Diary of a Super Mama

Starting the new year with a CLEAN start

2012-01-01T21:57:00.001-05:00

Today is the 1st of a new year. I decided about a week ago that I would start the first month of the new year on a detox. I am going to use Arbonne's 30-day healthy living plan. I will eat clean, organic foods. I will avoid allergens and addictive foods. This means I will avoid dairy, gluten, soy, peanuts, coffee, etc.

I prepared myself by spending the 30th and the 31st skipping coffee and diet pepsi (my favorite things to consume). I also attempted to avoid dairy. I say attempted because I accidentally took a few bites out of Maya's mac & cheese. Honestly, this is my problem - right?! I stick food in my mouth without even thinking. After I swallowed the bite I thought "WTF did I just do?!?!"

I think I will give myself credit for 2 or the 3 days as dairy-free. I am really proud of this because cheese is my other passion.

I planned to start to start this journey on the 1st with the 30th & 31st as a dry run. Then I realized I did not have the food I needed to be successful. I have my shopping list ready. I know what I need....I just cannot go shopping until I get paid.

So....I am committed to a modified version of the cleanse. I am not throwing out the idea because I do not have the food. I will have my 2 shakes, I am avoiding dairy, caffeine, coffee. I am eating clean. I did have peanut butter in my shake because I did not have almond butter.

I am confident this is better than the eating habits I had 5 days ago!

So....here we go. Day by day. I will be healthy. I will avoid foods that I am clearly addicted to. This is not a short term fix. This is a new path. I am ready to take it....

2011-10-11T12:32:00.000-04:00

My friend Kelly started a blog - it is great! Check it out at http://kellyannjarrett.blogspot.com/
She is hilarious and her blog today was very thought provoking! Since I was unable to comment on her blog for some reason I will post my thoughts here and encourage you to check her out and follow her.

Kelly encountered a man who would not push in his chair to let Kelly and her beautiful pregger belly slide through. She was getting increasingly irritated with his lack of consideration for her. She knew he was aware of her struggle to get through and so was his guests at the table. Kelly later realized he was a disabled veteran with a bad leg (possibly a prostetic). Her blog continues to share an additional story. I love her post because it reminds us that judgments about others can lead to negative treatment. Negative treatment can lead to negative attitudes thoughts and feelings from the receiver. All of the negativity is NOT GOOD!

People need to first - mind their biz. Second (if someone must make it their beeswax) they should think critically about the situation. You see a person, paying with EBT (food stamps) buy food such as steak and lobster - would you feel better if that person loaded up a ton of junk food? Because they may also be on state funded health care. Do you really want them to add diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc to their current hardship? No!! Why not eat well with this "gift" (I call it a gift because I know I would feel blessed to have this option if I were in that situation. I express gratitude for all such gifts). If I was ever in the situation of needing food stamps I would not suddenly start eating poorly! That does not make sense. If anything, it is harder on this person to eat healthy on a restricted budget.

I really encourage people to think more critically. Think beyond the obvious. I would have most likely made the same judgment about the gentleman not pushing in his chair so I know that I need to keep my judgments and actions in check. We all have judgments but we need to be aware of how those judgments impact others. If we do not think critically we could have given that man less than stellar service, assuming he was a jerk. Maybe left his food a little too long in the kitchen, did not come back to refill his drinks, etc. This negative thoughts resulted in action. His reaction could be to feel discouraged, underappreciated and frustrated - that could carry on to 10 more people who share that negativity with 10 more and so on....

Pass on positive loving vibes, even when people are being jerks - because what you put out in the universe you receive.

Kelly got my heart and mind racing today. I want to go share love with everyone right now. You never know what is going on in their world. Treat each person as if they are wearing a sign that says "Make me feel special". It WILL come back to you!

Now....go pay it forward!!!

I am a social media COMPULSIVE!

2011-06-14T21:11:00.044-04:00

Yep, I am in love with social media. LOVE IT.

If you do too, why don't you connect with me? I share tips, videos, health & wellness news, info about products and I give away products!!

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicafaircloughphr

www.facebook.com/jessfarbonne

www.twitter.com/jfairclough

Just click the link and you will connect to my network!!

YAY!!!

My Arbonne site

2011-06-14T20:55:00.000-04:00

I am so excited because I took the next step to open my online store. With this store you can have direct access to me! You can sign up as my customer (this way I can support you with all of your Arbonne needs) and you can have items shipped directly to your door.

I will also have my events posted on the webpage!

Please take a moment to check it out. I am really excited about offering this to my customers. It will make your shopping experience much easier.

If you are an Arbonne fan and you have re-directed your spending to Arbonne you may have core products that you order every month. For me, the specific items change every other month. For example, last month I got a jar of vanilla protein shake mix, 2 boxes of vitamins, my face wash and some renewal serum, and my hand soap for the bathroom downstairs. This month I do not need vitamins but I do need more vanilla and chocolate protein powder, my day cream, my body wash and I think I will get a shea butter hand wash & lotion set for the upstairs bathroom.

