Thoughts for Thursday: Natural Mama & Other Things...

Over the last couple of months, I've made some changes toward the more natural, homeopathic way of life. I got introduced to Young Living essential oils in January and I pretty much dived right in. I now own like 20-something bottles of oil, I've bought roll-on bottles and dropper bottles to mix up regularly-used concoctions...and I'm literally searching Pinterest daily right now for new ways to use them...and any time some sort of ailment comes up for anyone in the family, they are the first thing I turn to. I've actually been witness to them working and it's a bit of relief knowing how much I invested in them! It's good to know that they are the real deal.

I'm turning into a fucking apothecary.

Haha, anyway...I think I may have shared in a post before some of my favorite uses for them so far, but I've gotten a few new oils since then and it's also been a little longer that I've used them, so I wanted to share again some things I am using them for - some may be repeats.

"FOCUS MOM" ROLL-ON (I call it that because I have a separate Focus blend for Tanner):
10 drops Peppermint
10 drops Citrus Fresh (or any citrus oil - lemon, orange, wild orange)
Fill remainder of bottle with carrier oil - I used grapeseed oil

I have been bringing this one to work and I really just love the scent. I roll it on the back of my neck (brain stem) and also rub it into my temples. I do feel a bit uplifted with it and possibly more focused. I would say it mostly helps me not feel tired...I definitely get a boost of energy.

"FOCUS BLEND" (for Tanner)
15 drops Vetiver
15 drops Cedarwood
15 drops Lavender
Fill remainder of bottle with carrier oil - I used grapeseed oil

Tanner puts this on the bottom of his big toes every night before bed - it aids in calming and helping him sleep better, which I think overall greatly affects his mood/behavior the following day. I also drop some on the back of his neck and rub it in...we do this before school. It is shown in studies to help hyperactive/ADD/autistic spectrum children to improve focus and quieter behavior. So far, I have noticed on the days I use it, he usually gets a good report. On days I've forgotten, I kid you not, those are the "bad" days. If I ended up running out of these oils and could only purchase one for the rest of my life, Vetiver would be it...just purely for what it's done and is doing for Tanner. It was the main reason I looking into EOs in the first place.

"STRESS AWAY" ROLL-ON
This is a pre-blended product from Young Living.

I can't say enough about the glorious scent of Stress Away. I love love love it and I really do feel more calm and peaceful after I put it on and breathe it in. I put it on my wrists and back of neck mostly.

"ALLERGY" ROLL-ON
10 drops Peppermint
10 drops Lemon
10 drops Lavender
Fill remainder of bottle with carrier oil - I used grapeseed oil

Y'all, I live in Charleston and right now the pollen is out. I am usually a stuffy-nosed, sneezing mess by now. I have been using this one daily on the back of my neck and I haven't had one hay fever attack yet. Not even one Claritin has been taken.

"SLEEPY TIME" ROLL-ON
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Vetiver
Fill remainder of bottle with carrier oil - I used grapeseed oil

I have been using this every night for a few weeks now and my sleep has been SOLID. I usually toss and turn and wake up to look at the clock a few times a night...I also tend to wake up tired. This stuff knocks me out within 20-30 min of putting it on. I roll it on the bottom of my feet and the back of my neck and it's sweet dreams for me. I also like to diffuse Vetiver and Lavender in the evenings because it calms the entire household down and we all go peacefully to bed.

FRANKINCENSE for the Face

I've been using a very small amount of coconut oil (a carrier oil) with a drop or two of Frankincense rubbed together and put on my face each night as my overnight moisturizer. My skin has never looked or felt so soft. I did find that I have to alternate days and use grapeseed oil instead of coconut because I tend to break out a little when using a lot of the thicker oils...I've found that this rotation resolves that so far. I do have to make sure to wash my hair the next morning or use dry shampoo since often the coconut gets into my hair around the roots by my forehead. The grapeseed doesn't usually do that. But I definitely see a difference in the lovely fine lines that appeared on my forehead like the minute I turned 30. They are definitely fading!

Anyway, those are just a few...I have so many other great uses to try and discover.

I have started getting some things in order for Farrah's 1st birthday party. I ordered the invitations yesterday and I'm super-stoked about them. Aren't they adorable? I am sooooo happy I get to do a rainbow-themed party!

Those black bars aren't really on the actual invites...just can't have all you stalkers all up in my business. ;-)

I ordered them from Delight Paperie on Etsy, should you be interested in some invites for your own event...she has a lot of cute ones.

In further interest of my obsession of rainbows, I have dressed her like this today:

One day she won't let me do what I want with her clothes and her parties...so I'm taking full advantage of my power while I have it.

