We are on our third week of hotel living and I am So. Over. It. Like, so over it. Our girls are over it, too. We spend our days trying to run around and stay out of the room so we aren't bored to tears (or interrupting all of our "neighbors") but that's exhausting in itself as well. I have seen more meltdowns, tantrums and heartaches in this past week than I thought was possible from two little humans. Alas, we think the end is nearing, closing is set for March 31- I think I can, I think I can.
We miss our friends, so much. Our 4 year old, especially, spends many times a day aching for her friends at her old house and yearning for new friends here. We have cried together and prayed relentlessly for those special friendships to blossom here.
Having so much time to sit around and listen to squeals, I've had time to think. Think about my journey and what impact I am making on those around me, what message am I spreading and sharing. Of course, that message of Christ's love, mercy, and grace is primary. Relating this to my passions and feelings of purpose, I keep coming back to sharing health and truth in caring for our bodies. I've taught fitness classes, nutrition classes, and essential oil classes. I get weary from trying to share the same message to closed ears, but I know how important relieving ignorance is, and because of this, I'm sharing more :) I will use this blog and mostly my Facebook private group, Oils and Grace. Starting on Monday, March 21, I will hold a Spring cleaning challenge to encourage you to replace the toxins lurking in your home! If you are already in that group, visit the page and like a few posts to make sure you get the notifications, because I have some fun ideas over the next few weeks. I won't bombard with solely essential oils just yet, because some of us may really cling to a certain few oils while others have no immediate interest in those. The vision I have for the next few weeks is to help equip you with practical ways to REMOVE TOXINS from your home. Yes, I will provide replacements that are non toxic using Young Living essential oils (quick note- only Young Living because I do NOT promote the use of any other essential oils, you will not find a cleaner company. For more info, check out their Seed to Seal process, it is un-rivaled! If you want to remove toxins, why replace it with anything less than total purity?) and other low cost items.
So, why is this topic so important? Well, it always has been to me. I am very "crunchy" and refuse to be ignorant about health, I want to know what is out there and how to best protect my family, I don't want to close my ears to knowledge and wonder why my body isn't functioning in the perfect way it was created. By the way, our bodies were created to function in perfect form, but we have flooded our systems with so many toxins that normal processes have been completely disrupted.... and the rate at which we are exposing our children is TERRIFYING.
I knew this is a big deal and have been totally convicted. About a year and a half ago I started removing toxins that I could control- cleaners, detergents, body care, beauty products, etc and it feels so comforting knowing the soap I am pouring over my girls isn't disrupting their hormone balances or creating toxic cells in their body or that the cleaner they are helping me spray isn't destroying their neural pathways- y'all this is seriously the types of things that are going on when you use chemicals in your home! Since, we have gone clean with all of our cleaning products, I have not been exposed to harsh chemicals until this hotel stay. I came prepared with my Thieves cleaner and homemade detergent, but a couple of weeks into it and I am broken out in hives from reactions to the toxins that are used when the cleaning lady comes by and the detergent the sheets and towels are washed in. It really scares me to think that I lived a life up until 1 1/2- 2 years ago that accepted these chemicals and was used to them. This just re-opened my eyes and convicted my heart even more to share, and to hope that you will join me in learning how to value our bodies and the systems in them. We have the job of taking care of our bodies, not destroying them with toxins! If you haven't joined yet, please feel free to "like" my facebook page, Oils and Grace. I promise you won't get emails and messages with info you aren't feeling quite yet, but let's raise awareness of what is in our environment and what we can control. Go clean out those cabinets, friends and let's learn about how to make our cleaning closet a happier place :)
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Hi, from a hotel!
Hello, again! Our family is crammed into an extended stay for the next 30 days as we wait to close on our home in Texas. I'm learning to survive and enjoy it all along the way, so I thought this would be a fun time to get back to blogging, as I am sure we will have some memorable experiences :) Plus the computer is easily accessible and in close proximity to, well everything (what is NOT in close proximity in a hotel room?!)
We have been here for 3 days now, and already had complaints because we are too noisy to the occupants below. Apparently the grinch is housed below us, but I kindly explained I have a 2 and 4 year old who enjoy play time :) We get a room change to the first floor on Thursday!
