Oils - Options for Your Littles

So a little while ago, I was in the kitchen and heard a loud BOOM.  Lizzy started screaming and Joshua started running down the hallway in a panic yelling for me.  I ran back into Lizzy's room and she was sitting in her bed with blood everywhere... she had busted her lip on one of her bed rails.

I scooped her up and brought her into the kitchen where I went through FOUR paper towels before I could even see what we were dealing with.  I just wouldn't stop bleeding to I threw some Geranium and Lavender  (who knows how many drops) in my hands, rubbed them together and rubbed them all over her lip, chin, cheeks... basically the whole bottom of her face.  Then, I held my hand over her lip for about 30 seconds to make sure the oil got into her gigantic cut and prayed for her out loud with Joshua.

The bleeding stopped almost immediately and the painful screams subsided to sad sobs.  I gave her a cold herb pack to hold against her lip and we laid down on the couch together for awhile.  Joshua was totally traumatized.  So I got up and put some Valor on him to help him be brave and now we are all laying on the couch together calmly and happily watching Netflix.

SIGH.

Now excuse me while I go huff some Frankincense, wash some sheets and clothes and praise God for His amazing creation!  I love my babies but He loves them even more and He has given me tools to care for them well.  I am so thankful for His provision!

Natural Sun Lotion

So... I made homemade sun lotion.  And it works.  And it isn't gross, white, sticky, pasty, gunky mess.  Yay!

I bought all the ingredients from Amazon (except the oils, of course) and used 4 oz. glass jars to store it.  You'll get a LOT of batches out of a pound of shea butter, beeswax pellets and zinc oxide.  So don't worry when it all adds up to about $40 (plus the oils).  This is good, healthy stuff and these ingredients will last awhile and can double for other things like lotions and lip balms!

Feel free to Google what SPF these ingredients offer separately.  I cannot say what this sunscreen mixture offers but my pale self has had great results. I really like it!  It practically disappears when you rub it into your skin and it doesn't feel heavy or sticky.  I also like the smell - kind of summery.  We have not gotten even a little pink since we started using this. So I am totally comfortable using it on my kids... which tells you how much I trust it!

Also, I would imagine this would melt a bit (because of the coconut oil) if you were to leave it in a hot car full time.  So keep it inside and if you cart it to the beach or pool, you may want to store it in your cooler to maintain a good texture.  The beeswax pellets do help it stay together better than some recipes I found, though.

HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN

1/8 cup Beeswax Pellets
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Shea Butter
2 Tablespoons Zinc Oxide
15 drops Carrot Seed Oil
10 drops Lavender

Melt the beeswax pellets, coconut oil and shea butter in a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water.  This will take about ten minutes.  Remove the bowl from the heat and set on a towel to cool.  After it cools, add the zinc oxide and essential oils and mix well with a spatula.  To get a better texture, mix the sunscreen with a hand mixer for about three minutes.  Spoon it into a glass jar and put the lid on to seal.  Allow it to cool completely before using.  Apply every 90 minutes when your skin is exposed to the sun.

Note - You can experiment with adding other essential oils in addition to the Lavender and Carrot Seed!  Peppermint would be nice and Sandalwood would be HEAVENLY!  Talk about smelling like summer!  :)  Stay away from citrus oils as they are photosensitive and can actually cause your skin to burn when applied recently and exposed to the sun.

Mama's Favorite Oil

Lavender is our go to for all cuts, scrapes, burns and bruises. This warmer weather means more outside play time and a lot more Lavender. ;) It works wonders for these skin irritations and the aroma helps them calm down so much faster than they would without it. It's also safe to apply undiluted, even on children, which makes it a quick and easy solution! 

(Joshua puts his own band aids on now... always vertically.)

