Vaccines

I know this is a touchy subject and a lot of people have really strong opinions about vaccines and that is fine. However, I am not posting this to get into any debates about it, so if that is what you're  looking for please take it to another place.
My children get vaccinations. That is what my husband and I decided was best for our children. I know the risks, I know the benefits.
I am posting this because getting vaccines is not the most fun experience and can come with some common, unpleasant side effects and I want to share some things that we do for our kids to help with those.
My princesses are very mild mannered and usually extremely sweet but when we walk into the doctor's office the demons come out and all hell breaks loose. The screaming, the crying, the evil looks of "I can't believe you're making me go through this". It's a good time.
Here are some oils I like to help keep the demons at bay:

Balance. This is my pregame go to oil. I rub this on the back of their necks and behind their ears to help stabilize emotions. I also like to do this before we go shopping. It definitely helps with the meltdowns.
Lavender. This is a staple in my house, especially when it comes to my kids. Something wrong? Oh yeah, just go ahead and put some lavender on. In this case, I put it on immediately after injection. It helps with pain, inflammation and it's very calming and relaxing. If you've  ever had to hold an infant while those evil nurses stab them in the legs, you know that relaxing afterwards doesn't always come easy. Feel free to throw some on yourself too, mom. If this is your first kid, I bet it breaks your heart and makes you a little teary eyed too. (PS: I do not really think nurses are evil, but it's nice to put the blame on them when you're getting the look of complete mistrust. Thanks for taking that blow nurses!)
Frankincense. I use this right after the lavender has absorbed into the skin. Frankincense is great for healing broken skin and swelling. Plus it is just an amazing oil and the lavender/frankincense combo is something I use on my children on a regular basis. This one is not necessary, lavender will do the trick  for all of these things but like I said, I am in love with frankincense so if I have a reason to use it, I do.
You may also want to consider Helichrysum if you have a bleeder. My kids aren't really bleeders so I don't use it in this case usually.
Cilantro. This oil helps the body rid itself of heavy metals. Vaccines contain heavy metals. We don't want those in our bodies and they  an throw everything off. I apply this to the feet once or twice a day for about two days after vaccines.
Peppermint. Sometimes vaccines can cause fevers. Applying peppermint oil to the bottom of the feet and/or back of neck really helps get fevers lower and under control. Of course if their fever gets too high and you can't get it to come down quickly, seek professional help, especially for infants.
Geranium. Sometimes vaccines can cause nasty bruises. Those deep, knotty, extremely painful ones. Geranium can help with that but lavender can as well so choose whatever you like.
I am usually putting lavender on the injection site a  couple of times a day until I don't feel it's needed anymore.

Notes: Always be sure to properly dilute essential oils, especially on infants, children and elderly. If you need help with dilution, there is really good information in the Modern Essentials book.
Essential oils are potent and only require small amounts to be effective. Please do not dump all of these oils on you or anyone else at one time. Use what you need when you need it and you will get the best results!
Always make sure you are using pure essential oils, I use doTERRA. If you have more questions about essential oils and doTERRA, please contact me or click here.

**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

Wild Orange Fruit Dip

This fruit dip is super easy to make yet so delicious! 

I just made some this morning, when I make it again I will take pictures, because well, I forgot to this time!

If you want to go the SUPER easy route, follow the recipe on the picture. 

1.Soften 4oz of Cream Cheese and then mix until smooth. 

I used a regular hand mixer.

2.Add in your Cool Whip, and mix until smooth. 

3.Add 1-5 drops of Wild Orange Oil

The amount of drops depends on how strong of an orange taste you want. 2 or 3 is usually perfect for my taste buds!

If you want to go the route I take, which is the homemade whipped cream route, there are a couple of more steps.

1.Set out cream cheese to soften

2.Put 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream, 2 tbs Powdered Sugar and 1tsp pure vanilla in a mixing bowl.

Mix until the desired consistency is reached. It took about 5 minutes with a hand mixer, so be patient! A KitchenAid would seriously come in handy at a time like this. 

Voila! You have whipped cream!

3.In a separate bowl, mix your cream cheese until smooth.

4.Add whipped cream until your desired consistency is reached.

5.Add 1-5 drops of Wild Orange Oil.

Hint #1: Homemade Powdered sugar is extremely easy to make. Take regular sugar and put it in a food processor. I like to do this because I have unrefined, raw, organic sugar on hand most of the time, and I don't keep powdered sugar on hand. 

Hint #2: Essential oils are POTENT! 5 drops is very generous and you will most certainly be tasting orange! Start out with a fewer amount of drops and add if necessary.

Hint #3: While Wild Orange Oil is my favorite, Lemon and Grapefruit oil are also very good!

Hint #5: Already have a favorite fruit dip recipe? Great! Try adding some oils to it.

Lastly, be sure that the Essential Oils you use are safe for consumption (not all oils are created equal). I used doTERRA's Wild Orange oil for this recipe.

For more information or to purchase, please click here.

