Blog Posts

Master Bedroom MakeOver

4/3/2020

Over the past few months, we have been slowly but surely redoing our master bedroom decor! While everything has been put on hold because, well, coronavirus, I figured I’d post what has been done so far! I hope you enjoy and find some inspiration as I did from so many hours of pouring over Pinterest, Instagram & Joanna Gaines’ book ‘Home Body’! I was trying to find a balance of what I truly liked. I finally realized that I can design a room by mixing together elements from different styles that I like! For this room I decided on a mixture of boho, modern & farmhouse.

After living here for five years, I thought it was about time for a bedroom update. It never felt very cozy to me, or a room in the house that I really enjoyed spending time in! Everything just needed to be a little more refined and cohesive. The first step was a new, larger bed! We upgraded to a king and then I FINALLY got an upholstered headboard and bed that I’ve been wanting for years.

I went with a simple white duvet from Target and found some cute sheets that included our new navy blue accent color in them. The gray-striped Moroccan pompom blanket is from one of my favorite stores in Door County, WI called Sister Golden! I could spend hours in that store and conveniently the current times we are in, they have their store online! Make sure you check it out and support small business!

The throw pillows were awesome finds at Hobby Lobby and are a super-soft velvet material. These contributed largely to helping me create the blending of styles I was going for.

Along with the new bed, we found some new white dressers on Wayfair and dark stained nightstands from Target. The navy blue accent wall was the next big step and it made a huge difference in itself! My amazing sister-in-law, Jessica, gave me a set of the curtain panels that are from West Elm. They turned out to be a perfect match for the color scheme, so I ordered another set online.

The room remained at this stage for awhile until I found some of the accents to *almost* complete the decor! My circle shelf that I use to store my essential oils and the gold frames above the bed are HomeGoods finds! The prints in the gold frames were from Etsy and were an easy, affordable digital download, so I just printed them out myself! The other decor items are from Target and Hobby Lobby. I will list and link some of the major elements below!

Links to design & decor elements:

White Duvet Cover
Good Day/Night sign
Gray-striped Moroccan blanket (similar here)
Navy Velvet pillow
White Velvet Pompom pillow
Blue framed floral art
Wooden Bead Garland
Navy/Cream curtains
Two-Tiered Wooden Tray
Young Living Essential oils & Desert Mist diffuser

While there are still a few additions and changes to be made, I am so happy with the overall look and feel of this room! It is cozy, refreshing and definitely a space that I enjoy being in. What is the style that you are most drawn to? Have you been successful in blending a few together? Let me know in the comments!

Stay safe & stay home, all!

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Ditch & Switch!

12/6/2019

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Alright, you’ve probably heard this phrase before from some of your friends, acquaintances or even influencers on social media, but I’m here to tell you that this is a real thing, and an AMAZING thing to do for yourself and your family!
Here’s a scenario: You just wiped your kitchen counters down with 409 Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner. Would you set a piece of bread down on that counter to make a sandwich and feed it to your 3 year old? I didn’t. And then it clicked. If I would not eat directly off of these “clean” counters because of the chemicals I just sprayed on them, then WHY AM I USING IT?!

That was the eye-opener for me. I started using the Thieves Cleaning products from Young Living because I had then recently become more into essential oils and figured I’d try some of the household products as well. And then it became a gradual switch of all the toxic cleaners & soaps to all Young Living!

Changing out all of my old household cleaning and soap products to a more natural, less toxic option was a PROCESS. It definitely did not happen right away or all at one time. I took it one product at a time, until I started realizing what a difference each product made, and I worked my way up to the point I’m at now!

I’m here today to give you a firsthand review of each of the Thieves products that we now use in place of your old ones!

Thieves Household Cleaner
Stop what you are doing and ORDER. THIS. STUFF!

Thieves Household Cleaner was basically my gateway to the ditch & switch movement. Why you ask? It is the end-all-be-all of cleaning products. This concentrate can do just about anything in various mixtures with some other household products and oils!

It can clean surfaces, glass, kitchens, bathrooms, floors, etc. Seriously, it does it all. You only use a capful or two, depending on the size of your glass spray bottle, add additional oils (if you so desire) and fill with distilled water!

Its that easy and a bottle of Thieves Household Cleaner concentrate will last you such a long time...I honestly can’t remember when I last ordered it! (And if you're wondering where to get the fancy spray bottle complete with Thieves label, just send me a message!)

Thieves Foaming Hand Soap
I used to be a Bath & Body Works addict. I’ll admit it. Even up through this past year, I was still buying my favorite fall-scented hand soaps and had to get my fix. But not anymore. Now that I can use the Thieves foaming hand soap (which like all of the Thieves products, can be diluted) I create my own fun fall and holiday scents for hand soaps and don’t have to worry about the added fragrances of the old stuff!

You might not think that fragrance is a big issue, and you might not think you’re “that sensitive” to fragrance but let me tell you...you are. You’re just so surrounded by it that you don’t feel affected.

