April Freebies!

Friends---- if you have been considering the "dive" into essential oils, April is definitely the month to sign up!!! I will be offering a free 15ml bottle of LIME when you sign up with a Premium Starter Kit!

Why Lime??

Lime essential oil has an invigorating and stimulating effect and is believed to be native of eastern Malaysia. The pleasant citrus aroma of lime may help mental clarity and encourage creativity. Today, lime is best known throughout the world as a way to help support a healthy immune system. When taken internally, lime may provide antioxidant support and aid in weight management. When applied to the skin, lime oil may also support healthy skin.

Also- What does lime make you think of? Spring...beaches...fresh...limeade... All things we need right about now!

**Head on over to the "join my team" tab to learn how to sign up!!!

Mama Belly Butter

The first time around, I definitely just took the advice of everyone around me and got the good ol' Palmers lotions for my belly while pregnant. It wasn't until I moved to Colorado and started to take toxins out of our home that I even thought twice about what I rubbed on my belly when I was pregnant. I mean seriously, that's where our babies live. Recently I have had SO many CLOSE friends tell me that they were pregnant and I wanted to share the benefits of some awesome essential oils with them, without them having to buy some. So. That's how I got to where I am at.

Have you every looked at what is actually in Palmers lotions?

The author of naturallymindful.com shares:

Metylparaben, propylbaraben: Hormone disruptors. They accumulate in breast cancer tissue. Damages to the reproductive and hormone systems.

PEG-100: Concern: Increased risk for cancer (breast, uterine, brain, leukemia). Often contaminated with 1, 4-dioxane, lead and arsenic. PEG open the pores on the skin enabling toxins to easily enter the body.

Propylene Glycol: Found in anti-freeze. Enough said.

This DISGUSTS me. Seriously. Yes, Mia and I are both fine, but who's to say that won't affect either of us down the road.

So after doing a lot of research, this is the recipe I came up with:

Mama Belly Butter

1/3 c. Shea Butter
1/3 c. Cocoa Butter
1/3 c. Coconut Oil
1 tbsp Vitamin E oil
10 drops Gentle Baby Essential Oil
10 drops Tangerine Essential Oil

Directions:

1. Measure out butters, coconut oil and vitamin E oil and place in a double boiler. Melt them all together until there aren't any clumps left.

2. Put in freezer about 30 minutes until mixture is solid again.

3. Pull the mixture out of the freezer. I will be using a stand mixer but you can also use a handheld mixer as well. Once you start whipping, add the essential oils to the mixture. You can adjust this amount for stronger smell. If mixture is too hard and doesn't whip very well, you can either add some more coconut oil or let it sit out a little while and thaw before you mix.

4. Once whipped and frothy looking, add to a cute airtight container and enjoy!

Use daily, morning and night!



Why these ingredients?

Coconut Oil has fatty chain acids that work to regenerate and rebuild the connective tissues that cause stretch marks. Massaged daily into the skin, it can help keep the skin on a growing belly supple and flexible. Purchase unrefined coconut oil as it has more of the healthful properties.

Cocoa Butter contains natural antioxidants and is one of the most stable fats. Although a recent double blind study did not find it better than placebo in preventing stretch marks, it was found to be moisturizing and soothing and daily use prevents dry, itchy skin. Depending on the brand, it can smell quite like chocolate.

Shea Butter originates in Africa and has been used for ages for all kinds of skin care concerns, including dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, burns and stretch marks. Shea butter enhances the skin’s natural barrier function, increases the moisture levels, and helps with cell regeneration. It also helps with capillary circulation, helps sooth irritated skin, helps protect against UV rays and helps with restructuring effects on the epidermis. Try to purchase it unrefined.

Vitamin E is a very powerful antioxidant that prevents the formation of free-radical particles. Free radicals break down skin cells and create aging and depletion of nutrients. Vitamin E is known as a natural scar remedy when massaged into the skin. It stimulates the collagen in the skin, which can provide a noticeable difference when it comes to texture and strength. The antioxidant also promotes cell growth and is also a natural anti-inflammatory. Although not a preservative, vitamin E, as an antioxidant, can also help prolong the shelf-life of the belly butter.
(babybirdsfarm.com)

Gentle Baby essential oil includes geranium, rosewood, coriander, pamarosa, lavender, ylang ylang, roman chamomile, lemon, jasmine, and rose. This blend is comforting, soothing and a very beneficial oil for pregnancy. GREAT for skin!

Tangerine essential oil is also great for your skin, relaxation and simply just smells amazing!