Why am I telling you this? I signed up for the special delivery. Each month I go in and update what I need. As long as I do it within 5 days of the ship date (the 5th of the month for me) I can make changes. Those items are ordered for me and shipped out automatically. My best practice is to update my special delivery throughout the month as I run out of something or notice it is getting low. This way I never run out. If there is a special (vitamins were buy 1 get 1 half off) I order a few.

The coolest part? If my order is $150 (retail value) a month, I will be awarded a virtual voucher for $125 every six months!! It is Arbonne's way of thanking me for signing up for special delivery. So I do not need to go to the store, I plan ahead, everything is shipped to my door each month AND I get $250 in free products every year. Yep....that's what I said. "No Brainer".

Let me know if you need help setting this feature up. When you click "shop online" you will see "Arbonne Special Delivery" to the right of the search button.

See below:

Thank you all for your support and PLEASE do not hesitate to ask me any questions!!

Arbonne Essentials Video

2011-03-30T16:08:00.002-04:00

I love this video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This looks a lot like my life (the product usage at least!)

Bento Boxes filled with nutritious and delish lunch. What's for breakfast?!

2011-03-12T17:20:00.001-05:00

I have had a terrible time getting Zanayah to eat a proper breakfast. We went through a stage when she refused any food in the mornings. Then the stage when we would discuss AT LENGTH which breakfast she wanted. Now we have it down pat.

I don't want to be a broken record here but Zanayah loves an Arbonne protein shake in the morning! I feel great giving it to her because it is vegan, no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. It has 20 grams of vegan protein (cranberry, rice and pea protein) and the vitamins and minerals she needs to get her through the day. She specifically loves when I make a chocolate Arbonne shake with a scoop of organic peanut butter (our favorite was the fresh pressed honey roasted PB at whole foods) and a half of a banana. I make her half a serving size because it is a lot for her in the morning. I blend it with ice in our blender but I also have a great Arbonne cup with the blender ball if we were in a rush. She could just have that with the protein mix.

I have also made her protein bars with the Arbonne protein powder, organic honey, organic peanut butter and rolled oats. It is a no-bake recipe and DELICIOUS! Sometimes I put a bar in her bento box as a snack with some fresh fruit.

My niece has started having a daily shake as well.

So I am really moving my girls over to a more healthy lifestyle and doing my best to remove the chemicals from her life. I am a busy, working mom with two jobs, two girls, a house and a husband. I cannot make all of our food from scratch. I cannot spend a gazzillion dollars on food. But I can make as many changes as possible in hopes to give my girls a safe and healthy life. There is so much more pollution, hormones in our food, radiation in our homes, then we had growing up. I want my girls to get a break from all of it and every change helps.

I also started Arbonne vitamin chews for Zanayah. They are soft, individually wrapped vitamin squares. They have a cherry taste. She likes them and they are (again) vegan! No gross stuff in there.

So, my promise when I started this blog was to share my tips for raising healthy babes in a busy world. I am an independent consultant for Arbonne but this also what I chose for my children and myself.

Please feel free to ask questions. I love sharing my love of Arbonne with people and all that I have learned!

Message me if you want the ingredients and nutritional info for the shakes. A big jar with 30 servings is just $59 RV. If you sign up as a preferred client you would get a 20% on your products!

Mamas - the Arbonne fizzy tabs are my life saver. They are individual tablets that you put in a bottle of water. They are amazing and keep me going all day!!!

I add a scoop of the daily fiber powder to my shakes in the morning, it keeps me full longer!

Arbonne Baby Products

2011-03-11T16:15:00.000-05:00

Do you know what is in your baby's skin care products?

I am going to tell you why I use Arbonne baby products on my girls....

Did you know that many baby shampoos contain a chemical numbing agent to make them "tear free"??

Do you know the origin of that Vaseline you may be placing on your baby's delicate little behind? Vaseline is Petroleum jelly. Here is a little history lesson...

