In the Mommy Trenches

5 Easy Christmas Crafts to Make With Your Children

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 19:14:00 +0000

Here are 5 of the easiest and prettiest Christmas crafts for you to make and enjoy with your family. Nothing is more heart-warming than a Christmas ornament crafted with love.

5 Easy Christmas Crafts to Make With Your Children

A recent trip to the ER with my son and a sprained foot meant that he's been tied to the couch with his foot propped up all day. To combat boredom and prevent the T.V. from being on the entire time, I have had to think on my feet and pull activities out of my mom bag.

If you're organized, this may not be so hard to do. If you are more like me, who has recently purged all her craft supplies and a lot are packed up due to a laundry room reno, you will be scrambling. Never, fear. The internet to the rescue. Here are a few of the easiest Christmas crafts I've found that needed little supplies.

Yarn Wrapped Star at Live Laugh Rowe

This Christmas craft was really easy and turned out super cute using just a spare piece of cardboard and leftover yarn. I didn't bother with the glue, we just poked a hole through the top of the cardboard and after tying a knot in the yarn we pulled it through to secure it. This craft only took about 5 to 10 minutes to do which was just long enough to keep his interest and yet turned out a decent craft at the same time.

Image from Live Laugh Rowe

Mini Yarn Hat Ornaments by Easy Peasy and Fun

If you have a December baby and are looking for an easy Christmas craft to do at their birthday party - this is it. I have done countless crafts at birthdays over the years only to sincerely regret my choices. This craft was super easy. All you need to do is prep the cardboard rings and cut the string to the correct length ahead of time. The girls sat quietly chatting while they worked on this craft listening to music. It turned out super cute.

Image from Easy Peasy and Fun

Tissue Paper Wreath by Happiness is Homemade

Making tissue paper crafts is super nostalgic for me. There is something satisfying about gluing and placing all those little squares of tissue. A little more prep work for this craft but still super easy and few supplies needed. Cardboard, tissue paper, and glue. That's it. I would love to see this done in different colors.

Image from Happiness is Homemade

Easy Yarn Ornaments on Up Craft Club

These ornaments may look like they take some work but they are easier than making pom-poms. I kid you not. I have a ton of leftover yarn and can't wait to make these beautiful decorations. The secret is scrunched up newspaper to create the form so you use less wool and it's less heavy as well. Genius!

Image from Up Craft Club via Lissana

Yarn Ball Ornaments by All Things G&D

Another easy to do ornament using leftover yarn. If you don't mind the mess of glue - you're little ones will surely love it. Super simple to do. You just need a few balloons, some yarn and a spot to hang the ornaments up to dry. Whatever size you choose to make - these are sure to look lovely on the tree or as a hanging garland.

Image from All Things G&D

What are your favorite Christmas crafts to do with kids?

Why You Need to Support Small Business Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Sat, 24 Nov 2018 17:21:00 +0000

Small Business Saturday

Did you know that it's Small Business Saturday today? Every year, it falls on the day after Black Friday as a way of continuing the sales and getting the word out to consumers to support small business owners.

Why You Need to Support Small Business Saturday

Small businesses:

form the backbone of our economy providing valuable services to consumers;
support the community by hiring employees;
donate to causes like local charities and school fundraisers;
support the local economy by spending their earnings in their communities; and
help create a vision for the future of a community.

I never intended to be a small business owner and actually fell into it rather by chance. I had actually trained as a legal assistant and worked as one for 13 years when I became pregnant with my first child. As always, life happens and circumstances change so I was glad when the opportunity came up for me to have my own small business and yet contribute to the family income at the same time.

Running my own small business allowed me to stay home with my three children. When my oldest daughter was diagnosed with autism, I was able to cut back my hours so as to be able to take her to the therapies and support she needed. Many times over the past few years, I have wondered how I would have been able to get my daughter to her therapies if I didn't have freedom in my work schedule. I am sure any parent of a special needs child can relate.

So when my daughter developed anxiety in the school system and needed more support, being my own boss, enabled me to make the choice to homeschool.

My son tells me he's glad that I am home. He feels secure in the knowledge that he knows where I am or will be. That I will be there for him when he gets home. He won't need that security forever but for now, I can give that to him.

Being a small business owner gives me that freedom!

So I would urge you to look around and if there's some way you can, support a small business owner whether it's online or in a physical store. You will not only have made their day but you have no idea what their personal circumstances are and what it means to have people support them.

If you get good service - shout it from the mountain tops! Let your friends and family know. You just may have saved someone's marriage, been the means of a child getting to dance or one step closer to being debt free.

In honour of Small Business Saturday - I am offering free standard shipping on my Black Friday special. Click Black Friday Deals

Aromaease - Enjoy the Ride

You Need to Take Advantage of These 2 Essential Oil Deals

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Sat, 24 Nov 2018 01:41:00 +0000

I'm offering my own Black Friday flash sale on the Young Living Premium Starter Kit. This is the kit that changed my family's health!!

Black Friday Deals - You Won't Want to Miss

This is for those of you who haven't yet taken the oily plunge! 🌿 Today is your day!! You can grab your Premium Starter Kit PLUS get a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card!! All for the price of $160 US or $199.75 CAD

OFFER AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 23RD TO NOVEMBER 26TH

If you're ready to sign up: https://tinyurl.com/ycw49jzt

Plus you'll receive a welcome package! How great would that be for Christmas!!

You could take extra advantage of this Black Friday deal and get two diffusers in this package deal Young Living has created just for this sale!

EXTENDED UNTIL NOVEMBER 24TH

Order this two diffuser kit and I'll send you not only a welcome package full or recipes and tips for using your oils but I'll also send you a reference guide - 150 Uses Fast and Fabulous from Life Science Publishing!

Why do we love this kit so much? Let me break it down for you:

LAVENDER - Best sleep ever AND peaceful kiddos and mamas! 🌿

LEMON - This is a “cleansing” or “clearing” oil which is amazing for supporting wellness, but also awesome for the emotions. 🍋

FRANKINCENSE - This is a very “grounding” oil. Grounding oils are calming and bring down thoughts and emotions. 💗

THIEVES - This is the oil for a big ‘ol immunity support! You can use this proactively before you start the school day. 👊

PANAWAY - This is a great oil for so many things! Growing pains, after workout soreness, clumsy issues etc. PanAway is where it’s at!

DIGIZE - The BEST tummy oil! 💩

COPAIBA - This is an overall great oil and it’s kind of sneaky because it gets lost in the mix of oils!!! It’s great to support immunity overall. 😍

CITRUS FRESH - This is the oil for all the smells. Used for emotional support and for uplifting on hard and stressful days! Also, a really great compliment to lemongrass with stinky athletes! 🍊

RAVEN - This is the oil AMAZING rolled onto the chest during the fall and winter months! Also diffuse for a refreshing, calming aroma. 👃

PEPPERMINT - Not only does Peppermint Vitality help with digestion, it’s an AMAZING after dinner mint! Take in a capsule, or simply put a drop on your tongue! 👅

STRESS AWAY - Roll onto the wrists and neck for calming and relaxing

Share this amazing deal with your friends!! Friends don't let friends NOT be oily!

4 Easy Ways to Avoid the Winter Clutter That Drives You Crazy

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 03:42:00 +0000

These tips are how I organize our winter gear so as to avoid the clutter that seems to happen just by having kids.

(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY AT THE END OF THIS POST)

5 Easy Ways to Avoid the Winter Clutter That Drives You Crazy

My solution?

Tip #1 to Avoid Winter Clutter

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add a cotton ball with a few drops of Purification essential oil

Purification Essential Oil

Tip #2 to Avoid Winter Clutter

I have a basket just for hats and scarves.

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Tip #3 to Avoid Winter Clutter

Tip #4 to Avoid Winter Clutter

Winter Boots

DIY a pebble tray like the one made by Martha Stewart here.
Those are my tips on how to avoid the winter clutter. Do you already do some of these? Share your tips for avoiding clutter in the comments below.

5 Simple Steps to Amazing Cranberry Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 05:51:00 +0000

We recently had Thanksgiving in Canada this month and as I do every year, I pulled out this old post to refresh my memory on how to make my cranberry sauce. I thought since the American Thanksgiving was coming up soon, that it would be nice to re-share this classic Thanksgiving recipe!

Cranberry sauce is one of those things that you either love or hate. Kind of like mince pies. My reluctance to eat cranberry sauce myself could stem from my own youthful memories. My mother, not a fan of it either, would grudgingly serve it by dumping a can of cranberry sauce into a dish and placing it on the table. It would sit there, rings and all in a jelled mass. She didn't so much as mash it into the bowl. Nothing looks so unappetizing as seeing a jellied mound of red stuff with can rings.

However, a few years ago I started hosting Thanksgiving and since my husband and his father absolutely love cranberry sauce, I figured I would try and make it from scratch. After all, everything tastes better homemade, am I right? Years later, it is the most asked for special treat at my dinners. My husband and his dad love it and even two of my three kids love it.

In fact, I started making a double batch so there would be lots of leftovers. I have to admit that even I now find it tasty. It's nice and tart and fresh. I do draw the line at putting it on my turkey though. Yuck.

5 Simple Steps to Amazing Cranberry Sauce

This recipe is so easy even the most basic of cooks can manage it. It takes very little time to prepare and can be made a day or two ahead.

Amazing Cranberry Sauce

Fresh Cranberries

Ingredients:

8 oz cranberries1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

1. Make sure you pick over the cranberries carefully. Use only the ripest or reddest berries and remove anything that looks yucky so you don't add in any nasty or odd flavours to your sauce.

2. Add sugar and water to a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Hear the cranberries pop!

3. Add cranberries and reduce to low heat and simmer 10 minutes or until cranberries pop. And I do mean pop. You will hear them literally popping in the pot. I made sure all of mine were popped and good and soft.

