As a child, I was always in the dirt. I was digging holes, gathering leaves, and making mud balls. If I wasn't in the dirt, I was up a tree somewhere, reading a book, snoozing, or enjoying the breeze. It's a wonder I didn't fall out. It seemed fitting that I chose to attend horticulture and floral design at my local career and technical center during my high school days. I found the botany side of my studies fascinating.

My grandmother raised 8 children; 6 boys and 2 girls. She was technically pregnant for six and a half years of her life. She rarely ran to the doctors unless someone was bleeding or broken. She used old-fashioned remedies like honey, peppermint schnapps, Rock and Rye, elder tea, or onion water. These old remedies and Pennsylvania Dutch Pow-wow (folk magic) kept everyone from getting sick.

I became a mother in 1995. My oldest son suffered from some health concerns early on. I began researching the different herbs and medicinals I could use to help him feel better. He was in and out of the doctors consistently. A week's long stay at the hospital became our 'annual vacation' every year until he was 5. We called it his "jumpies" because he'd jump like a startle reflex in a newborn and then cry as if it hurt. It had a distinct set of symptoms which included petechiae up the right side of his body for no apparent reason; the whites of his eyes were dull, and he'd look like he was running a fever but it never got higher than 99. We never were able to figure it out. Thank goodness he outgrew it.

Fast forward to 2019 and COVID. Smack dab in the height of the pandemic my middle son began having some serious medical issues. He spent 19 days in the hospital and nearly bled to death. The doctors insisted it was Ulcerative Colitis but everything in my gut told me it was just a symptom. We have a connective tissue disorder (EDS) in our family that makes things not so straightforward. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can cause a mast cell response in the body which can cause symptoms that mirror other things, like UC. Just because you have blisters and a fever doesn't mean you have smallpox. You can read about his journey in my book, Heal Your Gut Naturally.

His illness led me down an Alice in Wonderland-sized rabbit hole that I don't regret. It has led me to this point in my life. I created Mom's Herbal Biz.info and Mom's Home Biz.info to give me a place to share my knowledge. My children call me their witch doctor since I always seem to have a remedy for whatever ails them or their friends. Through the encouragement of my children, I am now a certified Master Herbalist, studying and researching everything I can. I don't practice medicine - I simply research and share so you can be the keeper of your own health. There is always a natural way.