Now, I know a lot of the time stretch marks and skin elasticity are heredity to some extent, but you still need to moisturize and take care of your skin, especially while pregnant!

Hop over to the essential oils and join my team tab to learn more and purchase ones that you'd like!

spring decor

Maxi Skirt. Sunglasses. Sunshine. Picnic Blanket.

I'm officially calling it SPRING!

So naturally, when we got home from our picnic, I decided it was time to give our little apartment some spring flare and at no cost!

The first and easiest way to spice up your decor is redoing your wreath! I always use the same vine wreath and just switch out the flowers/greenery/accents for each season! I am a neutral lover, so you will rarely see me use bright colored anything. Spring and summer I love to use ivory flowers, lots of different types of green wild flowers and sometimes, just sometimes, yellow and coral. Oh also, these lovely doors were from our wedding as well :)


My next favorite thing to do is pull out all my fun spring-like flowers, fake of course. And for the record, these are all left over from our wedding! I LOVE being able to re-use all of our wedding decorations. They bring back so many awesome memories.

Ok. My favorite part. Printables. Seriously, they are free and the easiest way to change up your decor. How fun are these prints?! Check out my pinterest board to the right, called printables, to find these pretty pictures!


Chalkboards! Who doesn't love them?! My desk is one of my favorite spots (when it's clean and not covered in papers and bills). Once again, the desk top and crates were used in our wedding for our cake table. My in-laws generously ended up giving us the top because they weren't going to use it anymore and we decided to make a desk. Flowers, old books, fun pictures and a chalkboard. Definitely one of my favorite spots to sit in the apt.

I have been putting this off for a while, in hopes to not have to do any more re-decorating in this tiny apartment. I have come to terms that God is in control of EVERYTHING in my life and if we are meant to be in this apartment for a little while longer, then I will make it a space that I love being in. Of course, I finally did it and we found out today our house is finally going into contract!!! This means we can finally begin actively searching for a home. Our Lord is so faithful.He just wants us to trust fully in Him, and Him alone. Now to remember that as we start house searching....

REVIEW TIME.

After anxiously waiting for 7 days, my Essential Rewards (my monthly autoship order through Young Living, where you receive reduced shipping, points for free product and eligibility for free product)order finally arrived. It is like Christmas morning, but monthly. Here is the breakdown of my March order. Some necessities, some refills, some for fun and some for free!

Ningxia Juice
I seriously call this the magic juice. It is so awesome and powerful. AND you only need to drink 1-2 oz a day. What are the benefits? Well let me share. NingXia Red combines the extraordinary wolfberry superfruit with 100 percent pure essential oils (lemon, yuzo, orange, tangerine) in a powerful, whole-body nutrient infusion. The benefits of the legendary Ningxia wolfberry have been sought after for centuries, and ongoing research continues to yield exciting, new health-supporting properties. Enjoy its naturally delicious flavor daily to sustain energy and to replenish key nutrients for long-lasting health and wellness support.

Lavender
Definitely my favorite and I never go without it. The 15ml bottle lasts me about 2 months...I use it that much! They call this oil the swiss army knife of essential oils. If you don't know what to use, use lavender! Sleep, anxiousness, stress, rashes, scrapes..you name it.

Peppermint
Mm mm mm. This oil is so delicious, in smell and taste! The medical properties of peppermint are: anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, anti parasitic (worms), antibacterial, antiviral, anti fungal, gallbladder/digestive stimulant, pain relieving and curbs appetite. Need I say more?

Purification
This purifying blend cleanses and disinfects the air and neutralizes mildew, cigarette smoke, and disagreeable odors. It disinfects and cleans cuts, scrapes, and bites from spiders, bees, hornets and wasps. The oils included in this blend are citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, mealeuca alternifolia (tea tree), lavandin and myrtle. My favorite use of this oil is using it in my vacuum because it completely gets rid of the animal smell in the vacuum and carpet! win!

Deep Relief
This convenient roll-on relieves muscle soreness and tension, soothes sore joints and ligaments, helps calm stressed nerves, and reduces inflammation. This powerful blend contains 9 essential oils, most of which are known for their anti-inflammatory and pain relieving characteristics. Ingredients are: peppermint, fractionated coconut oil, lemon, idaho balsam fir, clove, copaiba, wintergreen, helichrysum, vetiver and palo santo. I bought this oil for my stiff necks and headaches! Can't wait to try it!

Peace & Calming
Another -I can't go without- oil. This is a favorite of Mia and I both! She just starting learning how to sniff and breath in and let me say, its the most adorable thing ever! I love this oil because I really smell the tangerine and orange in it! It is very uplifting and happy! Anytime Mia is having a rough day, I rub it all over her. But my favorite way to use this oil is to put a few drops in the bathtub before bedtime!