4. Remove from heat. Using a potato masher - mash the berries. My family prefers their sauce to have small chunks of cranberries but you can mash it down to more of a puree if you like.

5. Allow to cool at room temperature before placing in the fridge. The sauce will set as it chills.

I'd definitely make this the day before to give it plenty of time to set but the morning of works just as well. For an added variety, you can add some orange zest or a drop or two of orange essential oil to give it that extra flavour. Many people also add walnuts or pecans to the sauce but we prefer to eat ours plan.

What's your favourite Thanksgiving dish?

I buy my essential oils here.

Amazon.ca Widgets

6 Tips to Finding Joy As a Mom of Special Needs

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 18:50:00 +0000

One of my biggest struggles over the past few years has been finding my joy. I think a lot of us mothers feel this way regardless of whether we're working in the home or out of it. Whether our children are neuro-typical or special needs. Too often, we feel overwhelmed and stressed by the number of things that are on our plates.

I have been reading more and more posts about how moms are so stressed. I find myself nodding wholeheartedly in agreement and tagging my husband in posts because he just doesn't seem to get the mental strain of being the one to juggle all the balls in the air. My husband is amazing, he really is and is always willing to pitch in. He's just not pro-active about it.

Really, wouldn't it be nice if he would stop and think about whether or not the kids had clean socks for the morning or the kids' dishes actually made it into the dishwasher instead of beside it?

It would be nice if someone took responsibility for the dog without having to be reminded or wiped down the dirty fingerprints from the door frame without being told. Wouldn't that make my job so much easier? I would be just so much happier if they all just pitched in more.

(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY AT THE END OF THIS POST)

Except who's responsibility is it to make me happy? Is it my husband? My kids? No! It's actually me.

Yes, if they did those things my life would certainly be easier. It'd be easier if every request to my 15-year-old to clean up after herself didn't spiral down into a half-hour discussion (or fight) with me always being perceived as being the bad guy.

I just don't think it's realistic of me to think that my family is suddenly going to develop the ability to multi-task the same way I do. Quite frankly, my unrealistic expectations have made for an unhappy home. Have you heard the saying "when mom's not happy, no one's happy"? It's so true.

At times, I've felt like I have to just resign myself to being unhappy about the state of my home until the kids move out, which seems like a long ways away. Only no one can be that unhappy without it spilling over onto everyone else.

Which brings me back to - who's responsible for my happiness?

It's me. No one else. I need to make the choice to be happy, to actively seek contentment in where I am at and with who I am today. Not worrying about tomorrow or how clean my house is.

Quite often - it's a daily if not moment by moment choice I need to make.

Six Steps to Finding Joy as a Special Needs Mom

1. Let it go - it's just a mess, it's just things. What doesn't get done today will get done tomorrow. The world will not end if a chore does not get finished. Your time with your family may be short or long, you have no idea. Is it really worth fighting over socks?

2. Prayer - I believe in setting my intentions for the day and whether you are a believer or not, setting aside a few quiet moments in the morning as you contemplate your day can set your day on the right path. I pray for strength and patience. It's also a good time to remember to thank your Redeemer for the blessings you've been given. When I am in the thick of things, it's sometimes hard to remember that I prayed hard to be blessed with children. Fifteen years and many meltdowns later, I sometimes need to remind myself of what a gift these children are.

Painting in My Kitchen

3. Find Your Joy. Figure out what brings you joy (besides your family) and steal little moments to fill your cup. Whether it's a 20-minute soak in the tub, or a canvas set up in the kitchen to paint on. Find something that you can do for yourself. I started walking one night a week with some ladies from church. It's a night my husband usually can be home with the kids. Then I started painting Sunday afternoons. It feels good to be creative again and it's amazing how quickly the kids accepted that this was "mom's time". They are my biggest cheerleaders when I let them. Every time I come home with a new art piece - they ooh and ah over it and make me feel like a Rembradt.

4. Ask For Help. Make up a to-do list and assign names to chores. Even for your husband. Of course, it would be nice if they did things without having to be asked but you might as well ask for the moon. Maybe in 10 or 20 years, they'll remember the dish goes IN the dishwasher and then again, they might not. It's just a dish and one day there will be no one to leave dishes out.

I started using this magnetic chore list. I thought this was great since I could stick it right on the fridge for everyone to see. Using liquid chalk pens, I wrote down the list of chores of tasks I needed to have done each day. Then assigning each child their own colour, I added their names across the week alternating so that they'd be doing a different chore each day to make things more balanced.

5. Essential Oils - I would be remiss if I didn't include oils in my list. It's amazing at how effective essential oils can be in support your emotional well-being. A couple of oils that I use regularly are:

Joy - I apply this amazing blend every morning over my heart. It has an uplifting fragrance that works to boost positive emotions throughout the day. Some people even use it as their perfume by applying it to their wrists or neck.

Stress Away - exactly what the name implies it is to help you combat stress. I apply this to my wrists as needed through-out the day. I diffuse it and apply it to the kids as needed.

Valor - this oil helps boost my confidence and give me courage. I diffuse it, apply 2-4 drops to my shoulder blade.

By using the AFT (Aroma Freedom Technique), we can use the power of scent to gently shift awareness away from the negative thoughts and feelings we might be experiencing and instead initiating a positive outlook and attitude. This results in greater confidence and inner freedom.

Sounds a bit weird? Well, just think about the last time you smelled apple pie or freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies? How did those smells make you feel? Did it bring back fond memories of childhood? It's basically the same principles. Familiar smells can help you re-live both positive and negative things from your past.

(For more information on essential oils - check out this post: Essential Oils

6. Goal Setting

Take time and set new goals that will help you keep going towards the vision in which you have been called.

In the day-to-day grind of life, sometimes we are so busy just "living" or getting through the day that we forget what our true purpose or vision is. Take some time to meditate or pray on what your purpose is. If you feel like you're failing, then it's time to step back and re-think on the way you do things. Sometimes a small change can make the biggest difference.

Setting even small goals of what you hope to achieve regardless of whether you achieve the goals, in the end, will give you a sense of purpose.

Don't want to think of the big picture? Setting daily goals can help you feel like you've accomplished something.

Of course, this all sounds easier said than done. Change can certainly can be difficult and scary to consider but if you're living in a state of non-joy - not changing would be allowing yourself to stay stuck. No one wants to stay stuck!

Remember, it's all about baby steps. Sometimes it's helpful to confide in a friend or a spouse. By sharing with someone your struggles they can actually be a help by encouraging you to make those positive changes and if necessary hold you accountable.

What positive changes would you like to make today?

I bought my Magnetic Chore Chart on Amazon along with liquid chalk markers. Absolutely amazing to use.

So Much More than a Box of Oils - Premium Starter Kit Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 23:51:00 +0000

Fall signifies a transformation in many aspects – from shorter days to cooler temperatures and warmer drinks. The season is full of changing attitudes, agendas and aspirations! As kids go back to school, you can kick off your own season of learning and growth by getting back to the basics, setting goals and exploring new opportunities that come in your Premium Starter Kit (PSK)!

Between September 11-30, 2018, begin your whole-life wellness journey with 10% off a Canadian Premium Starter Kit (PSKs)! From pure essential oils and blends to plant-based, oil-infused essentials, the PSK unpacks the everyday products you need to reveal a strong foundation of green living for yourself, your home and your family. After all, the PSK is so much more than just a box of oils; it’s an opportunity for a new beginning.

Qualifying Premium Starter Kits

Premium Starter Kit with Desert Mist (24073)

Premium Starter Kit with Dewdrop (546303)

Premium Starter Kit with Thieves (546603)

Premium Starter Kit with NingXia Red (546703)

Sale wholesale: $179.77
Sale retail: ER exclusive*
Sale PV: 90.00

Regular wholesale: $199.75 Regular retail: ER exclusive*
Regular PV: 100.00

Sale wholesale: $179.77
Sale retail: ER exclusive*
Sale PV: 90.00

Regular wholesale: $199.75
Regular retail: ER exclusive*
Regular PV: 100.00

Whether you are interested in natural wellness and living free of harsh chemicals, are brand new to essential oils, a long-time member or both, there’s no better time than now to discover the opportunities for a healthier, greener lifestyle.

Available in Canada Only.

4 Awesome Essential Oils You Won't Want to be Without This Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 00:48:00 +0000

Hooray, it’s officially summer! I’m looking forward to the warm weather and being outside more and spending time sitting by the pool watching the kids swim. How about you? Although, I do have to admit that there are a few things about summer that can be a pain…like bugs and sunburns.

You probably know by now that I LOVE LOVE my essential oils but you might not know that I do actually use them every single day. I have even started hosting classes regularly, so I can get together with friends and talk about how these amazing oils work.

(Of course, all the oils I’m talking about in this post are from Young Living and are therapeutic grade.)

In my Summer Essential Oils Class, these are some of the oils that we talk about it and top my list of:

4 Awesome Essential Oils You Won't Want to be Without This Summer

Purification

Purification

One of my favourites for summer is Purification. I love the smell. It works great as a bug repellent but also has many more uses. For instance, there was a grease spill in the oven the other night and boy did it smoke up my house and make everything stinky. I quickly loaded up my diffuser with a couple drops of Purification oil and turned it on. After about 20 minutes, the stinky smoke odour was gone. Yay!

To read more about Purification essential oil or to purchase click the image.

Lavender

Lavender is known as the Swiss Army knife of all the oils and can be used for almost anything. If you don’t know what to use for something you can always try Lavender. It works great for seasonal sniffles (when combined with peppermint and lemon) but also works to soothe burns and blisters

To read more about Lavender essential oil or to purchase click the image.

Peppermint

Peppermint Vitality

My go-to oil for a headache or tummy troubles is peppermint. Just the smell alone is uplifting. Peppermint is considered a hot oil but can be used to help you cool down after a hot day too when added to a little witch hazel in a spray bottle. It's also the perfect combination to cool off tired, achy feet. Just be sure to use a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil when applying directly to your skin.