Lance and I- well mostly I- decided to tackle our first, complete Whole 30 while we are here. So far, Lance has eaten a salad- a SALAD, people, this is huge! I love it, I didn't think it would be too challenging since it's close to how I would normally eat, but I do have a mad sweet tooth that I'm anxious to see how crazy I get when it gets fired up from the lack of goodies! One thing I could not survive this stay with a minimal kitchen without is my Instant Pot. If you haven't heard of an Instant Pot, run to Amazon and grab one, they are on sale- like a ridiculous sale and worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. Here is the link to Amazon, I'm not kidding, everyone needs this in their kitchen. I used it SIX times in one day, it cooks everything (seriously EVERYTHING) really fast and that gets an A from me! I do not even have an oven and am still managing to feed everyone 3 great meals a day. Yay, Instant Pot!
My girls think living in a hotel is the coolest thing they have ever done. We get to ride an "elebator" (elevator) every single day and they are mesmerized by the on-site laundry, it is like a field trip to wash clothes :) We are surviving (and counting down the days!) and can't wait to be in our new home! Texas is great, and the weather is fabulous! We are praying God sends friends our way to fill the friend void we have, being so far away from all of our special people.
We have been here for 3 days now, and already had complaints because we are too noisy to the occupants below. Apparently the grinch is housed below us, but I kindly explained I have a 2 and 4 year old who enjoy play time :) We get a room change to the first floor on Thursday!
Lance and I- well mostly I- decided to tackle our first, complete Whole 30 while we are here. So far, Lance has eaten a salad- a SALAD, people, this is huge! I love it, I didn't think it would be too challenging since it's close to how I would normally eat, but I do have a mad sweet tooth that I'm anxious to see how crazy I get when it gets fired up from the lack of goodies! One thing I could not survive this stay with a minimal kitchen without is my Instant Pot. If you haven't heard of an Instant Pot, run to Amazon and grab one, they are on sale- like a ridiculous sale and worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. Here is the link to Amazon, I'm not kidding, everyone needs this in their kitchen. I used it SIX times in one day, it cooks everything (seriously EVERYTHING) really fast and that gets an A from me! I do not even have an oven and am still managing to feed everyone 3 great meals a day. Yay, Instant Pot!
My girls think living in a hotel is the coolest thing they have ever done. We get to ride an "elebator" (elevator) every single day and they are mesmerized by the on-site laundry, it is like a field trip to wash clothes :) We are surviving (and counting down the days!) and can't wait to be in our new home! Texas is great, and the weather is fabulous! We are praying God sends friends our way to fill the friend void we have, being so far away from all of our special people.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Why We Hide
A week of absence, and I'm back. No offense, but some days cuddling sweet (and sassy) little girls is WAY more fun than blogging, so that's where we were.
Now, I am here and it's warm outside! Well, warm is probably a very relative term. If I were still in Alabama, I would consider this weather "chilly", but here in Missouri where we are finally seeing the last bit of snow melt and kissing the negative wind chills goodbye, I'm claiming that with the temps in the 50s, it's time to pull out the bathing suits! OK, maybe not bathing suits but I'm running in tank tops!
Here's a little topic that's been on my mind, and hopefully something we are almost done with for this season- Germs! and why we hide when we have them.
Once upon a time (before my family discovered the beauty of essential oils) my oldest daughter had SEVERE lung issues. She didn't have a chronic disease or anything that made you think she had such fragile little lungs, but she did. And her immune system was shot from all the meds trying to determine what was wrong with these fragile little lungs. If anyone in the same room with her at church or gymnastics had the slightest runny nose or cough, within 3-5 days she was struggling to breathe, up all night with coughing fits, and we were all sleepless and miserable. I would remember that little child whose parents brought them out into a closed space with other kids and wonder "WHY?! That was so inconsiderate!" But maybe it really wasn't. Maybe it was just ignorance on that parent's part because they had super healthy kids with perfect little lungs and an immune system that could fight off anything. I understand that now that my kids are capable of fighting through bugs with not much more than an aggravating cough and runny nose. However, I remember our days not too long ago when we weren't so fortunate. This is why we hide at home when we have little germs. Even if they don't make my kids super sick, I don't want to share with another child who may not have the same immune system that my kids have now. Those other children may have baby brothers and sisters at home, or even premie brothers and sisters whose parents are trying so hard to shield them from germs.
So, when you don't see us for extended periods of time because my kids have "colds" this is why, why we hide from the world so we don't share germs. Here's to hoping sunshine and warmer weather will help us kick our snot to the curb for a while!
Happy Monday!
Now, I am here and it's warm outside! Well, warm is probably a very relative term. If I were still in Alabama, I would consider this weather "chilly", but here in Missouri where we are finally seeing the last bit of snow melt and kissing the negative wind chills goodbye, I'm claiming that with the temps in the 50s, it's time to pull out the bathing suits! OK, maybe not bathing suits but I'm running in tank tops!