Trust me, you are.

Remove excess fragrances from your household and personal care products for a few months and you will want to puke the moment you smell a kitchen sink just cleaned with Soft Scrub Bleach. (It happened to me recently). I’ve even gone so far as to stop wearing my perfumes. That was a huge step for me because I was pretty obsessed with my scents.

But removing those fragrances (basically just a bunch of undisclosed chemical ingredients) my sensitivity to them is intense and I feel so much better about the products I’ve switched to! The hand soap goes a long way, just like the household cleaner, and I’ve had fun adding some Christmas Spirit essential oil to mine to give it some holiday cheer!

Thieves Laundry Soap
This one probably took me the longest to switch to. I was deterred by the small size of the container, the price and the skepticism of “yeah but will it get the stink out?” Let me assure you that all of my concerns were absolved by my purchasing and use of this laundry detergent!

One small container can be dilluted 3 times! Here’s how to do it:

Dilluting Thieves Laundry Soap

Empty ⅔ of Thieves Laundry Soap into large glass container like a mason jar.
Add 1 capful of Thieves Household Cleaner (see? It does everything!)
Add other essential oils if desired (lavender, etc)
Fill with distilled water & swirl gently until mixed.

Once again, we are avoiding the toxic fragrances of your average laundry detergent and still getting a clean, fresh scent that works on the smelliest of baby boy clothes!

Seedlings Baby Wipes
Hmm...in a post mostly about the Thieves cleaning products why am I ending with the baby wipes? Well, here’s another versatile product to replace several of your everyday items! Not only do we use these on the kids (for bottoms & otherwise). I’ve started using them to remove my make up before cleansing and as my dryer sheets!

Please just ditch the Downy and Bounce! All you have to do is throw in a wipe or two with your clothes into the dryer and voila! Smells like the Seedlings Calm formula (Lavender, Coriander, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Geranium) and leaves clothes soft!

Now if you’ve made it this far, I hope you have at least some urge to ditch & switch even just ONE item in your home. If I could advise you to start with one, it would be the household cleaner. Try it out for awhile and you’ll seriously notice the difference!

As I said in the beginning, this ditch & switch movement is a process! Don’t feel guilty if you can’t fathom switching every single cleaning product you own. Don’t feel like you’re a terrible person if you continue to use some of the brands or products that I mentioned ditching.
You do you.
But take the time to do your research and figure out how the products you are using in your home are rated compared to others!

Check out the www.ewg.org and find the letter-grade that your household products received!

I hope this was helpful! If you have questions on how to get your hands on Young Living’s Thieves or Seedlings products, just send me a message!

Happy Holidays and happy ditching & switching!

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Fall Haul

10/5/2019

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Sweater weather is upon us, people! I’ve been quite into overhauling my wardrobe to be filled with more items that are cute, but comfy. Casual but versitile. Basically, “can I drop my kids off at school, but then also lounge around in in it?” is the question I tend to ask myself while shopping these days.

I’ve been keeping an eye out on some of my favorite bloggers, Instagram influencers, etc, and I did a little round up of some of my favorite tops for fall! These are all super comfortable and easy to dress up or dress down for whatever occasion you’d need! Best part? They’re affordable and from Aerie/American Eagle and Amazon! So dangerous, but such great deals! Can’t wait to put them to use with these perfect fall days!

Aerie
Oversized Spring Street Hoodie
(on sale $34.96)
This. Sweatshirt. Is. AMAZING! Perfectly oversized (I ordered a small, but probably could’ve even gone with an extra small for a less baggy look) and super soft. I love the length to wear with leggings, the fleece inside and overall cozy fit! I’m also pretty obsessed with the thick hoodie strings look, so this one was an automatic “Add to Cart” for me when I saw it! Even better, it’s on SALE!

American Eagle
Soft Waffle Plush Long Sleeve Shirt
(on sale with code: FALLNEW $26.21)
I have found the perfect legging-friendly & jeans-friendly light sweater! This waffle knit long-sleeve is absolute perfection and SO SOFT! It is a loose fitting top, but you can easily transition it from wearing over some leggings for a casual look to pairing with jeans with a french-tuck (partially tucked-in front). This has quickly become a favorite piece of mine!

Amazon
IWOLLENCE Waffle Knit Tunic Blouse Tie Knot Henley
($19.99)
I think this has become a pretty popular item on Amazon over the past few weeks, but for GREAT reason! It is such a cute top for a steal of a price! I love wearing this with jeans and booties, but it is pretty long in back so you could easily pair it with leggings too! It is a pretty loose fit, so I would say go with your usual size, or even size down one.

Ckikiou Batwing Casual Cashmere Sweater
($19.99)
This was a pretty great Amazon find! Interestingly enough, it is a one-size type of pullover, so I’d say it is a looser fit for a xs-m, but probably more fitted for L and up. The material is very soft and on the thicker side for the price! This is yet again a top to pair with jeans or leggings, but personally, I will probably wear it more often with jeans just because of the style of this sweater. It is on the longer side, so you can pull down to cover your rear end or pull it higher for a looser more relaxed-fit in the midsection!