The raw material for petroleum jelly was discovered in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, United States, on some of the country's first oil rigs. Workers disliked the paraffin-like material forming on rigs because it caused them to malfunction, but they used it on cuts and burns because it hastened healing. Robert Chesebrough, a young chemist, took the unrefined black "rod wax", as the drillers called it, back to his laboratory to refine it and explore potential uses. Chesebrough discovered that by distilling the lighter, thinner oil products from the rod wax, he could create a light-colored gel. Chesebrough patented the process of making petroleum jelly by U.S. Patent No. 127,568 in 1872. The process involved vacuum distillation of the crude material followed by filtration of the still residue through bone char. Chesebrough traveled around New York demonstrating the product to encourage sales by burning his skin with acid or an open flame, then spreading the ointment on his injuries and showing his past injuries healed, he claimed, by his miracle product. He opened his first factory in 1870 in Brooklyn using the name Vaseline. Chesebrough originally promoted Vaseline primarily as an ointment for scrapes, burns, and cuts, but studies have shown that Vaseline has no medicinal effect nor any effect on the blistering process, nor is it absorbed by the skin (wikipedia)

And

Petroleum and mineral oil, both derived from fossil fuels, are common ingredients in cosmetics, particularly lotions, foundations, cleansers, lipsticks and lip balms. Propylene glycol, a chemical additive that carries moisture in cosmetics, comes from petroleum, while petroleum distillates, possible human carcinogens, are found in several U.S. brands of mascara and other products. (Look for the terms petroleum or liquid paraffin.) Most of the fragrances in these products also come from crude oil, as do parabens. The long-term health effects of petroleum products are not yet known, but we have some hint of their potency from other applications. (Propylene glycol is also an ingredient in antifreeze and paint!) (source: http://blogs.webmd.com/health-ehome/2010/04/oil-your-engine-not-your-skin.html)

I can tell you when I learned this I threw away the Vaseline!

Arbonne products are botanical based and Arbonne is vegan certified. They are committed to providing products that are pure, safe, and beneficial. They are also gluten-free! Arbonne products contain no synthetic fragrances, flavors or colors.

Arbonne personal care products are formulated without:

Animal products or animal by-products
Formaldehyde-donating preservatives
Petroleum-based ingredients

Benzene
Mineral Oil
Petrolatum
Phthalates
Toluene

PABA

The Arbonne Baby Care line is tested and signed off by a pediatrician and a dermatologist. It is also pH-balanced and the Hair & Body Wash is tear-free. It is designed for babies, children, and adults with very sensitive skin.

The Arbonne ABC Baby Care line contains Sunscreen SPF 30+, Hair & Body Wash, Body Lotion, Body Oil, and Herbal Diaper Rash Cream.

The set is sold for $74.00 RV but you can buy each item separately.

You may purchase at www.arbonne.com by using my Arbonne Consultant ID: 18820318

Please let me know if you have any questions. It is very important to me to share my knowledge with you and help you find the best products for you and your family.

If you are interested in Arbonne's anti-aging line, cosmetics, or wellness products, please let me know!

Our Bento box photos

2011-01-10T20:28:00.001-05:00

Maya's lunch: veggie dog, veggie sticks, cucumbers, ketchup, homemade banana chocolate chip bread, fruit salad! Yum!!

Balancing Super Mum & Satisfactory Employee..with a sick child

2011-01-05T18:34:00.000-05:00

Wow, these are the days when I feel it is innately wrong for moms to have to work out of the house. This may sound strange coming from a pretty liberal, strong, independent woman. However, I have not kept it a secret that I wish I could be a stay at home mom. At least for a temporary period. Or I would love the flexibility to work when/where I want to. My employer is wonderful. They are flexible and understanding. It is my desire to please everyone that causes me internal conflict. My job is not a "work from home" job by policy. Therefore it is desirable that I am in the office. It is also desirable to my sick little angel that that she be home, preferably cuddled in mom's arms. I am a believer that when you are sick you are officially the king/queen/princess in the house. You should get control of the TV, you are allowed to whimper and complain and everyone will accommodate you. So when my girls are sick, even when they are well enough for daycare, I would prefer they get to stay home and rest. So I am usually left in the position of feeling guilty telling work I need the time off or feeling guilty I left my child at childcare where they are not the princess.

I sincerely wish I could do it all. I want to take off the employee hat and be the mom when my girls need me. I wish I could pause certain roles at certain times. School play? Pause Professional Jess. Important Business Meeting? Pause Mama. If I could be two people that would be great!

Ideally I need to find my way. I need to not feel like I am letting my employer or my child down. I need more telecommuting options. I need to find a fit where I can give everyone 100% because when I feel I am letting someone down I feel terrible. I am a hard worker and my integrity is extremely important to me. Being a great mother is lifelong dream.

Ugh....if we were only independently wealthy I would work for a non-profit, volunteer, and be home for my girls.

Parent Teacher Conference Time....

2010-11-24T09:52:00.000-05:00

I am proud to say that we had a great parent teacher conference. Initially I was concerned that my 8 year old had so many "2"s on her report card (A "1" means you are below expectations. A "2" means you are basically approaching target. a "3" is meeting expectations, and a "4" is exceeding). However, we have a great new teacher this year who has set the bar high. I love that.

We arrived to the PTC early (as requested) to review the report card. We circled the 2's and talked about them a little. Then we wrote the words, "Action Plan" on the back of her report card. We talked a little about what that meant. I told her I am so proud - no 1's, a lot of 3's. I explained that it is great to know where our opportunities are and not to be concerned. She was very positive. So we hit up the book fair before our meeting and got some fun stuff.