Here's a little topic that's been on my mind, and hopefully something we are almost done with for this season- Germs! and why we hide when we have them.
Once upon a time (before my family discovered the beauty of essential oils) my oldest daughter had SEVERE lung issues. She didn't have a chronic disease or anything that made you think she had such fragile little lungs, but she did. And her immune system was shot from all the meds trying to determine what was wrong with these fragile little lungs. If anyone in the same room with her at church or gymnastics had the slightest runny nose or cough, within 3-5 days she was struggling to breathe, up all night with coughing fits, and we were all sleepless and miserable. I would remember that little child whose parents brought them out into a closed space with other kids and wonder "WHY?! That was so inconsiderate!" But maybe it really wasn't. Maybe it was just ignorance on that parent's part because they had super healthy kids with perfect little lungs and an immune system that could fight off anything. I understand that now that my kids are capable of fighting through bugs with not much more than an aggravating cough and runny nose. However, I remember our days not too long ago when we weren't so fortunate. This is why we hide at home when we have little germs. Even if they don't make my kids super sick, I don't want to share with another child who may not have the same immune system that my kids have now. Those other children may have baby brothers and sisters at home, or even premie brothers and sisters whose parents are trying so hard to shield them from germs.
So, when you don't see us for extended periods of time because my kids have "colds" this is why, why we hide from the world so we don't share germs. Here's to hoping sunshine and warmer weather will help us kick our snot to the curb for a while!
Happy Monday!
Monday, March 2, 2015
Look a Little Closer
I'm starting a new journey with food today, for 2 weeks (and possibly forever) I am removing gluten and dairy from my diet. When I was pregnant with Emersyn, I started getting little dry patches on my hands which eventually spread, and now we have determined it's eczema. Eczema is an outward sign of an inward problem- related to food. So, now I'm tired of the ugly, red hands and excited to find the root cause so I can avoid it in the future. Plus, this has caused me to look at every ingredient on every food label and really question some of the things even we were eating. It's scary when you stop and pay attention, and we weren't buying what most would consider "junk" in the first place. It's amazing how many foods contain milk products.
Here's a challenge for ya, just take a look at the ingredients of some of the products you eat everyday and Google whatever you don't recognize or can't pronounce. Find out what you are eating, be aware and pro=active in your health. There are plenty of food companies who aren't trying to poison your family to save a dollar; while you may pay a dollar more, just think about the health benefits for a minute, and go buy for your health!
Here's a funny for you, in case you missed it on my Facebook page last week. I have eaten a lot of my words when it comes to things I swore I would never do when I had children. A lot of it has to do with diet, but one thing I have kept to my guns about is hot dogs- they turn my stomach and my girls have never had one, ever. (Nobody's judging if you and yours eat them daily, just one of my "things") So, we are walking through the grocery store when my oldest (3 years old) starts proclaiming her love for hot dogs, and how she loves them so so so much. I was a little horrified but so tickled at the same time. This is the same child who tells everyone her name is "Ruth Haney Rose" (her name is Emersyn Ruth Haney and her sister's middle name is Rose). She's hilarious. We compromised and came home with all-natural turkey sausage "dogs". She was thrilled and hugging and kissing the package all through the store. I just prayed over them before I served them, I couldn't handle to peek at the ingredients :)
Happy Monday, friends!
Here's a challenge for ya, just take a look at the ingredients of some of the products you eat everyday and Google whatever you don't recognize or can't pronounce. Find out what you are eating, be aware and pro=active in your health. There are plenty of food companies who aren't trying to poison your family to save a dollar; while you may pay a dollar more, just think about the health benefits for a minute, and go buy for your health!
Here's a funny for you, in case you missed it on my Facebook page last week. I have eaten a lot of my words when it comes to things I swore I would never do when I had children. A lot of it has to do with diet, but one thing I have kept to my guns about is hot dogs- they turn my stomach and my girls have never had one, ever. (Nobody's judging if you and yours eat them daily, just one of my "things") So, we are walking through the grocery store when my oldest (3 years old) starts proclaiming her love for hot dogs, and how she loves them so so so much. I was a little horrified but so tickled at the same time. This is the same child who tells everyone her name is "Ruth Haney Rose" (her name is Emersyn Ruth Haney and her sister's middle name is Rose). She's hilarious. We compromised and came home with all-natural turkey sausage "dogs". She was thrilled and hugging and kissing the package all through the store. I just prayed over them before I served them, I couldn't handle to peek at the ingredients :)
Happy Monday, friends!
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Be Free
Let's address sickness today, it's on my mind because it's in my home. Let's talk a little about what germs and sickies mean now versus our pre-oil life. One word comes to mind- FREEDOM. Let me explain...