To learn more about Peppermint Essential Oil or to purchase click the image.

Lemon Vitality

Lemon Vitality

Lemon just screams summer. By adding citrus oils (lemon or Citrus Fresh) to my water bottle {glass only}, not only am I encouraging myself to keep hydrated with tasty water but I’m also profiting from all the health benefits lemons give us. Not only does it boost your energy but by diffusing it in your home it can boost your mood.

Also, using Lemon essential oil in your water won't erode the enamel on your teeth.

To learn more about Lemon Vitality Essential Oil or purchase, click the image.

Here are some great recipes to mix up and have on hand throughout the summer:

After Sun Spray

Bug Repellant Spray

Ditch the Itch Roller

What are your favourite oils for summer?

Where to Buy Essential Oils?

It is really important to know that you are getting therapeutic grade quality essential oils. Not all essential oils are created equal. For more information on essential oils and why I chose Young Living - check out this link.

How to Choose Love When Parenting Sucks

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 18:22:00 +0000

It was a quiet moment after dinner. My youngest two were hiding off in the fort they had built behind the couch. My oldest was working on a story on her computer and I was sitting reading. Just a typical moment in our home when the younger two did or said something that annoyed the oldest.

Also typical was my 14-year-old daughter's response: "What the hell are you doing?"

Easier Days

We've been trying for the past year to get her to not talk like that. Her argument - hell is not a swear word. We disagree.

So I reminded her that that sort of language wasn't necessary. She glared at me and as I looked back down at my book I could see that she mouthed or muttered something I didn't
quite catch but the sense was that it was pretty negative towards me.

Now when you're a sensitive parent, like I am, this kind of thing can be crushing. It's been a struggle for more than a year now of her beating me up one moment to fierce loving hugs the next.

Welcome to being a parent of a hormonal teenage girl on the Autism Spectrum.

I did not engage her. I chose to bite my tongue. Something I'm having to learn to do lots. This wasn't even a major interaction and was pretty minor in comparison to some of the episodes we've had. Yet, as I sat staring at my phone, I couldn't help but look back to 5 or 6 years ago when not only was she a lot shorter but I was also her whole world. Love wasn't a roller coaster of conflicting emotions.

As I sat and pictured what she had been like back then, I began to mourn the loss of that young girl. The happy, carefree passionate kid who'd play mermaids in the pool and spent hours digging in the dirt. The one who thought I was awesome and was eager to cuddle up and watch a movie with even if it's the same one over and over again. I was heartsick and somewhat overwhelmed at the thought that that girl was gone.

Then and Now

Now, it's sullenness and selfishness, depression and swearing and bone-crushing hugs when she's seeking assurance afterwards. She'd rather sit on her laptop or tablet for hours than do anything active or spend time with her family. Her mind is amazingly creative and yet so dark it sometimes scares me.

This isn't just an Autism thing and it's not just a teen thing. When you have a child on the spectrum it's like the whole teenage hormonal thing is magnified x1000. I long to go back to the days when parenting this child was simpler and at the same time, I long to skip ahead to the future and bypass these tough years. I can't do either of those things.

What I can do:

I can find the joy in the small moments and celebrate the successes however small.

I can embrace what's special about my child and help her to realize what she is good at and not to focus on the negative.

I can listen to her when she wants to talk. Even when it's mind-numbing boring topics like the latest episode of Voltron.

I can be open to those bone-crushing hugs whenever she needs them, even when I'm elbows deep in dishwater.

I can choose not to focus on the negative.

I can give her space.

I can choose to love when things get ugly.

I can pray over each of my children and ask for God's strength and wisdom in navigating this next stage of life.

I choose to believe that all things are possible!

What would you choose?

Using Essential Oils for Teens

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Tue, 22 May 2018 03:41:00 +0000

Teenager - Yes, there's an oil for that!

I am a parent of a special needs kid who also happens to be a teenager. Some days it's hard to know whether I'm helping the special needs kid or the teenager. Some days it's both. I don't blog a lot about my child's special needs. It seems like it would be an invasion of her privacy as you can never really get rid of stuff on the world wide web and you have no idea when one day it's going to come back and bite you in the butt.

Regardless of special needs or not, today's teens have it hard and face an incredible amount of pressure. Not only are they preparing for their future, but they have to make it through some of the most awkward times of their lives. Throw in hormonal changes and it's no wonder they are over-stressed and tried.

I thought I'd share some of the essential oils I use to support my teenager.

EMOTIONS

We all have emotional ups and downs and this is really something teens struggle with. They’ve got a lot going on and a lot of pressure. Sometimes they just need a little extra support to make it through the day.

One really great oil for this is JOY

Joy is a blend of bergamot, lemon, palmarosa, ylang ylang, mandarin, rose, geranium, jasmine, Roman Chamomile, and coriander.

This uplifting blend creates a magnetic energy and brings happiness to your heart. Literally, it’s amazing. I dab a drop over my heart every day, you can apply it to your wrists or behind your ears. It smells amazing if you diffuse it with orange tangerine. Because it is very floral – it makes a great natural perfume. In the case of my teen- who’s sensitive to strong scents like this one – I will add Joy to a roller bottle with a little orange essential oil and some carrier oil and give her that – I find just having it diluted like that helps.

If you have a teen that just cannot let go – Release might be a good oil for them. It has a relaxing aroma that helps facilitate the ability to let go of anger and frustration – it can also promote harmony and balance when it’s diffused. It’s often used along with Joy – as it’s pretty powerful.

ENERGY

One of the toughest jobs I have in a day is getting my teen up for school. Even though we homeschool, I like to get the day started reasonably early and I find that when I diffuse something like Citrus Fresh (which is a blend of citrus oils and spearmint) it actually helps everyone get moving in the morning.

If you don’t have citrus fresh – try lemon or grapefruit – Do a little experiment – hold the bottle to you – take a big sniff – and see how that oil makes you feel.

The tough part will still be getting the teen out of bed but once they’re up – you’ll probably notice that they become more alert quicker. It really helps set the tone for the day.

Another way I support my teen's energy levels is with Ningxia Red - this yummy antioxidant drink that combines the wolfberry superfruit with 100 percent pure essential oils. With my daughter – I decided to get consistent with it and started giving it to her every day. I bought a box of these as little packets. I noticed a change almost like right away. Suddenly, my daughter went from being pretty inactive to wanting to go downstairs and exercise on the WII. She went outside for walks and jumped on the trampoline. I was amazed.

Ningxia Red may also help improve mental clarity, supports the digestive system, immune system, and our brains. It’s a great part of starting the day off right nutritionally. It can be drunk on its own or you can add it to a smoothy.

The little snack packs are convenient to toss in your kid’s lunch. They are great frozen too. I also know some people like to make them into little fruit gummies, which is kinda cool.

SKIN SUPPORT

Some teens are really lucky and this barely affects them but other’s need a little more support. You definitely want to stay away from those toxic skin cleansers and stick with a more natural product.

Tea Tree Essential Oil, Melrose, Lavender, and Frankincense are all amazing oils for supporting skin. You can add a drop of any one of these oils to some jojoba oil and apply.

A simple DIY foaming facial cleanser would be:

¼ cup of castile soap

¼ cup of distilled water

2 tsp of jojoba oil – almond oil would work too

2 tsp aloe vera gel –

8-12 drops of essential oils – like lavender, frankincense

Add that to a foaming pump bottle and give it a little mix. You can find those at the dollar store or on Amazon. They’re great because they are re-usable.

So there are a lot of different blends that you can use with essential oils depending on what the skin type or issue is. Really easy to google – essential oils for skin types – that will help you narrow it down.

You can do the same thing for toner and a moisturizer. Lots of great DIY recipe out there. Or if you’re not the DIY type – Young Living has the Art Skincare Line – which is ready to go – to help tackle those issues. Young Living also has a face wash called Orange Blossom which smells amazing.

HORMONES

Teenagers are full of raging hormones. A couple oils that can help with this are:

Peace and Calming – is a blend of ylang-ylang, tangerine, patchouli and Blue Tansy – can act as a calmative – and enhance relaxation. This would be great to apply to the bottom of their feet before bed to help with that wind-down period. A few drops can even be added to an Epsom salt bath at the end of the day for relaxation or combine it with Citrus Fresh – for a bright, invigorating scent that’s perfect for mornings or before school.

Dragon Time – is a blend of soothing and calming oils including clary sage – to help support women’s emotions during those special times of the month. It’s helps support healthy emotions during our cycle and can be used on both mature and young women. Works great rubbed over your lower back region or used in a compress on your abdomen. Dilute it with a carrier oil for a nice massage. It also has fennel, lavender, marjoram, yarrow and jasmine and it definitely has a very licorice smell.

BRAIN SUPPORT

Another way to help support our teens is by giving them a boost in their learning. Clarity Essential oil – is helpful in promoting a clear mind, mental alertness and bringing focus when you need it. This would be a great oil – to roll on just before test time. Each of my children actually has a bottle of “brain boost” that they roll on before they start their school day and can apply it as they go along. They often don’t really apply it more than once though unless they feel the need for an extra boost.

ODORS

This is kind of funny but we have to say it – those growing bodies come with new smells. I use purification essential oil to help combat those odors. I put it in a spray bottle with distilled water and I use it to spray their rooms instead of those chemical air fresheners. I keep a spare bottle in the bathroom to attack that room on a need to basis.

It’s also great to spray sports bags – clothing – inside their shoes – gym bags -that kind of thing.

If your teen is athletic -swims at the pool or is in gyms – it’s a great idea to help support their foot health by applying a drop of thieves to their feet every day. Helps prevent some of those yucky foot issues we can get from being in public places.

And those athletic teens may need some muscle support after the game. Panaway is a great blend to use on your achy muscles after any sports activity. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you’ve worked those muscles until later. We actually use this after gymnastics .

