22 Months Old

It really can't be possible that she's almost 2.  

In my opinion, she still looks and acts like she's so much younger.  

Although as the days pass, I'm understanding her more and more.  She gibber gabbers all day long and has lengthy conversations with herself, but every so often I'll be able to make something out.... like now she says "watch me mommy!" or "wook at me!" then does a little twirl (I'll give you one guess who taught her that).

She answers most of my questions with "yes, mommy!" / "ok mommy!"/ "thank you mommy"/ or "I sorry mommy!"  

She proceeds most things with "I need": 

I need mahkies (milk)!  

I need beebee (baby)!  

I need Daillou (Caillou)!! 

And my favorite: "Mooommmmmyyy... wherreee areee youuuu!?"  Long and drawn out and high pitched and the most precious thing you've ever heard.

And then there's this adorable-ness:

She loves to dress up.....

She loves to play with her sissy...

She loves to play in the cabinets....

She loves to eat hummus with her hands...

She loves to cuddle...

And she loves to build tall towers then pose and say "TA-DA!!!"

She enjoys special treats while grocery shopping...

And she loves to dance and do sassy poses!

Contrary to the looks of this picture, she actually did not enjoy playing in water very much this summer.  She fussed whenever she was in a pool and wanted to leave splash pads after 5 minutes.

Addie's great grandma Mary celebrated her birthday a few weeks ago and the 4 great grandkids made her a special card and present.  Grandma Mary was go grateful.  

Addie's love of eating has disappeared.  She doesn't have much interest in food whatsoever... unless we're having ice cream for dinner!

I take that back.  She loves pretzels... or "basso's" as she calls them.

Her energy is off the charts these days and so is her personality.  She is hilarious.  So silly.   Goofy.  Always laughing at her own jokes.  And even though she's also decided to stop being our awesome sleeper, we still love her to bits and enjoy each second with her.

Happy 22 Months, Addie Bug!

XOXO,

Mommy

RC... and not the Cola

RC is another fab oil that comes in the Premium Starter Kit.  It is packed full of awesomeness and effectiveness when it comes to supporting your respiratory system.  

RC is a Young Living exclusive blend that contains 3 types of Eucalyptus (E. Globulus, E. Radiata, and E. Citriodora), as well as Myrtle, Spruce, Cypress, Lavender, Marjoram, Pine, and Peppermint.  

This is an oil you should not be without during the icky cold weather months.  I have personally seen it work multiple times on my children in clearing up the gunk in their chests.  It makes me feel so good as a parent to know I'm offering my children pure, natural, yet effective remedies when they don't feel so hot.  

Here are some super practical ways to use RC!

-Place 1-2 drops in a mug of hot water and inhale the vapors

-Use a Q-tip to swab some along the inside of your nostrils

-Dilute as necessary and apply along sinus passages, along outside of nose, forehead, temples, throat, back, chest - wherever you need it!

-Diffuse either by itself or with a complimentary oil (Thieves and Lemon come to mind!)

This is a super effective blend that can be helpful to the whole family!

Get yours!

Sooo... what's in the kit?

Premium Starter Kit.  

Lovingly referred to as the PSK.

Young Living's PSK has absolutely everything you need to dive head first into the world of essential oils.  And I promise you, it is not scary!  It is so exciting to begin this journey of health and wellness.  

Included is the Everyday Oil collection which are oils you will find yourself using, yes, every day.  

You receive EVERYTHING in the top picture below.  

Click on it, zoom in, and really read about the awesomeness.

You get:

Lavender

Peppermint

Lemon

RC

Copaiba

Digize 

PanAway

Purification

Frankincense (!!)

Thieves (!!!)

Stress Away

A Diffuser

A roll-on top to pop onto an oil of your choice (I recommend Stress Away)

Tiny glass vials to share your oils with friends or to easily travel with them 

10 sample packets of Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Thieves, and Peace & Calming.  Share these with friends or keep in your purse!

2 sample packets of our powerful antioxidant drink - Ningxia Red.  

You, really, truly, can't beat it.  

And until Monday August 31, the PSK is $10 off the normal price of $160. 

So you get everything listed above for just $150!  

It's a steal, really.  If you were to purchase these oils, diffuser, and samples individually, it would come out to over $300.

If you've been toying with the idea of jumping into oils, now is the time!  

I know it can seem intimidating, but I promise I won't leave you hanging.  There is a world of support available once you jump in.  I am on an AMAZING team of over 4,000 people called Essential Families, and the moment you purchase your PSK, you are added to our team.  This is a Facebook group dedicated to helping you learn how to use your oils, which oils are best for which body systems, which blends might be helpful, and education out the wazoo.   They put on weekly Facebook classes (for FREE!) that educate you on anything and everything you could ever want to know about your oils.  Green Cleaning with oils, Oils for back to school, Oils for pregnancy and childbirth, the list goes on.