** These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

Make Your Own Deodorant

Out of all of your daily hygiene products, deodorant is probably one you don’t think twice about. But what’s actually in deodorant? I was surprised. So I started making my own. After the recipe in this post I’ll tell you why you should make your own but chances are you are here for the recipe and not all of the words but if you’re interested, it’s here, just a little lower. Let’s get started!

*Substitutions: You can use Arrowroot Powder in place of Baking Soda. Baking Soda can irritate your skin. This substitution does still work for me, but I prefer Baking Soda because it is cheaper and I have it in my home regularly.

You can use any type of 'butter' in place of Shea Butter. I have used Mango and Cocoa Butter as well. Shea is my favorite in this recipe because of it's texture. Mango Butter is a little softer and Cocoa Butter has a stronger scent.

*Add ins: If you have sensitive skin you may want to consider adding 1-2 drops of Vitamin E oil into your mixture. 

If the texture is too soft, consider adding more cornstarch OR Bentonite Clay. I have made a few batches with Bentonite Clay and I love it! Plus it is versatile and I use it for many other things as well.

*Essential Oil Mixtures: My favorite so far has been Frankincense, Lavender and Lemon. For women's deodorant you may also consider Clary Sage, Geranium, Jasmine Absolute, Rose Absolute, Purify, OnGuard, anything that smells pleasant to you for your underarms!

For men, I love using Balance, Cedarwood, Arborvitae, Frankincense, Vetiver, any of the earthy/tree smelling oils. 

Remember though, it's not all about smell! Keep in mind the benefits that these essential oils can have! 

I like to make sure I have a deodorizing oil in mine, which is why I add in Lemon. Other oils I've used for this reason are Purify, OnGuard and Wild Orange. 

I use doTERRA Essential Oils. For more information about doTERRA or to purchase, please click here.

You can either use a double boiler, or if you’re like me and don’t have one of those, you can use a medium sized to large saucepan and a glass measuring cup. Your measuring cup needs to be able to fit inside your pan with some spare room for water. Make sure your glass measuring cup doesn’t have rubber or any other materials on it. They will melt in the sauce pan.

Fill your saucepan with about 1-2 inches of water, it really doesn’t take much, and bring water to a boil. Once your water is boiling put your Beeswax, Coconut Oil and Shea Butter into your measuring cup, then place your measuring cup in the sauce pan.

While that is heating up, I put the Baking Soda and Cornstarch in a bowl and mix it up to make sure there are no chunks. This step isn’t quite necessary, but it makes me feel better about the chunks so I do it. Feel free to do whatever your heart desires.

Stir your ingredients in your measuring cup every so often. It can take a few minutes but once everything is completely melted add your baking soda and cornstarch. Whisk until you get a smooth mixture. I like to take a spoon and get a small amount on it and let it cool. I want to make sure the consistency is right for me. I’ve made several batches of deodorant and sometimes it’s too hard and would not rub onto my skin correctly. That means I used too much beeswax and need to add more coconut oil or shea butter, or something else of your choice. Sometimes it’s too soft and oily which means I used too much coconut oil, so I would had more beeswax. Find what’s right for you. This recipe is what was right for me. If the consistency is what you like then take your measuring cup out of the pan and off of the heat. Add your essential oils, stir then pour into your containers.

I get my containers from AromaTools. This recipe fills two of these containers, which are about regular deodorant size. Don’t mind my goofy labels :)

Let this cool for 8-12 hours and it will be ready to go! I don’t recommend putting them in your fridge or freezer to cool off faster because then you’ll have to wait for them to go back to room temperature before you can use them.

Now here’s why I started making my own deodorant. Have you ever read the back of your deodorant? I hadn’t. And I wasn’t pleased. Here’s pictures of both my husband’s and my deodorant labels.

First of all, I’ve been trying to get rid of harsh chemicals and toxins in my home. Most cleaners were a no brainer, but who would have thought of your deodorant that way? Not I.

Second, what if someone has kidney disease? Are they not supposed to use deodorant? Why is something we use on a daily basis toxic to our health, specifically our kidneys? Third, look at all of those ingredients. Seriously, what the heck are most of those things? I know most of these things are cautionary or required to put on the label but all of that just didn’t sit well with me. So I went on the search. I found a few recipes, but I had to tweak and mess with all of them, and this is what I came up with and has been my favorite so far. Tell me what you think and let me know what your favorite homemade deodorant recipes are!

What other hygiene or beauty products do you make at home?

What Happened To My Life When I Had Kids

My life completely changed when I had kids. I think that is the case for most parents, and man is it true for me. Not only did my life change, but I changed. That’s right, I’ll admit it. I changed. I am a way different person now, than I was just 4 years ago, and I’ll probably be quite different in another 4 years. I’m okay with that. Change is good, especially for me, I love it.

There seems to be a negative connotation around change.

