Take your Vitamins!

Did you know that Young Living not only carries essential oils, but also has a line of supplements? In my 6 months using these products, I've started to incorporate a couple. The first one I've used is Life 9, which is their probiotic. It is similar in price to any other high end probiotic on the market and has been a part of my nightly routine for 2 months now. If you are wondering where to start with supplements, I've learned that most health care practitioners will tell you to start with a probiotic! I love that Young Living adds essential oils to their supplements to help with absorption in the body. I'm not up on all the science of how to explain it because, lets be real, I'm a special ed teacher! But, I can tell you that your body wants a good probiotic!

I tend to get really anxious towards the end of the school year/start of summer. Weird, right? Seems like my nerves would settle down at that point, but not the case for me. So I tried another supplement called Cortistop. When your body is under stress, it produces cortisol. By reading the name of this supplement, you can tell what it does. I'm on week 3 of using it and I have not gone into my full blown swing of anxiety (yet! fingers crossed). Cortistop capsules help to maintain the body's natural balance and harmony. So far, so good.

I guess you could count Ningxia as a supplement too and you know I love that!

I'm looking forward to trying more as time goes on. Young Living carries all kinds.

1) Omega 3's (OmegaGize)
2) Super B Tablets
3) Sulfurzyme
4) Calcium (Super C)
5) Kids Chewables

That doesn't even put a dent in the list, but its a good start. I like to buy my supplements through Young Living because, as a member, I get points back on each dollar I spend. Cash-back always lessens the blow :) Then I can spend more money on the fun stuff (like
Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, StressAway, Peace and Calming, Frankincense....you know the drill...)

DIY Recipes, Tips, and Tricks with EO's

Over the past few months I've been collecting tidbits of information on what I want to remember involving these little gems that are my essential oils. And because of exhibit A)  my bathroom mirror, I figured it might be a good idea to put it all my notes in one place.  Please ignore the bathroom wallpaper and sea foam green marble. *Work in progress* 

Before I share, I wanted to add that my friend, Krista Bridges, is doing an online class about essential oils where she will answer all kinds of questions about the power of what's in these little bottles. Let me know by commenting and I’ll get you an invite to an online intro class right here on Facebook! And if you let me know before 5/25 I’ll make sure you get a sample too!! 

Now for the good stuff....in no particular order: 

 1) Use Lime Vitality oil to make Key Lime Pie Protein Shakes! Add a drop or 2 of Lime oil to vanilla protein powder and blend. 

 2) Toilet Bowl Cleaner: 
1 cup distilled water
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup Castille soap
20-25 drops of Young Living Tea Tree, Lemon, or Grapefruit oil
Soak bowl 15 minutes before scrubbing

3) Carpet Powder
1 cup baking soda
7 drops purification, Grapefruit, and Lime oil
Sprinkle on carpets for 15 min before vacuuming

4) If you're in to making your own bread, add some orange oil with cranberries or rosemary oil added with other fresh herbs. Use about 5 drops for a 2 lb. loaf.

5) Tub, shower floor, walls: Use Thieves cleaner first with brush. Then, a paste of 1 Cup baking soda and 15 drops of any citrus oil. Rub on the ring in toilet, shower floor, and shower walls. Let it sit, then scrub off. 

6) Glass shower door: Use the same paste listed above with scrub brush. Wipe off. Then clean off the "baking soda film" with a mixture of Thieves cleaner (capful of Thieves, 1 tsp vinegar, 5 drops lemon, top with water in an 12-16 oz bottle). Everything comes off spotless, no need to use gloves for harsh chemicals and no need for bathroom fan or vent. Just fresh and clean!

7) Bring Sexy Back Linen Spray: In a small spray bottle, spritz around the following: 3 oz water, 1 oz Witch Hazel, 6 drops Orange, 3 drops Patchouli, 3 drops Ylang Ylang. Spritz around your room concentrating on pillows and sheets

8) Eyelash Growth Serum: 2 drops Lavender, 2 drops Cedarwood, 1 drop Rosemary. Fill clean mascara tube with Castor oil. 