In the meeting I was hoping this new teacher would not hate me...I am a very involved parent. She is very much like me - likes control. However she loved it! She told Zanayah she was lucky...THANK YOU! She may not feel so lucky later!!

We talked about each area and what we could do to continue to improve. She kept telling me I did not have to be concerned. It was the first meeting. I kept saying, I am not - however I want to make sure I am doing my part!

I actually learned I own quite a bit of our action plan. When Zanayah asks me to read aloud to her I always say no! I thought she should be doing the reading. However, I am supposed to do some of the reading. At this age kids will read without pausing for periods or using voice inflection. The teacher wants me to read so Zanayah can hear how a story should sound, rather than one continuous sentance.

So why am I writing this blog? I spent quite a while trying to find some worksheets and activities to do with Zanayah at home. Stuff that was sort of fun. I found this website and I love it: http://www.education.com/worksheets/third-grade/ They have other grades as well! I printed a bunch of things and told Zanayah we would work out some reward system for her going "above and beyond" her homework and doing some of these.

I told her the extra work now will make everything easier later. So far she is on board! When I find more, I will share. Many of you are doing your PTC now (or recently had them) and may be on the search, I hope this saves you time!!

First Thanksgiving at the Faircloughs

2010-11-19T11:58:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving 2010...we are going to change it up this year and we will be hosting Thanksgiving at chez Fairclough. I am actually really excited. I am the only one who eats turkey so we will just cancel the turkey and go for a whole chicken. I have started a menu and who is responsible for what. I bought those poppers where you pull the ends and a prize explodes in your face. The kids love those. I have the "kiddie table" and I am going to buy a new movie or something for the kids.

Is it so wrong that I chose simplicity over being eco-friendly? I just bought Thanksgiving day paper plates. I will put them in the recycling bin when we are done. Does that count? With 7 guests, 3 of them children, I will have enough of a mess to pick up I do not want to wash dishes. Let's say I am conserving the water and I will recycle the plates. We are even.

I do think this may be the best Thanksgiving ever. It will be laid back, drama-free, yummy and special. I will keep you posted!!

I will also blog about how I survived and post some pictures!

Laptop Lunches - my new obsession

2010-11-18T19:31:00.002-05:00

Many of you already now I am obsessed with the laptop lunch bento box. They are based off of Japanese culture. You get a box and inside the box is 4 smaller boxes. It allows you to cut out the plastic baggies (money & environment saver!), bulk more fresh food in bulk (no more pre-processed, individually packaged snacks) and send a whole new variety of foods to school/work.

I got one for me and each of the girls. I will say it requires us to be more creative. The laptop lunches site had many great ideas. They are UBER creative. I also created a little cheat sheet for Zanayah (8 y/o). I put different ideas under three categories: Main courses, Veggies & Fruits, and Snacks. She can choose from those lists if she is stuck.

I also went and got these adorable fruit and veggie cutters. I cut watermelon, cheese, cucumbers, etc. into shapes like flowers and moons. My 2 y/o really likes these small pretty bite sized snacks. Zanayah feels super cool when she has something creative in her bento as well. She said her friends were jealous. I was just so happy she had such a healthy balanced meal!

The laptop lunch system even comes with a set of stainless steel silverware.

So here are some of my ideas (Zanayah has a snack time in the mornings and then lunch so this includes both meals):

dry cereal (milk purchased @ school)

fruit salad & a baby bel cheese

homemade banana bread

cheese & crackers

grapes

organic applesauce

homemade pumpkin chocolate chip muffin

Turkey meatballs

small salad (comes with a dressing container too!)

cheese stick & grapes

celery & organic peanut butter

Hard boiled egg & a few cubes of cheese

Apple slices & peanut butter

Salsa and tortillas

Mini bagel with cream cheese

Carrot sticks

Mini fruit kabobs

Pretzels

I could go on and on!

Here is a great book full of ideas - you can click right on this link if you want.

Go to http://www.laptoplunches.com/ you will get 10% off if you enter my code "supermama" when you check out! Have fun!!!!

Here is a link for the veggie cutters on amazon!

Holiday Shopping Time

2010-11-18T10:39:00.002-05:00

I love to shop online, there are so many unique and specialized gifts online. I figured I would help make your search a little easier by providing you with some of my favorite sites. Click on my banners to shop the stores. Whenever possible I will also post coupon codes for you!

As I mentioned, I have a love of unique items. I also love handmade, green and local shopping. My sites may not be everyone’s favorite but I promise there will be a variety of trendy, fun, and green!

I also plan to package Christmas gifts in reuseable shopping bags this year. I hope that my loved ones will start using only re-useable bags!

This is a great deal...