NingXia Red Popsicles

Well... the NingXia Red Popsicles were a HUGE hit this morning! smile emoticon Joshua helped me make them before he went to bed last night. When he woke up this morning, he walked straight to the freezer. He was so excited! I modified the recipe a bit to use less of the NingXia Red (because, budget) but the popsicle mold that comes with the new gift set worked SO well! And, yes. When your popsicles contain this many oils, nutrients and antioxidants, your babies (and you!) can eat them for breakfast without Mommy guilt! 

heart emoticon

NingXia Red Popsicles
3/4 cup Water
1/2 cup Organic Apple Juice
1/4 cup NingXia Red
4 drops Orange Vitality Oil
4 drops Lemon Vitality Oil

Mix all ingredients together in a glass bowl and pour evenly into the silicone popsicle molds. Freeze for several hours. Run under hot water for about 20 seconds to help release the popsicles from the molds. Enjoy with LOTS of smiles! grin emoticon

(This gift set is in YL's new Spring Catalog. It is Item #5676 and comes with a silicone YL branded popsicle mold and a bottle of NingXia Red!)

Lemon Oil for Laundry Stains

I have heard about this trick before but have not gotten around to trying it. Until yesterday!

I bought this white dress for Lizzy for Easter. I know... rookie mom mistake. wink emoticon But the dress was just so precious that I couldn't help myself. OF COURSE within the first two minutes of Easter breakfast, she had strawberry juice running down the whole front of it. It ended up sitting on there all day and night because I forgot to soak it when we got home. SO... when I went to do her laundry yesterday morning, I put four drops of Lemon oil over some of the stains. Then, I just washed it with her clothes with Thieves Laundry Detergent, like always.

It came out looking brand new! Strawberry juice... that had sat there for like 36 hours. I was so impressed! Plus, it smells extra fresh and lovely and I don't have to worry about crazy chemicals from store bought stain removers are touching her skin.heart emoticon

I love how versatile, safe and effective essential oils are!

Granola Balls

I hosted a marriage class last night and kind of threw these together to see if it worked.  They turned out to be delicious so I wanted to share the recipe!

GRANOLA BALLS
(makes about 36 balls)

First, you will need to make a batch of GRANOLA.

3 cups Oats
1 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1 cup Cashews
1/2 cup Alminds
1/2 cup Pecans
1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/4 cup Chia Seeds
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
2 tablespoons Melted Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla
4 drops YL Cinnamon Bark Vitality EO
3 drops YL Clove Vitality EO
2 drops YL Nutmeg Vitality EO

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine the wet ingredients well and add them to the dry.  Stir well to combine.  Spread the mixture evenly onto the parchment covered baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.  It will crisp as it cools.

Once the granola is cooled, you can make the GRANOLA BALLS.

3 cups Granola
10 Pitted Dates
1/2 cup YL Dried Wolfberries
1/3 cup Water
1/4 cup Vanilla Spice or Chocolate Pure Protein Complete

Add the first four ingredients to a food processor and pulse until a dough is formed.  Roll out 1" balls in the palm of your hand and toss them in the protein powder to cover.  Let them rest in the fridge for one hour before consuming.

These are quick and easy to make.  My kids loved them so it's a great, healthy snack to keep on hand for them.  Plus, you'll have lots of delicious granola leftover, too!

Enjoy!

Why do we use NingXia Red daily?

In case you were wondering why we use NingXia Red daily (and why you should, too!), here is a graphic showing all of its amazing benefits! smile emoticon

We had been spending lots of money on many different supplements that supported various body systems. When we started taking NingXia Red daily several months ago, we felt so great that we stopped taking everything else. It turned out to be a great decision to use that part of our monthly budget for this instead. We have never felt better!

Black Pepper Popcorn & Orange Infused Chocolate Bark

The oil infused treats for tonight's intro class are all ready to go. It took me all of about fifteen minutes to get this together. It really doesn't have to be complicated! Here are the recipes!

BLACK PEPPER POPCORN

1/4 cup Oil
1 teaspoon Salt
2 drops YL Black Pepper Oil
1/2 cup Popcorn Kernels

Put the oil, salt and black pepper oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir to combine. Add the popcorn kernels and stir again. Put the lid on the pot and allow it to cook over the heat until there are 2 to 3 seconds between pops. Remove from heat, pour the popcorn into a bowl and add extra salt if needed.