9) Under Eye Roll On: 15 drops Frankincense, 15 drops Lavender, 15 drops Lemon, 3 drops Helichrysum. Fill the rest with a carrier oil such as Grapeseed oil. 

10) Honolulu Hawaii Diffuser Blend: 4 drops Stress Away, 3 drops Citrus Fresh, 3 drops Cedarwood

11) Paris, France Diffuser Blend: 5 drops Lavender, 3 drops Rosemary, 2 drops Clary Sage
(if you type in Destination Everywhere Diffuser Blends for 7 Cities" it should come up at YoungLiving.com/blog)

12) Morning and Evening Moisturizer: Frankincense/Lavender/Vetiver/Patchouli mixed with cold-pressed coconut oil

13) For Sinuses: Frankincense mixed with Copiaba- rub straight on the sinuses.

14) Face Wash: 1 Tbsp unscented Castille soap, 1 tbsp witch hazel, 10 drops Tea Tree, 10 drops Lavender, 10 drops Cedarwood, 5 drops Frankincense, 5 drops Purification. Add to foaming soap dispenser and fill the rest with water.

15) for Clogged Drains: Baking soda, Lemon essential oil, and distilled white vinegar. Pour it down the drain and let it sit for 45 min or overnight. Flush with about 2 cups boiling water. If the clog is really bad, you may need a snake to push it through. You can even use this as a preventative if your drain clogs often.

Although I have more, I think that's enough for now. I'll save the rest for another post! Try some of these DIY recipes and let me know what you think! Remember to comment if you want to come to the online class and get a sample!

The Droppery

I've written about this before, but I wanted to re-iterate how much I have been referring to TheDroppery.com for trying out new diffuser blends. Not only are there a HUGE variety of blends, but they have the most beautiful and soothing images and captions to go along with them. I feel like the pictures make them smell even better. They appeal to all the senses!

This is the one I have diffusing now and... yes, it IS well in my home!

This website has a page dedicated to blends that use only the Premium Starter Kit oils. Pretty helpful when you're ready to dive in. If you recently got your kit and you're not sure where to turn, turn here! If you WANT to get started with a kit, I can also help with that!

Ningxia!

I heard all bout this Nixgia Red. I was really skeptical. I couldn't see spending my precious oil money allotment on a juice blend. But evvvvverybody who tried it had great things to say. "Oh, you'll notice a difference when you miss a few days of using it!" "Ohh...it tastes so good!" " Ohhh....its a must-have after getting your Starter Kit!" Blah, blah, blah...

I finally broke down and bought it because I know its packed with Antioxidants and who doesn't need an extra dose of that with all the toxins we swim in daily. Although its only been about 2 weeks of using it daily, I do feel a little sharper! A little more energy! An edge, if you will.  I had tried the samples from the Starter Kit so I knew I would like the way it tasted (let's be honest, I rarely come across a food item that I do not like).

I have come to crave it in the mornings. This is what I do: Wake up...shuffle to the kitchen... open the fridge...turn the bottle up to give it a good mix.....pour....and knock back 2 shot glasses full of Ningxia! The best way I can describe it is a puree of tangy and delicious juice. Thicker than juice, not as thick as a smoothie. Its so satisfying when its COLD.

Ingredients:
100 grams of Wolfberries (aka Gogi Berries)
230 g Blueberries
140 g Cherries
1 cup Aronia Berries (highest anti-oxidant of any berry)
125 mg Grapefruit Seed extract
4 Pomegranates
2 Plums
Infused with Orange, Lemon, Tangerine, & Yuzu Essential Oils


Besides loving the way it tastes and noticing a difference in how its making me feel, here are some of its benefits:

-High in antioxidants to strengthen immune system
-Aids circulatory system, including the heart
-Helps the liver function properly
-Supports the eyes (cataracts, glaucoma, and visual acuity)
-Vitamins and minerals in Ningxia aid in digestion
-Helps support healthy blood sugar levels
-Strengthens brain neurotransmitters (therefore helping to combat dementia and memory loss)
-High in B-Vitamin Complex to help convert food to energy
-Reduces pain caused by inflammation
-The Ningxia Wolfberry is high in protein, an essential cellular building block


If you watch Dr. Jim Bob Haggerton like I do: Here's a link to his  quick, 6 min video about Ningxia Red.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK4WPBYJtOY&feature=youtu.be

Drink UP!