“You’ve changed.” That’s rarely said without negativity behind it, am I right? I came across a quote in one of my Pinterest ventures that I really liked:

Dang. That’s true. I used to think I hadn’t changed, I was still the same person I was when I befriended those people when this was said to me, but then I realized, I did change. I fell in love with someone I never expected to. Quickly. And we had a baby together. Then another. We’ve made a family. We’ve built a life together. That’s huge, and it’s changed me. And in my opinion, for the better. So here are some changes I’ve made in my life and if I had not had my kids, I’m betting these things would not have happened.

I realized that my health mattered.

This really started when I got pregnant with my first daughter and has grown (and is still growing) from there. I was creating a life in my body! A whole new human being! Some take this lightly, but I didn’t. I wanted to start her off right. I didn’t want any health issues she may have to be my fault. Something I could have prevented if I had only done so-and-so when I was pregnant or when she was young. I’m glad I took that step to bettering my health for her, and I wish I knew then what I know now, because I could have done better. I’m sure I’ll say the same thing years from now, too. Before her, I viewed health as a silly thing. I wanted to enjoy my life. How could I do that when I was watching what I was putting in my body and taking everything that is fun out of the equation? Now, even as I wrote that, I realize how ridiculous that thought was! Getting on the path to health has made me not only feel extremely better, but I enjoy life MORE now. Silly that I thought eating junk that somehow passes as food/drink, smoking, and various other things were what made me enjoy life. It wasn’t those things that brought me joy and I am so grateful that I realized that fairly young.

I cherish every moment I spend with my children.

Look, being a parent is hard. It is frustrating. It can be downright disgusting but most of all, it is rewarding. I have tough days. I have days that I feel like I just need a break. I think that is totally normal. In reality though, my little ladies bring me so much joy I never could have possibly experienced without them. Watching and helping them learn about the world, how every little thing is fascinating, that is just the best. Every smile, hug, kiss, every "I love you, Mom", is the most amazing feeling I could ever ask for. Feeling the love that these tiny humans have for me, even if they're screaming bloody murder or creating the biggest, most disgusting mess no one should ever have to clean up, that love is indescribable. It makes all the hard times seem to insignificant.

I have goals.

I never really had goals growing up, not big ones anyway. I never had a career that I was really interested in. I was just going through the day to day motions of getting by and “living”. Doing what we’re supposed to do. But when I had kids, that changed. I wanted better for them, I wanted better for myself. Who says we have to end up at a job? Who says we have to be normal? Yes, now I have goals. I have career goals, I have health and fitness goals, I have travel goals, I have family goals and I work toward them every single day.

So yes, my life has changed. I have changed. And I’m proud of it. I worked really hard for it, actually. My life and I have changed for the better because of these little girls and it keep changing indefinitely. That means I’ve lost and will lose friends along the way. My opinions and thoughts will change along the way. Everything changes, and that’s okay. The point in life to me is to do what you love and to be a good person. Right now, I’m pretty darn happy with who I am, where my life is and where it’s headed.

These little ladies are by far the best, most encouraging, and beautiful things that have ever happened in my life. I am so happy I get to watch these beauties learn and grow!

-Aubree

Hello! Welcome To Our Crazy Life.

For those of you that don't know me, or maybe even some who do but may not know that much about me, here is an introduction for you:
My name is Aubree. I am a mother of two ladies and a wife to one great man. Man we are a goofy family but we like us. I think you might too.

This is Willow. She is the youngest of our group and despite her rarely changing face (especially for pictures and when other people are around) this little girl is one of the happiest, most content kids I have ever met, and I get to be her mom! She is a little cuddle bug and if you're lucky enough to get one of those cuddles from her, I promise you, your heart will melt. She loves animals and books but she especially loves her older sister, Lina. 

This blonde bombshell is Lina. She is firecracker! She is independent, outspoken and the biggest sweetheart. She has no problem telling you off but at the same time she is extremely respectful and compassionate, especially for a toddler. She can be extremely shy but when she opens up you are in for a world of joy. She has multiple laughs and they are all super silly. She loves princesses, TMNT, movies, playing outside, Harry Potter and playing with Willow. She's a giant for her age. She's is a complete weirdo and totally loveable.

Both of our kids are amazing and I'm pretty sure they're some of the best kids ever. They are my best friends and I spend every day with them!

This handsome guy here is Cole. He's quite the amazing guy. He is an extremely hard worker, a wonderful husband and father and I couldn't be more grateful to be apart of his life. He is a tattooer, lover of too many nerdy things to list here and the best life companion I could ask for. He's a total goof and our girls adore him almost as much as I do. We share many of the same passions and as much as we're the same, we're different so we have that perfect balance. We've been on one heck of a journey and I am so excited to see what the future has in store for us and our family. 

Here we have me, Aubree. The mother of those two princesses and the wife to that hot guy. I love being out in nature, hanging out with my ladies and I love yoga. I am not a teacher, nor am I am awesome yoga, but I do love the practice. I am a doTERRA wellness advocate and enthusiast.

Here I plan on sharing with you our journey through life, some DIY stuff, and of course some business stuff as well. I look forward to sharing with you!