essential oils · health · natural lifestyle

Why I Chose Young Living

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In 2013, I experienced the bittersweet paradox of losing my mom to Alzheimer’s and giving birth to my daughter in the same year. It was then that I started pursuing a healthier, more natural way of living. I was searching for natural remedies to help promote memory for my mom before she passed, while at the same time learning healthier habits during my pregnancy and for my new baby following her birth. Since then, I have become passionate about health and wellbeing for myself, the ones I love, and really for everyone.

This was the beginning of my essential oils journey and I continue to use the protocols I that I learned during that difficult season of my life today. I consider myself to be a lifelong learner, always building and expanding on my knowledge of essential oils and wellness and sharing it with others. My personal mission is to promote natural health and wellness options to others and educate about harmful chemicals found in our daily products that are so heavily promoted and sadly trusted world-wide. Media and popularity evoke a feeling in us that what is common is normal and therefore safe. I want to challenge you to see it different: What’s healthy should be our normal, not what’s popular.

We have normalized antibiotics. When my girls were little, antibiotics seemed to be doctors’ answer to every ear infection and virus that we encountered, but I was simultaneously reading and learning about how too many prescribed antibiotics can weaken the immune system, impacting the gut microbiome. I realized they were annihilating the good bacteria as well as the bad, and making my children more susceptible to future illness. It’s why your child may be given an antibiotic only to immediatly catch another virus. I’ve seen it over and over with friends’ kids.

This led me to discovering THIEVES and a host of other immune system building protocols. This also led to me becoming the guardian of the threshold of my home – mindful of the foods we were eating and products we were using. Understanding that the air we breathe and what we put on our skin matters as much as the food we consume. The best change that you will make for your family is becoming discerning and skeptical about the products marketed to you.


This includes FRAGRANCE and PROCESSED FOODS. If you are wondering “if these are so bad, why are they allowed to be sold?” I have BILLIONS of reasons for you, and it is spelled M-O-N-E-Y. We are the least healthy generation that has ever lived on this planet. Our grandparents and their parents ate from the earth. They worked and moved and exercised all day long. They did not have the fertility issues that we have – they did not have hormone disrupting artificial fragrance (read that again). Yes, artificial fragrances can disrupt hormones and may impact fertility. Endocrine disruptors, including phthalates and parabens, found in many scented products, can interfere with hormone function, potentially leading to reproductive problems. 

Past generations didn’t even have access to all the drugs that we have. They relied on herbs and botanical tinctures that God put here for us. Why is it that people are so trusting of man-made drugs, but skeptical and downright resistant to the oldest pharmaceutical available – natural and plant based options?

I was particularly awakened to the impact artificial ingredients and food sensitivities can have when our oldest daughter (who is now a teen) struggled with severe and frequent migraine headaches. She showed dramatic improvement after we tried diet alterations (stemming from sensitivity to sugar, reactions to artificial colors and not drinking enough water). To protect her and our family, I became even more determined to be mindful of what we ate and brought into our home.

Young Living has ESSENTIALLY developed a non-toxic alternative for every toxic product we have in our homes. This thoughtful and innovative company has checked so many boxes for our family: 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils (we use oils instead of meds for most physical ailments and especially to PREVENT THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE), bath and skincare products (from Lavender Lotion to Satin Mint Facial Scrub), non-toxic cleaner (Thieves Cleaner), high quality supplements. Young Living has became my one-stop shop for all things natural and has continued fill this need for our family for almost ten years now.

I continue to pursue a better lifestyle and live life by a mantra “things are getting better all the time.” We are constantly seeking out more real food and less ultra-processed foods. Maintaining a chemical free home something I will strive for as long as I live (I still have a lot to learn and many more changes to make!). As a result, I’m always seeking healthier options and research on improving health because we will never know it all, and there is always more to learn. You can be sure that as I do, I will be sharing it with others.

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health · inspiration · personal development · self help · teaching

Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Teacher

Over the years as a teacher, I have observed my colleagues stay at school way into the night hours, take stacks of work home, and complain they have no time for themselves or their families. Some even come to school to work on the weekends. They struggle with home-work balance, finding time to be a great parent, teacher, friend, family member. Their workload takes its toll on their mental and physical health. If there is a complement I consistently receive from other teachers, it’s that I have good home-work balance. Part of this stems from placing a priority on my inner peace above and beyond else, but there also are many habits and protocols I have put into place over the years to accomplish this. I realize there are countless blogs and posts on self care, but this one is for my teacher friends.