Sherrylilly Oversized Turtleneck Pullover
($30.99)
Shoutout to Gillian Mershon for this little gem of a sweater! I saw Gill wearing this at my sister’s bachelorette party and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I went ahead and ordered one for myself! It is super cute, great quality and seriously, who doesn’t love some Amazon Prime shipping? I love the fact that this cowl neck sweater is long, loose fitting and the fun texture!

I hope you enjoyed these picks for my Fall Haul and let me know if you’ve found any hidden treasures in some of your fall shopping! I’m always in for a new fall outfit!

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Fall Footwear

9/17/2019

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Lately, I’ve become pretty obsessed with expanding my wardrobe--especially in the footwear department! My basic needs are comfort, cute & versatility, so slide on sneakers or wedges have quickly become a part of my everyday ensembles! Here’s a look at some of my new (and not-so-new) favorite footwear for the season!

Toms Wedge Booties
These wedges are super comfortable and stylish, and can easily be dressed up or down! I typically wear them with jeans and a sweater, but recently wore them with a short dress and cardigan and it totally worked! I got them in a neutral color so that I can mix it up and wear with cooler or warmer colored outfits! They are a bit on the pricey side, but I love the Toms company and they have withstood some harsh winters! (This exact style is no longer available, but find a similar one here.)

Toms Classics
Since these shoes became trendy, I have 100% been on board! These shoes are so comfortable and easy to tie into any outfit! I have several pairs, but this fun black and white print is my favorite! There are always new and different styles and fabrics to choose from in the Toms Classics, so make a statement and get yourself a fun print to help your outfit stand out!

Yoki Demian Slip-On Sneaker (Zulily)
Zulily has been a treasured discovery of mine for online shopping! I love browsing through and finding dresses, sweaters (and now shoes) for a fraction of the cost of most other stores! These slip on sneakers are a black faux leather with silver zippers on either side. They have a bit of a platform and fit up over the ankle, so I will most likely pair them with jeans. You could also wear with leggings, but because I have larger feet, I will probably not be going with that look. (They make my feet look a bit big) I will definitely get some use out of these shoes because I love the comfort and style that they provide!

A New Day Reese Leopard Canvas Sneakers (Target)
Leopard is so hot right now! (Zoolander, anyone?) But seriously, leopard is definitely on trend this season and while I’m not big on prints for my tops and sweaters, I can totally get on a leopard print for my shoes! These slip on sneakers are comfortable and can go with just about anything! I love these for running out the door to bring the kids to school because it makes me feel a bit more put together and that I put some thought into my appearance. Most stores do not have this print in stock, but they are available online!

A New Day Reese Green Quilted Sneakers (Target)
Yeah, these are the exact same shoe as the leopard ones, but just in an olive green color! They also have a quilted texture (so yeah they’re totally different and a necessary purchase, Todd!) But again, comfortable, cute and easy to slip on and run out the door! I love wearing these with jean shorts, jeans and leggings.

I hope you enjoyed my roundup of my favorite fall footwear! Let me know in the comments if you’d like more fashion posts like this in the future! Have a great week!

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Mama's Morning Routine

8/24/2019

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Summer is quickly coming to an end and for me, that means getting back into a structured morning routine! I don’t know about you, but similar to my kids, I like some structure to my day and knowing what lies ahead to an extent!

During the summer, we get lazy. If we don’t have plans or its a later activity, I started moving slowly and sort of “on the fly” which is not what I typically feel comfortable with. But since the boys sometimes will sleep in, I enjoyed that time to catch a bit more sleep as well whenever possible.

Now that we are going to be more on a daily schedule, I’ve decided that I need to get myself back on track! Here are some of the things I am going to do as a part of preparing for or during my morning routine!

Thieves Household Cleaner

Overnight Oats

Prepare the Kitchen
Going to bed with a clean kitchen, empty sink, prepared breakfast and a coffee maker that is ready to go. Whew. Sounds like a lot, but in reality, these are the things I’ve tried to consistently do. When you wake up to a mess and a sink full of dirty dishes, it just doesn’t feel pleasant. I’ve made it a habit to get the dishwasher loaded and started (by myself or Todd) so that it is one less thing on the to do list for the following morning.

Thieves Household Cleaner
- 2 capfuls Thieves Household Cleaner concentrate
- Fill rest of 16 oz spray bottle with water
optional: add 5 drops lemon essential oil

I also like to have a batch of overnight oats or pre-made pancakes for the boys to make breakfast quick and easy right when they wake up! This is especially handy for school mornings when we’re on a time crunch if anyone decides to sleep in!

Overnight Oats Recipe
1 cup gluten-free oats
1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 shake cinnamon
1 tbsp peanut butter
Mix all ingredients in a mason jar and refrigerate overnight (or for several hours). If too thick, add more almond milk or water to thin out.

