The other day I told Caleb, "if you don't stop that whining, Mommy's gonna Deep Blue you!"
I was trying to say was if he was in any pain from falling off the bed the day before, I was going to try applying some Deep Blue essential oil blend to ease his discomfort. Thankfully, all he wanted was attention. I do feel that applying Balance within minutes of his fall helped him recover quickly.
I never want to be without these oils!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Flexibility
I love the flexibility of the AutoShip Rewards from doTERRA. I was going to be gone when my normal AutoShip would be coming in, but with a mere click of the mouse, I bumped the ship date to 5 days earlier.
You can select the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th or 25th for your monthly order to come in. I can imagine some people might wait until the end of the month to adjust their order if they're trying to reach a minimum OV (Overall Volume) number.
I took my vacation with my newly received order, which included Purify. I was very glad to be able to diffuse it in the hotel rooms to make them smell clean and ward off any bedbugs that might be lurking.
You can select the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th or 25th for your monthly order to come in. I can imagine some people might wait until the end of the month to adjust their order if they're trying to reach a minimum OV (Overall Volume) number.
I took my vacation with my newly received order, which included Purify. I was very glad to be able to diffuse it in the hotel rooms to make them smell clean and ward off any bedbugs that might be lurking.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
September doTERRA AutoShip
A bit late, but this is my September AutoShip oils.
Serenity - this oil has been having a fantastic effect on Caleb! One night when my mom was visiting, he was feeling pretty fussy and none of my usual tricks were working. I applied a drop of Serenity on the bottom of his feet and he quit crying in 10 seconds flat. I also use it on myself. One afternoon I was getting uptight and upset over something I have no control, a couple drops on the back of my neck and I could feel my relaxing in several minutes.
TerraShield - the cheapest oil doTERRA offers. It's done a great job at keeping mosquitoes away from me and Caleb... when I remember to use it.
AromaTouch - I'm not using this as much as I thought I would. It has peppermint oil, and as a nursing mom, I'm staying away from that. I did dilute it and give Caleb a nice backrub one afternoon. Next up is to try it on Chris.
Wild Orange - haven't used it much either, but I should put it in the kitchen so I remember to put it in my water bottle. It sure smells yummy!
Citrus Bliss - it's like an orange dreamsicle. I've been using it in the difffuser, like last night. I was grading papers and could feel myself getting a little stressed out over how the students don't always follow or understand directions. Typically it'd take me a couple hours and a little venting to let it pass. It was mostly out of my mind in 10 minutes yesterday.
Lemon - good thing it's one of the cheaper oils, I go through bottles and bottles of this! I actually ordered 2 bottles this month. Love it in my water, and it's also handy for "cleaning" the diffuser from other oil scents.
My mom blessed me with a diffuser a couple weeks ago, and I sure love using it! It stays either in the living room or bedroom. I find myself using Balance, Serenity or Citrus Bliss the most in it. Thanks Mom!
Serenity - this oil has been having a fantastic effect on Caleb! One night when my mom was visiting, he was feeling pretty fussy and none of my usual tricks were working. I applied a drop of Serenity on the bottom of his feet and he quit crying in 10 seconds flat. I also use it on myself. One afternoon I was getting uptight and upset over something I have no control, a couple drops on the back of my neck and I could feel my relaxing in several minutes.
TerraShield - the cheapest oil doTERRA offers. It's done a great job at keeping mosquitoes away from me and Caleb... when I remember to use it.
AromaTouch - I'm not using this as much as I thought I would. It has peppermint oil, and as a nursing mom, I'm staying away from that. I did dilute it and give Caleb a nice backrub one afternoon. Next up is to try it on Chris.
Wild Orange - haven't used it much either, but I should put it in the kitchen so I remember to put it in my water bottle. It sure smells yummy!
Citrus Bliss - it's like an orange dreamsicle. I've been using it in the difffuser, like last night. I was grading papers and could feel myself getting a little stressed out over how the students don't always follow or understand directions. Typically it'd take me a couple hours and a little venting to let it pass. It was mostly out of my mind in 10 minutes yesterday.
Lemon - good thing it's one of the cheaper oils, I go through bottles and bottles of this! I actually ordered 2 bottles this month. Love it in my water, and it's also handy for "cleaning" the diffuser from other oil scents.
