Young Living Essential Oils for the Fall Candle Addict

Brace yourselves, my friends.  The news I am about to bring to you may be.... disturbing.  Pull your fingers out of your ears and stop saying "la la la la".  Because along with this bad news comes a fabulous alternative!

Did you know that those amazing candles you burn in your home are actually toxic to your health?  Yeah... I know.  Sad.  We are literally burning lead from the wick, petroleum from the paraffin, and filling our home with indoor pollution!

I won't go into huge detail, but if you are interested in reading more about why you should ditch candles, check out the links below:

• Green America
• ABC News
• Cheeseslave
• Holistic Health Secrets

Now for the good news - there is an alternative!  All you need is a diffuser and an assortment of Young Living essential oils.  They last a great deal longer than a typical candle and, not only do they smell good, but they offer amazing benefits to your health, too!

I haven't had candles in my home for years - I was terrified that my kitties or my babies would knock one over or burn themselves, so I just didn't burn any.  Last summer when I "discovered" Young Living, I realized how amazing of an alternative diffusing oils in my home was to burning candles.  

Here are my top 5 recommendations for Fall Scented Essential Oils:

1.  Thieves - Supports premium immune function and smells so delicious!  

2.  Clove - Supports premium immune function and has a warm smell that is so inviting for fall.

3.  Nutmeg - Nutmeg supports a healthy immune system and also gives you a boost.  This oil reminds me of pumpkin pie!

4.  Cinnamon - Another oil to support a healthy immune system (are you noticing a trend here?), cinnamon instantly puts me in a holiday mood!

5.  Orange - Uplifting and balancing, Orange is a great addition to your fall oil arsenal.

Did you notice a trend?  This is just my theory, but perhaps we associate these scents with fall because of their immune boosting properties?  Cool thought, huh?

Try mixing any of the above for awesome scents - my favorite is Orange with Cinnamon and Clove!

Want to know how to purchase your own oils?  Check out this information HERE!

As always, please remember that I am a Mama and not a doctor. These things work for us and I am in love with using 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. 

Essentially Summer: Homemade Ice Cream with Essential Oils

Hi Friends!  If you are joining me from Rooted Blessings, welcome!  I don't know about you, but reading all of these recipes is making my mouth water!  I had a BLAST testing out recipes to contribute for this series - I know you will love them!

 

The second I signed up to participate in this series, my brain went into over drive with all the amazing possibilities.  I have trimmed them down to three, to hopefully satiate everyone's appetite - even a non-dairy option! 

One of the reasons I was excited to participate in this series is to showcase more uses for essential oils than just a fix to a cold.  Quality essential oils (I can only recommend Young Living) can actually be used to flavor foods! 

The first, Dreamsicle Ice Cream!  Do you remember rummaging through your grandmother's freezer when you were a kid to find the Dreamsicles?  I do!  My mom didn't usually buy them, so when we stayed at Grandma and Grandpa's, they were a treat.  This recipe could not be more simple.  And when I brought it over to a family gathering for a taste test, it was totally a hit!

A variation on a theme, Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream.  Using organic ingredients, raw milk and Young Living essential oils, this recipe will take you back to Thanksgiving and make you wish for November!  A summertime take on a classic fall dessert, this ice cream is sure to please!  It was delicious!

 Homemade Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 can organic pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups raw milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 drops Young Living cinnamon bark essential oil
• 3 drops Young Living clove essential oil
• 3 drops Young Living nutmeg essential oil

Directions

• Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved.  Follow the directions for your ice cream maker.
• Serve immediately for a soft serve consistency or freeze overnight for a more firm consistency.

And finally, for our lactose sensitive friends, Coconut Lime Sorbet.  This one might be my very favorite.  This is a deliciously light, dairy free option.  You can modify it to make it sugar free, too - just use honey or agave instead. 