What's Your Color Personality?

Who doesn't love a good personality test!? I took one a few months ago and it was spot on for me. This test in particular is very straight forward and it doesn't take much time at all. Under fifteen minutes if I remember correctly. It will give you a phrase and you pick (A, B, C, or D) the one word that you feel correlates best with the phrase. It breaks your personality down into 4 colors: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow. Most of you will come out with a dominant color or two. The fun thing about it is that there are oils that can support each color type. And its free. Before I give you the link to the personality test, I want you give yourself some time to watch Dr. Jim Bob Haggerton's explanation of the personality types and guess which one you think you will be. I guessed correctly before taking the test! I felt inclined to write this post today because I was really sad to hear that the creator if this test, Jacob Adamo, passed away this week. He left behind a wife and two kids. You will hear Dr. Haggerton refer to him throughout the YouTube video.

Now...Here's Jim Bob: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0f53VlNINI (go ahead and scroll about 14 minutes into the video to bypass some of the needless stuff at the beginning)

When you promise you have watched the YouTube video first...here's the Color Personality Test! 

https://jacobadamo.com/personality-colors-quiz/

I'm so excited to hear what color you are! I will tell mine soon, but I want to keep it a surprise first to see if you can guess what I am! 

Trending now: 

-Lemon, Lavender, & Rosemary in the diffuser 

< Spring Cleaning Blend > 

- Lime in my water

April Fooled

At the Southern Women's Show, I got bamboozled into buy a fancy new hair straightener/curling wand. The salesman layed it on thick with the compliments and called me by my first name as if we were old friends. I admit it; I bought into his game. I really do like the flat iron so I can't say I was necessarily bamboozled, but I wasn't in the market for new hair tools. Easter Sunday rolled around and I was overly excited about using my new straighter. I went through all the steps to make sure each section of hair was correctly prepped, flattened, slightly curled, and tousled. Ah, yes- perfection. One trick I like with my oils is to put a drop of Frankincense on my palms, rub together, then through my hair to take out the frizzies. I feel like any oil would work for this because its....well....oil. Truly, I just like the smell of it, using my hair as a diffuser! I went through my whole routine of dropping the oils into my hands and rubbing through my hair, bus since it was Easter, I figured I'd do an extra drop or 2 since it was a special occasion. After all, Frankincense is one of the oils that was given to Jesus when he was born!

It wasn't until after I had slathered myself in oil that I realized that I had not, in fact, used the Frankincense....I had grabbed Patchouli. Yes, the one that most people associate with dirty hippies. Extremely earthy and extremely strong. The strongest oil I own. We're talking....I can smell it on my hands for hours if I have so much as opened the bottle. Its intense.

Oops! It was too late to do anything about it. Of all places, I was going to have to sit in crammed church pews smelling like a HUGE hippie. The only thing I could do was pray that everyone around me felt deeply calmed from sniffling the Patchouli! After all, it is known for its calming and relaxing properties. How appropriate for April Fools Day, right?

On another note, mark your calendars for April 15th! There will be another Essential Oils class that afternoon at my house. You can learn more about the kit you already have, get your own kit if you don't have one, have some wine and apps, and possibly win a little prize :)  All are welcomed and invited to bring friends. I'll send more updates, but I wanted to get the word out!

Need a Diffuser? (or another diffuser?)

If you're like me, you probably need another diffuser. Up until the end of March, Young Living is having a sale on their DewDrop diffuser along with 2 extra oils for $54.19 plus tax. One of the oils is peppermint which is my hands down FAVORITE oil and I've ordered it every month since January when I got my starter kit! The second oil is Tangerine which I have not yet tried but its on my every growing list.