Set boundaries.

Teaching can consume all of your time if you allow it to. There is always something else to do! You have to start by setting some time boundaries. Now, I am not one of those teachers who spend all their time at school, but nor am I one who gets there at the last minute as buses are unloading and driving off as buses pull out. I come in an hour before kids and often stay an hour after my contracted day. I am motivated to be a great teacher and I love my students! But I also love my family and protecting and guarding my own mental and physical wellbeing. You will never look back ten years from now and think “I wish I spent more time at work,” but you may wish you spent more time with your family, chasing your dreams and taking care of your health.

When you’re thinking about setting time boundaries, set a time that you can be consistent with and agree with yourself that you will stop working and leave at that time daily. For me, the school day ends at 2:30 and I am committed to leave at 3:30. That is a personal time boundary to set for yourself that allows you to get your work done, but also have time for your family and for yourself.

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

You have also probably heard the expression that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Some of the things you should consider doing to fill your cup are:

  • Exercise (bonus points if this includes a yoga class once a week)
  • Go to a spa, get a massage, or go to the infrared sauna once a week (*stay tuned* – future post topic)
  • Allow yourself to indulge in a hobby whether that’s reading, writing, art, or playing an instrument
  • Get outside. Work in the garden. Take a neighborhood walk or go for a hike – make it a point to get outside and get some sunlight.
  • Make a point to go outside and get some sunlight EVERY DAY during your lunch break or planning at school. This helps your circadian rhythm and will help you sleep through the night. Hit me up in the comments if you want to know more about circadian rhythm or you can Google it.
  • Start taking a magnesium supplement. This will also help promote sleeping through the night.
  • Consider quitting drinking – that’s a whole different post.

My list is a little different than your typical “self-care list.” That’s because TRUE self care means taking care of yourself. Not filling yourself with gluten or breathing in artificial fragrance from scented candles. Not lounging on the couch for hours and binging shows. Not coming home and napping which disrupts your natural circadian rhythm and is no doubt the reason you can’t sleep at night.

Redefining self care.

While some think of self care as comfort, true self care means you’re improving your health and not detracting from it. True self care means taking care of yourself. If you get on Pinterest and type in “self care,” you’ll no doubt see suggestions like binging your favorite show, napping, having a glass of wine, enjoying your favorite comfort food or lighting scented candles (learn more about exposure to artificial fragrance here). However these all lower your immune system or interrupt your sleep. Take this challenge if you wouldn’t mind humoring me: list the things you do for self care and make a two column table beside it. Label one column “raises my immune system” and the second one “lowers.” If you go back and reread my list of self-care items, they are basically exercise, getting sunlight exposure, getting extra sleep during the night, and eating healthy. These all BOOST the immune system.

We find time (and energy) to do the things that matter to us.

If you are mentally pushing back, thinking how can you take a walk or exercise when you are exhausted from the school day, I hear you! Me too! But that’s the thing and the mindshift change you have to make. YOU GO ANYWAY. I rarely feel like going, but once I’m there I enjoy the routine and I feel AMAZING afterward. I think we mistakingly think of exercise as energy draining, but in actually it is life-giving! You will sleep so much better and you will feel so much stronger and more energized the next day. You will feel proud of yourself for doing it and more confident because your clothes will fit better.

Better sleep, better life.

The amount and quality of your sleep are paramount to your overall mental and physical health. Quality sleep belongs in this post because it’s a time boundary you need to set for yourself and a priority you have to set as well. Make sure that you are going to bed early enough to allow yourself the change to get 8 hours of sleep or rest. The big three that help me go to sleep and stay asleep are taking a magnesium gummy before bed (I like these), diffusing lavender and cedarwood in your bedroom, and temperature – keep your space cool and pile on extra blankets as needed. If you struggle with either going to sleep or staying asleep, I would encourage you to read my post on quality sleep, as there is much more to this than what I am sharing here.