 

Are you ready to jump in to this wonderful world of caring for your family with therapeutic grade essential oils? The time is now! Click here to learn more or contact the person who introduced you to the “Essentially Summer” blog recipe series

Next up is Katy @ Goodness Gathering!

Be sure to check out all 35 posts in the "Essentially Summer"  blogger recipe series, click here.

Bon Appetit!

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. 

Oily Gear Must Haves

So, I talk a lot on this blog about the amazing benefits of Young Living essential oils.  We. Are. Hooked!

If you are lucky (and smart!) enough to have already gotten your Premium Starter Kit, you might be wondering if there are any other tricks of the trade you are missing out on.  This post is for you!  I would like to share a few of my favorite oily tools to best utilize my oils on a daily basis.

Oily Gear Must Haves

1.  Young Living Aroma Glide Roller Fitments

 Use these guys to create your own blends in an empty bottle, or even just pop one on top of your favorite oil and use the roller ball for easier application.  I have a blend of Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint and I love having a roller ball on Valor.  These are quite simple to put on and take off the bottle - here is a Youtube Video on the how to's.

 

 2.  Small Glass Jars

Once you dive into the world of Essential Oils, you will be looking for more ways to incorporate them into your lifestyle :)  Trust me!  Whether it be DIY Body Butter, Bath Salts, Sugar Scrubs, or Bath Fizzies, a cute little container will be needed to store your mixtures and to give as gifts!  I love using the half pint sized wide mouth mason jars or the ones shown in the image below from Abundant Health.

3.  Foaming Hand Soap Dispenser

My first oily recipe to make (and still by far the easiest) was Thieves Foaming Hand Soap.  Just a squirt of liquid castille soap, a squirt of vitamin E oil, a few drops of Thieves and some water and you have a wonderful smelling, attractive addition to all the sinks in your house.  I also love to use these as hostess gifts and teacher gifts.  This particular pump is from Abundant Health, but you might also check out these from Amazon.

4.  Bottle Labels

An entire set of these puppies costs right around $3.  You can find them in your Young Living virtual office order form under Accessories.  They stick very nicely on the tops of your bottles so that you can see what you are using when your oils are in a case.  So nice to have everything organized and readily available.

5.  A Reference Book (or 10)

To make the most of your oils, you NEED a reference book.  With these books, you will be able to look up specific oils and blends as well as ailments and what oils to use.  I highly recommend the books in the image below.  

And here are links to books:

Quick Reference Guide (Higley)

Essential Oils Pocket Reference

Gentle Babies

Animal Desk Reference

Healing Oils of the Bible

6.  Sample Bottles

Maybe it is just me, but I think it is nearly impossible to experience Essential Oils and not want to share them with everyone you know.  But in order to share, you will need sample bottles.  Check out these from Abundant Health (ps.  I am not receiving any sort of benefit from giving you links to AH, they just have high quality products at good prices).

7.  Travel Cases

It is impractical to carry around your entire Premium Starter Kit in your purse anytime you leave the house to run errands... but what if you need your oils while you are out???  This awesome travel case holds 8 sample vials (and comes with the small bottles) and easily hooks on your keys or in your purse. 

Don't have your starter kit yet?  This is the PERFECT time!

 

And don't forget the promo I am running while supplies last:

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 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. 

An Oily Bath

 

Many people think that Young Living essential oils are something to bring out when you are sick - and they are.  However, they are so great to use every single day in many aspects of your life.  

One way to incorporate the use of essential oils into your WELLNESS routine is to take baths using epsom salts and Young Living Essential Oils.  Baths with oils and salts are perfect for relaxing at the end of a long day and promoting overall health.

Here's how you do it:

1. In a small bowl, place a couple hand fulls of Epsom Salts.  You can buy epsom salt at your local drug store, or in bulk at stores like Costco.  
2. On top of the salts, drop 5-10 drops of your favorite oils and stir.  
3. While the water is running for your bath at the temperature you like, pour the salts in let the running water dissolve the salts in your bath.  
4. Soak for 20 minutes or so, and make sure you hydrate with a glass of water or tea.

