As an OCD Mom I constantly raid the fridge and medicine cabinets for expired goods. Anything remotely close to its due date get tossed.

Now that my little one is fairly mobile she loves to play in the restroom, germ central. She spends most of her time pulling items of the cabinets. Last week she got hold of some meds in a child proof bottle. (But this is the same child that pulls all of the child resistant plugs from the receptacle because she prefers to eat them.) Shortly after all of the pills end up on the floor and she was able to get one good lick in on a tablet before I snatched them all up. Immediately, I relocated all meds to a higher level because the childproof cap is not enough to deter her.

Relocating the medicine bottles lead to another one of my favorite pass times. Yep, you guessed it reorganizing and purging.

Here are my mommy tips:

• Even if meds are in a child proof bottle move them out of reach. Children love the sound of the pills/tablets shaking in the bottle. And the bottle is only resistant not child proof, my one year old managed to open the bottle
• Throw away meds that have expired. For your family’s sake. Old medicine’s can be dangerous, have deteriorated or just fine it is best just to speak your physician to get a new prescription if you need more of the medicine. If the med was an over the counter drug purchase a new bottle.

In the past, most people flushed old medicines down the toilet. This was done to prevent accidental poisonings of children and animals who may find medicines in the trash. But today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) no longer recommends this. Sewage treatment plants may not be able to clean all medicines out of the water. This may harm fish and wildlife.

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) recommended disposal of meds:

1. DO NOT FLUSH unused medications. Consumers were once advised to flush their expired or unused medications; however, recent environmental impact studies report that this could be having an adverse impact on the environment. While the rule of thumb is not to flush, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that certain medications should be flushed due to their abuse potential. Read the instructions on your medication and talk to your pharmacist.

2. When tossing unused medications, protect children and pets from the potentially negative effects. APhA recommends that consumers:

• Crush solid medications or dissolve them in water (this applies for liquid medications as well) and mix with kitty litter or sawdust (or any material that absorbs the dissolved medication and makes it less appealing for pets or children to eat), then place in a sealed plastic bag BEFORE tossing in the trash.
• Remove and destroy ALL identifying personal information (prescription label) from the medication container.
• Check for approved state and local collection programs or with area hazardous waste facilities. In certain states, you may be able to take your unused medications to your community pharmacy.

3. Talk To Your Pharmacist. Research shows that pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals. As the medication experts on the healthcare team, pharmacists are available to guide you on how to properly dispose of your unused medications.

Following these simple steps can help protect your family and community, minimize a potential negative impact on the environment, and prevent the illegal diversion of unused medications.

Source: http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/drug_disposal062308.html

To Perm or Not to Perm

Many women of color are now abandoning the perm and going natural, as it is in style now. For many women this may be a long term decision to abandon the lye for good.

Hundreds of women of color have been scolded by the perm, burnt ears, neck and scalp, hair loss, hair damage and so on. Yet many women of color are hesitant to abandon the relaxer due to convenience and managing our natural hair.

Styling your daughter’s hair may be time consuming for any Mom. Styling hair in the morning, can be particularly stressful if you are trying to get your children cleaned up, dressed, fed and out the door for school.  This task becomes more daunting and challenging for mother’s with children that has thick and coarse hair. A relaxer is an easy fix to managing black hair and significantly decreases the amount of time required on hair styling. Is the relaxer necessarily the best fix or just a solution of convenience? Who is to decide what is best?

As we become more conscience of our bodies and health most people are choosing a natural alternative in many avenues in life include makeup, hair products and hair treatments.

So what are your plans for managing your daughter’s hair? Do you plan to apply a relaxer to you daughter’s hair? If so at what age?

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Meet up with the Central Florida Noir Mommies & Noir Kids!

Saturday, October 31st at 11:00

Meet Fellow Noir Mommies in your area. Find Noir Kids of all Ages.  Birthday World offers activities for children of all ages; bounce houses, trains, roller coaster, carousel, flying bananas, tubs-o-fun, mini golf, games and much more. We can not wait to see you there.

Birthday World
Oak Groves Plaza
995 North State Road 434
Altamonte Springs, FL 32174
(407) 657-2000

Price: $16 per child (cash only)

Price includes pizza, juice, playband and 10 tokens

Please RSVP

“Journaling is important because it gives credence and importance to a journey.”

- -Hill Harper

Hill Harper is best known as the cerebral Dr. Sheldon Hawkes on the hit CBS crime drama – CSI: NY, a role  for which he won The 2009 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor. His numerous acting roles  in The Sopranos, Lackawanna Blues and He Got Game have been lauded for their depth and complexity.  Harper’s academic pedigree is no less impressive. He graduated magna cum laude from Brown University  and went on to receive an advanced degree in public administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of  Government and a law degree from Harvard Law School.