Before we started using essential oils, my oldest daughter was getting sick a lot, like 3 days well between 10 day antibiotic treatments. When she would start the same symptoms in the middle of the night that she had just gotten over, I would just lay in bed with her and cry. I felt helpless, to my knowledge there was absolutely nothing I could do, I would send an email to the doctor at 2 am because that was all the power I had. Then, I would call as soon as their answering services opened the next morning, and beg and plead for something to make my baby well. If we went in to the doctor, I just wanted something to make her feel better. I was so ignorant as to what all of these antibiotics were doing to her little body, but for the next 7-8 days I would at least know she felt good. One day, I would want to go to medical school so I could write my own prescriptions and not want to be at the mercy of a doctor, appointment openings, and weekend clincs. The next day, I would want to go to pharmacy school so I could just get our own drugs (nothing illegal, you know what I'm saying :) ) I just wanted to feel like there was something in the world I could do for a miserable baby.
Then we found essential oils. Now, I'm not saying we never go to the doctor anymore or ever take antibiotics because sometimes we just have to, and I'm fine with that. My girls still get sick and get nasty germs that are floating around, but at least I have some power in healing their little bodies. The greatest term I read to ever classify an essential oil was "ANTI-VIRAL". If you have ever seen a doctor with a miserable, sick baby and told "I'm sorry, it's viral. You'll just have to let it run it's course" did you not want to throw that doctor clear across the room?! And it's totally NOT their fault, God love them. We can treat and reduce symptoms, we can shorten the duration of sickness, and we can avoid so many OTC and antibiotic drugs in our bodies.
Also, I should say I love doctors, I think they are wonderful and smart and completely necessary, but when my baby has a runny nose and can't sleep from the congestion, they can't fix it, but my oils can! I am so thankful we are nowhere near as sick as we used to be and that I feel like I can do something besides hold and comfort my little ones when they are under the weather. I can aggressively treat their symptoms and help their little bodies overcome the sickness without putting toxins in that can be found decades later. Sometimes we just need to go back to the basics. Just like our diets- how much better would be feel if we ate food straight from the Earth without a ton of processing and chemical additives- it's the same with essential oils. They have been here forever, put on Earth by our Creator Himself for their amazing healing powers. Science is great, but most of the time we are only creating something we already have...
Happy Wednesday!
Before we started using essential oils, my oldest daughter was getting sick a lot, like 3 days well between 10 day antibiotic treatments. When she would start the same symptoms in the middle of the night that she had just gotten over, I would just lay in bed with her and cry. I felt helpless, to my knowledge there was absolutely nothing I could do, I would send an email to the doctor at 2 am because that was all the power I had. Then, I would call as soon as their answering services opened the next morning, and beg and plead for something to make my baby well. If we went in to the doctor, I just wanted something to make her feel better. I was so ignorant as to what all of these antibiotics were doing to her little body, but for the next 7-8 days I would at least know she felt good. One day, I would want to go to medical school so I could write my own prescriptions and not want to be at the mercy of a doctor, appointment openings, and weekend clincs. The next day, I would want to go to pharmacy school so I could just get our own drugs (nothing illegal, you know what I'm saying :) ) I just wanted to feel like there was something in the world I could do for a miserable baby.
Then we found essential oils. Now, I'm not saying we never go to the doctor anymore or ever take antibiotics because sometimes we just have to, and I'm fine with that. My girls still get sick and get nasty germs that are floating around, but at least I have some power in healing their little bodies. The greatest term I read to ever classify an essential oil was "ANTI-VIRAL". If you have ever seen a doctor with a miserable, sick baby and told "I'm sorry, it's viral. You'll just have to let it run it's course" did you not want to throw that doctor clear across the room?! And it's totally NOT their fault, God love them. We can treat and reduce symptoms, we can shorten the duration of sickness, and we can avoid so many OTC and antibiotic drugs in our bodies.
Also, I should say I love doctors, I think they are wonderful and smart and completely necessary, but when my baby has a runny nose and can't sleep from the congestion, they can't fix it, but my oils can! I am so thankful we are nowhere near as sick as we used to be and that I feel like I can do something besides hold and comfort my little ones when they are under the weather. I can aggressively treat their symptoms and help their little bodies overcome the sickness without putting toxins in that can be found decades later. Sometimes we just need to go back to the basics. Just like our diets- how much better would be feel if we ate food straight from the Earth without a ton of processing and chemical additives- it's the same with essential oils. They have been here forever, put on Earth by our Creator Himself for their amazing healing powers. Science is great, but most of the time we are only creating something we already have...