Just to give you an idea of all the things you can do with Tangerine....
-its in the Vitality line which means you can ingest it! Put it in water, add to empty vegetarian capsules for a dietary supplement, add it to marinades or salad as it is the sweetest of all the citrus oils so it adds a little zing!
-diffuse for a sweet aroma
-make a DIY air freshener by adding to a glass spray bottle (30 drops tangerine to 2 cups water and splash of witch hazel or rubbing alcohol)
-put a couple drops on a cotton ball and stash it in the air vent of your car for a DIY air freshener

As for Peppermint....
- Its also in the Vitality line which means you can ingest it! Put it in water, add to empty vegetarian capsules for a dietary supplement. I use my Weight Support Blend in water daily (Peppermint, Lemon, Grapefruit) because I think its so refreshing.
- Diffuse for a fresh, uplifting, and energizing scent.
- Add few drops in your bath for a spa-like experience. I once diffused it when I had house guests and one of them commented that my house smelled like "a fancy hotel."
- This one is also great to put on the skin before a workout to keep you cool.

I'm toying with the idea of going in on this deal myself because I want a diffuser for my kitchen. I currently have one for my bedroom, classroom, and car.

Essential Oil Resources

Part of what keeps me interested in using essential oils is the journey. The more I use them, the more I realize how much I DON'T know. Thankfully, there are some excellent resources out there and I have decided to compile some of my favorites into one place. My goal is to no longer hear anyone say that they have oils sitting in the box or on the shelf because they don't know what to do with them.

In an attempt to remedy this, here is a list of some of the most valuable resources I've come upon since January when I started my journey with Young Living Essential Oils.

1) An e-mail a day for 30 days from Jen O'Sullivan, "the oil lady to the oil ladies." To get these e-mails, go to SparkDroppers.com --> Quick Course --> then click, "CLICK HERE" for the free 30 Day Intensive Course
* I created a new folder in my e-mail specifically for these so that I could go back and read. I have referred back to them often.

2) Jim Bob Haggerton, the crazy chiropractor from Texas. He is wayyyyy full of energy and I get distracted by watching him, but I like to let his YouTube videos play while I'm cooking or getting ready in the mornings. Just type Jim Bob Haggerton into the search bar on YouTube and his videos will come up. They are typically 15-30 min long, so.... good to listen to while walking or at the gym.

3) App: TheEOBar (Essential Oil Recipe & Usage Guide) also created by Jen O' Sullivan. Its $6.99 but worth it!

4) Jen O'Sullivan's Facebook Page: The Human Body and Essential Oils- You NEED to be a member of this one!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thehumanbody/permalink/1539005323075349/

5) Jen O' Sullivan's book: French Aromatherapy: Essential Oil Recipes and Usage Guide. This one just came in the mail for me today and I'm going through it with my hi-lighter, cover to cover!

Road Rage

There are two kinds of people in this world. There is the kind who (A) has road rage and there is the kind who (B) gives others road rage. I am self admittedly, letter B. I am by by nature a mild mannered person and I tend to think the best of other drivers on the road. I rarely know where I'm going and I get flustered easily while driving so I assume that everyone else is the same way. Give me some grace, people. If someone cuts me off, I feel like they were probably late to a function, in an emergency, flustered, or didn't realize that they cut me off. After all, those would be my only reasons for being so rude on the road! If someone honks their horn at me, I take it so personally that I sometimes tear up a little. I'm THAT sensitive, people. It's true. I never intend any harm when I'm driving...sometimes it just happens!

This is the Vitality brand but it looks just like mine!

Segue into my favorite small luxury in life- the car diffuser. As much as I love my oils, my diffuser gives me calm, sanity, and happiness while I'm cruising around town. The brand I have is Nano. My sister gave it to me as a Christmas present 2 years ago and is still kickin'. Its SO easy too! I pop off the top and fill it with tap water, a few drops of oils, screw the cap back on, plug into my cigarette lighter- and poof! Car diffusion. My favorite car oil is Frankincense because its is really grounding and calming to me. I've also heard Lavender + Orange are really good for anxiety. Either way- a car diffuser is well worth the $10-15 it costs! Cathlin got mine on Amazon, but I recently saw one in TJMaxx for $10. Get one! Tell me what you think. 