Now, this seems silly, but having the coffee maker just ready to go makes me so happy! We had a Keurig for the past 5 years, so this actual coffee pot that needs to be emptied, cleaned and filled is just a new step, but so worthwhile for a smooth, enjoyable morning!

Set an Alarm
Since I started staying home, I’ve found it very difficult to wake up before it is necessary. If the boys sleep til 7, sometimes I do too (and that’s ok!). But, for me, I always feel better when I am a step ahead of them whenever possible. Setting an alarm and allowing myself to get ready for the day before any kids are awake makes a huge difference! I’m making it a goal to be up by 5:30am in order to shower when necessary, maybe even put makeup on, and get downstairs before the boys wake up!

Covergirl Trublend Matte Made Foundation

Old Navy Mid-Rise Cuffed Jean Shorts

Target (A New Day) Slim Fit Polka Dot Scoop Neck Tank

Get Dressed
To piggyback off of the previous step, actually getting dressed, putting makeup on and doing my hair makes me feel a world of a difference! Now that we’ve gotten into a groove and are out of the trenches of having a newborn, I’m making myself a priority in the mornings and I’m going to get myself completely ready before leaving the house on days when we aren’t going to the gym.

This might not be for everyone, and some of you might even think it is silly, but I guess the idea is to do something for yourself before serving others. Make yourself feel positive, confident and ready to take on the day in whatever way you need to!

Young Living Joy Essential Oil, Young Living Lemon Essential Oil, Young Living Desert Mist Diffuser

Start the Diffuser
Before I even get my coffee, I am choosing my essential oils that I want to diffuse in the house and turning it on to create an uplifting, calming atmosphere. With how hectic and stressful life can get around here, I have been typically going with the same blend of Joy and Lemon for the daytime, and either Lavender or Peace & Calming for the evenings. I sometimes don’t notice the scent, but whenever someone walks through the door, they almost always comment on how nice it smells in our house and I love that I can attribute it to a clean and healthy option of of air freshening by diffusing essential oils!

Create a Schedule
I have dabbled in writing out visual schedules for the kids to help prepare them for what we need to do that day. Recently, we’ve had more and more difficulty with leaving the house if it was not previously discussed or even just regular transitions from one activity to the next. We’ve started creating a visual schedule for the day and running through the plan with the boys.

It isn’t always fool-proof, but it definitely helps and is another resource to refer back to when a tantrum or difficulty transitioning comes up. Since the weather is sometimes a factor, I usually will wait until the morning to quickly type up and print the schedule. We will most likely move to a laminated and velcro visual schedule system so that we can reuse staple activities and routines throughout the school year.

I hope you enjoyed my morning routine and this helps you to create one for yourself! If you already have a set morning routine, share a brief description in the comments!

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My EveryDay Young Living Products

7/1/2019

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Yep. I use a large number of Young Living products and oils. Every. Single. Day.

“And how exactly do you use this stuff EVERYDAY?” you might ask?

It has taken me a few years, but I’ve become a firm believer in essential oils and their benefits.

From aromatherapy to utilizing combinations of oils and natural ingredients to clean my home, Young Living has some pretty incredible options! I’ve grown to love so many products offered from this company and love sharing them because of it! Here’s a list and some highlights of the products that I use on an everyday basis!

THIEVES PRODUCTS

Household Cleaner
This is one of my very favorite things that Young Living offers. I bought my first bottle over a year ago, and I still have plenty left! This household cleaning concentrate is able to be diluted with water so it truly goes a long way! It is amazing to me that we don’t have to use harsh chemicals and bleach on our counters, tables and highchair, but still get these surfaces truly clean! I pour 1-2 capfuls of the Household cleaner into a glass spray bottle and fill the rest with water. I will occasionally add a few drops of lemon to the mixture as well!

Handsoap
I absolutely love this foaming hand soap! I used to be a Bath & Body Works soap addict (and I will admit, there is one fall scent that I will still buy when it comes out during that season) but I’ve found that the Thieves hand soap has a wonderful, spicy scent and I know it’s safe for even my littlest boy to use! Like the other Thieves products, this can also be diluted and so the bottles go further than you might think! I now just purchase the large refill to fill my pumps at each sink instead of wasting and throwing away so many containers!

Other Thieves products that I use on a daily basis are the Thieves Dish Soap and the Thieves Hand SANITIZER (used to be called a hand purifier, but has now been relabeled due to updated and expanded benefits and features!)

PERSONAL CARE

Thieves Toothpaste
I started using the Thieves Dentarome Ultra toothpaste a few months ago and have been loving it! This version has a minty flavor (unlike the Aromabright version) so I definitely prefer it! This formula is fluoride, dye and preservative-free and helps with removing stains on teeth! At my last dental exam, I had less of the 3’s & 4’s and more of the 1’s & 2’s during the periodontal exam (checking for gum disease). The only thing that I can admit to changing in my dental care is switching toothpastes! (I’m terrible at flossing). So if you are in the market for a new toothpaste, I’d definitely check this one out.