Do your work at work (and how you can do this better.)

I VERY RARELY take any work home with me. The number one way I’m able to accomplish that is by setting planning, lunchtime and before/after school boundaries. In short, I close my door. Now a student here or there may need me and knock on my door, but for the most part, just by closing my door I’m able to work uninterrupted. This is not to be antisocial, but it gives me the time that is the topic of this entire post. I have also realized over the past few years as I have pinpointed my stressors and worked to minimize them, that interruptions are very high on the list. By setting the closed door boundary, I have minimized my interruptions, increased my productivity, and lowered my stress level.

Right or wrong, I eat in my classroom. I’m able to multi-task and get papers graded and recorded while I eat. My lunch is typically composed of finger food so it’s easy for me to be able to eat while I work. Then, as I mentioned earlier in this post, I make sure to get sunlight during this time. I set a timer to go off 8 minutes before students return. This gives me time to walk outdoors to the nicer faculty bathroom and wash my hands using nice hot water. There’s also a water bottle filling station there so I can refill my water bottle with ice and cold water.

Whether you are a teacher or not, a parent or not, the strategies and boundaries shared in this post can help anyone who is wanting to improve their sleep, energy, time management and quality of life. Please share your favorite tip in the comments and let me know if you have other suggestions for how teachers can set better boundaries and prioritize themselves.

Brain health · essential oils · natural lifestyle

Why Green Omega 3?

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You may already be aware that Omega-3 is a supplement that every single person should be taking. Eleven years ago, I lost my mom to Alzheimer’s. Had she taken Omega-3 sooner, it could have potentially added years to her life and quality of life. That is why I want to do everything in my ability to educate others about why this taking an Omega-3 supplement is so vital and beneficial; I am passionate about promoting brain health.

Why Omega-3? Sixty to seventy percent of the brain is made up of fat similar to fish oil, one reason why everyone should be taking fish oil or algae supplement (yes, algae is an equally viable source of Omega-3!) I have been taking Omega-3 faithfully for years, since I learned how much it supports brain health and development. I even increased my intake while I was pregnant and nursing both girls.

Fish oil vs. Algae sourced Omega-3. All Omega-3 supplements are not created equal. The doses of fish oil we really should be taking are pretty high by normal standards. You want to be taking Ultra-Refined EPA/DHA Concentrates. This type of fish oil exceeds rigorous standards for purity, meaning that toxins have been removed to prevent gastrointestinal issues that occur with lower grades of fish oil. Lower grades of fish oil can also become rancid and be harmful to the body. However, you are not going to find Ultra-Refined EPA/DHA Concentrates in a health food store or supermarket, because the extra refining makes it too expensive. Also, many people struggle with consistently taking Omega-3 due to the horrible fishy aftertaste.

Green Omega 3 from Young Living meets this rigorous standard, but sources from algae instead of fish, so no fishy after-taste! If your primary objection to taking Omega-3 is the fishy aftertaste, but recognize the importance of taking Omega-3, Green Omega is the solution that you’ve been looking for. Because it is sourced from algae, there is less impact on the marine ecosystem, and reduced potential for marine contaminants.

Green Omega 3, like all Young Living supplements, is infused with essential oils. The essential oils prevent bacteria and oxidation, as well as help our bodies to more efficiently utilize the vitamins and nutrients contained in our supplements. There is so much science behind incorporating essential oils into supplements to help our bodies fully process them! You can Google this. Sadly, most store bought lower grade vitamins and supplements pass straight through our bodies – directly to our urine. Basically a waste of money! I don’t know about you, but I spend way too much money on supplements to just pee them all out. I want to make sure my body is utilizing every single one that I take.

When I made the switch from my old store brand fish oil to this high quality supplement, I noticed a dramatic improvement in my clarity of thoughts and memory! I also have an excellent essential oils protocol that I follow for a clear, focused mind.

And, if you are a Young Living member, it makes good sense to get your oils and favorite products from Young Living through Essential Rewards so you are earning points to get your supplements for free. Shop here to grab Green Omega and my favorite oils for supporting brain health. I have learned over time that I earn tons of Loyalty Reward points from Young Living by purchasing all of my favorite oils and products each month. In turn, I use those points to pay for ALL of my supplements! So buy your lavender, Thieves, Thieves Cleaner, lemon, peppermint, Stress Away, Thieves Cough Drops, Lavender Lotion through your monthly order; earn points from your order and spend it on your favorite supplements, getting them for free!

