awareness on healthier forms of living.

2. The Total Children’s Wellness Fair is a celebration of the seven branches of wellness. It includes the Social, Spiritual, Environmental, Educational, Nutritional, Physical and Financial needs of our youth from the unborn to the 12th grader. It’s hosted in Charlotte and and brings together the best local and national community partners, small business owners, and larger companies. The focus is 100% child centered.

3. The Fresh Expo has loads of goodies to try and buy! So does the Total Children’s Wellness Fair. As a matter of fact. The cost to attend, vend and promote is very affordable at the latter. The Total Children’s Wellness Fair is free to attend and for vendors it’s a pie of cake to join in.

4. The Total Children’s Wellness Fair strives to showcase the community as diverse as our population is. Our vendors, participants and entertainment is a direct ethnic representation of the attendees! For us, everyone sees a message directed to them.

Both are two great events to attend! See you there, QC Supermom

Mommy’s Hints for College Kids

Cousins…..My college crew

My son just called asking about his laundry issues. I know that I taught him how to do laundry ,but obviously he missed something. Lucky you! Here are a few laundry tips and other keys to a easy  life. 🙂 If I left anything out, please tell me here. I’m sure the other kids will need this info also.

College kid TIPS:

1. Remove pimples! Dab some lemon juice on the pimple.

2. You know that sticky residue that collects on irons? Run the iron (don’t use the steam setting) over white paper sprinkled with salt.

3. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to a load of laundry to brighten whites.

4. Broken necklace? Connect it with dental floss till you can get it fixed.

5. Clean your microwave by placing a glass bowl filled with 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 cup water inside and heating it for five minutes on the highest setting. After the mixture cools, use a cloth dipped in it to wipe off splattered food stains.

6. Breath stinks? Chew on some parsley or cilantro.

7. Put a slice of bread in a bag of hard brown sugar and check it a few days later. The brown sugar will soften and become usable (and edible) again.

8. Keep the microfrige fresh-smelling and dry by lining the bottom with newspaper.

Make Your Own Baking Soda and Coconut Oil Toothpaste

Homemade Baking Soda and Coconut Oil Toothpaste Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil 
  
• 2 tablespoons Baking Soda
• 10 drops of Peppermint oil

Instructions:

A. Mix baking soda and coconut oil in a small container, until it forms a paste like consistency

B. Add several drops of peppermint oil and mix (*peppermint is optional)

9. Make a paste out of lemon juice and salt and use it to scour and disinfect your bathroom surfaces (but don’t use on marble!).

10. Sound the alarm. To keep unwanted people out your closet, room, etc. tie a small bell to the door.When the door opens the ring will sound.

Extras:

‘Halloween Layer Cake” By Taste Of Home

11.  Let your car warm up! Racing a cold engine increases wear.

12. Hangover? I know it happens. Just grab a cold tea bag to relieve those tired eyes.

So how’d I do?

Happy Fall, QC Supermom

Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

I’m a fan of hand sanitizers! Busy moms need healthy, quick, resources.

At home, I much prefer old fashioned hand washing with soap and water.  I feel it is cleaner.  I read that it gets more viruses too — as long as you wash for long enough.

Soaps and Hand Sanitizers: What Works Best Against Germs?

To the kids they can’t understand how such a small amount of liquid is able to clean their hands. Sure I could answer it and say that it’s because of the alcohol content. ( alcohol breaks up bacterial proteins, and kills them.) But instead I choose to make a science project out of it. Join us!

Take these out:

• bowl
• spatula
• funnel
• plastic bottle with pump or squirt top (cleaned)

Homemade Hand Sanitizer:

Ingredients

• 3 oz. filtered water
• 1 tsp. aloe vera gel
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• 10 drops clove essential oil
• 10 drops rosemary essential oil
• 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 20 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions: Mix ingredients in a 4-ounce spray dispenser, and shake gently. Spray onto hands (3-5 sprays) and massage the spray into hands for 5-10 seconds.

Alcohol kills most bacteria, and hand sanitizer contains a high amount of alcohol. When it is rubbed on the hands for about 30 seconds, it really will eliminate many forms of bacteria and also many viruses. It has been proven very effective against some dangerous forms of bacteria, like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which can cause the deadly and frightening flesh-eating bacteria.

If you like those above and the idea of bringing do it yourself science  to your little ones, check these links out:

EASY useful science projects for kids

Icky, Creepy, and Just Plain Gross Science Projects

Edible Science Experiment

Easy, Edible Kitchen Science Experiments

se7en

Edible Science/Chemistry Projects

Stay clean ya’ll, QC Supermom

The 4th annual Total Children’s Wellness Fair is November 16, 2013 It’s based on the 7 branches of Wellness. Join us!