IMMUNE SUPPORT

I’d also recommend using Thieves essential oil as part of your wellness routine. It helps support your immune system – Getting sick less – means less missed class time – less missed social time.

How about you - are you using essential oils to support your teen? Let me know in the comments how.

For more information on getting started with essential oils - check out my post here.

6 Quick Tips for Organizing Your Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Thu, 17 May 2018 13:30:00 +0000

Studies show that a chaotic home can often result in a chaotic brain.

I believe this to be true. The more clutter my husband and I have allowed into the home the more stressed out I am. Why is it so hard to let go? I just don't know.

But I can't stand the clutter any longer. The mess is driving me crazy. A good friend of mine has inspired me to begin this mission of decluttering my home. Even if it's just one small box at a time.

So this past weekend - I worked on just one room - The Kitchen.

Here are my six tips for tackling the kitchen:

#1. Go through your cupboards, dig way back into the deepest darkest corner of your cupboards and bring out all those items you rarely or never use. If your Great Aunt Martha gave you that hideous vase and while you may love your great aunt but hate the vase -don't hang on to. Let it go (as Elsa would say). The rule of thumb is if you can't actually recall having used something in the past year - it's time to let it go.

#2. Go through your pantry - get rid of any expired products. Same goes for any products that you know you will just not eat. My MIL likes to give us canned peas. We HATE canned peas. Someone else will like canned peas. They are donated to the food bank. However, NEVER donate expired food. That's just rude.

#3. Clean out under the kitchen sink - yes, it's a yucky job (at least in my house) but you'll be amazed at what's hiding back there. Get rid of or use of those almost empty cleaning supplies.

#4. Tupperware - match up lids and containers - then recycle or donate the rest. If you don't have a lid for it - chances are you won't use it.

#5. Cutlery - can I just say sometimes we just have too many gadgets! Sort through the cutlery - do you really need those old baby forks or spoons? I had 7 Mc Donald straws in my drawer. 7. Sure they may come in handy but judging by the-yellowing of the wrapper - they've been there a while.

#6. Spices - spices expire. I've been hanging on to some of mine since the day we moved into the valley 10 years ago.

I'm not sure why I didn't take a before picture (I think I was just too eager to get started) but here's a photo of my spice cupboard after I did the purge. I used my label maker on a couple of the Tupperware containers I had no lids for to hold my spices and sauce packets.

After I was done - I had 6 boxes ready to donate to the local thrift store. My husband decided to top by Value Village since they are open later. They gave us a 30% off coupon we could use in store just for donating.

I have to say it's quite a shock every time I open the cupboard or cutlery drawer. Everything looks so nice and tidy. It's been a few weeks and everything still looks organized. So that's a win for me.

How about you? What's your number 1 organization tip?

I feel Pretty - Amy Schumer's New Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Wed, 16 May 2018 03:26:00 +0000

I went to see Amy Schumer’s new film – I Feel Pretty last night with some girlfriends. I haven’t laughed so hard in a really long time. Despite some of the cringe worthy embarrassing moments Amy's character gets into – the movie’s message really rang though.

It’s about a woman named Renee struggling with insecurity. She has a bad fall and is knocked unconscious. When she wakes up from the fall she sees herself different, believing she is the most beautiful and amazing woman just like those other “hot” girls. Her new confidence causes her to live fearlessly until she realizes that there was no change in her appearance.

Afterwards, we talked about what our favourite bits of the movie were and we all agreed that we’d love to be more like “Renee” – we want to pull off the confidence to be who we are unapologetically without a concern in the world for what other people think.

What stood out the most wasn’t about body sizes or looks but how that confidence is really what you need. You can accomplish a whole hell of a lot with simple confidence. If you believe it, those around you will too.

Too often we feel that we’re not enough. That there is something lacking in us. Whether that’s because of media or society or both, I don’t know. I mean how did we get here? Who decided what the standard of beauty is? You would think with all the actresses speaking out against the Hollywood Beauty Standard that things would be changing. But nope, you still see the fit, toned and often dangerously thin models selling us bikini’s and cars alike. Sure, you’ll read about the backlash over an edited photo but guess what – editors are still editing the photos to fit that “beauty standard”.

It's not about size, it's about your health. What looks healthy on your body can look like death and disease on another. As I keep telling my girls - it's not about your weight, it's about your health. How do you feel in your body. Is your body doing what you want it to do. Don't get caught up in the numbers or the sizes. It definitely has not been easy trying to coach my vulnerable teen through the landmines of store sizes.

So, thank you, Amy Schumer, for rocking your slightly above average body, for being confident in who you are and standing up for women everywhere! PS: thanks for making it only pg-13 so I can take my teen to it.

Top 5 Parenting Mistakes To Avoid

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 19:49:00 +0000

I have been a parent for almost fifteen years now. I realize that doesn't make me an expert but it does give me some insight into this parenting gig. After all, I have managed to parent three children out of the "child years" and into the pre-teen and teenage years. I know I've made mistakes and plenty of them and I'll continue to make more. As parents, we need to realize this and give ourselves a break.

After all, just when you think you have things figured out - your kids change and move on to the next stage. So when you're struggling to understand what's going on it can be helpful to look back and assess what it is you're doing to see if maybe you need to take a different approach.

Here are 5 parenting mistakes we should try to avoid.

1. Taking it Personal

Let me just say that this is one I really struggle with. But we just can't take things personally when our kids act out. We can't take it personally when they say mean things. Kids will say things that are hurtful in the heat of the moment and then 5 minutes or half an hour later they're completely over it. In the meantime, you're still smarting because you can't believe they told you that they hate you when all you can think of are all the things you do for this kid.

That doesn't mean it's okay for them to say hurtful things. You just have to not let those hurtful words pierce your skin. Later, after they've had a chance to calm down is when you can sit with them and talk about more appropriate ways of communicating their frustration. In the heat of the moment, it can be hard to let them go off but I have always found a much better response from my child when I allow their (and my) temper to cool off.

2. One Size Fits All Approach

While it may not seem fair you can't apply the same tactics to each child. I don't know about you but each one of my kids have very different personalities. They respond to discipline in different ways. For example, my older child when she's having a complete meltdown sometimes I need to get louder than her to almost shock her out of her emotional outburst. Thankfully, she's outgrown this. Now that's she older though, I've learned that I need to give her some space when she's upset and when she's ready she'll come back and talk.

Yet with my younger child - when I start to sound frustrated and if my voice is starting to creep up there - he simply shuts down. He starts to cry and is completely overwhelmed. I learned early on that the best way to approach any issue with him is to talk calmly and offer a hug if he's emotional. He always says yes, even at 10 years old.

It's the same with consequences. A certain consequence may mean more to one child than to the other. Consequences themselves are difficult because you need to come up with something that fits the situation. Putting a toy in "time-out" because they didn't pick it up was not effective in our home because the kids just didn't care. Out of sight, out of mind. Having to go to bed 5 or 10 minutes early that night for not listening and arguing back - was way more effective. It only took two nights of following through on this that resulted in way less arguing and more listening.

3. Over Scheduling

It seems to be the thing nowadays to keep your kids busy busy busy. In fact, advice I've had from several older parents who've raised their kids is that keeping them busy keeps them out of trouble.

I don't necessarily agree with this though. Maybe some kids thrive on an active schedule but not all of them do. Mine certainly don't. We forget that kids need down time. Whenever I have too many things planned whether it's after school tutoring or swimming or just scheduled play dates they are sure to let me know they just want time to play. Otherwise, why do we buy them toys if we're not going to give them opportunity to get creative and spend time just doing what kids should be doing - PLAY.

4. Over Praising

There's a lot of parenting talk about building confidence, boosting self-esteem and what easier way to make a child feel good about themselves but to praise them. You'd think it was that simple but it's not. Not everything is praiseworthy. If you over do it, they won't think you're being sincere. If you praise something they know or believe isn't very good - they won't trust you when it really counts.

One way praising backfired for us is with our son. When he was about 6, he began building with Lego. He hadn't started to read yet but he took the Lego instruction book and figured out how to put one of his sets together without any help. This was a set we knew was a little old for him but my husband had planned to help him. So, we were blown away by how clever he was to follow the instructions. We told him what a great job he did, how impressed we were, we bragged about it to his grandparents etc. Sure he was pleased. He'd get a little smile on his face every time he heard us mention it. The problem was that when he eventually got another Lego set meant for older kids, this time he wasn't able to do it. He was so upset. He just beat himself up over it and I realized, we had made such a big deal about how smart he was for doing it before that now he felt like a complete failure. At 6.

Now we dial back the praise and instead use phrases like "Wow, that must make you feel really good that you did that all by yourself" or "How does that make you feel?".

5. Not enough Quality Time

Sometimes we're spending more time doing for our kids than doing with our kids. We get so caught up with driving them to activities, taking care of the home, working and in my case homeschooling that when it comes to family time - we're tapped out. By the end of the day, all I want to do is sit down drink my cup of tea and read for a bit. Of course, that's when my kids want my attention and are begging me to do something with them.

So it's important to carve out some meaningful time with your kids. Set up a family game night maybe one evening a week. Board games didn't go well in my family for a time so instead we played charades. We all brainstormed easy things to act out, wrote them down on strips of paper and put them in a hat. We all had a blast and we saved the paper strips for the next time.

We also made a point of reading to each child individually before bed for 15 minutes or so. My husband and I did this separately so we each had a chance to spend a little one-on-one time with each child. Nowadays that looks more like having a little chat with each of them. I'm always amazed at how much my son has to tell me right before bed. He's had the whole day to talk with me but it all comes bubbling out at bedtime, probably because he's finally still and not doing anything else. If I sent him off to his room with a quick goodnight hug and kiss - I'd miss those chats completely.

Obviously, we're not perfect in this. We're only human and get tired and can't always summon up the patience for them. I have to tell myself - this is a stage. One day, they will be gone and I won't be able to get this time back.