Here is another sheet with helpful info on what happens when you jump into the world of oils.

I want you on my team!  Message me to sign up today!

You can also follow me on Instagram @peace.love.lavender for daily oily tips & information!

Angela

Peppermint Power

Peppermint oil is amaze.  Another one of my favorites, obviously :)

Young Living's Peppermint is grown & distilled at our farm in Mona, Utah.  It takes 1 pound of raw peppermint material to make one 15ml bottle of Peppermint oil!  Peppermint oil is another one of the "hot" oils so make sure to dilute when putting it on your skin - especially on kids!

Peppermint is one of the most highly regarded herbs for soothing and restoring digestive efficiency.  Just rub a drop or two (diluted) onto your abdomen to soothe discomforts.  Or if tummy troubles are a regular occurrence for you, you could carry a roller bottle of pre-diluted peppermint oil in your bag/purse/car and roll it on when needed.  Di-Gize, another Young Living oil which comes in the Premium Starter Kit, is also wonderful for digestion either used by itself or paired with Peppermint.  

Peppermint has also been shown to improve concentration and mental alertness.  Place a drop under your tongue, in your glass of water, or diffuse it with some lemon & lavender.  Very uplifting and energizing!  

Peppermint can also be used to flavor food & beverage - add a couple drops to your brownie batter or glass of tea!  

It can also be used to relieve head pressure.  I've been using it successfully this way for the past few months.  The tension in my head releases minutes after rubbing a little diluted peppermint oil onto my temples.  

Another way I've personally used Peppermint oil successfully is by adding 1 drop to a mug of warm water and holding it under my nose - wow! - talk about opening your sinuses right up.  Such relief when you're under the weather to finally be able to breathe again.  Diffusing Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint together is also a wonderful way to control those seasonal sniffles & sneezes.  It's safe and effective for the whole family!  

Peppermint is great when massaged into aching muscles.  Helps relieve muscle tension after a hard workout.  Pair it with PanAway (another oil in the Starter Kit) for an even bigger punch!

Peppermint is extremely cooling.  Make up a spray bottle with Peppermint oil & water or witch hazel and take with you to the park, pool, or sporting events for immediate relief from the heat.  I have also used Peppermint oil successfully when the need arises to lower my children's body temperatures.  A very safe and effective way to offer relief to your kids!

A drop of Peppermint oil on your tongue can ease travel-induced queasiness as well as freshen your breath :)

As you can see, the possibilities are endless! 

Try it out!

Lemon

Lemon essential oil is another one of my favorites.  It's so versatile.  It smells so good.  It's so powerful.  And who doesn't love the happy yellow color?

Cold-pressed from lemon rinds, Lemon essential oil has a strong, purifying scent that is revitalizing and uplifting.  There are approximately 75 lemon rinds in one 15ml bottle of Young Living's Lemon essential oil!  It contains the naturally occurring constituent limonene, a powerful antioxidant.

There are so many uses for Lemon essential oil.  Some of my personal favorites are:

1) Using it as a produce wash.  Add some fresh produce to a bowl of water with 1-2 drops Lemon essential oil to help remove chemical residue.

2) Adding a drop or two to my glass of water each morning.  It tastes great, supports my metabolism, and helps flush those fat cells!  It's also energizing and helpful in supporting a healthy digestive and immune system.

3) Helping to clean and de-grease surfaces.  I add a few drops of Lemon to my Thieves household cleaner to help get my surfaces extra shiny!

4) Helping to support our immune systems.  I like to pair this with Thieves, Oregano, and Purification in a roller bottle and roll it onto Hailey's feet before preschool, play dates, or any other germ-infested situation.  I also use it on any member of the family if they feel a bug creepin' in.  I have used it very successfully in our house just this past week!  

5) Using it as a goo-gone!  1 drop of lemon can help remove all kinds of sticky residue, as well as crayon off walls and gum out of carpet (and hair!).

Lemon is an excellent oil to have on-hand in those icky, germy winter months.  A few drops of Lemon essential oil added to a mug of warm water with some honey is so soothing!  Plus, it pairs well with so many other essential oils to help combat germs and impurities.  Lemon comes in the Premium Starter Kit along with 10 other oils!  Give it a try!

The $10 off Starter Kit Sale ends August 31!

Peace, love & lavender,

Angela

Young Living Independent Distributor

Member # 2770230

Frank for President

I remember what I thought when I saw Frankincense in my Premium Starter Kit.   

"What on earth am I supposed to do with that??"  All I knew about Frankincense is that it was given to baby Jesus by the 3 wise men.