You are going to be hearing more and more from me about brain health! So stay tuned!

health · natural lifestyle

What gives you energy?

Our energy level is so important to doing all the things that need to be done in a given day, and how we feel in our bodies. When our energy is low, life can feel like a huge struggle. But the good news is that there are so many variables are within our control that we can impact to increase our energy level on a daily basis.

Being outdoors is life giving. Sunlight exposure releases seratonin in the brain which is one of the happy chemicals in our brain – mood boosting. You can track your time outside on your devices and try hit at least 100 minutes a day, even in the winter months. On rainy days it doesn’t rain ALL DAY. So you may find even on those days you can carve out some outdoor time. You have to make it a non-negotiable for yourself, just like any other habit that you want to stick. Getting sunlight in the early morning hours (during/after sunrise) is so important. You can set an alarm on your phone that goes off every morning 10 minutes before sunrise. Even days you are at work you can step out and take a short 5-10 minute walk. You can do the same thing at lunch and try to after work as well. Daily sunlight exposure also helps with our circadian rhythm which impacts our sleep!

Sleep is so important to energy level. During the work week, 8 hours may not always be realistic realistic, but you can try to shoot for 6 and a half to 7 at a minimum. On days you don’t work, strive to hit that 8 hour mark. You can track this on your devices as well. You will sleep better when you limit your fluids before bedtime, keep it cool in the room but put on lots of covers. Strange things like wearing socks and certain comfy joggers may impact your sleep. Wearing pants that stay in place is helpful (that don’t ride up to your knee) but also cotton or other lightweight fabrics are helpful. You can diffuse and wear essential oils like lavender and cedarwood. Cedarwood and magnesium are everything for sleep. A total game changer. Reading before bed helps too. Put your phone in “red mode” and airplane mode. Also try to stay off your phone while laying in bed. You should train your brain that the bed is where we sleep, not where we eat, watch TV, or scroll on our phones. This may be far from your norm but I promise it helps!

Exercise can make so much difference for your energy level. After a long day at work, it can be so tempting to go home and collapse on the couch and binge Netflix. It may even feel intuitive to go take a nap! But you will learn different. Once you have made exercise after work a non-negotiable, your energy level will be so much better. Not just after your workout, but the following day. The days you exercise, you will sleep better, and when you sleep better, you feel so much better the day after! I will be honest – at first it will be HARD, but what they say about it taking 30 days to form a habit is so true! Once it’s your habit, it will become automatic. If you don’t already have a practice of daily exercise, I recommend starting with a walk around your neighborhood. And the first week will be the hardest. The most difficult part of starting an exercise practice is pulling on those workout clothes. So just do it! Once you’ve gone to the trouble of changing clothes, it’s happening!

Eating healthier can be another game changer. Anytime you consider eating something, ask yourself if you will feel better or worse after eating it. When you become more mindful of everything you put in your mouth, and start looking at it through this lens, everything will change. If you have an intolerance to certain foods like gluten or lactose, it may become easier for you to say “no” to those foods because you will in time care more about how you feel! If you don’t have an intolerance to any foods, there are surely foods that you can think of that make you feel better afterward, or worse afterward. Eat more of the things that make you feel good and energized and less of those that don’t. Plain and simple.

Finally, spend time with people who fill your tank. These can be friends or family members, but you know who the people are in your life that just make you feel better when you are around them.

These may seem common sense, but they are also all things that require intentionalilty, and are worth making a priority. As you create better habits and a healthier lifestyle, you will find that these life choices will give you more energy and improve your life as a whole.

essential oils · health · natural lifestyle · personal development

Processing Negative Emotions in the Body

Let. It. Go. Anger, hate, resentment – all the negativity.

Did you know that each of our emotions are stored in specific organs of our body? Anger, for example, is stored in the liver. If you think about it this makes a lot of sense. Think of the term “disease.” Broken down it is literally “dis-ease,” meaning we are not at ease. Negative emotions then present themselves as illnesses in our bodies. This means the more emotional healing that we do can result in physical healing and better health overall.