Charcoal Bar Soap
Using my Essential Rewards points, I decided to try out the Charcoal Bar Soap a few months ago. I am not usually a bar soap type of person, but I was interested to see if it would make a difference in my skin. Well, inadvertently, it made a huge difference! I had been suffering from a breakout from a natural deodorant switch that I had made, and charcoal bar soap cleared it up within a few days! Now if it can do that in such a short time, I’m excited to see what it can do for my skin with continued use!

ESSENTIAL OILS

Lavender
I think Lavender might be my ultimate essential oil. The king. The fixer of all. I’ve used it since I first was introduced to essential oils for many different purposes. In my house, lavender is basically being diffused at all times, usually in combination with another oil.
I will combine it with lemon and peppermint during allergy seasons, with Joy when we need a little mood-lifter, and definitely every night in Leo’s & Xander’s rooms before bed combined with Cedarwood or Peace & Calming.
I also use Lavender on my skin for cleansing and soothing minor irritations, as well as part of my anti-aging skin serum! Basically, Lavender is perfection in a bottle.

Gentle Baby
This oil might not be one of the most commonly talked about oils, but I fell in love with this while pregnant, so it is a very sentimental oil for me.
It has a calming, gentle, fresh scent (including oils like Coriander, Geranium, Palmarosa, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Roman Chamomile and more) and I used it to help me sleep while pregnant and also to help with the appearance of my skin.
I diffuse Gentle Baby every night in Taso’s room before bedtime and it transforms into just the perfect, relaxing atmosphere! I think I will use this oil well past the boys being babies for its calming effect and also because it holds such a scent-memory for me personally!

Young Living is such a huge part of our everyday lives in this house, and I am so happy to have found this company and these products! If you are new to oils or have been thinking about diving in, let me know! Also, I'd love to hear some of your favorites! Leave them in the comments!

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A Note from The Secluded Ones

6/5/2019

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Just because we had a baby or three doesn’t mean that we don’t want to be invited. Just because we will most likely have to say no, even though we desperately want to get out of the house, doesn’t mean that we don’t want to be invited. Just because we sometimes don’t have a choice, doesn’t mean that we don’t want to be invited.

Becoming a mom to three young boys in a very short amount of time has totally changed my life. Of course I love them and would give my life for them. Of course I am blessed to have them. Of course. Of course.

But.
There’s a but.
My. Life. Has. Changed...Big Time.

I don’t get the luxury of a spur-of-the-moment date night, meeting friends for a coffee on a whim, or just having a day to do whatever I feel like.Those days are long gone. And that’s ok.

But it doesn’t mean that I don't want to do those things. It doesn’t mean that I don’t desperately miss my friends. It doesn’t mean that I don't wish that I could make time for it all.

Friendships and relationships change when marriage and kids are thrown in the mix. It has to. Even when both friends are in a similar position, with a husband, or a baby or multiple babies, things just change—and sometimes you grow apart.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

If we could all just be honest with each other and say “Hey, it hurts that I never hear from you anymore” or “it really sucks that every time I invite you to hang out, you say no”. From both sides of the equation, there can be feelings of hurt and sadness...even anger.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

How about we all just have that conversation? Yep, it’s probably going to be awkward as hell. Yep, it’s probably going to make someone mad or cry.

But what if it makes things better?
What if it just makes your friendship stronger?

I guess we'll never know until we try.

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Self Care 101

5/28/2019

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Something that has become extremely important to me now that I have three little ones running/crawling around is taking care of myself! This topic is not just for the moms and dads out there. EVERYONE needs self-care because it is critical to health and mental health, but is often pushed to the side, saved for “special occasions”. In reality, some form of it should be a part of your daily life! It can be something as small as a 5 minute meditation, or drinking a cup of coffee and creating some sort of peace and stillness in your mind.

Now, these ideas that I’ll talk about in this post are not those little things that I’m able to do every single day, but they should be done often enough that it doesn’t feel like a "treat". Self-care needs to be embedded into your routines because otherwise, we burn ourselves out in between, and no one likes that feeling! I’ve found that after any of these four activities, I feel better and therefore, am able to BE better for everyone around me. Here are some ways that I’ve helped myself become more centered, more relaxed and just all-around feeling good!

Acupuncture
I first started going to acupuncture when I found out that I was pregnant with Taso (my third) and was at a higher risk for gestational diabetes because I had developed it in my second pregnancy, and had already failed my first glucose tests in the first trimester this time around. Yikes. Gestational diabetes wasn’t necessarily a terrible experience for me, but it definitely wasn't easy. And quite honestly, who wants to be told what they can and can’t eat during pregnancy? (along with all of the other restrictions!)

