Mini Me

I am one blessed Mama.  I have two beautiful girls who are funny, smart, kind...  I love them both beyond measure and they have rounded out my life like I never even could have imagined.

But my little Livvy... my "Baby"... she is my Mini Me.

  

 The photo on the left is me.  The photo on the right is Olivia.  There is definitely a resemblance, but our similarities go beyond looks.

Here are 8 Ways Olivia is my Mini Me:

1.  She LOVES to "huggle" (aka Snuggle).  I was born to snuggle. 

2.  She loves to shop.  Her favorite store is Michael's (the craft store) and she will tell you LOUDLY that she wants to go to MICHAEL'S!  As an artist, I love that her favorite store sells art supplies.

3.  Livvy has as much of a sweet tooth as her mama.  She would rather eat fruit and yogurt than meat any day of the week.

4.  The girl loves to sing - loudly.  And she doesn't care if it's the right words or if she sounds horrible.  She just wants to sing.

5.  And she loves to dance - same as above - doesn't matter the steps, she has a rhythm and she can't stop until she gets it out, haha.  So much like her mama.

6.  She loves to laugh and to make people laugh.  

7.  She is SMART!  She was saying complete sentences before some of her big sister's friends even were.  She knows her animals, songs, numbers... she is shockingly smart.

8.  She has a temper.  Sorry, Liv, for giving you that one ;)

 I would have to make a longer list for ways my oldest, Izzy, is her daddy's mini me ;)  I will work on that for another post!

Do you have children?  Do you notice that one of your kids is just like you or your significant other?  Or a blend of the two?

Young Living Essential Rewards

If you have already fallen in love with Young Living essential oils, you have purchased your Premium Starter Kit, you have checked out all the cool oily gear that you can use with your essential oils and you are looking for the next step - here it is!  Essential Rewards!

If you are like me and use Young Living from everything from your fruit to your kids to your toilet (yes, it's true), then a program where you can use your wholesale membership discount of 24% off retail price, get a discounted flat rate on shipping AND earn points back toward free oils is a no brainer. 

I wanted to take a second and answer some of the most frequently asked questions I get about Essential Rewards and show you what my ER order looked like this month.

ER FAQs

•  What is Essential Rewards?

• Young Living's Essential Rewards program is an optional autoship program for wholesale members.  Each month, you can select a minimum of 50 pv of product, select a date and have it automatically shipped to your home at a discounted flat rate. 

• What is the benefit of joining Essential Rewards?

• With each month's ER purchase, you receive a percentage of your purchase back in points that accumulate and you can use them toward FREE oils!  If you needed another benefit, how about a discounted rate on shipping and priority over regular orders when products are about to go out of stock?

• What percentage do I earn back toward free oils?

• For the first 6 months, you earn 10 % back, and it just keeps getting better from there!  For your second 6 months, you earn 15% back and after a year on ER, you earn a whopping 20% back on your purchases!

• What is the catch?

• Thankfully, there is no catch.  You can cancel at any time (be sure to use your points before you do or you will lose them!) and you even get a grace month each year if you need to take a month off.

• How do I sign up?

•  When you log in to your virtual office, you can select the Essential Rewards tab and opt into the program.  So simple!

• How do I redeem the points I have earned?

• So easy!  Either call Member Services or log on to Live Chat.  They will ask for your member number and your pin.  Tell them you want to redeem Essential Rewards points, give them your list and they will verify your address, tell you the shipping amount and you are good to go!

• How long do I have to be on Essential Rewards before I can redeem my points for oils?

• You must be on ER for 3 months before you can redeem your points.  

• Can I redeem my points for anything?

• You can redeem your points for anything that has the same PV and dollar amount. For instance, Deep Relief is 21.75 pv and also $21.75 - it is eligible!  But roller balls are $9.75 and 0 pv, so they are ineligible for this program.  