Each emotion we have gets stored in a specific organ in our bodies according to traditional Chinese medicine. Learn more here.

Let’s take a look at anger, specifically, how we can process it in a healthy way, and actually release it from our bodies. Because it is stored in the liver, a focus on liver health is imperative. The liver serves as the body’s filter, so the fewer toxins, alcohol and drugs that we ingest the better. The more water and whole foods we take in the better. It’s kind of common sense, but a healthy liver is going to benefit you having a more peaceful life experience if that is the home to anger!

Anger can be released by the use and application of specific essential oils. There are blends of these oils for this exact purpose. Three of my favorites are Juvaflex, Release, and Trauma Life. Trauma Life is great for helping to bring suppressed emotions to the surface so that you can then process them. Release is good for releasing negative emotions in general, while Juvaflex targets liver health specifically.

If your focus is releasing anger, Juvaflex would be your best bet. Anger and hate are stored in the liver, which causes extreme toxicity. Juvaflex contains oils that have been recognized medically and traditionally for aiding the body in cleansing the liver, allowing the body to release the emotions of anger and hate. You can either apply these oils over the liver which is right below the rib cage on the right side. Or you can just add a drop or two to epsom salts in a bath. You can almost feel the negativity melt away.

If your anger stems from trauma or past events and resentment, I would strongly consider Trauma Life. This blend helps bring suppressed anger and other negative emotions to the surface so that you can process it and move through it. I would recommend simultaneously seeing a therapist to help you talk through these feelings in a supported setting. The application and recommended uses for Trauma Life are the same as explained for Juvaflex.

All three of the oils I have shared here can be used to help you process anger and help facilitate moving through negative emotions so that you can lead a happier, healthier life.

Finally, for processing and releasing more deep-rooted emotions and trauma as a result of abuse, there is a blend creating for that called Sara. Sara promotes relaxation into a mental state whereby you may be able to release and let go of negative emotions and the memory of traumatic experiences.

For more tips and ideas for processing negative emotions, check out 6 Healthy Ways to Process Emotions as an Introvert.

This article contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

health · quarantine

Supplements to take during Pandemic

Vitamin B, C and D.

Do you have these? I’ve noticed lately that these are recommended for those who test positive. I also know well before this these same vitamins were recommended to stay healthy and be taken preventatively. I take all three daily and will continue to do so.

Do you know why each of these are needed?

Vitamin C probably goes without saying, during the winter months especially.

Vitamin B is great for energy! Super B contains all the B vitamins you need.

Vitamin D is what you take in from the sun and is lacking in winter months. I read recently that 80% of those who tested positive had low vitamin D levels. Take a look at the graphs below of this correlation. Low vitamin D is also linked to depression.

I encourage you to add these to your daily supplements.

essential oils · health · natural lifestyle

Natural Deodorants and DIY Anti-perspirant

Let’s talk DEO.

Anyone else out there who has tried several natural deodorants and even tried making their own? After many, many product tests and recipe attempts, Primal Pit Paste is my absolute favorite. Only it’s not an antiperspirant. So I took a shot at making my own spray.

The Essential Oils Desk Reference book recommended sage and Purification, and my ref guide 4 essential oils app added Endoflex to the list which my husband uses to support his thyroid. I love it!

I can’t say that I don’t sweat at all, but I don’t get wet circles under my arms and I know the body needs to sweat some to get rid of toxins. I’m just thankful not to be applying memory killer aluminum to my body anymore. I need all the brain cells I can get!

Please do your own research and you will find as I unfortunately did, that over-the-counter deodorants contain aluminum, which has been linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s.

To make your own anti-perspirant use any of these oils you may have on hand:

  • 2 oz spray bottle
  • 2 drops sage
  • 2 drops Endoflex
  • 2 drops Purification
  • 2 drops nutmeg
  • 2 drops petitgrain (EO that controls perspiration like no other, IMO)
  • a splash of witch hazel
  • fill rest of the way with water

If you don’t have all of these, I think just Purification or just petitgrain would work great. I’ve actually applied a drop of Purification under each arm on days I’ve left the house without using my spray. Works awesome in a pinch. 🤓

You can get started with the world leader in essential oils here.

natural lifestyle · quarantine · Uncategorized

Earthing: Getting dirty for your health.