My friend Caitria had started her practice and so I asked her if she could help me try to prevent developing diabetes again with acupuncture. When she said "yes, absolutely" I jumped at it! Not only did I not develop gestational diabetes with that pregnancy, but Caitria was able to help me with so many other things that came up along the way such as stress, anxiety, varicose veins and other aches and pains. Let me tell you something about acupuncture: This. Stuff. WORKS.

I have continued going to get treatments for a variety of reasons, like colds, sinus issues, skin issues, and also just for some general rest, relaxation and feeling more refreshed after the appointments. My treatments vary from month to month depending on how I’m feeling and what I need. If you’re someone who is afraid of needles, I can honestly say that there is minuscule to no pain involved in these treatments. You really can’t feel the needles most of the time. There are also other treatments that are offered through Chinese medicine that don't involved needles like acupressure, gua sha and more. It is an incredible feeling to actually know that it is working, and continue to look forward to each appointment.
If you are in the Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin area, definitely check out Connected Healing and follow Caitria @connectedhealingcaitria on Instagram. Caitria practices in Burlington, Wisconsin at Bodhi Tree Acupuncture & Wellness!

Foot Soak with Oils
This one is probably the thing I do the least, but need the most, and that is soaking my feet! I don’t get pedicures very often so my feet get pretty neglected. When my feet are in need of some pampering, this is a quick and easy way to do it. I get out a little plastic tub, fill it with hot water and drop in a few of my favorite oils to soothe my skin and my mind. It is a great combination of aromatherapy and skin treatment that just feels amazing during and after!

You can really use any oils that you want, but my favorite combination is lavender and peppermint. The feel great, smell great and leave my skin so much softer than before. Even if its just for 5-10 minutes, a good foot-soak can make a pretty big difference!

Work Out
While this isn’t everyone’s favorite topic, getting more active and working out has become essential to my life. I usually only go once a week, (twice if I’m lucky) but even that hour or hour and a half of exercise feels amazing afterwards! As I’ve written about in previous posts, we joined a gym as a family, so childcare is available which is also great for the older boys to socialize. I’ve kept a workout routine going that varies, but I’ve focused on trying to alternate weight training and cardio.

My sister, Ariel, recently became a Cycling instructor at The Dailey Method in Vernon Hills, and convinced me to try out her class. I was terrified. I had only been working out for a few weeks prior to when I took my first class. It really wasn’t as scary or difficult as I thought! Cycling (or spin) is really what you make it for yourself. There is something to be said for having someone that is motivating you in the moment to work hard, and people alongside you pushing you to do more, but also to make it seem ok when you need to take it easy. I’ve enjoyed cycling classes more than I ever thought I could, and I look forward to each class I am able to take!

Again, if you’re located in this area, definitely check out The Dailey Method! There are locations in Vernon Hills and Lake Forest and they also offer barre classes, which I need to try out next! Thank you, Ariel, for making me step (or spin, really) out of my comfort zone and try something new and fun!

Audiobooks
I first discovered my love for Audible when I joined my book club, because it allowed me to finish the book of the month while driving, doing the dishes, folding laundry, etc. I’ve come to love it even more recently because the books that I’ve been interested in outside of my book club picks have been geared towards motivating and bettering myself in different ways. It really helps to listen to these types of books for me--one, because I don’t usually have time to sit down with a physical book and read, but also because it feels like (and literally IS) someone telling and verbally explaining the things that you can do, try and be.

Some of my recent favorites in this area have been “Girl, Wash Your Face” by Rachel Hollis, “The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman and “A New Earth: Awakening Your Life’s Purpose” by Eckhart Tolle. These three books have made me feel better and just do better in some way. I’ve also just started “Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child” by John Gottman based off of my friend Darla’s recommendation. We were discussing raising our boys who are just being toddlers, but can be quite a challenge when dealing with tantrums, roughhousing and all of the other fun stuff. I’m really hoping that listening to this book can give me some tools to help in my daily life and teaching my boys to deal handle their emotions in a healthy way. Hopefully I will handle my emotions in a healthier way, as well!

If you haven't already, check out Audible and start listening! You get your first month for free, and there are often free books available, too!
So those are four of my self-care activities that have really become a part of my routine! I hope you try one or all of them out if you are feeling the need to focus on yourself a bit more! Enjoy & take care of yourselves!

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What's in my Young Living Order? May 2019

5/2/2019

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It’s that time again! My Young Living Essential Rewards order is shipping soon, so I thought I’d share what I have on its way for this month! If you’re not familiar with it, Essential Rewards is an awesome program offered to members of Young Living in which you spend a minimum of $50/month and earn points and be eligible to earn different monthly bonus promotional items! Definitely worth looking into if you’re using or interested in using essential oils! I always order things that I go through frequently (soaps, baby products, lavender oil), but also use the opportunity to try out new products!

Here’s my list of what is coming in my May order:

Coconut Lime Replenishing Body Butter
I was always a sucker for any summery, tropical scent, especially from places like Bath & Body Works. Coconut Lime Verbena was definitely a favorite of mine! Here is a natural, luxurious replacement for that! This body butter is vegan, free of parabens, petrochemicals and colorants. It is made with two amazing butters; mango, which softens and smooths skin and cupuacu, (yeah I had never heard of it either) which contains fatty acids that help maintain a youthful appearance. This is a non-greasy formula that is just perfect for the upcoming summer weather!