My mom blessed me with a diffuser a couple weeks ago, and I sure love using it! It stays either in the living room or bedroom. I find myself using Balance, Serenity or Citrus Bliss the most in it. Thanks Mom!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Diaper Rash Cure
I'll admit that I'm not too concerned with being "green" or into saving the planet. I strive for natural and wholesome. Cloth diapering certainly fits that bill.
Yet something that happens probably to every single baby at one point or another, they end up with a diaper rash. It could be a reaction to the detergent; a diaper left on too long and the acidity of the urine irritating them; improperly placed diaper rubbing friction onto their tender skin; poor hygiene practices; on and on it could go.
The standard diaper rash creams and cures that you could grab from the store aren't the best for cloth diapers. They'll clog up the fabric, and leave you fighting with more poopy blow outs and wondering why urine is leaking out when it didn't before. Then you need to get heavy duty and strip the diapers of the creams.
I save myself a lot of hassle simply by using coconut oil and doTERRA's lavender oil. Just put a kidney bean amount of coconut oil in your hand, a drop or two of lavender and blend. Rub it all over your baby's bottom a couple times a day and watch the redness disappear in two days.
Typically, I apply the lavender oil to his bottom once a week, at the first sign of any redness. I haven't ran into any absorption problems with my cloth diapers. It's lovely knowing that I'm not putting any chemicals on Caleb's soft skin.
Caleb thinks cloth diapers are drool worthy!
The standard diaper rash creams and cures that you could grab from the store aren't the best for cloth diapers. They'll clog up the fabric, and leave you fighting with more poopy blow outs and wondering why urine is leaking out when it didn't before. Then you need to get heavy duty and strip the diapers of the creams.
I save myself a lot of hassle simply by using coconut oil and doTERRA's lavender oil. Just put a kidney bean amount of coconut oil in your hand, a drop or two of lavender and blend. Rub it all over your baby's bottom a couple times a day and watch the redness disappear in two days.
Typically, I apply the lavender oil to his bottom once a week, at the first sign of any redness. I haven't ran into any absorption problems with my cloth diapers. It's lovely knowing that I'm not putting any chemicals on Caleb's soft skin.
Caleb thinks cloth diapers are drool worthy!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
A Yummy Salad!
I love how Bountiful Baskets force us to use fruits and veggies more creatively, or even in completely new ways.
This yummy salad put the Romaine lettuce and champagne grapes to use. We also added walnuts and shredded chicken to the salad. My husband made a dressing of honey, mustard, olive oil and green onion. It was a little too sweet for him, but just right to me!
It was so good that I had seconds for dinner, and then gobbled up all the leftovers for my lunch the next day.
It's probably been close to 20 years since my husband had a salad, but he's been making wonderful changes to his diet since we've been expecting our baby. And in Chris's own words, you can read how he's approaching a foreign territory:
So we're supposed to be having at least seven servings of fruit and vegetables a day, right? That's a pretty tall order for someone who, for the past fifteen years, has hardly let a fruit or vegetable pass his lips. How do you go from zero to seven? The slow way. You don't exactly go from eating chicken fried steak to ratatouille over night. So in case there are any others out there like me who have this huge obstacle to climb in terms of their fruits and veggies, here's how I'm dealing with it right now.
First, start with a smaller goal. Don't scare yourself out of it by going for the max right away. My goal for the month is three servings per day. From now till the end of the month, I want to try and get three fruits or veggies in per day. If I get more, great. But three is what we are shooting for. So with each major meal of the day, incorporate some kind of fruit or veggies. Or if you can't fit one into a meal, make it a goal to have one as a snack. Like right now for me... I have a banana for a mid-morning snack, an apple with my lunch, and some kind of veggie with dinner. Then next month we can up the ante. Try for four servings, or five. But these smaller, manageable goals help keep you on track without demoralizing you that you aren't getting everything that you "should."