Here are some of my favorite oils to soak in:

• Lavender
• Peace and Calming
• Purification
• Rosemary and Lemon
• Citrus Fresh
• RC
• Believe
• Peppermint

Don't take this list as rule - experiment and try your favorite oil or blend in your bath!

Bath salts also make an awesome gift - quick and easy for a hostess, a thank you, your mom, the secretary at your work, etc.

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 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. 

Best Young Living Combos to Diffuse

One of the most frequently asked questions on the Essential Oil facebook group I am a part of is "Is it ok to diffuse more than one oil at the same time?"  The answer is ABSOLUTELY!  I love to diffuse more than one oil at a time and it makes me feel like a chemist or a mad scientist measuring out drops and finding awesome combinations!

So, for this post, I got a little help from the gals of Oily Families and the Oily Families facebook group.  Here are some awesome oily combos to add to your diffuser.  I recommend using 4-6 drops in your diffuser (can be combos of different oils, NOT 4-6 drops of each)

• Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint 
• Valor and Frankincense (for a peaceful feeling)
• Peppermint and Orange (time to wake up!)
• Cinnamon and Orange
• Thieves and Lime
• Thieves and Lemon 
• Clove and Orange
• Lemon, Lavender and Rosemary (smells so clean!)
• Peace and Calming and Lavender
• Frankincense and Myrrh
• Idaho Balsam Fir and Citrus Fresh
• Stress Away and Lavender
• Bergamot, Lemongrass and Grapefruit
• Peace and Calming and Valor (sweet dreams!)
• Orange and Patchouli 
• Lavender and Copaiba

Be sure to see the post from Monday about Tips and Tricks to making your diffuser work the best for you possible :)

I would LOVE to hear your favorite combos of oils to diffuse. Obviously there are the blends such as Peace and Calming, Joy, Valor, Sensation (hubba hubba), but what are your favorite single oils to blend together mad scientist style and diffuse in your home?

Tell me in the comments or on the Mama Marcie Facebook page!

Interested in finding out how to get one of these awesome diffusers of your very own? Or maybe some of these awesome oils to diffuse in your own home? 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 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.

Your Young Living Home Diffuser

I hear lots of talk about the wonderful Young Living Home Diffuser. This is the diffuser that comes in the Premium starter kit. It works like a charm, fills a room with oily goodness and is easy to clean and maintain. But occasionally, some folks have troubles, so I thought I would write a post on a few tips and tricks to make your diffuser work the best for you and your family.

• First thing's first. Take a look at the amount of water you are using in your diffuser. Inside there is a fill line - make sure you are never going over that line. This can cause water to get where it shouldn't, and, like with all ultrasonic diffusers, if it is overfilled, it will not create the "mist" you need to get the oils into the air.

• What type of water are you using? The old diffusers required distilled water, but the newer diffusers run great (better even) on tap water. This is confirmed by the Young Living Live help!

• How many drops of oils are you putting in your diffuser? Young Living oils are potent! I usually diffuse 3-5 drops unless someone in the house is sick, then I might bump it up a little. A little goes a long way!

• Can you mix oils in the diffuser? Absolutely! Here are some of my favorite combos:2 drops each of Lemon, lavender and peppermint to promote normal sinus function
  2 drops each of Valor and Frankincense for a blues buster
  Check Wednesday's Blog post for more awesome Young Living Combos to diffuse!

• The lid! It's really common for newbies to put the top on upside down, so if you are, no one has to know ;)

• The image above is a great segway into a few tips on cleaning. It is very natural for your diffuser to have a little oily buildup on the lid and the lip where the lid sits. It is not hurting the diffuser, but if it really bothers you (obviously it doesn't bother me), then you can clean it with a bit of vinegar, some lemon oil or just rise it with water. Do not touch the metal plate, instead use a q-tip or the cleaning tool the diffuser came with to wipe the plate down.

