Bye Bye Candles and Room Sprays {Penny Pinching and Toxin Reducing}

In our home, we love visitors and entertaining. With this passion comes house cleaning and pleasant smells. With just the two of us, it's fairly easy to maintain a clean, fresh home but sometime work requires more attention or illness prevents me from cleaning weekly. At time like these, I absolutely LOVE my diffuser and essential oils! I used to be a wax warmer/candle fan but after going through so many air filters due to soot and researching the chemicals I was also breathing in, I did away with those candles and don't miss them one bit! Plus oils last SO much longer and therefore are cheaper!!! And all the husbands said "Amen!"

I can't believe I was harming my family's health by burning through one candle per month per room!

Now, my collection of oils is ever growing and there is absolutely no way I could pick even my top 5 faves. Therefore I refuse, ha! 

I do love my diffuser so much that I am planning to get another one next month! I'll keep one in the house and one at my office! Of course my goal is eventually to have one in the living room and one in both bedrooms but we must be frugally methodical ;). 

There are times though when a diffuser is not necessary and I just want a spritz of heaven to linger for a little bit. Be it stinky shoes, stinky trash can, stinky bathroom, stinky hubby, I'm just kidding on that last one, my man always smells great. But honestly, anything you want to neutralize will be quickly squelched by Purification. 

Blend of Citronella, Lavandin, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Myrtle, and Tea Tree all work to combat the worst smells {and the most stubborn bugs}

Want a nice pillow spray to relax you into slumber or beautiful smells to brighten the room and refresh the furniture? Here are a few blends we love!

Stress Away + Peppermint

 Equal drops of each either diffused or made into a spray is sure to awaken and de-stress you. Perfect for the morning routine when energy is slowly building but much grace is still required

Lavender + Lemon

Equal drops of each either diffused or made into a spray will relax you and send you into a restful sleep. 

How do you turn these oils into sprays though? Sprays are nice for their portability and familiarity. It's very easy to turn oils into sprays but you have a couple options. In a 4 ounce glass spray bottle, put 6-8 drops of each oil of your choice. Try to stick to 2-3 oils as too many different scents can cause headaches for some people. Once you have the oils in your bottle, you have a choice of one of the following: pinch of fine salt or 1 tsp witch hazel. Both of these ingredients work to bring the oil and water together. You'll then fill the bottle with water. Shake before each spray. Perfect as perfumes, bathroom spray, pillow spray, clothes refreshment, fabric furniture refreshment, and much more. 

What are some of your favorite blends? 

{I am a distributor for Young Living but more importantly, I am a woman who has battled health issues for many years and has first hand experience with the wonders of nature. I stand by Young Living products because they have stood the test of time, have passed through many independent testing before sale, and I personally have seen their positive effects on my health! If you are interested in any of the products I mentioned, please contact me via email katelynsyoungliving@gmail.com}

Lemon Garlic Dressing

It does seem that as the Summer goes on and slowly turns into Fall I am reminded of how soon we will be limited on fresh, local produce. This is often good for our diets though as it means rotation but there are a couple summer recipes I absolutely cannot live without. Lemon Garlic Dressing is definitely one of these favorites.

Now before I share this recipe, I must credit the woman who taught me how to make it. My mom and I share in our adoration for this amazing dressing recipe and while I am not sure if she "invented" the concoction, I am unsure. But seeing as she is the one to have introduced me, I credit her. Seeing as it's an addiction of mine, I blame her, ha. Let's not keep you or your salad, or your chicken, or your steak, or anything else for that matter waiting any longer. I behold...

Lemon Garlic Dressing

Great as a salad dressing, bread dipping, meat marinade, veggie dressing and much more

6 lemons, juiced

1 head of garlic, peeled

2 Tbsp Italian Herb Blend (Oregano, Thyme, Basil, Rosemary)

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The first three ingredients will go into a food processor or blender until all the garlic is well blended into the liquid. Add the oil and blend further until oil and dressing have emulsified (no longer separately distinguishable). Store this in a glass jar (we prefer a wide mouth mason jar) in the fridge up to two weeks. Shake before use. 