Also, I really can tell in my kid's behavior whether we're spending enough time with them. By with them, I mean really with them - connecting. When I start to see some acting out, negative talk back, I can usually track it back to a lack of quality time with them.

I'm curious whether any of you can identify with these 5 parenting mistakes I've mentioned. Or do you have one that should be added to the list? Let me know, I'd love to hear from you! After all, we parents are all in this together.

Cooking with Essential Oils Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Sun, 25 Feb 2018 22:00:00 +0000

If you're just coming to this post, be sure to check out the first two posts: Cooking with Essential Oils Part 1 and Cooking with Essential Oils Part 2 for more great recipes and information.

What do Essential Oils Do?

As you begin to play around with Young Living essential oils in your kitchen, not only will you have fun as you make new discoveries, but you will be contributing to your family’s health and happiness in a new and fun way!

Essential Oils:

• Are immune enhancing
• Support the body’s natural defenses
• Support the immune, circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, digestive, nervous, and other body systems.
• Aid in maintaining normal cellular regeneration
• Are mood elevating
• Are antiseptic (topical use only)
• Are high in antioxidants
• Are aromatic
• Are oxygenating
• Boost stamina and energy
• Help you relax
• Help manage stress and frustration
• Help reduce the appearance of aging
• Improve mental clarity
• Promote overall health, vitality, and longevity
• Support normal cellular function
• Help with focus and concentration
• Encourage proper nasal function
• Support the lungs and sinuses

Time to Save $20 on Your Oils!

You can get many of the oils we talked about – that’s Lavender, Peppermint Vitality, Lemon Vitality, Frankincense Vitality, Thieves Vitality, PanAway, Di-Gize Vitality, R.C., copaiba, and Purification – in a kit called The Premium Starter Kit.

Young Living will give you an additional FREE 5 ml bottle of Stress Away oil, a few samples of our amazing nutrient infusion, NingXia Red, and a FREE Dewdrop essential oil diffuser valued at $83.88 when you purchase this kit!

With the purchase of this kit, you qualify to get any of the other Vitality oils we talked about today as well as any product in Young Living’s extensive product line for 24% off!

This kit costs $160 with Dewdrop or Home diffuser, $170 with the Bamboo diffuser, $205 with the Rainstone diffuser, $260 with the Aria diffuser, and either you will be pleased with the results, or we will give you your money back!

With an order of this kit, you will be able to get powerful results naturally. You will have the privilege of getting 24% off all future Young Living purchases, and you can get $50 for each person you refer who buys this kit. You will also receive detailed information on how to use each oil, and also the free Stress Away oil and essential oil diffuser!

Grab your PSK before March 15th and save $20! In addition to the great value of oils that you will be receiving, I will send YOU $20.00 - either by paypal or e-transfer.

Sign up here: Premium Starter Kit (scroll down to "Ready to Buy a Starter Kit")

Then, message me when your order is complete so I can send you your $20 rebate! SUPER IMPORTANT! This offer does expire on March 15, 2018.

If you'd just like more information on essential oils or if you would like me to let you know when our next Facebook class is, leave a comment below or send me an email to zeemaid@gmail.com

Cooking with Essential Oils Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 21:30:00 +0000

Everyone is talking about essential oils these days. Essential oils can either be used aromatically, topically or internally. In this 3 part series of posts, I will be sharing ways you can use essential oils in the kitchen along with some delicious recipes.

For part one of this post - click here.

The Economical Choice-Vitality Oils

Each drop of essential oil is loaded with concentrated aroma, flavor, and therapeutic value and can be a much more economical choice than buying expensive fresh or exotic herbs and spices that will go bad before they can be fully used.

Dill oil, for instance, costs just 19 cents per drop. You might use 1-2 drops at a time of dill oil in a salad dressing or marinade, which costs much less than a bunch of fresh dill that will go bad in a week. And your bottle of Young Living Dill Vitality essential oil will last for years as long as it’s stored with the cap tightly on and out of sunlight and extremes in temperature.

Lemongrass Vitality oil costs 7 cents per drop, and you might use 2-3 drops in an Asian curry or soup. You can store your Lemongrass Vitality oil for many years as opposed to fresh lemongrass, which is much more expensive, is difficult to find, and will go bad after a short time.

Essential oils also impart a high frequency to our foods and beverages, helping us experience optimal health and wellness on a day-to-day basis.

Four Categories of Vitality Oils

Young Living’s Vitality essential oils fall into one of four different categories: Citrus, herb, spice, and dietary supplement.

Citrus essential oils such as lemon, lime, grapefruit, and tangerine have a bright, refreshing flavor. Cold-pressed from the rinds of citrus fruits, Citrus Vitality oils are popular additions to desserts, beverages, and much more! Citrus Vitality oils are best used within 1-2 years of opening the bottle.

Herb Vitality essential oils include basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and peppermint. These oils are great to add to soups and sauces, and even some desserts and beverages.

Spice Vitality essential oils such as cinnamon bark, ginger, black pepper, and dill are popular for use in desserts, beverages, soups, salads, and more!

And lastly, Young Living Dietary Vitality oils include frankincense and 3 popular Young Living blends – Thieves, DiGize, and Endoflex. These oils, as well as any of the other Vitality oils, can be added to water, teas, and homemade capsules.

The Herb, Spice, and Dietary Supplement Vitality essential oils can generally last for many years as long as they are stored properly.

Wellness Benefits of Vitality Oils

Several of the Vitality essential oils including Thieves, oregano, and cinnamon bark are known to help support immune health. Many, such as peppermint, spearmint, and ginger, are beneficial for digestive health.

Essential oils such as grapefruit are known to help maintain a healthy weight. All of the Citrus Vitality oils have a gentle cleansing and purifying effect on the body.

Are you beginning to see how versatile cooking with essential oils is? Be sure to check out Cooking with Essential Oils Part 3 for more great recipes and a special offer.

Cooking with Essential Oils Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 23:46:00 +0000

We live in an era where foods are high in flavor but devoid of nutritional value. In fact, artificial flavors common in processed foods and derived from petrochemical byproducts have been implicated in allergic reactions, dermatitis, eczema, hyperactivity, and asthma!

Most of us are looking to eat healthier, but we don’t want to skimp on flavor. How many reading this can relate to that?

Herbs and spices in our kitchen cabinet can add a lot of flavor and health-promoting properties to foods, but they can lose potency relatively quickly. I can think of several spices in my cupboard right now that I’ve had for more than 3 years.

Did you know that you can enhance the flavors of your food in a fun and healthy way using all natural products that are delicious, long-lasting and health-promoting?

Of course, I am talking about essential oils, more specifically Young Living’s Vitality Line.

What is so great about Young Living?

Young Living is a 21-year-old plus, billion-dollar company that was founded on the principle that nature has powerful, natural substances from PLANTS to meet the needs of the 21st Century family! Young Living owns and runs hundreds of acres of sustainable, organic farmland and essential oil distilleries in Utah, Idaho, Canada, France, Ecuador, Peru, and Oman!

Young Living is currently doing business in almost every nation around the globe, and is among the fastest growing direct sales companies in the U.S. with almost 100,000 joining each month in the U.S. alone! Our company was founded by Gary Young, who, together with his wife Mary, is continually blazing new and exciting trails all over the world to promote the ongoing success and development of Young Living.

What are essential oils?

The products I am focusing on are pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils. For those who aren’t quite
sure, essential oils are the lifeblood of aromatic plants. Have you ever broken open the leaf or stem of a plant and seen a fluid come out? Well, when you take the precious fluid from aromatic plants containing the plant’s therapeutic properties and you super-concentrate it, what you end up with is an essential oil!

Young Living is the largest worldwide distributor of therapeutic-grade essential oils, and has a reputation of providing some of the most pure and powerful essential oils available!

Young Living’s Vitality Line

Essential oils are famous for their aroma, but in this post I’m going to focus on the delicious flavors of essential oils in Young Living’s Vitality essential oil line! These essential oils can add a pop of flavor and therapeutic value to beverages including smoothies and teas, soups, salad dressings, marinades, desserts, sauces, and more.

Before we start cooking though, I want to talk a little more about some basics with using Young Living’s Vitality essential oils in the kitchen!

The History of Plants in Cooking

Herbs and spices have been used in cooking probably for as long as man has been on the earth. It is believed that hunter/gatherers would wrap their meat in leaves and plants, and then they discovered that some of these plants would impart a good flavor into their meats. Early man even discovered that some of these plants could be used as natural preservatives.

Herbs and spices became used as early medicines as people began to notice their therapeutic effect. And of course, they were used to purposely flavor foods. Local cuisines became known for distinctive flavors from the herbs and spices found in their region.

Today, most American kitchens are stocked with herbs and spices from around the world allowing us to prepare foods with a wide variety of flavors. And anyone who has ever eaten foods flavored with herbs and spices has already ingested essential oils. This is because it is actually the natural essential oils in herbs and spices that give them any aroma and flavor at all!

The essential oils in herbs and spices are also responsible for any therapeutic effect on the body.

The main difference between essential oils and herbs and spices you buy at a grocery store are potency and shelf life. Through time, the essential oils in herbs and spices evaporate away, rendering the herb or spice bland and impotent.

Locally grown herbs and spices that are either fresh or freshly dried are great to use in cooking. But herbs and spices from across the world that have been sitting on a shelf for a few years before they even get to your kitchen are not going to be as potent.

Young Living’s Vitality essential oils are perfect to use in place of herbs and spices in the kitchen when a pop of flavor and therapeutic value is desired, and especially when that herb or spice is difficult to source in your local area or is out of season.

How about you? Let me know in the comments if you have tried cooking with essential oils or share your favorite recipe using essential oils! Be sure to check back for Cooking with Essential Oils Part 2.

