Thieves! How are you using Thieves?

There is so much sickness going around!!!

Tonight, I prepped both girls diffusers with Thieves and Purification. Thieves will help boost their immune system while purification cleans the air.

Other uses of Thieves?

I make an immune boosting foot rub for the girls and roller for grown ups.

I use in our foaming hand soap.

I dip a cotton swab in Thieves and use as a spot treatment as part of my nightly skincare regimen.

I love a tablespoon of raw local honey, drop of Thieves and drop of Lemon for soothing the throat. These are also lovely in hot water as a Thieves tea.

I love in a capsule with frank, oregano and thyme for extreme ultra mega immune boosting.

Tell me how you use Thieves!

Haven’t had the experience of trying Thieves? Dive in here.

Around here, Sundays are about church, family time and creating – getting in “the zone” – that space where you feel inspired and creative, optimistic about the coming week.

Those who know me best know that I strive to be the antithesis of the “I hate Monday” mindset. I believe every day can be great and realize that we are all creators reaching to become more every single day.

Two oils I love to diffuse on Sundays and to support this mindset are Clarity and Inspiration.

Clarity contains rosemary, basil and peppermint which support memory which is why I got this blend originally. I lost my mom to Alzheimer’s and want to do everything I can to support my memory and my children’s. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Clarity really helps me focus and helps with memory so much but it also helps me zero in on my purpose and to find more and more moments where I am led to take inspired action.

What a nice segue to share about my other fave Sunday oil, Inspiration. I love Sunday for creating which is also my word for this year. Inspiration blend contains three powerhouses: cedarwood, frankincense and sandalwood. That in and of itself got my attention. Those three have the ability to clear negative thoughts and programming and to help you reprogram going forward with intention.

Do you know that you are an extension of God and his energy put here with the purpose to be a creator? You create your life each and every day friends. I encourage you to try these two oils which are not only my Sunday favorites but two of my all-time favorites.

If you are new to oils, beyond curious and ready to dive in, the Premium Starter Kit is where to start. It has the 12 oils you will use the most often (including peppermint, lemon, lavender, Thieves, Digize, Peace & Calming, Valor, Citrus Fresh, Panaway, Stress Away, Raven and frankincense) plus a diffuser. Grab yours here.

Are you brand new to crystals? Me too.

Well sort of. I guess I’ve always been curious about them and thought they were pretty. I’ve even had a few over the years. I know everything carries an energy and based on what I know and understand about essential oils and their healing properties, the idea that crystals might carry those same kinds of energies and have some healing potential is feeling less weird to me and more possible. Intrigued would be a good word for where I am in the learning process.

For Christmas, I got a small bag of rose quartz and I keep them everywhere: in my purse, in the car, in my coat pocket, in my desk drawer at work, and by my bed. Rose quartz is one that I have read about and it is supposed to draw off negative energies and make you more receptive to love, opening the heart. I especially love carrying one in my pocket and just placing my hand in my pocket during the day, and gently rubbing the crystal grounds me and refocuses me.

We have a crystal store in our town now and I’ve had friends tell me they were impressed with what the store had to offer. So my youngest daughter and I ventured out today and took a stroll through the store. A sweet lady who worked there explained (which I had heard before) that you don’t choose crystals, they choose you. She said to choose whatever you’re drawn to. I was drawn to two: selenite which I’ve read can ensure a peaceful atmosphere in a home, and citrine which promotes joy.

My five-year-old was very drawn to amethyst. I got her a little vial of amethyst chips. She really liked when I told her amethyst helps you to be calm and helps you with sleep. She could have spent all day at the crystal store, mainly because of their black cat.

While I was at the store I was handed a book called The Crystal Bible which I really liked. I am so excited to learn more! If there are other books or resources you would recommend to someone new to crystals please let me know.

Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Hyssop is one of the healing oils of the Bible. Did you know that hyssop is mentioned 12 different times?

It was used by King David to move past his transgressions and reach a place where he was right with God.