Weight Loss Trio

If you missed the last oils class, we went over some fat busters. Of course, using these oils and doing nothing else is not going to be your miracle. HOWEVER... combining these with healthy diet and regular exercise can surely help. I have not been the best in this area lately, but I'm regaining some motivation to start!

Here are some recipes I came across via my new oily friend, Tiffany. Hopefully she won't mind me sharing with you!

There are 2 different ways you can use these:

A) Make a capsule
B) Drop your synergy blend into your water

A) WEIGHT LOSS CAPSULE
- 3 drops Lemon
-3 drops Peppermint
-3 drops Grapefruit
- Empty 00 capsule. top with carrier oil
-Take no more than two per day (one in the morning and one in the evening for up to 2 weeks at a time. Give your body a break for 1-2 weeks in between.
(Essential Oils One Drop at a Time by Brandy Jones Arnold)

B) WEIGHT SUPPORT WATER
Drink at least 100 0z of water a day. Create a synergy of your favorite 3-5 oils and infuse your 20 oz water with 1-2 drops of your synergy in a glass or stainless steel water bottle. ( I would the trio of grapefruit, lemon, and peppermint for this)
( by Jen O'Sullivan)


*Grapefruit boost metabolism, Lemon detoxes cells of fat, Peppermint curbs appetite and sugar cravings.

I've added Grapefruit to my next order so I will be making my synergy as soon as it comes in!

Sleepy Time Roller Ball

My new thing is making roller balls. There are a million and one recipes out there. I made up my own for this one but I'm sure something similar is floating around on the internet. Here's how it works:

1) Take a used up bottle of oil, rinse it out and peel the label off. Lemon oil is great for getting the sticky residue off the outside of the bottle.

2) Drip your oils of choice into the bottle. I used what I had on hand which consisted of:

12 drops Lavender
10 drops Cedarwood
3 drops Patchouli
2 drops Orange

3) Swish the oils around for a few seconds to allow them to meld. Have the oils sit for 24 hours to form a synergy.

4) The next day, add a carrier oil (olive oil, grape seed oil, sweet almond oil.....any fatty kitchen oil) to your bottle. You can use a 50/50 ratio of essential oils to carrier oil, or add a bit more carrier oil to make your synergy to last longer. Snap a roller ball filament on top of your bottle, and voila!

Roller Ball Filaments

You can use this as you are getting ready for bed.  Roll on the bottom of your feet, on your wrists, behind your ears, the back of your neck...anywhere you desire..... and LIGHTS OUT!

One really great app for essential oil education and recipes is called TheEOBar. It's not free, but it's super informative and worth each penny of the $6.99 it costs.

Infused Hot Tea

With this winter being such a bone-chilling one, no matter how many layers I put on, I'm still cold. The only way I can warm myself up is from the inside out. Taking the hottest bearable bath is my favorite way to solve this dilemma, but at school hot tea is the next best thing. Not only is this tea warm, spicy, and cozy- but it is also great for your immune system. 

Try it and let me know what you think! Here's now: 

1. Squeeze your preferred amount of honey in the bottom of a mug. Try 1 Tbsp if you're unsure. I always use more than I should on the honey front.

2. Add

1 drop Thieves

1 drop Copiaba

1 drop Lemon

3. Pour in your hot water to fill the mug. 

4. Sip and breathe in the smell of Christmas.

Mascara Hack

The curse is upon me. I've started with a scratchy throat and a cough that I can feel going STRAIGHT to my lungs. Since I know RC (Respiratory Control) supports the Respiratory system, hence the name, I'm diffusing it like a mad woman and also rubbing it on my chest. I also just came across a throat spray recipe that I wish I could make right now but I'm currently out of peppermint AND lemon.... dying!!!