Thieves Mouthwash & Toothpaste
Just recently when I have started running out of household essentials, I have decided to replace them with Young Living products! So far, I am not disappointed! Just yesterday I got home from Olive Garden with that impossible to get rid of garlic breath! One brushing and swish of the mouthwash and I could not taste the garlic anymore! Love these products! They are free of alcohol, synthetic dyes, artificial flavors or preservatives, or fluoride. Both products have the essential oil blend Thieves along with peppermint and spearmint. yum!

Idaho Balsam Fir & Marjoram
These two oils were free with my qualifying essential rewards order. Normally, I probably would not have ordered either of the oils but I am so glad that I get the opportunity to try them out! Balsam Fir can be used for throat/lung/sinus infections, fatigue, arthritis, urinary tract infections and scoliosis/lumbago/sciatica. This oil is a great anti-inflammatory. Marjoram has muscle-soothing properties that help relieve body and joint discomfort. It may also help soothe the digestive tract and is a general relaxant.


As always, if you have any questions about essential oils, do not hesitate to contact me! I'd love to hear from you! They really have transformed our way of living. Have I mentioned that I never need to use ibuprofen, ever, anymore? It's a pretty great feeling!


*Please be aware, that all statements regarding essential oils have not been evaluated by the FDA. Information herein in NOT intended to be taken as medical advice. No therapeutic or medical claims are either implied or made. DO NOT ALTER ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT, OR THE USE OF MEDICATIONS WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YOUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER.

**Most of the information here was found in my Essential Oils Pocket Reference by Life Science Publishing.

"This is a Season"

I've been hearing this phrase a lot. At first, I wasn't quite sure what to think about it. Is this an excuse for me to feel better? Should I just be waiting for the next phase, hoping I won't feel as weary as I do now?

I am going to be brutally honest with you. Being a momma is hard. Really hard. Tiring. Exhausting. Emotional. But it's not just being a momma, it's this phase of life. New marriages, having children, finding a house, building a career and getting life on track. Friends, all the wiser/older awesome people in my life can attest that "This is a Season." Life in general is always tough and all brings its own challenges, but this one, is a rough one.

I want to share this because I want you to know that you are not alone.

New Momma. Don't focus on what you're not.

A lot of us are here. Instead of comparing and tearing each other down, lets build each other up in those awesome qualities God has given us. This has been a challenge for me. Since finding out I was pregnant, I had all of these ideals of how things should and would be. HA. From what kind of mom I would be, to how breastfeeding would go, to how much screen time I would allow Mia to watch.

Lets be honest, most of the time, we are in survival mode. You may have a tentative plan, but this little being has a mind of their own and at this age, there is not much reasoning going on. God has truly been teaching me what true patience looks like and how to "go with the flow," which I am awful at. He has also been revealing who I truly am and helping me to realize I don't have to be it "all." I believe society, pinterest, Facebook etc. make new momma's feel like they aren't doing enough. I have been SO hard on myself in this area. Should I make this sensory board or just let Mia tear apart the cabinets? Or is this creating a monster thinking she can tear everything apart? Or is she having an imagination and creating memories? These are just half of the thoughts that go through my mind in the 5 minutes my sweet daughter starts exploring something new. We all do it. We just want the best for our kiddos. But, it's ok if I feel like I don't have the energy or even the drive to make everything I see on pinterest. That's just not me. If that's you, that is awesome and I would love to have some of your creations. What I am trying to say is, we don't have to be it all. Find out where your talents and desires are, and go with it! We should be building each other up in the gifts that God has given us. An awesome book that I have been reading that has really brought all of this to light is "Hope for the Weary Mom." I highly recommend! It is so real and raw.

So in case you haven't heard it... "This is a season." It's hard and will just get easier. It's not an excuse. It's a phrase that has given me comfort knowing that I am not alone, that others have been here and felt this way too.

In the meantime, just rub yourself (&child) down with joy, stress away, lavender and peace&calming...and your are guarunteed some relief ;)

"For the body does not consist of one member but of many...if the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God has arranged the members of the body, each one of them, as he chose." 1 Corinthians 12:14, 17-18

This is what normal days look like for us.

Essential Oils 101 Class

In a perfect world, we would all be sitting around a table, sniffing and seeing all of the amazing oils. BUT, we are all very busy and live in many states.

I found this amazing Essential Oils Class that I had to share with you all! These are all the oils that I would teach in a class here in Colorado as well! Enjoy!




Comment below if you have any questions!

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