This dressing is packed full of Vitamin C, Antioxidants, Anti-fungals, Antibiotics, the list goes on! Perfect for those struggling with Candida or a cold.

Laundry {Penny Pinching & Toxin Reducing}

Few things make me happier than clean laundry but when it came time to find ways to save money and remove toxins, our laundry products became one of my first projects. Thankfully, many have come before me and I found a few great recipes to try. After a couple alterations, I love the end results!

_________________________________________________________________________

For those who are not inclined to DIY but are looking to remove toxins this is a wonderful toxin-free laundry soap.

See below on how to order your laundry soap!

_________________________________________________________________________

Laundry Soap

Now for the fun! If you have kiddos at home, they may enjoy helping too! You need to gather a few ingredients but you'll find the cost to be a small fraction of the cost of store bought products.

We are a family of two and wash roughly 3 loads of laundry a week on average. One recipe lasts us about a month to a month and a half. That being said, you will need to figure out your family's use to know how many batches to make at a time. I like to make 6 months at a time which goes through about one of each of the boxed ingredients. Six batches costs me $15...six months worth of laundry for $15 versus $22 soap monthly or bi-monthly!

1 bar of either: Zote, Felz Naptha, or Unscented Castille
1 cup baking soda
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax

This is where the kiddos can help out! You'll need to grate the bar soap into a bowl. The finer the grate, the better. Once you it's all grated, place the baking soda in a food processor or blender then the grated soda. Turn on in spurts until the grated soap blends well into the baking soap. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add remaining powders. Mix until well blended. Store in an airtight container. Use 1-2Tbs per load depending on laundry load size.

[For those with HE washers, we use this recipe in our front load HE washer and it works wonderfully with both warm and cold water...just be sure to alter your soap drawer for powder]

Fabric Softener

Now if you're like me and like your clothes soft to touch, you have a few options to replace toxin loaded fabric softener. The easiest and cheapest of which being white vinegar. That's right, what southerners love to use on top black eyed peas does wonderfully to clean and soften clothes. Plus the reaction between the baking soda in the laundry soap and the vinegar does wonders against stains. But don't worry, the smell will be gone well before you pull your clothes out of the dryer. Want to try it but still want your clothes scented? Wool balls with essential oils do the trick! You can find wool balls on Amazon or through your local Norwex distributor. As for essential oils, here are some of my favorites. I like to switch it up through the seasons.

Spring

Nothing says Spring quite like flowers and I absolutely love the refreshing and relaxing scent of Lavender

Summer

Aaaah, fresh fruit is my mental image of Summer. This blend brings many citrus oils together as one

Autumn

Thieves brings together many holiday spices but also is great at warding off the sniffles

Nutmeg is one of the many pie making spices. 

Just the smell of it makes me think of Fall 

Winter

Winter is joyous for many but even the happiest of people can struggle through those cold, dark months once the holidays are over. This blend keeps Christmas just under your nose. Imagine it lingering on your favoring knitted sweater!

While there are many more oils that you could use on your clothing to give them a nice, toxin-free scent, my favorite part is knowing that I am saving money and protecting my family's health with every load. 

{I am a distributor for Young Living but more importantly, I am a woman who has battled health issues for many years and has first hand experience with the wonders of nature. I stand by Young Living products because they have stood the test of time, have passed through many independent testing before sale, and I personally have seen their positive effects on my health! If you are interested in any of the products I mentioned, please contact me via email katelynsyoungliving@gmail.com}

Turning a New Leaf || Cleaning Products

For quite a while now, I have wanted to take drastic steps toward health. Over the years, I have focused on what went into my body through diet. However, in the background, I knew that more chemicals and toxins than I could imagine were sneaking through my skin, I just couldn't afford to do anything about it and honestly didn't have the energy to figure it out. 