5 Tips for Keeping Your Kids Healthy

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 19:04:00 +0000

Winter image created by Lyashenko - Freepik.com

A few years ago, it seemed like my family was constantly sick. If one kid didn't have a runny nose, then someone else was up all night puking. We'd have a few months of everything being okay and then bam another round of illness. It got so I started researching what I could do to help improve my family's health.

I found that by making a few small changes both in diet and habits has helped my family stay healthier over the past few years. While we still can get colds and runny noses they generally are short-lived and I can honestly say not one of us has had a more serious case of the flu for over two years.

#1. Probiotics - while researching how to prevent gastrointestinal bugs, I discovered that supporting the digestive system is extremely important. An easy way to do this is by supplementing with probiotics. My kids like yogurt so I started making sure I kept a good probiotic yogurt stocked in the fridge all the time. Bye bye tummy bugs!

I, personally, don't like to eat yogurt so for me I need to take a supplement. You can get good probiotics at any health food store - you just need to make sure that you're getting a good one by checking that it includes Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, two of the most well-studied strains. I just recently started using Life 9 from Young Living. It makes sense to me to buy from Young Living as it gets shipped right to my door saving me a trip to the store and with my wholesale account I'm saving $10.00 a bottle as well as earning reward points.

lead by example - make sure they see you washing your hands too

demonstrate how they should be washing their hands - print off a hand wash chart and post on the mirror on the bathroom as a reminder

be patient - it takes time to learn a new habit and you may have to remind them every time but eventually they will get it.

Make it fun - use a timer or have them sing the Happy Birthday song twice. We bought Thieves Foaming Hand Soap and our kids enjoy making their hands all foamy.

Water image created by Shayne_ch13 - Freepik.com

Since my family has included probiotics into our daily lives, we have not had a major outbreak of gastrointestinal flu.

2. Hand Washing - we all know that hand washing is super important but it's hard getting the kids to cooperate. They tend to think we're being overly dramatic and it's a waste of time. Or is that just my kids?

3. Serve more fruits and vegetables. I know winter can be a tough time to get a variety of fruits and vegetables in but carrots, green beans, oranges and strawberries all offer immune boosting phytonutrients like vitamin C and carotenoids. Phytonutrients may increase the body's production of infection-fighting white blood cells and interferon, an antibody that coats cell surfaces, blocking out viruses. (Source: WebMD)

It's recommended that your children eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Picky eater? Try and add extras to smoothies - just don't let them see it. One favourite smoothie in our house - is frozen pineapple chunks, almond milk and a handful of spinach. We call it our "Popeye" drink. I always have a few bags of frozen fruit on hand.

4. Boost Sleep time - we all need our rest. There have been plenty of studies on how a lack of sleep can negatively affect our bodies and our minds. Make sure you set a reasonable bedtime based on the age of your child. Create a soothing bedtime routine and unplug from electronics at least half an hour before bed so that their brain has a chance to wind down before they get into bed. In our home, we use lavender essential oil to help ready ourselves for sleep. I keep mine in a roller bottle and apply it to their wrists before bed. My children ask for it every night - they call it the "sleep stuff". I also get my Lavender oil from Young Living as their Seed to Seal guarantee is the best in the industry!

5. Toss Those Toothbrushes - toothbrushes can be a harbinger of germs. Technically, I think the dentists recommend we switch toothbrushes every three months but most of us tend to hang on until we get that freebie at our next check-up. However, if there seems to be a bug going around I'll either toss the toothbrushes or give them a quick boil in hot water.

These tips may seem small but it is often the little things that make the most difference. Not to mention, small changes are the easiest to make.

This is where I buy my natural wellness products and why... Natural Wellness

2018 is My Year to tackle My Health Prepare to Be Amazed

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 04:20:00 +0000

2018 is My Year to tackle My Health: Prepare to Be Amazed

There's a lot of talk around this time of year about setting goals and what we can do to achieve them. I, myself, got rather an early start on my 2018 goals by starting a new health program on December 1, 2017. I am determined that I am going to succeed this year and amaze myself like never before.

There have been times when I questioned my sanity of starting a no sugar, low carb eating plan just 3 weeks before Christmas. I was gifted with no less than 3 boxes of chocolates (one was ginormous) and an entire box of Italian cookies. Yi!

Truthfully, there is no perfect time to change your eating habits. If it's not Christmas, then it's Valentines or Easter or Halloween. Sometimes you just have to dig deep and say "I'm going to do this now. I need to change."

That's what I did.

How did I survive the gorging season? Easily, because the results helped keep me going. When I want to take a bite of that Nanaimo bar sitting in the back of my fridge, I remind myself of what I've accomplished.

I am a Type II diabetic on two kinds of diabetes medication, high blood pressure meds and high cholesterol. I've been struggling with diabetes for over 7 years. My high blood pressure rose when I was in labor with my son and never went normal again. Ten years ago!

Yet, in just 5 short weeks I've managed to bring my blood pressure under control, my blood sugar is amazing and I've lost 21 pounds. My medication has been reduced drastically and I expect to be off all of it within the next two weeks.

So that, my friends, is worth not having that Nanaimo bar or box of cookies. It's worth not eating bread or using butter. For the first time in 14 years, I weigh less than when I first started having children.

My clothes are looser and my overall outlook is more positive because for the first time I am actually succeeding. It's amazing how just being successful at this one thing in my life has helped me be more positive. Hence the 2018 Resolutions post I wrote a couple of days ago.

Why am I successful now when I've failed so many times in the past. I don't know. Maybe the timing was just right. Maybe my doctor scared me with talk of increasing my medication. I don't know.

Whatever the reason, 2018 is my year to tackle my health goals. The year to be a newer, better me.

How about you? Is 2018 your year?

Zeemaid

Young Living January 2018 Promotions

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 04:45:00 +0000

Young Living is setting us up for success with fantastic January FREE gifts!

➕ 5 ml Spearmint Vitality (ER exclusive): Who has some weight management goals this year? Support your metabolism with this vitality oil by adding a couple drops to your water, tea or Ningxia.

Wonderful for the digestive system, this is a family favorite in our house. It is not as hot to the skin as peppermint so topically we use on kids’ tummies.

This is a MUST have for pregnant mamas experiencing some of those morning (or all day) tummy woes! Rub a few drops over your liver before you get out of bed in the morning. And it's just a yummy vitality oil to mix with any of your fave citrus vitalities for some added minty freshness.

➕ Super Cal PLUS: I am not sure you all know why it's so great…but I’m about to tell you all! (It’s a good amount info - you ready?!)

Super Cal Plus offers more than just calcium and minerals—it’s a true bone-health supplement. One of the main distinguishing ingredients are marine minerals from red algae grown in Iceland. This plant based calcium ingredient is delivered in a powerful matrix of 72 trace minerals naturally derived from algae.

Unlike rock based calcium that contains little to no supplemental trace minerals, this ingredient has proven bioavailability due to its unique structure and spectrum of minerals.

To support the route of calcium from the digestive system to the bones, it is crucial to provide Vitamin D, Vitamin K, and Magnesium. These co-factors work through complex biochemistry to deliver the calcium and other minerals as bone deposits.

Another unique and powerful ingredient in Super Cal Plus, is a fermented polysaccharide complex from a new strain of black yeast. This ingredient has been shown to support osteoblast function and the delicate ratio of bone remodeling.

This ingredient supports bone density by potentially mimicking the function of estrogen. In clinical studies black yeast was shown to slow the process of osteoporosis.

Because of the powerful ingredients in this product, we can make strong claims about osteoporosis, which is actually listed on the bottle! "A daily recommended dose of calcium and Vitamin D throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.” BOOM.

➕ 5 ml Deep Relief (ER exclusive): If you haven’t experienced the feeling of Deep Relief on your neck when you slept on it wrong, you are in for a TREAT with this month's free 5 ml. This blend is for all the muscle soothing. 🏃‍♀️ It's my go to oil blend when there is any kind of muscle aches going on.

So if you are joining the gym for the New Year, have nursing mama shoulders, travel frequently, or just need a blend that will love on your muscles - this is IT.

➕ 5 ml Panaway: I LOVE when the promos replace my fave oils from the Premium Starter kit. And again, Helichrysum is in this oil, I mean, I may have a thing for that oil and all the blends it is in. Any temporary discomfort, this is your jam! This is also fabulous to use when you are sitting for long hours if you have a desk job or you are traveling. Your feet, legs and calves will LOVE some of this rubbed to them.

Go grab your oils resources and look up what Helichrysum, Clove, Wintergreen, and Peppermint do - these are all the single oils in this blend. We love adding a roller ball to the top of this one and rolling away with it.

➕ 15 ml Copaiba: Another one of my faves from the Premium Starter kit but in 15 ml! WOOT! Now remember this is a vitality oil too so I will give some vitality options as well for usage suggestions because in my house, that is where it is AT. Topically this oils works wonders for your skin, it is soothing and calming and great to rub on top of other oils.

I love to layer this over Panaway. A very effective way to use this oil is internally. It is an oil that literally calms me down within minutes. Using this oil BEFORE a stressful situation is a great technique to get used to.

A great way to give this to your kids is to add a drop to their Ningxia or a drop to some honey. It has such a subtle flavor. It is also a great oil for sleep. When we are going through stressful situations, often our sleep takes a toll.

Combine this with some Lavender and Frankincense for some incredible sleep and supported emotions.

Now who is getting themselves some freebies this month?

🙋

My Top Seven New Years Resolutions for 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 04:29:00 +0000

My Top Seven New Years Resolutions for 2018

I generally don't like to make New Year's resolutions. After all, it seems like the most sure way to fail is to make a resolution about it. I generally have "good intentions" but I don't think I've ever stuck to those good intentions. Yup, that's the pessimist in me but this year feels a little different.

It could be because for the first time, we are not facing crushing debt. Oh, we still have debt but with my husband's new job really taking off there is light at the end of the tunnel.