ORANGE INFUSED CHOCOLATE BARK

1/4 cup Sliced Almonds
1/4 cup Cashew Pieces
1/8 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/8 cup Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3 drops YL Orange Oil
Pinch of Salt
1/2 cup YL Dried Wolfberries

Toast the nuts in a non-stick pan over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not burn. Add the shredded coconut to the pan. This will burn quickly so be sure to keep moving it around as it toasts. Remove the pan from the heat. Put half of this nut mixture aside. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, cocoa powder, orange oil and salt to the remaining nut mixture left in the pan. Stir well to combine. Allow to cool in the fridge until it thickens enough to pour easily. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the chocolate mixture onto it and allow it to spread out. Sprinkle the reserved nut mixture and wolfberries on top of the chocolate mixture . Put in the freezer to harden for about fifteen minutes. Remove from the freezer, peel off the parchment paper and break the chocolate bark into into pieces. Keep them frozen until you are ready to serve.

ENJOY! smile emoticon

Get Better Quick Regimen

Both kids woke up this morning not feeling well. One got sick a few times and the other has been coughing and dry heaving. Both are cold and cuddly with pale, sleepy faces. So I thought I would share what I do in these rare circumstances when something actually gets them down.

1 - Make special beds for them on the couch. To do this, I put a drop of Peace & Calming on their lovies and favorite blankets and pillows. I let them know what is going on and pray for them. It's amazing how much more relaxed and at ease they seem after this. (This is the point when they start asking for oils...) wink emoticon

2 - I put Thieves and Lemon in the diffuser to help keep the air in our home clean.

3 - I make iced Lemon water. Our Lemon oil is made from the rind so it isn't acidic and can aid in neutralizing pH in their bellies. We call it special lemonade and they take a sip every so often.

4 - I rub a drop of diluted Peppermint on their bellies. I'll do this as needed every few hours.
5 - I rub a drop each of diluted Oregano and Thieves on their spines and feet. I'll do this every few hours for a day or two (if needed).
6 - As they are able to keep things down, we'll double up on NingXia Red to give them high doses of antioxidants and immune system supporting essential oils.
7 - I also have Peppermint and Citrus Fresh going in the diffuser in the kitchen so I get an energizing boost every time I go in there. I also rolled Joy on my heart and some En-R-Gee on the back of my neck. Yup. Mama needs support for times like these, too!

For us, this is really effective and easier and far cheaper (and less time consuming!) than a trip to the doctor and pharmacy. Now, for extra snuggles and lots of PBS. I am confident they will be back to normal in no time!

Calm Down Roll-On Blend

I love this Calm Down blend. We roll it on the kids' feet and wrists if they are having a difficult day. Hey - we're all human and need help navigating those emotions, right? smile emoticon If they are in a snuggly mood and want extra hugs, I roll it on my chest and neck so they are inhaling it while we "give loves" and watch a movie or read a book together. It's easy, inexpensive and really effective!

CALM DOWN BLEND

In a 10 mL Roller Bottle add...

15 drops Grounding
10 drops Lavender
5 drops Cedarwood

Add oils to a 10 mL roller bottle and fill to the top with V-6.  Put a roller top and cap on the top of the bottle.  Screw the cap tightly on to set the roller top in place.  Roll on as needed in desired locations.

(Grounding is a combination of White Fir, Spruce, Ylang Ylang, Pine, Cedarwood, Angelica and Juniper.)

Healthy Hair Mist

If you all have seen my daughter, you know that she has incredibly gorgeous hair.  Seriously.  It's so health and it almost down to her adorable little rear now.  I credit that to this awesome Healthy Hair Mist!

HEALTHY HAIR MIST

15 drops Lavender
10 drops Cedarwood
8 drops Frankincense
5 drops Rosemary
3 drops Tea Tree
1 T Witch Hazel

Add all ingredients to a four ounce mist bottle and fill with water.  Spray on hair and scalp twice per day.

Winter Wellness Lotion

This Winter Wellness Lotion is awesome! Around this time of year, we start rubbing it on our feet and spines before bed and in the mornings. It is a great blend of different immune system supporters and feels luxurious on your skin. Give it a try!