I went through bouts of reactions and testing hygiene and cleaning products to see what the issue was. I even went cold turkey for a few months, no makeup, no perfume, no soaps except Castile Soap, no laundry softener, super sensitive laundry soap, no deodorant, baking soda toothpaste, cleaning with baking soda and vinegar only, you name it...I was fed up! Then my curly hair was stripped of all it's oil, my skin was clear but felt so dry, and I just felt enslaved to my body! So I gave up and went back to the store bought products, beginning with the organic grocery store options and slowly working my way back to the name brands. 

Back in October, Young Living stepped into my life and I decided it was time to take charge of not only our internal health, but our external health, house and budget! Being sick and suffering was draining me and so were all the name brand cleaning, body care, perfume, hair care products! 

This month, I will begin our switch from store bought products to homemade and Young Living. I love that there is versatility and health in mind which will lead to budget awareness and overall savings. As one of our products runs low, I will replace it with a natural version...thus making it less of a shock to our current budget. It's always pricey to start something new (remember the first time you bought groceries for your own home? Mustard, mayo, pickles, bread, meat, canned goods, etc, it's all very expensive at the beginning). Thankfully with this approach, we will save in some areas and balance in others! 

Tonight I will start by making homemade laundry detergent. Instead of fabric softener, I will continue using white vinegar which has done wonders since I began using it exclusively back in October (you'd be surprised...there is absolutely no vinegar smell once the wash load is completed). 

As for house cleaning, I already use a homemade window cleaner that doubles as a counter top cleaner (recipe). In the next few weeks, I will be ordering Young Living's All Purpose Thieves Concentrated Cleaner to use for moping and toilets along with Thieves Dish Soap, Thieves Foaming Hand Soap and Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier. 

Below you will find some simple yet effective cleaning recipes that will leave your house not only spotless and smelling amazing, but it'll be a nice break for your organs to not have the detoxing load it's used to. 

One step at a time, one bite at a time, slow and steady wins the race...however you put it, give yourself time to embrace any new life style choices you may be considering. Your body and mind will thank you.

Cold Season is Coming!

Life sure has a way with running ahead of us, I'm baffled to think that we are three months into 2016! However, winter is coming to a close and soon we'll be in shorts, flip flops and enjoying dinner on the porch.

Sadly, with Spring comes cold and flu season, once again, and it sucks the life right out of you! Now there are flu shots and avoiding handshakes to prevent a cold but what do you do when you already find yourself feeling run down with stuffy sinuses, sore throat, upset tummy and sore sore muscles?

There's always the drugstore but what if you could spend less time drowsy and more time enjoying the warmer weather?

Here are a two of my absolute favorite essential oils that make me feel better when I am "blessed" with a cold.

"Thieves® essential oil is a powerful combination of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Rosemary essential oils for an aromatic blend that fills any space with a rich, spicy aroma. Inspired by the legend of four 15th-century French thieves who formulated a special aromatic combination composed of clove, rosemary, and other botanicals used while robbing the dead and dying, Thieves is one of Young Living’s most popular products.

With the benefits of Thieves oil including cleaning power and an irresistibly spicy scent, Young Living offers it as an essential oil blend and as an important ingredient in a full range of home cleaning and personal care products, from dish soap to toothpaste. Looking to make your home smell as clean as it looks? Diffuse Thieves oil throughout the house for an aroma that makes every room smell more like fall baking than harsh cleaning formulas."**

Benefits:

• Immune Support
• Purifying

Ways to use Thieves:

• Add a couple drops to 8 ounces of water after being around anyone who is ill or has a sick family (can be also be added to tea)
• Massage a drop onto your neck at the first signs of tonsil/gland swelling and/or sore throat
• Add a few drops to a sink full of warm water as a fruit and vegetable soak 
• Add a few drops to your sink while soaking dishes
• Create your own house cleaning products with Thieves 
• Add to hand soap 
• Use Thieves to make homemade cleaning wipes for on the go*

*Note: Some essential oils are not recommended for infants, babies and young children. Please research each oil according to your child's age before applying or using on their toys. 