It could be because for the first time in a really long time - I've gotten serious about improving my health and have already made a great start and I don't plan to stop. I started at the hardest time of the year and I've crushed it. Not a single gram of sugar has been consumed the entire holiday season.

It could be that just these two things have helped put me in a more positive outlook for 2018. It seems that small successes in any one thing can really make a difference in how you view possibilities.

The impossible suddenly seems a little more possible.

My Top Seven New Years Resolutions for 2018 are:

1. To become more organized in my home. Particularly my office. It's a drag to work someplace that's a chaotic mess.

2. Get my workshop/studio cleaned out so I can set up my pottery wheel and kiln and actually throw some clay in there. A side resolution to this is to stand up for my vision of the space.

3. Don't kill my children... I mean succeed at keeping my cool more - especially with my autistic teenager.

4. Be more present in each day with my family (i.e. - less phone distractions) but find a way to do this without losing my mind.

5. Be more productive - set productive business hours and grow my business.

6. Step out of my comfort zone.

7. Exercise more - improve health.

It's not a long list and I'm sure I'll add or take things away as the mood strikes me but it's good to set something down on paper. Something to look at and remind myself of when I'm wasting time.

How about you? Do you make resolutions? If so, how successful are you at keeping them?

Young Living's September 2017 Promotion!

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 02:09:00 +0000

If you've been on the fence about starting in with essential oils - now is the perfect time to jump. Young Living has extended their September promotion of 10% off a Premium Starter Kit to September 23rd - that's $20.00 off the price of the kit.

The Premium Starter Kit with DewDrop (PSK) is the ultimate foundation for your wellness journey, with eleven premium essential oils and blends, a home diffuser and more, the PSK includes everything you need to get started on the path to whole-life wellness as an oiler, business builder or both!

If you do decide to purchase a premium starter kit using my sponsor link you will also from me:

Essential Oils Resource Guide
an free introductory e-course covering essential oil basics
access to the Oily Tipsters Facebook Group for essential oil information and support (we all love to talk about oils and the ways we use them personally to support our health)
99 Ways to Use your Starter Kit

and for a limited time only - if you make your purchase by September 23rd - you will also receive a shipping rebate in the form of a paypal or email transfer in the amount of $20.00. (please note rebate will be issued approximately 2 weeks after verified purchase is made)

If you are ready to purchase a starter kit - Here's how

1. Head over the Young Living page here and fill out your information.

2. Be sure the "wholesale member" option is checked so that you don't end up paying retail prices.

3. Be sure the "sponsor id" and "enroller id" say 3156589 (so I can send you your freebies!)

4. Select which starter kit you want to get. My recommendation is the Premium Starter Kit because there are oils there that you'll use everyday and combined with a fantastic oil diffuser it's such a great deal.

5. Go through the check-out process and pick the kit right for you!

6. Leave a comment on this blog - letting me know you purchased the premium starter kit and I'll get in touch with you for more information to send out your freebies!

Please note this offer is valid in Canada only! Sorry my U.S. friends - Young Living has a different set of September promotions for you.

So who's ready to get oily?

Back to School Essentials - Calming Play-dough

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 00:23:00 +0000

My kids love to play with play-dough. It's amazing how creative they can be. They make hair salons, create amazing these amazing meals they invite me to "try" and all kinds of wacky animals. One thing they hate though is old, crusty play-dough that has the colours all mixed up. Thankfully, play-dough ingredients are cheap and it's so easy to make.

This particular play-dough recipe I use when we've had a stressful morning and just need a break from learning and a time to just be present. By giving them something they enjoy doing gives them a chance to be quiet without much effort and the addition of the essential oils helps add a soothing layer. Plus it smells so great!!

Here's a little video we put together on how to make our version of calm-down, play-dough

Work's Every Time Play-dough

What you need

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Food color of choice

Directions:

1. Combine 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of salt and 2 teaspoons cream of tartar in a large saucepan.

2. Gradually stir in 1 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons oil and approx 1 teaspoon food coloring of your choice.

3. Cook over medium to high heat, stirring constantly until a ball forms.

4. Remove from heat, cool and knead until smooth on wax paper

5. Divide into balls and add a drop or two of essential oils per ball and kneed well.

Adding your favourite essential oil - we generally choose Young Living essential oil as their Seed to Seal Promise the best in the industry - lavender as it's very calming and soothing - there's a reason why we use it alot at bedtime. Stress-away is another fantastic calming, stress relieving oil with scents of lemon and vanilla. Definitely, my favourite. Lemon on the other hand while refreshing can be invigorating so it's good for a pick-me-up.

What do you think? Do you use calm-down play-dough in your home?

Interested in Young Living Essential oils - check out my post here.

Reclaim Your House After Kids Go Back To School

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 05:15:00 +0000

Reclaim Your House After Kids Go Back To School

Guest Post by Tracy McCubbin, Founder, dClutterfly

Website: https://tracymccubbin.com/

Non-Profit Website: http://onekidoneworld.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracy_mccubbin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracy_mccubbin/

It’s the most wonderful time of the year -- time to send the kids back to school and reclaim your household! After a summer of camps and goofing around inside, your house may need a little tough love to get back into shape for the fall. Research shows that the average American home has 300,000 items in it, and back-to-school is the perfect time to get rid of the ones that you don’t need anymore.

As the kids head back to school and you take the steps to get your house back and order, I’m sharing ten of my favorite tips and tricks to declutter and organize your home this fall:

1. Pull out all the homework and artwork from the previous school year. Before the onslaught of this school year’s homework and artwork, make sure you have decluttered last year’s. We all know Little Timmy is smart as a whip, but you don't need to keep every piece of homework he brings. Homework has one purpose and one purpose only: to help kids learn. It's not to be immortalized in boxes in the garage that you'll never look it. Empty backpacks, desk drawers and those piles you've been meaning to tackle and pick the best of the best. Save the things that are substantial and remind you who they were at the time in their lives. As for artwork, how many turkey hands does one family need? Pare down to a small but great representation of their masterpieces and let the rest go. Take photos if you just can't bare to let them go. You might want to also consider making art books out of the artwork. A crayon self portrait looks so much better in a book for the long run than in a box in your garage. You can make them yourself with any number of apps but if you need a little help, I love Souvenartebooks!

2. Donate (or toss if they are broken) toys that didn’t get used this summer. After a summer of “I’m bored,” you’ll have a great idea of what toys your kids really play with. And don’t forget the holidays (AKA more stuff) are just around the corner. 3.1% of the world’s children live in America, but they own 40% of the toys consumed globally. The new school year will jump them to the next developmental level, so really be honest about what's going to get played with. If letting go of toys is difficult for your kid, try the half way there approach. Sort the toys into four piles: keep, donate, trash and not quite yet. Box up the “not quite yet toys” and put in a closet or garage. Tell your kids if they really miss the toy and want to play with it, it's right there. But chances are, out of sight, out of mind, especially with all the homework coming their way.

3. Did summer reading lists create a glut of books in your home? Time to do a purge of the books that won’t get read again or won’t ever be read. Of course there are classics and favorites that will be kept but ask your kids if they really are going to read Captain Underpants for the 4^th time. Most libraries are facing deep budget cuts so lots of them have turned to book sales to keep their doors open a little later and on weekend. Check with your local library to see if they are accepting books and while you are there, return those overdue library books!

4. Running around in bathing suits and sprouting up like weeds means your kids have outgrown a lot of last year’s clothes. Time to do a deep dive on their clothes and donate the clothes they don’t wear or can’t fit into any more. This is a great process to involve kids in as it gets them used to the idea of letting go of stuff they don't use or wear any more. First do a pass when they are at school and make a pile of the clothes you think are too small or worn out. Then when they are home, ask them what they are okay letting go of. Have them try it one to make sure it really fits. If there are younger siblings or cousins, put them the hand-me-down box. Also, consider doing a clothes swap with other families. Peace Love Swap can help you organize one. And don't forget back-to-school school shopping is on the agenda so make some room!

5. Donate old backpacks. Most kids get new backpacks for each school year. If last year’s pack is still in good shape, think about donating to a local nonprofit that works with foster kids. Use this as an opportunity to declutter backpacks, duffle bags and suitcases. Foster kids are in dire need of suitcases, duffle bags and backpacks. Because they are moving around so much and don't have a permanent home, they often move to foster home to foster home with their belongings in a trash bag. Finding a local organization that provides these donations to local foster kids is a great way to teach your kids about giving back.

6. Donate old sports equipment. Has the team gotten a new logo making the old uniforms out-of-date? A client called me up to say that her daughter's school team got a new logo and they had so many uniforms that were in great shape but they didn't know what to do with them. I happened to be going to Kenya at that time to work with a girl's school there, so I volunteered to bring the uniforms to Nyamasare Girl's School and Orphanage for their football team. They were so excited about the new uniforms, they changed their mascot to the tiger to match the shirts. Talk to the coach about doing a team cleat drive. Everybody wins!

7. Donate old towels to local animal rescue groups. Pool, river, lake, or ocean have all wreaked havoc on your towels. Once everyone is settled into their new schedules, pull all the towels out and see which ones can go. This is an easy one because a tired towel is a tired towel. Keep a couple on hand for spills and floods, but donate the rest to a local animal rescue group. I even had a family recently that took piles and piles of old towels to the SPCA and came home with a new dog!

8. Tackle your garage. 25% of people with two-car garages don’t have room to park cars inside them, and after a summer of everyone home, the garage has become the dumping ground. Tackle this before winter comes because this is one of the biggest jobs on the list but maybe the most satisfying! Take a little time to come up with a plan to attack the garage. First, start with the purging. Then determine if some shelving would help keep you organized moving into the school year. Remember an organized garage is like staying thin -- you have to be vigilant about the amount of calories/things that come in or else the weigh/clutter will pile on!