Well, it's amazing what a little reading can teach a girl.  Young Living supplies each starter kit with educational materials, not to mention the awesome support group called Essential Families that I get to add you to as soon as you sign up with me!  Essential Families is an online community of nearly 4,000 people who use Young Living essential oils.  They are always ready & willing to answer questions and give advice on how to use your oils.  Not to mention the weekly {free} online classes and endless information provided via their Facebook page and Instagram account.  These people are incredible and want absolutely everyone to feel comfortable and confident about their oils.  

I quickly learned how great Frank is.  If I had to describe it in one word I would say healing.  It's healing to the skin, healing to your mood, and healing to impurities inside your body.  

Young Living's Frankincense come from Boswellia Carterii trees in Somalia through a process called resin tapping.  Twice per year, small cuts are made into the trunk of the tree and then the resin emerges.  The resin is collected, dried out, and then distilled into Frankincense essential oil.  It's a pretty fascinating process if you ask me.

Boswellia tree

Resin gathering on the bark of the tree

 

Resin is collected in woven baskets to dry

  

Here are a few ways you can use YOUR precious bottle of Frankincense!

Like I always say... if it's good enough for Baby Jesus, it's good enough for me!

All about Thieves

Oh Thieves, how I love thee.

Thieves and Lavender are the main reasons I'm using (and now sharing) Young Living essential oils.  

Germs, y'all.  I've got kids, so germs (boogers, poop, slobber, oh my!) are everywhere.  Not to mention all the germs out and about in our daily adventures.  Shopping carts alone... ew.  Well with thieves in my back pocket (sometimes literally), I don't worry so much about germs anymore.  

Did you know?

Thieves essential oil blend was inspired by the legend of four 15th-century French thieves who formulated a special aromatic combination composed of clove, rosemary and other botanicals they used while robbing the dead and dying. Young Living’s one-of-a-kind Thieves blend was crafted in the spirit of that legendary combination and can be found in all of our Thieves products.  It contains the essential oil blend of Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Lemon, Rosemary & Eucalyptus.

My first run-in with thieves was shortly after I bought my starter kit.  With the knowledge that thieves is helpful towards teeth & gum health, I swabbed some on my gums after I had some dental work done and wow!!  Now, I should explain that thieves is considered one of the "hot" oils, meaning its a good idea to dilute it with a carrier oil (such as coconut oil) to alleviate any burning sensation that could occur after application.  I was feeling brave that day and swabbed it right on, sans carrier oil.  Quite the sensation, not to mention relief!  

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or dentist - please always dilute thieves on children.  Adults please make the choice you feel is best for you.

Soon thereafter I got a tickle in my throat.  I added a few drops of thieves to some warm salt water & gargled - my throat discomfort diminished greatly afterwards.  I've also cooked up this "sick tea" a few times when I could tell I was coming down with something, and while it certainly doesn't taste like a piña colada, it definitely is effective!

Peace out, germs.  Hello, busy schedule.

Thieves is great for helping build the immune system.  I have a roller bottle made up of Thieves, Oregano, Lemon & Purification that I roll onto my family's feet & spine whenever they're coming down with something (hubby included!).  I also plan to roll this onto Hailey's feet each morning before preschool to help build her up against any germs she may encounter there.  Thieves can also be diffused to knock out any airborne impurities.  I do this in the kids' rooms when they're under the weather.

There are a few different Young Living oils that are great for respiratory support - and Thieves is one of them.  Just massage it into the chest along with some coconut oil.  

I made up a hand sanitizing spray bottle containing Thieves, Purification, Lemon & witch hazel and keep it in my purse.  I spray shopping cart handles before putting the kids in them and then spray their hands after we get out of the cart.  Or if we're out and about and need to clean off our hands before we have a snack - thieves spray to the rescue.

And how could I forget??  Cleaning with Thieves!  I have the Thieves household cleaner and wow, it's great.  Just a couple capfuls into an empty spray bottle and then fill it up with water.  It's safe (and effective) on everything from vegetables to toilets.  I've honestly never seen my surfaces shine so much (which is not something I ever thought I'd get excited about either, but it turns out I do!).  

Hopefully this info was helpful to you! 

Peace, Love & Lavender,

Angela

Buy your starter kit here!

Lavender Love

Hi, friends!

So I decided I want to take some time and chat about each oil individually.  To really explore what they are, what they can do, how they can help you, and all that fun stuff!

First up is lavender, because let's be real - I've been using oils for about 3 months now and I think I'm on my 5th or 6th bottle of lavender.  It's just amazing.  And for a lot of people, it's the "gateway" oil - once they try lavender, they are hooked and ready to try more!  Why?  Because it. works.

Fun Facts about Lavender:

- It takes 27 square feet of lavender to make one 15ml bottle 

Young Living's lavender farm in Mona, Utah - gorgeous!

