Kimberlee Mitchell is on a mission to alert all families with home gyms with treadmills to: 1) Make home gym off limits to children by locking door. 2) Unplug treadmill when not in use 3) REMOVE safety cord from treadmill altogether when not in use and store in out of site place.

Little ones are creative out of the box thinkers and they will innocently explore things that are not safe and play with them in a way that was not intended for use. Create off-limits areas in your home so your child is not allowed to freedom to play where there could be hidden dangers.

Keep doors locked or gate off the below listed OFF LIMITS rooms:
home gym
garage
loft, terrace or balcony
second story (or higher) rooms with no window locks or guards
home office
room with bar (alcohol)
kitchen should be gated off
bathroom
sauna

Please send this link to all your friends who have little ones!!!!

Here's a local article by Erika Ritchie from the OC Register.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/safety-babies-baby-2337537-coming-house#slComments

http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/Octo_Watch_Suleman_Says_Two_Babies_Come_Home_20090316

More babyproofing coverage on People online:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20266076,00.html

Today was all long day for Rodney and I, but Nadya Suleman's home has officially been Boo Boo Busted!  It was a big job, about $3k, and the media circus outside the home was restless and hungry for news. They waited all day for the babies to come home, but not today.  Perhaps tomorrow?!  These little ones sure have a huge following.  Below are a few links to some of the "news" coverage today  straight from the Octomom compound:

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Octo-Mom_s_House_Baby-Proofed_Los_Angeles.html

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/orange_county&id=6712065

http://www.jfxonline.com/jfxonline/2009/03/16/octo-moms-home-inspected/

http://www.lifeandstylemag.com/2009/03/baby-proofing-begins-on-octo-m-1.html

The March 2009 issue of The Safety Review, CPSC's e-newsletter, is available at:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/tsr0309.pdf

in PDF format.

********************************************************

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Hi all,

Well Chicago was a blast and our new Ford Transit Connect van is gorgeous!  We made national news in USA Today on Friday as well...check it out at this link:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2009-02-12-ford-contest-transit-vans_N.htm#uslPageReturn

This truck will add so much to our business and allow us to work more efficiently while advertising out business in the neighborhoods where we work. We don't get the truck until July unfortunately as it's a 2010, but we are so grateful to Ford for choosing Boo Boo Busters as one of five winners, among the 1,000 applicants.  

Here's the whole press conference where they unveiled all their new cars as well as introduced the winners and show us our new vans for the first time! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLz3lFZoYHc

"I won a new car!" is not a claim most people get to announce in their lifetime, but my time has come, and this small business owner is beyond ecstatic about the big win. 

Check out the below link to Ford's website, which explains all about the small business competition I entered along with 1,000 other applicants across the nation:

http://fordvehicles.emipowered.com/transitconnect/

If you click in entrants and scroll down you'll see my silly mug and the essay and video I shamelessly submitted as I GROVELED for this fabulous new work vehicle for my business, Boo Boo Busters Professional Babyproofing Services.  It's called the Ford Transit Connect and it's a fuel efficient work vehicle that will ideally house all the baby gates, locks, latches, hardware, tools, Plexiglas, etc. that a babyproofer needs to make a home safe on one trip out - a mobile warehouse.  It'll add the convenience of room to store everything, plus easy acess with two side sliding doors, and an onboard computer.  Ford is awarding Boo Boo Busters and 4 other small business owners with the new Transit Connect each complete with interior customizations per our specific storage needs plus full color vehicle logo wrapping. Ford is also flying the winners to Chicago so they can announce them at the Chicago Auto Show, where I am assuming they will also unveil the new vehicle for all to see.  THANKS FORD!!!!!!!!

So I'm grabbing my hubby, we're off to Chicago to declare my winnings, and celebrate some kid-free time in the Windy City.  Morton's on Rush street and the here we come!  