WINTER WELLNESS LOTION

• 1/2 cup whipped Coconut Oil 
• 1/2 cup Lavender Lotion 
• 12 drops Thieves 
• 6 drops Oregano 
• 6 drops Clove 
• 6 drops Eucalyptus 
• 6 drops Frankincense 
• 6 drops Copaiba 

 Mix all ingredients well and store in a glass jar. Use as desired!

Bug Bite Roll On

A mosquito hitched a ride home with us last night and our kids ended up with several red welts on their arms and legs.  They are very sensitive to them (like me) so the bites swelled quickly.  I made this handy roll on to use to help with the itch and redness.

Bug Bite Roll-On

6 drops Peace & Calming
8 drops Purification
8 drops Lavender

Fill an emptied and cleaned 5 mL oil bottle with the oils as instructed above.  Fill to the top with V-6 Carrier Oil Blend.  Attached a roller top and roll on to desired areas as needed.

After Sun Cream

Even though I sat under our umbrella and applied sunscreen several times yesterday, I still came home looking like a lobster. Fortunately, the kids and Anthony look and feel great! But my skin is really sensitive to the sun. (Lucky me, huh?) Anthony looked up what to do in my reference guide this morning and applied this amazing combination to my skin before he left for work. (#marriedaking) This lotion is a favorite of mine all on its own but when it is boosted with additional essential oils, it is extra fantastic! The peppermint helps with the burn and makes it feel nice and cool. The lavender helps with the sting and speeds up the healing. If I keep it on every few hours, I feel good! It is definitely a great blend to remember for the summer time. 

After Sun Cream

1/4 cup Lavender Hand & Body Lotion
6 drops Peppermint
8 drops Lavender

Mix well and apply as needed. (Be sure to avoid your eyes when applying.)

Note - You absolutely could use whipped coconut oil in place of the lotion! Although, this lotion really helps with the itching because it is just so creamy and soothing. It really feels like a luxurious treatment. 

Sleepy Sheet Spray

Sleep. It is a beautiful thing when you get enough of it. We have one person in this house who has no problem with sleep (hubby) but the rest of us sometimes need some help to settle down and get into a deep sleep cycle. I created this blend of oils that we spray on our sheets and pillows before bed every night. Our kids fall asleep quickly and usually stay asleep for ten to twelve house with this! 

We tried just lavender at first and it worked great for our daughter but it didn't seem to help our son very much. So I did some more research and discovered that a lot of people need a "grounding" oil to assist in sleep, too. So I added Cedarwood for that and Peace & Calming for good measure and it has worked so well for us! It also smells amazing! We get a lot of compliments on it when I use this blend in our diffuser. The recipe is below.

SLEEPY SHEET SPRAY

8 drops Lavender
6 drops Cedarwood
6 drops Peace & Calming

Add the essential oils to an 8 oz. glass spray bottle and fill with water. Shake well and spray on sheets, pillows or even pajamas!

Toothpaste

I put dirt and salt in our toothpaste. Before you think I'm totally nuts, let me share this amazing testimony with you! Anthony went to the dentist a few months ago and has some x-rays done. They told him he had five cavities that needed to be taken care of so they scheduled the fillings for about a month away. I did some research and found out that Bentonite Clay and REAL Salt has minerals in it that can heal cavities. I ordered some from Amazon and whipped up this toothpaste recipe which we have been using ever since. When he went to his appointment to get his cavities filled, they only had to do one. The other four had healed! We were so thankful!

I also added thieves to this recipe because he showed some signs of gum disease. Thieves helps fight bacteria and his gums are so healthy now, too. So... win/win! 

TOOTHPASTE

1 1/2 T Bentonite Clay
1 T Water
1 T Coconut Oil
2 t Baking Soda
2 drops Stevia Extract
8 drops Peppermint
6 drops Thieves Blend
Sprinkle of REAL Salt

Mix all of this with a wooden or plastic spoon because the clay will pull and hold on to the metals in metal utensils. Keep in your bathroom in a glass jar and use a clean finger to grab a bit to place on your toothbrush. Then, brush as you normally would.

All of these oils are included in Young Living's Premium Starter Kit.  To learn how to get this get AND how to get 24% off all the oils you order, go to my Essential Oils page!