Hyssop was used by Moses during the Lord’s Passover in Egypt (Exodus 12). Read this passage from Exodus 12:21-23 and how cool is it that the Lord specifically had them strike the doorposts with hyssop which would no doubt release the essential oil and fragrance from the plant:

“Then Moses called all the elders of Israel together and said to them, “Go, pick out a lamb or young goat for each of your families, and slaughter the Passover animal. Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning. For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down.”

It was used to prevent the plague which is said to be similar to modern day HIV.

It has detoxifying properties that support the body when it falls below the wellness line, cleaning the body. It may also have the ability to open up the respiratory system.

Hyssop is said to help break free of old habits and strongholds. Using Hyssop daily with a mantra such as “I declare freedom” would be a great thing to do.

If you have the blend, Exodus II, hyssop is in this blend as well as other oils that are referenced in Exodus 30. Hyssop is also in Immupower blend.

Hyssop acts on balancing our emotions and brings the soul’s consciousness to the forefront.

A great way to use Hyssop for protection from negativity/evil would be to apply a drop to the hands, rub them together and then cup them over the nose and mouth, inhaling. Then wave the hands above and down the sides of the body as though to form an invisible shield while praying or stating out loud your claim for God’s protection and rebuking evil to flee. Then cup your hands over nose and mouth and inhale once again.

You may notice I took the picture for this post in my children’s bedroom. I waved my hands over their beds like an invisible shield and prayed a prayer of protection over each of them.

Hyssop essential oil should not be used ON children or anyone who is pregnant due to high ketone content.

If you are new to oils, beyond curious and ready to dive in, the Premium Starter Kit is where to start. It has the 12 oils you will use the most often (including peppermint, lemon, lavender, Thieves, Digize, Peace & Calming, Valor, Citrus Fresh, Panaway, Stress Away, Raven and frankincense) plus a diffuser. Grab yours here.

This is just the best thing ever. Chemical free, all-natural, moisturizing, and smells amazing (I add 10 drops of lavender essential oil❤️). Most importantly, it’s easy to make. Takes me less than five minutes!

Here’s what you need:

1/2 cup olive oil (or grape seed oil)

1/4 cup Castille soap (I prefer unscented)

1/4 cup raw honey

Mix together in a bowl and add desired essential oils for fragrance if you wish.

Pour into a pump bottle or squeeze bottle. Enjoy! I rarely need lotion anymore because this shave cream is so moisturizing. 🙌🏻

Why do you NEED this in your life?

Because you DON’T need harmful chemicals in your life.

Friends, if you don’t already have the Think Dirty app for your phone, please consider getting it. It allows you to scan the products in your home and see what the safety rating is.

Before I started making my shave cream and switched to natural products, I was using a shave cream called Pure Silk. I just looked it up on Think Dirty and it scored an 8 😷. This is on a 10 point scale with 10 being the most harmful.

What makes shave cream a threat to the body is mainly synthetic fragrance. Please read oh so many articles that are available supporting why no one should be using anything containing artificial fragrance. I will keep putting this idea in front of you as long as I’m breathing so don’t worry if you forget. 😂

Pure Silk shave cream also contains Laurel 23 ☠️ 😳. This is a known causer of cancer.

This DIY took me under 5 minutes to make or I wouldn’t be able to buy into it. I’m a busy mama and I need things quick and easy. I swear this is the best shave cream I’ve ever possessed and I plan on using it indefinitely.

Added bonus: it’s moisturizing! I rarely need lotion. 🙌🏻

A clean slate, focusing on hopes, dreams and goals and a forward thinking outlook. New Year’s is my favorite holiday, second maybe only to Christmas, because well, it’s Christmas. I look forward to New Year’s and plan for it: I choose a word for the year that will become a simple mantra for me. I make lists of things I appreciate, things that make me happy and that are satisfying. It’s great to reflect on what has gone well because we are all doing a lot of things right! Even better, I am excited for what lies ahead and I love the idea of my future being like an unpainted canvas that is waiting to become more.