9. Return order to the kitchen. Constant summertime snacking has probably turned the kitchen upside down. The kitchen is a great place to start with a purge! Kitchens are magnets for clutter and you have to be brutal with the purge, otherwise you are drowning in coffee cups you never use. The first place to start is with food storage containers. Bring them all out on the kitchen counter and match tops with bottoms. If there's no top (or bottom) … OUT! Check your plates, if they are chipped and broken, time to let go. Is there a drawer of old plastic Disney plates that the kids aren't using anymore? Time to donate them. Next, take a look at your pantry. I feel really strongly about the food waste problem in this country. 40% of the food in the United States is never eaten, but at the same time, one in eight Americans struggles to put enough food on the table. That being said, we all have lots of food in our cupboards that our families won't ever eat. So when doing your pantry purge, call your local food bank and see if they take slightly “expired” food. Most do! This is also a great time to take stock of what foods the family really eats. I like to make a master grocery list that lives on the computer or can be printed out. That way, before you go to the store, you can check the pantry to make sure you don't buy staples you already have. And to stay ahead of the clutter in the school year, never go to the grocery without a list. It's a surefire way to over buy.

10. Next year think about doing this decluttering while the kids are at sleep away camp! Once back-to-school hits, everyone is running at top speed. Many of my clients book me for one of the weeks that the kids are away at camp, and then save the second week for a kid-free staycation!

Happy Decluttering!

About Tracy McCubbin

Tracy has always referred to herself as “obsessive compulsive delightful,” but who knew she could turn that trait into a booming business? Nearly ten years ago, while working for a major television director in Los Angeles, Tracy discovered she had the ability to see through any mess and clearly envision a clutter-free space. Coupled with keen time-management and organizational skills, Tracy soon found more and more people were asking her for help. Before she knew it, dClutterfly was born.

Ten years and over 1,200 jobs later, dClutterfly has been named “Best in Nest” by DailyCandy and has received the Super Service Award from Angie's List for five years. Tracy is a regularly featured expert on KTLA Morning Show, KCAL9, and Good Day Sacramento. She and her company have also been featured in Real Simple, Women's Day and ShopSmart. Along with her team of expert dClutterers, Tracy is ready to tackle any project, big or small.

In addition to her impressive organizing tool belt, Tracy grew up with family members who hoarded and knows firsthand that the effects of living amongst an accumulation of possessions goes far beyond the home’s walls. This personal experience gives her an advantage over most professional organizers as she has a unique understanding of the mindset of the organizationally and spatially-challenged.

When she is not dCluttering, Tracy is the proud Co-Executive Director of OneKid OneWorld, a non-profit building strong educational foundations for children in impoverished communities throughout Kenya and Central America. OKOW is providing kids with the basic (yet essential) fundamentals like desks and books, as well as paying teachers’ salaries, building classrooms and even installing solar power technology so students can study at night. OKOW's most recent project #OneGirlOnePad will provide access to reusable feminine hygiene kits to over 4,000 girls in Kenya, allowing them to attend school all year round. OneKid OneWorld is Tracy's “full time, non-paying passion.”

6 Tips to Encourage Your Kids to Eat Healthier

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 05:14:00 +0000

At some point in time, every parent has gone through the food wars with their child. Whether it’s from the beginning of refusing the bottle or breast or they turn up their noses at fruit and vegetables. For most of us – our picky eaters eventually outgrow their pickiness and expand their repertoire of foods.

I’m know that I’m lucky that my children actually love most fruit and vegetables. If I have fruit available, they will eat it. However, with a special needs child in the house, meal prep can become a huge problem. Especially when that child has become a full-fledged teenager and no longer willing to be guided; however reluctantly, away from poor choices. It also doesn’t help when her “won’t eat” foods changes frequently. I just get into the groove of making potatoes one way when she announces she will only eat potatoes if there are made a different way.

I swear having a special needs child was all about teaching me to become more flexible! Believe me, it’s an ongoing learning process but here’s my take on how to get your kids to eat healthy.

Tips To Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthier

1. Don’t make a big deal about it. The more pressure you put on about food choices, the greater chance that your kids are going to rebel. Maybe not in front of you but behind your backs. Trust me, when they get bigger they will no longer ask for a snack, they’ll wait until you’re occupied and sneak it. I’ve found used ice cream bowls in the closet, cookie wrappers in the cat post, and drink cans under beds. Instead of placing restrictions on food, we talk about nutrition and what we need to fuel our bodies and how having treats in moderation is okay.

2. Have healthy food on hand. If you don’t stock it, they can’t eat it. I don’t like to have my fruit out because of fruit flies but there’s no reason I can’t have a bowl of fruit in the fridge on display so every time they open the fridge they see the yumminess. Figure out what fruits your child likes. If they don’t like apples – is it because it’s too sour or does it need to be peeled and cut first. I discovered that while I hated to bite into a whole apple, once it was cut up, I actually enjoyed eating apples.

Stock healthy snack options in the pantry. Pre-prep your veggies and fruit where you can so that you have quick and healthy snacks ready to grab.

3. Model Healthy Eating. If you’re scarfing chocolate in the pantry but telling them to eat an apple, they are going to call you on it. Instead, let them know that treats in moderation are okay and share a piece with everyone. Then grab the apple or whip up a fruit smoothie or fruit salad that will satisfy those sweet cravings. Be the example.

4. Involve the Kids. It’s true that if you involve the kids in some of the planning, shopping and preparing of food you have a better chance of getting them to try new things. It’s very easy to get caught up in the circle of always doing for your kids but they really are capable of being independent little beings and helping mom out. When my kids were 8, 6 & 5, they were given plastic knives to cut peppers and onions up for fresh salsa. They loved it and I was impressed with how well they did. What’s more is they loved eating the fresh salsa and couldn’t wait to go home and make it for their dad.

5. Offer Choices. I refuse to cook a bunch of different meals to make everyone happy. At the same time, I don’t want to see one of my kids be miserable either. So, I make sure that on top of the main offering I offer something else. For example, one child doesn’t like potatoes if we bake them so I offer her a whole grain bun instead. Their dad and I love roasted peppers but we’ll also cook a different vegetable that they’ll like or we’ll cut up raw peppers since they like those instead. Another child can’t stand having their food mixed up in casseroles so before I mix everything together to put in the oven, I set aside a portion of protein, noodles and vegetables without the sauce. It’s easy to do since typically most casserole ingredients are pre-cooked before you assemble it.

6. Don’t Give Up. Just because they don’t like something today doesn’t mean that they won’t like it next week. Children’s taste buds on continually developing and what may seem too strong tasting to them today may not next week. My children all hated brussel sprouts but it’s something that my family prepares for every big holiday dinner. Now, even my pickiest eater enjoys eating brussel sprouts. Crazy, right? So, keep introducing new foods and re-introduce foods regularly. In our house, it’s you have to try everything on your plate – just one bite (it has to be a decent bite not a crumb) and if they don’t like it they don’t have to eat it but they will have to try it again in the future some time.

What about your family, what do you do to encourage healthy eating in your home?

Ditch and Switch - Simple Steps to a Toxin Free Home

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 23:05:00 +0000

What if you could ditch all the toxins in everyday products that you use and switch to toxin-free products? You are already buying these products at your local department store.... so why not earn 20% back in purchases that are healthier for your family's well-being?

Join me on June 12th at 7:00 p.m. (PST) on Facebook from the comfort of your own couch to learn more about how you can replace the toxic chemicals in your home to toxin-free products so you can live a chemical free life!

For more information on the event and to RSVP click here.

In the Mommy Trenches

5 Easy Christmas Crafts to Make With Your Children

5 Easy Christmas Crafts to Make With Your Children

Yarn Wrapped Star at Live Laugh Rowe

Mini Yarn Hat Ornaments by Easy Peasy and Fun

Tissue Paper Wreath by Happiness is Homemade

Easy Yarn Ornaments on Up Craft Club

Yarn Ball Ornaments by All Things G&D

Why You Need to Support Small Business Saturday

You Need to Take Advantage of These 2 Essential Oil Deals

Black Friday Deals - You Won't Want to Miss

4 Easy Ways to Avoid the Winter Clutter That Drives You Crazy

Missing Mittens and Gloves

Keeping Mittens and Gloves in One Place

Hats and Scarves

Drying and Storing Snowpants

5 Simple Steps to Amazing Cranberry Sauce

5 Simple Steps to Amazing Cranberry Sauce

6 Tips to Finding Joy As a Mom of Special Needs

So Much More than a Box of Oils - Premium Starter Kit Sale

Qualifying Premium Starter Kits

Premium Starter Kit with Desert Mist (24073)

Premium Starter Kit with Dewdrop (546303)

Premium Starter Kit with Thieves (546603)

Premium Starter Kit with NingXia Red (546703)

4 Awesome Essential Oils You Won't Want to be Without This Summer

4 Awesome Essential Oils You Won't Want to be Without This Summer

Lavender

Where to Buy Essential Oils?

How to Choose Love When Parenting Sucks

Using Essential Oils for Teens

EMOTIONS

ENERGY

SKIN SUPPORT

HORMONES

ODORS

IMMUNE SUPPORT

6 Quick Tips for Organizing Your Kitchen

I feel Pretty - Amy Schumer's New Movie

Top 5 Parenting Mistakes To Avoid

1. Taking it Personal

2. One Size Fits All Approach

3. Over Scheduling

4. Over Praising

5. Not enough Quality Time

Cooking with Essential Oils Part 3

Cooking with Essential Oils Part 2

Cooking with Essential Oils Part 1

5 Tips for Keeping Your Kids Healthy

2018 is My Year to tackle My Health Prepare to Be Amazed

Young Living January 2018 Promotions

My Top Seven New Years Resolutions for 2018

Young Living's September 2017 Promotion!

Back to School Essentials - Calming Play-dough

Reclaim Your House After Kids Go Back To School

6 Tips to Encourage Your Kids to Eat Healthier

Ditch and Switch - Simple Steps to a Toxin Free Home