• After your diffuser has run and automatically shut off, it is perfectly normal to have a tbsp or so of water left at the bottom. No need to dump this, just put more water, more oils and restart!

• What do you do if you accidentally overfilled the diffuser and now it isn't working? Try letting it dry out for a day or so and see if it works again. Usually that works!

Interested in finding out how to get one of these awesome diffusers of your very own??  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 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.

DIY Christmas Gifts - Orange Honey Sugar Scrub

Another awesome and SUPER easy Christmas gift you can make in less than 10 minutes!  I scoured the internet and read about 20 different recipes and decided to combine several together and make my own.  Here it is!

You will need:

• Containers for your scrub
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup liquid oils (melted coconut oil, olive oil, or others)
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 20 drops Young Living Orange oil (or Essential Oils of you choice)

Mix everything in a bowl and scoop into containers.  I used half pint sized, wide mouth mason jars.  Tie a little raffia around the jar and there you go!  A beautiful, useful gift.

You might also check out this awesome recipe from a fellow Young Living blogger, Amy at Amy Loves It!  I do like that her recipe uses white sugar since that seems to be all over my house during the holidays :)

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 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

DIY Christmas Gifts - Bath Fizzies Using Young Living Essential Oils

Here is another idea for Christmas gifts that I am super excited about - DIY Bath Fizzies using Young Living Essential Oils!

My house still smells awesome from making these wonderful little treats! 

 

Here is what you will need:

• 1/2 cup Citric Acid
• 1 cup Baking Soda
• 3/4 cup Corn Starch
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• A spray bottle with water and 5-6 drops food coloring (food coloring optional, you might also try natural ways to dye the bath fizzies)
• 20 drops of Young Living Essential Oils
• Ice cube trays, molds, or something to give your fizzies shape

And here is what you do:

•  Using a fine sifter, sift together the citric acid, baking soda and corn starch. Then stir in the sugar.

•  Using your spray bottle, spray colored water onto dry mixture, stirring constantly.  If your mixture starts to fizz, you are spraying too quickly.  This was one of the most difficult steps, but you can do it!  Spray until dampened enough that you can squeeze it with your hand and it will hold it's shape.  Add your essential oils at this point and use your hands to make sure the mixture is properly mixed.

 

• When your mixture is moldable, press firmly into silicone ice cube trays.  Make sure you press into the corners so that the fizzies do not break when you remove them. 

 

• Ok, I change my mind, THIS is the hardest part.  Wait overnight before you take your fizzies out of the trays.  If you are even half as impatient as I am, you have already tried removing one, haha.  I successfully got a few out a couple hours after making this recipe, but when I took the rest out this morning, I was shocked at how much easier it was to remove the hardened fizzies.

 

Package your fizzies in fun containers.  The one above I found at World Market.  I also used Mason jars and other containers. Tied with some pretty baker's twine, this is a wonderful gift!

 

I used Young Living Peppermint oil because it would be wonderful for sore muscles to soak in a bath with peppermint.  There are hundreds of other combinations you could use!  Lavender for a soothing bath, RC, Peace and Calming, Joy... try this recipe with your favorite Young Living essential oil!

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 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

DIY Christmas Gifts - Body Butter with Young Living Essential Oils

Let's just put it out there.  Money is tight.  But that doesn't mean that that I don't want to give amazing, thoughtful gifts to the people I love.  Over the next week or so, I am going to share with you a few of the DIY gifts I have been making that I am totally in love with.  I would be so thrilled to get these myself, so I know they will be a hit.  If you are on my gift list, please forget you saw this post ;)

So, tonight, I will share with you how to make amazing body butter with coconut oil and Young Living essential oils.