During this time of quarantine, I try to stay focused on ways to give myself and my family every advantage possible: to be the healthiest, mentally stable versions of ourselves. Healthy diet and self-care have been a priority for sure. We have slowed down, are eating better and exercising more than we did prior to this time.

But I am always open and seeking other ways to keep us at our best in a time where circumstances would point to the opposite. I follow a gal on Instagram who mentioned earthing in a post, and that she found her info on NCBI, and I was intrigued.

What is earthing? NCBI explains, “Earthing (also known as grounding) refers to contact with the Earth’s surface electrons by walking barefoot outside or sitting, working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems, some of them patented, that transfer the energy from the ground into the body.”

Early humans walked the earth barefoot and even slept on the ground. Could this have given them a physical advantage over their modern-day, rubber-sole-wearing counterparts?

I also share the concern of many about the introduction of the fifth generation of wireless communication technology. The NBHI study gives us hope stating that earthing “essentially eliminates the ambient voltage induced on our bodies from common electrical sources.” 🌲❤️

After reading through the NBHI study on earthing, it does seem to show evidence that walking barefoot is more than beneficial. When we engage in earthing we are making direct physical contact with the vast supply of electrons on the surface of the Earth. Order up a serving of “sunshine, clean air and water, nutritious food, physical activity,” and add to that list…earthing. Research to date shows “it may be an essential element to the health equation.”

The past two days, I’ve experimented. I made a point to do simple outdoor tasks barefoot. Watering the flowers, checking the mail, having coffee. What I noticed afterward was not only a calming, but the nostalgia of that feeling of grass between my toes. And the realization that I am much more tender-footed than my ten-year-old self who could run across a gravel driveway unfazed. I have missed this.

Move over Lysol and Clorox wipes. Dirty feet may keep you healthy.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265077/

Edited to add:

After reading this study several years ago on the effects of wifi, I quit sleeping with my phone and using it as an alarm clock. And it also birthed a skepticism and concern within me about the effects of our electronic devices on our bodies, and ultimately the writing of this post.

 

Uncategorized

How Bubblegum is Made: Plastics and Rubber?

We watched this video for “science” this morning and then wished we didn’t. Gum used to be made from gum from trees but now it is made of synthetic rubber and plastic! We did more research after the video and learned that nowadays gum is not biodegradable.😷

Did you know most chewing gum contains plastic?

This is why mom always said, “Don’t swallow your gum!” I do not want my kids chewing on plastic and definitely don’t want them potentially swallowing it. Kids say they don’t but we know different. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Then we discovered Glee gum. It contains no plastics, is sugar free and contains no aspartame (associated with Alzheimer’s). Looks like a good one and I’m pretty sure I have seen it at our local pharmacy. Sorry and you’re welcome. We can’t unlearn this stuff.

essential oils · health · natural lifestyle

DIY Thieves

DIY Thieves.

Last week, I did the unthinkable. I ran out of Thieves. 😭 And this is NOT the time to be without the king of immune system support oils!

Obviously I ordered more, but until it gets here, I had to get creative. I realized that not only do I have all of the ingredients to make my own Thieves, I realized that Young Living is giving most of these to their customers this month as promos for hitting different spending targets. They are giving us the gift of health!

How accurate this is, I’m not for sure, but all four recipes that I was able to find online generally had this ratio:

2 drops rosemary
3 drops eucalyptus
4 drops cinnamon bark
7 drops lemon
8 drops clove

I kept this ratio but multiplied each number times 5 and placed in an empty dropper bottle to make a synergy or mixture. I did not add any carrier oils. This way, I can simply add 4-6 drops of the mixture to our diffuser. And it almost smells just like our wonderful Thieves!

Notice I said “almost.” Rest assured when my bottle of Thieves arrives I will be going back to it. I’m no Gary Young over here! But if you’re ever in a pinch, this is good to know about.

I won’t be wasting this concoction. My family really likes it so it is going to be the “Thieves” for our kitchen diffuser.

Raise your hand if you have Thieves or something similar in your wellness cabinet!