But here's the recipe if you are lucky enough to have all the oils currently in your stash:

10 drops Thieves Vitality essential oil
2-3 drops Peppermint Vitality essential oil
2-3 drops Lemon Vitality essential oil
3-4 drops Copaiba Vitality essential oil
1 1/2 ounces distilled water
2 ounce Amber Glass Spray bottle

Add all drops of oil to the bottle. Fill to almost full with distilled water. *Shake before each use.* Spray the back of throat as often as every 30 minutes.

Optional addition: honey to taste, 1/4 tsp salt.

On to the mascara hack: 

I recently read that putting lavender in your mascara can help grow your eyelashes thicker and longer as well as deterring eyelash mites (ew....but most of us have them. Just a fact!) 

-For 1/2 a tube of mascara, add one drop of lavender

-For a full tube, add 2 drops

You only need to do this one time for the entire tube! I recently did this with my mascara and I feel like it conditions my eyelashes and it also smells really nice. To have them grow long and lush would be a plus! I'll keep you posted.

Fox and Fig #2 + Oil Class

I'm on a Fox and Fig bender! I've been twice this month and I'm ready to go back with anyone who will go eat there with me! This time I took my Grama. (or ...rather....she took me.) This time I had the Bahn Mi which is: "Maple-Ginger- Tamari Glazed Seitan, Sriracha Mayo, Key Lime Ginger Pickled Carrots, on a Ciabatta bun served with Agave-Dijon Slaw." The owner recommended it so I took him up on his suggestion! Delish. 

I always bring a pouch of essential oils around with me to use while I'm out. I put a drop of Spearmint in our waters to jazz things up a bit and Grama's reaction was the best. She sipped it....her eyes got big....then she matter of factly stated, "Now, THIS is an experience." It is such a cool rush and a little less potent than my beloved Peppermint. 

Another trick I've been up to lately is making a flu "bomb" with my empty gelatin capsules. I pop one open, add a couple drops of Thieves, couple drops of Lemon, fill the rest with olive oil and ...voila! Natural flu deterrent. Some of the Flu Bomb recipes floating around online call for up to 10 drops of Thieves along with other oils that I do not currently have. I'm just doing the best I can do with what I have. A couple drops of Lemon and Thieves is better than nothing, right? 

Also, remember - I'm having and oil class at my house, this Sunday, 2:00. Let me know if you want in! I'm happy to have anyone who loves or wants to love essential oils! You're also welcomed to bring a friend. 

I plan on trying to host one once a month or so. If you can't make this one- there will be more! 

Hygge

Ever heard of it? Yeah, me either. Hygge (pronounced hue-gah) is apparently Danish lifestyle that emphasizes embracing the little luxuries in our everyday life and finding deeper meaning in the ordinary. I didn't make this up. It came from the greatest article in the Young Living Essential Oils magazine that arrived in the box with my starter kit. With the Internet being so accessible and providing me with every service and idea under the sun, I rarely put time into the magazines I used to read through, in depth! I used to cut out workout routines and recipes from Self magazine back in the day. I would tear out home decor ideas from countless catalogs. Now, everything comes from Pinterest or Instagram (or insert site of your choice.) That being said, this magazine has been one that I've enjoyed holding on to and flipping through the pages in my cozy bed with no bright screens in my face. I have no idea if the magazines come out monthly or quarterly....no clue where I could get my hands on another one- but I feel it will take me a good year to try out all the oil uses life hacks it has to offer. 

Back to hygge. Every part of the article hit home for me because THIS is how I love to live my life. Also, there are a few pointers on places where I could probably find more "hygge". Here are the highlights from the article.

1) Keep food simple.
2) Share meals with your family and friends.
3) Make your space a sanctuary.
4) Live by candlelight.
5) Surround yourself with happy memories
6) Take a hot bath.
7) Read a real book.
8) Enjoy a good cup of cocoa (or coffee, or tea.)
9) Enjoy comfy lounge wear.
10) Enjoy a good fire.
11) Explore nature.

YES to ALL of these!! My hands down favorite is #6. Take a hot bath. Ask anyone who knows me....I do this everyday, if not twice a day. Essential oils help me to enjoy all these things even better! Somehow, the oils bring about a deeper sense of appreciation for each point listed.