I caught up with the multi-talented Hill Harper during his book tour for The New York Times bestseller, “Letters to a Young Sister: Define Your Destiny.”

In your writings, you speak of with great honor and respect for the women in you life.  Please talk a bit about the impact your mother had upon you.

My female legacy is important to me and I think to everyone. My mother didn’t raise me directly, my father did, but we have developed a relationship that I’m extremely proud of. My mother is a trailblazer; she’s a woman who was one of the first African-American anesthesiologists in the country, at a time when women weren’t even thinking about being doctors. If they were thinking about becoming medical professionals at all, they were thinking about being nurses. So my mother is really an incredible woman and an inspiration. She taught me there is nothing I can’t do.

In your book, you speak of the importance of journaling, specifically taking pen to paper in an age where young people are more likely to text message than write a letter.  Please talk about the importance of journaling and what it’s meant to you.

Journaling is important because it gives credence and importance to a journey.  It’s funny the way journaling is spelled – part of it is journey. Life does not have to be broken out into seminal moments. It does not have to be the time I went to the Empire State Building, it could be the time I went to the bodega and the cashier smiled with a gold tooth that made me laugh. You write about that because you’re giving honor to your daily life. That’s what journaling really is – giving honor to your daily life.

Some young people, unfortunately, are parenting themselves due to a lack of resources at home and/or in their immediate social circle.  What advice do you have for young people who are independently seeking out resources?

In my first book, “Letters to a Young Brother,” I indicate that you have to be an active architect in your own life. When you’re attempting to reach any goal, particularly if you don’t have people around to teach you how to do something, there’s a four-step process that I think is key:

The first one I call blue printing, every architect starts out with a blueprint. Second there is foundation building, that’s when you collect resources necessary to be successful, such as education, relationships and faith. Next there is establishing a framework; these are the choices you make as you go along. Finally there is establishing doors; door do two things, they let people in and usher others out, there are people in all of our lives who are toxic, those individuals we need to usher out of our lives because these people cheat our dreams. There are other people that we actively need to seek out – mentors, to help us get where we desire to go.  I would share these four components with anyone who is traveling on a journey with goals, but does not have a huge support structure.

In “Letters to a Young Sister” you talk about the transition from growing up with both parents to living only with your father and brother, save for weekends and holidays with your mother.  How did you deal with that time of your life?

As a young person, I was just trying to get through it. In terms of reflection, however, I see how it has affected me in later life.  It’s certainly affected me in my relationships with women. I don’t judge it and say something wrong or bad that happened to me. All the experiences we’ve had make us into who we are. I don’t like the notion of mistakes. You make a choice at a point in time because you believe that you will achieve a certain result. If that choice does not achieve the desired result then you have to modify your choices and your behavior. That is the key! Going back to my architectural example, architects use a pencil and paper for their blueprints; they don’t use a pen when sketching a design, because they know they will make modifications. Just because they drew it one way in the beginning, and later erased, does not mean they made a mistake. They realize they had to make a modification and that’s kind of how we build our lives.

Words by Evangelia Biddy

Evangelia Biddy is the Editor-in-Chief of Junior, the magazine about bringing up successful boys. www.juniorthemagazine.com.

Bee Mine Products strive to give you the best products to keep your tresses in the healthiest condition it can be.  Our products are all natural and organic of the highest quality and hand made with love and delivered to you. Please visit us at www.BeeMineProducts.com

We would like to offer a weekly regimen that’s easy to use that will keep your hair healthy and in the opportune environment for optimum growth.

This regimen is for those that might hair alopecia, balding, thinning or want to simply increase their growth.

Week 1 and subsequent weeks thereafter

1.     Shampoo once a week with Bee Mine Peppermint & Tea Tree Nourishing  Shampoo.  Condition afterwards with Bee Mine Avocado Balanced Cream Conditioner rinse with cool water.

2.     Co-Wash 1-2 times a week with Bee Mine Avocado Balanced Cream Conditioner rinse with cool water.  One of these times can be a deep condition (DC).  After applying a efficient amount on your wet hair place a conditioner cap or shower bonnet on your head.  You can either leave cap on or use a hood dryer, heating cap or warm towel for 15-30 minutes.  Rinse thoroughly with cool water.