Here's a handy graphic with all this information condensed (made by a fellow Oily Family friend)

Take a look at my Essential Rewards order that came in this week.  Each month I choose different items.  Sometimes I am replacing oils that I am out of (often this is Believe, Lavender or Thieves), adding new things to my stash, trying supplements or household items (Thieves household cleaner, toothpaste, soap, etc) and I even add items to my order for my mom or my aunt if they forgot to add something to their order.

Last month I replaced my lavender and tried some Slique, the month before that was another combo of oils.  All of us are totally thrilled to see the Young Living box on the front porch!  My 3 year old daughter runs up to the porch yelling, "Mom, the oils are here!"  I love it.

Want to know how to purchase your own oils? Check out this info here!

Please remember that I am a Mama and not a doctor. These things work for us and I am in love with using homeopathic and oily remedies for health in our home and I am excited to share them with you, but please use your best judgement for your own home. 

My Awesome New Business Cards!

 I am SUPER excited about my new business cards that came in the mail yesterday. A friend referred me to Moo.com and I am so thankful!

I opened up the package to see this cute little box  - I am a sucker for things in cute boxes, haha.

And then I opened the box.  You should have heard the squeals of delight, haha.

 

 And then it gets better still!  Check out these adorable mini cards I ordered.  Their website is incredibly user friendly and I was able to use my own logo to design my cards.  The quality of the cards is excellent.  I love that I could print on both sides for no additional charge.  The cards are so cute and they were affordable!

If you are looking for a place to print business cards, might I suggest Moo.com?  I'm sure you won't regret it :)

TRY MOO.COM TODAY

How To Make The Perfect Pancake

I don't like to brag, but I make a darn good pancake.

This is a skill that all people should learn.  Breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, birthday breakfasts, breakfast for dinner... a pancake is an important part of such celebrations! :)

Lucky for you, I am here to impart this wisdom to my wonderful readers.  Watch and learn, friends:

Whether you start out with a mix or from scratch is irrelavent.  Both can make some really stinkin' good pancakes.  Of course, if you are choosing a mix, be sure you choose one that is as free of artificial colors and flavors as possible.  Also, if you are using a mix that requires eggs and oil, try using coconut oil - it enhances the flavor and makes a light, fluffy pancake.

But beware, these are most certainly not gluten free.  In fact, the gluten in these bad boys is what makes them so fluffy.  Sorry to my Bestie, Macy ;)

 

Mix your batter as directed - do not over mix, the batter should still be a little lumpy.  Once you have it mixed, leave it alone for a few minutes.  Giving the batter a few minutes to breathe helps you have a fluffier pancake.  

I know it is a no-no in the "crunchy" circles, but I prefer to use a non-stick skillet with a large, flat bottom.  I also like to use a large spatula to make sure my pancake flips without falling apart.

Pre-heat your pan to just above a medium heat - not quite medium, not quite high, just above medium.  I usually toss a drop of water on the pan to see if it sizzles to know whether the pan is properly heated.  Too cool and you will end up with tough pancakes.  Too hot and you will end up with raw in the middle, burnt on the outside.  Temperature is important.

Once your pan is properly heated and your batter has had a few minutes to breathe, you are ready to cook the perfect pancake.  Use about half a cup of batter for each pancake and pour it directly onto the surface of the pan.  

Now is when the magic happens.

As the pancake cooks, you will start to see small bubbles pop up all over the surface of the pancake.  Watch closely.  Most of these bubbles will rise and fall, pop up and then go away.  When you start seeing bubbles that STAY put, you are ready to flip the pancake. 

Use a large spatula and quickly flip your pancake.  If you timed it right, the side that was the first to cook will be a beautiful golden brown.  

Let the other side cook about 1 minute.  You will start to see a little browning on the edge and you will know it is time to take the pancake up.

Place on a plate and butter the top, then continue cooking the rest of your pancakes.

Cook some nitrate free (local is best) bacon to go with your pancakes and top with some REAL maple syrup.  I like to cook my bacon first in the same pan as I cook my pancakes.  Yum!

ENJOY!

Variations on a theme: Add in chocolate chips or blueberries to your batter!