- Lavender is so helpful with seasonal sneezing & sniffles.  Either diffused or applied topically it helps dry up all the yuck - naturally!  It's often teamed up with Lemon & Peppermint essential oil to really pack a punch on the seasonal nonsense.  

- Lavender can be applied directly to cuts to disinfect and minimize bleeding.  I put a drop of lavender on the bridge of my nephew's nose last week and his bloody nose stopped in 1-2 minutes.  Just sayin'.

- Lavender is soothing to skin irritations.  Think about your burned skin after a day in the sun, or annoying bug bites, or mysterious itchy skin patches! Add a few drops to some coconut oil and spread 'er on.  

- Lavender is ultra relaxing.  Diffuse it or apply it topically (a couple drops to the bottoms of feet, wrists, back of neck, anywhere really) and it eases tension & promotes some serious relaxation.  Go to sleep and stay asleep!  Helpful to babies & kids, too!  And who doesn't like a sleeping baby??

- Lavender smells amazing and is deodorizing!  Put a drop on a cotton ball and place in drawers or closets to lightly scent linens and keep the critters away.  You can also put a few drops on some wool dryer balls or a damp cloth and toss it in with your wet clothes in the dryer!  Dryer sheets are totes toxic anyway.

There are more, but I think you get the idea :)

And what I love most is that there is absolutely, positively NOTHING in the bottle but pure, therapeutic grade essential oil - steam distilled plant material that has NOT been sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, or any other petro-nastiness.  Young Living has extremely high quality standards.  They are in control of every step of the process - from the seed to the final seal. (www.seedtoseal.com)

Distillery at the lavender farm in Mona, Utah

There she is!  Fresh lavender oil in the distiller!

Y'all should try lavender.  It's a great oil to try to get your foot in the door and see what this whole world is about.  It's super affordable!  I promise you won't be disappointed.  

Peace, Love & Lavender,

Angela

Ready to jump in? Buy your starter kit here!

They are $10 off through the end of the August!

21 Months Old

Sweet Baby Girl,

Once again I'm about 2 weeks late on blogging your sweet life.  Just as I said last month, things have been wild and crazy around here!  As you'll see from this month's photos, we've been all around Missouri this month.  Branson, Jeff City, and Lake of the Ozarks!  You've been a pretty easy going gal with all the traveling; you still sleep great no matter where we put you (I think this month the 2 strangest places for your pack n play were a hotel closet and a laundry room), but you do great nonetheless.  Your eating has gotten pretty finicky, and all the traveling hasn't helped.  But I have discovered that you have a true love for french fries and all things "dip"!  Ketchup, salsa, hummus, cream cheese, peanut butter, syrup, honey, you name it.  Hailey NEVER liked dips - and this make sense now, because she still hates any foods that touch!  You love your "mahkies" (milk) and "appa doo" or "babba doo" (apple juice).  You do not like bread of any sort (no muffins, toast, waffles, pancakes, or pbj) - you just lick off the topping then toss the bread aside.  Luckily you still scarf down your green smoothies, or else I'm not sure where your quality nutrition would be coming from these days!

You can be sweet as pie but you can also get pretty angry.  A recent favorite of yours has been "NO! MINE!".  You also demand things of me like "Nee Nuh!" (stand up!) and "Ehh go!!" (let go!).  "Uppa!?" (up) and "Wuh dow!" (want down) are also daily demands.  Is it a second child thing?  I'm not sure but I do know we're going to have a trickier time with discipline with you than we did with your easy-going sister.  

On the contrary, you are quite the cuddler.  You love to snuggle with me and you ALWAYS want me to hold you.  And if I can't hold you for whatever reason, you collapse to the ground in tears.  The moments before bed are the sweetest and my absolute favorite.  Without prompting you always tell me "nigh nigh mama, I you mama".  "I you" is your I Love You.  My heart melts to a puddle every time I hear it.  

Sweet yet Sassy is how I'd sum you up, and although you challenge me, I love it and I'm proud to be your mommy.  You're darling, hilarious, love to dance, and you follow your sister around the house and copy her every move all day long.  You love to cuddle with her and watch your shows together (Caillou by far and wide is your favorite show at the moment).  And you hug and kiss her before bed every night and say "nigh nigh sissy!".  

Now for June 22 - July 22 in photos.  Enjoy!

Branson:

Ready for the pool!

making yourself comfy in the hotel!

Back at home!

4th of July bike ride with mommy & daddy!

4th of July swim party

Just causin' trouble while your big sissies were in dance class

Clearly enjoying her special treat!  Cookie at the mall :)

Silly girls

 Lake of the Ozarks:

You much preferred to be outside the pool than in it

Cousins ready for a day on the boat!

Mommy's favorite girls!