3.     Apply Bee Mine Hair Growth Serum (either scent) daily or every other day sparingly to your scalp only, massage well.  A little goes a long way.  You will need to use a moisturizer to combat any dryness that may occur.

a.     Bee Mine Bee Loved Hair & Scalp Moisturizer – This moisturizer is great mostly shea butter and on the heavy side. If you are natural, have dry brittle hair we recommend using this or if you prefer a lotion consistency.  A little goes a long way.

b.     Bee Mine No Sulfur Serum (either scent) – This moisturizer is oil based and has a liquid consistency.  It can be used by all hair textures (permed, natural, tex laxed, etc.).  It has many uses such as (growth serum, hot oil treatment, sealer, pre-poo, wraps, etc.)  A little goes a long way, use sparingly.

c.  Luscious Balanced Cream Moisturizer – This is luxurious cream that is a balance of moisture and proteins.  If you are looking for a moisturizer that will keep your hair balanced and won’t weigh your tresses down, this is it!

4.     Once a week preferably once every two weeks do a hot oil treatment.  Use Bee Mine No Sulfur Serum (either scent).  Apply oil to your hair and scalp (don’t over do it   ) place a conditioning cap on your head or shower bonnet.  You can leave it on and do things around the house, use a hood dryer, heating cap, warm towel.  If you are using no heat please leave it on for at least 1 hour if you are using heat leave it on for 15 minutes.  Rinse out gently with warm water.  Depending on how much oil was used for the treatment you might want to do a light co-wash.

5.     Use Bee Mine No Sulfur Serum (either scent) nightly to seal your ends.  It’s essential to keep your ends healthy to retain your length and elevate split ends.  Please use a silk or satin scarf on your hair after you seal and if at all possible a silk or satin pillow case.  Just in case the bonnet or scarf falls off.  Cotton pillow cases can cause your hair to break off.

6.     The next best thing and the most essential is to clarify.  You should do this once a month or twice monthly depending on how often you are using lots of products that might cause buildup.  Keep in mind buildup will cause a product not to perform at it’s best simply because your hair is loaded down.  Please if possible use “Organic Raw Unfiltered Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother” in it.  Use two cups of warm distilled water and 1-2 tablespoons of Braggs ACV.  Mix items together and use as a rinse after you’ve washed and conditioned with our Bee Mine Products line.  Some use as a no poo, massage well rinse and condition with Bee Mine Avocado Cream Conditioner.


Styling – Bee Mine Bee Hold Curly Butter

This is a wonderful product that’s very moisturizing and versatile in it’s uses.  If you are natural you can use in twists, puffs, pony tails, fro’, finger curls, etc.  With transitioning and relaxed/permed that are stretching this is a great natural products that helps to lay down unruly hair.  This product has helped many with stretching their perm and transitioning to natural.

Things to remember – Try to air dry when possible, use wide tooth comb, detangle with conditioner, blot dry not rub with towel (micro towel).

In order to have healthy hair you must have a healthy inside as well.  When you decide to make this lifestyle change to keep your hair healthy, it’s essential to keep your insides healthy.  Eat properly, drink plenty of water and exercise for a healthier YOU! Visit Bee Mine Products today to order your products!

Bee Mine Products YouTube Contest

Bee Mine Products YouTube demonstration and product review
contest. Where you use one of our products, demonstrate how you use them
and showing the final result. If you are using our Serums you would have
time to document your growth. This contest started on September 1, 2009 and
run through September 30, 2009. Your final entry has to be in no later than
September 30, 2009 to be considered no exceptions. Please make sure you are
registered on our site and you are a member. Please log into our site leave
your YouTube link at contact us.

The winner will receive $75 dollars in merchandise & $75 dollars in cash.
The winner up will receive $25 dollars in merchandise & $25 dollars in cash.
And the third place winner will receive $25 dollars in merchandise. All
winners will be chosen on October 1, 2009, this is why it’s so important to
turn your links in. Have a blessed afternoon and good luck to everyone!!
See you on YouTube!

Everyone knows that when you are receiving your food through a window most of us opt for the not so nutritious items on the menu. The benefit is that the food is fast and the convenience of being on every corner for Noir Mommies and Daddies on the go. We are all pressed for time juggling a family, career, children extracurricular activities and adult’s social events. Sometimes having finding the time to prepare a warm meal slips out the window.

Sometime before conception, I decided against fast food for my children. After making this stance/statement, when I find myself pressed for time, sometimes I find myself at the window ordering junk from a intercom. Hypocrite? I think reality is setting in and I have eased up on my ideals about fast food. It also helps now that many of the fast food establishments are offering healthier selections for adults and children. So when the time comes and we (my family) are Mommie and Daddie on the go, and I find myself at the window I am confident I will chose the healthier options.

My reasons for warding off fast food makes it easy, it is not an issue of class or income. I am determined to play my part in stopping the genetic predispositions of heart disease, high cholesterol and uncontrolled hypertension that runs ramped in my family and our culture.

Replace Brown Sack Window with Brown Sack from Home;

Pack raw cut veggies & fruit to snack on in time of a hurry

Prepackaged fruit cups

Dried fruits

Prepackage cheese strips/cubes

Protein Bars & Energy Bars (adults)

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