Side note: I celebrated my 34th birthday this week and went to Fox & Fig for dinner. If you're into plant based food...or even if you're not...its so delicious! Worth it!

Try this... (straight from the magazine)
Aromatic Bath
"Add 5-10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil to 2 cups Epsom salt and 1 cup of baking soda, and slowly pour the mixture under running water to disperse as you fill the tub. Soak for 20 min to relax muscles and open pores to release toxins, then tuck yourself in for a good night's sleep."

Finally- I wanted to invite anyone who is interested to my house on Sunday, Jan 21st at 2:00pm. I'll be hosting a class on essential oils! Whether you know all about Young Living oils and use them daily or whether this is the first you have heard- ALL are welcome! If you'd like to join, send me a message on FB and I'll give you my address!

I'll have some drinks and apps and we will do a "make-and-take." Maybe a room spray....maybe some bath salts....haven't gotten that far yet. It's casual ;)

Grounding?

"Grounding" is a word that is thrown around a lot in the essential oil community. What exactly does it mean when a smell is described as "grounding?" I've been contemplating this for awhile and the feels that come to mind for me are: warm, earthy, comforting. I'd be very curious to know what it means for you. I understand it, but its hard to put into words. For example.... I feel that Frankincense is a grounding oil. I'm refraining from Googling about grounding it until I post this and read some of your ideas.

On the topic of Frankincense- it may be one of the most essential of essential oils for me.

I am currently diffusing it in my car and its hard to describe the way it makes me feel! Peace? Grounded, I guess!? Until I find something better, this is the only one I want to use in my car from now on.

My mom's favorite diffuser combo is an equal parts mix of Frankincense and Peppermint.

#TwoThousandGREATteen

New year, new blog look! I have still been keeping up with my blog, but last year I did book reviews and never shared them. This year... I figured I'd share again. My newest "happy" is essential oils, specifically the Young Living Essential Oils.

I've loved oils for years, but I can tell a difference with the purity and strength of this brand. My goal for the year is to educate myself on the PLETHORA of goodness that goes along with using them. I follow along with people who know way more about this stuff than I do, so I am soaking up everything they have to say. This will be my virtual notebook, so - follow along if you'd like!

For my birthday, which is on January 9th, I'm getting a starter kit - so I'm impatiently counting down the days. I purchased a few random oils last month because I couldn't wait and I've already used them all up! (Lemon, Lavender, and Christmas Spirit)

Here are a few of the millions of suggestions that can be used with each oil:

Lemon: Put 1-2 drops in drinking water. Use an aluminum or glass bottle because it will eat through plastic or Styrofoam, just like it will eat through petrochemicals in our body. At the same time, it doesn't harm the organs in our body- it actually cleanses them.

Lavender: I get restless when I'm trying to go to sleep, especially my LEGS....so I have a roller ball filled with Lavender and a carrier oil ( I used jojoba oil) and I roll it over my legs before I go to sleep to calm them. It may be a mental thing, but it helps me!

Christmas Spirit: This one I bought before Christmas and diffused in the classroom. It smells like the old- timey orange, clove, cinnamon mixture that you can put on the stove.

Thieves: This one I used up in about a week! I put it in my laundry, diffused it in the classroom, and put it in hot tea with honey. There is an entire home cleaning system devoted to Thieves and it also smells like Christmas!

Peppermint: This is hands down my favorite for everything. I've always loved anything mint. I diffuse this one non stop because it clears my head and helps me calm and focus. It smells clean to me. Adding a drop to water is very refreshing too! If you ever put it in a bath.... Cooling effect extreme

This Christmas I made a pillow mist of Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint for all my teacher friends.
(2 oz aluminum spray bottle, 1 tsp rubbing alcohol or witch hazel, 10 drops of each oil, fill the rest with distilled water)

My idea is for this to be my space to share what works for ME so that I have a place to refer back when the need arises. Please use any suggestions and share what works for YOU.