Here's what you need:

•  2 cups organic coconut oil - I used Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut oil.  It is a good price, and good quality.
• 1/2 cup fractionated coconut oil (coconut oil in it's liquid state)
• 20 drops Young Living Essential Oils (I used Melrose and Lavender)
• Container for finished product

Let's talk about the container for a minute.  I put mine in a few different containers, but aren't these cute:


(click the image to see the item on Amazon)

I think they would be perfect because of the wide mouth to dig out the body butter when you are getting low.

Here's what you do:

• Melt together your solid oil and your liquid oil (coconut oil was the easiest for me to use, but you can choose other oils as long as you have a solid and a liquid)
• This is the perfect project to do on the icy days we are having in Dallas because you need to bring the oils back to a semi-solid state once they are combined.  I melted mine in a Pyrex measuring bowl then placed them outside, covered with a dish towel, while I worked on another project.  Don't rush this step.  If the oils are liquid, they will not whip.
• Put the semi-solid oils in your stand mixer (or use a hand mixer in a pinch) and whip the oils until they are the proper consistency.
• Add Young Living essential oils and continue mixing.
• Spoon body butter into your containers.  Mine made 18-20 ounces in case you were wondering for planning purposes.
• Tie on a pretty bow and give as gifts!

I wrote a little note that reminded the user to store in a cool place - when coconut oil is warmed, it will turn liquid again.

Just from making this, my hands are super soft!  I am keeping one for myself and can't wait to add these to gifts for my kids teachers, friends and family.


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 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.

The Best Pumpkin Pie You Will Ever Eat

Ok, I know Thanksgiving was last week, but people, this recipe needs to be shared!!  Besides, surely you will have more holiday gatherings in the coming weeks - you should definitely make this recipe!

The best ever Pumpkin Pie using Young Living Essential Oils

I adapted my recipe using a Paula Deen recipe - she knows her desserts, right?  Here's what you do:

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 can of pumpkin

1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks

1 cup half-and-half or whipping cream (I used whipping cream)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
2 drops Young Living Cinnamon Bark oil

2 drops Young Living Clove oil

2 drops Young Living Nutmeg oil
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Prick the bottom and the sides with a fork and place in the oven until slightly golden brown.  Feel free to use pie weights if you are fancy, haha.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, and Essential Oils and mix until combined.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Hey Y'all, try this pie!!  (said in my very best southern drawl)  You will not regret it!

Toddler Sleep Tips

Over the past several weeks, my oldest daughter, Isabel, who will be 3 this week, has given us a total challenge at bedtime. She learned to open her door and would sneak around the house, pull up a chair in the dining room, and come find us every 10 minutes or so until well after 9:30pm. She was so tired, but her new found freedom was far more exciting than sleep. It was affecting her days at school, her evenings at home, and everyone was noticing that we were not dealing with our normal, sweet curly headed girl.

I'd like to share with you what I have learned over the past few weeks. In no way do I consider myself an expert. In fact, after 3 weeks of frustrating nights, I reached out to the experienced Mamas I know who gave me lots of good ideas. I'd like to pass along some of these ideas to you.

1. Make sure you have a time at night to relax.

Do not rush to sleep, have time with no tv, no iPad... Just wind down time. Perhaps a warm bath with a handful of Epsom salts. Maybe you read a book each night. Set aside a few minutes between wrangling kids into their pjs and putting them in their bed to have a special routine that helps your toddler know that sleep is coming soon.

2. Grandma knows best.

Certain things do, in fact, make you feel relaxed. Diffusing Lavender Oil at night can give a soothing effect. A glass of milk (warm is good) can help fill the tummy and relax you (dentists and pediatricians recommend not giving babies milk or juice in bed - save those teethies!)

3. Assess the reason why your toddler is not wanting to sleep.

For mine, it was just because she thought we were having more fun than she was, but for some of the littles I know, there was fear or discomfort involved in their sleep issues. Too hot or too cold in their room? A light shining in the window? A fear of something like monsters or robots? (Yes, that is Isabel's go to thing she is afraid of.) Give your baby a sense of courage by making monster spray (just water in a spray bottle, though you could add some lavender for added benefit). Or you could do what we do every night and pray - we thank God for his blessings and we pray that He would watch over the girls and protect them through the night. When we skip this step, Isabel always reminds me.