FUN TRIVIA: My husband also won a car on "Price Is Right" on a visit to L.A. when he was in college (incidentally the trip was to play in the Rose Bowl for University of Michigan.) How many couples do you know who BOTH WON A CAR!  :)

Anyone know of a contest for a new BMW, Saab or Mercedes? Please advise. :)

STRANGER DANGER:  Earlier this week in Mission Viejo, there was an incident involving a man who tried to abduct a five year old at her home.  Earlier this month, a similar incident happened in Ladera.  Fortunately, the children are safe.  As a result, we decided it best to share some basic reminders about stranger danger with you. I also want to reiterate at this time that it is so important for anyone coming onto campus to come to the front of the school and check in before walking onto campus.  We should not be walking through campus as a shortcut, tempting as that might be.  We have included some information for you to share with your child when he/she comes home. It is important to periodically remind your child about safe practices on the way to and from school. It would be helpful if our parent community could reinforce this important message with their children. The following information is excerpted from a child safety website at WWW.McGruff.com:

There are a number of basic safety rules kids can follow that will increase their awareness and lessen their chance of being harmed.

·       Children should not get into a car or go anywhere with any person unless their parents have told them specifically that it’s okay. CUSD students may only ride home with parents or people listed on the emergency card. If you have a carpool, please inform the office to update the emergency card.

·       If someone follows your child on foot or in a car, he/she should stay away from him or her. Don’t go near the car or get inside it. Get to a crowded, well-lit place where others can help.

·       Don’t go anywhere with a stranger. Don’t respond to anyone they don’t know well even if the person asks for directions, help to look for a lost puppy, or tells them that their mother or father is in trouble and that he or she will take them to their parents.

·       If someone tries to take them somewhere, quickly get away from him or her and yell: This man (woman) is trying to take me away or This person is not my father (or mother).

·       Kids should always use the buddy system. Go with a friend, never alone.

Children are strong, and they have the right to say NO to someone who tries to take them somewhere, or makes them feel uncomfortable in any way.

 http://www.sharonpatterson.typepad.com/   Need some gorgeous family photos for holiday cards? Or perhaps you want to capture your child or children in a way you've never been able to with your own camera.  Call Sharon!  We had an appointment for a family photo shoot and Sharon worked her magic in minutes.  It blew me away.  She shot my kids first and they warmed up to her quickly, although Chloe had an ice-girl gaze at the start, no worries for the Australian born shutterbug Sharon. Chloe's nervousness melted away in minutes and Sharon grabbed some great shots.  The eyes are my fave.  The way she shoots just brings out the sparkle and fire.  I also loved the shots where the kids are thinking or just being comfortable as opposed to mugging for the camera or merely "showing their teeth."  Although the mugging is precious, I like that she captured my kids in a more subdued and natural state. Rare as those moments are!  Check out the work she did for me and my family, and someother families, on her blog link and give her a call.  But call soon as she is not going to fall prey to the holiday rush like she did last year so her last shoot is early November and the last orders have to be in by December 7th.  http://www.sharonpatterson.typepad.com/

Thanks for the blog endorsement for Boo Boo Busters Sharon...right back at ya!  The Momprenuer Mafia is growing!  ;)

An AMBER Alert has been issued for Celesta Ortiz, a 7 year old Hispanic female and Cassandra Ortiz, a 6 year old Hispanic female. They were last seen in 6800 block of Homer Street, Westminster CA. This is the result of domestic violence.

The Suspect is Jose Solano Ortiz, a 26 year old Hispanic male. He is 5 feet 8 inches, weighs 160 pounds with spikey hair cut. He was last seen wearing black t-shirt and khaki pants. The victim is Jacqueline Prado Martinez, a 24 year old Hispanic female. She is 5 feel 4 inches, weighs 120 pounds with short red hair. She is wearing blue jeans and dark colored shirt. They are traveling in a 2005 gray GMC pickup with tag 7V93382.

If you have any information about these children, please contact the Westminster Police Department Watch Commander at 714-898-3315 x 214 or call 911.

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs077/1102268045396/archive/1102284301210.html

An AMBER Alert has been issued for Cole Puffinburger, a 6 year old white male. He is 3 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 48 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a black John Cena sweatshirt, dark jeans, black Vans tennis shoes, and silver-rimmed glasses. Cole was last seen near Hollywood and Lake Mead, Nevada.