I've been keeping good with my clean eating and workout plans this week and I feel great. I am starting to already feel less sugar cravings. I actually did my strength training at home every day this week so far instead of the gym, in interest of time specifically those days, but I will be back in the gym for leg/glute day tonight. My thing is, it doesn't matter where I workout as long as I'm able to do what I planned to do, which I have. My home gym is looking better and better, I added some more bars and weight plates.

I will share my clean eating plan with you soon. It's really not leaving me hungry at all, which is awesome.

Linking Up With: Home of Malones // East Coast Chic

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Become a Fashion Designer

Online Ordering & Oopsies

Ever since I saw this purse on Caitlin's blog, I was like, obsessed. I had to have it.

 

She didn't put the purse name in the post, so I just started with keywords such as Kate Spade, pink, straw, natural, purse, etc...and it never came up exactly what I wanted.

Long story short, a month or so went by and I was playing around on eBay and I saw this:

 

Yeah, look closely...NOT the same purse!!! I didn't even truly realize it until I opened the box yesterday. I mean, I do love this little tote, but it's more beach/book bag like and not really a purse, per se...so there went $109.00.

I went on an eBay hunt again last night as my last hope and lookie what I found:

Yep, that's the right one. It's $209.99. {Reeeally wishing I still had that $109.00 right about now.} Oh yeah, and it's from the same seller as the other one. Doh! Well, so I'm buying it. Just over $300 later, I will have this dream purse, and a cute little tote to boot.

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My Journey To Green...

Over the past few years, I have been very interested in learning more about "living green". It is definitely easier said than done, but now I am just seeing more and more articles about the things that are brought into the average home on a daily basis and how it affects our developing children. As a mother of two, I simply can't feel good about disregarding the info. I have decided to take some steps to living a "greener" lifestyle.
I was watching an episode of "The Talk" yesterday. (Mommies, if you haven't seen this show, you simply must! It's airs live on CBS at 2pm EST.) Anyway, this particular episode focused on chemicals that are commonly found in children's toys, vinyl purses, etc. that are harmful even to the touch as they have been proven to cause hormonal development issues. For instance, many young girls' ovaries are maturing very early. There are also a lot of known carcinogens in these items. Children's toys? I mean, c'mon, kids are putting these things in their mouths! It also focused on how hazardous household cleaners are, microwaves, even baby powder, disposable diapers, clothing and common skin and hair products. Check out www.smartmama.com for more info.
Well, so I have decided to really start making some steps to becoming more "green". I have always said "oh I should" or "I would really like to", but it's time to put those shoulda-woulda's to action.
Last night, I convinced hubby to let me order cloth diapers. They may be a little tougher to deal with, but not that much. And we will be saving so much "green" in the long run. I only wish I had done this with Tanner. But I know I will be making up for all of that time with my choice to live more "green" from now on. I am happy that Breckin will be in cloth diapers and I know it will be so great for him.
Another thing that I will be doing is recycling. Unfortunately, Jake and I live in a county that does not do neighborhood recycling. I've let that be my excuse for too long. I am going to create bins for paper, plastic and glass and start taking the loads to a recycling center myself.
I've also been greatly considering getting rid of our microwave. Some things may become less convenient, but microwaving is so unhealthy. It changes the composition of our food.
And here's a big one - I'm going to be making all of my own cleaning products from now on. This includes cleaning products for my cleaning business, A Modern Cinderella. This will also be very beneficial to my health, as I am so often using cleaning products and being exposed to harmful chemicals each time. All I did was take the time to do some research on natural cleaning solutions and concoctions and it actually is not that hard to make them. Also, will definitely save me a lot of money! Another thing I will be making myself is Dakotah's flea retardant. I never even thought of how much the kids will touch her and not wash their hands and how much harmful chemicals they may be ingesting. As well as Dakotah by just having it on her!
Before Breckin was born, I had already decided that I would be making his baby food when the time comes to introduce solids. I have a food processor and Charleston has so many great farmer's markets. I know this will also save me a lot of money. May not be as convenient, but definitely worth it. Again, I feel terrible that I did not do these things for Tanner. I only wish back then I had known better.
I am also considering going through a lot of Tanner and Breckin's toys to get rid of the ones that might not be PVC. lead or Pthatalate-free. Toys like this are generally the ones with flexible plastic, such as teething rings (which, oh yes, go directly into the child's mouth!). Some brands I've discovered that are or have many toys that are PVC-free are Lego, Sassy, Melissa & Doug...there are many more.
Anyway, this is just my start to committing to a "greener" lifestyle. I know there are so many more things to change, but of course, big changes like these often require baby steps. I hope to keep you updated with my progress and my experiences with living this "greener" lifestyle. It's definitely going to take a lot of convincing my husband to get him on board - as we all know, typical men could care less where their food and clothing comes from and certainly hardly care about chemicals they might be ingesting...haha. I would never expect to find Jake reading up on stuff like this. I suppose I will just have to suggestively force him into seeing it my way, like I do with most other things. :)