4. No talking.

Once the night time routine is done, the lights are off and your toddler is in bed, that is the end of communication (obviously there are exceptions to this rule). This was the game changer for us - when Isabel would get up, I could hear her door open and I would meet her at the door, pick her up, kiss her head and put her back in her bed without saying a word. She did not like this one bit. On the first night of doing this, she said, "Mommy, why are you doing this to me!?" It just about broke my heart! But I was not doing this to be mean, I was ensuring that she was getting enough rest. I was not having a discussion with her about whether Darth Vader was a good guy or a bad guy - even though that might be an important discussion (yes, we are nerds), it was not important right then. I only had to do that 2 nights before the waking and walking around then house stopped.

5. Stand your ground.

Remember, you are the parent. What you say goes. When you BELIEVE this, your children will get that. Our kids test us - not to be disrespectful, but to see how far they can go. It is so important for us to empower them, but to also set boundaries and to help them grow up to be respectful adults. Believe it. Do it.

The Supportive, Oily Husband

Meet Drew.

Isn't he cute?  Yeah, well, he's taken, ladies, so back off ;)

Drew is an incredibly supportive husband.  Even from the beginning of my oily journey, he was down with letting me experiment on him, diffuse oils in our room at night, and invest in oils.

One of the questions I hear discussed a LOT is how to get your husband to be supportive of Oily Homeopathy.  So, I went straight to the source and talked to Drew about it.  He told me that he was supportive of it because it made me happy (aww), but let me read between the lines and offer you a few suggestions if your husband/significant other isn't quite so quick to jump on the oily bandwagon.

1.  Offer Research and Testimonials

Men are logical creatures.  Do you have the Essential Oils Desk Reference?  The Pocket Reference?  Gentle Babies?  The Animal Desk Reference?  All of these books are specifically for Young Living oils and offer a host of information regarding the oils.  There are also amazing sites available with scientific studies showing the effectiveness of Essential oils.  I also love searching on Pubmed.gov with the keyword Essential Oils.

2.  Talk to Him

Frustrated that your significant other isn't on board?  Talk to him!  Tell him about all your successes.   As with any major decision, communication is key.

3.  Discuss the Finances

Even though it is tempting to jump in with both feet and buy $32049809458098 worth of oils, choose to build your collection more slowly.  Discuss how much you spend on medical expenses, cleaning supplies, air fresheners and candles, etc in a given month, then show him how effective these products are and price compare.  One bottle of Thieves cleaner can make nearly 20 bottles of store bought equivalent cleaner.  That is just over a dollar per bottle for an all natural, non-toxic, effective cleaning solution.  That is a huge savings compared to store bought!  The Premium Starter Kit is a huge savings over buying all the oils and diffuser separately, and a Wholesale Account can save you 24% on future orders.  Financially, it just makes sense.

4.  Look for Opportunities to Bless Your Husband Using EOs

Look for ways to HELP your husband using these oils.  There is nothing like actually experiencing the effectiveness to convince someone :)

5.  Pray

Still not convinced?  Pray about it!  I am of the thought that these oils are a blessing - if it is right for your family, pray about it.  See if God softens your husband's heart.


The wonderful men in our life can be pretty quick to reach for the bottle of Tums, but they are not unreasonable (mostly, haha).  Here's hoping that your husband is as supportive as mine, but if not, try out a few of my ideas and see what happens!

I can tell you that it still excites me to hear Drew ask "is there an oil for that?"  The answer:  "YES!" as I run to my shelf :)

Want to know how to purchase your own oils? Check out my informational page here!

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Is it starting to get chilly where you live?  Here in Texas, we had a wonderfully cool weekend that has everyone wearing sweaters and dreaming of fireplaces, even though it is supposed to get up to 83 degrees today.