It’s a clean slate, a fresh start and a new beginning. In fact, I have loved the feel of “hitting the reset button” on New Year’s so much that I’ve applied it to each and every day of my life, but my New Year’s practice is where I began learning the tools to clear out the old and move forward with intention. Why not apply it daily? Ah, but New Year’s Day itself can be powerful and transformational.

I don’t long for it because I want the previous year to be over or because I’m wishing time away. It’s because I love the vibration and momentum of creating that comes to me this time of year. In fact, my word this year is CREATE. I want to physically create: I love photography, art, writing and speaking. I create a vision board at New Years and have my girls do the same. I’ll add them to this post when we’ve completed them. I’m all about journaling, making bucket lists, setting goals, and all the things that propel you forward!

New Year’s helps me re-establish my forward thinking outlook. I want to create a life by design instead of living by default. I love planning to learn new things, new travels and adventures, focusing on where I want to go in the coming year, both literally and figuratively.

New Year’s has never really been about depriving myself of food, or social media, focusing on doing less of something. It’s about become MORE and CREATING. It’s always been a creative time that gets me excited about what lies ahead. I got through this whole post without mentioning the word resolution. And it was not intentional. But I do feel like it carries a little bit of a negative connotation, like you have to cut something out or give something up. That’s not my New Year’s and it doesn’t have to be yours either. How can you become more in this coming year? My 2019 journal cover says “Do more of what makes you happy.” and that’s exactly how I hope you will live your new year and how I plan to live mine.

Pure essential oils don’t have an expiration, but your carriers do! I just went through mine and this aloe and almond oil have to go! ✌🏻

This is just one of the reasons I chose Young Living Essential Oils for my family. There is no expiration date because the only thing contained in their bottles is 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils.

If you are new to oils, beyond curious and ready to dive in, the Premium Starter Kit is where to start. It has the 12 oils you will use the most often (including peppermint, lemon, lavender, Thieves, Digize, Peace & Calming, Valor, Citrus Fresh, Panaway, Stress Away, Raven and frankincense) plus a diffuser. Grab yours here.

Found this in the back of our closet. I thought, it has to be at least four years old because it’s been that long since I banned harmful chemicals, including one of the worst offenders, synthetic fragrance, from our home. Did you know that “fragrance” has been found to be connected to why so many women struggle with hormone and fertility issues? I don’t want to take any chances so I just say no to this. Diffuse Thieve oil to kill germs and clean the air. Use Thieves Cleaner on surfaces (literally pennies per spray bottle once diluted).

Absolutely no judgment here if you have it, because as you can see I used it too – religiously to be honest with you. And I obviously lived to tell about it and you will too. But I have never been as healthy and avoided the doctor office more than these past four years. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

Anna Claire got to see her Kindergarten BFF today. ❤️

I love these two girls. We truly enjoyed spending today reconnecting with this sweet family.

We were all beginners at ice skating which was a relief, and trying out skating on the ice out of town was an added bonus – no risk of running into anyone we knew while stumbling around on skinny blades! 😏

We ate lunch at the most charming restaurant next door, by the fireplace.

Then we couldn’t resist stopping at the soda shop in Elkton on our way home.

Anna Claire and Madeline,

I’m not sure how old you are now if you’re reading this, but I can’t stop thinking lately about how you never got to know your Meme and Granddaddy, and the amazing grandparents I know they would have been to you if they only had the chance.

Your Meme would have visited every Sunday. She would have begged to babysit you and spoiled you rotten. She would not have been able to get enough of you. She also would have made sure you minded. She would always know if you were up to something and leave you feeling like it was her superhuman power. Meme would have made sure you knew Jesus loved you. And somehow when she hugged you, you would feel the warmest tingle of the purest love you’ve ever known.

Your Granddaddy would have treasured you. He would have showered you with hugs, the best advice ever, and quarters for the gumball machine. He would have taught you the value of generosity, honesty, hard work and responsibility, not just through his words, but through his actions. He would have given you both nicknames that made you feel special and cherished. He would have been the best listener and told you the best stories.

You may never know them, but anything I do right as a parent was a direct reflection of their love and influence. And I know with every fiber of my being that they are proud of who you girls are becoming and watching over us every day.