Second, don't try and convince yourself that you will love eggplant and asparagus overnight. Just like with all other foods, you will find fruits and veggies that you like, and others that you will not. Don't beat yourself up when you find one that you don't, and don't assume that you have to love them all simply because they are good for you. Incorporate the "staples" that you enjoy as much as is practical without getting tired of them. I love corn, peas, carrots, apples, bananas, and berries. So these are my "go to" items. If I can't find a veggie to go with dinner, pop in some frozen corn or peas and you're done. Don't stress because you passed on the broccoli. Celebrate the fact that you found a veggie at all. And then slowly try and find new items to bring into your diet. This past month I've tried two kinds of squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, parsnips, and asparagus. I rather liked the broccoli and parsnips. The asparagus was ok. But I didn't care for the squash or sweet potatoes. So now I have at least two more veggies I can add to my menu.
Third and finally, seasoning makes all the difference. Learning how to cook and season properly is an important part of all cooking. But for me, I find it even more vital with veggies. Make them taste good, and even the most unpalatable item can be lip-smacking good. So just like you can't be afraid to try new fruits and veggies in the first place, don't be afraid to try new cooking techniques or seasonings. For example, I have never liked green beans. But last week, I did a beef stir fry with green beans. I made an Asian style sauce with hoisin, sesame, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper, tossed the beef and beans in the sauce, and cooked it all in a little bit of olive oil. Those were the best green beans I had ever eaten. So a little creativity in the preparation and the seasoning can go a LONG way in helping you get to your goals of eating more fruits and veggies.
So if any of you are in the same boat as me, maybe some of these ideas will help. And we can all get to seven a day, the slow way. :)
It was so good that I had seconds for dinner, and then gobbled up all the leftovers for my lunch the next day.
It's probably been close to 20 years since my husband had a salad, but he's been making wonderful changes to his diet since we've been expecting our baby. And in Chris's own words, you can read how he's approaching a foreign territory:
So we're supposed to be having at least seven servings of fruit and vegetables a day, right? That's a pretty tall order for someone who, for the past fifteen years, has hardly let a fruit or vegetable pass his lips. How do you go from zero to seven? The slow way. You don't exactly go from eating chicken fried steak to ratatouille over night. So in case there are any others out there like me who have this huge obstacle to climb in terms of their fruits and veggies, here's how I'm dealing with it right now.
First, start with a smaller goal. Don't scare yourself out of it by going for the max right away. My goal for the month is three servings per day. From now till the end of the month, I want to try and get three fruits or veggies in per day. If I get more, great. But three is what we are shooting for. So with each major meal of the day, incorporate some kind of fruit or veggies. Or if you can't fit one into a meal, make it a goal to have one as a snack. Like right now for me... I have a banana for a mid-morning snack, an apple with my lunch, and some kind of veggie with dinner. Then next month we can up the ante. Try for four servings, or five. But these smaller, manageable goals help keep you on track without demoralizing you that you aren't getting everything that you "should."
Second, don't try and convince yourself that you will love eggplant and asparagus overnight. Just like with all other foods, you will find fruits and veggies that you like, and others that you will not. Don't beat yourself up when you find one that you don't, and don't assume that you have to love them all simply because they are good for you. Incorporate the "staples" that you enjoy as much as is practical without getting tired of them. I love corn, peas, carrots, apples, bananas, and berries. So these are my "go to" items. If I can't find a veggie to go with dinner, pop in some frozen corn or peas and you're done. Don't stress because you passed on the broccoli. Celebrate the fact that you found a veggie at all. And then slowly try and find new items to bring into your diet. This past month I've tried two kinds of squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, parsnips, and asparagus. I rather liked the broccoli and parsnips. The asparagus was ok. But I didn't care for the squash or sweet potatoes. So now I have at least two more veggies I can add to my menu.
Third and finally, seasoning makes all the difference. Learning how to cook and season properly is an important part of all cooking. But for me, I find it even more vital with veggies. Make them taste good, and even the most unpalatable item can be lip-smacking good. So just like you can't be afraid to try new fruits and veggies in the first place, don't be afraid to try new cooking techniques or seasonings. For example, I have never liked green beans. But last week, I did a beef stir fry with green beans. I made an Asian style sauce with hoisin, sesame, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper, tossed the beef and beans in the sauce, and cooked it all in a little bit of olive oil. Those were the best green beans I had ever eaten. So a little creativity in the preparation and the seasoning can go a LONG way in helping you get to your goals of eating more fruits and veggies.