Mirah Lustrous Hair Oil
I recently made a pretty significant change to my hair by adding in some highlights and ever since then I have really been trying to pay more attention to and take care of my hair! Usually I focus on make up and leave my hair as an afterthought, but my hair felt so different and nice after going to the salon and actually giving it product and pampering, that I felt like I needed to make a change in my hair care in between appointments!

I’ve been using the Mirah Cleansing oil on my face to remove make up for months and I absolutely love it, so I decided to give their hair oil a try too! This hair oil is infused with Abyssian Monoi, Camellia and Argan oils. It is lightweight and a non-greasy formula! The Mirah Hair Oil contains two very luxurious essential oils: Ylang ylang and rose. It can improve hair softness, add shine, minimize frizz, flyaways and tangles! This sounds like about five hair products rolled into one, so I am all about it! This is probably the product I’m most excited for out of the bunch!

Rosemary Vitality
This oil has been on my list for some time now, and I finally figured out that for oils that I might not use quite as often as others, I can get the smaller 5mL size and if it is offered as a “vitality” oil, it is a bit cheaper to purchase in that format! Why rosemary you might ask? Well it has an herbaceous, woodsy aroma that when diffused can help create an energizing environment. Rosemary essential oil contains naturally occuring eucalyptol and alpha-pinene, which can help maintain overall wellness.* Being a vitality oil, you can ingest this and use it to add flavor when you’re cooking!

ART Beauty Masque 4-Pack
My best friend Angie tried these masks out recently so I decided I needed to try them as well! The ART line is Young Living’s anti-aging skin care line, and while I have not yet tried out any of this product line, I do use a blend of my own as an anti-aging serum in a roll-on format, so I figured a fabric mask containing anti-aging essential oils and ingredients would enhance my skincare regimen in itself!

The ART Beauty Masque contains anti-aging essential oils & orchid petals and promotes a youthful-looking complexion.The ingredients in the mask helps to plump and refresh dull skin because it also contains hyaluronic acid. This is what occurs naturally in skin to help bind moisture. With sun exposure (eventually) coming with summer, I know I will need to add some extra care to my face and this seemed like the perfect way to do it!

So that is what I have arriving from Young Living this month! I will also be posting an update describing how some new products have worked out for me within a Monthly Favorites post or video on beauty products that I use most! If you’re interested in Young Living, the Essential Rewards program or just in essential oil use in general, send me a message or leave a comment! Have a great weekend!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease

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Keto Favorites!

4/12/2019

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Yeah, yeah. I’ve gone keto, too, along with so many others that you might know! For me, this has been a pretty big deal. I was addicted to carbs and sweets. I’m not talking here and there, I mean the “bread of some sort at every meal” and “ice cream or cookies every night after dinner” kind of addicted. It was getting a little out of control without me even realizing it.

I’ve pretty much always been able to eat somewhat freely and still stay in shape, that is, until I had 3 kids in 4 years. This last time after Taso, I began to realize that things were not going to be as easy to get back to pre-pregnancy weight as before. I actually hadn’t even had time to get there in between having Xander and getting pregnant with Taso. When it seemed like I was going to need to do more than just start working out, I knew my eating habits had to drastically change. My friends (and cousins-by-marriage) Andy and Ashley have been following the ketogenic lifestyle for just over a year now, and seeing them transform became my motivation.

They didn’t just look thinner each time I saw them, but they just looked BETTER! They were happy, had more energy and just couldn’t speak more highly of this lifestyle change that they had made. I decided that after the new year I would also start this journey and wow, has it made a difference!

Within the first few days of limiting my carb intake to 20g a day, and increasing the amount of healthy fats in my diet, I could tell a huge difference in mental clarity. I was living in a fog and didn’t even know it! My hunger subsided within the first two weeks, and I lost 10 pounds (mostly water weight and bloat).

Now, almost just over 3 months later, I am down 18 pounds and just absolutely feel better overall! My hunger has continued to decrease (only eat 2 meals a day with maybe one snack). Yes, I do workout, but usually only once, maybe twice if I’m lucky, per week! I have been able to build and tone muscle so quickly and seeing my own transformation is my new motivation!

Do I miss sugar and carbs? Yes. Have a found better alternatives? YES! It hasn’t even really occurred to me to “cheat” because I really don’t want to feel the way that I was feeling before! I am not a very creative cook and actually don’t enjoy cooking very much, but being keto sort of forces you to do it. Here are some of my favorite meals and snacks that I’ve found via Pinterest, Facebook and getting creative in the kitchen myself!