"Eucalyptus globulus has a fresh, penetrating scent. It contains a high percentage of the constituent eucalyptol, a key ingredient in many mouth rinses. Applied topically, it is often used to support the respiratory system* and to soothe muscles after exercise. Eucalyptus Globulus has an approximate ORAC of 24,157 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter."***

Benefits:

• Respiratory Support
• Muscle Tension

Ways to use Eucalyptus:

• Diffuse for opening nasal passages
• Use in a personal steam vaporizer (such as this one)
• Add 1-2 drops to a teaspoon of coconut oil and rub on chest, under nose, base of feet before bed
• Add 1-2 drop to a teaspoon of coconut oil and massage sore muscles and nape of neck
• Add 3-4 drop to a damp washcloth and hang over the side of your shower curtain while showering (or you could plan ahead and make shower melts)

Though I wish we could all be free of threatening nasty colds, I am so thankful to have these oils ready to go when one settles in! No one wants to spend two weeks under the weather and drowsy. 

Feel free to contact me at katelynsyoungliving(at)gmail.com if you are interested in any essential oils. 

Are you on Facebook? So are we! Like us to stay up-to-date with new products and giveaways! 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: None of the information provided on this blog is to be used to treat, diagnose, or cure any medical ailments. Please consult your doctor before incorporating essential oils if you are on any medications or have any medical conditions. Some essential oils are not safe for pets, infants, children and women who are pregnant. Please research all oils and dilutions prior to use.

** https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/thieves-essential-oil

*** https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/eucalyptus-globulus-essential-oil

The Good, the Bad, and the Mrs.

December of 2015 has come and gone and we are coming up on three months of marriage! It's hard to wrap my mind around how three months could be over, just like that! Yet, when I look back over the last three months and consider the times I have failed to love or was short tempered and selfish, I feel as though it has to have been longer.

I cannot tell you how many internal battles I have had where I had to choose between being the nagging wife mentioned throughout much of Proverbs (21:19, 15:17, 27:15-16, 25:24) and abiding by 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Sadly, nagging takes many more forms than I ever knew the word to mean.

I knew I was sinful before I met my husband but there is absolute truth in the knowledge that marriage is another part of sanctification. It's as though the Lord is showing me a mirror of myself, magnifying my sins until it breaks my heart. Let's face it, it's acting out. A toddler with the same attitude as a grown adult would be called a brat, while the adult would be considered overwhelmed or tired.

Who would hurt someone they prayed so fervently for? Who would speak disrespectfully to the one they just vowed to honor and obey? Me! I have! No words can express the pain I felt when I let those words of (enter: anger/selfishness/pride) leave my lips knowing they would hurt the one I love so dearly. Next came the regret, wishing I could take them back, and then grace stepped in.

Growing up, I would become emotional if my life didn't fit into the beautiful box I had hoped for. When I made choices that left spots on what I wanted my life to look like, I didn't know how to cope. My emotions left me disappointed in myself, wishing I could go back and start over. I wanted so badly to live life without blemish that each time I failed, it became more and more painful. I became obsessed with maintaining somewhat of a "perfect life".

When I met David, he reminded me that our past didn't have to define our future and that each breath, each day was an opportunity to do better.

Forgiveness is something we all seek, yet we harbor it from others. We know it's powerful! We know it's in the hands of the giver and one of the few things in life that cannot be taken. I guess that's why I am so overwhelmed when someone shows me grace and offers forgiveness. Nothing I have ever done has been worthy of either so they are invaluable gifts.

I will never be a perfect wife but I do want to learn from my mistakes and offer forgiveness when it's my turn. This is the goal I will continue to work toward. My God demands it and my husband deserves it.

Farewell

Those of you who have been following my blog for a few years know that I also blogged over at "All in Good Measure". I saved my creative and educational food posts for there and my life updates and mind wanderings for here. Well, I seem to be in a purging faze and felt it was high time the two blogs became one. Considering the last food post was from November of 2014, it's much less obvious that I fail at blogging ;). I figure it's more accurate to my life for it all to be in one place...it's me, my life, the whole shebang! Oh but don't worry, those posts are all here. Wouldn't have been able to part with them if I wanted. So sit back, relax and don't hold your breath ;).