So if any of you are in the same boat as me, maybe some of these ideas will help. And we can all get to seven a day, the slow way. :)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Avoiding OnGuard
doTERRA makes an oil blend called OnGuard. It's designed to help your immune system, so you won't get sick so easily. It has the following oils: wild orange, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary. It smells so good! Somewhere between a spiced tea and Christmas scents.
I faithfully applied one diluted drop to Caleb's feet every morning. He got so many compliments on how wonderful he smelled. He would even smile as I applied the oil on. What was there not to like?
Then one day, I accidentally missed putting the OnGuard oil on him. It stretched into two days. By the third day, I realized for the first time since I started using OnGuard, Caleb wasn't staying awake 8 through 9 hours at a time. It's exhausting dealing with an overtired baby that keeps wanting to sleep, but the merest sounds drive him awake. With the OnGuard working itself out of his system, he was getting the needed sleep and wasn't acting so wired.
Ok, how about if I put the OnGuard myself? If I can keep my immunity strong, then it'll help keep Caleb healthy. So one morning, I put OnGuard on my own feet. The next day, Caleb was back to his 8-9 hour stretch of not being able to sleep. That really drove home how every single little thing I consume or put on my body can affect him, through my breastmilk. This oil wasn't even ingested by me, but it still coursed through my bloodstream and into my milk.
Now only my husband is allowed to use OnGuard. And he probably needs it the most, with teaching almost 200 students every weekday. It's been a couple weeks since he started using it, and this morning I was wondering if he noticed any difference.
Chris: One class down and I feel exhausted. This is going to be a long day.
Leah: Ohh, and I was just about to ask if the OnGuard stuff helped you to stay alert during the day.
Chris: I forgot to put some on this morning.
I bet he'll be a little more faithful in applying it! I love sniffing him after he rubs it on his feet.
I faithfully applied one diluted drop to Caleb's feet every morning. He got so many compliments on how wonderful he smelled. He would even smile as I applied the oil on. What was there not to like?
Then one day, I accidentally missed putting the OnGuard oil on him. It stretched into two days. By the third day, I realized for the first time since I started using OnGuard, Caleb wasn't staying awake 8 through 9 hours at a time. It's exhausting dealing with an overtired baby that keeps wanting to sleep, but the merest sounds drive him awake. With the OnGuard working itself out of his system, he was getting the needed sleep and wasn't acting so wired.
Ok, how about if I put the OnGuard myself? If I can keep my immunity strong, then it'll help keep Caleb healthy. So one morning, I put OnGuard on my own feet. The next day, Caleb was back to his 8-9 hour stretch of not being able to sleep. That really drove home how every single little thing I consume or put on my body can affect him, through my breastmilk. This oil wasn't even ingested by me, but it still coursed through my bloodstream and into my milk.
Now only my husband is allowed to use OnGuard. And he probably needs it the most, with teaching almost 200 students every weekday. It's been a couple weeks since he started using it, and this morning I was wondering if he noticed any difference.
Chris: One class down and I feel exhausted. This is going to be a long day.
Leah: Ohh, and I was just about to ask if the OnGuard stuff helped you to stay alert during the day.
Chris: I forgot to put some on this morning.
I bet he'll be a little more faithful in applying it! I love sniffing him after he rubs it on his feet.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
First Bountiful Basket
I'm really happy that Bountiful Baskets have come to my town!
Today's basket held
-Romaine lettuce
-2 Celery stalks
-2 Broccoli stalks
-Green beans
-4 Tomatoes
-Sweet potatoes
-Champagne grapes
-Pluots
-Oranges
-Bananas
-Nectarines
-2 Mangoes
We made the blank menu board full of meals using our new foods. I also priced most of the food items, and it would have cost us at least $30 at the grocery store. I only needed to pay $16.50, plus a $3 first-time fee.
A fabulous way to explore fresh foods!
-Romaine lettuce
-2 Celery stalks
-2 Broccoli stalks
-Green beans
-4 Tomatoes
-Sweet potatoes
-Champagne grapes
-Pluots
-Oranges
-Bananas
-Nectarines
-2 Mangoes
We made the blank menu board full of meals using our new foods. I also priced most of the food items, and it would have cost us at least $30 at the grocery store. I only needed to pay $16.50, plus a $3 first-time fee.
A fabulous way to explore fresh foods!
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