Keto Pancakes
I have always been the biggest fan of breakfast foods--especially sweet breakfast foods. I would eat pancakes for any meal of the day. Not the most ideal craving when living the keto life! BUT the good news is there is a way to eat those sweet breakfast foods while still sticking to the guidelines by just substituting a few ingredients and making your pancakes from scratch! (I know...who am I exactly? Pancakes from scratch?!)
I have found so many good options by just searching on Pinterest, but this is the best Keto Pancake Recipe that I’ve tried! You can find the original post/recipe here: Low Carb Spark

Ingredients:

1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup softened cream cheese
3 eggs
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp natural sweetener (Swerve or Stevia)
1 tsp baking powder

As with most baking recipes, mix your dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet ingredients in another, then add the dry to the wet and combine. You can easily whisk by hand or use a handheld/standing electric mixer if you prefer. The absolute important thing is how you cook these...low & slow! Put the flame as low as possible and make sure you grease up your pan so that the batter lifts easily when you flip. The first pancake is usually the toughest, but as the pan warms up, the pancakes stay together better!
I like to really embrace the real pancake feel, so I added sugar-free syrup and 100% cacao chips on top of mine. The kids absolutely devour these too, so you know they’re the real deal!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Seed Pudding
I love tapioca pudding, so if you’re good with that texture, then this recipe is for you! This is my favorite afternoon snack to enjoy when I need a little pick me up! Besides chia seeds being a super food, even though they might be high in carbs, they are also high in fiber which balances out! (Subtract fiber from carbs and you get the net carbs). That being said, the carb count on this one can get a little on the higher side for keto with everything else added in for flavor, but it’s all about measuring and leaving out what you maybe don’t really need that day. Now that my body is fat-adapted (burning fat for fuel rather than sugar), I can be a little more liberal with my carb intake here and there without it making a difference. But here is this delicious, sweet little treat:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp chocolate PB2
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 short squeeze of Chocolate flavored Stevia drops
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
¾ cup almond milk
Sprinkle of Lilys Dark Chocolate Chips (optional)

The easiest way I’ve found to make this is in a glass mason jar. I add all of the dry ingredients first, then the cream, milk and liquid stevia. Then I use a spoon to mix everything to get rid of any lumps and make sure that the chia seeds are all incorporated and not stuck to the bottom. I put the lid on the jar and shake it well to help the thickening process. Then, put in the refrigerator for a few hours. This will allow the mixture to continue to thicken to a more pudding-like consistency and the chia seeds to soften. It is seriously the perfect sweet snack to curb any cravings!

Skillet Cabbage Lasagna
Don’t let the cabbage part scare you off...you seriously cannot even taste it with the combination of delicious flavors in this filling dish! Todd found this one from a blog called That Low-Carb Life. It has given us some definite winners, but I could eat this one every week! And seriously, if I can make this, anyone can!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
½ onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium head cabbage, cored and chopped
24 ounce jar Rao’s Marinara
2 cups shredded mozzarella

Ricotta Topping:

2 cups ricotta
¼ cup shredded Parmesan
1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic powder for less garlic taste)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

I always start with prepping anything that needs to be chopped. Mince the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the cabbage and leave on the cutting board. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef about halfway and break it up. Add in the minced onion and garlic and mix until the meat is cooked through. Next, add in the sauce and stir. Then, add in the cabbage, mix until fully incorporated and cover with a lid. The cabbage is what replaces the noodles so you want the texture to be that of cooked noodles. You’ll want to let this cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 15 minutes or until the cabbage is soft.

While that cooks, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, parsley and garlic in a bowl. I prefer the minced garlic clove, but that gives you a very strong garlic flavor since it will not be cooked down. An alternative would be the garlic powder for a more subtle flavor. Next, add in the mozzarella cheese and mix until melted. Last step is to add the ricotta filling on top and spread out evenly! Then, ENJOY! This has quickly become one of my favorite dinners!

Deconstructed Burger
Ok it isn’t quite as fancy as it sounds, but it is also probably the easiest meal that I’ve put together in a long time! Having a burger without a bun might not sound very appealing to some, but if you add enough toppings, you will not be disappointed!

Ingredients:

Ground beef
Cheese
Half of a medium avocado
2 pieces of bacon
Mayo (made with avocado oil)
Stone Ground Mustard

Ok, so all you do is form the ground beef into a burger patty, add some pink Himalayan salt to both sides and cook over medium heat! Estimate a few minutes per side depending on how rare you want it cooked! While the burger cooks, arrange your bacon (we always have some pre-cooked in the fridge) and half avocado (cut into slices) onto your plate. For the last few minutes that the burger is cooked, add your slice of cheese on top to allow it to melt. Then, add it to your plate, and spread the mayo and mustard onto the burger. That’s it! I just eat it with a knife and fork and add a bit of bacon and avocado for a perfect bite each time. This one is super-filling, easy and delicious!

I hope these recipes give you a little inspiration and maybe some motivation to cut out some of those carbs! Let me know some of your favorite low-carb/no carb recipes in the comments!

**Please talk to your medical professional before starting any diet!**

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