Happy Wednesday!
Monday, February 23, 2015
Being Mom
My mom just left after an extended 3 week visit, it was longer than she had originally planned due to snow and ice but her visits always come to an end way too soon for us. She always seems to arrive when my nerves are a little frazzled and my patience is wearing thin. She has a way of always reminding me, in subtle ways, that my babies aren't going to be babies forever. They are growing up a little more everyday and learning new things, I can treasure the good seconds and the bad hours or I can walk around in cranky, sleep-deprived fog the majority of the day and let these times fly on by without capturing the beauty and innocence of these toddler years. Of course, the amount of time she gives me to re-charge is a great help, too :) Thanks, mom.
My goal everyday is to treasure my babies, whether it's treasuring the fits in the middle of the grocery store because they want the most processed and genetically modified cereal on the aisle because Anna and Elsa are on the front or if it's treasuring the moments when they ask for me to sing "Jesus Loves Me" while they fall asleep. It's every moment of everyday, and although the days are long, we all know the years are short.
My goal everyday is to treasure my babies, whether it's treasuring the fits in the middle of the grocery store because they want the most processed and genetically modified cereal on the aisle because Anna and Elsa are on the front or if it's treasuring the moments when they ask for me to sing "Jesus Loves Me" while they fall asleep. It's every moment of everyday, and although the days are long, we all know the years are short.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Excuses
So, let's pretend it's Friday and I'm right on time, because I'm so not. Here's what has been on my fitness heart this week- excuses. I hate them, and can be very un-sympathetic (is that a word?), but I want to be nice so let me encourage you to turn off that little voice that is always thinking of an excuse on why your health shouldn't be a TOP priority.
Excuses are such stumbling blocks, they come from OUR minds, though and we have the ability to shut them up every single day they start rearing their ugly heads. Sometimes we make the excuse we don't have time- let me tell you, everyone has at least 10-20 minutes to MOVE and if you start moving, I can almost guarantee you will find a few more minutes :) We use excuses for our age, our phase of life, and our lifestyle. "I'm too old", "I've had a baby", "I'll never look like (insert super model who's pictures have been ridiculously photoshopped) so why even try?" Stop it. Just don't even listen to that little demon telling you that you can't-for whatever reason, and hear my little cry on my little blog telling you that you CAN. Don't be afraid to try a class at the gym that looks way too advanced, you will be amazed at what your little body can do. Don't be afraid to hit the pavement when you are trying to start running, what's the worst that could happen? It's harder than you thought and you're a little more out of shape, so you walk. You're still moving, thumbs up from me.
No one becomes a fitness machine overnight, everyone in the industry has worked their tails off for their rocking bods. I'm not even concerned with that, though. Just be healthy. Make one positive decision for your health, and your family's health, today. Make two decisions tomorrow. Slowly take the excuses, and show them where the door is. I can do it. you can do it, we can all do it. Little by little, day by day. Get those tennis shoes on, and exercise because you are never too old or too out of shape. Put down the candy bar and grab a Cliff bar because eating healthy isn't disgusting or it won't be too hard to change your habits.
Embrace health, just embrace it.
Excuses are such stumbling blocks, they come from OUR minds, though and we have the ability to shut them up every single day they start rearing their ugly heads. Sometimes we make the excuse we don't have time- let me tell you, everyone has at least 10-20 minutes to MOVE and if you start moving, I can almost guarantee you will find a few more minutes :) We use excuses for our age, our phase of life, and our lifestyle. "I'm too old", "I've had a baby", "I'll never look like (insert super model who's pictures have been ridiculously photoshopped) so why even try?" Stop it. Just don't even listen to that little demon telling you that you can't-for whatever reason, and hear my little cry on my little blog telling you that you CAN. Don't be afraid to try a class at the gym that looks way too advanced, you will be amazed at what your little body can do. Don't be afraid to hit the pavement when you are trying to start running, what's the worst that could happen? It's harder than you thought and you're a little more out of shape, so you walk. You're still moving, thumbs up from me.
No one becomes a fitness machine overnight, everyone in the industry has worked their tails off for their rocking bods. I'm not even concerned with that, though. Just be healthy. Make one positive decision for your health, and your family's health, today. Make two decisions tomorrow. Slowly take the excuses, and show them where the door is. I can do it. you can do it, we can all do it. Little by little, day by day. Get those tennis shoes on, and exercise because you are never too old or too out of shape. Put down the candy bar and grab a Cliff bar because eating healthy isn't disgusting or it won't be too hard to change your habits.
Embrace health, just embrace it.
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