I have been dreaming of my favorite things about fall, and one of my favorite things is warm beverages.  My husband loves the hot chocolate that I make, and I thought I could share my recipe with you!

What you will need:

2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Real vanilla
1 cup raw milk
1 drop Young Living Peppermint Oil
Whipped Cream to Top

How to make it:

Heat the milk in a small saucepan on the stove.  Do not bring to a boil.  In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and sugar and stir into the hot milk.  Add vanilla and Young Living Peppermint Oil.  Top with Whipped Cream and Enjoy!

Want to make your own whipped cream?

You will need:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp sugar (or more to taste)

How to make it:

In a cold glass or metal bowl, add whipping cream and begin to whip using a hand mixer - start slow and as it begins to form a creamy texture, increase the speed.  Slowly beat in the sugar until your whipped cream feels smooth between your fingers and forms soft peaks.  Store extra in the refrigerator.



Want to know how to purchase your own oils?  Check out my informational page here! 

DIY Thieves Foaming Hand Soap

Ah, foaming hand soap.  I love this stuff.  But not as much as my potty-training two and a half year old daughter.  Since she started potty practicing, we have gone through 2 bottles of foaming hand soap in the bathroom.  I have 2 problems with this:  1. It's expensive!  and 2. What you put on your skin goes in your body.  Have you looked at the ingredients in your soap lately?  Wouldn't you rather know exactly what you are slathering all over your hands?  I know I would :)

So, here is an awesome recipe for a Do It Yourself Foaming hand soap using Young Living Essential Oils.

What you will need:

- A foaming hand soap dispenser.  You can reuse one that you already have or you can purchase a new one.
- Liquid Castile Soap (I used Dr. Bronners)
- Vegetable Glycerine or Vitamin E oil
- Young Living Essential Oils


Here's how you do it:

1.  Add 2-3 Tablespoons of Liquid Castile Soap to your soap dispenser.
2.  Add 1/2 tsp vegetable glycerine or a few drops of vitamin E oil.  This step is not necessary, but I believe you will find the soap drying without this ingredient.
3.  Add 5-6 drops of Thieves oil or any oil combo of your choice.  More on this in a second.
4.  Slowly fill your container with water.  Be sure to leave enough room for the large pump (ie:  don't do what I did the first time and fill it to the top and then have a huge puddle on your kitchen counter)
5.  Gently shake to combine all ingredients.

Why I chose Thieves:

Thieves Essential Oil has been highly tested for it's cleansing abilities.  All this, plus it smells awesome! 

Wonderful Smelling Options:

Lemon

Lemon and Lavender

Lemon and Peppermint

Peppermint and Lavender

Purification

Cinnamon Bark


Happy Hand Washing!

Want to know how to purchase your own oils?  Check out my informational page here!

Why I Started Using Essential Oils

Within the past 6 months, my family has discovered and adopted essential oils for a myriad of uses from home cleaning to health. This has been an absolutely fascinating journey and I feel compelled to share with you what I have learned.

Over the next few weeks, I will be showcasing some of my favorite oils.

My family uses Young Living Essential Oils. There are lots of reasons for that decision, but that is a post for another day.

My sweet Isabel is nearly 3 years old. Up until the beginning of the summer, she has woken 1-2 times every night. This mama was beyond exhausted - I never got a full night's sleep and Izzy was often cranky and hard to get along with because her sleep was being interrupted, too.

And then, my friend Jilian, introduced me to Peace and Calming.

This was the game changer.

We started diffusing this in the girls' room at night and like magic, both girls are sleeping through the night, often 12+ hours. I did not believe it at first - born skeptic. So, we ran out... again with the waking. Seriously, this stuff is for real.

Peace and calming is good for calming tantrums, promoting a peaceful environment, getting to sleep and staying to sleep. This is one thing that I plan to never be without again.

Stay tuned for more awesome oily information!

Want to know how to purchase your own oils?  Check out my informational page here!