The Suspects are three Hispanic males, all whom speak with a Hispanic accent. One suspect is in his early30’s 5 feet 7 inches, weighs 150 pounds with shoulder length hair that is slicked back. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

If you have any information about this child, please contact the Las Vegas Metro Police Department at 702-828-3111 or dial 911.

Hi all.  Calling all prayer warriors.  I'd like to ask something of the faithful prayers warriors out there. One of the members of team Boo Boo Busters is dealing with a medical family emergency and I'd like to ask for your prayers.  In an effort to not offend or divilge personal information without permission, I will keep names out of this request.  Please pray for the healing of a young wife and mother who is very ill.  Blessings to you and yours.

It's only Thursday, but it feels like Froday to me, as we're heading to Phoenix tomorrow morning on a family road trip.  I'm waiting for the OC Register to run a story we've been working for about a month.  Actually, the reporter and I started talking about this story almost 2 years ago!  Anyway, it's been a long time coming and I'm curious to see how it turned out.  The editor really liked the fact that we babyproofed two of Britney Spear's homes and I fear the story will be a bit more celeb-oriented than I'd like (or anyone else would for that matter) but hopefully, it will shed light on the need for child safety in the home and reach many new parents in time for them to babyproof their homes.  It's a small world.  Erika Ritchie, the gal who broke the exclusive triplets story on the Cobles is writing my article too.  She's a master at digging out latent stuff and getting to the heart of things.  Geez!  She even had me in tears about my mom's miscarriage that happened over 33 years ago!  So, I'll be on the road tomorrow, if you read the article send me an email with your thoughts!

Our neighbors here in Ladera Ranch, Chris and Lori Coble, have been through a nightmare this year after losing their three children to a horrific and negligent truck accident. The blessing today is that they are celebrating their recent pregnancy with triplets-- two girls and a boy!  Please join me and our community in prayer for this couple and for a healthy pregnancy for Lori. I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting this courageous faith-filled couple, but I feel so close to them as we've been following their story all for the past six months.  CONGRATULATIONS LORI AND CHRIS!  

Like many unintentional injuries, this tragedy could have been prevented, and the Cobles are making it their personal mission to make changes within the flawed trucking industry.  Truckers drive long hours, at high speeds and with heavy loads that make it unsafe for all others on the road with them.  The amount of people we lose every year due to truck accidents is equal to 26 fully-loaded 747's.  That's 5,000 people a year!  How can you keep your family safe while on freeways?  Get out of the way of trucks and keep a safe distance.  Please log onto the link below to see their story and learn more:  http://cbs2.com/local/local_story_311130700.html  Go to http://cbs2.com/ and click on top stories. You can also go to coblefamilysticker@yahoo.com to buy memorial stickers for your car.  Log onto www.trucksafety.org.

Here's an email from Lori Coble to her friends and our community. She wants us to spread the word via email to everyone we know:

Hi Everyone,
As you all know, Chris and I have started to get involved with The Truck Safety Organization. We recently did an interview with CBS that will air later this week. More importantly than our story, is a ride along and interview that they did with CHP and truckers. They have learned a lot of disturbing facts. This will all be covered in the 3 day interviews. These are our roads that we are driving on, we need to make sure they are safe. We would like to get this information out to as many people as possible. If you could help us we would appreciate it. For more information on Truck Safety you can go to www.trucksafety.org  Attached (below) is a copy of the programming times the interview will air.
Thank you,
Lori Coble

This is from the CBS2 Executive Producer:
Hi Lori and Chris-- thanks for being so patient with us..  your pieces are now in editing.. and I wanted to update you so you can tell family etc..
We're planning to air three reports

Piece #1-- Airs Thursday night at 11pm on CBS2--
this focuses specifically on your family, the accident, and why you've been so moved to get involved in the truck safety issue

Piece #2-- Airs Friday evening at 5pm on CBS2--
this is our investigation into truck safety, what we found out, and how you're making a difference with the truck safety coalition

Piece #3-- Airs Friday night at 10pm on KCAL9--
this is where we go from here-- specific things people can do to get involved-- the community outpouring of support for your family etc
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